An active handoff system and method of a dual mode terminal capable of connecting to a wireless network, such as wireless local area network (LAN), and a mobile communication system are provided. The handoff method includes the steps of assigning, at a packet data service node of the mobile communication system, an IP address to the dual mode terminal connected to the service network, establishing, at the packet data service node, a tunneling path to the wireless LAN when the dual mode terminal moves from the mobile communication network to the wireless LAN, and disconnecting, at the packet data service node, the tunneling path to the wireless LAN, and establishing a tunneling path to another packet data service node whose Internet Protocol (IP) address has been established by the packet data service node, when the dual mode terminal moves from the wireless LAN to the mobile communication system. A dual mode terminal that moves from a 3G mobile communication system to a wireless network in an active state maintains an existing IP address assigned from an active 3G mobile communication system so that the dual mode terminal can maintain an upper layer session and transmit an IP packet to a terminal located in a 3G mobile communication system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active handoff system and method of a dual mode mobile terminal capable of connecting to different kinds of networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to an active handoff system and method of a dual mode mobile terminal enabling a handoff of a dual mode mobile terminal having an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned by a mobile communication system, between the mobile communication system and a wireless network, for example a wireless local area network (LAN), without change in the IP address of the mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In General, "handoff" refers to a function that prevents call disconnection in a process of moving from one base station to another as a mobile phone user moves.
Mobile phone handoffs include a soft handoff performed between base stations, a hard handoff performed between converters, and a softer handoff performed between sectors of a base station.
The soft handoff is a technique by which a base station disconnects a signal of a mobile phone user after the signal is received by another base station, and the hard handoff is a technique by which a base station transfers a signal of a mobile phone user after disconnecting the signal.
Accordingly, a conventional handoff is performed within a single network.
In relation to a method of performing a conventional handoff between different kinds of networks, FIG. 1 illustrates the case of moving from a wireless LAN region 2 to a cellular network region 1 using a mobile IP address of a dual mode mobile terminal.
As mentioned above, a conventional handoff between different kinds of networks is performed by a mobile communication system equipped with Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) 11 and base stations (BSS) 12, and a wireless LAN equipped with an Access Router (AR) 21 and an Access Point (AP) 22, 4, a Correspondent Node (CN) 3 host equipped with a Home Agent (HA) 31, and a dual mode mobile terminal.
The PDSN of the mobile communication system is an exchange network providing a mobile terminal connecting to an IP network through a mobile communication system and the terminal's user with a charging/authentication function, a Point-to-Point (PPP) connection function, an IP routing function, a vertical handoff function, and so on.
Also, if mobile IP is supported, an external identification agent is employed.
The base station of the mobile communication system is composed of equipment for managing a wireless connection standard of a mobile terminal connecting to the mobile communication system.
The AR of the wireless LAN provides a mobile terminal connecting to an IP network through a mobile communication system and the terminal's user with a charging/authentication function, a PPP connection function, an IP routing function, a vertical handoff function, etc.
Also, if mobile IP is supported, an external identification agent is employed.
The AP of the wireless LAN manages connection standards between the mobile terminal connecting to the wireless LAN and the wireless LAN, and serves as a bridge between the wireless LAN and a wired LAN.
The HA is equipment that supports a mobile IP function.
Also, the CN refers to a server and host that can be connected to through the dual mode mobile terminal and the IP network and perform data communication or provide service to a user.
Lastly, the dual mode mobile terminal is a terminal that can connect to both a wireless LAN and a mobile communication system.
In such a convention method of handoff between different kinds of networks, a mobile terminal using a home IP address can continue to use the same address even after moving from a wireless LAN to a 3G mobile communication network, and the home agent takes over and forwards all packets transmitted to the terminal to a network in which the terminal is actually located. Thus, the method enables a handoff that is, to a predetermined extent, not subject to disconnection.
However, in the conventional method of handoff between different kinds of networks, a delay can occur due to signal transmission and mobility estimation which varies with mobile IP, resulting in a problem of traffic congestion at the home agent, and so on. Consequently, mobile IP addresses are not supported in 3G mobile communication systems currently in use.

Handoff system and method of dual mode mobile for connecting mobile communication system and wireless network


The present disclosure provides a method for increasing a volume of hydraulic fluid in a reservoir of a transmission. The method includes providing a retarder mounted to the transmission, an accumulator including an internal cavity, a piston disposed in the internal cavity of the accumulator, a solenoid, a valve, and a controller. The method also includes enabling the solenoid from an off state to an on state, transferring fluid pressure from the valve to the piston, and moving the piston from a first position to a second position in the internal cavity. The method further includes discharging an amount of hydraulic fluid from the internal cavity of the accumulator to the reservoir and increasing the volume of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir.

Transmissions are used in vehicles to transfer torque from a drive unit to a vehicle load. For example, many transmissions transfer the torque from a vehicle engine to a vehicle load produced at the interface of the vehicle's wheels when a vehicle is being driven along a road. Typical transmissions include a gear train that is reconfigurable among a number of gear ratios to establish a particular rotational drive ratio between the vehicle engine and the vehicle load. A transmission system can include additional features such as a retarder to affect overall performance. A retarder, for example, can be any device used to assist or replace a primary braking system on a vehicle.
At colder temperatures, fluid internal to the transmission and retarder can have a greater viscosity. In some transmission systems, fluid can be trapped or accumulated in different portions of the system. In these instances, there is generally less fluid in a reservoir or sump of the transmission system readily available to apply clutches and the retarder as desired. This can be particularly problematic at colder temperatures when the fluid viscosity is high and there is less fluid available to pump throughout the system.

System for adjusting fluid volume in a transmission and method thereof


The present invention relates to a method for transmitting data between a transmitter provided with at least two transmitting antennas (ta1, ta2 . . . taNt) and a receiver. The method according to the invention further includes a symbol spreading step in the course of which components Zij (for i=I to S and j=I to Nt) of a predetermined number of successive symbols ZI . . . ZS are to be spread over time before being transmitted over said transmitting antennas (ta1, ta2 . . . taNt). The data transmitted at any given moment will thus not be representative of a single symbol Zi (for i=1 to S), as is the case in known MIMO systems, but will represent a mixture between Nt components of S successive symbols, which introduces data diversity with respect to time as perceived at the receiver end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting data in a telecommunication system including at least one transmitter provided with at least two transmitting antennas and at least one receiver provided with at least one receiving antenna, which method includes a symbol encoding step for producing symbols to be transmitted over communication channels established between the transmitting and receiving antennas.
2. Discussion of the Background
Telecommunication systems in which a plurality of antennas are used at a receiver end and/or at a transmitter end of a wireless link are called Multiple Input Multiple Output systems (further referred to as MIMO systems). MIMO systems have been shown to offer large transmission capacities compared to those offered by single antenna systems. In particular, MIMO capacity increases linearly with the number of transmitting or receiving antennas, whichever the smallest, for a given Signal-to-Noise Ratio and under favourable uncorrelated channel conditions. MIMO techniques are thus likely to be used in future wireless systems intended to provide large spectral efficiencies or, alternatively, reduce the transmitting power required for obtaining a spectral efficiency equivalent to that which is obtained in current telecommunication systems. Such MIMO techniques will very likely be combined with multi-carrier modulation techniques like OFDM (standing for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) and MC-CDMA (standing for MultiCarrier-Code Division Multiple Access) techniques, whose use in future wireless systems is also considered.
A particular type of MIMO systems makes use of a Bit Interleaved Coded Modulation technique, further referred to as BICM, according to which the transmitter includes a channel encoder intended to apply an encoding, e.g. by means of a convolutional code or of a turbo code, to uncoded data bits, and to provide a binary stream to an interleaver. This interleaver will then deliver permutated bits, which are to be divided into word sequences intended to be transformed into a series of coded symbols featuring each a plurality of components, the components of a same symbol being intended to be transmitted during a same time chip by respective transmitting antennas.
Transmitted symbols are to be decoded on the receiver end, which is usually performed in MIMO systems of the BICM type by means of an iterative space-time decoder, which decoder is intended to produce estimates of coded bits constituting the transmitted symbols. The spatial diversity induced by the use of multiple transmitting and receiving antennas eases such a decoding, since this diversity provides a larger amount of information than that which would be provided by a single signal transmitted through a single communication channel.

Method for transmitting data in a MIMO telecommunication system offering a high diversity as perceived from a receiver end

Mitsubishi Electric Information Technology Center Europe B.V.


An actuating and sensing module includes a first substrate, a second substrate, an actuating device and a sensor. The first and second substrates are stacked on each other as a gas flow channel is formed therebetween. The gas inlet, the gas flow channel and the gas outlet are in communication with each other to define a gas flow path. The actuating device is disposed in the gas outlet of the second substrate and electrically connected to a control circuit to obtain driving power. The sensor is disposed in the gas flow path and misaligned with the gas inlet. The sensor is spaced apart from the actuating device and is electrically connected to the control circuit. Being driven by the actuating device, the gas is transported from the outside into the gas flow path and monitored by the sensor.

