A closure of a metallic container for beverages has at an opening thereof to be cleared, a pulling ring which, as it is pulled from the can, tears off a stamped surface defining that opening. The closure further includes a protective sheet applied to the stamped surface. The protective sheet is removed after pulling the ring, thereby preventing contamination by noxious substances the interior of the container upon opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closure that is particularly designed to be used in metal containers containing drinks, generally called "cans" or "tins", the structural chacteristics thereof being aimed at achieving the highest hygienic standards upon opening the container, in addition to providing the relevant closure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various systems exist within the field of canned drink closures to provide a can with a closure.
One such system involves making a continous notch along the perimeter of one of the can surfaces, at the same time attaching a ring to one of the ends thereof, whereupon the notched surface can be removed by pulling slightly to provide a wide outlet be provided for the liquid, which can even be drunk straight out of the can, by closing the mouth upon the opening provided. This system clearly has two drawbacks, to wit: the surface and ring provided for closure purposes are detached and these cutting objects are therefore to be found in the most inconvenient places; and secondly, in clear token of how little hygienic the use of the closure is upon opening, after handling and/or storage the surface that is to be removed from the container in order for the liquid therein contained to be able to exit, and the surface close to the portion removed, is in most cases soiled upon being used with substances that are harmful to health, and with micro-organisms that could well cause diseases to be passed on.
Another known system involves providing a notch, never actually making up a closed perimeter, upon one of the can surfaces, likewise providing some form of connecting at one of its ends, thereby for a slight effort to allow the notched surface to be pushed into the container, and for providing wide outlet for the liquid, that can even be drunk straight from the can by closing the mouth upon the opening provided. An aspect of this system is a clear token of how little hygienic the use of the seal is upon opening, for after handling and/or storage the surface that is to be pushed into container in order for the liquid therein contained to be able to exit, and the surface close to this portion, is in most cases soiled upon being used with substances that are harmful to health, and with microorganisms that could well cause diseases to be passed on.
In an attemp at solving this problem, European Patent EP-0 385 954 is known where the notched surface is covered with an adhesive sheet which runs right up to the areas that surround the upper base of the can, leaving its manually operated ring free, and that is detached upon pulling from the ring, together with the portion of a torn plate attached to the latter.
In this European Patent the problem posed by the detachment of the tearable surface and the pulling ring remains, because these elements can be disposed of independently from the can as such, and in addition the solution of the second aspect is only partial, above all when the contents are consumed directly from the inside of the container and also when pouring into a cup or other receptacle is not effected in a single operation, because in such event liquid waste remains upon the upper can base and reaches all of its surface, hence being contaminated with germs or dirt that the same may have upon the unprotected area of such base, returning towards the pouring area when the can is tilted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,403 seems to provide the opposite solution, viz. the problem of not rendering the notched surface independent upon opening the can is solved, and yet no solution, albeit partially, is provided for the contamination problem of the contents of the can when the latter is opened.


A pressure cylinder is accommodated in a printing assembly and provided with electrostatically assisted ink transfer. Its shaft is mounted in the framework of a printing press. It has a semiconductive jacket that is mounted over a steel surface and can be electrically charged. The shaft is electrically connected to the surface of the cylinder and electrically insulated from the framework. An electric potential can be applied to the shaft in order to charge the semiconductive jacket.

The invention concerns a pressure cylinder accommodated in a printing assembly and provided with electrostatically assisted ink transfer.
Many printing aids of this type are known. They produce an electric field in the nip between the pressure cylinder and a plate cylinder. The field promotes the transfer of ink from the ink cylinder to the substrate, which is usually a web of paper. A charge is simultaneously applied to the surface of the pressure cylinder from outside, specifically to the semiconducting jacket.
These known embodiments have a drawback in that each pressure cylinder must be adapted to the technical requirements of each type of press. This necessitates considerable engineering.

Pressure cylinder with electrostatically assisted ink transfer


A scalable reconfigurable register file (SRRF) containing multiple register files, read and write multiplexer complexes, and a control unit operating in response to instructions is described. Multiple address configurations of the register files are supported by each instruction and different configurations are operable simultaneously during a single instruction execution. For example, with separate files of the size 32×32 supported configurations of 128×32 bit s, 64×64 bit s and 32×128 bit s can be in operation each cycle. Single width, double width, quad width operands are optimally supported without increasing the register file size and without increasing the number of register file read or write ports.

In prior systems, a processor was typically required to support a restricted set of data types in the execution units and storage units that supplied the execution units with data. The restriction of the data types represented a compromise between an application's real needs, performance requirements, and implementation costs. If requirements for a processor dictated more optimal support for both single width and packed data type operations, there arose a number of problems that had to be resolved in the design and implementation of the processor.
One approach to using a single register file design to support both single width and packed data types employs multiple read and write ports, where each port is of the lowest data type granularity required for single width accesses. For example, consider a processor required to support a 32 bit operand single width access and a dual 32 bit packed data access from a local storage unit, such as a register file. In this example, each register file access port is fixed to support 32 bit accesses, thereby optimizing operations for single width accesses. In order to support the reading of two 32 bit packed data elements in a single execution unit, two 32 bit data read ports are implemented in the single register file. This approach leads to increased complexity. For example, in a typical execution operation, such as a dual 32 bit packed data add operation in an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) requiring two source operands and one target operand, four read ports would be required in the register file to meet the source operand requirement and two write ports would be required for the target operand. Thus, a total of six 32 bit access ports would be required for this example.
The implementation of multiple read and write ports grows in complexity when considering (VLIW) architectures. In a VLIW processor using a single register file design to support multiple execution units, the access requirement for the single register file grows by multiples according to the number of instructions in the VLIW. For example, with three execution units, similar to the previously described ALU, each with four read and two write ports, the single register file would be required to support twelve read ports and six write ports. A total of eighteen access ports would be needed. The total number of access ports increases when considering possible load and store ports which may be required for independent operation. Placing these additional access ports in a single register file increases the complexity and implementation costs of the register file design and can severely affect the register file's performance, and thereby limit the overall processor performance.
Attempting to resolve such complexity and performance problems by supporting only the larger packed data types of the architecture in the register file and supporting smaller data type accesses external to the register file, leads to inefficient use of the register file and potential increases in power, due to the inefficiency. For example, with a register file having only 64 bit read access ports, the ability to support dual 32 bit packed data accesses is easily accomplished, but the support for single width 32 bit accesses becomes complicated. A single width 32 bit access can be accomplished external to the register file but at the expense of always reading 64 bit s when only single 32 bit s width accesses are required. For single 32 bit accesses, only 32 bit s of the 64 bit s accessed are used with the consequent increase in power associated with the unused access.
When executing algorithms, it is desirable to have a storage file that can be organized to more advantageously support processing of the varying data types and formats that dynamically occur in a programming application. For example, a register file of large width for high precision operations can be required in one part of an application while single and multiple parallel operations on lower precision data can be required in a different part of the same application. Flexibly satisfying these diverse data type requirements may result in high hardware costs, such as those typically associated with implementing a wider register file and additional read and write ports. The general problem concerns the optimization of a programmer's storage facility, such as a register file, for use in accessing diverse data types in a manner that dynamically is usable without setup overhead, improves processor performance, is cost efficient to implement, and is scalable.

Methods and apparatus for dynamic instruction controlled reconfigurable register file


A device for producing sausages having at least two coextrusion heads for co-extruding strands of sausage meat which are encased with a casing material, a joint supply is provided for the sausage meat and/or a joint supply is provided for the casing material, each being connected via individual supply elements to the coextrusion heads. The device permits producing exact products where at least the supply means for the casing material and/or the associated supply elements regulating/controlling the volume and/or the pressure of the casting material flow.

