A system for protecting wafers from damage caused by an inaccurately-positioned wafer transfer robot blade during the transfer of wafers typically from a wafer cassette to a processing tool. The wafer protection system includes a conductor foil which is electrically separated from the robot blade through a space or gap and is connected to a relay circuit that is normally closed to facilitate flow of electrical power to the robot blade motor. Upon initial contact of the robot blade with the edge of a wafer, the conductor foil deforms and contacts the blade through the space or gap, completing a circuit between the blade and the relay circuit. The relay circuit opens, thereby terminating further power flow to the robot blade motor and immediately preventing further movement of the robot blade against the wafer.

In the semiconductor production industry, various processing steps are used to fabricate integrated circuits (ICs) on a semiconductor wafer. These steps include the deposition of layers of different materials including metallization layers, passivation layers and insulation layers on the wafer substrate, as well as photoresist stripping and sidewall passivation polymer layer removal. In modern memory devices, for example, multiple layers of metal conductors are required for providing a multi-layer metal interconnection structure in defining a circuit on the wafer. Typically, multiple alternating layers of electrically conductive and insulative materials are sequentially deposited on the wafer substrate, and conductive layers at different levels on the wafer may be electrically connected to each other by etching vias, or openings, in the insulative layers and filling the vias using aluminum, tungsten or other metal to establish electrical connection between the conductive layers. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes are widely used to form layers of materials on a semiconductor wafer. Other processing steps in the fabrication of the circuits include formation of a photoresist or other mask such as titanium oxide or silicon oxide, in the form of the desired metal interconnection pattern, using standard lithographic techniques; subjecting the wafer substrate to a dry etching process to remove the conducting layer from the areas not covered by the mask, thereby leaving the metal layer in the form of the masked pattern; removing the mask layer using reactive plasma and chlorine gas, thereby exposing the top surface of the metal interconnect layer; cooling and drying the wafer substrate by applying water and nitrogen gas to the wafer substrate; and removing or stripping polymer residues from the wafer substrate.
Throughout the IC fabrication process, the work-in-progress (WIP) wafer substrates must be sequentially transferred among multiple processing stations. The wafer-transfer operation must be carried out under stringent cleanliness conditions and at various pressures. Accordingly, numerous mechanical arrangements have been devised to facilitate transferring wafers from one processing chamber to another or from a transport vehicle such as an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) or an overhead hoist transport (OHT) vehicle.
Typically, multiple semiconductor wafers are loaded into a wafer cassette such that the wafers can be transported and processed in multiple-wafer lots. A cassette loaded with wafers is inserted into an input/output (I/O) chamber, or "load lock" chamber, where a desired gas pressure and atmosphere can be established. The wafers are fed one-by-one to or from their respective cassettes into or out of the load lock chamber. It is desirable from the standpoint of efficiency in handling of the wafers that the loadlock chamber be located in close proximity to a number of processing chambers to permit more than one wafer to be processed nearby and at the same time. To this end, two or more chambers are arranged at locations on the periphery of a transfer chamber which is hermetically sealable and communicates with both the loadlock chamber and the processing chambers. Located within the transfer chamber is an automatically controlled wafer handling mechanism, or robot, which takes wafers from the loadlock chamber and then transfers each wafer into a selected processing chamber. After processing in one chamber, a wafer is withdrawn by the robot and inserted into the next processing chamber in the processing sequence. Ultimately, the wafer is returned to the load lock chamber and into a cassette for transport to the next processing station.
WIP semiconductor wafers are fragile and easily chipped, cracked or scratched. Therefore, the wafers must be handled with great care during processing and transfer. Wafer transfer robots are designed to handle wafers securely and yet without scratching the surface or cracking or chipping an edge of the wafers. The robot transfers each wafer in a smooth motion without vibration or sudden stops or jerks. Vibration of the robot blade could cause abrasion between the blade holding the wafer and the surface of the wafer. This could result in the formation of potential circuit-contaminating particles on the wafer or other wafers to be handled by the robot. As a result, the design of a robot requires careful measures to ensure that the movable parts of the robot operate smoothly without lost motion or play, with the requisite gentleness in holding a wafer, and yet be capable of moving the wafer quickly, smoothly and accurately between two locations.
Referring to FIGS. 1–3, a typical conventional. wafer robot-actuating system 10 includes a control board 12 which is connected to a step motor driver 14 that drives a step motor 16. A lead screw 20 is coupled to the drive shaft 18 of the step motor 16. A blade collar 22, to which is attached a robot blade 24, threadibly engages the lead screw 20. The control board 12 sends a command signal 32 to the step motor driver 14, which actuates the step motor 16 to rotate the motor drive shaft 18 and lead screw 20. Accordingly, depending on the direction of rotation of the lead screw 20 as determined by the control board 12, the robot blade 24 moves in the Z-axis direction toward or away from a wafer 46 preparatory to either picking up the wafer 46 or removing the wafer 46 from a wafer cassette 44, respectively. An encoder disk 28 is provided on an encoder shaft 26 drivingly engaged by the step motor 16. An encoder 30 is provided in magnetic proximity to the encoder disk 28 and provides a feedback signal 34 to the control board 12 indicating the number of revolutions of the encoder disk 28, and thus, the Z-axis position of the robot blade 24.
As shown in FIG. 2, the robot blade 24 typically extends from a blade seat 36 and is fitted with a rubber or plastic gasket 38 having a vacuum opening 40. Vacuum pressure is applied to the vacuum opening 40 through a vacuum tube 42 as the gasket 38 contacts one of the wafers 46 in the cassette 44. The wafer 46 is thus held against the gasket 38 by vacuum pressure as the robot blade 24 lifts the wafer 46 from the cassette 44, which may be submerged in DI water 48 in some chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) applications, for example.
One of the problems commonly encountered in operation of the robot actuating system 10 is that the robot blade 24 has a tendency to strike the edge of one or more of the wafers 46 in the cassette 44 as the blade 24 is lowered into position to lift the wafer 46 from the cassette 44. This causes cracking, chipping and/or abrasion of the wafer 46, resulting in damage to the wafer or the generation of potential circuit-contaminating particles. Conventional blade/wafer collision prevention systems utilize an optical signal which indicates to the control board that the blade is in danger of striking and damaging the wafer or wafers. However, in cases in which the robot blade 24 must be submerged into DI water 48 to pick up the wafer or wafers 46, the optical signal is interrupted or distorted by ripples in the DI water 48. This interferes with the ability of the wafer robot to timely intervene and prevent harmful striking of the robot blade with the wafer. Accordingly, a wafer protection system is needed for preventing a robot blade from striking or pushing against a wafer in a cassette and which is adaptable to wafer transfer robots used to remove wafers from DI water.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system for preventing damage to a wafer resulting from striking of a robot blade with the wafer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wafer protection system which may be adapted to any type of semiconductor processing system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a wafer protection system which senses improper positioning of a wafer transfer robot blade with respect to a wafer and terminates further movement of the blade to prevent blade-induced damage to the wafer.
Still another embodiment of the present invention is to provide a wafer protection system which utilizes electrical contact between a foil conductor and a wafer robot blade to terminate continued movement of the blade and prevent cracking, chipping or abrasion of the wafer.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wafer protection system which is applicable to wafer transfer robot blades that are immersed in water or other liquid during the wafer transfer operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wafer protection system which is simple in design and operation.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A multi-stage method and apparatus for determining a faulty component location along an optical path through an optical fiber in an optical network are disclosed. A total power of the optical fiber, and a total wavelength power as a sum of powers of the individual wavelengths at a plurality of local detection points are measured and compared at the local detection points, followed by determining whether or not a faulty detection point exists along the optical path. If a fault is identified, the method provides a multi-stage fault detection procedure, including measuring a total wavelength power loss between a local detection point and an adjacent detection point, between the local detection point and multiple non-adjacent detection points, and a correlation of the measured total wavelength power losses between the various detection points. A corresponding apparatus for determining the faulty component location in the optical network is also provided.

Fault management in an optical network is challenging procedure because of the complexity of the optical layer. Most prior art methods of fault management in optical networks are usually limited to detecting faulty communication links and nodes, which, in turn, leads to either replacing the faulty communication link or taking the faulty node out of service, and accordingly impacting network services.
Existing prior art methods of fault detection in optical networks lack the ability to determine whether the detected faults are indicative of one specific problem or a symptom of another problem, and hence, multiple faults may need to be detected and correlated in order to identify a particular problem, which causes these faults.
Consequently, there is a need in the industry to provide an improved methods and apparatus for detecting and correlating faults in optical networks.

Methods and apparatus for detecting a faulty component location along an optical path in an optical network


A connector bracket for a trailer vehicle of a tractor trailer, having a support frame which can swivel on a bearing about a coupling means and a connector arranged stationary on the support frame. A connector bracket on the trailer was needed that lessens the risk of damage to the connector from components of the tractor. A connector bracket is provided in which the connector is at least partly covered by the coupling in the lengthwise axis of the vehicle and a guide ramp is formed in front of the connector and tilting toward the connector at least during the coupling process.

