An ordnance fuse apparatus is described that uses electrical and mechanical, and optical devices. The ordnance fuse apparatus includes a controller to control an optical switch and a laser to detonate an explosive charge of the ordnance. Other embodiments include an accelerometer and/or spin detector for detecting that the ordnance has been fired and an optical detector for detecting the proper operation of the laser and a position sensor for detecting correct positioning of the optical switch. Another embodiment includes a microlens to focus the laser optical signal onto the ignitor. In yet other embodiments, the explosive charge is detonated either by ignition of an ignitor or by a shock wave from the ignitor. The resulting ordnance fuse apparatus has significantly reduced size and improved performance and safety.

Fuse systems serve to detonate the main charge ('secondary' of military ordnance) of a munition, a cartridge, or an ordnance (collectively referred to herein as ordnance) at the desired time or location. The fuse (or fuze) plays an essential safety role of preventing accidental detonation of the ordnance, making the ordnance safe to handle. There are a variety of technologies used in fuse systems. The fuses considered here are "programmable": immediately prior to the ordnance being fired from a gun, timing or similar data is loaded into the fuse so that the fuse initiates detonation of the secondary charge of the ordnance at the desired time and/or location. One common approach to such a fuse system is to charge a capacitor, and then discharge it at the desired time across a thin wire to create sufficient local heating or a spark to ignite the primary explosive. On-board electronics or mechanical devices control the discharge timing. Fuses typically incorporate "g-switches" that prevent detonation until the fuse has been exposed to accelerations of a magnitude and time typically only encountered in a gun barrel. There are on-going efforts at fabricating Micro-Electrical Mechanical Switch (MEMS)-based g-switches.
Notwithstanding the advances made by these prior fuse systems, there is a continuing need to significantly reduce the size, improve the performance and safety of the overall ordnance fuse system.


A device for changing an electric wire and method for distributing power without cutting off power supply has developed for replacing the live electric line on the electric poles, relocating the electric poles and alteration of the power distribution route. Replacement operation of the live electric wire is sequentially performed by connecting new wire and separating old wire by the wire changing device mounted on each electric pole without using bypass cable. The wire changing device comprises a cross-arm fastening unit, wire replacing unit and axial-rotating unit having a central arm fixture, axial shaft, arm coupling and position locking unit. The wire changing method comprises the steps of: mounting the wire changing device on each electric pole, replacing new and old wires without cutting off power supply, arranging the wire space, installing and tightening the new wire on each LP insulator of the electric pole, and removing the separated wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for changing the electric wires and method for distributing power without cutting off power supply during the replacing work of the live electric lines on the electric poles, relocating work of the electric poles and alteration work of the power distribution route. The replacing operation of live electric wires is sequentially carried out by connecting the new wire and separating the old wire by the wire changing device mounted on each electric pole without using a bypass cable.
2. Related Prior Art
With rapid increase of power demand, power facilities to satisfy this demand are being expanded continuously. As the level of user needs for the quality of electricity increases, even an instantaneous service interruption becomes the target of a civil disruption, and electricity users' group activities and judicial cases are being increased. To supply power of good quality during power distribution maintenance, the uninterruptible method is preferred, in which the distribution maintenance is performed in the state where the power is not interrupted.
The previous distribution maintenance procedures using the uninterruptible method include a movable transformer truck type construction method, a bypass cable method and a breaking switch method for construction. In the bypass cable method, one of the temporary power transmission methods, a distribution maintenance is completed by having a cable required for a work area, a construction breaking switch, a movable transformer truck, a hot line bucket truck and a set of pneumatic actuators for hot line work, bypassing the supplied power using a bypass cable on the ground, performing removal and relocation tasks on a distribution line and then removing the bypass cable.
Moreover, in the case where the distribution line has an electric capacity of more than 5,000 KW, since the permissible capacity of a cable in the previous bypass cable method is under 5,000 KW, this wastes a lot of time and labor cost for switching the power load to another distribution line in order to reduce the load of the distribution line to less than 5,000 KW. Because a large capacity distributing method is used commonly, part of the load is switched and only the load of 5,000 KW is put into use uninterruptibly. This results in an insufficient effect of investment money and there occurs a serious problem in effectively operating the distribution network. In addition, it is impossible to construct a distribution line with more than two lines, i.e. upper and lower lines, per one pole by the existing temporary power transmission type interruptible method.
Therefore, for the above-described previous distribution maintenance using the uninterruptible method, a lot of construction workers are required. Also, a large number of temporary connection points of an extra high voltage, which are very dangerous, are made in order to install a bypass cable with a specified length of 50 m. This requires the use of protective equipment for connection failures and connection points. Because installation and removal tasks have to be repeated often, a lot of labor cost is required and the damage to the bypass cable is accelerated, thus threatening safety. If there occurs an accident or unexpected interruption, this costs a great deal, thus making it difficult to secure a good electricity quality. Also, this may cause more civil applications, economic losses and loss of life. Moreover, excessive load switching operations make the functioning of the distribution network unstable and the upper end line of a distribution line with more than two lines cannot be serviced with the uninterruptible method.

Electric wire changing device for wire replacing works on electric poles and power distributing method without cutting off power supply


The present invention relates to a power plant (18) comprising at least one turboshaft engine (8) behind a gearbox (7) for driving a rotor (3) of a rotary wing aircraft (1), the air inlet body (20) of the engine (8) having a first end (21) opening out into the ambient atmosphere in front of the engine, and a second end (22) connected to the engine at the rearmost portion thereof.

At present, the engines used for helicopters (sometimes referred to below as "aircraft") are usually of the "free turbine" type (also known as the "power wheel" type) where power is taken from a low-pressure stage of the turbine, which stage is mechanically independent of the compressor installation of the high-pressure stage of the turbine.
In principle, a turboshaft engine has a speed of rotation lying in the range 30,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) to 50,000 rpm, with a speed of only about 6,000 rpm at the outlet from the incorporated gearbox that is generally associated therewith.
Unfortunately, the main rotor of a helicopter has a speed of rotation lying in the range 300 rpm to 400 rpm, such that a special speed-reducing gearbox is essential on all helicopters. That is why a main gearbox (MGB) is always installed between the turboshaft engine(s) and the main rotor: which MGB is naturally associated with transmission means.
In most cases, the helicopter is also provided with a tail rotor for controlling yaw movements of the aircraft. Such a helicopter then has a transmission shaft between a special take-off of the MGB and a rear gearbox providing angle transmission and a reduction in speed to about 2,000 rpm, for example, to deliver power to the tail rotor.
It is important to observe that terms such as "front" and "rear" relating to an element of a helicopter designate respectively the portion of that element situated towards the cockpit (i.e. at the leading end of the aircraft), and the portion situated towards the tail boom and the tail rotor.
Under such conditions, the invention relates to a power plant having one or more engines on a helicopter, located behind the MGB, even though the architecture of such engines predisposes them for being installed in front of the MGB. Like the configuration of the Makila® 1A or 1A1 turboshaft engine developed by the supplier Turbomeca and fitted in particular to the helicopter known under the trademark Super Puma® in the name of the Applicant, it must be understood that such an engine, disposed in front of the MGB presents successively from the front towards the rear of the helicopter the following members:                a gas generator comprising in succession:                    a short air inlet;            a three-stage axial compressor connected to a rear centrifugal compressor by the shaft of the gas generator;            a combustion chamber; and            a two-stage turbine of the gas generator;                        a free turbine comprising a two-stage working turbine driving towards the rear a power transmission shaft or turbine drive shaft connected to specific inlet of the MGB; and        a hot gas ejection nozzle directed laterally and outwards from the engine compartment.
In a Super Puma® helicopter, the power plant comprises two Makila® 1A or 1A1 engines, each being installed in an individual compartment that is fireproof, ventilated, and drained.
More generally, the solutions that have been implemented in the past correspond to two main architectures, namely:                the configuration of the first solution comprises one or more engines mounted in front of the MGB like the installation of the Makila® 1A or 1A1 engine on the Super Puma® helicopter as described above; or        the configuration of the second solution comprises one or more engines behind the MGB, which engines are specially designed for a disposition in which there are to be found, after an MGB, and in succession from the front towards the rear of the rotary wing aircraft:        the turbine drive shaft driving the MGB, which shaft:                    either goes towards the front of the helicopter through the air inlet, passing through the gas generator (and its compressor) and is driven by the free turbine, as applies for example in the L.T.S. engine from the supplier Lycoming that is fitted to the Ecureuil® AS 350® or AS 355® helicopters of the Applicant;            or else lies parallel to the engine, but outside it, and is driven by the free turbine, as applies for example to the Arriel® engine that can also be fitted as an alternative solution to Ecureuil® AS 350® or AS 355® helicopters;            the gas generator;            the free turbine; and            the nozzle for exhausting hot gas, constituting the element of the power plant that is situated furthest towards the rear of the helicopter.
Unfortunately, present certification regulations no longer enable a new civilian helicopter to be certified without a significant increase in weight if the engine(s) is/are installed in front of the MGB, i.e. with the configuration of the first solution described above. Under such circumstances, it is now required to shield the engine in order to protect the flight controls (servo-controls, swashplates, blade pitch links, . . . ) from the possibility of the turbine bursting, these flight controls being in the immediate proximity of the turbine and being distributed in particular around the rotor shaft as driven by the MGB.
It is important to observe that that is why engine manufacturers have developed engines complying with the second solution described above. As already mentioned, it will be understood that those engines correspond to definitions specially adapted for installing engines behind an MGB so that the air inlet is towards the front of the helicopter and the nozzle towards the rear. The examples relating to the L.T.S. engine with a turbine drive shaft passing through the gas generator (and the compressor) or relating to the Arriel® engine with a turbine drive shaft parallel to and outside the engine clearly illustrate the special functional arrangements that are needed in association with that second solution.
Engines suitable for that second solution are relatively recent, but they are more expensive than those suitable for the first solution, because of the particular technical problems inherent to their special disposition behind an MGB.
Unfortunately, the cost of a power plant becomes even greater for a twin-engine helicopter that is intended to be inexpensive to purchase.
A third solution consists in fitting a helicopter with engines located behind the MGB, but using engines that are theoretically intended to be installed in front of the MGB.
One such solution has been put into practice in the SA 321 Super Frelon® helicopter of the Applicant.
In that configuration, the helicopter is provided with three Turmo® III C3 engines from the supplier Turbomeca, two of them being disposed side by side using the first solution, while the third engine is located behind the MGB, the other way round to the first two engines, i.e. in the following configuration:                a hot gas exhaust nozzle behind the MGB;        a free turbine drive shaft connecting it to the rear of the MGB;        a gas generator; and        an air inlet, constituting the rearmost element of the power plant.
It should be observed that the positioning of the third engine presents a drawback due to the air inlet being located behind the nozzle. As a result, particularly in forward flight, it will readily be understood that at least some of the hot gas coming from the nozzle can be fed into the air inlet. This constitutes a phenomenon known as "recirculation" and that has a severe effect on performance, i.e. the power of an engine suffering therefrom. Naturally, this loss of power, which is acceptable in a helicopter with surplus power such as the Super Frelon®, is no longer acceptable for a single-engine or twin-engine helicopter, particularly if the helicopter is to be inexpensive to purchase.
In this context, it should be observed that an inverse configuration in the manner of the third engine of the Super Frelon® is to be found in document GB-0 864 540. In that configuration, the air inlet is located in the wing of an airplane, above the nozzle situated upstream therefrom. In that configuration likewise there is a possibility of some of the hot gas penetrating into the air inlet, particularly when the wing is at an angle of incidence, and in spite of the presence of the propeller that provides a slipstream going from front to rear.