Nowadays, people pay much attention to monitoring environmental air quality in daily living, e.g., monitoring carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC), PM2.5, and so on. The exposure of these substances in the environment can cause human health problems or can even harm the life. Therefore, it has become an important issue for every country to develop and implement environmental air quality monitoring technology.
However, the conventional gas detection equipment for example an air cleaning and filtering apparatus is bulky in volume and is not suitable to be carried by the user. Consequently, it is difficult for the user to obtain the real-time air quality information relating to the surrounding environment, and the user is still likely to be exposed to an environment with harmful gases. Therefore, an urgent problem that needs to be solved is how to obtain the gas quality information relating to the surrounding environment at anytime and anywhere.
However, since the conventional gas detection equipment fails to provide the waterproof and dustproof functions, some problems occur. If moisture or liquid is introduced into the equipment during the process of transferring the gas, the outputted gas tends to contain the moisture, so that the electronic components utilized to sense the gas is possibly damped, rusted or damaged. Moreover, the conventional gas detection equipment fails to provide dustproof function. If dust is introduced into the gas detection equipment during the process of transferring the gas, the components are possibly damaged and the gas transportation efficiency is reduced. Therefore, another urgent problem that needs to be solved is how to make the gas detection equipment has the waterproof and dustproof benefits.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an actuating and sensing module for allowing a gas detection apparatus or equipment to achieve small-size, miniature, silent, waterproof and dustproof benefits in order to eliminate the above drawbacks.


A method of forming poly insulator poly capacitors by using self-aligned salicide process for mixed mode analog devices. These capacitors are formed in the self-aligned salicide process as stacked poly insulator poly (PIP) capacitors. In the self-aligned salicide process, a self-aligned salicide block process is needed to protect the the salicide formation process from electrostatic discharge (ESD) devices such as resistors or capacitors. The oxide layer of the self-aligned salicide block is used as the dielectric layer of the capacitors to form the PIP capacitor. Therefore, some process steps are omitted due to the formation of the PIP capacitors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of fabricating mixed mode analog devices, and more particularly relates to a method of forming poly insulator poly (PIP) capacitors by using a self-aligned salicide process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mixed mode analog devices simultaneously have circuits with digital devices such as amplifiers and analog digital converters and analog devices such as inverters and adders. Also, mixed mode analog devices include MOS devices.
As the semiconductor devices in deep sub-micron process are highly integrated, a capacitor, such as shown in FIG. 1 is introduced in the fabrication of the semiconductor devices.
Referring to FIG. 1 which is a drawing illustrating a conventional capacitor, a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure 12, a transistor gate structure 14, a lightly doped source/drain area 16, a gate spacer 18, and a heavily doped source/drain 20 in sequence are formed on a semiconductor substrate 10. The transistor gate structure 14 is formed while the first polysilicon (poly) layer 22 of the lower electrode of the capacitor is formed. A dielectric layer 24 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10. The second poly layer 26 is deposited on the surface of the dielectric layer 24 of the upper first layer 22 used as an upper electrode of the capacitor. The dielectric layer between the first poly layer 22 and the second poly layer 26 is used as the dielectric layer of the capacitor, and also used as the isolation between the first poly layer 22 and the second poly layer 26.
However, this capacitor structure can only be applied in the aforementioned process, but can not be applied in the self-aligned salicide process. Any step of the self-aligned salicide process can not be omitted. Otherwise, capacitors are unable to be formed. Accordingly, a method of forming PIP capacitors by using the self-aligned salicide process is provided.

Method of forming poly insulator poly capacitors by using a self-aligned salicide process

Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation


The technical outcome of the proposed geothermal energy device is to increase its efficiency (CE), to simplify and cheapen the construction. The geothermal energy device contains downstream and upstream pipes, which are filled with fluid thermal agent and placed in the borehole, which is unilaterally closed from the ground surface; the pipes are connected to each other with a heat exchanger in the depth of the borehole. The downstream pipe is equipped with several mechanical non-return valves; on the same pipe there is also installed a down pushing pump of the thermal agent (e.g. isobutane). The end of the upstream pipe on the ground surface is directed towards the condensation type steam turbine, equipped with the controlled (e.g. electromagnetic) valve, and turned towards the mentioned turbine by the Laval nozzle. The energy device additionally contains the device of the frequency/duration control to lock and unlock the mentioned controlled valve.

A binary cycle is a thermodynamic cycle using two working fluids, one of which is characterized with low saturation pressure in the conditions of a high temperature, and the other—with a low evaporation temperature. In our case, one working fluid in the depths of the ground, in the borehole, is naturally existing hot water (or a hot gas in the same but arid space), and the other body—is the thermal agent, e.g. isobutene, which is pumped under high pressure and placed in the closed circuit of the upward and downward pipes. As for the essence of the cycle, its function is to take the geothermal energy from the depths of the ground to the surface for its further direct use and/or transformation in mechanical and/or electrical energy. The process of energy movement to the surface is conducted by means of the thermal exchange between the working fluids.
The geothermal energy is energy from the Earth's natural heat. It is widely known that this heat can be used by means of a borehole. The geothermal gradient (a temperature change according to the depth) in the bore is average 2.5-3° C. for each 100 meters. This heat comes out onto the ground surface as steam or hot water. Such heat can be used directly for heating houses and buildings and/or generating energy. There are three types of geothermal power plants: dry steam, hot water steam and binary cycle plants.
Despite the fact that geothermal power plants have many advantages (the generated energy is renewable, 24/7, "green," it does not require any kind of additional costs, but the some prevention and maintenance charges etc.), they are still characterized by a few disadvantages that impede a widespread usage of these types of power plants.
In general, the main disadvantage of all three types of geothermal power plants is that they need water cycle (as a rule, used supply (filling) to be renewed in the underground water horizon. For this purpose, an additional borehole and appropriate infrastructure is needed. This significantly reduces the cost-effectiveness of such power plants. There are frequent occasions when excessive injection in the ground crust of used water also causes the power plant to stop.
The drawback of geothermal power plants is the release of inflammable and/or toxic gases and minerals from the exploitation tunnel onto the ground surface. This in turn leads to additional costs for their utilization and neutralization.
The main problem (and especially for binary cycle geothermal power plants) is the necessity of large-scale surface infrastructure and thus, reduction of land resources. This is especially important for land-starved countries. In binary cycle geothermal power plants this infrastructure provides an efficient heat exchange between the thermal water resource coming out onto the ground surface and the heat agent (working fluid). The larger the ground surface infrastructure, the larger is the volume of the heat agent, and, consequently, the more powerful is the capacity of the power plant. However, except for the restrictions on the use of the land resources for the power plant infrastructure, there are other problems: the volume of the thermal agent is limited with the flow of rising thermal water and with the temperature of this resource on the surface. For this reason, a significant increase in the amount of heat agent, even if aboveground infrastructure difficulties are overcome, cannot guarantee the raise capacity of the power plant. The geothermal resources on Earth are quite numerous and the majority of the characteristics are that binary cycle power plants will work successfully, however, due to these problems, geothermal energy development is not capable of its potential.
The binary cycle geothermal power plant is a kind of a geothermal power plant that generates electricity from relatively cool geothermal reservoirs (unlike dry steam and hot water steam power plants that generate electricity by directing dry steam (150° C. and higher temperature) and hot water vapor (180° C. and higher temperature) to the turbine. Since water temperature on the ground surface is not sufficiently high at binary cycle geothermal power plants, in order to get water vapor (it is less than 100° C. in most geothermal sources), the thermal water from the surface of the ground is pumped into the so-called heat exchanger, where the latter transfers the heat to the second (binary) thermal agent. Under the conditions of standard atmospheric pressure, boiling temperature of the thermal agent is significantly lower than that of water (now the used binary heat agent is, for example, isobutene or a mixture of isobutene and isopentane). The binary thermal agent, which generates energy during from a fluid to a gas phase transition, is directed towards the turbine of such power plants. Binary thermal agent is in a closed circuit. From the turbine, the thermal agent steam returns to the fluid condensate and is pumped into the heat exchanger to start a new cycle. As for the used geothermal water—it is pumped into the water-containing rocks through the downward borehole.
There is also known a geothermal power plant, which takes heat from the geothermal ore by means of two upward and downward pipes fitted into two bore-holes; they are connected to each other through a heat exchanger, so that the fluid through the downward pipe moves to the upward one, at the same time, the pump is installed on the downward pipe on the ground surface and the turbine is on the upward pipe. WO2015132404 A1).
There is also known a double method and device of the geothermal energy take off, that envisages an arrangement of a borehole with two, upward and downward pipes. In each borehole, two different circuit pipes are placed which are connected to the water system, that passes the soil (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,912 A).
There is also known a heat take off system from the geothermal ore and a geothermal power plant which contains two upward and downward pipes discharged from the ground surface; they are connected with each other by means of the thermo cylinder, so that fluid turned into steam from the downward pipe passes through the thermo cylinder and into the upward pipe. On the ground surface there is installed a device which takes off heat from the working liquid and transfers it into the thermal power (see WO2012114297 A2).
The closest to the presented invention with its essential signs is a geothermal heat exchange system, containing upward and downward pipes lowered from the ground surface into one borehole; they are connected to each other by the boiler (heat exchanger) so that the fluid from the downward pipe through the boiler passes into the upward pipe. On the ground surface, the pump is placed on the downward pipe in order to pump fluid into the pipe, and the turbine is attached to the upward pipe, which is also connected to the heat exchangers, for taking off heat and condensing from the used steam. Consequently, the condensate (fluid) is again passed to the pump (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,943).
All the specified devices and methods have more or less drawbacks which were described above.