Such connector brackets are used on semitrailer trucks, after a mechanical coupling of the semitrailer, to also connect the supply lines of the tractor vehicle to the semitrailer in largely automated fashion, so that the driver no longer has to climb between the tractor and the semitrailer and plug in the connection lines there, especially for the compressed air and electricity supply, by hand.
One prior art of this kind is disclosed by DE 2004 024 333 A1 with a plug-in coupling system, in which a plug-in device on the semitrailer with a connector arranged stationary therein is introduced into a socket arranged underneath the insertion opening. For this, the plug-in device on the semitrailer is brought to a level beneath the king pin and, when the tractor and semitrailer are mechanically coupled, and it is inserted into a socket arranged on the same level beneath the insertion opening.
In order to prevent premature wear and fouling, it is proposed in DE 10 2006 033 899 A1 to arrange the connector on the semitrailer on a closure plate which can travel vertically relative to the support frame, which moves the connector downward from the protecting support frame immediately prior to the insertion process, thereby making possible a coupling with the socket on the tractor.
In both known systems, the connector lies essentially or just prior to the connecting of the supply lines on a level beneath the king pin or beneath the insertion opening of the fifth wheel, in order to ensure that the king pin can move in and out of the fifth wheel. It has been found to be a drawback with this that when the fifth wheel has an especially low design height or the tractor has a very high rear axle the low lying connector can collide with components of the tractor.
Consequently, the problem on which the invention is based was to provide a connector bracket on the trailer that lessens the risk of damage to the connector from components of the tractor.

Connector bracket for a trailer vehicle of a tractor trailer


A tubular part of an upper case has an opened upper end and pivotably supports a segment operating body. The tubular part has a pair of first walls opposite to each other and a pair of second walls that are connected to the first walls and are opposite to each other. Upper ends in substantially the middles of the first walls are positioned higher than upper ends of the second walls and are provided with holes pivotably supporting the segment operating body. The main body of the operating body has protruding parts that extend toward the second walls. The protruding parts each has a substantially circular arc shape with the rotation center as the center.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switch device, and more particularly, to a switch device for driving a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of switch devices have been manufactured for various purposes, and switch devices for driving a motor of an antenna ascending and descending device or a power window for a vehicle are generally configured as disclosed in JP-UM-B-6-2180. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the construction of a switch device according to the related art.
The switch device shown in FIG. 5 mainly includes a lower case provided with terminals 102a and 102b electrically connected to an external device, a movable segment 104 swingably contained in the lower case 101, a segment operating body 105 for operating the movable segment 104, an upper case 103 that is detachably assembled with the lower case 101 and has an opening into which the segment operating body 105 is inserted, and an operation knob 106 that is integrated with the segment operating body 105 and covers the opening of the upper case 103. In the switch device, when the operation knob 106 moves in an arrow direction, the segment operating body 105 moves in the arrow direction. At this time, a leading end 105a of the segment operating body 105 slides on the movable segment 104 according to the movement, thereby a contact 104a is electrically connected to the terminal 102a, or another contact 104b is electrically connected to the terminal 102b (see JP-UM-B-6-2180)
In the switch device according to the related art shown in FIG. 5, a standing wall 103a is formed along the edge of the opening of the upper case 103 and a skirt part 106a is provided on a part of the operation knob 106 brought into contact with the upper case 103 so as to cover the standing wall 103a. The skirt part 106a prevents extraneous materials such as dust from being introduced through a gap 107 between the standing wall 103a of the upper case 103 and the segment operating body 105. However, in the switch device shown in FIG. 5, the skirt part 106a is required to extend to the outside of the standing wall 103a even though the segment operating body 105 is in a neutral state (the segment operating body 105 is not tilted) in order to cover the standing wall 103a even when the segment operating body 105 is tilted with a rotation center Y. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of the switch device because of the extending portion.

Switch device capable of being small-sized and preventing introduction of extraneous material thereinto


A generic data scrambler is provided for a built-in self-test (BIST) engine of a stacked memory device. The stacked memory device includes a memory stack of one or more memory layers; and a system element that is coupled with the memory stack. The system element includes a memory controller for the memory stack; a BIST circuit for testing of the memory stack; and a generic data scrambler for scrambling of data according to a data scrambling algorithm for the memory stack. The generic data scrambler includes a programmable lookup table to hold data factors for each possible outcome of the data scrambling algorithm, and the programmable lookup table is to generate a set of data factors based on addresses of data for testing of the memory stack.

To provide more dense memory for computing operations, concepts involving memory devices (which may be referred to as 3D stacked memory, or stacked memory) having a plurality of closely coupled memory elements have been developed.
A 3D stacked memory may include coupled layers or packages of DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) memory elements, which may be referred to as a memory stack. Stacked memory may be utilized to provide a great amount of computer memory in a single device or package, where the device or package may also include certain system components, such as a memory controller and CPU (central processing unit).
As memory devices increase in size and complexity, there is an increase need for effective and efficient testing of such devices, where testing may include data scrambling to provide for full testing. An external device such as an ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) tester may include a data scrambler.
However, the memory dies within a stacked memory device may vary in design, and in particular such memory may vary in the data scrambling utilized in the memory.

Generic data scrambler for memory circuit test engine


An adjustable paper cassette is provided that may be expanded and contracted by sliding movable frames relative to a base frame and then coupling fixing protrusions to desired fixing holes. Therefore, paper sheets having various sizes may be loaded in the paper cassette, and the size of an image forming apparatus with the paper cassette and the packing size of the image forming apparatus may be reduced without limitation on the size of the paper cassette.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper cassette. More particularly, the present invention relates to a paper cassette that is detachably coupled to an image forming apparatus and is adapted to receive a large number of paper sheets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of image forming apparatuses include a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, and a multi-function device. An image forming apparatus includes a main body for printing an image and a paper feeder for supplying paper to the main body. Herein, the term "paper" is used to denote all kinds of printing media, such as paper, photographic paper, OHP film, and so forth.
The paper feeder may include a paper cassette detachably coupled to the image forming apparatus in the form of a drawer, a knock-up plate formed in the paper cassette for receiving paper, a knock-up spring urging the knock-up plate toward a pick-up roller for elastically pressing a leading end of the paper against an outer surface of the pick-up roller, a hinge allowing the rotation of the knock-up plate, and a hinge hole receiving the hinge. One end of the knock-up plate is rotatably fixed by the hinge and the hinge hole, and the other end is elastically biased by the knock-up spring. The slope of the knock-up plate is changed by the hinge inserted into the hinge hole according to the number of paper sheets loaded on the knock-up plate. In the image forming apparatus, the pick-up roller is located above the knock-up plate. The pick-up roller makes contact with a leading end of paper loaded on the knock-up plate to supply the paper to the main body of the image forming apparatus one sheet by one sheet. The pick-up roller is coupled to a pick-up roller shaft and is rotated by a pick-up roller driving unit.
The paper feeder can receive sheets of paper having various sizes, such as A6 (105×148 mm), A5 (148×210 mm), B5 (182×257 mm), A4 (210×297 mm), letter (216×297 mm), and legal (216×356 mm). To receive paper of various sizes, the paper cassette of the paper feeder must be larger than the largest paper sheet to be loaded in the paper cassette.
However, the size of the paper cassette should be reduced to provide a smaller image forming apparatus. For example, although the width of an image forming apparatus should be larger than that of A4 paper to print an image on the A4 paper, the length of the image forming apparatus can be smaller than that of the A4 paper. In this case, a paper cassette may protrude from the image forming apparatus when the paper cassette is installed since the paper cassette should be wider and longer than the A4 paper to store the A4 paper. This decreases the cosmetic appearance of the image forming apparatus and increases the package size and installation space of the image forming apparatus.
Accordingly, a need exists for an image forming apparatus having an improved paper cassette.


An AC/DC converter system comprises an input circuit for connection to a three-phase AC source. An isolation transformer comprises a symmetrical core with a set of primary windings and first and second sets of secondary windings wound on the symmetrical core providing balanced flux in all three phases and magnetically coupling to the set of primary windings. The first and second sets of secondary windings are phase shifted by select amounts from the set of primary windings. The set of primary windings is connected to the input circuit. An AC/DC converter comprises first, second and third three-phase rectifiers, the first three-phase rectifier is powered by the first set of secondary windings, the second three-phase rectifier is powered by the second set of secondary windings, and the third three-phase rectifier is powered by the input circuit. An output circuit is connected between the AC/DC converter and a DC load.

Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) systems with diode rectifier front ends draw discontinuous current from the power system to which they are connected. This results in current harmonic distortion, which eventually translates into voltage distortion. Typically, the power system is robust and can handle significant amount of current distortion without showing signs of voltage distortion. However, in cases where the majority of the load on a distribution feeder is made up of VFDs with rectifier front ends, the current distortion becomes an important issue. When such non linear load is not distributed equally among the phases of a three-phase AC system, there is imbalance in the harmonic current flowing in each phase. Imbalanced current-flow in the AC system results in imbalanced voltage drop across the various power delivery equipment. The result is an imbalanced voltage across the phases. In a wye connected system with its neutral grounded to the power system ground, this imbalanced voltage causes zero sequence currents to flow into the earth ground. Current flow is always associated with power loss due to resistive component in the neutral connection. Consequently, unbalanced current in the phases of a three-phase AC system creates neutral current, which in turn causes losses in the neutral conductors that often run hot. In addition, the ground current can corrode or hasten corrosion of the large number of underground conduits used in industrial plants to carry many different things important to various industrial processes.
Traditional three-phase power transformers are constructed using strip Si based steel, often called transformer steel. Depending on the application, some are grain oriented Si steel and others are non grain oriented Si steel. In all cases, the basic construction constitutes forming two E shaped thin laminations that are placed on top of each other. The resulting structure yields two windows where three distinct coils capable of carrying current are placed. With this structure, the flux path of the flux produced by the current flowing in the middle coil is different from the flux path of the flux produced by the end coils. This inherent imbalance in the flux paths adds to the already existing voltage imbalance in the AC system due to the reasons discussed earlier. In other words, use of such transformers in the presence of a highly non linear load environment can create more current distortion and lead to more loss in the AC power system. One solution to this problem is to employ three single-phase power transformers. However, the overall cost and the overall size for housing the three single-phase power transformers is always much higher than a traditional single three-phase transformers. Hence, the use of three single-phase AC transformers to achieve a balanced three-phase AC source is rare.
Use of stripped laminations for constructing transformers is also associated with higher power loss since the flux travelling on one lamination needs to jump to the other lamination to continue its closed loop path. Since the flux has to cross a thin air barrier, this results in power loss across this type of distributed and unintentional air gaps found throughout the structure.
Grid-connected transformers run hotter under harmonic loading. Harmonics can have a detrimental effect on emergency generators, telephones and other electrical equipment. When reactive power compensation (in the form of passive power factor improving capacitors) is used with non-linear loads, resonance conditions can occur that may result in even higher levels of harmonic voltage and current distortion thereby causing equipment failure and disruption of power service.
There are many ways of reducing the total current harmonic distortion (THD) caused by VFDs. Multi-pulse techniques are popular because they do not interfere with the existing power system from resonance point of view and they are robust and perform well.
Harmonic distortion concerns are serious when the power ratings of the VFD load increases. Large power VFDs are gaining in popularity due to their low cost and impressive reliability. Use of large power VFDs increases the amplitude of low order harmonics that can significantly impact the power system. In many large power installations, current harmonic distortion levels achievable using twelve-pulse techniques are insufficient to meet the levels recommended in IEEE Standard 519-1992. As a result eighteen-pulse VFD systems are proposed to achieve superior harmonic performance compared to the traditional twelve-pulse systems.
A typical three-phase full bridge rectifier is said to be a six-pulse rectifier because there are six distinct diode pair conduction intervals in one complete electrical cycle. In such a six-pulse rectifier with no DC bus capacitor, the characteristic harmonics are non-triplen odd harmonics (e.g., 5th, 7th, 11th, etc.). In general, the characteristic harmonics generated by a semiconductor rectifier is given by:h=kq±1  (1)
where h is the order of harmonics; k is any integer, and q is the pulse number of the rectifier (6 for a six-pulse rectifier). The per unit value of the characteristic harmonics present in the theoretical current waveform at the input of the semiconductor converter is given by 1/h. In practice, the observed per unit value of the harmonics is much greater than 1/h. From these observations, it is clear that increasing the pulse number from six to either twelve or eighteen will significantly reduce the amplitude of low order harmonics and hence the total current harmonic distortion.
The eighteen-pulse systems have become economically feasible due to the recent advances in autotransformer techniques that help reduce the overall size and cost and achieve low total current harmonic distortion. When employing autotransformers, care should be taken to force the different rectifier units to properly share the current. The eighteen-pulse configuration lends itself better in achieving this goal compared to the twelve-pulse scheme.
For eighteen-pulse operation, there is a need for three sets of three-phase AC supply that are phase shifted with respect to each other by twenty electrical degrees. Typically, this is achieved using a four winding isolation transformer that has one set of primary windings and three sets of secondary windings. One set of secondary winding is in phase with the primary winding, while the other two sets are phase shifted by +20 electrical degrees and −20 electrical degrees, respectively, with the primary. This arrangement yields three phase-shifted supplies that allow eighteen-pulse operation. The use of a DC link choke is optional. The leakage inductance of the transformer may be sufficient to smooth the input current and improve the overall current harmonic distortion levels. One disadvantage of this scheme is that the phase-shifting isolation transformer is bulky and expensive.
Instead of using ±20 degree phase-shifted outputs from an isolation transformer for eighteen-pulse operation, a nine-phase supply can be used, where each phase lags the other by 40 electrical degrees. U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,759 shows a nine-phase AC supply using a wye-fork with a tertiary delta winding to circulate triplen harmonics.
Though the size of the autotransformer is much smaller than an equivalent isolation transformer, most autotransformer schemes require the use of additional series impedance to smooth the input AC current. The rating of the transformer is about 60% of the rating of the load. The rectified output voltage from a balanced nine-phase output is about 1.14 times higher (14% higher) than that obtained from a three-phase six-pulse AC to DC rectifier as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,904. This requires modifying the basic three-phase to nine-phase converter using more windings and alternate paths to provide the needed step down action necessary to use the resulting topology on an existing three-phase AC to DC rectifier system.
Many topological modifications including the ones in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,124,904, 5,455,759, 5,619,407, 6,525,951 B1, etc have been employed to overcome the higher rectified voltage issue. However, the extra stub and teaser windings add cost and complexity to the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,904 shows a nine-phase AC supply using a delta-fork that does not require any additional delta winding. In this configuration, the average DC output voltage is about 14% higher than that obtained using a standard six-pulse rectifier scheme. This can potentially stress the DC bus capacitors and the IGBTs in the inverter section of a VFD. In order to overcome this, additional teaser windings are used. These windings not only add cost and increase the overall rating of the transformer, but also cause imbalance that results in higher than normal circulating currents in the delta windings, which need to be accommodated. The harmonic performance is good but the overall size is large with rated current flow through the teaser windings.
In order to overcome the 14% higher average DC bus voltage observed in the previous configuration, a modification of the configuration was proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,407. The harmonic performance is similar and the average DC bus voltage is equal to that observed in six-pulse rectifiers. Similar to the previous configuration, the stub winding currents are high and the teaser winding needs to carry rated load current making the overall transformer big in size and expensive to wind.
In autotransformer configurations using stub and/or teaser windings, discussed above, the overall size and rating of the autotransformer is higher than the optimal value. Use of stub windings typically results in poor utilization of the core and involves more labor to wind the coils. A polygon type of autotransformer is better than stub type autotransformer from size and core utilization points of view. A polygon type autotransformer is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,634. This configuration requires the use of inter-phase transformers and input AC inductors to achieve low total current harmonic distortion. The reason is that the outputs are not equally spaced to achieve a nine-phase AC supply as in the previous configurations. The polygon autotransformer provides +/−20° phase shifted outputs to achieve eighteen-pulse operation.
A popular eighteen-pulse autotransformer configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,951. This configuration is a modified version of the configuration shown in the '759 patent. A delta-connected tertiary winding is included in the wye fork. This construction is called a windmill construction. Initially, the windmill structure was present in each phase and the size of the transformer was still large. The kVA rating was about 60%. By removing the windmill structure from two of the three phases, it was shown that the performance remained equally good. By adopting the modified structure of the '759 patent, the kVA rating of the autotransformer was reduced from 60% to 55%.
In the eighteen-pulse autotransformer systems, the change of current from one conducting diode pair to the other is quite sudden and occurs every forty electrical degrees. The situation is amplified since most autotransformers do not have enough leakage inductance to slow the transition resulting in high di/dt across the rectifier diodes. Though the RMS current rating may not exceed the current rating of the diode, attention should be given to the di/dt of the current through the diodes. It is believed that standard rectifier grade diodes are vulnerable to premature failure.
Some important drawbacks of the topologies discussed in the prior art are that autotransformer based topologies require significant input impedance to smooth the current and reduce the overall input current distortion. Autotransformer techniques utilize complex winding structures, either of the stub-type or the polygon type. These transformers are labor intensive to manufacture and result in poor core utilization. Because of complicated winding structure and the fact that partial turns are not practically feasible to build, the error resulting in rounding off can be significant that influences the final performance. This is one reason why input impedance of significant value is needed to account for such aberrations. Also, the change of current from one conducting diode pair to the other is quite sudden in all autotransformer configurations. This causes higher than normal di/dt stress in rectifier diodes and should be considered while designing systems required to have high reliability. All transformers used are constructed using traditional strip steel based box type construction to house three phase windings. As described earlier, such structures cause more imbalance and require additional inductors to suppress the undesirable effects of such imbalance. The additional passive components occupy space and increase the overall cost of the harmonic mitigation technique.
The present invention is directed to solving one or more of the problems discussed above in a novel and simple manner.