A gas tube protector module is provided that provides sneak current protection in addition to voltage surge protection. The module has two pairs of terminals with one pair for connection to outside plant and the second pair for connection to the inside wiring. The module has a gas tube with leads connected to the first pair of terminals. Positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors are disposed electrically between the lead and the second pair of terminals such that the PTCs are in series between the outside plant and the inside wiring.

Gas tube protectors are commonly used to protect telecommunication lines from electrical surges. Since gas tube arresters need to be hermetically sealed to perform the protection function, there is the possibility that the gas will vent from the arrester resulting in a much higher breakdown voltage than originally intended and rendering the gas tube unable to protect. To provide for continued protection should venting occur, arresters are provided with back up protection in the form of an air gap or with a solid state device, for example, a metal oxide varistor (MOV).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,023 discloses a gas tube protector with one or two MOVs used as a back up. A gas tube protector with a back up device is sometimes referred to as "vent safe." In such protectors, the gas tube is sometimes termed the "primary protector." Gas tubes are widely used as primary protectors because of their ability to repeatedly divert large surge currents to ground and remain functional to protect.
Because it is desired that the gas tube and not the back up divert surges to ground, the operate voltage of the MOVs are set higher than the operate voltage of the gas tube. The '023 patent discloses "5 to 10% or else between 10 and 40% above the response voltage of the overvoltage arrestor." With the response voltage of the MOVs set in such a range, the MOVs are intended to only divert surges if the gas tube has vented. In normal operation, the gas tube alone is intended to divert surges to ground. The '023 patent defines the response voltage of the MOV as the voltage at which the varistor conducts a current of 1 mA.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,782 also discloses the use of a MOV with a gas tube with the clamping voltage of the MOV above the breakdown voltage of the gas tube. While the '782 patent uses the term "hybrid" to describe the disclosed protector arrangement, the MOVs are used as a back up protection device in the event that the gas tube should vent. The '782 patent teaches that the 1 mA clamping voltage of the MOV is selected to be just above the upper tolerance of the DC breakdown voltage of the gas tube so that the gas tube acts as the primary surge protector and the MOV provides back up protection in case the gas discharge tube fails to operate properly.
MOVs are preferred over traditional air gaps because they have a more repeatable clamping voltage than air gaps in response to fast rising voltage transients and they are not susceptible to contamination and moisture like the air gap.
One drawback of gas tubes as protectors is their ionization time which contributes to a higher peak surge voltage, or impulse breakdown voltage. The DC breakdown voltage of a gas tube is the voltage at which a gas tube will ionize when the voltage is increased slowly, for example, 100 volts per second. By raising the voltage slowly enough such that the ionization time of the gas tube is taken into account, the DC breakdown voltage of the gas tube can be determined. If the voltage is a surge voltage, for example, 100 volts per microsecond, the gas tube will breakdown at a voltage predominantly higher than its DC breakdown voltage because of the ionization time of the gas tube. This higher voltage is termed "surge breakdown voltage" or "impulse breakdown voltage." It is possible that the impulse breakdown voltages of the gas tubes are sufficiently high that there could still be a shock to a person that is in contact with the circuit at the time of the surge. Therefore, it is possible to have personnel injury and/or equipment damage from a gas tube protected circuit.
Therefore a need exists for a telecommunications protector with a robust gas tube protector as the primary protector but that is "assisted" by a secondary protector against fast surges to lower the impulse voltage. A further need exists for a protector where the secondary protector is capable of acting as a back up should the gas tube vent.
Another drawback of gas tubes is that there are wide variances of the DC breakdown voltages among gas tubes of the same type and made by the same manufacturing process. This variance is much wider than the variances for other components such as MOVs and fusible elements. Thus a need exists for a gas tube protector with a secondary protector that lowers the impulse voltage and that takes into account the wide range of DC breakdown voltages across a population of gas tube of the same type.
Both the '023 and '782 patents disclose incorporation of "fail safe" arrangements in the protector to short to ground any surges that overheat the protector. One drawback of the '782 patent arrangement is its bulkiness. The MOVs are spaced from the gas tube and arranged in a manner that takes up more space than the arrangement in the '023 patent which compactly locates two MOVs on opposite ends of the gas tube while still incorporating a thermal overload short to ground arrangement. Either one of the MOVs alone or the gas tube alone if overheated will melt the thermal element in the '023 arrangement to short to ground. Also, the MOVs in the '782 patent are not of sufficient size to impact the surge voltage under normal operating conditions.
In addition to protecting against voltage surges, it is also sometimes desired to protect against sneak currents for certain applications. A sneak current is typically defined as a current that is induced by a voltage below the activation voltage of the primary protector. Such a sneak current can damage some types of equipment by overheating heat sensitive components in the equipment. Typically, protection against sneak currents has been more of a concern at the telephone company central offices, and protecting against sneak currents at the subscriber's location (station protection) has not been emphasized. However, sneak currents are possible at the subscriber location, and because of the increase in the use of more sophisticated consumer equipment that is susceptible to damage by sneak currents, the need for protection from sneak currents at the subscriber is increasing.
One known way to protect against sneak currents at the central office is to use heat coils. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,944,003 and 5,008,772 disclose the use of heat coils to protect against sneak currents. Because heat coils are based on a mechanical action in reaction to a build up of heat, there are inherent reliability problems in the assembly and construction of the heat coils. For example, heat coils typically require soldering in their construction which is especially susceptible to creep, contamination, and other problems. Another drawback of heat coils is that after they have reacted to a sneak current, they permanently go to ground and must be replaced. Replacement requires disposal of the entire protector module that contains the PTC. While having to replace a module is not desirable at any location, such replacement is easier at the central office where personnel are commonly located as opposed to having to send repair personnel to the side of a subscriber's home.
It is also known to use positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistors to protect against sneak currents. These are preferred over heat coils in that they operate as a function of their material makeup and not by any mechanical action. However, protectors using PTCs typically have only a solid state primary protector and thus the overall protector suffers from the same drawbacks as discussed for solid state protectors. Therefore a need exists for a protector that protects against sneak currents but still has the desired robustness and responsiveness to voltage surges.
In addition to sneak currents, the subscriber location is also susceptible to other conditions that may cause an excessive current on inside wiring. For example, some consumer devices used inside the home have secondary protectors that will short to ground before the telephone protector on the side of the house. If lightning were to strike the phone line outside, the secondary protector would short the strike to ground before the outside protector and create excessive currents on the inside wiring. In another example, consumers may improperly wire some additional inside wiring such that a near short-to-ground is created in the home that also might attract the lightning surge into the home and create excessive currents on the inside wiring. Therefore a need exists for a protector that can protect a subscriber's inside wiring from excessive currents caused by means other than sneak currents.
Station protectors used at the subscriber location have commonly accepted sizes and footprints to provide some interoperability among station protectors and the network interface devices (NIDs) that house them. The common station protectors typically have only two terminals as the protector is in parallel between the outside plant line and the inside wiring. The amount of space in the standard station protection packaging is limited. Therefore a need exists for a station protector that is able to accommodate PTCs in existing station protection packaging.

