An error amplifier outputs an error voltage to the primary side as a feedback signal indicating a state of the load. An oscillator controls a switching frequency of the switching operation such that the switching frequency is reduced from a highest normal frequency to a lowest normal frequency based on the feedback signal in a load range from a heavily-loaded state to a lightly-loaded state in a normal oscillating operation that continuously performs the switching operation. An intermittent oscillation control circuit intermittently performs the switching operation by stopping the switching operation based on the feedback signal when the load is lighter than a previously set reference. The oscillator increases the switching frequency from an intermittent-operation frequency lower than the lowest normal frequency in an intermittent oscillation duration in which the switching operation is performed in the intermittent oscillating operation.

The disclosure relates to a switched-mode power supply device configured to control an output voltage through a switching operation.
A switched-mode power supply device performs an intermittent oscillating operation that intermittently performs a switching operation in a lightly-loaded state (see Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2007-215316: Patent literature 1, for example). The switched-mode power supply device according to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2007-215316 is provided with an upper limit frequency in accordance with a feedback voltage and configured to perform an intermittent oscillating operation that stops after being turned on a previously set number N of times.


Dithioamine reducing agents useful for the reduction of disulfide bonds. The reducing agents of this invention are useful, for example, to reduce disulfide bonds, particularly in proteins, or to prevent the formation of disulfide bonds, particularly in proteins and other biological molecules. Reducing agents of this invention can be employed to regulate protein function in proteins in which a sulfhydryl group is associated with biological activity. Reducing agents of this invention can prevent inactivation of a given protein or enhance activation of a given protein or other biological molecule in vitro and/or in vivo. Reducing agents of this invention can prevent or reduce oxidation of cysteine residues in proteins and prevent the formation of reduced activity protein dimers (or other oligomers). Reducing agents of this invention are useful and suitable for application in a variety of biological applications, particularly as research and synthetic reagents. The invention provides S-acylated dithioamines which can be selectively activated reducing agents by removal of the S-acyl groups enzymatically or chemically. The invention further provides dithiane precursors of thioamino reducing agents. The invention provides dithioamine reducing agents, S-acylated dithioamines and dithianes which are immobilized on surfaces, including among others, glass, quartz, microparticles, nanoparticles and resins.

Approximately 20% of human proteins are predicted to contain disulfide bonds between cysteine residues. [1] Small-molecule thiols can reduce these (and other) disulfide bonds, thereby modulating biomolecular function. [2] The reaction mechanism involves thiol-disulfide interchange initiated by a thiolate. [3] The ensuing mixed disulfide, however, can become trapped if the reagent is a monothiol, such asp-mercaptoethanol (βME). [4]
To overcome this problem, Cleland developed racemic (2S,3S)-1,4-dimercaptobutane-2,3-diol (dithiothreitol or DTT; Table 1), a dithiol that resolves a mixed disulfide by forming a six-membered ring. [2a, 5] DTT is a potent reducing agent (E°′ −0.327 V) [2 g] and has been, despite its high cost, the preferred reagent for the quantitative reduction of disulfide bonds and is now the standard reagent for reducing disulfide bonds in biological molecules. [6, 7] At physiological pH, DTT is, however, a sluggish reducing agent. The reactivity of a dithiol is governed by the lower of its two thiol pKa values. [2, 3] With its lower thiol pKa value being 9.2, [Table 1] greater than 99% of DTT thiol groups are protonated at pH 7 and thus unreactive (i.e., less than1% of DTT residues are in the reactive thiolate form at pH 7 [8])
Thus, there is a need in the art for reducing agents useful in biological systems, for example, for the reduction of disulfide bonds, which exhibit properties improved over those of prior art reducing agents. The present invention provides dithiol amines which can be prepared from inexpensive starting materials in high yield and which exhibit desirable improved properties as reducing agents.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention provides an apparatus for signaling that a predetermined time value has elapsed, having a device for acquiring and storing the amplitude value of a clock signal at an acquisition instant in the temporal profile of the clock signal. A device is provided for continuously comparing the acquired and stored amplitude value of the clock signal with an instantaneous amplitude value of the clock signal and for outputting a comparison signal which has a first logic state if the instantaneous amplitude value of the clock signal is less than the stored amplitude value and has a second logic state if the instantaneous amplitude value of the clock signal is greater than the stored amplitude value. A device is also provided for counting the number of logic states of the comparison signal which occur after the acquisition instant, and for signaling that the predetermined time value has elapsed if the counted number of logic states is equal to a predetermined number of logic states which corresponds temporally to the predetermined time value.

In the prior art, delay times are usually controlled with the aid of a simple circuit having a constant current source, a capacitor, which is connected in series with the current source and which stores the charge of a current over time with a characteristic charging curve, and a comparator, which is connected in parallel with the capacitor and which compares the voltage generated by a charge in the capacitor with a threshold value. The circuit uses the comparator to signal when a specific delay time has elapsed. To that end, the capacitor, which has a specific selected capacitance, is charged with a selected current of the constant current source, the charging duration depending on the selected capacitance and the selected current. If the voltage in the capacitor reaches a threshold voltage, this is signaled on account of a positive threshold value comparison at a comparator output. The duration until the signaling of the positive threshold value comparison corresponds to the delay time. The signaling can then be used in an integrated circuit for driving elements thereof, such as e.g. for enabling a read-in or -out operation of memory cells in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM).
The current sources in circuits for controlling a delay time usually comprise so-called "current mirrors". A current mirror comprises, by way of example, a first transistor, through which a reference current flows, and a second transistor, whose gate is connected to the gate of the first transistor and through which a mirror current flows, which has a specific relationship with the reference current depending on the transistor parameters. This mirror current is then used for charging the abovementioned capacitor.
One disadvantage of such circuits for controlling delay times is that variations and inaccuracies in the transistor parameters of the current mirrors and the capacitor parameters lead to inaccuracies and variations during the generation of the delay times. Such variations are caused for example by temperature and production variations, but also, in particular, by variations in the capacitor parameters over a chip.
A further disadvantage of circuits for controlling delay times is that capacitors having very high capacitances have to be used for controlling long delay times. This on the one hand increases the area requirement and the outlay of the circuits and on the other hand leads to inaccuracies in the determination of delay times with the aid of a threshold value due to the flat charging characteristic of capacitors having a large capacitance.

Apparatus for signaling that a predetermined time value has elapsed


A clip applier includes a body 21, an insertion tube 22 extending from the body 21 and inserted in a channel of an endoscope and a clamp mechanism 24 disposed at a distal end of the insertion tube 22. The clamp mechanism 24 has a support member 28 fixed at the distal end of the insertion tube 22 and a pair of clamp members 30 rotatably supported by the support member 28. The clamp members 30 are connected to a distal end of a wire 25 via a pair of links 35. The clamp members 30 respectively include gripping portions 32 protruding form the support member 28. A clip 50 is received in receiving grooves 32a of the gripping portions 32. When the wire 25 is pulled by operating an operation member disposed on the body 21, the clamp members 30 are rotated against an elastic force of a hinge portion 51 of the clip 50, thereby causing a pair of clip portions 53 of the clip 50 to be opened.

This invention relates to a clip applier for use in brain surgery, etc.
To prevent rupture of an aneurysm in the brain, for example, an operative treatment is performed in which a neck of the aneurysm is ligated with a clip to block the communication between the aneurysm and the blood vessel.
A clip used in the operation integrally includes a hinge portion, a pair of clip portions and a pair of connecting portions respectively connecting opposite ends of the hinge portion to the pair of clip portions. The connecting portions intersect with each other. The pair of clip portions are biased to be closed by an elastic force of the hinge portion.
In the operation, a cranium is widely opened and the clip is applied to an affected area, e.g. the neck of the aneurysm, using a tweezers-like instrument while the affected area is being observed with a microscope. As shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. H7-41447, the instrument includes receiving recesses at distal end portions of a pair of grip portions. The clip is held by the instrument with the pair of connecting portions of the clip received in the receiving recesses and the pair of clip portions of the clip protruding from distal ends of the tweezers-like instrument. The clip portions of the clip are opened by pressing the pair of the connecting portions against the elastic force of the hinge portion. With the affected area placed between the clip portions, the pressing force is released, thereby ligating the affected area with the pair of clip portions.
However, in the above mentioned operation, it is required to widely open the cranium, which tends to cause a heavy burden on a patient.


An optical module includes an optical semiconductor chip having a first surface that includes a laser beam irradiation region and a cleavage region, an optical fiber optically coupled to the first surface, and a support member having a second surface bonded to the first surface, and configured to support the optical fiber. The optical semiconductor chip has an optical signal input and output part located in the cleavage region, and the second surface is bonded to the first surface within the cleavage region.