Balanced flux isolation transformer based eighteen pulse rectification scheme for use with variable frequency drives


An apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products, in particular vegetables, comprises conveyor means for conveying the products to be dried and circulating means for feeding dry air on the product to be dried and for collecting wet air coming from the products, and being characterized in that the apparatus further comprises means for dehumidifying the wet air, said means comprising an adsorption dehumidifier device.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products, and vegetables in general.
As is known, in conventional food product drying apparatus, the air coming from the products to be dried is conveyed through a tunnel, after heating and cooling thereof.
In order to prevent the food products from being damaged, and to further prevent the organoleptic characteristics of said products from being negatively affected, it is necessary to dry the products by air having a comparatively low temperature.
However, conventional food product drying apparatus have not been found satisfactory in properly drying the food products because they usually operate at a comparatively high temperature, thereby damaging the food products.
On the other hand, if the temperature of a conventional drying system is held at a comparatively low value, then the vegetables cannot be quickly dried because of the high moisture of the drying air, which is recycled several times and which, for each cycle, increases in its moisture contents.
Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products and vegetables, which overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of prior drying apparatus.
Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products which is adapted to perfectly dry the products, by using a low temperature drying air.
Another object of the present invention is to, provide such a drying apparatus which is very reliable in operation and can be easily managed and controlled.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products and vegetables, comprising conveyor means for conveying the food products to be dried, drying air circulating means for conveying dry air on the food products to be dried, and being characterized in that said apparatus further comprises dehumidifying means for dehumidifying moist air, said dehumidifying means comprising an adsorption dehumidifying device.

Apparatus for continuously drying unpackaged food products, in particular vegetables


A torque releasing clutch for a screw driver blade is installed in a connect rod, including a spring, ball holes for fitting steel balls, and a washer respectively in the holes to restrict the spring and the steel balls within the groove of the clutch so that the clutch moves forward and backward regularly. When a screw is driven in an object for a preset depth, the clutch may push forward the screw driver blade so that the torque-releasing steel balls may release the screw driver blade in time. Then, even if the screw driver should still have some torque, it might only rotate the connect rod idly, keeping the driver blade immovable. Thus the remaining torque might not damage the blade slot of the screw, in addition to avoiding the remaining torque returning to a user of the screw driver and harming the user.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a torque releasing clutch for a screw driver blade, particularly to one installed in a connect rod to be combined with a screw driver, permitting torque releasing steel balls to timely release the screw driver blade so that the connect rod may rotate idle not to turn the screw driver blade even if the screw driver still have some torque remained. In this way, the remaining torque of a screw driver may not harm and shock the blade slot of a screw, in addition to avoiding feeding back of the remaining torque to a user of the screw driver to cause harm to the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known screw driver blade holder disclosed in a U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,284,923 and 4,753,142 includes a connect rod 1, and a combining rod 10 for connecting with an electric tool or a manual tool, and an E-shaped groove 11 for an E-shaped locking washer 110 to fit therein, and a fitting edge 12 for reversing rotation, an inner ring 15 and an outer ring 16 for the screw driver blade to be kept in an extended condition as shown in FIG. 3, for screwing off a screw deeply driven in an object. Further, the screw driver blade holder is provided with plural torque releasing ball holes 13 for releasing steel balls 130 fitted therein, and a combining groove 14 and an elastic locking ring groove 140 formed in an inner wall of the combining groove 14 for fitting an elastic locking ring 141 therein to fit in an annular recess 170 of the screw driver blade 17. The outer sleeve 15 has a central through hole 150 for the connect rod 1 to fit in, and a spring 151 fitted around the connect rod 1. Further an inner sleeve 16 is provided, to fit in the outer sleeve 15, with its inner end pushing one end of the spring 151 and having an annular recess 160 for the releasing steel balls 130 to fit in so as to timely releasing the driving torque of the screw driver blade.
When a screw is driven in an object with the screw driver blade in the condition shown in FIG. 1, the driver blade cannot be adjusted in its extended length to suit to the depth of the screws to be driven in an object. So the conventional screw driver blade cannot suit to various depths of screws to be driven in objects, and a screw such as a square screw has to leave a comparative long head on an object, hardly able to be driven with a good effect. Moreover, the driver blade 17 is fixed in the connect hole 14 of the connect rod 1 by means of the elastic locking ring 141, but the driver blade 17 is difficult to be taken off, needing a spanner to cause inconvenience.
Next, FIGS. 44 and 5 show a second conventional screw driver blade holder disclosed in a Taiwan patent No, M247354, which is provided with a spring 80 in a connect rod 8 for pushing a screw driver blade 81 forward, but the blade hole 82 for the driver blade is shaped hexagonal the same as the driver blade, having driving force, but no function of clutching action for releasing torque of the tool.
The first and the second conventional clutch for a screw driver blade have the common flaw that the screw driver blade is separated from the blade slot of a screw before the driver blade is not completely stopped turning after the screw is driven to a preset depth, with the hand of a user released from the switch of the tool. Then the driver blade has some remaining torque coming from the motor of the tool, continuing to turn to damage the blade slot of the screw and possibly hurting a user as well. Especially it happens often that a worker is working on a roof fixing metal plates, and for attempting to finish the work quickly, the worker may at once pull off an electric tool when a screw has been driven to a needed depth, preparing to move the body to a next location where another screw is to be fixed. At that time the worker may not stand in a most balanced condition as to fall down from the roof by the remaining torque of the electric tool.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Torque releasing clutch for a screw driver blade