A device and a method of this type are known from WO 02/060264 A1.
Furthermore, extrusion systems are known with which several skinless strands of sausage meat are produced and processed at the same time. These extrusion systems comprise a plurality of extrusion nozzles that are horizontally arranged side by side, and they are capable of producing up to ten strands running in parallel with one another from the machine. A reservoir is here provided, from which sausage meat is pumped through a feed line into a distributor which supplies the sausage meat to the individual nozzles. The distributor is configured as a pressure chamber which is followed by a pump block which conveys the sausage meat contained in the pressure chamber to the nozzles. Air inclusions are avoided by conveying the sausage meat into the pressure chamber, and homogenization is achieved. Moreover, a compensating buffer effect is achieved between the supply and the pump delivery.
Such systems, however, are only configured for extruding skinless strands. The coextrusion of sausages which are surrounded with a skin poses special problems that do not arise during extrusion, especially as regards the mounting of the sausage casing.
An example of a coextrusion system in which a collagen casing is injected around a pasty inner mass, especially consisting of sausage meat, is known from EP 1 371 293. This coextrusion system is equipped with a single coextrusion head. The material for producing the casing is supplied by means of a pump to the coextrusion head and is injected, by means of an annular gap which coaxially surrounds the inner mass in the coextrusion head, onto said mass, whereby an outer skin is produced.
Although the percentage of the outer skin in the whole sausage is only small, variations in the delivered amount of the casing material have a strongly disadvantageous effect because a supply amount varying from product to product must not be fallen below for producing a stable, i.e. sufficiently thick, sausage casing. On the other hand, however, the amount of the supplied casing material should not be too great. Although a great amount improves the stability of the sausage casing, the further treatment of the products is impaired because the drying time is in particular extended. Furthermore, a sausage casing that is too thick has a disadvantageous effect on the later consumption of the product because in such a case the sausage is not "crispy".
The stability of the sausage casing on the one hand and the fast further treatment of the product and the consumption friendliness on the other hand can only be ensured if very narrow quantitative tolerances are observed during supply of the casing material.
The quantitatively exact supply of casing material is further rendered difficult if several parallel-operating coextrusion heads are used for simultaneously producing several sausage strands.
Such a coextrusion system with several heads is known from the above-mentioned WO 02/060264 A1. This system comprises six coextrusion heads that are arranged in parallel and are connected to a distributor strip for the supply of sausage meat and to a distributor strip for the supply of casing material. Each of the distributor strips are coupled via individual lines to the various coextrusion heads and are fed via two feed lines with sausage meat and casing material, respectively. The sausage meat and the casing material are divided in the respective feed line and are then supplied via the individual lines to the parallel-arranged coextrusion heads. This entails great pressure differences in the individual lines, which has an extremely negative effect on the supply of the casing material because it is thus not possible to produce uniformly thick outer skins of a reproducible quality. Moreover, the skin thickness cannot be adapted to different products.
That is why efforts were taken to produce products of uniform preciseness with a sufficiently constant skin thickness on coextrusion systems comprising several coextrusion heads.
To this end the joint supply of the filling material and of the casing material, respectively, was above all abandoned and replaced by individually supplied coextrusion heads so that each coextrusion head has assigned to it at least one pump of its own for the supply of mass material. Although this achieves a certain influence on the supply amount via the delivery rate of the respective pump, the power consumption of the coextrusion system is considerably increased by the use of several pumps. Moreover, this concept does not permit a fast and flexible adaptation to short-term quantitative variations because such a system normally reacts with too much inertia.
The above-cited WO 02/060264 A1 further discloses that the output rate of the individual coextrusion heads should be adjusted. This is important insofar as in the further processing process the individual sausage strands are combined to form bunches, which is facilitated by a homogeneous output rate. The problem regarding the production of stable sausage casings that are not too thick at the same time is not touched thereby.

Device and method for producing sausages

Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG


An internal portion of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) having a reflective photocathode array, and a method for manufacturing the same, are provided. The internal portion of the PMT comprises the reflective photocathode array and at least one dynode structure corresponding to the array of reflective photocathodes. Each reflective photocathode receives light and from the light, generates photoelectrons which then travel towards the at least one dynode structure. Upon the photoelectrons making contact with the at least one dynode structure, the photoelectrons are multiplied.

Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are devices utilized to detect light. They convert light to photoelectrons that are then multiplied and detected. In the past, one particular type of PMT has been formed from a transmission photocathode and a chain of dynodes. An example of the internal structure of a PMT in accordance with the prior art is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, light 102 makes contact with one side of a transparent photocathode 104 and as a result photoelectrons 106 are emitted from the other side of the transparent photocathode 104. The photoelectrons 106 then make contact with a dynode structure 108 which in turn multiplies the photoelectrons 106.
Unfortunately, prior art PMTs (such as that illustrated in FIG. 1) have exhibited various limitations. For example, use of a transmission photocathode, as compared to a reflective photocathode, generally results in lower quantum efficiency and a shorter useful lifetime. However, the use of reflective photocathodes has sometimes been avoided in PMT devices for mainly geometric reasons (for instance, needing to have a compact PMT in order to have high bandwidth).
There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art PMTs.

Photomultiplier tube (PMT) having a reflective photocathode array


In a process for reducing the Bromine Index of a feed containing a linear alkylbenzene and bromine-reactive olefinic hydrocarbon contaminants, the feed is contacted under conditions effective to remove bromine-reactive olefinic hydrocarbon contaminants with a catalyst comprising zeolite Y catalyst having an alpha value of about 2 to about 30. The feed will normally also contain benzene and linear paraffin remaining from the alkylation process used to produce the linear alkylbenzene.

In many organic compounds, such as linear alkylbenzenes, trace amounts of unsaturation can cause undesirable by-products in downstream reactions. Since the exact nature of the unsaturation may vary and may even be unknown, indirect methods of measuring unsaturation are typically used. One well-known method of measuring trace unsaturation is the Bromine Index and is based on the fact that any chemical that can react with bromine at 0° C. in less than 15 minutes will cause an increase in Bromine Index. The measurement of Bromine Index is described in detail in ASTM D2710, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The Bromine Index indirectly measures the olefin content of aromatic containing hydrocarbon samples using potentiometric titration. Specifically, the Bromine Index is defined as the number of milligrams of bromine consumed by 100 grams of hydrocarbon sample.
Linear alkylbenzenes are used in the commercial production of detergents by a process involving sulfonation. In this process, excessive unsaturation in the linear alkylbenzene can result in undesirable discoloration of the detergent, typically as measured by its Klett color rating. As a result, linear alkylbenzenes used in detergent production are typically required to have a Bromine Index less than 10.
Linear alkylbenzenes are typically produced by contacting benzene with a long-chain (having more than 10 carbon atoms) alpha-olefin in the presence of a supported acid catalyst or a solid acid catalyst. However, this process frequently produces linear alkylbenzenes with Bromine Index values significantly in excess of 10 and sometimes in excess of 50. Thus additional processing to reduce the Bromine Index may be required.
Clays have been used for many years in the commercial treatment of organic products, such as paraffins, benzene, toluene and xylene, to reduce their Bromine Index. However, linear alkylbenzenes (LAB) are much larger molecules with higher molecular weight and the residual olefinic compounds can be highly substituted such that the activation of the olefinic group is sterically hindered. As a result, the treatment of LAB product with clays has resulted in relatively low catalyst activity and short cycle life at low temperatures and excessive cracking activity at higher temperatures resulting in lower yield of LAB after treatment.
More recently, zeolites, and particularly large pore zeolites, have been proposed as replacements for clays in the removal of bromine reactive contaminants from organic feedstocks. Thus, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,550 discloses the use of aluminosilicate zeolites to remove trace olefins from aromatic and naphthenic feedstocks so as to reduce the Bromine Index of the feedstocks from initial values of 50 to 2000 to final values of 0.1 to 50. Among the feedstocks mentioned as suitable in the '550 patent are C16 to C20 linear alkylbenzenes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,144 discloses a two-step process for reducing the residual olefin content of an alkylation reaction product of a single-ring aromatic hydrocarbon with an at least C16 olefin in which at least a portion of a non-alkylated single-ring aromatic hydrocarbon is removed in a first step; followed by a second step in which the remaining reaction product is reacted in the presence of an acidic catalyst to produce a final alkylation reaction product having reduced olefin content.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,219 discloses a multi-stage process for producing linear alkylbenzenes in which benzene is alkylated with a C6 to C20 linear olefin in a first alkylation stage with a first fluorided silica-alumina catalyst at a first temperature and then at least part of the first alkylation stage effluent is reacted in a second alkylation stage with a second fluorided silica-alumina catalyst at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The second alkylation stage converts polymeric by-products in the first alkylation stage effluent to heavy alkylate which is separated from the LAB product in a downstream separation step.
According to the invention, it has now been found that a catalyst which contains zeolite Y catalyst which has an alpha value of 2 to 30 is particularly effective in reducing the Bromine Index of linear alkylbenzene products, especially in the presence of the benzene and n-paraffin impurities conventionally present in the direct effluent of an LAB manufacturing plant. Thus, using the process of the invention, it has been possible to reduce the Bromine Index of a linear alkylbenzene product from in excess of 80 to less than 10 using zeolite Y catalyst, or preferably an ultrastable zeolite Y (USY) catalyst.

Reduction of the Bromine Index of linear alkylbenzenes


A disclosed surface-emitting laser element includes a lower DBR formed on a substrate, an active layer formed on the lower DBR, an upper DBR formed on the active layer, a wavelength-adjusting layer formed above the active layer, and a plurality of surface-emitting lasers configured to emit respective laser beams having different wavelengths by changing a thickness of the wavelength-adjusting layer. In the surface-emitting laser element, the wavelength-adjusting layer includes one of a first film having alternately layered GaInP and GaAsP and a second film having alternately layered GaInP and GaAs, the thickness of the wavelength-adjusting layer being changed by partially removing each of the alternating layers of a corresponding one of the first and second films.

A vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is a semiconductor laser emitting a light beam perpendicular from the top of its substrate surface. Compared to a typical edge-emitting semiconductor laser, the VCSEL may have several advantageous characteristics such as a low price, low power consumption, compact and high performance, and easy to integrate two dimensionally.
A typical surface-emitting laser includes a resonator structure having a resonator region with an active layer, and an upper reflector and a lower reflector respectively at an upper part and a lower part of the resonator region (e.g., Patent Document 1). In the aforementioned surface-emitting laser, the resonator region is formed in a predetermined optical thickness in order to acquire an oscillation wavelength λ. With this configuration, a light beam oscillates at the oscillation wavelength λ in the resonator region. In the aforementioned surface-emitting laser, the upper and lower reflectors are formed of materials with mutually different refractive indices which are alternately layered. That is, a material with a low refractive index (low refractive material) and a material with a high refractive index (high refractive material) are alternately layered such that the low refractive material and the high refractive material have an optical thickness of λ/4. With this configuration, the low refractive material and the high refractive material may be able to acquire high reflectance at the wavelength λ. Alternatively, there is proposed a surface-emitting laser formed of elements having different wavelengths within a chip (e.g., Patent Documents 2 to 4, and 6).
In the meantime, there is disclosed an atomic clock (atomic oscillator) that is capable of providing an extremely accurate time, and a technology for reducing the size of the atomic clock has been extensively studied. The atomic clock is an oscillator that oscillates based on transition energy of electrons in alkali metal atoms. Specifically, the transition energy of electrons in alkali metal atoms without disturbance is capable of acquiring extremely accurate values, and hence atomic oscillators may acquire several digits higher frequency stability compared to quartz oscillators.
There are several types of atomic clocks; however, a coherent population trapping (CPT) based atomic clock, among other types, may have three digits higher frequency stability compared to the quartz oscillator, and may, in future, be formed in ultra-compact size and consume ultra-low electric power (e.g., Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, Patent Document 5).
FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a CPT-based atomic clock. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the CPT-based atomic clock includes a laser element 910, a cell 940 configured to encapsulate alkali metal, and a receiving element 950 configured to receive a laser beam having passed through the cell 940. The CPT-based atomic clock having such a configuration modulates the laser beam and simultaneously transitions and excites two electrons in alkali metal atoms with sidebands appearing two sides of a carrier wave having a specific wavelength. The transition energy remains unchanged. When wavelengths of the sidebands match the wavelength of the transition energy, a clearing response that reduces optical absorption in the alikali metal may occur. Thus, in the CPT-based atomic oscillator, the wavelength of the carrier wave is adjusted such that the optical absorption is reduced in the alikali metal while a signal detected by the receiving element 950 is fed back to the modulator 960 and hence the modulator 960 adjusts the modulation frequency of the laser beam emitted from the laser 910. Note that in the CPT-based atomic clock, the laser beam emitted from the laser element 910 is applied to the cell 940 encapsulating the alkali metal via a λ/4 wavelength plate 930.
As a light source for such an ultra-compact atomic clock, a surface-emitting laser having an ultra-compact size, exhibiting ultra-low electric consumption power and high wavelength quality may be preferable. Further, as the light source for the ultra-compact atomic clock, the carrier wave exhibiting high wavelength accuracy of ±1 nm with respect to the specific wavelength (e.g., Non-Patent Document 3).

Surface-emitting laser element, atomic oscillator, and surface-emitting laser element testing method


A halogen-free resin composition includes (A) 100 parts by weight of epoxy resin; (B) 10 to 100 parts by weight of styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer; and (C) 5 to 50 parts by weight of bisphenol S. The halogen-free resin composition includes specific ingredients, and is characterized by specific proportions thereof, to thereby achieve a high glass transition temperature, high heat resistance, and attractive appearance, and thus is suitable for producing a prepreg or resin film to thereby be applicable to copper clad laminates and printed circuit boards.

To get in line with the global trend of environmental protection, and eco-friendly regulations, electronic product manufacturers nowadays are developing, and manufacturing halogen-free electronic products. Advanced countries, and electronic manufacturing giants set forth schedules of launching mass production of halogen-free electronic products. As a result of the promulgation of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) by the European Union, hazardous substances, such as lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, poly-brominated biphenyl (PBB), and poly-brominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), are strictly prohibited from being used in manufacturing electronic products or their parts, and components. A printed circuit board (PCB) is an indispensable, and fundamental basis of the semiconductor industry, and electronic industry; hence, printed circuit boards bore the brunt of international halogen-free regulations when international organizations set forth strict requirements of the halogen content of printed circuit boards. For example, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 6 1249-2-21 requires that bromide content, and chloride content shall be less than 900 ppm, and the total halogen content shall be less than 1500 ppm. The Japan Electronics Packaging, and Circuits Association (JPCA) requires that both bromide content, and chloride content shall be less than 900 ppm. To enforce its green policies, Greenpeace calls on manufacturers worldwide to get rid of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their electronic products in order to conform with the lead-free, and halogen-free requirements of green electronics. Hence, the industrial sector nowadays is interested in rendering related materials halogen-free, and sees this technique as one of its key research topics.
Electronic products nowadays have the trend toward compactness, and high-frequency transmission; hence, circuit boards nowadays typically feature a high-density layout, and increasingly strict material requirements. To mount high-frequency electronic components on a circuit board, it is necessary that the substrate of the circuit board is made of a material of a low dielectric constant (Dk), and dielectric dissipation factor (Df) in order to maintain the transmission speed, and the integrity of a signal transmitted. To allow the electronic components to operate well at a high temperature, and a high-humidity environment, it is necessary for the circuit board to be heat resistant, fire resistant, and of low hygroscopicity. Epoxy resin is adhesive, heat resistant, and malleable, and thus is widely applicable to encapsulants, and copper clad laminates (CCL) of electronic components, and machinery. From the perspective of fire prevention, and safety, any applicable material is required to be capable of flame retardation. In general, epoxy resin is incapable of flame retardation, and thus epoxy resin has to acquire flame retardation capability by including a flame retardant therein. For example, a halogen, especially bromine, is included in epoxy resin to bring about flame retardation capability of epoxy resin, and enhance the reactivity of the epoxy group.
A conventional circuit board manufacturing method, such as a conventional method of manufacturing a copper-clad substrate (also known as copper clad laminate, CCL), involves heating, and combining a reinforcement material (such as a glass fiber fabric), and a thermosetting resin composition made of an epoxy resin, and a curing agent to form a prepreg, and then laminating the prepreg, and the upper and lower copper foils together at a high temperature, and a high pressure. The prior art usually teaches using a thermosetting resin composed of an epoxy resin, and a hydroxyl-containing phenol novolac resin curing agent. However, phenol novolac resin exhibits so high a reactivity that it is flawed with an overly short expiration period when used as latex paint, not to mention that it is difficult to store and intolerant to heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,509,414 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,258 disclose a resin composition comprising a styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer functioning as a co-crosslinking agent, an epoxy resin, and a co-crosslinking agent. The resin composition is characterized in that the co-crosslinking agent comprises an optionally brominated bisphenol A (BPA), an optionally brominated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BPADGE), or a mixture thereof, wherein the resin composition is free from an allyl network forming compound. The co-crosslinking agent is, for example, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), tetrabromobisphenol A diglycidyl ether (TBBPADGE), or a mixture thereof, such that the resin composition exhibits a high degree of thermal stability and high glass transition temperature (Tg). However, with the bisphenol A bromide functioning as the co-crosslinking agent for styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer, the resin composition is flawed disadvantageously with an overly low glass transition temperature Tg.
Accordingly, it is important for printed circuit board material suppliers to develop halogen-free materials of a high glass transition temperature and high heat resistance, and apply the materials to printed circuit board manufacturing.

Halogen-free resin composition, copper clad laminate using the same, and printed circuit board using the same

ELITE ELECTRONIC MATERIAL (ZHONGSHAN) CO., LTD.


A modular shelving interconnection assembly is disclosed. The assembly has two (2) substantially upright, spaced-apart side panels with holes extending through their lateral surfaces at approximately equal distances from their bottoms. Tabs of shelf support units extend through the holes in the side panels. Pegs in the shape of split, truncated cones extend through the holes in the tab on the outside of the panels, and cooperate with the holes in the tabs and the outside surface of the panels to secure the shelf-support units to the panels. The modular assembly may be repeated in the direction of the shelf support unit to extend it to a wall-length shelving unit.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to furniture, and more particularly to knock-down, modular shelving. I have invented a special interconnection assembly which permits ease and speed when putting up or knocking down modular shelving.
2. Background Art
U. S. Pat. No. 3,672,739 (Taut) discloses a modular, knock-down cabinet with an intraconnection system made of notches which create a discontinuous groove for a locking rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,785 (Hacclund) discloses a concealed interconnection system for hollow tubes with a 2-pronged clamp extending from one of the tubes into the other. A wedge between the prongs of the first tube secures the clamp within the second tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,311 (Takahashi) discloses modular, knock-down shelving with an interconnection system which a long board capable of interlocking with side and rear wall sections of two spaced-apart sectional units.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,169,639 (Zola) discloses a knockdown, modular shelving unit with an intraconnection system which is a pair of rods with 90.degree. bends at both ends and pivotally connected at their centers. The bent rod ends cooperate with drilled holes near the edges of wall panels to secure the panels together.
Still, there is a need in the modular shelving furniture industry for an attractive, easy, economical and fast interconnection assembly.