As a method of cutting out a plurality of semiconductor chips from a semiconductor wafer, there is a known method that irradiates a laser beam on parts where the semiconductor wafer is to be cut, such as the stealth dicing technique. According to this known method, it is possible to reduce the time required to cut the semiconductor wafer compared to a dicing method.
However, a cut surface of the semiconductor chip obtained by the known method that irradiates the laser beam, is rougher than a cut surface of the semiconductor chip obtained by the dicing method. For this reason, when the semiconductor chip is cut out from the semiconductor wafer using this known method, and an optical fiber is connected to the cut surface by a butt joint, an optical signal is easily attenuated because the optical fiber becomes separated from an input and output part of the semiconductor chip by an amount corresponding to the roughness of the cut surface. In other words, an optical coupling loss becomes large at the butt joint.
Examples of laser beam machining are described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-192370 (now Japanese Patent No. 3408805), and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-068816 (now Japanese Patent No. 4197693), for example.

Optical module and manufacturing method thereof


A memory card ejection mechanism for use in a memory card connector and controllable to eject the inserted memory card is disclosed, in which the hook of the memory card ejection mechanism has a curved spring arm for engaging a retaining notch of the inserted memory card to hold the inserted memory card in place, and a positioning tip pressed against a wall inside a mounting groove of the slide of the memory card ejection mechanism for producing a reaction force against impact of the memory card to prohibit the memory card from jumping away as it is ejected out of the memory card connector.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the design of card ejection mechanism for memory card connector and more particularly, to a card ejection mechanism with improved hook structure that prevents the ejected memory card from jumping away.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A memory card connector is known comprising an electrically insulative housing with terminal grooves, a metal cover covering the housing, a plurality of metal conducting terminals mounted in the terminal grooves of the electrically insulative housing, probe means mounted in the electrically insulative housing, and a card ejection mechanism mounted in one side inside the electrically insulative housing and adapted to eject the inserted memory card out of the electrically insulative housing. The card ejection mechanism is comprised of a slide, a spring member, a brake rod, and a hook. When one memory card is inserted into the memory card connector, the slide is forced to compress the spring member (there is another design in which the slide is forced to stretch the spring member), and the brake rod is moved along a sliding rail of the slide and positioned in one end of the sliding rail to force the hook into engagement with a retaining notch at one side of the inserted memory card. Therefore, the inserted memory card is secured in place. According to this design, the hook has a curved short spring arm having a free rear end. When a memory card is inserted into the memory card connector, the hook is compressed and forced into engagement with the retaining notch of the inserted memory card, however the free end of the hook is still kept in a suspending status. When the inserted memory card is ejected out of the memory card connector by the spring power of the spring member through the slide, the spring arm of the hook may be forced away from the retaining notch of the memory card by the impact of the spring member, causing the ejected memory card to jump away from the card ejection mechanism. In this case, the ejected memory card may be damaged or the user may need to spend much time in finding the ejected memory card. This problem is more serious in memory cards having light, thin, short and small characteristics.

Card ejection mechanism for memory card connector that prevents ejected card from jumping away


A propulsion system for a large, nuclear-powered ship includes a number of steam expansion thrusters rearwardly directed from the stern portion of the ship above the water line, a number of water jet drivers rearwardly directed from the stern portion below the water line, and a number of water jet thrusters downwardly directed from the hull portion of the ship. The frictional drag effect on the ship may be reduced by providing a curtain of air bubbles adapted to flow rearwardly in contact with the hull portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns marine vessels and more particularly relates to a propulsion system for large naval ships.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aside from wind-propelled boats such as sailboats, the most universal means of ship propulsion is by way of propellers mounted at the rear of the vessel and powered by engines capable of producing rotary output power. The speed of propeller-driven vessels is dependent upon the hull design of the vessel, and the design and rotational speed of the propeller. In addition to considerations of ship velocity, an important factor in the design and engineering of ships is the efficiency with which fuel is converted into propulsion.
In large ships, having a length in excess of 750 feet, and a displacement in excess of 20,000 tons, the propulsion system must be reliable and sufficiently versatile to provide expected performance under diverse weather and sea conditions. Accordingly, it is imprudent to rely upon single propellers, single engines, or single coupling systems between engine and propeller. It is well known that conventional displacement travel of a boat through water is slower than a planing mode of travel wherein the boat is partially or totally upraised from the surface of the water. However, boats must usually be specially designed to achieve a planing or semi-planing mode of travel, and such mode of travel usually requires a greater speed than the conventional displacement mode of travel.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a multi-component propulsion system for large ships.
It is another object of this invention to provide a propulsion system as in the foregoing object which will enable a large ship to operate in either a conventional displacement mode of travel or in an upraised planing or semi-planing mode of travel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a propulsion system of the aforesaid nature which includes a low-friction hull capable of lifting the ship to achieve said planing or semi-planing mode of operation.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a propulsion system of the aforesaid nature having several different specific propulsion factors which may be utilized separately or in combination.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.


An optical touch display panel includes a supporting substrate, a flexible display panel, a transparent elastomer, at least one light emitting element and at least one sensing element. The flexible display panel is disposed above the supporting substrate. The transparent elastomer is disposed between the supporting substrate and the flexible display panel. The light emitting element is disposed beside a first side of the transparent elastomer and adapted to provide a light toward the transparent elastomer. The sensing element is disposed beside a second side of the transparent elastomer. The light is transmitted through the transparent elastomer to between the supporting substrate and the flexible display panel to define a sensing space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a touch display panel, and more particularly, to an optical touch display panel.
2. Description of Related Art
Current touch display panels can be generally classified into resistive, capacitive, optical, surface acoustic wave and electromagnetic types depending upon their design. Among all these types of touch display panels, the optical touch display panels have become a new round of development trend.
In general, optical touch display panels typically include a display panel and an optical touch control module disposed in front of the display panel. When a touch object touches the display panel, the optical touch module determines a position of the touch object according to light blocking and a change in light intensity caused by the touch object. A light source and a light guide unit for guiding the light source are disposed on a front frame beside the display surface. This causes the structure beside the display surface to be unduly protrusive, which results in a poor appearance of the display panel and a lack of modern feeling of flatness. Therefore, increasing the degree of integration between the optical touch control module and the display panel has been an important subject to research for optical touch display panels.

Optical touch display panel providing better flexibility in appearance design thereof


Substantial reduction in aircraft stowage space can be achieved by stacking aircraft using minimal or no folding of parts of the aircraft. This results in reduced complexity and reduced cost compared to other aircraft compact stowage schemes including for example fully folding an aircraft. Landing gear variable height, length, or orientation can be used to orient all or a portion of the aircraft for stowage. Alternately or in combination with such orientation by landing gear, other portions of the aircraft including tilting rotors and tilting nacelles can be oriented to achieve a geometric configuration conducive to compact stowage. In preferred embodiments, aircraft are moved relative to each other so that a portion of one aircraft is offset relative to a corresponding portion of the other. In especially preferred configurations, a portion of the first aircraft will overlap or lie on top of without touching a portion of the second aircraft.

Transport aircraft are often large to contain substantial payloads. Parking and stowage of such aircraft on an airport ramp or in a hangar requires a large space that is difficult to obtain in ever more crowded airports. This difficulty is extreme when stowage of military cargo aircraft (or rotorcraft) is required in forward military bases on land or onboard a ship.
It is of military interest to consider the basing of armored vehicles and heavy transport rotorcraft on ships (called seabasing). U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 12/342,891, filed Dec. 23, 2008, describes such a seabasing ship, which provides for the flight operations of multiple heavy transport rotorcraft. Prior art FIG. 1 depicts tiltrotor aircraft 102, 104 on the deck 140 of a ship 100. Folded aircraft 106, 108 sit on an elevator 142 at the stem of the deck 140. The option of compact folding of such heavy lift rotorcraft aircraft 102, 104 allows two, three, or even more aircraft to be moved on a ship elevator 142 and stowed in a hangar below the flight deck 140.
An exemplary fully folding tiltrotor aircraft is depicted in prior art FIG. 2. The tiltrotor aircraft 200 has a wing 210 positioned above the fuselage 212 that can rotate from a position perpendicular to the fuselage 212 into a position inline with the fuselage 212. The fuselage 212 is supported on landing gear 214. A first tilting rotor 220 remains in a roughly horizontal position over the fuselage 212. Folding blades 222, 224 are coupled to the rotor 220. Some additional portions of the aircraft may also fold or rotate, including an outboard wing 216 or a horizontal or vertical tail (not shown). In general, such rotating or folding joints need to sustain substantial flight loads and tend to significantly increase the aircraft weight and drag. For practical applicability, such joints need to be powered to provide aircraft folding in winds of 60 knots or higher. This requirement tends to add weight and cost to an aircraft design.
The substantial development cost, the increase in aircraft unit cost, as well as the increased aircraft weight and drag associated with a fully folding scheme as depicted in FIG. 2, raises the need for a compact stowage scheme that does not incur the penalties of the fully folding scheme. A low-impact compact stowage scheme is highly desired for stowing a higher number of aircraft on the ship deck than otherwise possible.