The present invention provide a TRIP-type composite structure steel plate of the TPF steel type in which elongation and stretch flange formability at room temperature are improved by controlling the morphology of the second-phase structure. In a composite structure sheet steel comprising 0.02 to 0.12% C, 0.5 to 2.0% Si+Al and 1.0 to 2.0% Mn, with the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and comprising 80% or more polygonal ferrite (steel structure space factor) and 1 to 7% retained austenite, with the remainder being bainite and/or martensite, wherein the elongation and stretch flange formability of the composite sheet steel are improved by reducing the number of bulky, massive second phases with an aspect ratio of 1:3 or less and a mean grain size of 0.5 μm or more in the second phase of this composite structure, which comprises retained austenite and martensite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 590 MPa grade high-strength TRIP (strain-induced transformation) cold-rolled sheet steel with excellent elongation, stretch flange formability and formability. In the present invention, the cold-rolled sheet steel encompasses not only cold-rolled sheet steels without surface treatment but also cold-rolled sheet steels which have been surface treated by electroplating, hot dipping, chemical surface treatment or surface coating or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The aforementioned sheet steel can be used effectively in a wide range of industrial fields such as automobiles, electricity, machines and the like, but the following explanation focuses on automobile bodies as a typical application.
The requirements for high-strength sheet steel have increased greatly due to efforts to reduce fuel costs by reducing the weight of automobile sheet steel while giving primary consideration to ensuring safety in case of collision. Recently, these requirements have been further increased in an effort to protect the environment by reducing emissions.
However, formability requirements are strong even for high-strength steel, which must have formability suited to a variety of applications. In particularly, in automobile panel and frame applications in which the steel is press formed into complex shapes, there is demand for high-strength sheet steel which has both stretch formability (ductility, i.e., elongation) and stretch flange formability [hole expandability (local ductility)].
One kind of high-strength, high-ductility sheet steel which has been developed with the aim of providing the required properties of excellent strength and ductility while reducing automobile weight and improving collision safety is TRIP (transformation-induced plasticity) steel. This TRIP steel has a mixed structure of ferrite, bainite and retained austenite with retained austenite (γR) being produced in the structure. When this steel is processed to deform at a temperature at or above the martensitic transformation start point (Ms point), it undergoes considerable elongation due to induced transformation of the retained austenite (γR) into martensite by the action of stress.
Known examples include TRIP-type composite-structure steel (TPF steel), which comprises polygonal ferrite as the matrix phase and retained austenite, TRIP-type tempered martensite steel (TAM steel), which comprises tempered martensite as the matrix phase and retained austenite, and TRIP-type bainite steel (TBF steel), which comprises bainitic ferrite as the matrix phase and retained austenite.
Of these, efforts have been made in the past to develop TPF steels which are high-strength sheet steels with good workability. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H02-097620 (Claims) describes that a high-strength sheet steel with good workability can be obtained by first heating to the bainitic transition temperature range and then maintaining that temperature for a specific time ("austempering"), concentrating and stabilizing the high-diffusion-constant C in the undeformed austenite so that the austenite can be retained without being transformed into martensite at room temperature.
Due to the present focus on achieving both ductility and workability as mentioned above, however, elongation and stretch flange formability need to be further improved. In particular, stretch flange formability is a property which is required for sheet steel used in automobile chassis parts and the like and for sheet steel for auto bodies which is heavily worked. Consequently, the stretch flange formability of TRIP sheet steel needs to be improved in order to promote its use in auto chassis parts and the like, for which the weight-reducing effects of TRIP sheet steel are particularly anticipated.
Therefore, a variety of research has already been done into TPF steel with the aim of providing sheet steel which has excellent formability including stretch flange formability (hole expandability) while maintaining a balance between ductility and strength from γR. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H09-104947 (Claims) discloses a sheet steel which, while hot-rolled, has a microstructure composed of the three phases of ferrite, bainite and γR, wherein the ratio of the occupying rate of ferrite to grain size of ferrite and the occupying rate of γR are controlled within a specific range. This is based on the finding that while increasing γR improves the strength-ductility balance and increases total elongation, this effect can be enhanced by decreasing the grain size of the γR, and in particular formability including stretch flange formability is increased when the γR is finer. The problem, however, is that the actual improving effect on stretch flange formability is small.
It has been said that a second phase consisting of γR and martensite has an effect on extension flange formability in TRIP composite structure sheet steels. From this perspective, since the amount of stress-induced transformation of γR can be controlled by means of the working temperature in particular, a method has been proposed of improving stretch flange formability by warm working TRIP steel at between 50 and 250° C. to form the γR of the second phase into fine needles.
For example, in Nagasaka, Akihiko, Koichi Sugimoto and Mitsuyuki Kobayashi, "Improving the extension flange formability of high-strength sheet steel with the transformation-induced plasticity of retained austenite," Materials and Processes (Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, Collected Papers), CAMP-ISIJ 35 (1995), Vol. 8, pp. 556-559, the results of a study of the effects of the morphology of the second phase on warm stretch flange formability using TRIP composite structure steel (TDP steel consisting of ferrite (polygonal ferrite), bainite and γR) are reported. According to this reference, λ was higher in Type III, in which the second phase was fine and uniform, than in Type I, in which the second phase was connected (massive), but such an improvement in λ from warm working was found only when the stamping temperature Tp was raised to 150° C., and not when stamping was done at room temperature (FIG. 5).
The experimental results reported in this reference do not show an improvement effect on λ for stamping at room temperature even when the γR of the aforementioned TDP sheet steel was fine and uniform, and the improvement effect on λ was only obtained by raising the stamping temperature. Moreover, in the aforementioned reference it was also reported that the total elongation and uniform elongation of steel having γR in such a fine state were smaller than those of steel in which the second phase was connected (local elongation was greater).
Moreover, in Sugimoto, Koichi, Tsuyoshi Kondo, Mitsuyuki Kobayashi and Shunichi Hashimoto, "Warm stretch formability of TRIP composite structure steel (effects of second phase morphology-2)", Materials and Processes (Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, Collected Papers), CAMP-ISIJ 518 (1994), Vol. 7, p. 754, reporting the results of a study of the relationship between the second phase morphology (γR) of the aforementioned TDP steel and its elongation characteristics (uniform elongation and total elongation), it is disclosed in apparent contradiction to the preceding reference that when γR is controlled as fine needles (Type III), the elongation properties at room temperature are better than those of the connected type (Type I), but when this fine needle-type γR steel is warm worked the elongation properties decline (FIG. 2).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-091924 discloses that the carbon concentration in the retained austenite as the second phase (C γR) was set at or above a fixed value in a TRIP composite structure sheet steel while the proportion of lath-shaped retained austenite was increased in order to improve stretch flange formability.
Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-043908 (Claims) discloses a TPF steel comprising a matrix phase structure of ferrite and a second-phase structure of martensite and retained austenite, wherein the area rate of the second phase structure is stipulated, the minimum volume rate (Vt γR) of the retained austenite is stipulated, and the ratio of the volume rte of retained austenite in the ferrite grains (SF γR) to the aforementioned Vt γR (SF γR/Vt γR) is also stipulated.

Composite structure sheet steel with excellent elongation and stretch flange formability


An apparatus for assisting in the driving of a vehicle determines, for a first vehicle, a first traveling track based on road infrastructure and a second traveling track based on the traveling track of a second vehicle that precedes the first vehicle. The apparatus stores information about the first traveling track and the second traveling track such that the deviation corresponds to the respective traveling positions of the vehicles. If a base for formation of a target track that the first vehicle is caused follow is switched between the first traveling track and the second traveling track when the apparatus forms this target track, the apparatus forms the target track based on the deviation information to decrease deviation between the first traveling track and the second traveling track.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for assisting in the driving of a vehicle.
Conventionally, an apparatus that uses lane keeping assist (LKA) to assist in driving is known. This device recognizes lane division lines, such as a white line, placed on a road surface and determines a lane used as a target track for the host vehicle, and assists in driving such that the host vehicle is caused to travel along the lane.
A lane division line on a road surface may not be recognizable, for example, due to discontinuity or fading of the lane division line on the road surface, the color of the road surface, reflection from the road surface. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-206275 describes an example of a system (driving assistance apparatus) that is able to identify a target track for the host vehicle by recognition of lane division lines and is able to identify one by the traveling track of a preceding vehicle as well.
This system includes, as first travel control means, travel control means for causing the host vehicle to travel along a lane (track) determined based on lane division lines recognized by a lane division line (lane mark) recognizing section. This system also includes, as second travel control means, travel control means for controlling the traveling of the host vehicle such that the host vehicle follows a preceding vehicle recognized by a preceding-vehicle recognizing section. This system exerts automatic driving control for the host vehicle by switching between the first travel control means and the second travel control means. Therefore, for example, when a lane division line can no longer be recognized, this system (driving assistance apparatus) switches the target for the host vehicle to follow from the lane division line to a preceding vehicle, thus continuing keeping assistance.


An expansion joint for doors of cabinets or for entry doors having a central panel or the like encompassed by a surrounding frame employs small plastic or rubber balls of limited compressibility or hardness dimensioned to tightly fit into tongue and groove joints between panel and frame to accommodate expansion of frame and panel to protect corner glue joints from cracking or contracting.

Conventional solid panel doors for cabinets or room entry are formed of a central panel surrounded by wooden rails and stiles in the manner of a frame. The frame is glued together at the corners and conventionally engages the central panel by a mortise and tenon joint such as a tongue and groove arrangement. The door is held together by glueing the outside rails and stiles together at the corners to form the frame surrounding the central panel.
Doors formed as briefly noted above may be damaged by changes in humidity or temperature which cause expansion or contraction of the wood or wood products employed in frame and panel. Such expansion or contraction of the panels applies forces to the corner glue joints of the door which often causes cracking of the joints.
There are, of course, various ingeneous door structures of wood, metal, plastic and the like which may accommodate changes in temperature or humidity but which require the incorporation of complicated joinder devices commonly including gaskets and specially manufactured mating elements. In this respect there is noted prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,987,599; 4,741,136, for example.
In sofaras cabinet shops or the like are concerned there does not appear to have been a simple solution to the problem of corner cracking of solid panel doors. The present invention provides such a simple solution which may be readily incorporated in the manufacture of this type of door at minimum expense.


A system and method for distributing a collection of physical (tangible) resources, e.g., books, newspapers, periodicals, trade publications, compact discs, equipment, video tapes microfilm. In one embodiment, a method comprises the step of accessing a web server maintaining a database of profiles associated with the collection of resources by a user via a web browser. The user may then issue a search request via the web browser to search for one or more resources within the collection of resources. Upon identifying one or more resources from the search, the user may contact one or more owners of the one or more resources identified. The user may contact the one or more owners based on the contact information provided in the profiles in the one or more resources identified. Upon contacting the one or more owners, the user may borrow the one or more resources previously identified.

As a result of the proliferation of computer systems including LANs (local area networks) and the Internet, individuals as well as organizations transfer, store and utilize many on-line electronic documents. The past several years have seen a dramatic growth towards the use of the Internet/Intranet as a medium for publishing electronic documents.
Computer users may now be able to search for particular types of materials, e.g., books, periodicals, trade publications, newspapers, over the Internet/Intranet such as in a "virtual library." A virtual library may allow users access to certain types of materials over the Internet/Intranet which an ordinary library makes available to the public. Typically, the computer user may be able to download a copy of the material, e.g., newspaper article, over the Internet/Intranet in the form of downloadable data.
Unfortunately, computer users may not be able to access all types of materials in a virtual library environment. For example, computer users may not be able to borrow materials, especially those in a physical form, e.g., compact discs, equipment, video tapes, microfilm.
It would therefore be desirable to develop a web based resource distribution system, e.g., virtual library system, that allows users to borrow materials in physical form. It would further be desirable to develop a web based resource distribution system, e.g., virtual library system, that maintains a listing of resources that are available for distribution across a company's facility at a single location or campus.