Gas tube surge protector with sneak current protection


An input profile is generated from an input audio file using a measurable attribute that was also used to generate reference profiles from reference audio files. The input profile is then subjected to a process that was also used to generate a reference profiles tree, which is structured as a sparse binary tree, from the reference profiles. As a result of the process, information of reference profiles having similar characteristics as the input profile, with respect to the measurable attribute, are retrieved from resulting nodes of the reference profiles tree. The input profile is then compared with this subset of the reference profiles, representing potential matches, to determine that either it matches one of the reference profiles, or that it is a spoof, or that it does not match any of the reference profiles.

In searching for particular audio files on the Internet, it is useful to be able to determine the identity of untitled audio files as well as to confirm that titled audio files are what they purport to be. Although a human may conceivably make such determinations and confirmations by simply listening to the content of the audio files by playing them through a media player, such an approach is not always reliable. Also, a process such as this involving human judgment is inherently very slow.
Therefore, it is advantageous to employ a computer to determine the identity of untitled audio files as well as to confirm that titled audio files are what they purport to be. The computer can not only store a lot of information to assist in identifying an input audio file, it can also process that information very quickly.
In one technique employing a computer, an algorithm is used to uniquely identify audio file content. Using this approach, a master code is generated by performing the algorithm on content in a master audio file. By applying the same algorithm to the content of an input audio file, the calculated code may then be compared with the master code to determine a match.
Use of such an algorithm, however, does not always lead to proper identification, because the content of an audio file may not have exactly the same length of recording as the content of the master audio file, for example, by starting at a point a little later in time, thus giving rise to a calculated code that would not match the master code. Also, if the content of the input audio file contains noise spikes or background noise, this would also give rise to a calculated code that would not match the master code. Thus, in both of these cases, the stored content is not properly identified.

Identification of input files using reference files associated with nodes of a sparse binary tree


An exposure apparatus includes a beam providing unit having a first component and second component to provide an exposure beam having pattern information to a substrate W, a measurement unit which measures a relative variation between the first component and the second component, a driving mechanism which drives at least one of the first component and second component, and a compensator which controls the driving mechanism on the basis of the measurement result obtained by the measurement unit so as to reduce the relative variation between the first component and the second component in at least the period during which the pattern is transferred onto the substrate.

Conventionally, a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device formed from a micropattern such as an LSI or VLSI adopts a reduction projection exposure apparatus which reduces a pattern formed on a reticle (mask) and projects and transfers it onto a substrate coated with a photosensitive agent. To increase the degree of integration of a semiconductor element, further micropatterning is required. The exposure apparatus takes a measure to attain micropatterning along with the development of a resist process.
As a technique for increasing the resolving power of an exposure apparatus, a method of shortening the exposure wavelength or a method of increasing the numerical aperture (NA) of a projection optical system is used. In general, the resolving power is known to be proportional to the exposure wavelength and inversely proportional to the NA.
As such a measure for micropatterning is taken, the throughput of an exposure apparatus is further improved in view of the manufacturing cost of semiconductor elements. For example, there is available a method of shortening the exposure time per shot by increasing the output from an exposure light source, or a method of increasing the number of elements per shot by widening an exposure area.
However, vibration conducted to an exposure apparatus for micropattern exposure from its installation floor, or slight vibration or deformation generated by a built-in movable unit (for example, a mask stage or substrate stage) degrades the overlay exposure accuracy or exposure image accuracy. Furthermore, if exposure is not executed until such vibration or deformation is reduced, the throughput decreases.
A conventional exposure apparatus adopts a technique for supporting its main body portion by an anti-vibration table or a technique for absorbing a reaction force in acceleration/deceleration of the built-in movable unit, in order to reduce the influence of floor vibration or its internal vibration.
As described above, however, the NA of a projection optical system and an exposure area are getting larger, and the output from a light source increases. Moreover, the use of a modified illumination method which controls the distribution of a secondary source with various manners and illuminates to attain high resolution is spreading. As a result, the size and weight of an illumination optical system are increasing. This may have an influence on a vibration suppression characteristic with respect to the apparatus main body.
To solve this problem, a method of arranging a light source or illumination optical system separately from the exposure apparatus main body portion is known to be effective.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-158059 discloses an exposure apparatus which supports an illumination optical system separately from its main body portion. This apparatus uses a sensor to measure the relative position between the illumination optical system and the main body portion, and means which calibrates the sensor. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-158059 also discloses the following techniques. When an abnormality is found on the basis of a measurement value obtained by the sensor, a light source, reticle driving means, and substrate driving means are stopped. When an actuator corrects the orientation of the illumination optical system to be a normal state, the exposure operation is restarted. However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-158059 does not disclose any technique for dynamically controlling the orientation of the illumination optical system so as to correct, during exposure, the relative position between the illumination optical system and the main body portion on the basis of the output from the sensor.
As micronization of the pattern to be transferred onto a substrate advances, the positional relationship between the illumination optical system and the main body portion need be held in the original state more strictly. For example, assume that the relative positional relationship between the main body portion and the illumination optical system varies upon a change in orientation of the main body portion. At this time, an optical axis deviation or incident angle deviation of illumination light occurs. This makes illuminance nonuniform or deforms the exposure image, so required exposure accuracy cannot be satisfied. Furthermore, the wait time until vibration is attenuated increases, resulting in a decrease in throughput.


An Ethernet-type local area network having multiport repeaters and nodes within a specified distance of the hub is able to communicate high speed digital data over multiple pairs of twisted-pair wires using long symbol group-type ternary coding. Bundle mode termination minimize impedance mismatches. Low-frequency collision detection circuitry permits detection of packet collisions on an a.c.-coupled network. Precise serialized digital to analog conversion is realized using chains of gates to form delay elements with precise delays.

This invention relates to local area network (LAN) communication and specifically, to CSMA/CD communication of the type commonly used in accordance with a network standard known as Ethernet. Ethernet contemplates packet communication via a shared medium in which all stations or nodes can monitor all broadcast messages on a network. An Ethernet local area network standard has been adopted under designation IEEE 802.3. An adaptation of the standard to telephone-type wiring is the IEEE 802.3 10BaseT standard in which the medium is unshielded twisted pair wire.
There is a trade-off between the maximum network diameter, or the electrical distance between the two furthest-apart network nodes within a contiguous network sharing the same medium, and the minimum size of a message unit or packet carried on the medium of a local area net using the IEEE 802.3 standards. The 802.3 standard specifies a 10 Megabit/second (MBPS) data rate and a 51.2 microsecond (.mu.s) minimum packet length. The round-trip time across the diameter of a network must be less than the time for transmission of a packet of the minimum packet length to ensure that a station is always able to detect if a packet has collided with a packet from another node or station. Under current standards of 10 MBPS, a diameter of 2500 meters allows transmission of 512 bits in a 51.2 microsecond packet length. The maximum packet rate is therefore 14,881 packets per second. By contrast, if either the network diameter is reduced by a factor of 10 and all other performance parameters are raised by a factor of 10, for example, the unavoidable requirement that the minimum-sized packets and the round-trip time through the maximum network diameter has resulted in unacceptable combinations of minimum packet size and network diameter.
The 10BaseT adaptation of the 802.3 standard allows the physical structure to be star-wired with each station or node being connected at the tip of a star through spokes formed by a loop which is connected to a center or hub. Interconnection of the stations is at the hub such that all stations tied to a hub have the same logical connectivity as stations connected to a bus-type system. However, each link of the spoke must have a port at the hub which contains active electronics, and the hub typically must be supplied with electrical power. The hub box represents a potential common point of failure. However, since each station is connected to a separate port on the box, there is an opportunity for individual monitoring of the status of each station connection at the hub from a central location, which is a very important consideration in network management.
Hubs are also useful in that bridges can be used to isolate hub bandwidth traffic which is local to a single hub. Therefore, hubs are being used increasingly to allow physical management of the wires to a hub as well as easy logical management of the ports on the hub. Therefore, it become practical to consider network diameters considerably smaller than those specified in the Ethernet standard.
One of the areas of emerging agreement for a new standard for digital networks is the adoption of the standard media access control (MAC) protocol defined by Ethernet. On the other hand, if there is a single point to point link, full duplex communication is possible, and there is no need for a MAC.
Terminators are known for multiple-path solid media. It is believed that LAN manufacturer Synoptics has a design for such a terminator. A simple and low-cost terminator may allow the implementation of practical highspeed networks using relatively low-grade wire media.