A probe having a sufficient height is manufactured by selectively depositing, over the main surface of a wafer, a copper film in a region in which a metal film is to be formed and a region which will be outside an adhesion ring when a probe card is fabricated; forming the metal film, polyimide film, interconnect, another polyimide film, another interconnect and a further polyimide film; and then removing the wafer and copper film. According to the present invention, when probe testing is performed using a prober (thin film probe) having the probe formed in the above-described manner while utilizing the manufacturing technology of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, it is possible to prevent breakage of the prober and a wafer to be tested.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing technology of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, particularly to a technology effective when applied to electrical testing of a semiconductor integrated circuit that is carried out by pressing a probe of a probe card against an electrode pad of the semiconductor integrated circuit device.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-118945 has disclosed a technology, in a prober equipped with a probe (contact terminal), an insulating film and an extraction interconnect and manufactured utilizing the manufacturing technology of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, of inserting a dummy metal film between the extraction interconnect and the probe (contact terminal) to form a space region, thereby adjusting the height of the probe (contact terminal).

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a method of manufacturing a thin film probe sheet for using the same


Laminar flow gas curtains for use in lithographic applications. In an embodiment, a gas curtain system includes a nozzle that enhances the fluidic purge process. The nozzle includes a first housing, a second housing, a flow distribution plate, and a plurality of flow conditioning channels. The first housing has an inlet for receiving a gas and encloses a first volume. The second housing encloses a second volume and is fluidly coupled to the first housing. The flow distribution plate controls the flow of gas from the first volume to the second volume. The plurality of flow conditioning channels are disposed within a portion of the second volume and are used to discharge the gas that forms the gas curtain. The length of the flow conditioning channels is selected to attenuate non-axial, gas velocity flow-vectors. The nozzle limits the gaseous mixing that occurs after the purge gas exits the nozzle channels and starts to purge a gaseous volume.

Gas curtains are used in a variety of applications. In lithographic applications, they are used to maintain required gaseous purity levels within selected components such as the wafer stage and the wafer handling systems. Another example of gas curtain use is to provide thermally stable environments to facilitate interferometry measurements.
Available gas curtain systems, however, are inefficient because of the ease with which the purging gas mixes with environmental gases during the purge process. The gas used to form a gas curtain is a consumable, and the inefficient use of gas by available gas curtain systems adds to the overall cost of lithographic throughput.
What is needed for lithographic applications are new gas curtain systems that overcome the limitations and drawbacks of currently available gas curtain systems.

Laminar flow gas curtains for lithographic applications


A method, medium and implementing processing system are provided in which electronic message content and other selected or predetermined components of an electronic message are automatically displayed whenever an abbreviated or condensed message identification on a listing of messages is highlighted by a user. In one exemplary embodiment, Whenever an item of a message listing is highlighted by a user of a wireless phone or other communication device, a first pop-up content window is created and overlaid upon the listing display. The content window enables the user to view only predetermined portions, for example the first several lines of text of the highlighted message without having to access and scroll through other detailed portions of the message.

Electronic message systems are available in many forms and protocols on various kinds of electronic devices. In most such systems, individuals are enabled to send and receive electronic messages on cell phones, hand-held personal computers and other wireless and hard-wired personal communication devices. In many communication systems, a user is able to send out an electronic message to many individuals and send copies to additional individuals as well. Most of the time these messages will be responded to by the person receiving the message. The responses are then assembled and list in a short form without much detail so that the initial sender may select which of the responses the sender may wish to have displayed in detail. This short form listing of incoming messages is necessary because of the limited amount of display space available on displays of personal communication devices. For example, an incoming message listing may only include a sender's name, the subject of the communication and the time and/or date of the communication. In order for a user to view a specific response or communication, the user must first highlight the specific message on the incoming communication listing using a navigation function on the communication device, and then actuate a "READ" button in order to have the entire message presented on the display of the communication device. Even then, in most cases, the entire message cannot be displayed because of the limited size of the display screen. Further, in messages where there are many addressees, the detailed display of the message includes a listing of all of the addressees before the content of the message is displayed. Thus, a user must again use the navigation function to navigate past the sometimes extensive listing of addressees before being able to view the content of the message itself. This is a very cumbersome and time consuming process and frustrating to most users of personal communication devices.
Thus there is a need for an improved methodology and implementing message processing system which enables a more streamlined protocol for accessing and viewing electronic messages on personal communication devices.

International Business Machines Corporation


An image projecting device and method are presented. The device comprises a light source system, a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit, and an image projection optics accommodated at the output side of the SLM unit. The SLM unit may be reflective or transmissive. The SLM unit comprises an SLM pixel arrangement enclosed between two glass substrates. The pixel array arrangement is formed by a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly. The microlens assembly includes at least one microlens array accommodated proximate of the pixel array assembly. The light source system may comprise n light sources and a light converting means in optical path of light generated by the n light sources, to thereby produce m light beams of different wavelength ranges, wherein m>n. The light source system may comprise a multi-mode laser, thereby reducing a speckle effect in an integrated speckle pattern produced by the multiple modes, as compared to that of a single mode.

Microdisplays are miniaturized displays, typically with a screen size of less than 1.5″ in diagonal. Microdisplays are commonly used in data projectors, head mounted displays, and in the traditional viewfinders of digital cameras. They can be implemented within compact projectors, in viewfinders of handheld Internet appliances and in mobile phones for Web surfing and videoconferences, as full computer screens can be viewed in these devices.
Most microdisplays use a light-valve made of a silicon chip as the substrate material. The chip also houses the addressing electronics (at least an active matrix with integrated drivers), usually implemented in standard CMOS technology which allows very reliable and stable circuits, as well as very small pixel pitches (down to 10 μm or even somewhat smaller), as well as high display resolutions.
In the art, there are known reflective and transmissive light valves. The reflective light valves bounce light off the displayed image into the viewer's lens or the projection lens. The transmissive light valves are similar to backlit, portable computer screens using LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and EL (electro-lumination) technologies. Common reflective light valves are based on Liquid Crystal On Silicon (LCOS) and tilted micro-mirrors (DMD). Common transmissive light valves are based on Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCD).
Projectors that use transmissive microdisplays as mentioned above typically comprise an optical path that includes a light source and a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM), in which a beam shaping optic component, as well as a polarizing component are disposed between them. Another polarizing component and a magnifying optic component are generally disposed between the SLM and the projection surface. The SLM is coupled to a video processing driver to produce the image modulation of the light according to an input signal.
Common optical difficulties in the design of known projectors based on a microdisplay are as follows: low energy efficiency; low brightness and non-uniformity of the output image due to the source non-uniform intensity distribution (i.e. Gaussian distribution over the SLM surface) and intensity losses; low focus depth of the output image. In laser based projectors, the "speckle" phenomena of a Laser source according to which a granular pattern of light pervades the image, is also considered as a technical difficulty. Other common difficulties directly related to the optical difficulties and to the hardware implementation are: size, weight, optical complexity, power consumption and the mobility of the overall projecting device.
Different methods and devices addressed to overcome one or more of the above-mentioned difficulties are disclosed by the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,545 discloses a compact and energy efficient projection display utilizing a reflective light valve. The output beams of the light sources are received by at least one spatial light modulator. The modulated output beams are collimated and combined. A projection lens receives the collimated and combined output beams and directs them towards a projection screen. Energy efficiency is achieved by using sequentially strobed RGB light sources instead of a white light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,789 discloses an optical system for high-resolution projection display, consisting of reflection birefringent (double refractive) light valves. The LCD projector comprises a polarizing beam splitter, color image combining prisms, illumination system, projection lens, filters for color and contrast control, and a screen. The illumination system includes a light source such as a metal-halide arc lamp, an ultraviolet and infrared filter or filters positioned in the optical path from the light source for filtering out the infrared and ultraviolet light emitted from the light source, a light tunnel for providing uniform light intensity, and a relay lens system for magnifying the illumination system output plane and imaging said plane onto the liquid crystal light valves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,703 discloses an image projection device having an SLM and a polarized source system. The optical system uses polarized light manipulated by at least one of a conicoid, or plane optical elements to affect a folded mirror system to project an image onto a screen by utilizing input light components of more than one state of polarization, thus reducing intensity losses over the optical system due to polarization filtering. The system supplies light components of substantially orthogonal polarizations for separate areas of the SLM to be output onto a projection screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,710 discloses a confocal laser imaging system including a laser source, a beam splitter, focusing elements, and a photosensitive detector. The laser source projects a laser beam along a first optical path at an object to be imaged, and modulates the intensity of the projected laser beam in response to light reflected from the object. A beam splitter directs a portion of the projected laser beam onto a photodetector, which monitors the intensity of the laser output. The laser source can be an electrically scannable array, with a lens or objective assembly for focusing light generated by the array onto the object of interest. As the array is energized, its laser beams scan over the object, and light reflected at each point is returned by the lens to the element of the array from which it originated. A single photosensitive detector element can generate an intensity-representative signal for all lasers of the array. The intensity-representative signal from the photosensitive detector can be processed to provide an image of the object of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,092 discloses a laser projector which includes a laser apparatus and a reflective liquid-crystal light valve capable of speckle suppression through beam-path displacement: by deflecting the beam during projection, thereby avoiding both absorption and diffusion of the beam while preserving pseudocollimation (noncrossing rays). The latter, in turn, is important to infinite sharpness. Path displacement is achieved by scanning the beam on the light valves which also provides several improvements in energy efficiency, brightness, contrast, beam uniformity (by suppressing both laser-mode ripple and artifacts), and convenient beam-turning to transfer the beam between apparatus tiers. The deflection effect is performed by a mirror mounted on a galvanometer or motor for rotary oscillation; images are written incrementally on successive portions of the light valve control stage (either optical or electronic) while the laser "reading beam" is synchronized on the output stage. The beam is shaped, with very little energy loss to masking, into a shallow cross-section which is shifted on the viewing screen as well as the light valves. Beam-splitter/analyzer cubes are preferred over polarizing sheets. Spatial modulation provided by a light valve and maintained by pseudocollimation enables imaging on irregular projection media.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,263 discloses a compact size projection system which includes a bright light source of polarized light, and a spatial light modulator, having an alignment layer, to modulate the polarized projection light, wherein the bright polarized light source is aligned with the alignment layer to permit the polarized light to pass therethrough without the need for unwanted light blocking polarizers. The use of a polarized laser source together with its proper alignment with the light valve, enables substantially all of the laser light beams to be utilized by the SLM to form the projected image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,700 discloses a laser illuminated and SLM-based projection system that includes a microlaser array coupled with a beam shaper to produce a bright (i.e. having a uniform intensity distribution) projection light beam to be impinged over the SLM. The beam shaper includes a binary phase plate, a microlens array arrangement or a diffuser arrangement to modify the shape and intensity profile of the projection light beam. The laser light illuminating the light valve thus has a uniform intensity distribution for projecting an extremely bright image, and is confined substantially to the pixel portion of the light valve.