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus (1) for continuous tempering of cacao-butter-containing or other fat-containing, chocolate-like mass flowing therethrough. In the apparatus (1) a predetermined, controlled cooling- or heating-stage of the mass is provided. The apparatus (1) comprises a cooling zone (2) with a plurality of cooling surfaces (3), and a subsequent heating zone (4) with a plurality of heating surfaces (5) for the mass during its passage through at least two sections (C.sub.1 -C.sub.n ; H.sub.1 -H.sub.n). The sections comprises mass treatment chambers (6) in succession with associated cooling- or heating medium chambers (7,8). According the invention there is in relation to said sections (C.sub.1 -C.sub.n ; H.sub.1 -H.sub.n) of mass treatment chambers (6) arranged at least one heat transmission barrier (9). During operation of the apparatus (1) the heat transmission barrier (9) reduces the heat transmission between the sections (C.sub.1 -C.sub.n ; H.sub.1 -H.sub.n) in between which it is arranged to an essentially eliminating and almost imperceptible level. A substantially better controlled tempering process is therefore provided inside a specific section (C.sub.1 -C.sub.n ; H.sub.1 -H.sub.n).

The present invention concerns an apparatus for continuous tempering of cacao-butter-containing or other fat-containing, chocolate-like mass flowing therethrough, wherein a predetermined, controlled cooling or heating stage of the mass is provided in a cooling zone with a plurality of cooling surfaces, and a subsequent heating zone with a plurality of heating surfaces for the mass during its passage through at least two sections of mass treatment chambers in succession with associated cooling or heating medium chambers.
The medium chambers remove heat energy from or add heat energy to the cooling surfaces or the heating surfaces, respectively, by means of a medium, which is controlled to a predetermined temperature and/or a predetermined flow through the medium chambers.
During the flow of mass and its passage through the sections, exchange of heat energy via the cooling surfaces and the heating surfaces, respectively, is conducted, and heat transmission between the medium in a medium chamber and the mass in an adjacent mass treatment chamber is thereby performed.
By the known types of tempering apparatuses, the heat is free to transmit between the particular adjacent sections of mass treatment chambers and the associated cooling or heat medium chambers, with the result that there is a substantial, uncontrolled transmission of heat transmission. It has been difficult to control a tempering process inside a specific section, without considering the influence of the heat transmission between the section in question and the adjacent sections.
Particularly this could be because the heat energy freely flows between a section performing a cooling stage of the mass and an adjacent section performing a heating stage of the mass. This is due to the fact, that the section with the heating stage of the mass has a surplus of heat energy, in comparison to the section with the cooling stage.
A predetermined tempering process in each of the two sections is therefore impossible to control exactly.
Particularly for the crystal formation section of tempering apparatuses it is important to determine and exactly control a predetermined tempering process of the mass, so a high quality of the finally tempered mass is achieved. By the known types of tempering apparatuses it has proven difficult to control the tempering process in the crystal formation section exactly, as the heat flows freely from the medium or the mass chamber of the adjacent sections to the crystal formation section and thereby influences the tempering process in said section.

Apparatus for the continuous tempering of cacao butter containing mass


Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to facilitate a single pin load sensor coupled to a hitch receiver, the sensor to measure one or more loads on the hitch receiver. An example apparatus includes a load sensing pin coupled to a hitch receiver of a vehicle, the load sensing pin disposed in a cavity of a crossbar that is to couple the hitch receiver to the vehicle, wherein the load sensing pin is to measure a load transferred from the hitch receiver to the crossbar.

In recent years, consumer vehicles capable of pulling trailers have implemented additional data processing capabilities. With these capabilities, vehicles can process parameters of a vehicle and/or trailer not previously processed, providing additional insights to a user of the vehicle. For example, an additional parameter of the vehicle that can be processed is the loading experienced at the trailer hitch indicative of various characteristics of the trailer (e.g., weight, load orientation, braking force, etc.).
The figures are not to scale. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.

Methods and apparatus for a single pin load sensor coupled to a hitch receiver


A gun support has an elongated vertical support member attached to a tripod base and a gun support member attached to the vertical support rod. The vertical support member attaches to the tripod base via a swivel plate that enables the vertical support member to be turned through a 360 degree range. Means for tilting the vertical support member within a preselected range are provided by a retaining box fixed to the swivel plate, the vertical support member being pivotally attached to the retaining box with a bolt.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to gun supports. In particular, the invention relates to an improved, lightweight, all-weather gun support, designed for use on uneven, and sloping terrain as well as hard flat level surfaces, and that allows the gun and support to be tilted and turned during shooting, while allowing fixed adjustment for gun height and elevation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Shooting enthusiasts and hunters have long recognized a need for devices that can support the weight of their firearm for extended periods of time, yet still give them the ability to shoot with extreme accuracy. Many devices have been devised to address this need, and numerous schemes have been employed that provide useful features.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,757, issued to Helmstadter on Sep. 16, 1997, discloses a gun shooting rest that employs a single vertical rod having a pointed foot that is inserted into the ground using a foot stand-on bracket welded onto the bottom part of the rod. A gun rest attaches to a collar that can be locked in place along the rod in order to adjust the height of the gun rest. The structure is not designed for use on hard or paved surfaces, and adjustment of the elevation of the gun barrel requires loosening a holding nut, adjusting the gun rest, and retightening the holding nut.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,862, issued to Folmer on Jul. 8, 1997, discloses an adjustable made up of two parallel panels, shaped like right triangles and mounted on a base. A gun rest attaches to the panels with a bolt and wingnut. The bolt travels in a slot running along the hypotenuse of the right-triangles. Height is adjusted by varying the position of the gun rest in the slots. The structure is cumbersome, and requires the user to balance the gun on the gun rest, which makes one-handed shooting difficult.


An electronic assembly including a substrate, an electronic component, a fixture, and a housing. The substrate includes a first contact array. The electronic component includes a second contact array. The fixture includes an opening adapted to position the electronic component on the substrate and to connect the second contact array to the first contact array when the fixture is aligned at a first position on the substrate. The housing is adapted to hold the substrate populated with the electronic component. The housing includes a first conductive pathway adapted to connect from an external surface at the housing to the substrate in a serial continuous conductive path when the fixture is aligned at the first position on the substrate. The electronic assembly includes a sensing device connected to the continuous conductive path to detect the integrity of the electronic assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic assemblies, and more particularly to assembly techniques on the use of anisotropic conducting material as a component interconnect and the use of substrate embossed with placement cavities or the use of positional fixtures to facilitate the placement of component on the substrate in an electronic assembly.
2. Related Art
Electronic assemblies are typically assembled by using surface mount technology (SMT), or more recently, the chip-on-board (COB) technology. Using SMT, packaged electronic components are soldered on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), by printing a thin layer of solder paste on the substrate and following a thermal reflow process to solder the component to the substrate. Using COB technology, thin metal wires are attached or bonded to a bare die on a substrate to create a wire-bonded assembly. A layer of resin may then be applied to the surface of wire-bonded component to protect the bonded wires from being damaged in the assembly.
One problem with both the SMT and the COB technique is that a soldered or wire-bonded component is typically difficult to remove for repair or reuse once it is attached to the substrate. At motherboards, sockets are often used for the installation of CPU chips to simplify its replacement or upgrade. The sockets are rather expensive. Therefore, there is a need for assembly techniques that allow components to be easily detached from the substrate for rework, reuse, or even replacement.

Electronic assembly with detachable components


A new and distinct variety of almond tree which is somewhat remotely similar to the Nonpareil almond tree (unpatented) but which is distinguished therefrom by producing a crop which is mature for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately 8 days after the Nonpareil variety under the ecological conditions prevailing in Atwater, Calif.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of almond tree which has been denominated varietarily as "Avalon" and more particularly to such an almond tree which blooms approximately three days earlier in the season than the "Nonpareil", a well-known unpatented almond cultivar, and which further, is mature for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately eight days after the Nonpareil, and six to seven days earlier than the variety "Carmel" (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2641), under the same environmental conditions prevailing in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. The subject variety further is distinguished as to novelty by producing crop yields which are equal to, or greater than both the Nonpareil and Carmel varieties under the same environmental conditions.
It has been recognized that it is desirable to provide an almond tree bearing a crop which is ripe for commercial harvesting and shipment in late August and early September and which has the commercially aesthetic appeal such as that presented by the Avalon almond tree. The nut produced by the subject variety of almond tree is noteworthy in that it has a shell which is well sealed, thereby preventing insect damage. Further, it has been discovered that this same variety is a suitable pollinator for both the Nonpareil and Carmel varieties when it is placed in the same orchard.


The present invention relates to a revolving sunning bed, comprising a fixed support base, a revolving platform and means of mutual constraint which allow the platform to revolve with respect to the support base. To make it more comfortable to impart motion to the platform, the bed further comprises a motor-driven device and a related command and control device, accessible even while lying down.

