An organic-inorganic complex having high surface hardness and anti-Newton ring properties, having a low haze factor, being capable of preventing glare, and being further capable of also having anti-glare properties. The organic-inorganic complex of the present invention is made using an organic-inorganic complex-forming composition containing the following components a) to d): a) an organic silicon compound represented by formula (I): RnSiX4-n, and/or a condensate thereof; b) a silanol condensation catalyst; c) an electromagnetic ray-curable compound; and d) metal compound particles that are a mixture of metal compound particles having an isoelectric point of less than 5 as a metal oxide and metal compound particles having an isoelectric point of 5 or more as a metal oxide.

Currently, as a raw material of a commercial silane-based coating agent, a trifunctional silane is mainly used, and a polysiloxane having moderate hardness and flexibility is formed by such a trifunctional silane. However, the hard coating properties of a film of a trifunctional silane are not sufficient. Therefore, the trifunctional silane is mixed with a tetrafunctional silane and colloidal silica to compensate for the hard coating properties. But, a problem is that if the film is hardened, the film cracks easily, and the adhesiveness worsens.
Silane-based coating agents include antifouling film-forming compositions containing a trifunctional alkoxysilane compound having an epoxy group (for example, see Patent Document 1). In addition, silane-based coating agents containing a photocatalyst are also proposed, and the film is cured using a photo-acid-generating agent, a crosslinking agent, a curing catalyst, or the like (for example, see Patent Documents 2 and 3). Further, silane-based organic-inorganic complex gradient materials having a component gradient structure in which the content of the metal-based compound in the material changes continuously in the depth direction from the surface of the material are also proposed (for example, see Patent Document 4).
The inventors have provided an organic-inorganic complex in which the surface has very high hardness and the inside and the back surface side have appropriate hardness and which has excellent adhesiveness to a substrate, by irradiating an organic silicon compound with ultraviolet rays in the presence of a photosensitive compound (see Patent Document 5). However, a further improvement has been desired in adhesiveness to a base material and moisture resistance.
On the other hand, for hard coating films, the use of acrylate-based resins or the like as UV-curable resins is known. For example, Patent Document 6 describes a hard coating film containing a (meth)acrylate mixture (A), a photopolymerization initiator (B), an ethylenic unsaturated group-containing urethane oligomer (C), a colloidal silica sol (D), and a diluent (E), and describes that the obtained film has good pencil hardness, curl, and adhesiveness to a base material.
In addition, Patent Document 7 describes the use of a curable composition containing (A) particles obtained by bonding particles of an oxide of at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, aluminum, zirconium, titanium, zinc, germanium, indium, tin, antimony, and cerium to an organic compound comprising a polymerizable unsaturated group, (B) a compound having a urethane bond and two or more polymerizable unsaturated groups in the molecule, and (C) a photopolymerization initiator, and describes that the curable composition has excellent coating properties and can form on the surfaces of various base materials a coating film (coating) having high hardness and a high refractive index and having excellent abrasion resistance and excellent adhesiveness to base materials and low refractive index layers.
Further, Patent Document 8 describes an ultraviolet-curable hard coating resin composition obtained by blending (A) a mixture of a hydrolysate of an organic silicon compound and metal oxide fine particles, (B) a polyfunctional acrylate or methacrylate, and (C) a photopolymerization initiator, and describes that the bleeding of the antistatic agent on the surface, a decrease in transparency, a deterioration in moisture resistance, and the like can be kept within practically allowable ranges, and functions (abrasion resistance, surface hardness, moisture resistance, solvent and chemical resistance, and the like) as a hard coating are satisfied.
However, these hard coating films using acrylate-based resins and the like have poorer wear resistance than inorganic films, and therefore, a metal oxide sol having high hardness is added for improvement. But, in this method, the surfaces of the metal oxide particles are covered with a large amount of the resin, and a sufficient effect cannot always be expected. Particularly, in the case of anti-Newton ring films that contain metal oxide particles having a large particle diameter to form unevenness on the surfaces of the films, a problem is that unless the surfaces of the metal oxide particles are covered with the resin, the metal oxide particles having a large particle diameter fall off in a wear test.
For these problems, the inventors have already found that an organic-inorganic complex in which the surface has very high hardness and which has excellent adhesiveness to a substrate and excellent moisture resistance can be produced by blending an ultraviolet-curable compound into a polysiloxane-based organic-inorganic complex (Patent Document 9). However, the light reflection properties of the above organic-inorganic complex have not been studied.
Therefore, the inventors have developed an organic-inorganic complex in which the ten-point average roughness of the organic-inorganic complex surface is 0.1 μm to 5 μm by using metal oxide particles having a primary particle diameter of 0.05 μm to 0.2 μm (Patent Document 10). The performance as an anti-Newton ring film has been sufficient, but the new problem of an increase in haze factor has arisen by providing unevenness by the particles having a large particle diameter.