A very light weight, noncompressible drilling fluid including a very light weight hydrocarbon base liquid, and a styrenic butadiene diblock copolymer is heated to achieve excellent rheology including thixotropicity, making an effective drilling fluid with a density of 8 pounds per gallon or less. Densities as low as 4 pounds per gallon are achieved with the addition of glass bubbles. The glass bubbles may, but normally will not, exceed 50% by volume. A method of making the drilling fluid includes passing the light weight liquid and the copolymer through a cavitation device. The invention includes drilling and with and recirculating the fluid to maintain the desired density, viscosity and rheology by adjusting the ingredients accordingly. A method of managed pressure drilling employs the novel fluid, enabling control of drill pressure and physical properties of the fluid including equivalent circulating density.

Nonaqueous drilling fluids, typically based on oil or other hydrocarbons, have been used instead of water-based fluids for many years in various circumstances and for many reasons, one of them being the relatively light weight of oil and related compositions such as petroleum derivatives, compared to the density of water. However, it is generally more difficult to include various additives in the oil-based materials and to adjust other properties, such as viscosity. Drilling fluids must be good at lubricating the drill bit and carrying away the cuttings, among other basic functions. Numerous additives and adjustments to the physical properties of drilling fluids have been tried in the past to accomplish these diverse ends.
In the recovery of hydrocarbons from the earth, drilling fluids are typically water-based or oil-based mud (WBM, OBM). Both OBM and WBM have densities greater than the weight of water, but there is a need for drilling fluids that weigh less than typical WBM and OBM drilling fluids. Oil-based mud includes emulsions where oil is the continuous phase and water the discontinuous phase. Both WBM and OBM can be weighted with salts or barite to maintain enough hydrostatic pressure to prevent the uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons from the well. Too much hydrostatic weight creates drilling problems such as mud losses and damage to producing reservoirs. Managed pressure drilling (MPD) mitigates those problems by maintaining the drilling fluid at or below the pore pressure of the reservoir. MPD typically requires a rotating head, a manifold of pressure chokes and a pump to add backpressure to the annulus of the well. Instead of adding barite to increase the density of the mud, hydrostatic pressure can be added by pressurizing the annulus. MPD provides the control to drill safely while keeping the mud from being lost to the formation to prevent both lost circulation and reservoir contamination. Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD), like Underbalanced Drilling (UD), is well known and has been in widespread use for decades.
There are lost circulation zones and reservoirs with pore pressures below the hydrostatic weight of even water. Until now gas has been used to lighten the hydrostatic column of drilling fluid. Drilling with a compressed gas can speed up the drilling process, and air or nitrogen can even replace WBM or OBM mud as the drilling fluid, but air drilling is typically limited to shallow wells. Aeriated or nitrified fluids and foam are commonly used when a 3 to 9 ppg fluid is needed. The gas is injected into WBM or OBM to lighten the column. Injecting gas complicates the drilling process and adds Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) issues. Compressed gas is defined by the Ideal Gas Law, PV=nRT. Volume changes with pressure and temperature. The fluid density in the annulus is a gradient. There is more pressure at the drill bit at the bottom of the hole and less pressure at the top of the hole. Gas lightens the fluid, but also changes the fluid properties from the bottom of the hole to the top of the hole making it harder to predict fluid properties such as rheology. Conventional WBM and OBM rheology is generally, and easily, determined at ambient pressure by a Couette Type Rheometer such as a Fann 35 or OFITE 900, but rheology of a fluid containing gas can only be measured in a pressurized rheometer. The volume of gas changes the rheology; therefore to accurately define the fluid you need to know the downhole pressure to calculate the gas volume part of the fluid, and you need to know how the pressure is changing from the drill bit to the surface to know the fluid rheology at a given point in the annulus. If the gas expands too much, the rheology needed to suspend the cuttings will be lost, and the drill pipe can get stuck in the hole from the cuttings packing around the drill pipe.
While the complications of determining fluid properties of a foam or aerated fluid can be overcome with specialized equipment, it also takes equipment to make enough air or nitrogen to drill. The equipment is driven by large engines that consume considerable fuel and space. The minimum equipment required are 2 screw compressors that feed a high-pressure booster to generate sufficient volumes of air up to 2500 psi. Membrane nitrogen is safer to use because it prevents downhole fires, but nitrogen requires double the screw compressor volume. The membrane separates oxygen from air to make a 95+ percent nitrogen onsite. To increase the working pressure to 4,000 psi requires a "super" booster downstream of the conventional booster. A full package might consist of 6 screw compressors, a membrane nitrogen unit, a booster and a super booster. Total horsepower can easily exceed 3,000 HP. Drilling with compressed gas also adds a considerable equipment footprint and complicates the drilling process. Part of the drilling process is to remove the cuttings from the drilling fluid as it is circulated out of the wellbore. Drilling with compressed gas requires 3 and 4 phase separators to handle the expanding gas and separate the drill cuttings from the aerated or nitrified fluid. Furthermore, there are significant health, safety and environmental (HSE) issues. An incompressible fluid under pressure is dangerous, but compressed gas is much more dangerous due to the expansion of the gas when released. Adding 6 to 10 pieces of equipment to the drilling process adds more fuel consumption, more emissions, more complexity, more maintenance and requires more people.
Some of the extra cost of drilling with a compressible fluid is offset by drilling faster and with fewer problems. In the field of hydrocarbon recovery, WBM and OBM drilling fluids have been found to cause various types of damage to the wellbore, particularly in shale formations which are susceptible to fracture under the stresses caused by the drill bit and the pressure of the fluid itself. Drilling fluids containing water are heavy, which contributes to the pressure on the exposed formation, but also the drill bit and its essential string demonstrate a disadvantageous buoyancy in dense fluid, often requiring an otherwise undesirable increase in energy and force applied to the drill bit.
A simple method to calculate buoyancy is to use an oilfield buoyancy factor, BF. Steel has an attributed weight of 66.5 ppg (pounds per gallon) and the calculated BF is (66.5−Mud Weight)/66.5. If the Mud Weight (drilling fluid weight) is a typical 14.5 ppg then BF=0.78, but if the Mud Weight is 5 ppg, the BF is 0.91. You can calculate the string weight in the mud by multiplying BF by pipe weight and length. Assume the drill pipe weighs 300,000 pounds. That means a 5 ppg fluid has 273,000 pounds of weight on the bit. Conversely a 14.5 ppg mud only has 234,000 pounds of weight on the bit. While weight on the bit is not the only factor in drilling faster, generally more weight is better, and a low density fluid reduces the buoyancy effect on the drill string as compared to a more dense fluid.
An incompressible fluid that replaces the extra equipment used to generate gas would be a benefit. Such a fluid should still have the advantages of drilling faster with fewer problems, have the advantage of less equipment, easy conventional rigsite rheology measurements and would utilize conventional mud reconditioning equipment.
Surprisingly, no such, incompressible, lightweight fluid exists. The industry has used glass bubbles to lighten WBM and OBM. Direct emulsions are used where water is the continuous phase and oil is the high-internal phase such that the resulting fluid weighs slightly less than water. Neither solution is light enough to replace compressed air and nitrogen used for drilling. A fluid is needed to replace those aerated and nitrified fluids.
While Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) has notably ameliorated the problems of non-productive time, such as resuming drilling after a pipe insertion, aerated or nitrified fluids continue to add difficulty to the process. A noncompressible fluid having a density of 8 pounds per gallon or less can uniquely respond to pressure controls almost immediately throughout the circulating system. My invention beneficially employs such a fluid in an underbalanced (UB) or managed pressure drilling (MPD) operation, controlling the drilling fluid pressure as a function of pore pressure, or to maintain a desired equivalent circulation density (ECD). Such control of pressure has heretofore been impossible in a drilling system utilizing a drilling fluid of 8 ppg or lower.