The present invention relates to a revolving sunning bed.
The number of beach areas provided with beach guards and equipped to offer tourists each of the comforts they desire is continuously on the rise. In particular, the beaches of Romagna's riviera in Italy have always shown to be at the leading edge in the field of such equipment.
Thus, for several decades now these beaches have been offering aerial views in which one may observe, between the sea and the road, the unfolding of a multi-covered stream made up of umbrellas and beach chairs of various shapes and sizes.
For about twenty years, the type of beach chair most in demand has surely been the so-called "bed". It is made up of a frame similar to that of a single bed with two pairs of feet, front and rear, and a tiltable head support at one end: to the upper edges of the frame is fastened a strip made of cloth or plastic material which allows persons to lie thereon. In correspondence with the head support is applied a tiltable sun shield which allows, if desired, to keep one's head in the shade.
Over the years, the material used to construct the frame has changed, from wood to aluminum, but the shape has remained unvaried.
Although the bed allows a much more complete exposition to the sun than the lounge chairs or beach chairs used previously, it nevertheless does not remove the annoying need occasionally to be rotated in order to stay exposed to the sun and allow the user to obtain the best tan.
Even remaining on the beach a few hours, an optimal exposure requires the bed to be moved several times and it forces the tourist repeatedly to get up.
Moreover, while always remaining in the position most irradiated by the rays of the sun, it is still not possible to have a uniform tan and the risk of burns increases.


A water spray gun including a gun body. The gun body includes: an inner part including a water channel; an outer part including a handle; an upper part including a spray bar, a water spray plate, a lock button, and a pull rod including a plug; and a lower part including an water stop plug disposed at an distal end thereof, a water stop plate, a water stop spring, a first sealing ring for stopping water, and a second sealing ring for introducing water. The water channel is disposed in the inner part of the gun body. The handle is movably mounted on the outer part of the gun body via a pin. A water sealing position of the water spray gun is disposed at the distal end for keeping the water out of the gun body and for preventing the gun body from becoming stuck and rupturing.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a water spray gun.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical water spray gun generally includes: a handle, and an elastic top plug. Working principle of the water spray gun is as follows: the water is sprayed out when pressing the handle, and the top plug is reset and sealed under the force of the spring. In one respect, such a water spray gun brings in inconvenience in use. The user must continuously press the handle of the water spray gun to allow a continuous water jet to be sprayed out, which easily makes the user feel tired after long-term use. Thus, a lock button having a revolving shaft 10 is designed on the water spray gun for tackling the above problem. However, the operation of the lock button is inconvenient. When the right hand holds the water spray gun, the user must use fingers and nails of the left hand to turn on the lock button and make the lock button revolve for a relatively large angle and be stably fixed in an inner part of an upper edge of the handle. Also, the arrangement of the lock button is very close to the gun body, therefore, the lock button is slippery during the operation thereof using wet fingers. In another respect, the conventional gun bodies generally have the anti-freezing problems. As the water sealing position of the conventional water spray gun is disposed close to the plug, and water residue remains inside the gun body, the gun body is easy to be frozen and ruptured in cold weather when the water spray gun is in the nonuse state. Even different means have been tried including adopting a strengthened gun body and fitting with a plastic protecting boot, these means are not practicable.


In dealing with degradation in performance of a system unit due to excessive controlling by performing a power consumption control function after power consumption of the system unit actually exceeds a maximum power of a power supply apparatus, the present invention solves the above technological problems, and controls the power consumption of a system unit in a state while making full use of performance of the power supply apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply system for supplying power to a computer from a power supply apparatus and a battery and the like, and in particular, to a power supply system capable of making full use of performance of the power supply apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In the case of a computer apparatus represented by a notebook-sized personal computer (notebook PC), a power supply apparatus (power supply section), known as an AC adapter, is connected to the computer apparatus, and it can be connected to a commercial power supply by inserting a power plug on a power cord running from the AC adapter into a plug socket for home use. In addition, there are cases where it is configured such that where the power supply apparatus is built into the computer apparatus, it can be connected to the commercial power supply by inserting a power plug on a power cord running from a housing of the computer apparatus into the plug socket for home use.
Typically, the power supply apparatus represented by the AC adapter is generally large and heavy. As a result, it is highly desired that a power supply apparatus be rendered smaller and lighter, especially when considering the portability of the computer apparatus such as the notebook PC. For that reason, in recent years, attempts have been made to render the power supply apparatus smaller and lighter by reducing maximum output power to a level of minimal inconvenience in a normal working condition. By providing a lowered output, the preparation of a large-scale power supply apparatus capable of completely covering maximum power consumption of a system unit of the computer apparatus is avoided.
However, the maximum output power of the power supply apparatus is often lower than the maximum power consumption, so that voltage of the power supply apparatus abruptly drops if the power consumption of the system unit exceeds the maximum output power of the power supply apparatus such as the AC adapter. There has been a recurring operative problem wherein, due to occurrence of this abrupt voltage variation, the voltage supplied to an inverter of a liquid crystal display (LCD) (inverter input voltage) varies and a lamp current varies, creating a constant flickering in the back light of the LCD.
FIGS. 6A and B are diagrams for explaining a conventional method of controlling the maximum power. FIG. 6A shows the maximum power consumption of the system unit, and FIG. 6B shows the conventional method of controlling the maximum power.
Here, for simplification, in a system circuit configuration the maximum power consumption of the system unit of 85 W is divided into a +3.3V logic circuit portion 201 (which is a portion of little load fluctuation), a +5V maximum power portion 202 (which is a portion in which variation of power of HDD, CD-ROM and the like) and a CPU maximum power portion 203 that is a portion of abrupt power variation.
With regard to the maximum power consumption of the system unit of 85 W shown in FIG. 6A, the conventional method of controlling the maximum power is intended to render the AC adapter that is the power supply apparatus smaller and lighter given the maximum output power is 72 W as shown in FIG. 6B. The control method shown in FIG. 6B further secures a margin 207 as a circuit error in current detection for a +3.3V logic circuit portion 204, a +5V power portion 205 and the CPU maximum power portion 206. The +3.3V logic circuit portions 201 and 204 are values acquired from measured values. In addition, it is often a precondition that a CPU constantly spend the maximum power, using a maximum power specification value of Intel Corp. For such condition, it is intended to avoid exceeding the maximum output power of the AC adapter due to the abrupt power variation. Further, given a current value of the +5V power portion 205, if upon detection, a certain current value is reached or exceeded, it is likely that there is a possibility of exceeding the maximum output power of the AC adapter and that power control is performed (for instance, to lower a CPU clock frequency by power management).
Therefore, in the conventional technology shown in FIG. 6B, controls are employed to prevent flickering of the LCD back light for instance, such that power cannot exceed the maximum output power of 72 W of the power supply apparatus even for a moment, as aforementioned. For such a precondition, the conventional technology shown in FIG. 6B is configured to perform a power management function when the power consumption of the system unit becomes 64 W or so since it must secure the margin 207 as a circuit error in current detection and the actual maximum power of the CPU is approximately 80 percent of the maximum power specification. Consequently, the maximum output power of 72 W of the AC adapter as the power supply apparatus cannot be fully utilized and the control is excessively exerted, which results in lower performance of the entire system.

Power supply system, computer apparatus and maximum power control method


A retracting and locking leash housing includes a casing (30) and a handle (28). A pair of connectors (32) space the casing (30) from the handle (28) and define a finger (34) opening. A trigger (38) includes a gripping portion (48) and a locking portion (46) and is slidably supported for rectilinear movement. The gripping portion (48) and the locking portion (46) are connected by arms (50), which are coextensive with the connectors (32) about the finger (34) opening. A spool (36) is rotatably disposed in the casing (30) and includes a circle of teeth (58) and a finger (34) extends from the locking portion (46) to engage the circle of teeth (58) when the trigger (38) is moved rectilinearly to a locking position to prevent rotation of the spool (36).

1. Field of the Invention
A retracting and locking leash assembly of the type used to leash animals, e.g., for walking a dog.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When walking a pet on a leash, it is necessary to control how far the pet can wander from the leash holder. In order to do this, various retractable leashes have been developed to unwind and wind the leash from a housing. Typically, the housing defines a cavity casing and a handle spaced from the cavity casing by connectors surrounding and defining a finger opening. A spool is supported in the cavity casing for rotation about a winding axis and a leash is wrapped about the spool for winding on and unwinding from the spool in response to rotation of the spool. Various embodiments of such an assembly are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,405,683 and 6,694,922 and Application Publication 2003/0029,388, all in the name of Walter et al. These assemblies all include a trigger pivotally supported for controlling rotation of the spool. Such triggers present a control or finger engaging portion that is accessible by only one finger when a larger gripping area is needed for some operators.
Other assemblies have used a trigger slidably supported by the housing for rectilinear movement between a locked position to prevent rotation of the spool and an unlocked position to allow rotation of the spool to wind and unwind the leash to provide a more compact housing, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,510 to Stanish. This arrangement, however, does not include a handle for gripping by the whole hand, which is often need for adequate leverage.