Modular shelving interconnection assembly


A vertical handover method in a heterogeneous overlay network communication system is provided. A vertical handover method for an overlay communication system including a plurality of base stations each serving at least one communication network technology to a mobile terminal includes determining whether a mobile terminal is located in a measurement region with reference to a vertical handover map in relation to a serving base station; detecting reachable base stations by activating all network interfaces when the mobile terminal locates in a measurement region; selecting one of the reachable base stations as a handover target base station; determining if the mobile terminal is located in a handover region with reference to the vertical handover map; and performing a handover if the mobile terminal is located in a handover region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system and, in particular, to a vertical handover method in a heterogeneous overlay network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In multiple access wireless communication systems, a mobile terminal is handed over from one cell to another to maintain a radio connection with the network. Typically, a handover occurring between different access nodes that use the same technology is referred to as a horizontal handover. Unlike the horizontal handover, a vertical handover occurs between different access nodes that use different technologies. Nowadays, there exist various cellular communication network technologies such as a Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS), a Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), and a General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), and Internet Protocol (IP) based networks such as a World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN). In order to support interoperability between such heterogeneous communication networks, various vertical handover technologies have been developed.
Unlike the conventional horizontal handover in which a handover is determined on the basis of the location of the mobile terminal, the vertical handover is determined based on of various decision factors as well as the location of the mobile terminal.
Typically, the location of the mobile terminal is estimated by measuring a Received Signal Strength (RSS) transmitted by a base station. In this case, the handover is determined when a value of the RSS is less than a predetermined threshold value.
Another approach for determining a handover is to use a beacon frame, in which the handover is determined when a beacon is received from a neighbor base station. In this case, the mobile terminal determines that it has entered another network, when a new beacon frame is received.
Since different types of networks are overlaid in the heterogeneous network environment, various factors for determining the handover are required in addition to a determination based on the RSS. The handover determination factors include a required service characteristic, a network utilization cost, a network state, a mobile state, and a user preference. The service characteristic refers to service stability, a propagation delay, and data transmission, and the network utilization cost means a charge accounting method. The network state is represented by types of traffic, available bandwidth, packet loss, and the like; and the mobile state refers to a moving pattern, moving speed, and mobility information. The user preference is a factor that can be included by a user's request.
In the location-based vertical handover, the handover determination is made only on the basis of the location of the mobile terminal without taking into consideration the network complexity and the types of traffic of the heterogeneous network overlay environment, resulting in inefficient network resource management.
Also, the conventional vertical handover methods are designed without taking into consideration the service quality required by users and the charge accounting method, divesting the user of chance for saving communication costs.
Also, the various decision factors-based conventional vertical handover methods are designed under a lot of assumptions or require restructuring the current networks, resulting in additional infrastructure costs.
Furthermore, the conventional vertical handover methods are disadvantageous in that the mobile terminal need to have multiple network interfaces for supporting the vertical handover, and collect information on all of the networks, resulting in increases of the overall manufacturing costs and in power consumption.

Vertical handover method for overlay communication system


A semiconductor light-emitting element (1) including: an n-type semiconductor layer (140); a light-emitting layer (150); a p-type semiconductor layer (160); a transparent conductive layer (170) laminated on the p-type semiconductor layer; a reflective film (180) which is composed of a material having optical transparency to light emitted from the light-emitting layer and an insulating property and is laminated on the transparent conductive layer; a p-conductive body (200) which penetrates the reflective film and is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer; an n-electrode (310) electrically connected to the n-type semiconductor layer; and a p-electrode (300) having a p-adhesion layer (301) which is laminated on the reflective film, is electrically connected to the other end of the p-conductive body, and is composed of the same material as that for the transparent conductive layer and a p-metal reflective layer (302) which is laminated on the p-adhesion layer.

In general, a semiconductor light-emitting element using a group-III nitride semiconductor such as GaN is configured by forming a group-III nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer on a substrate such as sapphire. In such a semiconductor light-emitting element, there is a configuration in which a semiconductor light-emitting element is mounted on a wiring board by flip chip attachment thereby to emit light which is to be outputted from the light-emitting layer to the outside via the substrate.
As a related art described in an official gazette, there is a configuration in which a metallic reflective film composed of silver or the like is formed on one side of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer, which is opposite to a contact surface being in contact with the substrate and thereby light outputted from the light-emitting layer to the side opposite to the substrate is configured to be reflected to the substrate side (refer to Patent Literature 1).


A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor assembly can comprise an optics assembly that includes a LIDAR sensor and a set of dovetail joint inserts. The LIDAR sensor assembly can further include a frame comprising a set of dovetail joint septums coupled to the set of dovetail joint inserts of the optics assembly.

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors can experience relatively high forces due to fast spinning components and movement of a vehicle upon which the LIDAR sensor is mounted. The optics assembly of a LIDAR sensor is typically held in place using clips and screws that connect with holes or slots on an optical frame.

Lidar sensor assembly including dovetail joint coupling features


A composite tubular housing for an automotive steering system, preferably an electronic power assist steering system, is formed of seamless metal tube section welded into an integral component. The housing includes a rack section and a pinion section having an opening that is welded to the rack section. A yoke section is formed of a tube having an end that is welded to the rack section opposite the pinion section. The pinion section may contain a drive pinion coupled to a steering wheel of the vehicle. The housing may also include sections for an assist pinion coupled to an electric motor, and a yoke which are attached to the rack section apart from the drive pinion.

A typical steering system for an automotive vehicle comprises a rack and pinion mechanism. The rack is operatively connected to wheels of the vehicle and includes teeth. The pinion, also referred to as the drive pinion, engages the rack teeth and is operatively coupled to the steering wheel. A yoke assembly is disposed opposite the pinion to bias the rack against the pinion and prevent slippage. During operation, an operator inputs a steering command by turning the steering wheel to rotate the pinion, which in turn laterally displaces the rack to change the orientation of the wheels.
To reduce the steering force needed by the operator to turn the steering wheel, the vehicle may be equipped with an electric power assist steering system, referred to as EPAS. A conventional EPAS system comprises a second pinion that engages a separate section of the rack and is driven by an electric motor. In response to a steering command from the operator, the motor is actuated to rotate the pinion and thereby reduce the force required to displace the rack.
The drive pinion and yoke are contained within a housing that is a die casting. The die casting includes a bore for the drive pinion, a bore for the section of the rack and a bore for the yoke. These bores are arranged in different angles. During die casting, the bores are formed by cores that are connected to mechanisms that retract the cores to allow the casting to be released from the mold. The assist pinion, which also requires a housing, is located at a separate section of the rack, spaced apart from the drive pinion, and is oriented in still a different direction than the drive pinion. Extension of the rack coring, and the additional slide coring for the assist pinion, add substantially to the complexity and cost of the die casting, making a singular die cast housing prohibitively expensive. Thus, dual pinion steering mechanisms for EPAS systems use separate housings for the drive pinion and the assist pinion, which adds to the number of components and complexity of the manufacturing operations.
Therefore, a need exists for a housing that includes sections for containing a rack, a pinion and a yoke, and that may be readily manufactured without the complexity and cost of slide coring such as needed for die casting.
In addition, a need exists for a dual pinion steering mechanism that includes an integral housing that is readily manufactured as a single component, which housing includes an elongated rack section and separate drive pinion and assist pinion sections that may be independently oriented as desired to optimize the mechanism as needed to meet onboard spatial constraints.