Network system using low-speed preamble for linking user nodes using high speed CSMA/CD communication


An interface selection and configuration system for a computer peripheral in which configuration for the peripheral and/or the host interface is at least in part accomplished by the interface connector cable. In a preferred embodiment, the computer peripheral is equipped with one or more hardware interfaces. The interface connector cable has a first end connector for attaching to the computer peripheral. The first end connector of the interface connector cable is typically a multiple pin connector constructed and arranged to be properly physically and electrically connectable only to a specific computer peripheral or class of computer peripherals, the first end connector including at least one electrical connection between two pins for completing a circuit within the computer peripheral thereby enabling the computer peripheral. Where the peripheral is a data reading device such as a laser scanner or RFID reader, alternate or additional configuration may be obtained, with data reading device, from the label on the interconnect cable. The label, which may for example be a bar code or RFID tag, contains information or instructions by which the data reading device (and/or the host) is configured.

The field of the present invention relates to interconnection systems for computers and computer peripherals or more specifically, methods and devices for selecting proper interface between a computer peripheral and its host interface such as may include a computer.
Host computers need to be interconnected to a wide variety of peripheral devices including printers, scanners, monitors, and controllers among others. When the host computer is being connected to a certain type of peripheral, for example a handheld laser scanner, the computer typically has a single input/output connector to which the scanner may be connected by an interconnect cable. It is frequently desirable that a particular handheld scanner be usable with a variety of different host computers. Conversely, it is also desirable that the host computer be able to support a variety of different handheld scanners.
Heretofore there have been several systems for achieving proper configuration between the host computer and the peripheral. In a typical system, a particular peripheral is configured to work with a particular host computer or terminal, that is, the peripheral has contained a single dedicated interface. Similarly, the host computer was configured to accept only a particular type of peripheral. Any time the peripheral was moved to a different host computer, it was necessary to replace the interface software and hardware in the peripheral.
The host computer may include a software selection program in which the user inputs information identifying the particular peripheral enabling the system to have proper operation. Such an operation requires the user to correctly input information into the host computer identifying the particular peripheral. Alternately, means are provided for scanning a code on the outside of the peripheral which informs the computer of the type of peripheral. Some peripherals actually include identifying signals which again inform the particular host of the type of peripheral and software provides the desired configuration. Many of these systems still require correct interface hardware.
In another configuration technique, the peripheral includes interface hardware for more than one host computer. When configuring, the printed circuit board of the peripheral requires certain hardware configuration in order to be correctly linked to a host computer. Such hardware configuration may be effectuated by manually actuable external switches or by internal switches or "jumpers" within the printed circuit board (and/or within the host computer) which activate or deactivate certain components. Such an operation typically requires the expertise of an electronics technician or skilled user and is not a desirable field operation to be performed by the typical user. It is desirable to have an inexpensive and easy to use interconnection system which can be effectively used by the average user.

Multiple-interface selection system for computer peripherals


Monovalent compounds having moieties comprising at least one amino acid side chain are bound to a core molecule, which also comprises a nucleophilic moiety bound to said core molecule. Monovalent compounds also comprise a macrocyclic ring, a nucleophilic moiety, and a spacer group. Monovalent compounds may be combined into bivalent and trivalent compounds, some of which may have a labeling tag. Methods of production of bivalent compounds and contemplated uses thereof are disclosed.

Many proteins interact via two or more contact points that account for the majority of the binding energy between the two. Such a point of interaction may be termed a 'hot-spot.' Molecules may be designed having pharmacophores positioned with known separation to interact with these hot-spots. A molecule positioning two pharmacophores for interaction with hot spots may be termed a bivalent molecule. Bivalent compounds may have increased binding energy over similar monovalent compounds, since more than one pharmacophore may interact with the protein. Such compounds may be useful for studying protein-protein interactions, comprise a pharmaceutical lead compounds, or comprise pharmaceuticals.
For protein-protein interactions, studies have shown that amino acid side chain groups or side chains based on amino acid side chain groups contribute a majority of the binding energy, whereas main-chain carbonyl groups contribute relatively little toward the binding energy. Thus, pharmacophores bearing amino acid side chain groups or groups based on amino acid side chain groups are likely to have enhanced binding properties over compounds not having amino acid side chains. Drug leads utilizing unprotected amino acids as pharmacophores are undesirable from both a synthetic and pharmacological standpoint. In response to this need, peptidomimetics have been developed as a means to improve pharmacological properties and lessen synthetic burden. A number of different peptidomimetics have been prepared.
The ability to rapidly prepare libraries of compounds is advantageous for screening of new pharmacophores. Preparation of compound libraries is often achieved by combinatorial methods utilizing solid-phase syntheses. Solution-phase syntheses offer considerable handling advantages over solid-phase methods, but they are usually much slower than solid phase methods for production of compound libraries.
In view of the foregoing, it would be highly beneficial to design peptidomimetics having amino acid side chains or groups based on amino acid side chains, whose structures are amenable to rapid bivalent compound library syntheses by solution phase synthesis methods.

Dipeptide mimics, libraries combining two dipeptide mimics with a third group, and methods for production thereof


A sun visor system includes multiple visors to provide selective window coverage for glare. This system can be employed on the driver side, passenger side, or both. The second visor (50), having pivotal device (56) on support rod (54), can be easily connected to the first visor (20) support rod (24) to provide pivotal movements between the windshield and side window. These visors, first and second, can be moved together or separately to stored positions, windshield and side window blocked positions, or combinations of both positions to provide window protection from glare quickly and easily for windshield, side window, or both. Also support rod of the visor can be made of flexible material, like gooseneck arm, to further provide flexible adjustments of visor to desired positions to block glare from different angles or positions of vehicle window. This adjustable visor system can be applied to a single sun visor system or multiple visors system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the sun visor system and more specifically to the adjustable sun visor system consisting of two visors, with a pivotal device on the second visor support rod connecting to first visor to provide selective window coverage for the windshield, the side window, or both, and with the support rod made of flexible material to further provide flexible adjustments of visor(s) to desired positions to block glare from different angles.
2. Description of Prior Art
Vehicles are equipped with a single sun visor to protect the driver or passenger from the sunlight or glare. Although this single visor can be moved to either the windshield blocking position or side window blocking position, it is not easy to change between these positions, and it is troublesome, inconvenient, and not safe to change frequently between these positions. There is a need to have a side window visor (second visor) to be used together with the single or first sun visor to block the light from the front windshield or side window, or both.
There are patents with side window sun visors or multiple sun visors, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,381 to Kaluer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,632 to Adomeit. These visors need installation of extra brackets, or top and bottom clips, or nested pivotal mountings that are complicated to install and use.
Also the support rod of the visor is not flexible enough to adjust to cover the desired blocking positions for light coming from different angles. There is patent for dash mounting glare filter, U.S. Pat. No. 0,171,256 to Ward. Extra equipment, such as dashboard mounting glare filter, is required, and it is difficult to mount, install, and store for this reason. There is a need to have self-contained sun visor that can easily and flexibly be moved or bent to the desired blocking positions.