An implantable cardiac therapy device is constructed with a housing that defines first and second chambers. The first chamber holds cardiac therapy circuitry, such as sensing and/or stimulation circuitry. The second chamber holds high-frequency circuitry that transmits and receives high-frequency signals used in communication with external devices. The dual-chamber housing allows the implantable cardiac therapy device to handle high-frequency signals in an isolated environment, thereby enabling longer range telemetry, without interfering with the cardiac therapy circuitry. The implantable cardiac therapy device can be linked to a cardiac network of knowledge workers that evaluate the data generated by the device and provide instructions to remotely program the device.

Implantable cardiac therapy devices (ICTDs) are implanted within the body of a patient to monitor, regulate, and/or correct heart function. ICTDs include implantable cardiac stimulation devices (e.g., implantable cardiac pacemakers, implantable defibrillators) that apply stimulation therapy to the heart as well as implantable cardiac monitors that monitor heart activity.
ICTDs typically include a control unit positioned within a casing that is implanted into the body and a set of leads that are positioned to impart stimulation and/or monitor cardiac activity. With improved processor and memory technologies, the control units have become increasingly more sophisticated, allowing them to monitor many types of conditions and apply tailored stimulation therapies in response to those conditions.
ICTDs are typically capable of being programmed remotely by an external programming device, often called a "programmer". Today, individual ICTDs are equipped with telemetry circuits that communicate with the programmer. One type of programmer utilizes an electromagnetic wand that is placed near the implanted cardiac device to communicate with the implanted device. The wand contains a coil that forms a transformer coupling with the ICTD telemetry circuitry. The wand transmits low frequency signals by varying coil impedance.
Early telemetry systems were passive, meaning that the communication was unidirectional from the programmer to the implanted device. Passive telemetry allowed a treating physician to download instructions to the implanted device following implantation. Due to power and size constraints, early commercial versions of the implanted devices were incapable of transmitting information back to the programmer.
As power capabilities improved, active telemetry became feasible, allowing synchronous bi-directional communication between the implanted device and the programmer. Active telemetry utilizes a half-duplex communication mode in which the programmer sends instructions in a predefined frame format and, following termination of this transmission, the implanted device returns data using the frame format. With active telemetry, the treating physician is able to not only program the implanted device, but also retrieve information from the implanted device to evaluate heart activity and device performance. The treating physician may periodically want to review device performance or heart activity data for predefined periods of time to ensure that the device is providing therapy in desired manner. Consequently, current generation implantable cardiac therapy devices incorporate memories, and the processors periodically sample and record various performance parameter measurements in the memories.
Current telemetry systems have limited communication range between the programmer wand and the ICTD, and are often referred to as "short-range telemetry" or "wand telemetry". For effective communication, the wand is held within a few inches of the ICTD. One problem is that the ICTD has insufficient power to transmit longer range signals. Another consideration is the inherent EMI-resistant design of the ICTD. The ICTD circuitry is typically housed in a hermetically shielded can to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI) from disrupting operation. The can prevents penetration of high frequencies, thereby limiting communication to the low frequency range of less than 200 KHz. In one exemplary system, signals sent from the programmer to the implanted device are transmitted at approximately 36 KHz, and data is transmitted back from the implanted device to the programmer at approximately 8 KHz.
Conventionally, data about a patient's cardiac condition is gathered and stored by the programmer during programming sessions of the ICTDs. Analysis of the cardiac condition is performed locally by the programming software. Programmers offer comprehensive diagnostic capabilities, high-speed processing, and easy operation, thereby facilitating efficient programming and timely patient follow-up.
In addition to local analysis, TransTelephonic Monitoring (TTM) systems are employed to gather current cardiac data of patients when the patient is remote from the healthcare provider. TTM systems are placed in patients' homes. They typically include a base unit that gathers information from the ICTD much like the programmer would. The base unit is connected to a telephone line so that data may be transmitted to the medical staff responsible for that patient. An example of an ICTD TTM system is a service from St. Jude Medical® and Raytel® Cardiac Services called "Housecall™." This service provides current programmed parameters and episode diagnostic information for a plurality of events including stored electrograms (EGMs). Real-time EGMs with annotated status information can also be transmitted.
Using a telephone and a transmitter, the TTM system provides both the medical staff and the patient the convenience of instant analysis of therapy without having the patient leave the comfort of home. Typically, real-time measurements are transmitted in just minutes. Patients may be closely monitored, and the medical staff has more control of their patient's treatment, thus administering better patient management.
Although TTM systems monitor and transmit data for specific patients, the data is not collected and stored in the ICTD itself. Nor is the data collected and analyzed to determine therapy effectiveness or whether adjustment is desirable. On a basis of a patient population, there is no existing mechanism for gathering long-term and real-time data that includes cardiac monitoring and treatment information of a patient population and other medical and demographic information of a patient population.
Accordingly, there is a need for a more comprehensive system that communicates more effectively with the implanted cardiac therapy device over greater transmissions ranges.

Implantable cardiac therapy device with dual chamber can to isolate high-frequency circuitry


A capacitive proximity monitoring device for corrosive atmosphere environments comprising a capacitance field element or sensing element disposed in such a corrosive atmosphere environment and being made of conductive plastic resistant for such a corrosive atmosphere environment. The field element may be a functional part of a functional device that performs a function with respect to the presence of the liquid being sensed; and in some cases the field element is nonfunctional with respect to the liquid, but functional and sensing the capacitance and determining the presence or absence of liquid.

In the semiconductor industry especially, and in other industries as well, extremely severe conditions are encountered in process equipment because of highly corrosive atmospheric conditions, or environment, which exist at or adjacent to processing equipment. Such corrosive atmospheric environments are extremely hard on monitoring equipment, particularly because metals which are conventionally used in such monitoring devices cannot reliably stand up to the corrosive environment for long periods of time so that the equipment may be safely and efficiently operated throughout the service life of the equipment.
The highly corrosive environment is created by one or more hazardous chemicals which are approved for use in the semiconductor industry, and which may exist in liquid or gaseous form, alone or in combination with other of such chemicals. A partial list of such chemicals includes those identified as follows:
______________________________________ Acetic Acid Acetone Ammonium Fluoride Ammonium Hydroxide Antimony Potassium Tartrate ceric ammonium nitrate ceric ammonium nitrate Choline EKC 130-photoresist stripper Ethylene Glycol Ferric chloride Hydrocholoric Acid Hydrofluoric Acid Hydrogen Peroxide IPA-isopropyl alcohol Methanol n-Butyl Acetate Nitric Acid PBR 1 Phosphoric Acid Potassium ferrocyanide Potassium Hydroxide potassium phosphate PRS 1000 Sodium Hydroxide Sulfuric Acid Tannic Acid TMAH-tetramethylammonium hydroxide ______________________________________
These various chemicals must be delivered to processing equipment, and in order to do so, liquid transporting systems carry the liquid chemicals from replaceable supply tanks through pumping and regulating stations and through temporary storage facilities so that the chemicals are readily available at the processing stations. Of course, such liquid chemical transport systems must involve pipes and tubes, valves and fittings, oftentimes filters and flow meters, and related devices, most of which are made of plastics resistant to the deteriorating effects of harsh chemicals. Of course, anything mechanical is subject to potential leakage, and such leakage can create extremely hazardous conditions, both to the processing of semiconductor wafers or other products, and also to personnel who may have to tend and maintain the processing equipment and transport systems.
Although capacitance proximity devices such as switches have been successfully used in particular safe environments for determining existence of liquids or objects, and have used sheet metal sensors remote from the operating circuitry and proximity switch, such capacitance proximity devices have not been successfully used in corrosive environments because of the lack of reliability.

Capacitive proximity monitoring device for corrosive atmosphere environment


A method of forming via openings that includes forming sidewall spacers on a plurality of mandrels that are overlying a hardmask layer that is present on an interlevel dielectric layer. Etching the hardmask layer using a portion of the sidewall spacers and the plurality of mandrels to form a first pillar of hardmask material. The interlevel dielectric layer is etched using the first pillar of hardmask material as a mask to define a first via opening. The plurality of mandrels are removed. The hardmask layer is etched using the spacers to define a second pillar of hardmask material. The interlevel dielectric layer is etched using the second pillar of hardmask material to provide a second via opening.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to structures for transmitting electrical current.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the technology node advances in semiconductor devices, the dimensions of the semiconductor devices continue to decrease. As millions of devices and circuits are positioned onto a semiconductor chip, the wiring density and the number of metal levels are increased generation after generation. As interconnect dimensions continue to decrease and the density of interconnect structures and devices increase, the alignment between different interconnect structures becomes more crucial.

Self aligned via and pillar cut for at least a self aligned double pitch