Organic-inorganic complex and composition for forming same


Disclosed herein are compositions and systems having a low coefficient of friction. The low friction system comprises a first surface and a second surface, where the first surface comprises (i) a polycarbonate and a first additive, or (ii) a polybutylene terephthalate and a second additive; and the second surface comprises a polyoxymethylene and a third additive. The low friction compositions and systems are valuable for producing devices, such as medical devices.

When two materials slide against each other, it is often desirable to have a smooth contact between the surfaces of the materials so to reduce friction at the contact area. For a given pair of sliding surfaces, the magnitude of friction is generally given by the coefficient of friction. A lowering of the coefficient of friction generally leads to improved wear and reduced squeaking noises.
An important area of application where smoothly sliding materials are needed is in drug injection systems, which are commonly used to deliver therapeutic agents. Pen injectors constitute one class of drug injection systems. Pen injection components are commonly made of plastic materials, such as thermoplastics. The components are generally produced by injection moulding techniques. Pen injectors are widely used for delivering or injecting therapeutic agents into the body, example, a human body. Surfaces of a pen injection system that are in contact with each other slide during injection of the therapeutic agent into the human body. This leads to friction between the surfaces of the components that are in contact during the sliding motion. For example, the outer surface of a piston experiences sliding friction when it slides against a cylindrical tube of a pen injection system. The force with which a therapeutic agent is injected into a human body through a pen injection system is termed as dose force. One of the factors that determines the dose force in the pen injector is the friction between components of the pen injector that slide against each other. Therefore, if friction can be reduced, the dose force can also be reduced advantageously, thereby leading to a smoother operation and longer use of the injection system.
The known pen injector components exhibit a relatively high coefficient of friction when they slide against each other. Further, the components manufactured by commonly known techniques, such as injection moulding, require extensive running in, external lubrication, or both to obtain an instantaneous low coefficient of friction between them.
Therefore, there is a need for a system having components having a low coefficient of friction, that is, a coefficient of friction of less than 0.06 when measured using a contact pressure of 3.0 MPa (megapascals) and a sliding speed of 0.02 meters per second. Further, there is a need for methods for producing a low friction system that exhibits a low coefficient of friction of less than or equal to 0.06, without subjecting the components to the extra steps of exhaustive running-in, external lubrication, or both. Furthermore, there is a need for a system wherein after additional external lubrication of one or both components' surface(s), the frictional force is not further reduced.


A sawing device includes a holding device (22) arranged so as to hold in the course of wire sawing the different sawed slices (23) substantially parallel and such that the width of the sawing gaps (24) is held constant. The device includes, for this purpose, holding members (25), for example in the form of a bar (30) whose resilient coating (31) is applied by springs (35) against a lower portion (26) of the slices (23) . There are thus obtained slices without undulations, striations, breakages and irregularities; moreover, the invention permits easy repair of the layer of wires after breakage of the wire.

The present invention relates to a wire sawing device comprising at least one layer of wires stretched between at least two wire guide cylinders and held in position by grooves provided on the surface of said cylinders, which wire guides define the interval between the wires of the layer of wires, and hence the thickness of the sawed slices separated from each other by sawing gaps, the wires being adapted to move with alternating or continuous movement whilst bearing against at least one piece to be sawed fixed on a support table.