A simple down converting A/D converter utilizing predictive coding principles. By placing the sampler inside the predictive loop, the predictive loop filter can be implemented using DSP techniques, thus eliminating the complexities introduced by use of discrete-time analog circuitry. Then, by re-mapping the output of the predictive loop filter into the analog domain using a D/A converter, the predictive filter output signal is subtracted from the input analog signal to generate the prediction error signal. Therefore, through directly sampling the prediction error signal and converting the output of the predictive loop filter into analog representation using a low-cost multiple bit D/A, the use of discrete-time analog circuitry is eliminated and the complexity of the converter design is greatly reduced. Various features of the invention are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of designing radio receivers using digital signal processing techniques.
2. Prior Art
The following references are relevant to the present invention:
[1] F. de Jager, "Delta modulation--a method of PCM transmission using the one unit code," Philips Res. PA1 [2] H. S. McDonald, "Pulse code modulation and differential pulse code modulation encoders," 1970 U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,855 (filed 1968). PA1 [3] R. Steele, Delta Modulation Systems, New York; Wiley, 1975. PA1 [4] H. Inose, Y. Yasude, and J. Murakami, "A telemetering system code modulation--.DELTA.--.SIGMA. modulation, " IRE Trans. Space Elect. Telemetry, vol. SET-8, pp. 204-209, September 1962. PA1 [5] S. K. Tewksbury, and R. W. Hallock, "Oversampled, Linear Predictive and Noise-Shaping coders of order N>1, " IEEE Trans. Circuits Sys., vol. CAS-25, pp. 436-447, July 1978. PA1 [6] D. B Ribner, "Multistage bandpass delta sigma modulators," IEEE Trans. Circuits Sys., vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 402-405, June 1994. PA1 [7] A. M. Thurston, "Sigma delta IF A-D converters for digital radios," GEC Journal of Research Incorporating Marconi Review and Plessey Research Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 76-85, 1995. PA1 [8] N. van Bavel et al., "An analog/digital interface for cellular telephony," IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, pp. 16.5.1-16.5.4, 1994.
Repts., vol. 7, pp. 442-466; 1952.
There are many advantages in using digital signal processing (DSP) techniques in the implementation of radio frequency (RF) receivers. Harnessing these advantages, however, relies to a great degree on the ability to effectively convert the signal from the analog to the digital domain.
In conventional RF receiver implementations, the received signal is down converted to in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) baseband components via one or more conversions to an intermediate frequency (IF), using analog circuitry, and then converted to the digital domain using a pair of pulse coded modulator (PCM) type analog to digital A/D converters operating at baseband. A number of sources of degradation exist in using this design approach that limit the achievable performance. Any phase error in the local oscillators used to mix the signal to I and Q baseband components will impair the receiver's ability to discriminate between signal components above and below the IF center frequency. For example, achieving 40 dB of (I-Q) discrimination requires these local oscillators to be orthogonal to within 0.5.degree., including all drift from aging, temperature and manufacturing tolerances. This phase accuracy must then be maintained throughout the pair of analog paths up to and including the A/D conversion function. Similarly, the amplitude response of the two analog paths, including any gain mismatch between the two A/D converters, must be well matched to preserve the (I-Q) discrimination of the receiver. Again, to obtain discrimination of 40 dB, it is necessary to match the amplitude response of the two paths to better than 0.1 dB. Such tolerances are possible and may be exceeded by using a calibration routine; however, obtaining this tolerance in a pair of digital paths is routine and therefore provides motivation of digitizing an IF signal directly and thereby avoiding these balancing issues altogether.
Design approaches for direct A/D conversion of the received IF signal using conventional PCM type multiple bit A/D converters eliminate the need for the IF/Baseband analog circuitry. Although the location of a substantial number of high-speed digital switches alongside sensitive RF circuitry invites interference, the potential benefits are often considered to outweigh the new design difficulties. Another problem introduced by the digital processing of IF signals is the need to perform high-speed A/D conversion, a problem compounded by the need for higher linearity in early stages of the receiver. Conventional multiple bit A/D converters have the property that the signal bandwidth available is equal to one half of the sampling frequency, less a margin to allow for anti-alias filtering. The product of the bandwidth and resolution of a converter (or dynamic range) is a measure of its performance, and this will typically be reflected in the difficulty of designing the device and also in its market price. Because a typical IF signal is narrowband compared to its carrier frequency, the use of wideband multiple bit converters does not represent an optimal coding solution to a very specific problem. Some reduction in the A/D converter's processing overhead can be achieved by operating it in a subsampled mode such that the carrier frequency is above the sampling frequency. However, achieving the bandwidth and dynamic range design goals with this method requires enhanced channel filtering prior to the conversion to prevent other channels from aliasing into the passband resulting in an increase in cost and power consumption.
A/D converters designed based on the principles of predictive and interpolative coding (such as delta converters and sigma delta converters), although traditionally operating on baseband signals--especially audio--exhibit attractive properties (see the foregoing references). First, they are an over-sampled coding technique that achieves coding accuracy by fine temporal quantization rather than fine level quantization. Thus, for a given sampling frequency, the usable bandwidth is very much reduced compared with standard pulse code modulation (PCM) techniques, and this trade-off in requirements is reflected by a simplified design suited to low tolerance components. In general, the analog filtering required with such a converter is thus comparatively simple.
A second advantage of these types of coding is their inherent linearity. A multiple bit converter is very susceptible to component tolerances, and a non-linear mapping between the analog and digital domains is difficult to avoid. One very successful means of combating this effect is by the use of high-level additive dither, which effectively decorrelates the non-linearities from the input signal and reduces the effect to a benign noise source. This technique may be used to remove the non-linear effects from the coder, but the limiting performance is ultimately that of a PCM code, and this itself can introduce highly correlated distortion, which in an application comprising evenly spaced radio channels is likely to present difficulties.
The use of interpolative type encoders (i.e., sigma delta converters) in the analog to digital conversion of a high frequency IF have been advocated by many authors, such as the authors of the last two references hereinbefore set forth. Although the advantages of these techniques are clearly delineated by these authors, there remain numerous implementation challenges which must be overcome by a designer who is focused on achieving the low cost and low power consumption goals. The most relevant of these challenges is the fact that although these techniques ultimately produce an oversampled single bit (1-bit) digital representation of the IF signal, the signal must first be converted from its analog continuous-time representation to an analog discrete-time-representation, where it is processed by elaborate discrete-time analog circuitry prior to being mapped into the digital domain (i.e., quantized or digitized). Furthermore, achieving the high dynamic range and the low quantization noise advantages offered by these techniques often requires the implementation of high order encoding loops, with considerable increase in complexity.

Method of sampling, downconverting, and digitizing a bandpass signal using a digital predictive coder

International Business Machines Corporation


A route setting device includes: a route candidate generation unit that generates multiple route candidates from a current position to a destination; an index calculation unit that calculates, for each of the multiple route candidates, a change index that indicates a probability that an automatic driving system performs a driving change request when a vehicle travels along each of the multiple route candidates by using the automatic driving system; a display unit that associates the multiple candidates with the change index calculated for each of the multiple route candidates, and display the multiple associated route candidates and the associated change index; an input unit that receives a selection among the multiple route candidates by an occupant of the vehicle; and a route setting unit that sets a route among the multiple route candidates based on the selection received by the input unit.

Currently, vehicles having a limited automatic driving function of maintaining a vehicle lane on a highway are commercialized. In the future, it may be considered to use the automatic driving function not only on the highway but also on an ordinary road. A technology related to the automatic driving on the ordinary road has been proposed.


A compound oxide superconductor represented by the general formula: EQU Bi.sub.4+d (Sr.sub.1-x, Ca.sub.x).sub.m Cu.sub.n O.sub.p+y. in which,. "d" is an amount of excess bismuth and satisfies a range of 0<d.ltoreq.1.2, PA1 "m" is a number which satisfies a range of 6.ltoreq.m.ltoreq.10, PA1 "n" is a number which satisfies a range of 4.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.8, PA1 "p"=6+m+n, PA1 "x" is a number which satisfies a range of 0<x<1, and PA1 "y" is a number which satisfies a range of -2.ltoreq.<y.ltoreq.+2.. A preferred example is a compound oxide system having the following general formula: EQU Bi.sub.4+d Sr.sub.4 Ca.sub.4 Cu.sub.6 O.sub.20+y. in which "d" is a number which satisfies the range 0.4.ltoreq.d.ltoreq.1.2 and "y" is a number which satisfies a range of -2.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.+2. The critical current density (J.sub.c) is improved by increasing the amount of bismuth with respect to the stoichiometric amount. A superconducting thin film is deposited on a substrate by physical vapor deposition such as sputtering.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a superconductor of bismuth-containing compound oxide, more particularly, a superconductor of compound oxide of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu system improved in the critical current density (Jc). The present invention relates also a process for preparing a thin film of such a superconductor.
2. Description of the related art
The critical temperature "Tc" of superconductivity could not exceed 23.2K of Nb.sub.3 Ge which was the the highest Tc for the past ten years. The possibility of an existence of new types of superconducting materials having much higher Tc was revealed by Bednorz and Muller who discovered a new oxide type superconductor in 1986 (Z. Phys. B64, 1986 p 189). The new type compound oxide superconductor discovered by Bednorz and Muller is represented by [La, Sr].sub.2 CuO.sub.4 which show such higher Tc as 30K which are extremely higher than known superconducting materials. It was also reported that C. W. Chu et al. discovered, in the United States of America, another superconducting material so called YBCO type represented by YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x having the critical temperature of about 90K in February 1987 (Physical Review letters, Vol. 58, No. 9, p 908).
It had been known that certain compound oxides containing bismuth exhibit the property of superconductivity. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,315 discloses Ba-Pb-Bi type compound oxide which shows superconductivity and Japanese patent laid-open No. 60-173,885 discloses that Ba-Bi type compound oxides also show superconductivity. These superconductors, however, possess rather lower transition temperatures of about 10K and hence usage of liquidized helium (boiling point of 4.2K) as cryogen was indispensable to realize superconductivity.
Maeda et al reported the other type of new bismuth-containing superconducting material of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system (Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. Vol. 27, No. 2, p 1209 to 1210).
Bismuth type compound oxides are chemically much more stable than the abovementioned YBCO type compound oxide and have such a very important merit that high Tc superconductors of higher than 100K can be realized without using rare earth elements as a constituent element so that the production cost can be reduced.
The above-mentioned new types of superconducting materials were obtained firstly in a bulk form of a sintered block which was obtained by a solid reaction or sintering technique from a powder mixture of oxides and/or carbonates of constituent metal elements which have predetermined atomic ratios.
At the present, it is thought that thin films of these material are much more useful in actual uses. Such thin films can be deposited on a substrate by physical vapour deposition (PVD) technique such as RF sputtering, vacuum deposition, ion-plating or MBE or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique such as thermal CVD, plasma CVD, photo-CVD or MOCVD. Usually, the thin films are prepared by RF sputtering technique by using a sintered mass as a target.
It is also a general practice to heat-treat the sintered blocks or thin films in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to adjust the oxygen deficiency in crystals of which sintered blocks or thin films are composed.
The sintered blocks or thin films prepared by the conventional process, however, possessed too low critical current density (Jc) to be used as a material for thin film devices. In fact, the critical current density of the thin film of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu system obtained heretofore was about 10,000 A/cm.sup.2 at most although its critical temperature (Tc) was as high as more than 100K.
The present inventor found in the course of experiments that the superconducting property, particularly the critical current density (Jc) can be improved remarkably if the amount of bismuth is increased excessively with respect to the stoichiometrical amount and the present invention was completed.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to overcome the problem of the conventional process and to provide a superconductor of bismuth-containing compound oxide, more particularly, Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu system compound oxide improved in the critical current density (Jc).