Adjustable sun visor system for vehicle windshield and side window


A receptacle connector with latch mechanism includes a receptacle housing which has a mating face, a plurality of sidewalls defining a cavity opening to the mating face, and a plurality of contacts receiving chambers formed in the cavity, a plurality of contacts received in the chambers, and a shielding cover having a plurality of side panels enclosing the sidewalls of the receptacle housing. One sidewall defines a pair of slots opening to the mating face, thereby forming a cantilevered latch arm between the pair of slots. One side panel defines a pair of gaps corresponding to the pair of slots, thereby forming a cantilevered elastic slice between the gaps that acts coordinately with the cantilevered latch arm to latch a mating plug connector when the mating plug connector is inserted into the cavity of the receptacle housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a receptacle connector, and more particular to a receptacle connector having a latch mechanism for securely and reliably connecting the receptacle connector to a mating plug connector.
2. The Related Art
Electrical connectors are widely applied in electrical connection systems. A reliable connection between a pair of mated electrical connectors is crucial to the system; otherwise electrical interruption may be frequently caused. To obtain a reliable connection, more and more connectors are designed to have latch mechanisms.
A conventional receptacle connector 300 as shown in FIG. 7 includes an insulating housing 11, a plurality of contacts 12 received in the insulating housing 11, and two-layered covers 13 and 14 enclosing the insulating housing 11. The inner cover 13 defines a plurality of elastic slices 131, and the outer cover 14 forms a plurality of apertures 141 corresponding to the elastic slices 131 of the inner cover 13. In assembling with a mating plug connector, free ends of the elastic slices 131 are biased in the apertures 141 respectively, therefore providing elastic engaging forces to latch the mating plug connector.
The engaging forces of the receptacle connector 300 as described above are achieved by adding the outer cover 14. However, on one hand, the added outer cover 14 increases cost of the receptacle connector 300. On the other hand, the engaging forces achieved by the elastic slices 131 and the apertures 141 structured as above are not strong enough to obtain a reliable connection between the receptacle connector 300 and the plug connector.

Receptacle connector with latch mechanism


A caulk dispensing assembly is configured to dispense caulk in a consistent manner. The caulk dispensing assembly has a bottom plate with a pair of bottom plate rails and bottom plate slot with a bottom plate slot tab. A caulk tube has a caulk tube tip and a caulk tube hanging tab. The caulk tube hanging tab is arranged around the bottom plate slot tab. A top plate is arranged between the pair of bottom plate rails. Sliding the top plate between the pair of bottom plate rails compresses the caulk tube causing caulk to be dispensed from the caulk tube tip in a consistent manner.

The embodiments herein relate generally to construction and civil engineering.
Prior to embodiments of the disclosed invention, mechanically dispensing caulk from small caulk tubes was difficult. In part this had to do with back pressure. As caulk was dispensed from a caulk tube front portion, pressure caused some of the remaining caulk to be pushed into a caulk tube back portion instead of being dispensed. Embodiments of the disclosed invention solve this problem.


A folding door apparatus for homes and other building structures that is formed of a plurality of panels hinged together in accordion fashion. The door panels are raised and lowered along parallel vertical rails by a pair of winding reels and cable. A stability pin and a plurality of guide pins extend from the outer side edge of selected panels. The rails are hinged to the structure's flooring, and define an inner and outer trackway. The inner trackway for receiving the stability pin, and the outer trackway for receiving the guide pins. The inner trackway further defines a release point at the approximate midway of the length of the rail. In application raising the door panels to an open position, the stability pin remains engaged within the inner railway until stability pin is raised to the release point. At release point the stability pin is disengaged from inner railway for proper folding of the panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a folding door apparatus in which a plurality of door panels are movable between an extended or unfolded position and a folded position relative to the opening in a building structure.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Prior art garage doors for homes and other building structures are built with several sections so they can be rolled up and stored overhead and move on a pair of rails so that the door moves from a vertical position to a horizontal position. Since the door when in the horizontal position has the same size as when it is in the vertical position it covers a large area of the ceiling and requires a large framework of tracks and straps.
The prior art further exemplifies various techniques for raising and lowering foldable door panels along vertical trackways. While the prior art relates to the broad concept of having adjacent panels connected to each other along horizontal edges for an accordian—type operation, the known arrangements are substantially complicated, are expensive to manufacture, and often require special hinging arrangements to withstand the forces associated with panel movement between extended and stacked positions.
As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcome the above problems and difficulties of the prior art.


The current invention is a novel high performance asphalt mixture using optimum dosages of fiber and tire-rubber. Specifically, this invention provides a process for developing high performance asphalt composite by augmenting the conventional mixtures with the optimum dosages of microfiber and recycled tire-rubber particles (RuFiAC mixtures).

Conventionally, fibers have been used in stone matrix asphalt (SMA) and open graded friction course (OGFC) mixtures to reduce the drained down effect of the binder. Recently, fiber inclusion in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures have gained popularity due its role in enhancing engineering characteristics including: strength, stiffness, durability, resistance to permanent deformation, and fatigue & reflective cracking. Prior studies have found that enhanced mechanical properties of blended polypropylene and aramid reinforced fiber HMA mixtures result in high service life, reduced life-cycle cost, and 33% reduction in CO2 immersion due to low maintenance. Other studies have reported that the blended polypropylene and aramid fibers reinforced HMA mixtures improve the mechanical properties as well as resistance to permanent deformation and fatigue cracking. It was found that the relationship between crack growth rate and C*-integral showed 40 times higher resistance to crack growth. Further, the control pavement test section exhibited 3 times more minor cracks than the fiber reinforced section after 2 years of service life.
Other studies have evaluated the performance of several types of fibers in HMA mixtures and found that the polyester and polyacrylonitrile enhanced the fatigue life and rutting resistance relative to lignin and asbestos fibers due to greater networking effects as well as geometry and physical aspects. On the other hand, the lignin and asbestos fibers exhibited better flexural strength and strain capacity, which was attributed to greater specific surface areas and greater asphalt absorption and stabilization. Finally, one prior study investigated the reinforcing effect of various types of fibers at −20° C. using indirect tensile strength test and concluded that adequate use of steel fibers could significantly enhance the cracking resistance at low temperature. The diameter of 0.4 mm and length of 30 mm exhibited the best mechanical characteristics for steel fiber reinforced HMA mixtures.
For several decades the recycled tire-rubber particles have been used to modified HMA mixtures. Tire-rubber modified HMA have shown improved strength, stiffness, viscoelastic characteristics, environmental benefits, life-cycle costs, and field performance. The mixing of tire-rubber can be achieved primarily through wet and dry processes. In the wet process powder tire-rubber particles are blended with asphalt binder at high temperature (<15% by wt. of binder). On the other hand, the dry process allows for tire-rubber addition as a replacement of aggregates (up to 3% by wt. of mix) and uses larger size particles. Dry process has been perfected over time. Its design requires gap graded gradation and use of anti-stripping agent such as hydrated lime. Dry process is preferred because it allows for direct addition of tire-rubber without high temperature processing which saves energy and minimizes CO2 emissions. Tire-rubber asphalt mixtures using dry process have more favorable Marshall's resistance than conventional mixtures. The dry process has also showed a better performance than the wet process in rutting resistance of mixtures at intermediate temperatures and resistance to rutting for crumb rubber modified SMA mixture using dry process, was similar to the SBS modified using the wet process. The fatigue life and rut resistance are significantly increased using both processes. However, the dry process mixtures shows more freeze thaw damage but exhibits equal performance once modified with hydrated lime.
This invention addresses the use of Tire-Rubber and Fiber Reinforced High Performance Asphalt Composite (RuFiAC) mixtures and their incorporation into the asphalt mix design to enhance pavement performance. The RuFiAC mixture has the potential to redefine pavement construction materials in terms of performance and potential applications due to its high performance to cost ratio. For example, increase in cost for Airport pavement is about 11% for fiber-reinforced pavement, which can be suffix by improving only 1-year of life extension. However, the life extension observed is several of years for fiber-reinforced pavements. Further 33% reduction in CO2 is expected in these Airports pavements due to increased service-life and low maintenance. Due to enhanced mechanical properties for the same pavement performance period the highway pavement thickness can also be reduced up to 40%, thus causing substantial savings. Therefore, using this novel RuFiAC mixture provides cost-effective solutions to pavement performance and management operations.
This invention is a leap forward towards the basic understanding of constructing advanced high performance asphalt composite using microfibers and tire-rubber particles. Increasing construction activities, combined with the rising cost of materials, have led to pressing need to improve the materials, infrastructure management tools, design procedures and performance prediction abilities. The proposed innovation directly addresses such needs by developing sustainable and durability pavement materials. The proposed innovation has a high potential of for commercialization and being licensed for its use.

Tire-rubber and fiber reinforced high performance asphalt composite (RuFiAC)


Methods for manufacturing a data storage device are provided. A method may include forming an interlayer dielectric layer on a substrate, patterning the interlayer dielectric layer in a peripheral region of the substrate to form first trenches, forming first bit lines in the first trenches, patterning the interlayer dielectric layer between the first bit lines in the peripheral region to form second trenches extending along the first trenches after the formation of the first bit lines, and forming second bit lines in the second trenches.

The present inventive concepts relate to methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to methods for manufacturing a data storage device.
Semiconductor devices are widely used in the electronic industry because of their small size, multi-function capabilities, and/or low manufacturing costs. Data storage devices are semiconductor devices that may store logic data. Data storage devices have become more highly integrated with the development of the electronic industry. Thus, widths and spaces of elements constituting data storage devices have been reduced.
Additionally, high reliability of data storage devices has been demanded along with their higher integration. However, the reliability of data storage devices may be deteriorated as integration increases. Thus, data storage devices are being continuously developed to improve their reliability.