A digitizer for a barcode scanner includes an amplifier and a comparator. The amplifier receives a feedback signal and a differentiated return signal on a first port, and a reference voltage signal on a second port. Based on a difference between voltages on the first and second ports, the amplifier outputs an output signal, which is limited between a maximum voltage value and a minimum voltage value. The output signal is delayed in phase, and the phase-delayed signal is input to a first port of a comparator, while the undelayed output signal is input to a second port of the comparator. Based on a comparison of the voltages on the first and second ports of the comparator, the feedback signal having one of a first voltage value and a second voltage value is obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digitizer for a bar code scanner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digitizer for a bar code scanner, which is capable of inhibiting improper transitions of an input differentiated signal to be digitized by the digitizer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bar codes are used in a wide variety of applications for retrieving information, such as price, from objects. In this respect, bar code scanners are of widespread use in grocery stores and department stores, for both inventory control and for point-of-sales transactions.
A bar code normally includes several bar code characters. A bar code character is a group of lines (bars) and spacings that represent a single number or letter. A bar code symbol is a collection of several bar code characters which represent an identification of a particular object. The lines of the bar code can vary, for example, in a range from about 1/8" to 1" in height, and from about 1 to 50 mils in thickness. The spacings between the lines of the bar code symbol may be of various widths, with the variations in the spacing being one indication of the type of bar code characters making up the bar code symbol.
Typically, bar codes are read by a bar code scanner by illuminating the bars and spacings in a sequential manner (i.e., scanning), with the bars absorbing light and the background spacings reflecting light. This results in a pattern of reflections and nonreflections that is sensed by a light detecting circuit resident in the bar code scanner. The light detecting circuit provides an input to a digital processor, which interprets this input into a digital word.
One important aspect of bar code scanners is the means that performs scanning of a bar code symbol. In particular, hand-held bar code scanners typically require a miniaturized scanning means that can fit within the housing of the bar code scanner. The term "scan engine" or "scan module" used herein may be taken to mean a unitary assembly of a light beam source, and optical and electronic components for collecting and translating light received from a symbol (e.g., a bar code) into data-representing electrical signals. All bar code scanners require a scan module, as well as a means for providing oscillation of the scan module so as to provide a scanning function.
Conventional bar code scanners also utilize laser diodes in order to provide the means for outputting coherent light towards an object to be scanned. The laser diode is typically affixed to the oscillation means, and so provides a sweeping of light across an object that is scanned.
Another important part of a bar code scanner is the signal processing circuitry, which is used to detect and decode the return light in order to output a digital signal representative of the scanned bar code symbol. FIG. 1 shows a conventional signal processor for a bar code scanner. The return light from a scanned bar code symbol is received by a photodetector 100, which converts the received light into a current value. The current value is sent to a transimpedance amplifier 110, which converts the current value into a voltage value. The voltage value is input to an amplifier stage 120, which provides a constant gain to the voltage value.
The amplified voltage output from the amplifier stage 120 is sent to a derivative circuit 130, which performs a first (and sometimes also a second) derivative function on the voltage value, in order to enhance transitions in the amplified voltage output which correspond to dark bar edges and white space edges of the scanned bar code symbol.
The output of the derivative circuit 130 is sent to a filter stage 140, which typically has a fixed bandwidth. The bandwidth characteristics of the filter stage 140 are set based on the typical scanning range of the bar code scanner, as well as the typical bar widths that are to be scanned by the bar code scanner. Once the bandwidth characteristics of the filter stage 140 are set (during the manufacturing of the bar code scanner), they cannot be adjusted during operation of the bar code scanner.
The output of the filter stage 140 is sent to a digitizer stage 150, which has a particular threshold associated therewith, so as to detect portions of the return signal that are above the particular threshold. Based on these detections, the widths of the bars (i.e., those portions of the return signal that are above the particular threshold) and the widths of the spaces of the scanned bar code symbol can be determined. Some conventional barcode scanners provide a connection directly from the derivative circuit 130 to the digitizer stage 150, without providing any filtering therebetween.
In conventional systems, there is a problem associated with false detections of bar and space edges due to noise spikes. Several types of systems have been devised to help alleviate this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,783, issued to Edward Bremer, and assigned to PSC Inc., which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a false bar code inhibitor circuit, as shown in FIG. 2. The false bar code inhibitor circuit 100 includes a detector circuit 52, a signal restore circuit 54, an externally adjustable threshold comparator circuit 56, a software controller 58, and a high impedance clamp circuit 60. With this system, a window for a bar code read is dynamically set each time, and with the window the bar code reader is able to mask false bars in the output bar code from the digitizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,080, issued to Edward Barkan, and assigned to Symbol Technologies, Inc., discloses a digital signal processing circuit for a bar code scanner, as shown in FIG. 3. The circuit includes a amplifying circuit 16 for amplifying a differentiated signal, a delay circuit 18 for producing a delayed signal, a peak locating comparator 20 for comparing the differentiated signal to the delayed signal. The circuit also includes a peak comparator 20 and a false transition gating comparator 22, whereby a latch comparator circuit 24 only changes state upon the first transition of the peak comparator 20 following a transition of the gating comparator 22. In this way, noise that may cause spurious transitions on the output of the peak location comparator 20 do not cause false transitions on the latch comparator 24 output unless the noise is large enough to trip the gating comparator 22.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,728, issued to Randy Elliott and Blaine Loris, and assigned to Spectra-Physics Scanning System, Inc., which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a signal processing apparatus for use in barcode scanners. The apparatus forms a derivative signal, and utilizes the derivative signal to detect transition points from white to black bars and vice versa. The apparatus then starts and stops the generation of digital pulses at or about the transition points, so as to generate pulses having widths corresponding to the widths of the bars making up the bar code symbol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,272, issued to Edward Barkan, and assigned to Symbol Technologies, Inc., discloses a system for digitizing a return signal from a scanned barcode symbol. The system detects zero-crossings of a second derivative signal, and ignores noise signals from a first derivative of the return signal.
In all of the above-mentioned systems, a certain amount of noise will cause a false transition on the differentiated signal, which will be subsequently digitized to produce an incorrect digitized output.