A substrate processing apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiments include: a first tube configured to provide a processing space in which a plurality of substrates are processed; a substrate support part configured to load the plurality of substrates in a first direction in the processing space; a plurality of gas supply parts provided with supply ports for supplying a process gas required for a process in which the substrates are processed; an exhaust part configured to communicate with the first tube and discharge process residues inside the processing space to the outside; and a plasma reaction part provided outside the first tube, and configured to decompose, with plasma, the process gas supplied from the gas supply part and provide the decomposed process gas to the processing space.

The present disclosure relates to a batch type plasma substrate processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a batch type plasma substrate processing apparatus in which a process gas decomposed outside is supplied into an inner processing space.
In general, a substrate processing apparatuses is an apparatus in which a substrate to be processed is located in a processing space, and then, reaction particles included in the process gas injected into the processing space are deposited on the substrate by means of a chemical vapor deposition method, an atomic layer deposition method, or the like. The substrate processing apparatus includes a single wafer type capable of performing a substrate processing process on one substrate and a batch type capable of simultaneously performing substrate processing processes on a plurality of substrates.
In case of a general substrate processing apparatus, a heating means is provided so that reaction particles of a process gas injected into a processing space are deposited on a substrate, but a problem occurs due to high temperatures and a long-time process at the high temperatures. In particular, in case of the batch type, since a plurality of substrates are accommodated inside the processing space, the entire substrates cannot be evenly heated, and thus problems occur in that a temperature gradient is generated and a long reaction time is required. Accordingly, in order to mitigate the temperature gradient and promote ionization or a chemical reaction of the processing gas to thereby lower the temperature and the time of the reaction in the processing space, plasma is formed in the space inside the processing space.
Meanwhile, in general, in the batch-type substrate processing apparatus, the temperatures of a wall surface of the processing space as well as the substrate are raised by a hot wall-type heating means surrounding the processing space, and thus an unwanted thin film is formed while the processing gases are deposited on the wall surfaces inside the processing space. However, when a process environment such as the plasma is formed in the processing space, there is a problem in that the thin film deposited on the inner wall acts as a contaminating substance during the substrate processing process while separated as particles by means of a magnetic field or an electric filed formed in a plasma generation space. Therefore, problems occur in that not only the quality of the thin film on the substrate, but also the efficiency of the processing process on the substrate is degraded.

Plasma processing apparatus having injection ports at both sides of the ground electrode for batch processing of substrates


A migration imaging member includes a support substrate, a relatively thick dielectric spacer layer situated on the support substrate, and a softenable layer situated on the dielectric spacer layer, with the softenable layer including a softenable material, and a migration marking material situated at or near the surface of the softenable layer farthest spaced from the support substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a structure for a migration imaging member for which uniform charging is more reliably achieved.
2. Description of Related Art
Heat developable migration imaging members are typically very thin, which allows charging to high charge density and high field strength with relatively low surface potentials. This creates problems for uniform charging because the ratio of surface potential to the electrostatic fields associated with the surface charges is too low.
Migration imaging members are well known, and are described in detail in, for example, U.S. Pat, No. 3,975,195 (Goffe), U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,262 (Goffe) et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,457 (Tam), U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,458 (Ng), U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,462 (Goffe et al.), and "Migration Imaging Mechanisms, Exploitation, and Future Prospects of Unique Photographic Technologies, XDM and AMEN", P. S. Vincett, G. J. Kovacs, M. C. Tam, A. L. Pundsack, and P. H. Soden, Journal of Imaging Science 30 (4) July/August, pp. 183-191 (1986), the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. Migration imaging members containing charge transport materials in the softenable layer are known, and disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,457 (Tam) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,458 (Ng), the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference. A typical migration member comprises a substrate, a layer of softenable material, and photosensitive marking material in the form of a fracturable layer contiguous with the upper surface of the softenable layer. The member is imaged by first electrically charging the member and exposing the charged member to a pattern of activation electromagnetic radiation, such as light, to form a latent image on the member. Subsequently, the imaged member is developed by one of several methods, such as application of heat, solvent, solvent vapor, or the like, causing the marking material in the exposed areas of the member to migrate in depth through the softenable material toward the substrate.
The expression "softenable" as used herein is intended to mean any material which can be rendered more permeable, thereby enabling the particles to migrate through its bulk. Conventionally, changing the permeability of such material or reducing its resistance to migration of migration marking material is accomplished by dissolving, swelling, melting, or softening, by techniques, for example, such as contacting with heat, vapors, partial solvents, solvent vapors, solvents, and combinations thereof, or by otherwise reducing the viscosity of the softenable material by any suitable means.
Typically, conventional scorotrons, for example, 4,591,713, are used to charge a photoreceptor to about 1000 V+/-3% or about 30 V. VerdeFilm (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,825 (Tam) and totally included herein by reference), in contrast, has to be charged to an even higher charge density, and with the same percentage of uniformity. A problem lies in the fact that the conventional VerdeFilm is only about 1 micron thick, and must be charged to a surface potential of only about 100 V. The 30 volt variation that is typical of scorotron charging represents only 3% for a photoreceptor that holds a surface potential of 1000 volts, but for a very thin photoreceptor that can support only 100 volts, the 30 volt variation now becomes 30%, which is not acceptable. Even the absolute value of the variation tends to increase for lower voltage charging requirements. For example, when charging to 1000 V the scorotron screen potential is dominant, but when the screen voltage is reduced by an order of magnitude, the relative coronode and the space charge contributions to the asymptote surface potential grow by an order of magnitude.


A motor-vehicle door latch has a housing, latch parts in the housing operable to unlock a vehicle door, and an actuating element. A linkage engageable between the actuating element and the latch parts is shiftable between a coupled position for operation of the latch parts by the actuating element and a decoupled position operatively disconnecting the actuating element from the latch parts. A blocking element connected to the linkage is operable to shift the linkage between its coupled and decoupled positions. A drive motor operates the blocking element, and a quick-unlock element pivoted on the blocking element is operable by the drive.

A standard vehicle door latch has latch parts, at least one locking lever, at least one drive and a linkage between an actuating lever subassembly and the latch parts as well as a quick blocking element.
In motor vehicle door latches of this type, typically the drive moves the locking lever, which is normally configured as a central locking lever, to the locked or unlocked positions. Furthermore, in principle also further positions of the locking lever can be achieved, for example such as the so-called antitheft position.
The unlocking process is generally achieved with a keyless entry systems. These systems allow a vehicle user to carry an identification device, for example a code card, which initiates a dialog with a control system provided in the vehicle when the vehicle user approaches the vehicle or actuates the outside door actuating element, that is the door handle. During the course of this dialog, access authorization of the vehicle user seeking access is verified. Once the authorization has been verified, the control system sends a signal to at least one or all of the door latches of the motor vehicle. Then, the motor vehicle door latch is unlocked with the help of its drive and can then be opened mechanically, for example with the help of the outside door handle.
The problem with this is that a vehicle user seeking access has already operated the outside door handle while the dialog is still in process or before the associated motor vehicle door latch has assumed the unlocked position. The reason for this is that the above-mentioned keyless entry systems require a certain response time to carry out the unlocking operation. This response time includes an activation interval in order to activate the system as the vehicle user approaches, an authorization verification interval and finally the actual action interval.
In practice, response times of about 100 msec or more are known, which are perceived by the vehicle users as too long compared to conventional motor vehicle door latch systems. Furthermore, it is possible that the vehicle user has already operated the outside door handle in an attempt to open it before the associated motor-vehicle door latch has assumed the unlocked position. The vehicle user then has to release the outside door handle and perform another confirmation step, which is considered a clear limitation in terms of convenience.
For this reason, quick-unlock systems have been developed that use quick-unlock elements. They all share the basic principle of bridging or shortening the comparatively long unlocking path of the locking lever and/or central locking lever in that the quick-unlock element allows the mechanical opening of the associated motor vehicle door latch practically immediately following actuation of the drive.
In particular, German 102 47 842 of Brose provides that shifting of the central locking arrangement from the locked to the unlocked state initially effects a movement of the linkage and/or linkage arrangement from the locked into the unlocked state and thereafter a movement of the inside blocking element from the locked to the unlocked state. For this purpose, a quick-unlock lever is provided, the locking lever and the quick-unlock lever being moved to the unlocked and locked states by means of the drive. The quick-unlock lever is coupled to the linkage arrangement, specifically via a linkage rod. The known configuration has proven useful in principle, however it has an overall uninviting design because the quick-unlock lever is mounted on the locking lever and/or both pivot about the same axis of rotation.
A similar system is seen in EP 1 288 408 of Scholz. This system offers a further development in that the quick-unlock lever releases the latch parts during the course of the quick-unlock operation with the help of the drive, substantially independently of the position of the locking lever. The quick-unlock lever is configured as a one-arm lever that is pivoted on the locking lever. In the system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,758 of Weyerstall, s the quick-unlock element can be connected to the lock mechanism and/or a blocking element in a more or less integral manner. Within the framework of an alternative, the quick-unlock element can be configured as a spring snap element, which is released by the drive and snaps into its actuation position under spring force.