Managed pressure drilling with novel noncompressible light weight fluid


The invention is a combination welder's slag hammer and reamer. The slag hammer part of the combination tool may be of conventional design, that is, a handle, a shaft connected to and extending from the handle on one end of the shaft, a head connected to the other end of the shaft, the head having a sharpened blade on one end for knocking off the weld spatter. The reamer part of the combination tool may be anywhere on the hammer. Preferably, the reamer is on the head, at the opposite end from the blade. This way, the hammer handle may be simply rotated to use the blade end or the reamer end. Generally, the reamer is of cylindrical construction so that it easily fits inside the nozzle. Preferably, the reamer is tapered from smaller to larger from the end to the middle of the hammer head. This way, nozzles of different diameters may be cleaned by the same reamer. The reamer has facets or edges on its surface for scraping the weld spatter off the inside of the nozzle. The facets or edges may be of any reasonable number, and may be made in any conventional manner, for example, by grinding grooves in the surface of the reamer end to expose the facets as the edges of the grooves, or by forging the facets in with a press while the metal is hot.

1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates generally to welding, and more particularly to a welding slag hammer which also incorporates a reamer on the hammer. The reamer is used to conveniently clean welding spatter from the inside of a gas-shroud type welding nozzle. This way, the welder has conveniently available in one tool both the slag hammer and the reamer.
2. Related Art.
Welders have used slag hammers to remove weld drip and spatter from pieces being welded. Typically, the slag hammer has a handle which is connected to a shaft which is connected to a head. The head has an end which is flattened and sharpened to be like an ax or chisel blade. The welder uses the slag hammer by grasping the handle and swinging the hammer so that the blade strikes the weld spatter and knocks it off the piece being welded.
Welders have also used gas-shrouded welding nozzles. In gas-shrouded welding, an inert gas, such as argon, for example, is flowed through a cylindrical, hollow nozzle. The nozzle also has the welding rod centered in it, the rod extending out slightly from the nozzle in order to be able to contact the piece to be welded. This way, a blanket of inert gas is laid down around the tip of the welding rod where it contacts the piece to be welded, shielding the weld point from the air, and from undue combustion and oxidation.
Often, weld spatter enters the inside of the gas shroud nozzle, tending to plug it. Then, the welder must remove the welding rod from the nozzle in order to clean the nozzle. Often, the cleaning has been done with a chisel or a long nail or other sharp tool which can be inserted inside the nozzle. If the cleaning tool is not of a size appropriate for the inside of the nozzle, the nozzle may be damaged by the cleaning operation. Also, if the cleaning tool is not conveniently available to the welder, the welder may delay, or fail, to clean the nozzle, resulting in plugged nozzles and welding down-time. Therefore, there is still a need for a convenient and effective reamer for a gas shroud welding nozzle.

c/o Dr. Ron Dorchuck, 29100 Santiam Ter.


The invention relates to methods and systems for determination of position and orientation of users in a space and display of virtual space, and can be used in interactive computer games, health-strengthening teaching devices, or trainings of the athletic and military purposes. The invention provides an improved accuracy and speed of tracking of the user's spatial position and orientation, provides convenience for and naturalness of his/her movements and representation of virtual space in conformity with user's movements in the real space. Sensors 4 for tracking angular position of segments 2 of the user's locomotor system are attached at places of articulations 3 of segments 2 and at certain segments 2 proper. At least at one of segments 2 arranged are main means 5 for determination of reference directions, which means provide determination of orientation of a given segment relative to the reference directions. Data from sensors 4, means 5 for determination of reference directions and, when necessary, from devices 8 of interaction of a user with the virtual space objects are processed for determination of the user's orientation and position as a whole on the basis of particular values of angles between segments, and orientation of a main segment whereat means for determination of reference directions, relative to the reference directions, are arranged. Obtained data are used for displaying user's movements in real time, or representation for a user of virtual space that corresponds to his/her viewing field that varies according to movements in real space.

Known are systems for tracking and displaying person's body positions in motion, which use mechanical means to track positions of a head and body parts--goniometers intended to measure angles of rotation of joints and determine final positions, e.g. of an arm relative to a body, or a finger tip relative to a hand.
The following can be considered as drawbacks of such systems: difficult adjustment of goniometers to human joints, particularly those having a number of freedom degrees, for example--the glenohumeral joints, due to mismatch of the goniometer rotation centres with those of joints rotation. Human joints are not ideal pivots: rotation axes shift when joints rotation angles vary. For improvement of the required accuracy, the appropriate calibrations are to be done.
Also known are magnetic systems for tracking and displaying user's spatial position and orientation (see: Burdea G., Coiffet P./Virtual reality technology, 1994, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p.p. 17-25). Among these systems are Motion Capture Server manufactured by Polhemus company, and Flock of Birds manufactured by Ascenslon Technology Corp., that comprise a plurality of motion parameters measurement processing plates, a controller, an external synchronisation plate, a communication plate, a keyboard and a monitor, a transmitter comprising three electromagnetic coils, and a plurality of receivers, each of which receivers further includes a triad of electromagnetic minicoils that sense magnetic fields emitted by a transmitter.
Operation range of these systems is not large, the accuracy depends on the distance between a transmitter and a receiver. In a variable magnetic fields system, the presence of foreign metallic articles affects the accuracy due to induction of eddy currents. A constant magnetic fields system is less sensitive to the presence of metallic articles, but the magnetic resistance effect can introduce distortions into the magnetic fields produced by a transmitter.
Moreover, other issues that should be regarded as drawbacks of such systems are an insufficient performance speed as a result of temporal delays in establishing the analogue signal, as well as a high level of noise causing the displayed image to jitter.
Known is an ultrasonic system for tracking the user's spatial position and orientation, comprising a transmitter in the form of a set consisting of three transmitting electroacoustic converters rigidly secured on a support frame, receivers in the form of sets consisting of three microphones rigidly secured on a support frame arranged on a user, e.g. on a helmet having a display, a system for processing a registered information, and a system for displaying a synthesised image for a user (see, ibidem, p.p. 25-28). Locating a user is based on the triangulation principle, and for determining his/her position and orientation, nine measurements of a distance are required to be done. Such system requires a direct sighting line between a system transmitter and receivers. When tracking of a great number of receivers is necessary, the polling rate falls, i.e. the measurements performance speed required for displaying movement of a mobile object and its parts in real time decreases.
The above systems are classified with the systems having sensors for determining the absolute motion parameters, in which systems the absolute position and orientation of a mobile object is measured relative to fixed co-ordinates associated with a transmitter.
Also known are systems having sensors of determination of the relative motion parameters, advantages of which systems consist in simplicity and compactness. "Gloves" used in systems of immersion in virtual reality and having sensors measuring some or all finger joints rotation angles, may be referred to as examples of such systems. Such systems can additionally comprise a sensor for determining absolute three-dimensional movement and orientation (3D-sensor) and used to track movements of user's wrist. Also known is a system that employs optical DataGlove sensors of VPL company (see ibidem, p.p. 33-37) and comprises optical fibres disposed on a light elastic glove, and a 3D-sensor. Its standard configuration uses two sensors attached at the outer side of each finger to perceive bends of main joints. Optical fibres are coupled to an optoelectronic interface. A sensor is designed such that when there is no bending of joints, then the light travelling through a fibre is not weakened, and, vice versa, when there is a bending--the light quantity changes thus allowing to measure a joint rotation angle indirectly. Measurement data are recalculated as angle values using the calibration constants and appropriate approximation equations. A decreased accuracy due to accumulation of errors in the mode of the open kinematic loop, as well as an high cost, can be considered as drawbacks of such systems.
Known is a system of representation of virtual reality for a user, comprising a movable platform unit in the form of a spherical hull with six freedom degrees wherein a user is placed, means for determining position of the spherical hull, a computer installed inside said hull (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,784, cl. 434-55, IPC G 09 B 9/00, publ. 13.02.96). A transmitter sends data concerning the platform position to a receiver which in its turn transmits the received data on the angular position of the spherical platform having a user placed therein to a host computer outside the platform. Data on linear movements of such rotoplatform are supplied to the host computer. An on-helmet display tunes a virtual reality image according to the received data on the movements of the platform.
Complexity and an insufficiently high degree of reliability of simulation of the virtual space should be considered as the disadvantages of this known system.
Known is a system for representation for a user of a combined image of real and virtual environments, comprising means for visual display for a user of a composite image; a direction sensor for generating a signal that indicates the user's viewing field direction; a video camera for generating a series of video signals, the combination of which signals represents the user's viewing field; means for positioning a video camera such that its viewing field registers with that of a user and tracks his/her movements; image generation means responsive to the direction signal to generate synthesised signals which characterise a portion of the complete image generated by a computer; means for selecting and combining images to analyse video signals, and selecting video signals or those synthesised by a computer so that to form a composite video signal and send this signal to display means (see: U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,517, cl. 395-129, IPC G 06 F 15/20, publ. 14.10.92).
This known system does not ensure the possibility to provide for a user a virtual environment image that would correspond to changes of the user's position and orientation in the real space.