Bar code digitizer including a voltage comparator


What is described is a plastic container consisting of two container parts (12, 14) which are connected to one another in an opening region. Each container part (12, 14) has a single connection frame (26, 28) which includes the connection opening. The container parts (12, 14) can be connected to one another along the facing connection frames (26, 28). At least one connection frame (26, 28) includes a support device (30, 34; 54) which extends in the connection frame (26, 28) in the vertical direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plastic container consisting of two container parts which are connected to one another in an opening region.
2. Description of the Related Art
A container of this type is known from DE 201 05 030 U1 of the same applicant. The container described serves to store liquids and consists of at least two separately manufactured and largely identical container parts. Each container part includes an upper and a lower flow nozzle having an aperture. The two container parts are connected to one another in the region of the upper flow nozzle as well as in the region of the lower flow nozzle. Further, the container parts include stiffening corrugations for increasing stability.
Such a container can be used for collecting rainwater or waste water and should be suitable for underground storage. Known containers have a spherical, cylindrical or rectangular geometry. For rectangular containers, generally a width which is small compared with the length is chosen in order to withstand soil loads.
In order to obtain a large volume, the height of the container must then be chosen high, this requiring a high mounting depth. For reasons of soil quality, such as in the case of stony soils or given the presence of ground water, it is often necessary to keep the mounting depth as low as possible.

Large-volume container comprising two parts and a support device located in the connection region


An inductive angle sensor includes an inductive target arrangement with k-fold symmetry and a first pickup coil arrangement with k-fold symmetry and a second pickup coil arrangement with k-fold symmetry. A combination apparatus is designed to combine signals of the first pickup coil arrangement with signals of the second pickup coil arrangement and, on the basis thereof, to ascertain an angle-error-compensated rotation angle. The single pickup coils of the first and second pickup coil arrangements are each rotationally offset about the axis of rotation R by a geometric offset angle α relative to one another. Additionally, the entire first pickup coil arrangement is rotationally offset relative to the entire second pickup coil arrangement about the axis of rotation R by a geometric offset angle ρ.

Inductive angle sensors normally have a stator and a rotor that is rotatable relative thereto. So that the rotor can rotate relative to the stator there is a slight air gap between the rotor and the stator. The stator can be embodied for example as a printed circuit board, PCB for short. There can be a field coil arranged on the stator. The field coil is fed an input signal, for example an AC signal. In response thereto the field coil generates a magnetic field that decouples from the field coil. The rotor opposite has an inductive target that the magnetic field couples into. In response thereto the inductive target produces eddy currents that in turn generate a secondary magnetic field that decouples from the inductive target. The secondary magnetic field then couples into a pickup coil arrangement arranged on the stator. In response thereto the pickup coil arrangement generates an output signal that represents the angle between the stator and the rotor.
The target on the rotor and the pickup coils on the stator are matched to one another. They both have a specific matching symmetry. That is to say that the target and the pickup coils can have a specific symmetrical shape. For example, the target, in a similar manner to an increment wheel, can have a shape comprising teeth and gaps, and the pickup coils can have symmetrical turns, for example. This symmetry is also referred to as a k-fold symmetry within the context of this disclosure. Where this document refers to such a k-fold symmetry, this is understood to mean a form of rotational symmetry. For example, a body has a k-fold symmetry if it can be rotated through 360°*n/k about an axis so that it has the same appearance after rotation as before rotation (n being an arbitrary whole number (integer)). Additionally, a k-fold symmetry is distinguished in the present disclosure in that in the case of a k-fold symmetry the signal induced in a coil (or target) remains identical if the coil (or the target) is rotated through 360°/k.
The aforementioned output signal induced in the pickup coil arrangement can be an AC voltage signal that consists of a radio-frequency RF carrier component and a low-frequency LF signal component. However, it may be that this LF signal component itself does not vary perfectly sinusoidally with the rotation angle between the stator and the rotor. So a systematic error is therefore obtained, or to be more precise a systematic error band, that leads to systematic divergences in the accuracy of the angle measurements. The systematic error is manifested in a low harmonic content of the LF signal component, that is to say in its 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc, harmonics, with the dominant fundamental wave (=the first harmonic) corresponding to the rotation angle (or, if the target has manifold symmetry k>1, to k times the rotation angle).
One way of correcting this systematic error would be to provide very specific coil geometries in combination with high-precision manufactured targets and precisely known air gaps, so as thereby to obtain a perfectly sinusoidal signal with reference to the angle of rotation. However, this requires complicated coil geometries, leading to rising costs in production.
Another way of correcting this systematic error would be to provide an appropriate mathematical correction formula or an appropriate lookup table, each of which describes the systematic angle error. In this case, such an angle sensor would first be able to calculate the rotation angle, then ascertain the angle difference or the applicable correction factor stored therefor from the formula or table, and subsequently calculate the true rotation angle again by taking into consideration the angle difference or the correction factor. However, this works only for a single, previously defined air gap. As soon as the air gap changes, for example on account of tolerances during assembly, the lookup table or the mathematical correction formula needs to be changed accordingly. It is accordingly necessary to keep a two-dimensional correction table for the angle error for such systems, which correction table is in turn dependent on the true rotation angle and the actual air gap. Furthermore, the air gap always needs to be known very precisely, which is normally not the case, in particular for angle sensors manufactured on a mass-produced basis, however.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an inductive angle sensor that can compensate for or correct a systematic angle error and that nevertheless permits simple coil geometries and reacts to air gap variations without being susceptible to faults and at the same time delivers precise angle signals for targets of substantially arbitrary design.