Power-actuated motor-vehicle door latch with quick unlock


A shelf extender for attachment to a perf-board shelf having a regular array of holes configured therein. Slots are configured within the top surface of the shelf extender for receiving plastic rivets or other suitable attachment expedience which are caused to pass through the slots and within the holes contained within the supported shelf for slidable attachment of the shelf extender thereto.

Supermarket display shelves are oftentimes crowded with a multitude of consumer products, each of which vies for customer attention. As such, it has been found that shelf extenders are a useful merchandising tool which can not only highlight a particular product on a crowded shelf but also assist the market owner in providing additional shelf space for housing product inventories.
Shelf extenders are generally provided for extending from the forward edge of a supermarket shelf by several inches. Because of the constantly changing nature and repositioning of supermarket merchandise, it is imperative that shelf extenders be not only easily removable from a shelf surface but also flexible in being accepted by a variety of shelves and whose position can be altered without necessarily removing connecting means attaching the shelf extender to its supporting shelf structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,280 which issued on Aug. 19, 1986 teaches a one-piece extruded plastic shelf extender which has proven to be quite useful.
However, the shelf extender of the '280 patent possesses certain limitations which are inherent in its design and construction. Specifically, the shelf extender of the prior art is provided with outwardly extending lips from its bottom surface which are intended to be gripped by channel means located along the front surface of the shelf to be extended. As such, the shelf extender of the '280 patent is limited in its use in at least two important respects. Firstly, the prior art shelf extender can only be used in conjunction with shelving having a forward extending channel.
Secondly, although the shelf extender can be positioned by sliding it along the forward-facing channel of the supporting shelf, its extension from the supporting shelf cannot be varied thus providing significant limitations in its overall usefulness.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a shelf extender having a more universal application than those of the prior art.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a shelf extender which is easily connected to a supporting shelf and yet which is capable of being repositioned on said shelf without removal of said connector means.
These and further objects will be more readily appreciated when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.


A glass-ceramic composite which has forsterite in an amount of 40 to 60% by weight is included in crystallized glass having a coefficient of thermal expansion of 100.degree. to 200.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C. is used to configure a package, to the electrode pads of which a quartz crystal is directly soldered, without any supporting material. A quartz crystal piece is included within a flat package that use a glass-ceramic composite according to the present invention, thereby greatly limiting the variation in resonance characteristics with respect to heat treating done when the package is sealed, as compared to previous packages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass-ceramic compound having a coefficient of thermal expansion that nearly coincides with that of quartz and to a a high-reliability of a flat-package for surface mounting of piezo-electric devices such as a quartz oscillator or a surface-acoustic wave resonator (SAW).
2. Description of the Related Art
When using such devices as quartz resonators as surface-mounted devices, as shown in FIG. 4, after affixing a quartz crystal 2 onto a base material 1 having alumina as its principal material, a cap 3 having alumina as its principal material is mounted thereover, after which hermetic sealing is done with a glass seal 4 having a low melting point. The sealed package 5 is mounted to a circuit board by means of, for example, the solder reflow method.
When sealing the package or when mounting these devices to a circuit board, the package is subjected to heat, and because the coefficients of thermal expansion of the package 5 and the quartz crystal 2 differ, after heating and cooling strain occurs in the quartz crystal 2. For this reason, the resonant frequency of the quartz crystal 2 changes, making it impossible to obtain the desired frequency characteristics.
As a countermeasure to this problem, a construction such as shown in FIG. 4, for example, which was described in "ELECTRONICS UPDATE" (p. 83 to p. 88 of Issue No. 4 in 1990) is used, in which the quartz crystal 2 is affixed to the base material 1 via a springy supporter 6, after which sealing is done.
Another method is that disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2-105710, wherein the electrode leads 7 of the quartz crystal 2 are lead out to the same edge part of the quartz crystal 2, quartz crystal 2 being directly affixed to the base material 1 by fixing it to an electrode pad part 8 without an intervening supporter.
However, because with a quartz oscillator element such as noted above the coefficients of thermal expansion of the package 5 and the quartz crystal 2 differ from each other (for example, 70 to 80.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C. for alumina and 139.times.10-7/.degree.C. for the quartz crystal (Z long cut)), after heating and cooling, strain occurs, causing a change in the resonant frequency of the quartz crystal and preventing the achievement of the desired frequency characteristics.
Solving the above-noted problem by connecting the quartz crystal 2 to the package 5 via a springy supporter 6 is accompanied by an increase in the manufacturing cost and results in a package 5 with increased thickness.
In addition, alumina (Al2O3), which is the principal material of the package 5 has a sintering temperature in the range 1500.degree. to 1600.degree. C., so that when simultaneously heat-forming the wiring conductors within the package 5, it is necessary to use a high melting point metal such as tungsten (W) or Molybdenum (Mo) for the conductors.
Because the electrical conductivity of such high melting point metals is low, and because they cannot be soldered, it is necessary to provide a plating of Nickel (Ni) or Gold (Au). For this reason, a large number of steps and a high cost are involved in manufacture.
On the other hand, as one of other method to solve this conventional problems, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 6-191887 is known.
This prior art discloses a glass-ceramic composite wherein 30 to 70% forsterite by weight are dispersed in crystallized glass and further it also discloses a method for making a flat package type piezo-electric devices comprising a quartz oscillator by forming the package made of the crystallized glass with mixing a plurality of specifically selected composing elements under specific mixing ratio, respectively.
However, in this prior art, the coefficients of thermal expansion of an element of the crystallized glass is at most around 120.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C. and thus there is a significant difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the crystallized glass and that of the quartz oscillator having the coefficients of thermal expansion of 139.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C.
Further, in a specific embodiment of this prior art, although crystallized glass portions each having the coefficients of thermal expansion of 129.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C. and of 135.times.10.sup.7 /.degree.C., respectively, the bending resistance of each thereof is relatively low and since each of the crystallized glass in this embodiments contains relatively large amount of sodium components therein, another problem will be raised in that it generally has deteriorated anti-moisture characteristic.
Accordingly, in this prior art, it would be difficult to produce a glass-ceramic compound having a coefficients of thermal expansion being substantially identical to that of quartz oscillators and having high-level of bending resistance and anti-moisture characteristic.


The present invention has an object to provide a transparent resin material having a low water absorption ratio without deteriorating various properties such as transparency which transparent resin has and also having a controllable refractive index. The present invention provides a transparent resin material containing a polymer capable of forming a formed product having transparency, wherein the transparent resin material comprises a fluorine atom-containing polymer and/or compound and contains 0.3 to 35% by weight of a fluorine atom in 100% by weight of the formed product.

The present invention relates to a transparent resin material. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transparent material to be used for a variety of applications such as optical communication, optical waveguide, optical recording, optical film, and substrate for display.
Polymers produced from fluorine-containing compounds are excellent in heat resistance and low moisture (low water) absorption property, so that they are widely used in industrial fields as raw materials for various films, electrolytic films for fuel cells, and engineering plastics. In recent years, these fluorine-containing polymers have attracted attention in various industrial fields and especially in optical and electronic part fields, fluorine-containing polymers excellent in transparency, electric properties, and other physical properties are desired. Furthermore, in optical communication, optical waveguide, optical recording, and liquid crystal display fields among these optical and electronic part fields, transparent resin represented by acrylic resin and polycarbonate resin tends to be used more and more, and resin having physical properties required for these uses has been desired. However, many of the transparent resin has water absorption property, and absorption of water in the transparent resin results in various adverse effects such as occurrence of warping and strains of molded(formed) products and increase of transmission loss. Therefore, many investigations have been carried out to decrease the water absorption in the transparent resin, however so far, no transparent resin suitable to be used for applications in optical communication, optical waveguide, optical recording, and liquid crystal display fields has been developed yet.
As conventional fluorine-containing polymers, fluorine-containing aryl ether ketone polymers are disclosed in Japanese Kokai Publication 2001-64226 (p. 1, 2 and 11) and 2003-82091 (p. 1, 2 and 8). These polymers comprise monomer units having a fluorine-substituted benzene ring and phenyl ether structure and exhibits basic properties such as solubility in solvent and heat resistance. However, there is a room for contrivance to provide fluorine-containing polymers with further improved properties so as to be suitably used for optical and electronic parts and additives for resin.
With respect to a material containing conventional transparent resin, Japanese Kokai Publication 2000-239325 (p. 2, 3) discloses resin compositions containing a polymer (A) containing a repeating unit of 6-membered ring structure having ether bond and a (meth)acrylic polymer (B), and Japanese Kokai Publication Hei-05-32731 (p. 2, 4) discloses a low water-absorption transparent resin produced by injection polymerization of compositions containing phenyl methacrylate, dicyclopentenyl acrylate, and alkyl acrylate having alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms and crosslinking agent in the presence of a radical polymerization initiator. With respect to these resin compositions, there are descriptions that they are usable for optical parts such as lens, optical information recording media such as optical disk, and materials for optical transmission. Furthermore, Japanese Kokai Publication 2000-89049 (p. 2, 3) discloses polymer materials for optical communication which comprises a repeating unit consisted of ester-bonded compounds containing nitrogen atom in main chains.
However, there is a room for contrivance for providing the material containing these transparent resin with improved low water-absorption property and preferably usable for various applications such as optical communication, optical waveguide, optical recording, and liquid crystal display fields.