A limiter used to limit the motion of a ring gimbal with attached slider relative to a load beam within a head suspension assembly of a disk drive. The ring gimbal includes a flexible substrate supporting at least one electrical lead and a limiter assembly joined to a portion of the flexible substrate. The ring gimbal also includes a tongue portion disposed within a substantially ring-like portion. The limiter is attached to a first surface of the tongue portion. The gimbal may further include a slider attached to a second surface of the tongue portion, wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface of the tongue portion.

Many computers utilize disk drives for data storage and retrieval, such as magnetic recording hard disk drives that utilize a head assembly for reading and/or writing data on a rotatable magnetic disk. In such systems, the head assembly is typically attached to an actuator arm by a head suspension assembly comprising a head suspension and an aerodynamically designed slider onto which a read/write head is provided. When the head is positioned over a spinning disk during usage, the head position is at least partially controlled by balancing a lift force that is caused by an air bearing generated by the spinning disk and acting upon the slider, and an opposite bias force of the head suspension. In operation, the slider and head are designed to "fly" over the spinning disk at precisely determined distances from the disk surface at speeds that can range from 3600 revolutions per minute to over 15,000 revolutions per minute.
Head suspensions generally include an elongated load beam with a gimbal flexure located at a distal end of the load beam, and a base plate or other mounting means at a proximal end of the load beam. The gimbal flexure includes spring or gimbal arms that support a platform or tongue to which the slider is mounted. During operation of such a disk drive, the gimbal arms permit the slider to pitch and roll about a load dimple or load point of the load beam, thereby allowing the slider to follow the surface of the disk as it rotates, even if the disk surface is warped, has an irregular topography, or the like. The gimbal flexure, including the gimbal arms and tongue, are thus designed to provide a flexible connection to allow the necessary pitch and roll of the slider relative to the rotating disk surface. In addition to the variations in the disk surface, other operational and manufacturing considerations within the assembly itself can cause undesirable pitch and roll. For example, misalignment of components within the assembly can cause torque to be placed on the slider, which can induce the type of pitch and roll that can change the critical spacing between the slider and the disk surface.
Other head suspension assembly considerations are also important for proper alignment and performance of the various components. One other such consideration is the angular orientation of the tongue to which the slider is attached relative to the disk surface, which is also referred to as the "static attitude". If the static attitude is not held to precise tolerances, torque may be imparted to the slider, which can also create undesirable pitch and roll of the slider relative to the disk surface.
In order to provide control of the critical spacing between the slider and disk surface, the pitch and roll stiffnesses of the gimbal flexure should be relatively low, which results in generally undesirable low vertical stiffness. In cases where the gimbal flexure has a low vertical stiffness, the mass of an attached slider can be significant enough to cause the gimbal tongue to separate from the load beam by a distance that causes permanent deformation or damage to the gimbal flexure structure. This damage is particularly likely when shock loads are imparted to the head suspension during its manufacturing processes and/or operation within a disk drive. To protect the fragile gimbal flexure structure from such damage, the head suspension may be provided with a limiter that, when engaged, can limit movement of the slider relative to the load beam, but still allows for low pitch and roll stiffnesses.
Various limiter features have been developed for use in head suspension assemblies, particularly in the gimbal region of such assemblies. For example, in the traditional Watrous-style gimbals known in the art, various limiter features have been used which limit the motion of the gimbal tongue and prevent large linear and rotary deflections of the gimbal tongue and the attached slider, particularly during shock events. In other words, the features of the limiter may serve the purpose of "engaging" during shock events to limit certain types of movement. A head suspension assembly may be subjected to such shock during assembly, testing, and/or shipping, for example, which can cause components of the assembly to become undesirably deformed or displaced relative to each other. Other shock events may occur when the suspension is part of a personal computer disk drive that is dropped or otherwise subjected to a sudden impact load that can cause the components of the suspension to displace relative to each other and relative to a disk surface. In these cases, a limiter can serve the purpose of preventing undesirable displacement of the gimbal tongue and slider components away from the load beam.
Previous versions of limiters involved forming a limiter prior to welding the various suspension components together. In these situations, a complex weaving motion was needed to properly position the tongue or gimbal component so that it could later be "caught" during shock events. This disadvantage was overcome with the use of components that allowed for welding prior to forming the limiters, which facilitated the automation of welding. Specifically, suspension components could be aligned or positioned relative to each other immediately prior to welding the components together.
Details regarding an integral flexible circuit suspension assembly and a polymeric ring gimbal which achieves very low pitch and roll stiffnesses without sacrificing high vertical and lateral stiffness can be found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,832 to Girard, titled "Gimbal Stiffness Control for Head Suspension Assemblies", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The various features of this ring gimbal allow for setting nominal static angles while maintaining static angle positions throughout temperature and humidity changes. However, at extremely high G forces, it is possible that this gimbal may be damaged or distorted. Thus, it would be advantageous to optionally add a limiter to a polymeric ring gimbal of this type for certain applications or to add a limiter to other gimbal flexures that could utilize an additional protection feature. It would further be advantageous that this limiter could be added without requiring any weaving of components during assembly of the suspension and without having to form the limiter after welding.

Limiter for integral flexible circuit suspension assembly and method of assembling


To provide a wafer, a method of manufacturing a package, and a piezoelectric oscillator in which warping of a wafer body is reduced to improve the yields. A wafer for lid substrate has a product region in which a number of recess portions for cavities are formed and a non-forming region of the recess portions set in the product region in the form of a straight line extending along a diameter direction of the product region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wafer, a method of manufacturing a package, and a piezoelectric oscillator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a piezoelectric oscillator (in the form of a package) using crystal or the like as a time source, a timing source for a control signal or the like, or a reference signal source has been used in cellular phones and portable information terminal devices (see, for example, JP-A-2010-124015). Various piezoelectric oscillators of this type are known, and a piezoelectric oscillator of an SMD (Surface-Mounting Device) type is known as one example thereof. The piezoelectric oscillator of this type includes, for example, a base substrate and a lid substrate bonded together and made of a glass material, a cavity formed between the substrates, and a piezoelectric oscillating strip (electronic part) housed in the cavity with hermetical sealing.
For manufacturing the abovementioned piezoelectric oscillator, a plurality of recess portions for cavities are first formed in row and column directions over the entire wafer for lid substrate, and a piezoelectric oscillating strip is mounted on a wafer for base substrate in association with each of the cavities in the wafer for lid substrate. Then, the wafers are anodic-bonded with a bonding layer (metal film) interposed between them to provide a wafer bonded unit including a plurality of packages formed in the row and column directions on the wafer. The wafer bonded unit is cut for each of the packages (each of the cavities) formed in the wafer bonded unit to manufacture a plurality of piezoelectric oscillators having the piezoelectric oscillating strips enclosed in the cavities with hermetical sealing.

Wafer, method of manufacturing package, and piezoelectric oscillator


According to one embodiment, an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition includes any of the compounds of general formula (I) below, a compound that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, generates an acid and a hydrophobic resin. (The characters used in general formula (I) have the meanings mentioned in the description.)RN-A−X+  (I)

In the production process for semiconductor devices, such as ICs and LSIs, it is conventional practice to perform microfabrication by lithography using a photoresist composition. In recent years, the formation of an ultrafine pattern in the submicron region or quarter-micron region is increasingly demanded in accordance with the realization of high integration for integrated circuits. Accordingly, the trend of exposure wavelength toward a short wavelength, for example, from g-rays to i-rays and further to KrF excimer laser light is seen.
Resist compositions for KrF comprising a resin whose fundamental skeleton consists of a poly(hydroxystyrene) have been developed. As such a resin, it is known to use, for example, a copolymer from hydroxystyrene and a monomer containing an adamantyl group (see, for example, patent reference 1).
In contrast, as resist compositions for which mainly an ArF light source is used, those comprising a resin containing no aromatic ring have been developed. For example, compositions comprising a resin with a specified lactone structure are known (see, for example, patent reference 2). Moreover, as a photoacid generator of high transmission, it was reported to use an alkyl aryl onium salt (see, for example, patent references 3 and 4).
Meanwhile, it was reported to use compounds having a basic moiety, each of which when exposed to radiation, generates an acid to thereby have its basicity lowered or become neutral, with the intent to attain an enhancement of pattern profile, line edge roughness or the like (see, for example, patent references 5 and 6).
As a result of the inventors' study, it has become apparent that the use of a compound having a basic moiety that when exposed to radiation, generates an acid to thereby have its basicity lowered or become neutral is likely to cause the resist composition to be unstable.

Actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition and method of forming pattern using the composition


Electrodes having nanostructure and/or utilizing nanoparticles of active materials and having high mass loadings of the active materials can be made to be physically robust and free of cracks and pinholes. The electrodes include nanoparticles having electroactive material, which nanoparticles are aggregated with carbon into larger secondary particles. The secondary particles can be bound with a binder to form the electrode.

Electrodes having nanostructure and/or utilizing nanoparticles of active materials can exhibit improved performance in energy storage devices compared to traditional electrodes that do not take advantage of nanomaterials. However, one of the challenges is forming a sufficiently large area of uniform active-material nanoparticles with desirable thickness or active mass loading. Only thin electrodes and low active mass loadings have been demonstrated in electrodes having nanoparticles due to the development of cracks and pinholes in electrodes having commercially relevant thicknesses or active mass loadings. For example, in lithium sulfur batteries, the active cathode material, sulfur, is usually loaded in nanosized pores of carbon hosts. This can make improvement of sulfur loading on the electrode difficult while still keeping a large area of uniform coating. Accordingly, a need exists for thick electrodes having nanoparticles of active materials and methods for making the same.

Thick electrodes including nanoparticles having electroactive materials and methods of making same


The present invention is directed to a water heater which includes a phase change material having a freezing/melting temperature from about 30xc2x0 C. to about 90xc2x0 C. The water heater include a source of water, a heating element for heating the water, a heat exchange unit which contains the material, and a plurality of heat exchange tubes positioned in the heat exchange unit, which tubes are in heat transfer relation to the phase change material so that heat stored in the material can be transferred to the water. The phase change material is preferably heated from the top down to accommodate the changes in volume during thermocycling.

Conventional water heaters provide heated water by storing heat energy in the water. Because the heat energy is stored in the water, a large portion of the heater must be dedicated to storing the heated water until it is used. Typically, water stores approximately 10 calories/gram of heat per 10xc2x0 C. increments. By requiring a large portion of the heater for storage of heated water, the water heater must be of reasonable size to store enough heated water for use in a standard residential environment. Typical residential water heaters have a 50-60 gallon capacity. For use in buildings and industry, water heaters must be even larger.
Water heaters consume a high percentage of residential energy heating water for bathing, washing dishes, washing clothes and heating homes and offices. In homes heated by electricity, the consumption of electric power is even greater. Overall, a large imbalance in electric power usage exists during the day time due primarily to the large amounts of power consumed by industry, businesses and public transportation. To compensate for the extensive day time use of electric power, utility companies provide generating capacity sufficient to supply day time usage, leaving unused capacity available for the night hours.
Thus, a need has arisen in the art for a water heater which can more efficiently heat water, which can make effective use of utilities during off-peak hours to minimize building and household power consumption and which would consequently reduce building and household utility costs.
Water heaters are known which utilize phase change materials to heat water more effectively. Such phase change materials have a latent heat which is greater than the sensible heat of liquid water. A water heater utilizing a phase change material is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,106. The heater includes heat exchange tubes positioned in a heat exchange unit containing the phase change material such that the heat stored in the phase change material can be transferred to water.
However, a disadvantage of the use of phase change materials is that they expand upon melting and contract upon freezing. Where neat phase change materials are used, a substantial change in volume occurs which can lead to rupture of the container in which the phase change materials are held. It is possible to eliminate significant changes in volume during thermocycling by using modified formulations of phase change materials such as a mixture of a phase change material/silica dry powder, or a melt mix of phase change material/high density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate/silica. However, such mixes contain only about 60% by weight phase change material. Compositions containing a higher content of phase change materials are desirable in order to provide a higher level of thermal storage.
Accordingly, there is still a need in the art for a water heater utilizing a phase change material to effectively heat water which provides improved thermal storage without the problems of volume changes due to melting and freezing.
The present invention meets that need by providing a water heater which can more effectively heat water by utilizing greater amounts of phase change materials in a container in which heating of the phase change material is initiated at the top of the unit and cooling is initiated at the bottom of the unit. By operating in this manner, the volume of the phase change material in the container is effectively controlled so to as to provide sufficient space for expansion and contraction.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a water heater for heating water is provided comprising a source of water, a top water reservoir and a bottom water reservoir, a heating element for heating the water, and a heat exchange unit having an upper section and a lower section and outer walls, where the heat exchange unit contains a phase change material therein. A plurality of heat exchange tubes are positioned in the heat exchange unit with the phase change material located between and around the heat exchange tubes to substantially fill any spaces between the heat exchange tubes. The tubes are in heat transfer relation to the phase change material and in fluid connection with the source of water so that the water heated by the heating element flows through the tubes and heats the phase change material. The heat stored in the phase change material is then transferred through the tubes to water flowing therethrough at nearly constant temperatures equivalent to the freezing/melting temperature of the phase change material.
The water heater preferably further includes a shell having an exterior surface, where the heat exchange unit is enclosed in the shell, and a layer of insulation is included on the exterior surface of the shell. Preferably, the insulation has an xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d value of at least about 10. The insulation is preferably vacuum panel insulation having an xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d value of at least about 20 per inch of thickness.
The heating of the phase change material is initiated in the upper section of the heat exchange unit. In one embodiment of the invention, the phase change material is heated by heating the water in the top water reservoir. In this embodiment, the heating element comprises a resistance heating element positioned in the top water reservoir.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the heating element comprises a plurality of resistance heating elements positioned on the outer walls of the heat exchange unit. The heating elements are activated sequentially from the top to the bottom.
By heating the phase change material from the top to the bottom, the phase change material melts and expands into free space at the top of the unit.
The phase change material preferably comprises 100% by weight of a linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbon having a melting/freezing temperature from about 20xc2x0 C. to 100xc2x0 C., and more preferably, from about 30xc2x0 C. to 90xc2x0 C.
In a preferred embodiment, the phase change material includes from about 2 to 10% by weight of a polymer selected from the group consisting of EPDM, polyisobutylene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, chlorinated polyethylene, polyalkyl acrylate, and polyalkyl methacrylate rubber. More preferably, the phase change material includes from about 2 to 10% by weight of a polymer selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, crystalline ethylene/propylene copolymers, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymers ethyl/methacrylate copolymers, ethylene/glycol polymers, and polyethylene oxide. The polymers act as a thickening agent to reduce the potential for leakage.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the phase change material is in the form of a gel comprising from about 80 to 90% by weight of a linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbon and about 10 to 20% by weight silica particles.
In another alternative embodiment, the phase change material is imbibed in a porous material such as an open cell foam.
The phase change material may also include from about 5 to 15% by weight carbon black to increase the thermal conductivity of the phase change material.
The phase change material may also include from about 5 to about 50% by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper in order to improve heat transfer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water heater which employs large amounts of a phase change material which is heated from top to bottom. These, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent from the following drawings, detailed description and claims.

Water heating unit with integral thermal energy storage


A mobile cutter robot for making a hole is equipped with a rotary grinder assembly consisting essentially of an abrasive body having an axis of rotation, a ball bearing coaxially embedded in the surface of the abrasive body, and a tubular connector by which the rotary grinder assembly is detachably connected to a drive shaft of the cutter robot.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remote control rotary cutter robot equipped with a rotary grinder disk, which robot is used to bore through a hardened lining material at a certain step in a pipe repair operation wherein the lining material is applied to the inner wall of a pipe having a branch pipe branching therefrom.