Inductive angle sensor having two pickup coil arrangements arranged offset from one another


The present invention relates to a system for monitoring contact or close proximity between one or more sources of contact within an environment and to one or more devices suitable for implementing such a system. Each source of contact is provided with a monitoring device. Each monitoring device comprises an indicator unit and a detecting unit. The indicator unit is operable to emit a signal and the detecting unit is operable to detect and identify signals of the type emitted by the indicator unit of another monitoring device and output an information signal indicative thereof.

In some environments, it is important to monitor the presence of certain persons within a particular location and also to monitor the contact between persons and equipment within a location. Such environments include areas where hygiene is of particular importance, such as hospitals or food preparation settings, and also manufacturing and product assembly areas and areas of restricted access. It is also important to track which equipment within a location has been used and on what is has been used. It is, however, difficult to maintain a record of such information.
An example of such a difficulty is illustrated by considering a product assembly line. Workers on an assembly line can each be assigned a designated task as part of the assembly of the desired product. Each worker may have a set number of tools and equipment for carrying out the task. If a task on the assembly line is not completed to an appropriate level, the resulting product may not comply with the necessary quality assurance standards. It is, however, very difficult to monitor a workers compliance with the necessary standards required for each set task. It is also difficult to monitor the nature of the tools and equipment used and the worker using them.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system that at least partially alleviates or overcomes the above problems.


The power supply apparatus includes the feedback winding of a transformer having a first winding, and a second winding whose number of turns is larger than that of the first winding. A voltage output from the transformer is detected. Based on the detected voltage, connection between a switch element and the first winding or the second winding is switched.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus and an image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to improving the efficiency of a power supply apparatus of ringing choke converter (hereinafter referred to as RCC) system under light-load conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent increase in consciousness about environment and the like is producing a requirement to reduce power consumption of electronic devices. In general, for example, an electronic device such as a TV set or a printer is often in the standby state waiting for a user operation for a longer time than that in an actually operating state. For this reason, to reduce power consumption, it is important to improve the efficiency of the power supply apparatus in the standby state, that is, under light-load conditions.
On the other hand, a self-excited type power supply apparatus represented by the RCC type is simple and inexpensive and is therefore mounted in various electronic devices. As a means for improving the efficiency of the RCC type of the power supply apparatus (hereinafter referred to as RCC power supply) under light-load conditions, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-278946, it is proposed, a method of lowering the output voltage and intermittently operating the RCC power supply apparatus in the standby state, thereby improving the efficiency.
However, when an output voltage V0 is lowered, and an FET 404 shown in FIG. 1 to be described later is turned on via a resistor 405, as in the related art, the loss of the FET 404 at turn-on increases. This will be described below with reference to FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing waveforms when the RCC power supply apparatus of the related art (for example, FIG. 1 to be described later) is operating in an intermittent oscillation state, and illustrates the waveforms of a drain-source voltage (Vds), a drain current (Id), and a gate-source voltage (Vgs) of the FET 404 from above. As shown in FIG. 5, in the intermittent operation state, the FET 404 cannot be turned on only by the voltage generated in a winding Nb. Hence, the FET 404 is turned on when the current flowing through the resistor 405 charges the gate-source capacitance. However, to reduce power consumption under light-load conditions, in general, the resistor 405 needs to have a high resistance, and the current flowing through the resistor 405 is very small. Hence, when turning on the FET 404 via the resistor 405, the turn-on of the FET 404 is largely delayed, and the loss at turn-on increases. Additionally, at turn-on of the FET 404, charges accumulated in a capacitor 414 are consumed as the loss of the FET 404. This loss increases in proportion to the square of Vds at turn-on of the FET 404. In the intermittent operation state, since Vds at turn-on of the FET 404 is almost equal to the potential of a capacitor 403 (illustrated as C 403 in FIG. 5), the loss further increases. Due to the above-described reasons, there is a limitation in improving the efficiency under light-load conditions only by lowering the output voltage V0 and operating the RCC power supply apparatus in the intermittent oscillation state.
When the number of turns of the winding Nb is increased so as to make the voltage generated in the winding Nb higher than the gate threshold voltage of the FET 404 even when lowering the output voltage V0, the voltage generated in the winding Nb when the output voltage V0 of normal level is output becomes high. This undesirably leads to a need to raise the breakdown voltages of circuit components, resulting in an increase in the cost. In addition, an operation error may occur and break the circuit.