The present invention relates to a system and method for continuous loading of consumables into an analyzer comprising a stacker unit which can be uncoupled from the transport system for transporting the consumables from the stacker to the analytical modules and within and/or between the analytical modules.

In general, automated analyzers are loaded with consumables necessary to perform an analysis before starting the analysis. In case loading has to be performed during analysis, the analysis has to be interrupted.
EP 1 275 966 discloses a stacker system where a stacker is manually loaded by pulling out a movable platform on which the stacker is mounted and filling the stacker with consumables. Manual loading is only possible when both the supply lifter and the recovery lifter are at their lowest positions. The stacker can, thus, not be loaded while the analyzer is in operation.
The present invention provides an improved system and method for continuously loading consumables into an analytical apparatus.


A method of measuring properties of a sample using an electron beam. Coordinates of a measurement site on the sample, and a diameter of the electron beam are defined. Multiple measurement locations are determined within the measurement site, using the coordinates of the measurement site and the diameter of the electron beam. The measurement locations are selected such that the electron beam when directed at the multiple measurement locations (either through beam deflection or sample movement) substantially covers the measurement site. The electron beam is directed to the measurement locations and properties of the sample are measured at each of the measurement locations.

Integrated circuit fabrication is typically accomplished by forming many different layers on a substrate. As the term is used herein, "integrated circuit" includes devices such as those formed on monolithic semiconducting substrates, such as those formed of group IV materials like silicon or germanium, or group III–V compounds like gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, or mixtures of such materials. The term includes all types of devices formed, such as memory and logic, and all designs of such devices, such as MOS and bipolar. The term also comprehends applications such as flat panel displays, solar cells, and charge coupled devices.
Because the design tolerances of an integrated circuit are so strict, it is desirable to monitor the properties, such as thickness and elemental composition, of the various layers as they are formed. One way to measure the properties of film layers is to use a technique called electron stimulated x-ray metrology.
In very general terms, electron stimulated x-ray metrology works by directing a beam of electrons through a low pressure environment toward a sample surface. The electrons excite the atoms of the sample as they impinge against it. The excited atoms produce x-rays having properties that are characteristic of the properties of the sample, such as layer composition and layer thickness. Electron stimulated x-ray metrology is a highly favored technique, because in principle, it can be performed on production integrated circuits without damaging them.
Unfortunately, there are some problems with this and other techniques that employ electron beams. For example, deterioration of the x-ray signal over time, due to atom ejection, generally referred to as trending herein, requires that relatively short electron beam exposure times be used. However, a short acquisition time tends to result in a relatively low signal to noise ratio and large error bar spread.
What is needed, therefore, is a system that overcomes problems such as those described above, at least in part.

Site stepping for electron beam micro analysis


A flow rate control valve has a first housing portion with separated admission and discharge chambers and a first seat, a second housing portion with a main chamber and auxiliary chambers, a valve member movable between a closed position of the valve and abutting against the first seat to interrupt a passage of fluid from the admission chamber to the discharge chamber, and a second position corresponding to an open position of a valve to allow a passage of fluid from the admission chamber to the discharge chamber, a second seat between the auxiliary chamber and the discharge chamber, and a driving element spring-biased against the second seat and activated to withdraw from it and allow passage of fluid between the auxiliary member and the discharge chamber when pressures within the valve are unbalanced and a pressure in the admission chamber forces the valve chamber away from the first seat to open the valve and to allow passage of fluid from the admission chamber to the discharge chamber.

The present invention relates generally to valves and, more specifically, to a flow rate control valve for use with fluids having suspended particles therein.
Valves for controlling the rate of flow of fluids are well known in the prior art and widely used in a huge variety of technical fields. Typically, a valve includes a housing having an inner passage with a valve seat extending therethrough and a valve member positioned within the passage. The valve member is selectively movable between a first position where the valve member fully contacts the valve seat in the inner passage in order to close the valve and completely interrupt the passage of any fluid, and a second position where the valve member is positioned a distance away from the valve seat in the inner passage in order to open the valve and allow the passage of fluid through said valve. The above description corresponds to a simple embodiment of a flow rate control valve. Several more sophisticated models of these valves are known in the art, including valves with mechanical, hydraulic, electric and/or electronic driving means, or any combination thereof, to control the movement of the valve member to automatically open and close the valve.
A typical use of the flow rate control valves is in the agriculture, to control spraying of agrochemical or agricultural fluids. The flow rate control valves presently known in the art, however, when used to control the spraying of agrochemical or agricultural fluids, have several drawbacks that impair their use. Basically, these drawbacks are related to the fact that the agrochemical and/or agricultural fluids typically include a solution having a considerable number of particles suspended therein, which particles may attach and damage the driving means. As a result, the valves work poorly due to the fact that its driving means operate in a highly contaminated environment, the valve does not closes properly due to the buildup of debris in the valve seat that does not allow for the proper seating of the valve member, or the jamming of the driving means under the attack of the contaminating agents occurs.


A monorail tip catheter includes a low friction guide wire lumen to facilitate removal of the catheter over the guide wire without buckling or kinking the guide wire. The catheter guide wire lumen is provided with a low friction lining with anchoring means, together with additional guide means to facilitate threading the guide wire into the monorail guide wire lumen.

Intravascular catheters and probes are used for a variety of diagnoses and treatments of vascular diseases and defects. Similar catheters are also used for examination and treatment of other body cavities and vessels. These catheters are inserted in the body until they reach the location of interest. In the case of intravascular catheters used for diagnoses of the coronary arteries, the catheter is inserted in the femoral artery and guided up through the descending aorta, arch of the aorta, down the ascending aorta, then into the left or right coronary arteries, continuing as far into the coronary arteries as the miniaturization of the catheter will allow. The small diameter of the vessels and the delicacy of the vessels necessitate great care in catheter deployment and removal, in order to avoid damage to the vessels. The delicacy and small size of the vessels, combined with the tortuous deployment path, impose severe restrictions on materials and structures used for such intravascular catheters.
One method of deploying intravascular catheters is called the monorail system. In the monorail system, a small diameter guide wire is first routed along the deployment path. When the guide wire is properly positioned, its distal tip lies in the coronary artery, just past the area of interest, and the proximal end extends out of the patient's thigh. Standard introducers and guide catheters may be used in the procedure.
When the guide wire is properly positioned, the proximal end of the guide wire is threaded through the monorail lumen of the diagnostic catheter. In a monorail tip catheter, the tip of the catheter is provided with a small lumen to receive the guide wire. The lumen starts at the extreme distal tip of the catheter, runs a short length from the distal tip before reaching the catheter circumference to provide an exit port very close to the distal tip. The guide wire is threaded through this lumen. Thus mounted, the diagnostic catheter is pushed into the femoral artery along the entire deployment path and further into the coronary artery, guided to the diagnostic site by the guide wire. In this manner, the guide wire facilitates placement of the diagnostic catheter.
The diagnostic catheter may identify sites for treatment such as atherectomy. The diagnostic catheter can be pulled out of the body while the guide wire remains in place so that a working catheter can be deployed along the same guide wire to the treatment site. The use of a stationary guide wire facilitates deployment of the working catheter to the treatment site previously identified by the diagnostic catheter. In some instances, the diagnostic and working mechanisms can be deployed on a single catheter, avoiding the need to use them sequentially.
A problem sometimes encountered with the monorail tip catheter is that, during withdrawal of the catheter over the guide wire, friction between the monorail lumen and the guide wire makes it difficult to withdraw the catheter without buckling the guide wire. Frictional and buckling forces are exacerbated by the tortuous bends which the catheter must negotiate during withdrawal, combined with the low rigidity of the guide wire. During withdrawal, the monorail tip is effectively axially pushing on the portion of the guide wire proximal to the monorail lumen. This may cause binding, applying excessive force on the guide wire, which force may cause damage to the arteries. Worse yet, the binding may cause the guide wire to become kinked so that withdrawal of the catheter over the guide wire is not possible, and withdrawal of the kinked guide wire is likely to damage the vessel's internal surface along the withdrawal path.