Process for preparing superconductor of compound oxide of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu system


A corrosion-resistant dry film lubricant composition includes a lubricating pigment, a binder, and a solvent. The lubricating pigment comprises graphene platelets and is dispersed in the binder, and the solvent solubilizes the lubricant pigment and the binder. The graphene platelets are oxidized and functionalized with a silane. A method of producing a corrosion-resistant lubricant includes oxidizing exfoliated graphene to produce oxidized graphene platelets, functionalizing the oxidized graphene platelets with a silane to produce functionalized graphene platelets, and dispersing the functionalized graphene platelets in a lubricant composition, wherein the lubricant composition comprises a binder and a solvent.

The present disclosure relates to lubricants having improved corrosion resistance, and more particular to dry film lubricants having improved resistance to galvanic or bimetallic corrosion.
Some dry film lubricants can facilitate galvanic or bimetallic corrosion between lubricated components. In particular, dry film lubricants that include graphite can increase the rate of galvanic corrosion. Chromate-based anti-corrosion agents can be added to dry film lubricants to reduce the rate of galvanic corrosion of metals such as aluminum, copper, cadmium, zinc, magnesium, tin, silver, iron, and their alloys to reduce and slow the rate of galvanic corrosion. Chromate-based anti-corrosion agents, which contain hexavalent chromium, may pose a number of environmental and health risks, and for this reason hexavalent chromium is heavily regulated in, for example, the U.S. and the E.U.


A test fixture facilitates the laboratory testing of windshield wiper blades for vehicles. The test fixture includes a base frame on which are mounted a number of windshield wiper arms oriented generally parallel for engagement with a stainless steel test surface. Positionally adjustable supports are mounted on the base frame to configure the test surface by varying the curvature of the test surface, as well as the overall length thereof, to permit simulation of a large variety of automotive windshields for test purposes. The test fixture also includes a wiper arm mounting device that can be manipulated to vary the wiper arm load to the wiper blade on the test surface. Adjustments in the spring force exerted on the wiper blade allow variances in the application of a biasing force on the wiper blade in conjunction with changes in the attack angle.

Wiper blades are a high use item on automobiles and require frequent replacing during the operative life of an automobile primarily due to the aging of the elastomeric material from which the wiper blade is manufactured. Aging of the wiper is a function of the exposure of the wiper blade to the environment and of the external forces exerted on the wiper blade from the mounting arms and the curvature of the windshield glass over which the wiper blade is operated.
To develop improved wiper blades and to enhance their overall performance, it is preferable to replicate the real world utilization of the wiper blades in the laboratory, particularly under lab conditions that can accelerate the aging process. Laboratory testing of wiper blades would require a process and a test fixture by which the wiper blades can be subjected to accelerated tests. Historically, such a process and test fixture has not been developed adequately.
In order to replicate and improve wiper blade performance, the test fixture must be capable of reproducing the permanent set, stress and aging that the wiper blade is subjected to over time. Furthermore, the structural environment in which the wiper blades are to operate can vary significantly from one type or model of vehicle to the other. Accordingly, the test fixture must have sufficient flexibility to vary the parameters under which wiper blades can be operated. For example, the curvature of the windshield glass varies substantially from vehicle to vehicle. The spring force or load vector urging the wiper blade against the surface of the windshield can also be a significant variable. The attack angle, which is the angle at which the wiper blade is disposed against the windshield, is also a variable.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a test fixture that can replicate the real world environment for the testing of wiper blades in a laboratory in which the test fixture will have sufficient flexibility to vary the operative parameters under which the wiper blades can be operable from one vehicle to another and within the same vehicle.

Test fixture for the aging of wiper blades in a laboratory


Context information associated with a network node is determined. For example, a network node (e.g., a server) has indicated that an application on the network node appears to be having performance problems. The context information may be to gather data about the application, such as, load, number of users accessing the application, etc. The context information comprises one or more rules for dynamically configuring how data is collected on the node. For example, the rule may indicate what specific statistics should be gathered from the application in real-time. The context information is sent to the network node. Node information is received from the network node in response to sending the context information. The node information is collected based on the one or more rules for configuring how data is collected on the network node. The node information is organized and is displayed on a user interface to a user.

Today's operations management systems are centrally managed systems that gather information from various devices on a network. The gathered information is then stored in a centrally managed database. If a user want to view specific information, the user has to setup specific filters and sifts through large amounts of data. This can result in missing key information associated with events and also can cause degraded database access and network performance due to the large amount of data being sent/stored.

System and method for dynamic driven context management


To provide a technology capable of realizing high-accuracy detection of toner density.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using electrophotography such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, and a complex machine thereof, and specifically, to a density detection technology of detecting density of a developer by density detecting means provided in a transport path of the developer in a developing apparatus using a two-component developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a two-component image forming apparatus for forming images using a developer containing toner and carrier is arranged so as to form an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor drum as an image carrier, develop the electrostatic latent image with a developing apparatus, transfer the obtained toner image onto paper by a transfer unit, and fix the image to the paper by a fixing unit. At the same time, an amount of toner in the developing apparatus is always kept constant by sensing the used amount of toner by detecting the toner ratio density (a ratio of an amount of toner in a developer) as developer density with a sensor and supplying toner from a toner bottle into the developing apparatus according to the sensed amount of toner.
As shown in FIG. 14, as a conventional developing apparatus, one provided with a pair of transport mixers 300 and 302 for oppositely transporting a developer along a longitudinal direction, a partition plate 304 that partitions between these pair of transport mixers 300 and 302, a density sensor 306 for detecting the toner ratio density at the time of development on the undersurface of developing apparatus in a development position has been known (e.g., JP-A-2000-122399).
Since the density sensor 306 provides different output voltages depending on variations in bulk of the developer on the density sensor 306 even for the same toner ratio density, a detection error in toner ratio density is caused.
In addition, since a certain amount of developer is required on the density sensor 306 to detect the toner ratio density by the density sensor 306 in the apparatus shown in FIG. 14, a paddle 302b for delaying the transport of the developer is formed in a position facing the density sensor 306 on the transport mixer 302. Further, since the height of the partition plate 304 for partitioning between the transport mixers 300 and 302 is constant, when the toner ratio density in the developer rises and the bulk of the developer increases, the developer is deposited especially on the density sensor 306 by the action of the paddle 302b and the bulk density of the developer on the density sensor 306 becomes higher. The condition is shown in FIG. 15. The rise of toner ratio density and the output of the density sensor 306 are proportional to each other to a certain point (to a value of toner ratio density of about 8.3 wt % in FIG. 15), however, a phenomenon that the output of the density sensor 306 reverses relative to the toner ratio density at the above point when the bulk density becomes extremely high occurs. Accordingly, although the actual toner ratio density is high, the toner ratio density output by the density sensor 306 becomes lower, and thereby, toner is supplied into the developing apparatus more than necessary.
As a technology for solving such a problem, one that prevents rising of the bulk of the developer on the density sensor by reducing the height of the partition plate at the upstream of the density sensor lower than the other part and has a part of the rotational shaft of the transport mixer facing the density sensor made larger in diameter than the other part has been disclosed (e.g., JP-A-2002-148927).
A relationship between the toner ratio density and the sensor output in this case is shown in FIG. 15. Although the toner ratio density at which the sensitivity of the density sensor is reversed is slightly higher than that shown in FIG. 15, a reversal phenomenon also occurs in the sensor output. In the structure, fins are formed on the periphery of the rotational shaft of the transport mixer in order to stir and transport the developer, and the rotational shaft of the transport mixer on the density sensor has a larger diameter than that of the other part and the size of the fins of this part is smaller than that of the other part. Accordingly, the transport speed of the developer on the density sensor becomes extremely slow, and, even when the height position of the partition plate at the upstream of the density sensor is lowered, consequently, a phenomenon that a large amount of developer collects on the density sensor and the bulk density becomes higher occurs. Further, there is another problem that image smudges are produced because the transport path of the developer becomes shorter as the height position of the partition plate at the upstream of the density sensor is lowered than that of the other part, and the developer is transported to the developing sleeve side from the lowered partition plate before fresh toner replenished from the replenishment port is mixed with the developer.