Power supply apparatus and image forming apparatus


An inverted variable resistance memory cell and a method of fabricating the same. The memory cell is fabricated by forming an opening in an insulating layer deposited over a semiconductor substrate, etching the top portion of the opening to have a substantially hemispherical-shape, forming a metal layer in the opening, and overlying a variable resistance material over the metal layer.

Semiconductor memory devices are widely used in electronic systems and computers to store information in the form of binary data. These memory devices may be characterized as either volatile memory, where the stored data is lost if the power source is disconnected or removed or non-volatile, where the stored data is retained even during power interruption. Traditionally, however, non-volatile memory devices occupy a large amount of space and consume large quantities of power, making these devices unsuitable for use in portable devices or as substitutes for frequently-accessed volatile memory devices. On the other hand, volatile memory devices tend to provide greater storage capability and programming options than non-volatile memory devices. Volatile memory devices also generally consume less power than non-volatile devices.
An example of a non-volatile random access memory devices are variable resistance memory devices, which contain many types of resistance change materials, including magnetic materials, doped chalcogenide materials, phase change materials, among others.
One class of variable resistance change materials used in non-volatile random access memory devices are magnetic materials. These devices employ the magneto-resistive effect to store memory states and typically use the magnetization orientation of a layer of magneto-resistive material to represent and to store a binary state. For example, magnetization orientation in one direction may be defined as a logic "0", while magnetization orientation in another direction may be defined as a logic "1".
The ability to read stored binary states is a consequence of the magneto-resistive effect. This effect is characterized by a change in resistance of multiple layers of magneto-resistive material, depending on the relative magnetization orientations of the layers. Thus, a magneto-resistive memory cell typically has two magnetic layers that may change orientation with respect to one another. Where the directions of the magnetization vectors point in the same direction, the layers are said to be in a parallel orientation and where the magnetization vectors point in opposite directions, the layers are said to be oriented anti-parallel. In practice, typically one layer, the free or "soft" magnetic layer, is allowed to change orientation, while the other layer, the pinned or "hard" magnetic layer, has a fixed magnetization orientation to provide a reference for the orientation of the free magnetic layer. The magnetization orientation of the two layers may then be detected by determining the relative electrical resistance of the memory cell. If the magnetization orientation of its magnetic layers are substantially parallel, a memory cell is typically in a low resistance state. In contrast, if the magnetization orientation of its magnetic layers is substantially anti-parallel, the memory cell is typically in a high resistance state. Thus, ideally, in typical magneto-resistive memories, binary logic states are stored as binary magnetization orientations in magneto-resistive materials and are read as the binary resistance states of the magneto-resistive memory cells containing the magneto-resistive materials.
Giant magneto-resistive (GMR) and tunneling magneto-resistive (TMR) memory cells are two common types of memory cells that take advantage of this resistance behavior. In GMR cells, the flow of electrons through a conductor situated between a free magnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer is made to vary, depending on the relative magnetization orientations of the magnetic layers on either side of the conductor. By switching the magnetization orientation of the free magnetic layer, the electron flow through the conductor is altered and the effective resistance of the conductor is changed.
In TMR cells, an electrical barrier layer, rather than a conductor, is situated between a free magnetic layer and a pinned magnetic layer. Electrical charges quantum mechanically tunnel through the barrier layer. Due to the spin dependent nature of the tunneling, the extent of electrical charges passing through the barrier vary with the relative magnetization orientations of the two magnetic layers on either side of the barrier. Thus, the measured resistance of the TMR cell may be switched by switching the magnetization orientation of the free magnetic layer.
Some examples of magneto-resistive memories are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,200,035; 7,196,882; 7,189,583; 7,072,209; 7,038,286; and 6,982,450, assigned to Micron Technology Inc. and incorporated herein by reference.
Another class of variable resistance change materials used in non-volatile random access memory devices are doped chalcogenide materials. Chalcogenides are alloys of Group VI elements of the periodic table, such as Te or Se. In such devices, a fast ion conductor such as a chalcogenide-metal ion and at least two electrodes (e.g., an anode and a cathode) having an electrically conducting material and disposed at the surface of the fast ion conductor are set a distance apart from each other. A specific example of a doped chalcogenide is germanium selenide with silver ions. Typically, to provide the silver ions within the germanium selenide material, germanium selenide is deposited onto the first electrode using chemical vapor deposition. A thin layer of silver is then deposited on the glass, for example by physical vapor deposition or another technique. The layer of silver is then irradiated with ultraviolet radiation. The thin nature of the deposited silver allows the energy to pass through the silver to the silver/glass interface to cause the silver to diffuse into the chalcogenide material. The applied energy and overlying silver result in the silver migrating into the glass layer such that a homogenous distribution of silver throughout the layer is ultimately achieved.