Catheter tip with a low friction lining and method of use


Compositions containing an aryl phosphite and water to hydrolyze the aryl phosphite provide controlled and extended work time when used as hardening agents for the ambient temperature hardening of phenolic resins and for rapid hardening of such resins at modestly elevated temperatures. Pre-solvolysis with small quantities of water, alkanols of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or alkylene glycols of 2 to 4 carbon atoms improve compatibility of trisubstituted phosphites with the resin. Pre-hydrolysis of the phosphites as well as addition of furfuryl alcohol or alkylene glycols of 2 to 4 carbon atoms accelerate the hardening (curing) of the resin. Various compounds such as: carboxylic acid amides, urea, dicyandiamide, N-methylolated amides, N-alkyl 2-pyrrolidinones having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, those having an internal epoxide group, alkanols, and Schiff bases retard the ambient temperature hardening of the resin with the aryl phosphite hardening agents.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aryl phosphite latent acid catalysts which provide controlled work time for hardening phenolic resins at ambient temperature and which can provide extended work times at ambient temperature with rapid cure at modestly higher temperatures. The phenolic resins are those which are hardenable by strong acids at ambient temperature.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Phenolic resins can be cured (hardened) at ambient temperatures of about 16.degree. C. to about 38.degree. C. by: using strong acids such as phosphoric or sulfuric acids; organic esters at pH of about 12 to 13 (ester cure process); or by using lightburned magnesium oxide, with or without, an organic ester at pH of about 8.5 to 9. Hardening with strong acids has major limitations, i.e., difficulty to control, cannot easily afford extensive ambient temperature stability prior to hardening, creates corrosion problems and are very unstable when furfuryl alcohol is employed with the phenolic resin.
The ester cure process is generally characterized by high water contents such as that of up to about 50% in the resin and very high alkali contents with about 8% potassium ion being typical. High alkali ion content is unsuitable for preparation of polymer concretes using siliceous aggregate or as a binder for refractory composites, and results in high leachability upon exposure to water. The high water content, when the highly alkaline resin is used at levels well above the 5% to 15% based on aggregate normally used in foundry applications, affords composites with decreased density and can be characterized by undesirable exudate since they bleed liquor.
Ambient temperature curing, also referred to as ambient temperature hardening, using organic ester and lightburned magnesium oxide as hardener has several important shortcomings relative to the process of the instant invention. These shortcomings include: use of three components instead of two; work time, i.e., mix life, is very limited even in the presence of retarders; and only a very limited cure is obtained after 24 hours of room temperature hardening. This limited cure can lead to thermoplasticity at temperatures of about 60.degree. C. to 80.degree. C. after room temperature hardening and it cannot be devoid of metal ions. The two component system which uses lightburned magnesium oxide without ester as hardener has many of the same shortcomings as that of lightburned magnesium oxide with ester.
It has now been found that the aryl phosphites of this invention are particularly effective hardening agents for both ambient temperature hardening or rapid hardening at relatively modest elevated temperatures such as those of from about 50.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. or less such as from 50.degree. C. to 80.degree. C.


A reciprocating saw (11) comprises a support (27) attached to the body of the saw and a shoe (25) pivotally attached to the support (27). The pivoted shoe (25) enables the shoe (25) and thus the blade to engage a workpiece at varying angles during cutting. The shoe (25) is attached to the support (27) by a hinge. The hinge (12) comprises a spaced pair of tabs (29,31) extending from the support (27) and located between a spaced pair of tabs (45,47) extending from the shoe (25). Each of the support tabs is paired respectively with one of the shoe tabs. Pins (55,57) extends through apertures (33,35,49,51) in the tabs (29,31,45,47) and forms the hinge pivot. The hinge pivot is maintained in place by spacers (59,61) located, respectively, between each pair of shoe and support tabs and press fitted to the pin. The press fitted hinge (12) is low in cost and is durable.

Some prior art inline reciprocating saw have a shoe pivotally attached at the front end adjacent to the blade. The shoe is engaged with the workpiece during cutting to aid in guiding the movement of the saw relative to the workpiece. To permit the angle of the blade to be varied from 90.degree. during cutting, the shoe is pivotally attached to the saw body. Typically, the shoe is attached to the body through a hinge. The hinge is formed by a pair of tabs forwardly extending from the saw body and a pair of tabs rearwardly extending from the shoe. Conventional techniques for forming a durable hinge pivot such as a pin(s) or rivet(s) extending through apertures in the tabs have proven to be unreliable and/or expensive. For example, the hinge pivot may be formed by a pin(s) welded in the shoe tab apertures. In use the welded connection can be broken when the hinge is twisted and a force transverse to the pin is applied. The welded pin forms a lever arm thereby magnifying the transverse force and increasing the risk of breaking the connection. While it is possible to form a weld that would be durable under such loads, the cost of manufacture and assembly time are excessive.
Alternatively if a rivet is used to form the hinge pivot, the rivet is subject to failure due to fatigue. Thus riveting has not proven to be an acceptable technique.
Accordingly it is desirable to develop a more reliable, low cost hinge for attaching the shoe to a reciprocating saw.

Reciprocating saw with pivoted shoe and method for attaching shoe


A method and apparatus for controlling the density of the solids separated from a feed slurry by selectively recirculating the separated liquid component of the feed slurry to change the feed slurry's density when an unwanted density of the separated solids is detected. Further, the efficiency of the separation is increased by recirculating and recharging unused catalyst into the feed slurry where it is used to assist in the separation of the solids.

In water treatment systems dissolved and suspended solids are separated from the liquid so that the liquid can be processed for re-introduction into the water supply or discharged harmlessly into reservoir or estuary such as a river or stream.
Typically a centrifuge comprising a bowl whose interior rotatably supports a scroll conveyor is used at an early stage in water treatment to assist in the separation of the solids.
As is well known, the mixture of raw water and solids, often called a "feed slurry," enters the centrifuge at one end of the bowl. The solids are separated by the interaction of gravity, the speeds of rotation of the centrifuge bowl and the scroll as well as their relative speeds of rotation.
Additionally a catalyst is often used to assist in the separation of the solids. Typically the catalyst is a suitable electrically charged polymer. The polymer charge may be positive or negative in accordance with the nature of the separation to be achieved as will be more fully explained. Suitable polymer is available from Cytec, Industries, Inc. (formerly known as American Cyanamid Corporation) in West Paterson, N.J. under the brand name SUPERFLOC C-457 which is a cationic polyacrylamide family.
The solids are collected and can be used for a variety of purposes such as fertilizers, landfills, fuels for incinerators and the like.
It is recognized that the solids are best handled when their consistency is at a predetermined level. Preferably, the solids should be dry since this makes them easier to handle. If they are too wet, they become heavy as a result of the water they contain and are costly to handle and ship.
Thus, it is well known in the industry to try to control the density of the solids exiting the centrifuge by regulating relative speeds of the scroll and the centrifuge bowl.
However, this technique is limited by the density of the feed slurry entering the centrifuge.
Further refinements in controlling the density of the solids exiting the centrifuge include the recirculation of the solids to increase their concentration in the centrifuge so that the density of the solids finally exiting the centrifuge can be controlled.
While this means for controlling the density of the solids exiting the separator has been satisfactory for the most part, it suffers from the following deficiencies.
Since the density of the exiting solids is substantially proportional to the density of the feed slurry, a very dense feed slurry will create solids that tend to reduce the flow of material through the centrifuge or even block it entirely. Therefore, a very dense slurry will cause the rate at which the centrifuge unloads to increase and remain high until a feed slurry having a lighter density is detected. This causes an uneven product since the exiting solids will have alternately dry and wet portions in accordance with the density of the feed slurry. The increased wetness of the solids increases the cost of disposal since the wet solids cost more to transport than dry solids due to their weight and further, the increased moisture makes them more difficult to incinerate.

Method of controlling the density of the solids separated from a feed slurry in a separator


The method for generating a modulated television signal involves performing a first filtering and a second filtering to obtain two signals, one having a passband that is equal to complete passband and the other one having a passband that is equal to the sideband to be suppressed. The signal having a complete passband is amplitude-modulated with a video carrier, obtaining a first signal. The signal having a passband equal to the sideband to be suppressed is then divided into a first component and a second component, and the first component is phase-shifting by 90.degree. with respect to the second component. The first component is modulated with a video carrier that is phase shifted by 90.degree., obtaining a second signal. The second component of the signal having a passband equal to the sideband to be suppressed is modulated with the video carrier, obtaining a third signal. The second and third signals are then subjected to an algebraic sum, obtaining a fourth signal. The fourth signal is then subtracted from the first signal, obtaining a fifth signal that represents the television signal having the desired sideband.