Developing apparatus, image forming apparatus and density detection method

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a partition plate provided within the developing apparatus for partitioning an interior of the developing apparatus into a plurality of space; plural transport mixers each provided in the space within the developing apparatus partitioned by the partition plate and rotating for stirring and transporting a developer including toner and carrier; a density sensor provided in a transport path of the developer in one space of the plurality of space partitioned by the partition plate for detecting toner density of the stirred and transported developer; and retracting part for retracting an amount of the developer more than a predetermined amount into another space than the space in which the toner density is detected by the density sensor so that the amount of developer is constantly equal to or less than the predetermined amount near a toner density detection position by the density sensor.


The present invention provides a novel cross-reactive sensor system utilizing cross-reactive recognition elements. In the inventive system, each of said one or more cross-reactive recognition elements is capable of interacting with more than one species of liquid analyte of interest, whereby each of said one or more cross-reactive recognition elements reacts in a different manner with each of said one or more species of liquid analytes of interest to produce a detectable agent of each analyte of interest, whereby said detectable agent is analyzed and the information is processed for data acquisition and interpretation. In certain preferred embodiments, the detectable agent and/or change is detected directly, while in certain other preferred embodiments, the detectable agent and/or change is detected with the help of a transducing agent capable of relaying information about each detectable agent generated for each of said species of liquid analyte of interest, whereby said information is processed for data acquisition and interpretation. The present invention also provides method for the analysis of analytes comprising contacting one or more analytes with the inventive system described above.

The ability to more efficiently detect and analyze specific components (analytes) of a mixture or sample would greatly benefit medicine, environmental analysis, and consumer industries (e.g., food analysis), to name a few. For example, the food industry depends upon chemical analysis for quality control, environmentalists depend upon chemical analysis for the detection of harmful agents in natural resources, such as water, and the medical community depends upon analysis for the detection of agents such as metabolites, drugs, and glucose to name a few. Although many methods suitable for sensing applications have been developed (see, for example, Wolfbeis et al., Analytica Chim. Acta, 1991, 250, 181), there still remains a need to develop chemical sensors that are capable of detecting analytes with specificity and selectivity.
In general, a sensor device includes the following: 1) a recognition element capable of identifying and interacting with the analyte which usually is contained in low concentration in a mixture of a variety of other components; 2) a transducer element that can transform the recognition process into a measurable signal; and 3) a processing unit, which, after amplification of the primary signal, converts it into a familiar readout (e.g., pH, ppm, etc.). One approach that has been utilized in the development of more selective sensors is the use of bioorganic species (enzymes, ion carriers, and natural or synthetic receptor/carriers) that are believed to mimic the selectivity of nature and undergo specific reactions with the entity to be recognized, resulting in specific recognition and, consequently, sensing. The difficulty with this approach, however, is that identification of agents that can selectively interact with analytes of interest can be problematic. For example, synthetic receptors often exhibit poor selectivity, and have difficulties in transducing the recognition process. Additionally, these approaches have generally focused on the interaction of one specific agent with one analyte, creating a cumbersome system if many analytes need to be detected. It would thus be desirable to develop a system that would minimize the number of recognition elements necessary, whereby the recognition elements utilized would be cross-reactive, thus each interacting with more than one analyte to generate a unique agent and/or change that can be readily detected.
Towards this end, Walt et al. (see, for example, Dickinson et al., Anal. Chem. 1999, 71, 2192; White et al., Anal. Chem. 1996, 68, 2191; Dickinson et al., Nature 1996, 382, 697) described a novel approach, the "artificial nose", in which high-density optical arrays that directly incorporate a number of structural and operational features of the olfactory system were developed for the cross-reactive analysis of vapors. Clearly, it would also be desirable if an efficient and sensitive cross-reactive sensor system could be developed for the analysis of liquid analytes, preferably in an array format for high-throughput complex analysis.


A steam oven which selectively heats food at desired locations includes a cabinet to define a cooking cavity therein, a steam generator to generate steam, a plurality of steam feed pipes to guide and supply the steam generated by the steam generator into the cooking cavity, including outlet ends placed at a plurality of predetermined positions in the cooking cavity so as to evenly distribute the steam into the cooking cavity, and a plurality of steam valves mounted at predetermined portions of the plurality of steam feed pipes. The plurality of steam valves independently control the plurality of steam feed pipes so as to change positions from which the steam is discharged into the cooking cavity. Therefore, the steam oven of the present invention cooks the food in desired directions by allowing the plurality of the steam valves to independently control the plurality of steam feed pipes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to steam ovens and, more particularly, to a steam oven to selectively heat food in desired directions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, steam ovens are cooking apparatuses that cook food by generating steam and discharging the steam onto the food.
Conventional steam ovens include a cabinet to define a cooking cavity therein, a steam generator to supply steam into the cooking cavity, and a steam feed pipe to guide and feed the steam generated from the steam generator to a lower portion of the cooking cavity so as to discharge the steam into the cooking cavity from the lower portion of the cooking cavity.
Accordingly, the steam, generated by the steam generator and passing through the steam feed pipe, is discharged from the lower portion of the cooking cavity to a rack installed in the cooking cavity, so that food placed on the rack is cooked by heat of the steam discharged into the cooking cavity.
The above-mentioned conventional steam ovens are advantageous in that the food is evenly cooked, but are problematic in that the conventional steam ovens cannot effectively cook various kinds of foods because the steam ovens do not have any means to selectively cook the food in desired directions.
Furthermore, in case that a plurality of racks are sequentially provided in a multi-rack arrangement in the cooking cavity, because the steam discharged from the lower portion of the cooking cavity is mainly discharged to a rack provided at a lower portion in the cooking cavity, the conventional steam ovens may not evenly cook foods that are placed on the upper and lower racks provided at upper and lower portions in the cooking cavity.


Methods of selectively depositing a film on a hydroxide terminated surface relative to a hydrogen terminated surface are described. The hydrogen terminated surface is exposed to a nitriding agent to form an amine terminated surface which is exposed to a blocking molecule to form a blocking layer on the surface. A film can then be selectively deposited on the hydroxide terminated surface.

The semiconductor industry faces many challenges in the pursuit of device miniaturization which involves rapid scaling of nanoscale features. Such issues include the introduction of complex device fabrication processes with multiple lithography steps and etch. Furthermore, the semiconductor industry would like low cost alternatives to high cost EUV for patterning complex architectures. To maintain the cadence of device miniaturization and keep chip manufacturing costs down, selective deposition has shown promise as it has the potential to remove costly lithographic steps by simplifying integration schemes.
Selective deposition of materials can be accomplished in a variety of ways. For instance, some process may have inherent selectivity to surfaces just based on their surface chemistry. These processes are fairly rare and usually need to have surfaces with drastically different surface energies, such as metals and dielectrics. In the cases where surfaces are similar (SiO2 versus Si—H terminated or SiN) the surfaces need to be selectively blocked by employing surface treatments that selectively react with one surface and not the other, effectively blocking any surface reactions during the ALD or CVD process.
One of the most challenging selective growth processes to enable is growth on dielectrics (low K, SiO, SiON, etc.) with no growth on Si (hydrogen terminated). The challenge stems from the inability to successfully react blocking molecules with a relatively strong silicon hydrogen bond. Enabling process flows to successfully block Si (H terminated) and not block the other dielectric surfaces has the potential to open up many integration schemes (selective caps, selective diffusion barriers, selective etch stops, self-alignment) to device manufacturers and therefore greatly advance progress in the field.
Therefore, there is an ongoing need in the art for methods to selectively deposit films on dielectric surfaces.