Method for tracking and displaying user's spatial position and orientation, a method for representing virtual reality for a user, and systems of embodiment of such methods


An extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus comprising a light source that emits extreme ultraviolet light, a plurality of illumination reflective mirrors that direct the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the light source to a mask, a plurality of projection reflective mirrors that direct the extreme ultraviolet light reflected by the mask onto a sensitive substrate and that project and focus an image of the mask on this sensitive substrate, and a projection system optical housing that accommodates at least one of the projection reflective mirrors and at least one of the illumination reflective mirrors.

In exposure apparatuses used in the manufacture of semiconductors, a circuit pattern formed on a mask surface that is used as an object plane is projected and transferred onto a substrate such as a wafer via an image focusing optical system. The substrate is coated with a resist, and the resist is made photosensitive by exposure, so that a resist pattern is obtained.
The resolution w of an exposure apparatus is determined mainly by the exposure wavelength λ and the numerical aperture NA of the image focusing optical system, and is expressed by the following equation:w=kλ/NA k: constant
Accordingly, in order to improve the resolution, it is necessary either to shorten the wavelength or to increase the numerical aperture. Currently, exposure apparatuses used in the manufacture of semiconductors use mainly the i line with a wavelength of 365 nm, so that a resolution of 0.5 μm is obtained at a numerical aperture of approximately 0.5. Since it is difficult from the standpoint of optical design to increase the numerical aperture, it will be necessary to shorten the wavelength of the exposing light in order to further improve the resolution in the future. Excimer lasers may be cited as an example of exposing light with a wavelength shorter than the i line; since the wavelength is 248 nm in the case of a KrF excimer laser and 193 nm in the case of an ArF excimer laser, a resolution of 0.25 μm is obtained in the case of a KrF excimer laser, and a resolution of 0.18 μm is obtained in the case of an ArF excimer laser, in cases where the numerical aperture is set at 0.5. Furthermore, if extreme ultraviolet light (hereafter also referred to as "EUV light") which has an even shorter wavelength is used as exposing light, a resolution of 0.1 μm or finer is obtained (for example) at a wavelength of 13 nm.
A conventional exposure apparatus is constructed mainly from a light source, an illumination optical system and a projection image focusing optical system. The projection image focusing optical system is constructed from a plurality of lenses, reflective mirrors, or the like, and focuses an image of a pattern on the mask on the wafer.
Meanwhile, if an attempt is made to design a projection optical system for EUV in order to obtain a higher resolution, the exposure field becomes smaller, so that the desired area cannot be exposed at one time. Accordingly, a method is employed in which a semiconductor chip with a size of 20 mm square or greater is exposed using a projection optical system with a small exposure field by scanning the mask and wafer during exposure. By doing this, it is possible to expose the desired exposure area even using an extreme ultraviolet projection exposure apparatus. For example, in cases where exposure is performed using EUV light with a wavelength of 13 nm, a high resolution can be obtained by forming the exposure field of the projection optical system in the form of an ring shape.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of an extreme ultraviolet projection exposure apparatus. 1 indicates a point that generates EUV light. The light source is not shown in the figure; however, various types of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources such as a laser plasma light source and discharge plasma light source can be used. The EUV light that is emitted from the EUV light generating point 1 is collected by a light collector mirror 3, and is directed to a mask 19 by illumination reflective mirrors 4 through 12. It is desirable to use an optical system that forms a secondary light source as the illumination optical system that includes the illumination reflective mirrors 4 through 12; in the present example, fly-eye reflective mirrors 5 and 6 are disposed as such a secondary light source. The EUV light that is reflected by the mask 19 is directed onto the wafer 20 by projection reflective mirrors 13 through 18, and an image of the mask 19 is projected and focused on the wafer 20. Multi-layer optical films (e.g., films in which Mo and Si are alternately laminated) are formed on the respective reflective mirrors 4 through 18 and mask 19 in order to increase the reflectivity of EUV light. The mask 19 is illuminated with extreme ultraviolet light so as to have a ring shape exposure field.
The mask 19 and wafer 20 are moved in synchronization at a rate corresponding to the demagnification ratio (e.g., ¼) of the projection optical system so that the desired area (e.g., an area equivalent to one semiconductor chip) is exposed.
In such an extreme ultraviolet optical system, beginning with the extreme ultraviolet projection optical system, since a transparent glass material is not obtained, the EUV exposure apparatus is constructed entirely from a reflective optical system (normal incidence by means of multi-layer films and grazing incidence by means of total reflection).
Exposure apparatuses using conventional light mainly utilize a refractive optical system. FIG. 4 shows the construction of an exposure apparatus using conventional light. The light emitted from the light source 101 passes through an illumination system 102, and illuminates a mask 103. The light beam that passes through the mask 103 focuses the pattern of the mask 103 on the wafer 105 by a projection system 104. The illumination system 102 and projection system 104 are respectively formed into units, and a mask stage (not shown in the figure) on which the mask 103 is mounted is disposed between these units. In an optical system using a refractive optical system, since the light always advances in the forward direction, the successive disposition of the necessary units in this manner is easy.
On the other hand, in the case of an EUV exposure apparatus such as that shown in FIG. 5, since [the optical system is] a reflective optical system, the respective mirrors must be disposed so that the light beams that are incident on the mirrors and the light beams that are reflected by the mirrors do not overlap. In particular, in the case of the final mirror 12 of the illumination system (i.e., the mirror that is closest to the mask), the angle of incidence of the light rays on the mask 19 must be close to perpendicular; accordingly, this mirror must be disposed in a position that is in close to the projection system.
The respective reflective mirrors are relatively positioned by being mechanically held in a optical housing (optical housing unit). However, in cases where six projection system mirrors 13 through 18 are held in such a optical housing, there is a possibility of mechanical interference between this projection system optical housing and the illumination system mirror 12; accordingly, disposition is difficult, and even in cases where such disposition is possible, the problem of an extremely restricted disposition remains. Furthermore, in cases where a disposition that is devised to avoid mechanical interference is used, there is a problem in that the optical performance must be sacrificed to some extent.

Extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus and vacuum chamber


A projection apparatus includes an image-producing element and projection optics. The image-producing element produces at least one image, and the projection optics has free-form areas for magnifying and reflecting the image toward an viewer for observation. The projection optics includes at least a first mirror and a second mirror, the image is reflected by the first mirror and the second mirror in succession, no deflection mirror is disposed between the viewer and the second mirror, and the first mirror and the second mirror are in the form of a non-rotationally symmetrical system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rear projection apparatus having a screen, projection optics and an image module for production of an image which is projected by means of the projection optics from the rear onto the screen, such that a viewer who is located in front of the screen can perceive the image which is projected onto the screen. The invention also relates to a method for a rear projection apparatus such as this.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of rear projection apparatuses such as these, the physical depth and the foot height should be as low as possible. The physical depth can be reduced by using optics with a large image field offset. However, in this case, very large incidence angles occur on the screen which, in the case of a screen which has a transmissive Fresnel pane, must not exceed a certain incidence angle thus disadvantageously restricting the capability to minimize the physical depth. In order to achieve a reduced physical depth, the screen frequently has a reflective Fresnel pane, by means of which the necessary beam deflection is carried out on the screen. However, since the minimum incidence angle in the case of the reflective Fresnel panes must not be less than about 40°, this means that this incidence angle must be selected even at the point which is closest to the axis of the screen (viewed towards the projection optics), as a result of which the foot height is disadvantageously relatively large. Fresnel structures result in increased light losses even at angles of less than 55°.
In EP 1 452 907 A1, the Fresnel pane is partially reflective and partially transmissive, in order to minimize the foot height. However, this leads to the disadvantage that unacceptable image artifacts occur in the transitional area between the reflective area and the transmissive area of the Fresnel pane.