The present invention relates to a method for generating a modulated television signal with improved characteristics.
The television transmission mode that uses two carriers, one for audio and one for video, is known in the art.
As regards the video part, the video signal modulates a video carrier with positive or negative modulation and is then shaped with a partially suppressed sideband. This type of modulation is termed vestigial modulation (VSB--Vestigial Sideband), and with respect to conventional amplitude modulation it has the advantages of reducing the occupied band without appreciably degrading picture quality, requiring less power to transmit the information, in addition to a good response to low frequencies.
For the audio part, the audio signal frequency modulates the carrier.
In old transmitters, modulation was performed by amplifying the carrier to the maximum power level and then modulating it. Filtering was performed at high power with the use of very expensive and bulky power filters that were highly unstable and therefore required periodic adjustments and were highly temperature-sensitive, requiring special conditioning systems.
Currently, the video part of the signal is generated with analog methods. The video carrier is modulated, at an intermediate frequency (IF), by the video signal, generating a signal with two sidebands, and is then filtered in order to obtain the desired shaping of the sidebands. Filtering is achieved with analog filters of the SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) type, which must be produced differently according to the television standard that is used. A drawback of this solution is the fact that the generated television signal has limited characteristics in terms of quality, linearity, flexibility, and stability, which are a consequence of the analog-type processing to which it has been subjected. Another drawback of this solution is the fact that it requires many level adjustments for white, black, sync signals, and other parameters that are necessary for linear power amplification. Furthermore, analog generation of the video signal has the drawback that if one wishes to transmit a digital signal, which is the future of television development, it requires a subsequent conversion from analog to digital, with further adjustments. Finally, the generated television signal does not have particularly good characteristics in terms of quality, linearity, and stability.

Method for generating a modulated television signal


Systems and methods described herein for aligning a block in a microtome attempt to save time, money, and the sample by aligning a block in any rotary or cryostat microtome. One such device for aligning a block in a microtome has a knife holder component removably attached to a knife holder of the microtome and a pin alignment component extending vertically from the knife holder component in a direction substantially parallel to the block. The pin alignment component has a plurality of front pins extending from a front surface of the pin alignment component configured to slide in response to an angle of the block and a plurality of rear pins extending from a rear surface of the pin alignment component and coupled to the front pins. The rear pins are configured to indicate the extension of the front pins from the pin alignment component.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to systems and methods for aligning or realigning a block specimen in a microtome.
2. Background
Scientists and medical professionals often analyze tissue from humans, animals, or other biological specimens in a microscopic examination to diagnose various diseases and conditions. One method of preparing these specimens for histological examination is through the use of a rotary (also known as a table microtome) or cryostat microtome. Microtomes are mechanical devices used to consistently create thin sections, typically between 5 and 10 μm, of biological specimens. When cutting on a rotary microtome, harvested specimens reside in blocks of paraffin, whereas in cryostat microtomes, specimens are embedded in optimal cutting temperature (OCT) frozen media. In contrast to the rotary microtome, the cryostat microtome has a microtome unit mounted in a cooling enclosure with externally mounted controls. After the specimens are sliced in either type of microtome, the sliced sections can be stained and examined.
Generally, in operation of a rotary or cryostat microtome, the block having the specimen (referred to herein as a "block specimen") is secured to a chuck and clamped into the microtome. By fixing the chuck to the microtome, a user can align the block specimen along any of three planes (i.e., in X-, Y-, and Z-planes) in juxtaposition to a stationary thin knife (or blade). Once the block specimen is aligned with the knife, the user conducts a process known as "facing" or "truing" the block specimen.
During the truing process, the user operates a handwheel on the microtome to advance the block forward and vertically across the surface of the knife until complete sections of the block specimen are consistently sliced and the specimen itself is substantially exposed. Each rotation of the handwheel actuates mechanical gearing within the microtome to incrementally advance the block specimen forward for cutting the next (serial) section. Once the user obtains a desired sectioning surface and depth, the user can begin to slice sections for analysis. However, the conventional truing process has its limitations.
Slight misalignments of the block specimen to the knife or imperfections in the flatness of the block specimen's surface in juxtaposition to the knife can result in an incomplete section unsuitable for subsequent analysis. As slicing continues during the truing, incomplete sections or slices may contain specimen, as opposed to being entirely paraffin, and may be discarded. Furthermore, because many conventional microtomes allow the chuck to be adjusted in all three planes, it can be very challenging for sets of block specimens cut on a single microtome or for block specimens cut on different microtomes to have cutting planes that match in all three planes. For example, using a manual, time-consuming process, a user can attempt to align a block specimen by adjusting various angles of the chuck and then slicing a section with the knife to ascertain whether the block specimen's surface is substantially aligned with the cutting plane of the knife. This trial-and-error process is repeated until the user can slice a full section of the block. Moreover, microtomes are not designed to record the alignment angles by which a given block specimen resides within a chuck, so block specimens returning to a microtome for further slicing may require the user to conduct the time-consuming alignment process. Microtomes are also not engineered to automatically re-align the chuck to match the cutting planes of previously sectioned blocks, thereby requiring manual realignment by a user. As a result, the user may need to re-true the block each time it is positioned for slicing in a microtome. Manual realignment of the block can be very tedious and difficult. And sequential re-truing of blocks typically results in a substantial loss of sample before a complete section is properly sliced. Even those users who re-embed the entire block specimen or the specimen itself in a new block and then attempt to align the newly formed block specimen would similarly encounter these challenges.
Conventional attempts to align a block within a microtome are insufficient. For example, Microm's histo collimator attempts to align a block using a laser. In its general operation, the histo collimator uses a sight, a light source, and a mirror. The mirror is mounted on the surface of the block and reflects the light back to a crosshair in the sight. When a light beam from the light source is centered on the crosshair, the block is aligned in the horizontal and perpendicular planes. However, this equipment is very expensive and is operable on only Microm's microtomes. In another example of conventional equipment, such as those made by Newcomer Supply, Advanced Innovations, and Market Lab, a microtome aligner can set the microtome to zero in the X-, Y-, and Z-planes. If a plane is not set to zero, the block will not be properly aligned. For example, when using a block that was previously cut on a different microtome, the block aligned along a zero X-, Y-, and Z-plane of one microtome may not correlate to a zero X-, Y-, and Z-plane of another microtome. Additionally, a zero plane for a chuck holding a block does not necessarily correlate to a block surface perpendicular to the knife, so the block may require further alignment. This equipment is also expensive and is operable on only certain microtomes.
In addition to the disadvantages of the conventional equipment for aligning blocks in rotary microtomes, none of this conventional equipment is applicable to cryostat microtomes. Indeed, after over 100 years of advances in microtome technology, there still exists a need for accurately and consistently aligning and realigning block specimens in microtomes, as well as an alignment system or method that can be used on different types of microtomes.


A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating unit, multiple sub-heaters disposed in the heating unit, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the heating unit, and a heating control unit. The heating control unit controls the heating unit by controlling the multiple sub-heaters individually to heat the respective heating areas, such that a temperature at a portion of the fixing member corresponding to a blank area of the recording medium is lower than a temperature of a portion of the fixing member corresponding to an imaged area of the recording medium. The heating control unit further changes a size of a preliminary heating area to preliminarily heat the respective heating areas before the imaged area enters the fixing nip according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to a fixing device employing a heating method and to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, or a facsimile machine, incorporating the fixing device.
2. Related Art
Image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines, or printers usually form a toner image on an image carrier according to image data. The toner image is transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium such as a sheet of paper or an overhead projector (OHP) sheet. The recording medium carrying the toner image is then conveyed to a fixing device, in which the toner image is fixed onto the recording medium under heat and pressure.
Fixing devices employing a heat-roller method usually include a fixing roller and a pressing roller. The fixing roller is heated by a heat source such as a halogen heater or an induction heating coil. The fixing roller and the pressing roller press against each other to form an area of contact herein called a nip, to which a recording medium carrying a toner image is conveyed. Toner included in the toner image is fused under heat and pressure in the nip. Thus, the toner image is fixed onto the recording medium. Such fixing devices are widely used for safety and adaptability to high-speed machines.
However, it takes a few minutes for the fixing roller, typically having a metal core and a large heat capacity, to reach a predetermined fixing temperature. Hence, the fixing roller is maintained at a predetermined temperature during standby time, resulting in relatively large energy consumption.
By contrast, fixing devices employing a belt or film method are frequently used for energy efficiency. Several energy-efficient fixing techniques employed with such fixing devices have been proposed, such as those externally heating a thermal insulating roller or selectively heating an imaged area according to the image data.
For example, JP-H06-095540-A discloses a fixing device employing the film method, in which a pressing roller and a planar heater that contact a thin, cylindrical film having thermal resistance sandwiches the film and a recording material so that the film and the recording material adhere to each other, thereby heating the recording material. Because the film has a thickness of only about 100 μm, in actuality the fixing device can be warmed up simply by increasing the temperature of the low heat-capacity planar heater. Accordingly, the warm-up time can be shortened and the preheating power can be reduced.
In addition, JP-H06-095540-A discloses a technique whereby the temperature of the heater and the heating areas are changed based on an image formed on the recording material to reduce energy supply to a blank area (i.e., a portion of an image formation area without an image), thereby enhancing energy efficiency.
JP-2005-181946-A discloses a technique whereby the temperature of a thermal heater is measured for each heating element to supply appropriate heat, thereby heating only a portion where toner exists on a surface of a sheet, taking into account the surrounding temperature.
JP-2001-343860 employs a fixing method to externally heat a roller. The external heating allows toner to be fused by heat accumulated on and around a fixing roller. Accordingly, such an external heating method realizes a shorter warm-up time and a higher energy efficiency than an internal heating method to heat an entire fixing roller. As in JP-H06-095540-A and JP-2005-181946-A, JP-2001-343860 discloses that imaged areas are selectively heated and that a second target temperature is provided which is lower than a target fixing temperature.
Typical fixing devices are supplied with a maximum energy sufficient to fix an image formed on an entire surface of a recording material.
However, when an imaged area is selectively heated, electric power is supplied before that imaged area enters the fixing nip. In other words, a preliminary heating area is provided, taking into account a predetermined time taken to warm up a heating member including a heat generator. The preliminary heating area is provided in a blank area that does not bear an unfixed toner image. Hence, the preliminary heating area is preferably as small as possible.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same


Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitors have the following Formula (I):

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) plays an important role in signal transduction in B cells and is a factor that contributes to the survival, differentiation, proliferation, and activation of B cells. There is currently a need for methods of treating diseases in which B cells or mast cells participate. Btk is also known to participate in mast cell activation and in the physiological functions of platelets. Therefore, Btk inhibitors are effective for the treatment of diseases in which B cells or mast cells participate, for example, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, thromboembolic diseases, and cancers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

SUZHOU BAIJIBUGONG PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of sense amplifiers that amplify data transferred from each of a couple of banks and output them as amplified signals; a controller configured to determine the output states of the amplified signals outputted from each of the couple of sense amplifiers and to output driving signals corresponding to the output amplified signals; and a driver configured to receive driving signals and to drive a global input/output line in response to the driving signals, wherein the couple of sense amplifiers share the one driver.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more specifically to a semiconductor memory device including an input/output sense amplifier that amplifies a read data and provide it to the external, when making a read operation.
In general, data stored in a memory cell of a semiconductor memory device is transferred to an input/output sense amplifier via any one of a pair of local input/output lines when a read command is inputted in a read operation.
And, the transferred data is amplified by the input/output sense amplifier and then outputted via a global input/output line.
A semiconductor memory device may have a structure of two banks that are arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to the input/output sense amplifier arranged therebetween the two banks. When the data stored in one of the above two banks is transferred to the global input/output line in a read operation, the input/output sense amplifier for the remaining bank should remain floating with the global input/output line.
FIG. 1 shows one example of a graphic memory structure divided into four quarters. In one quarter (e.g., upper left quarter of FIG. 1), eight banks BA0 to BA7 are arranged such that one set of four banks BA0, BA2, BA4, BA6 and the other set of four banks BA1, BA3, BA5, BA7 are laid out symmetrically to each other with one-to-one relation between each symmetrically arranged banks. An input/output sense amplifying circuit IOSA is arranged therebetween the two sets of banks. Another set of eight banks DQ0 to DQ7 is also arranged in the same upper left corner of FIG. 1. The input/output sense amplifier disposed between the two banks BA0 and BA1 can be represented as shown in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, two input/output sense amplifiers 10, 20 are shown therein. The input/output sense amplifier 10 corresponds to the bank BA0, and the input/output sense amplifier 20 corresponds to the bank BA1. Both input/output sense amplifiers 10, 20 are connected to a global input/output line RGIO. Each input/output sense amplifiers 10, 20 comprises sense amplifiers 11, 21, inverters IV1, IV2, and drivers 12, 22, respectively.
With such structure, to read data stored in the bank BA0, the data stored in the bank BA0 is transferred to the sense amplifier 11 via any one of a pair of local input/output lines LIO0 and LIO0B, the sense amplifier 11 is turned-on by a strobe signal IOSA_STROBE0 to amplify the inputted data and outputs an amplified signal D0 and an inverted amplified signal D0B.
And, the inverted amplified signal DOB is inverted by the inverter IV1, and as the amplified signal D0 and the signal inverted by the inverter IV1 are inputted to the driver 12, the driver is turned-on to transfer a high or low level of data to the global input/output line RGIO. After this, the data transferred to the global input/output line RGIO is latched through a latch LAT.
While the bank BA0 is accessed to read data, the sense amplifier 21 is turned-off by the strobe signal IOSA_STROBE0, and the driver 22 is turned-off by the amplified signal D1 and the output signal of the inverter IV2 to allow the output stages of the global input/output line RGIO and the driver 22 to be floated.
It is noted that all banks BA0 to BA7 commonly use the global input/output line RGIO. When reading the bank BA0, for example, the output stage of the global input/output line RGIO and the driver 22 are floated, in order to prevent the influence from the input/output sense amplifiers of the remaining banks (such as BA1 to BA7) on the data that is read from a specific bank (such as BA0).
In other word, as shown in FIG. 3, when reading the bank BA0, only the driver 12 of the BA0 is turned-on and the drivers corresponding to the remaining banks BA1 to BA7 are floated together with the global input/output line RGIO so that all the drivers corresponding to the remaining banks BA1 to BA7 have no effect on the operation of reading the bank BA0.
However, when all drivers for the banks BA0 to BA7 are commonly connected to the global input/output line as shown in FIG. 3, a junction loading can occur due to the remaining seven drivers of BA1 to BA7 (besides the driver 12 corresponding to the bank BA0) causing deterioration of the slop of the data carried by the global input/output line RGIO.
When the slop of the data carried on the global input/output line RGIO is deteriorated, the time 'tAA' required for inputting the command and then outputting the data increases, thereby causing problems of decreased operating speed of the memory device.
Also, as the drivers included in the respective sense amplifier generally drive the long global input/output line RGIO, the size of each driver is rather large. When the large-sized drivers are disposed in every bank of BA0 to BA7 as shown in FIG. 3, the layout area required for the drivers in the semiconductor memory device becomes a serious problem.

Semiconductor memory device having input/output sense amplification circuit with reduced junction loading and circuit layout area


Determining an optimal atrioventricular interval is of interest for proper delivery of cardiac resynchronization therapy. Although device optimization is gradually and more frequently being performed through a referral process with which the patient undergoes an echocardiographic optimization, the decision of whether to optimize or not is still generally reserved for the implanting physician. Recent abstracts have suggested a formulaic approach for setting A-V interval based on intrinsic electrical sensing, that may possess considerable appeal to clinicians versus a patient average nominal A-V setting of 100 ms. The present invention presents a methods of setting nominal device settings based on entering patient cardiac demographics to determine what A-V setting may be appropriate. The data is based on retrospective analysis of the MIRACLE trial to determine what major factors determined baseline A-V settings.

Those skilled in the art of diagnosing cardiac ailments have long understood that certain patients, in particular heart failure (HF) patients, suffer uncoordinated mechanical activity wherein the myocardial depolarization and contraction of the atria and ventricles (i.e., right and left) occur in an uncoordinated fashion. Such uncoordinated motion can cause a decrease in stroke volume and/or cardiac output (CO), among other detrimental effects. Recently a variety of techniques have been proposed and practiced for minimizing such uncoordinated motion.
These prior art techniques for minimizing uncoordinated myocardial motion include CRT optimization. One known way to attempt to optimize CRT delivery involves Doppler echocardiographic imaging of ventricular contractions while adjusting interventricular pacing stimulus delivery (i.e., V-V timing). The optimized V-V timing is the interventricular timing that produces the least amount of visibly perceptible dyssynchrony. For successful CRT delivery, the A-V intervals typically are programmed to a magnitude less than the intrinsic atrial-to-ventricular (P-R) interval for a given subject to help ensure bi-ventricular CRT delivery.
An apparatus for delivering CRT includes implantable pulse generator (IPG) with or without high-energy cardioversion/defibrillation therapy capability. An IPG adapted for CRT delivery typically includes three medical electrical leads coupled to myocardial tissue. A first lead typically coupled to the right atrium, a second lead typically coupled to the right ventricle, and a third lead typically coupled to the left ventricle (often via the coronary sinus or great vein). That is, the third lead couples to a location on the free wall of the left ventricle.
Thus, as is known in the art, based at least in part on acute echocardiographic measurement an IPG configured for CRT delivery provides only a limited ability to adjust operative A-V and to a slightly greater degree, V-V intervals. Thus, a need exists in the art for appropriately optimizing electrical cardiac pacing stimulus delivery between the atria and the left ventricle (LV) and/or the right ventricle (RV) in an effort to enhance hemodynamics and other benefits of optimized pacing therapy delivery. When successfully and optimally delivered, certain pacing therapies, such as bi-ventricular CRT, are known to increase CO and may, over time, cause a phenomenon known in the art as "reverse remodeling" of the LV and RV (and/or other beneficial) physiologic changes to the patient's heart.

Method and apparatus for determining an efficacious atrioventricular delay interval