When a voltage is applied to the anode and the cathode, a non-volatile metal dendrite rapidly grows from the cathode along the surface of the fast ion conductor towards the anode. The growth rate of the dendrite is a function of the applied voltage and time; the growth of the dendrite may be stopped by removing the voltage or the dendrite may be retracted back towards the cathode, or even disintegrated, by reversing the voltage polarity at the anode and cathode. Changes in the length and width of the dendrite affect the resistance and capacitance of the variable resistance memory device.
Some examples of variable resistance memory devices and methods of manufacturing such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,149,100; 7,064,970; 6,348,365; and 6,930,909, and U.S. Publication Nos. 2006/0099822; and 2004/0238918, assigned to Micron Technology Inc. and incorporated herein by reference. The memory cells manufactured using the methods disclosed in the above-mentioned publications result in a planar electrode at the top of a layer of chalcogenide material resulting in non-uniform electric field and subsequent signal integrity issues.
In yet another class of variable resistance change materials used in non-volatile random access memory devices are phase change materials. A specific chalcogenide currently used in rewriteable compact discs ("CD-RWs") is Ge2Sb2Te5. In addition to having valuable optical properties that are utilized in CD-RW discs, Ge2Sb2Te5 also has desirable physical properties as a variable resistance material. Various combinations of Ge, Sb and Te may be used as variable resistance materials and which are herein collectively referred to as GST materials. Specifically, GSTs can change structural phases between an amorphous phase and two crystalline phases. The resistance of the amorphous phase ("a-GST") and the resistances of the cubic and hexagonal crystalline phases ("c-GST" and "h-GST," respectively) can differ significantly. The resistance of amorphous GST is greater than the resistances of either cubic GST or hexagonal GST, whose resistances are similar to each other. Thus, in comparing the resistances of the various phases of GST, GST may be considered a two-state material (amorphous GST and crystalline GST), with each state having a different resistance that can be equated with a corresponding binary state. A variable resistance material such as GST whose resistance changes according to its material phase is referred to as a phase change material.
The transition from one GST phase to another occurs in response to temperature changes of the GST material. As shown in FIG. 1, the GST material has a melting temperature Tm and a crystallization temperature Tx. The crystallization temperature Tx is lower than the melting temperature Tm. Both the crystallization temperature Tx and the melting temperature Tm are higher than room temperature. Two curves are shown in FIG. 1, one curve for a-GST and the other for c-GST, h-GST. When the GST material is heated above the melting temperature Tm, the GST material loses its crystalline structure. If the GST material is then rapidly cooled to room temperature, the GST material is formed into an amorphous state—the cooling occurs too fast to allow a crystalline structure to grow. On the other hand, if the GST material is warmed to a temperature above the crystallization temperature Tx, but below the melting temperature Tm, a crystalline structure is able to grow. Once converted into a crystalline structure, the GST material remains in a crystalline structure until it is again heated above the melting temperature Tm. In other words, at room temperature, the GST material is stable in either the amorphous or crystalline phases.
In a phase change memory cell, the heating and cooling can occur by causing differing strengths of current to flow through the GST material. The GST material is placed in a crystalline state by passing a crystallizing current through the GST material, thus warming the GST material to a temperature wherein a crystalline structure may grow. A stronger melting current is used to melt the GST material for subsequent cooling to an amorphous state. As the typical phase change memory cell uses the crystalline state to represent one logic value, e.g., a binary "1," and the amorphous state to represent another logic value, e.g., a binary "0," the crystallizing current is referred to as a set current ISET and the melting current is referred to as an erase or reset current IRST. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the assignment of GST states to binary values may be switched if desired.
The state of the GST material is determined by applying a small read voltage Vr across two electrodes and by measuring the resultant read current Ir. A lower read current Ir corresponds to a higher resistance. Thus, a relatively low read current Ir signifies that the GST material is in an amorphous state and a relatively high read current Ir signifies that the GST material is in a crystalline state.
The phase-changing current is applied to the GST material via electrodes that bound a layer of the GST material. The present manufacturing process results in a planar electrode at the top of the GST layer. Because of the configurations of the bounding surface areas of the two electrodes and the GST layer, current densities within the GST material are not equally distributed.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and structures where current densities and electric field may be uniformly distributed resulting in subsequent uniform signal integrity.