Rotary grinder assembly and a cutter robot


A virtual concatenation method for optical channels in WDM networks. In transmission, the method includes providing for a plurality of frames, each frame including a byte reserved for a concatenation flag; writing the same predefined value in the concatenation byte of n frames (n=1, 2, 3, . . . ); and transmitting the n frames via n respective channels (λ1, λ2, . . . λn). In reception, it includes receiving the first reference frame at one instant; reading the concatenation byte value of the reference frame; receiving the remaining signal frames after a respective determined time; reading the value of the concatenation byte of the remaining signal frames; and identifying and aligning all the signal frames with the same concatenation byte value compensating the reception times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to optical telecommunication networks and in particular concerns WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) networks. Furthermore in particular, the present invention is concerned with the virtual concatenation of the optical channels in such WDM networks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As it is known for instance from the ITU-T Recommendation G. 707, the contiguous concatenation of a number X of Administrative Units 4 (AU-4-Xc) consists in concatenating together a number of AU-4s so as to transport together payloads (information part proper of an SDH frame) that require a greater capacity than the one provided by a single container having capacity 4 (VC4). In this way, the available capacity in the multicontainer 4 is X times the capacity of the single container-4 (for instance, 599040 Mbit/s for X=4 and 2396160 Kbit/s for X=16). In the concatenation of contiguous AU-4s, it is used a concatenation indication, contained in the pointer of the various AU-4s (except the first one), to indicate that the payload of the multicontainer-4 (carried in a single VC-4-Xc) should be kept together. The concatenation indication indicates that the pointer processors shall perform the same operations as performed on the first AU-4 of the AU-4-Xc. Therefore, the assumption made is that the various pointers are equal in such a way that, during the transmission in a network, shifts between one VC-4 and the other are not created, so as to be able to easily read the received data in the correct sequence. The network is required to transport information payload) without changing the value of the various pointers with respect to the first pointer (i.e. there is no reciprocal shifting).
Therefore, the principal objective of the concatenation is to transport, in an advantageous manner, the payload signals having bit rates different from the standard ones for synchronous hierarchy signals.
The so-called Inverse Multiplexing, typical of the ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) transmissions, wherein pipes and high bit rates are transported by different independent signals E1, can be considered as an alternative technique. This technique can be regarded as an adaptation of the client layer to the transport means.
The objective of the concatenation is to provide those transport functionalities avoiding the need to adopt expensive equipment to carry out the adaptation. That is to say, it is the transport apparatus that performs the adaptation function that is not made at client level.
The virtual concatenation (ITU-T Recommendation G. 707) has been developed to provide concatenation functionalities in networks where the contiguous concatenation is not supported, thus avoiding the replacement of all the network elements. In the virtual concatenation, the pointer values shall no longer be strictly connected and, further, it does not exhibit the strictness of the contiguous concatenation that could be realized only with pre-established numbers X, for instance X=4, X=16 or X=64.
The virtual concatenation, therefore, does not affect the complexity of the network elements inside the network, but it complicates only the processing (with adaption operations) at the "peripheral" nodes of the transmission network. This results in an undoubted economic advantage since it may be adopted in all the existing networks without replacing the major parts of the nodes (all the nodes inside the network), merely replacing, or at least adapting, the network input/output peripheral nodes.
Another advantage of the virtual concatenation is that it can be adopted also with any Virtual Container (not only with the VC-4s) of the SONET/SDH hierarchies.
A flag is provided in the POHs (path Overheads) of the various virtually concatenated Virtual Containers (VCs). Such a flag is substantially a counter advancing at every step, i.e. at every POH. The network input mapping is like in the contiguous concatenation but, afterwards, the pointers are free to move relative to one another. Each VC has its own POH. A common counter provides a computation basis where the values are placed on all the POHs (in an identical way, namely the same value on all the POHs). Downstream of the transport network, the demapping occurs: the first VC of the concatenation reaches the value of the other VC counters and the shift accumulated among the various VCs in the transport network is determined. This shift (or staggering) is compensated for through the use of buffers. In this way, the client signal is provided perfectly equalized at the output.
The use of buffers can be considered the sole drawback of the virtual concatenation since it is added to the cost of the terminal nodes of the transport network: obviously this small complexity is negligible as compared with the cost for replacing/updating the nodes, should the concatenation not be used or the contiguous concatenation be utilized.
All the above relates to the SONET or SDH transport network, but the use of similar techniques in the art of WDM optical transport networks is not known. At present the sole possible way known to transport higher bit rates as compared with those carried by single wavelengths, is to split the information into several channels at client level. However, this technique is applicable only in end-to-end services and cannot be applied in the core of the transport network.

Virtual concatenation of optical channels in WDM networks


A recording medium transport device includes a transport roller unit nipping a recording medium and transporting it to a recording area, the transport roller unit including a sheet detection lever coming in contact with a leading end part of the recording medium to detect it and a width detection lever coming in contact with the recording medium having a wide width to detect the width of the recording medium which are disposed at an upstream side of the recording area, the sheet detection lever is disposed substantially at a center part of the recording medium in a width direction, the width detection lever is disposed at a side part away from the center part toward one side in the width direction. An urging force of the width detection lever is set to be smaller than an urging force of the sheet detection lever to the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium transport device that nips and transports a recording medium, and an image forming apparatus including the recording medium transport device and a printing part.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, in an apparatus for forming an image by causing ink jetted from a nozzle of an ink-jet recording head to adhere to a recording medium, the recording medium (hereinafter referred to as a sheet) is made to intermittently move (step feeding) in a sub-scanning direction every specified length, and during the stop of the intermittent movement, a carriage on which the recording head is mounted is moved in a main scanning direction, and an image is formed in every specified area.
In that case, an upstream side transport roller pair at a transport upstream side (hereinafter simply referred to as an upstream side) in a sheet transport direction (sub-scanning direction) and a downstream side transport roller pair at a transport downstream side (hereinafter simply referred to as a downstream side) are disposed at both sides of the recording head, the sheet is nipped by both the roller pairs, and both the roller pairs are intermittently driven to move the sheet in the sub-scanning direction.
Incidentally, it is known from JP-A-10-77136, etc., that in order to control a state in which the leading end of the sheet is nipped by the upstream side transport roller pair and a timing when the recording head starts a printing operation to the sheet, a registration detection sensor (sheet detection sensor) for detecting the leading end of the sheet and a registration detection lever (sheet detection lever) are provided at a slightly upstream side of the upstream side transport roller pair.
In the structure according to JP-A-10-77136, a pipe shaft long in the main scanning direction is rotatably supported at a halfway part of a pinch roller holder for supporting a pinch roller pressed to a drive roller of the upstream side transport roller pair, and a front lever piece is fixed to one side (right end part) of the pipe shaft. The front lever piece is made to face on a lower place from a rectangular hole bored in the right end part of the pinch roller holder, and the tip of the front lever piece is positioned on a side of a nipped part of the sheet by the upstream side transport roller pair. Then, an upper end of a rear lever piece provided to be coupled with a left end part of the pipe shaft is urged by a torsion spring so that it enters the sheet detection sensor composed of a photo interrupter.
On the other hand, it is known from JP-A-7-76140, etc., that a width detection sensor for detecting a sheet width is provided, and a printing work area is controlled correspondingly to the sheet width in a direction orthogonal to a sheet transport direction.
In JP-A-7-76140, plural sheet detection levels are disposed in the main scanning direction in, for example, ascending order of sheet width and at respective partition places of a postcard size, a B5 size, a LTR (letter) size, and an A4 size, and the plural sheet width detection levers are disposed while their phases are shifted from each other in the rotation direction. In addition to those, one second switch lever is disposed at a downstream side of detection positions of the plural sheet width detection levers, and a difference in time between detection of a sheet by the sheet width detection lever and detection of the sheet by the second switch lever is judged to detect the sheet size.
In the mechanical sensor such as the registration sensor (the sheet detection lever, the registration detection lever) and the sheet width detection lever in JP-A-10-77136 and JP-A-7-76140 as the prior art, every lever is spring urged in a direction of blocking the sheet transport path in a state where the sheet is not detected.

Recording medium transport device and image forming apparatus


Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide waveguide structures and methods of forming such structures where core and laterally adjacent cladding regions are defined. Some embodiments of the present invention provide waveguide structures where core regions are collectively surrounded by laterally adjacent cladding regions and cladding layers and methods of forming such structures.

Data transfer using optical frequency carrier waves generated by sources such as lasers or light-emitting diodes is becoming increasingly important. One means for conducting or guiding such optical frequency carrier waves from one point to another is an optical waveguide. Optical waveguides encompass a first medium which is essentially transparent to the light of the optical frequency carrier waves and a second medium having a lower refractive index than that of the first medium. The first medium is surrounded by, or otherwise enclosed within, the second medium. Light introduced into an end of the first medium undergoes total internal reflection at the boundary with the second medium and thus is guided along an axis of the first medium Perhaps the most frequently used optical transport medium is glass formed into an elongated fiber.
However, while glass optical fibers are convenient for data transfer over long distances, they are inconvenient for complex high-density circuitry because the high density of such circuitry makes their use problematic and expensive. Polymeric materials, on the other hand, hold great promise for constructing cost effective, reliable, passive and active integrated components capable of performing the required functions for integrated optics.
Therefore, considerable effort has been directed to forming optical coupling devices and more recently to optical waveguides that can be formed of polymeric materials using photohardenable techniques. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,620, to Booth et al., waveguide structures having a predetermined geometry and a process for forming these structures using photohardenable techniques are disclosed. The structures of the '620 patent encompass at least one buried channel waveguide in a laminated matrix where the waveguide and any connecting structures are first formed in a photohardenable film detachably disposed on a supporting substrate. After such first forming, the photohardenable film is detached from the supporting substrate and laminated between first and second photohardenable layers. In this manner, regions of the photohardenable layer adjacent the waveguide channel region and any connecting structures serve as cladding regions in the plane of the layer and the first and second photohardenable layers serve as cladding layers above and below that plane.
On the other hand, JP laid-open patent publications Nos. 2004-35838 H10-48443 and 2001-296438 disclose a method of exposing a polymer film to an actinic radiation, to change the chemical structure of the polymer so as to obtain a waveguide structure.