Methods for selective deposition on silicon-based dielectrics


The present invention is a semiconductor wafer that enhances polish-stop endpointing in chemical-mechanical planarization processes. The semiconductor wafer has a substrate with a device feature formed on the substrate, a stratum of low friction material positioned over the substrate, and an upper layer deposited on the low friction material stratum. The low friction stratum has a polish-stop surface positioned at a level substantially proximate to a desired endpoint of the chemical-mechanical planarization process. The upper layer, which is made from either a conductive material or an insulative material, has a higher polishing rate than that of the low friction stratum. In operation, the low friction stratum resists chemical-mechanical planarization with either hard or soft polishing pads to stop the planarization process at the desired endpoint.

Chemical-mechanical planarization ("CMP") processes remove material from the surface of a wafer in the production of ultra-high density integrated circuits. In a typical CMP process, a wafer is pressed against a polishing pad in the presence of a slurry under controlled chemical, pressure, velocity, and temperature conditions. The slurry solution generally contains small, abrasive particles that abrade the surface of the wafer, and chemicals that etch and/or oxidize the surface of the wafer. The polishing pad is generally a planar pad made from a relatively porous material such as blown polyurethane. Thus, when the pad and/or the wafer moves with respect to the other material is removed from the surface of the wafer by the abrasive particles (mechanical removal) and by the chemicals in the slurry (chemical removal).
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a conventional CMP machine 10 with a platen 20, a wafer carrier 30 a polishing pad 40, and a slurry 44 on the polishing pad 40. The platen 20 has a surface 22 upon which the polishing pad 40 is positioned. A drive assembly 26 rotates the platen 20 as indicated by arrow A and/or reciprocates the platen back and forth as indicated by arrow B. The motion of the platen 20 is imparted to the pad 40 because the polishing pad 40 frictionally engages the upper surface 22 of the platen 20. The wafer carrier 30 has a lower surface 32 to which a wafer 50 may be attached, or the wafer 50 may be attached to a resilient pad 34 positioned between the wafer 50 and the lower surface 32. The wafer carrier 30 may be a weighted, free-floating wafer carrier, or an actuator assembly 36 may be attached to the wafer carrier 30 to impart axial and rotational motion, as indicated by arrows C and D, respectively.
In the operation of the conventional planarizer 10, the wafer 50 is positioned face-downward against the polishing pad 40, and then the platen 20 and the wafer carrier 30 move relative to one another. As the face of the wafer 50 moves across the planarizing surface 42 of the polishing pad 40, the polishing pad 40 and the slurry 44 remove material from the wafer 50.
CMP processes must consistently and accurately produce a uniform, planar surface on the wafer because it is important to accurately focus circuit patterns on the wafer. As the density of integrated circuits increases, currently lithographic techniques must accurately focus the critical dimensions of photo-patterns to within a tolerance of approximately 0.35-0.5 μm. Focusing the photo-patterns to such small tolerances, however, is very difficult when the distance between the emission source and the surface of the wafer varies because the surface of the wafer is not uniformly planar. In fact, when the surface of the wafer is not uniformly planar, several devices on the wafer may be defective. Thus, CMP processes must create a highly uniform, planar surface.
In the competitive semiconductor industry, it is also highly desirable to maximize the throughput of CMP processes to produce accurate, planar surfaces as quickly as possible. The throughput of CMP processes is a function of several factors, two of which are the ability to accurately stop the CMP process at a desired endpoint and the rate at which material is removed from the wafer (the "polishing rate"). Accurately stopping the CMP process at a desired endpoint is important to maintaining a high throughput because the thickness of the dielectric layer must be within and acceptable range; if the thickness of the dielectric layer is not within an acceptable range, the wafer must be re-planarized until it reaches the desired endpoint. Maintaining a high, consistent polishing rate is also important to sustaining a high throughput because the polishing rate determines the length of the planarization process. Thus, it is desirable to stop the CMP process at the desired endpoint and to maintain a high polishing rate.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate existing techniques to endpoint CMP processing using polish-stop layers. Referring to FIG. 2A, a stop-on-feature wafer 50(a) has a substrate 60 and a number of device features 62 formed on the substrate 60. A polish-stop layer 80 is deposited over the substrate 60 and the device features 62, and an insulative layer 70 is deposited on the polish-stop layer 80. The polish-stop layer 80 has a lower polishing rate than that of the insulative layer 70. Referring to FIG. 2(B), an interconnect wafer 50(b) has a substrate 60, a device feature 62 formed in the substrate 60, an insulative layer 70 deposited over the substrate 60, and a polish-stop layer 80 deposited on the insulation layer 70. A via 74 is cut through the insulative layer 70 and the polish-stop layer 80, and a conductive layer 90 is deposited into the via 74 and over the polish-stop layer 80. The portion of the conductive layer 90 in the via 74 forms an interconnect 92 to the device feature 62. In case of an interconnect wafer, the polish-stop layer 80 also has a lower polishing rate than that of the conductive layer 90.
In operation, the insulative layer 70 of the stop-on-feature wafer 50(a) or the conductive layer 90 of the interconnect wafer 50(b) is planarized until the polishing pad (shown in FIG. 1) engages the top surface 81 of the polish-stop layer 80. Since the polishing rate of the polish-stop layer 80 is lower than that of the upper layer, the polish-stop layer resists planarization under certain operating parameters to reduce the polishing rate at a desired endpoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,884 to Jaso et al. discloses using diamond or diamond-like carbon ("DLC") as a chemical-mechanical polish stop. In particular, a metallized semiconductor chip is coated with a first layer of silicon dioxide followed by a second layer of diamond or DLC as an etch stop. The DLC is deposited at about 75° C. to about 350° C. to form a layer of DLC with a thickness of 750 Å to 1000 Å. U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,884 discloses that DLC effectively stops planarization with softer polishing pads, such as an IC-40 or an IC-60 polishing pad, but that no difference in the thickness uniformly or planarity was observed when harder polishing pads were used to planarize wafers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,884 discloses that diamond or DLC works well as an etch stop with soft polishing pads because these substances are exceptionally hard.
One problem with DLC polish-stop layers is that they do not effectively endpoint CMP processing with hard polishing pads. Hard polishing pads are often the pad of choice for many CMP applications; compared to softer polishing pads, hard polishing pads reduce dishing over large features, withstand higher down forces, and resist wear better. Hard polishing pads, however, effectively planarize DLC because the carbon atoms are bonded to each other and to adjacent hydrogen atoms in a manner that prevents the carbon atoms from moving with respect to each other and along substantially parallel, horizontal planes. Thus, because hard pads effectively planarize DLC, it would be desirable to make polish-stop layer from a material that effectively endpoints CMP processing with hard polishing pads.
Another problem with DLC polish-stop layers is that they are relatively time consuming to deposit on and remove from the wafers. Polish-stop layers made from DLC are deposited to a thickness of approximately 750 Å to approximately 1000 Å. As with any material; the process time to deposit a layer of DLC increases with increasing layer thickness. Moreover, in the case of interconnect wafers, the DLC layers is also cleaned from the surface of the wafer after the CMP process is finished to accommodate subsequent processing of the wafer. Thus, since the time to deposit and clean material increases with increasing layer thickness, it is desirable to reduce the thickness of the polish-stop layer without significantly impairing its effectiveness.

Low friction polish-stop stratum for endpointing chemical-mechanical planarization processing of semiconductor wafers


A light-emitting element, a light-emitting element unit and a light-emitting element package are provided, which are each reduced in reflection loss and intra-film light absorption by suppressing multiple light reflection in a transparent electrode layer and hence have higher luminance. The light-emitting element 1 includes a substrate 2, an n-type nitride semiconductor layer 3, a light-emitting layer 4, a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 5, a transparent electrode layer 6 and a reflective electrode layer 7, and the transparent electrode layer 6 has a thickness T satisfying the following expression (1):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting element, a light-emitting element unit including the light-emitting element, and a light-emitting element package including the light-emitting element unit and a resin package encapsulating the light-emitting element unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of prior-art semiconductor light-emitting elements is disclosed, for example, in JP-2008-263130A.
A semiconductor light-emitting element disclosed in FIG. 4 of JP-2008-263130A includes a sapphire substrate through which light is extracted, a light-emitting layer, a transparent electrode and a reflective metal layer.
When the light-emitting layer emits light, the light is mostly extracted through the sapphire substrate, but partly passes through the transparent electrode to be reflected on the reflective metal layer, and further passes through the transparent electrode to be extracted through the sapphire substrate.
In the prior-art semiconductor light-emitting element, therefore, the light emitted from the light-emitting layer is extracted at a lower light extracting efficiency, making it difficult to provide a sufficient luminance.

Abstract: 3                            λ                                      4                                                                                n                                +                      0.30            ×                          (                              λ                                  4                                                                                n                                            )                                      ≤        T        ≤                                            3                            λ                                      4                                                                                n                                +                      0.45            ×                          (                              λ                                  4                                                                                n                                            )                                                          (        1        )            wherein λ is the light-emitting wavelength of the light-emitting element 4, and n is the refractive index of the transparent electrode layer 6.