A nest and stack container system is provided. The system comprises a plurality of containers in various sizes, allowing the stacking of smaller sized containers on a larger sized container. Alternatively, the large container may be stacked on at least two adjacently-arranged small containers. The inventive nest and stack containers allow flexible handling of various sizes of storage containers. Individual containers can be stacked and nested among each other, and in combination, stacks of containers can be formed in any desired sequence of large and small containers, with individual containers each being placed in a slip-proof manner on top of another container.

In general, containers used for storing and/or transporting goods are compactly nested in each other when they are empty and placed or stacked on top of each other in a secure and stable manner when they are filled. These storage and transport containers are therefore designed according to a nesting and stacking principal, according to which two similarly aligned containers can be stacked above one another and two oppositely aligned containers can be nested in each other. Different types of such transport containers are known according to this nesting and stacking principle.
DE-297 07 715 U1 discloses a transport container having side walls, arranged in a rectangular way relative to the floor surface, the upper half of which is provided with ribs and handles and the upper half of the side walls is outwardly offset relative to the lower side walls, with the transitional section being formed by a shoulder. The perpendicular side walls comprise positioning elements on their upper edge and stiffening struts on the profiled outer surface and inner perpendicular positioning grooves. Perpendicular feet are arranged on the lower halves, which with respect to dimensions and arrangement are adjusted to each other in such a way that a second container can be nested in one direction in a first container and can be stacked in a reversed alignment. The feet comprise latching springs at their ends on the floor side and latching grooves on the upper edge of the side walls, with the feet being adjusted to the grooves and the latching springs of the feet to the latching grooves of the upper edge in their dimensions so that two containers can be nested in one direction and can be stacked in the opposite direction. The latching grooves of the upper edge of the side walls are dimensionally adjusted to the latching elements of individual feet of a container with half the base surface in such a way that two smaller containers can be stacked in any desired direction on a larger container.
Transport containers without lids are also known. In general, these containers have the shape of reversed truncated pyramids, i.e. they taper downwardly in their cross section and can be nested and stacked according to the nesting and stacking principle. These transport containers also allow stacking two smaller containers in any desired direction on a larger container.
The disadvantage of the transport containers described above is that only smaller containers can be stacked over a larger container, but not vice-versa. The floor surfaces of the containers lie lower than the upper edges of the stacked containers underneath in the case of containers stacked above one another. When a large container is placed for stacking on top of two smaller containers arranged adjacent to each other, its floor surface rests on the adjacent upper edges of the longitudinal sides of the small container and the latching elements on the upper edge of the side walls cannot engage in an interlocking way with the latching elements of the lower side of the container stacked on top. The large container stacked on top of the two smaller containers is thus not securely stacked in a slip-proof way.
Not only it is desirable that small containers can be securely stacked on large containers, but it is also desirable that large containers can be stacked on two adjacently arranged small containers.


An X-ray mask structure includes a unibody support substrate having at least one thinned portion surrounded by a wall portion, a top layer disposed on the at least one thinned portion of the support substrate, and a plurality of X-ray absorber patterns disposed on the top layer over the at least one thinned portion. The top layer and the at least one thinned portion form a laminated membrane, wherein the at least one thinned portion and the wall portion provide mechanical support for the top layer, and the laminated membrane provides mechanical support for the plurality of X-ray absorber patterns.

Various lithography techniques have been recently developed to provide fine patterning of micro/nano devices with light rays, electron beams and X-rays. Among them, X-ray lithography is receiving a great deal of attention as a technique which can provide fine structure with high aspect ratio. An important element in an X-ray lithographic system is the provision of a suitable mask which comprises an X-ray transparent support substrate having a pattern of X-ray absorbers formed thereon. Various materials have been suggested for the mask support substrate, which must be relatively transmissive to X-rays.
This "Discussion of the Background" section is provided for background information only. The statements in this "Discussion of the Background" are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this "Discussion of the Background" section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this "Discussion of the Background" section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this "Discussion of the Background" section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.

X-ray mask structure and method for preparing the same

NATIONAL SYNCHROTRON RADIATION RESEARCH CENTER


An aqueous parts cleaning apparatus includes a base defining a liquid-containing volume and a basin sized to be received upon an upper end of said base. The basin has a drain disposed to empty into the volume. A pump is provided for pumping liquid into the basin from the base. A heater is provided for heating liquid within the base. An oil skimming weir is provided for skimming oil off the surface of the solution within the base. A second oil skimming weir is provided for skimming oil from solution contained within said basin.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to an apparatus for cleaning parts (e.g., machine parts). More particularly, this apparatus pertains to such an apparatus for use with aqueous cleaning solutions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, numerous apparatus are known for cleaning machine parts. An example of such is Product RK30 of Kleer-Flo Company. The Kleer-Flo RK30 device includes a basin which can be fitted on top of a drum. Cleaning solution from the drum is pumped into the basin through a flexible hose.
The prior art devices such as the RK30 were for use with so-called petroleum distillate solvents. Due to environmental concerns, the industry has migrated to use of aqueous cleaning solutions. Such solutions must be heated and need to be cleansed, from time to time, of contaminant oil contained on the parts being cleaned with the apparatus.


A metallic component is by at least one peripheral edge. The component includes at least one elongated treated zone having a length substantially greater than its width. This treated zone is spaced away from and disposed generally parallel to the peripheral edge of the component and the entire thickness of the component within the treated zone is in a state of residual compressive stress. Crack growth from the edge due to fatigue or damage is resisted.

This invention relates generally to metallic components and more particularly for a method of producing fatigue-resistant and damage-tolerant metallic components.
Various metallic components, such as gas turbine engine fan and compressor blades, are susceptible to cracking from fatigue and damage (e.g. from foreign object impacts). This damage reduces the life of the part, requiring repair or replacement.
It is known to protect components from crack propagation by inducing residual compressive stresses therein. Methods of imparting this stress include shot peening, laser shock peening (LSP), pinch peening, and low plasticity burnishing (LPB). These methods are typically employed by applying a "patch" of residual compressive stresses over an area to be protected from crack propagation, for example a leading edge of a gas turbine engine compressor blade. However, this process is relatively slow and expensive. This procedure also modifies areas of the blade in which the aerodynamic performance is quite sensitive to dimensional variations.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of protecting metallic components from crack propagation without altering the performance characteristics thereof.

Fatigue-resistant components and method therefor


A refiner (1, 2, 3) for refining fibrous material. And a blade element (18) for a refiner (1, 2, 3) intended for refining fibrous material. The blade element (18) having a refining surface (18′), which has blade bars (21, 23) and blade grooves (22, 24) between them. The top surface of at least one blade bar (21, 23) is provided with refining grits (25). The blade element (18) has portions (29, 30) forming a protruding part extending away above the refining surface (26a, 26b) and above the blade bars (21, 23) or the refining grits (25) on the refining surface.

The invention relates to a blade element for a refiner for refining fibrous material, the blade element comprising a refining surface, the refining surface in turn comprising blade bars and blade grooves between them.
The invention further relates to a refiner for refining fibrous material, the refiner comprising at least two refining elements positioned oppositely at a distance from one another and moving in relation to one another, the opposite surfaces of the refining elements being provided with a refining surface for refining fibrous material and that the refining surface of at least one refining element comprises blade bars and blade grooves between them.
Refiners intended for refining fibrous, lignocellulose-containing material, such as wood material, are employed, for instance, for producing pulp to be used in paper or board making. During the refining the fibers in the fibrous material are modified with the intention of acting on the properties of the bonds between fibers created in the fiber web to be formed of the pulp. The fibrous material is refined in refiners into which the fibrous material to be refined is supplied as a pulp mixture of fibrous material and water.
Refiners meant for processing fibrous material comprise two or more substantially oppositely positioned refining elements. A refiner typically comprises one fixed refining element, i.e. a stator, and a refining element rotatable in relation to the fixed refining element, i.e. a rotor. The fixed refining element is supported to the refiner frame and the rotatable refining element is coupled to a rotation motor by a shaft. The fixed refining element comprises a body and one or more blade elements attached thereto, the blade surfaces, or refining surfaces, of the blade elements together forming the refining surface of the fixed refining element. Alternatively, the fixed refining element is formed of one or more blade elements fastened directly to the refiner frame. The rotatable refining element comprises a body and one or more blade elements attached thereto, the blade surfaces, or refining surfaces, of the blade elements together forming the refining surface of the rotatable refining element.
The fixed refining element and the rotatable refining element are placed oppositely to one another and at a distance from one another, the distance forming a blade gap of the refiner. The oppositely aligned refining surfaces and the blade gap define a refining space in which the refining takes place. The refining is caused by pressing of the refining surfaces against one another and the motion between them, as a result of frictional forces between the refining surfaces and the material to be refined and, on the other hand, as a result of internal frictional forces created in the material to be refined. The size of the blade gap may vary at different points of the refining space. The fibrous material to be refined is supplied into the refining space through a supply opening, which is connected by a supply channel to a process step preceding the refining. The refined fibrous material is removed from the refining space through a discharge opening, which is connected by a discharge channel to a process step following the refining.
In other words, the refining surface of the refining element is formed of the refining surface of one blade element or the refining surfaces of a plural number of blade elements placed next to one another. The refining surface of the blade element, and hence also the refining surface of the actual refining element, comprises blade bars and blade grooves between them. The blade bars on the oppositely placed refining surfaces participate in the actual refining, whereas the blade grooves between the blade bars move the material to be refined and the material already refined onward on the refining surfaces of the refining elements.


A method of customizing a saddle to fit the back of a particular horse by using shims of various shapes and sizes between the underside of the saddle and pad. These shims are attached to the underside of the saddle and to the pad by a hook and loop fastening system. Different types molding or rebounding pads may be used. The rebounding pads are useful to allow the interchange of saddles between different horses while achieving a perfect fit on each horse.

Early saddles lacked stirrups and therefore had several shortcomings. For example, with a saddle with no stirrups a rider had to use his hands and grip with his legs to stay on the horse while moving at fast speeds as in hunting or battle. In addition, the rider had his full weight applied through his torso and buttocks onto the horse's back and with the weight being concentrated directly under seat made riding uncomfortable for rider and horse. As a horse galloped or trotted, the rider could not effectively separate his groin and buttocks from the horse's back, except by bouncing from the movement of horse, and this bouncing intensified the discomfort in contact areas.
The introduction of stirrups helped alleviate some of the aforementioned problems in that the rider could more easily brace himself by exerting force on the stirrups. Consequently, his hands were more free to hunt or use weapons or otherwise control the horse. Furthermore, he could stand on the stirrups to separate his torso from the bouncing of the horse's back in motion.
The introduction of the stirrup however, required a rigid frame or "saddle tree" for anchoring the stirrups straps. For example, in order to suspend the weight of a standing rider, the stirrups must be securely attached and supported. In addition the pressure resulting from this weight needed to be distributed over a large surface area to avoid soreness and tissue damage to the horse's back
This need for a rigid saddle tree to distribute the weight of rider, whether standing or sitting, made a close fit of the saddle and associated tree important for durability and health of the horse. When the tree did not fit evenly throughout its frame it would concentrate the pressure where it did contact the horse and this resulting concentration could inhibit or even stop blood flow to skin and muscles and bone under the saddle causing permanent damage to the back of the horse.
Attempts to fit a rigid tree to specific horses presented problems in that the same tree could not be used on different horses and because padding is traditionally added under a tree once it has been selected for use on a specific horse and padding changes the size and shape of a horse's back under the tree, the fit prior to addition of padding was not equal to the fit visualized before padding was applied. This led to development of trees with padding build in as seen on what are commonly termed "English" saddles.
In addition, not only do different breeds of horses vary in shape and size but animals within the same breed vary in size and shape, and an individual horse may vary from time to time, resulting from changes in age, diet and exercise.
Numerous attempts to create a saddle with adjustable fit have been made to adjust contact in limited ways. They use systems which either have flexible members which move away from pressure resulting in pressure concentrations at the remaining points of suspension or adjustable trees which require tools and do not make allowances for padding as traditionally applied under rigid tree saddles, the addition of which often causes the fit to become too tight and pressure areas to develop.


In an air bag system according to the invention, there is employed a control device which can control the internal pressure of an air bag after expanded in such a manner that a buffer distance, for which the air bag after expanded can be compressed when it is contacted with an occupant, can be kept constant regardless of an increase or a decrease in the weight or the like of the occupant. In operation, the control device firstly takes out the acceleration data of the occupant corresponding to the degree of a collision in accordance with a signal from an acceleration sensor. Next, in accordance with the thus taken-out acceleration, a distance from the air bag before expanded to the head and bosom portion of the occupant obtained based on a signal from a distance sensor, and the weight of the occupant head and bosom portion obtained based on a signal from a weight sensor, the control device calculates a proper value of the internal pressure of the air bag according to a velocity/distance/power balancing condition equation, and controls a gas generation device in such a manner it can produce a generated gas pressure corresponding to the thus calculated proper value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bag system which is disposed in a vehicle and, in a vehicle collision, is used to restrain the head and bosom portion of an occupant with an air bag expanded and, in particular, to an air bag system which can adjust the internal pressure of the air bag to thereby expand the same according to the degree of the vehicle collision as well as according to the weight and sitting position of the occupant.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an air bag system which is used to restrain an occupant with an air bag expanded, there is known a system which adjusts the internal pressure of an air bag to thereby be able to expand the same according to the sitting position of the occupant, the degree of vehicle collision, and the like. In this type of air bag system, the degrees of collision, the sitting position of the occupant and the like are classified into stages according to predetermined boundary values, and the internal pressure of the air bag is adjusted according to the stages.
That is, there are set boundary values which are respectively used to check, for example, whether, as the sitting position of the occupant, a distance from the air bag folded to the occupant is less than 40 cm or not, or whether the acceleration in the collision is less than 70 Km/H or not, or whether the weight of the occupant is less than 50 Kg or not, or the like. And, the internal pressure of the air bag is adjusted in stages in accordance with whether the above-mentioned parameters exceed their respective boundary values or not.
However, in the above conventional air bag system, when the parameters are adjacent to these boundary values, for example, when the internal pressure of the air bag is adjusted in stages as low or high according to whether the weight of the occupant is less than 50 Kg or not, if the weight of the occupant is 49 Kg, then the occupant is restrained by the air bag expanded with a low level of internal pressure; and, if the weight of the occupant is 50 Kg, then the occupant is restrained by the air bag expanded with a high level of internal pressure. In this case, in spite of the fact that the weight difference is only 1 Kg, the occupant of 49 Kg is restrained with the low level air bag internal pressure. That is, in the conventional air bag system, there is still left room for improvement in restraining the occupant with the air bag properly.


Provided are a transmitter, a receiver and methods of padding and depadding zero bits to an L1-post signaling. The transmitter includes: a zero padder configured to divide an information word into a plurality of groups, pad zero bits to at least one of the plurality of groups by group unit, and pad additional zero bits to at least one of the plurality of groups remaining after the zero bits are padded, thereby constituting the information word for encoding the L1-post signaling; and an encoder configured to perform encoding on the information word for encoding the L1-post signaling. The zero padder pads the additional zero bits according to a predetermined criterion, starting from a front end or a back end of the at least one of the remaining groups.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to a transmitter, and a zero bit padding method thereof, more specifically, to a transmitter for processing and transmitting an L1-post signaling and a zero bit padding method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the information-oriented 21st society, broadcasting communication services become more digitized, use more broadcast channels and a wideband, and achieve a higher quality. In particular, recently, as the supply of high definition digital televisions, personal medial players, and portable broadcasting devices has become expanded, demands for a support for various reception methods of the digital broadcasting services have increased.
In response to such demands, standardization groups have established various standards to provide various services which can satisfy user needs. Therefore, ways for providing users with better services through higher signal transmission and reception performances are sought for.

Transmitter and zero bits padding method thereof


In a clustered multi-processor system and method, first and second clusters are connected between first and second directories. The first directory checks whether an address of a request on a first system bus coincides with an address of a request from the second directory. When the first directory detects the coincidence, the first directory cancels the request on the first system bus, and reissues the request. Since the first system bus and a second system bus have a different clock phase, the requests are checked without overlapping.

The present invention relates to a multi-processor system and method for guaranteeing coherency of cache memories, and more particularly to a method and multi-processor system having clusters each of which have processors and a shared memory.
In a conventional clustered multi-processor system, processors are divided into a plurality of sets called "clusters". Each cluster has at least one processor, at least one cache memory, a shared memory, and a system bus. A cross-bar switch (e.g., a full cross-bar switch) mutually connects the clusters.
In this conventional system, to guarantee coherency of the cache memories (e.g., store-in-caches), a control operation is performed such that the same memory block is not simultaneously copied among a plurality of cache memories.
However, this conventional system has a problem that the hardware amount is increased because two clusters are connected by the cross-bar switch. Moreover, in order to guarantee coherency of the cache memories (e.g., store-in-caches), the memory blocks in the shared memory can be copied by only one of the cache memories at a time. Consequently, a "hit" ratio within the cache memories is lowered, and thus a performance of the overall multi-processor system is lowered.

Method and clustered multi-processor system for controlling a clock phase for clusters