Inverted variable resistance memory cell and method of making the same


An insertion module inserted into inside of an observed object includes a light-source light emitting module, around its distal end, configured to emitted light from a light source and a detector, provided close to the distal end, configured to detect a light quantity of incident visible light. A controller controls the light source such that a null signal is transmitted from the light-source light emitting module, the null signal being characteristic for detection of the position of the distal end and obtained by making at least light of a predetermined wavelength region have an absence of visible light. The detector performs detecting operation in a period in which the null signal is transmitted. A determination module performs determination relating to the position of the distal end, based on detection information outputted by the detector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an observation apparatus which is capable of detecting a distal end position of an insertion module by using external light.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, considerably bright light sources are used in observation apparatuses to observe the inside or an internal wall of an observed object, such as endoscopes, to improve the observation accuracy. When the bright light quantity is maintained in the case where the member, which is inserted into the observed object to obtain observation information, is located outside the observed object, however, the observer or the test subject, who is a representative example of the observed object, may be dazzled, and the electrical energy is wasted. The visual function of the observer or the test subject may be damaged, according to the type of the light source and the light output amount. Thus, it is desired to properly control the light quantity of the light source, according to the position of the observation member for the observed object.
To meet the above demand, Japanese Patent No. 4316118 presents a technique of determining whether the insertion module is located inside the living body or outside the living body. The technique is detecting the position of the insertion module, by detecting an observed color by color detecting means attached to a distal end of the insertion module being a member used for observation, and comparing the observed color with a color signal obtained inside the living body serving as the observed object.
In Japanese Patent No. 4316118, the image observed with the distal end of the insertion module, in particular, color information thereof, is used as a determination standard for detecting the position of the insertion module. A reddish image similar to an image of the inside of the body may be obtained, however, even when the insertion module is located outside the body. In addition, color distribution is not uniform even in the body, and white or yellow regions may be observed. Thus, it is probable that the position (inside or outside of the body) of the observation module cannot be accurately detected, and the safety is not secured, or the observation is obstructed.

Observation apparatus capable of detecting distal end position of insertion module using external light


An apparatus for moving a tractor cab relative to a tractor body includes a bracket having a first end and a second end, the first end of the bracket being secured to the tractor body and the second end of the bracket being spaced apart from the tractor body. The apparatus also includes a first support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first support arm being secured to the tractor cab and the second end of the first support arm being secured to the second end of the bracket. The apparatus further includes a hydraulic cylinder having a first end and a second end, the first end of the hydraulic cylinder being secured to the tractor cab and the second end of the hydraulic cylinder being secured to the second end of the bracket, wherein (1) the hydraulic cylinder is at a minimum extension when the tractor cab is moved to a raised position relative to the tractor body, and (2) the hydraulic cylinder is at a maximum extension when the tractor cab is moved to a normal position relative to the tractor body. A method of moving a tractor cab relative to a tractor body is also disclosed.

The present invention generally relates to tractors having a tractor cab, and more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for moving a tractor cab relative to a tractor body.
Material handling machines, such as grapple tractors (hereinafter referred to as tractors), are typically used in projects which require the movement of significant amounts of scrap, such as ferrous materials. These types of tractors generally include a grapple or magnet operatively linked to a boom and arm. Hereinafter, the boom and arm is collectively referred to as the grapple arm. The primary function of the grapple arm is to move the grapple in such a manner that it can grasp and transfer the scrap from one location to another. These types of tractors also include a cab that houses the operator and the controls used to direct the movements of the grapple arm, and therefore the grapple.
These tractors are often used to load or unload scrap from truck beds or from barges. However, using such tractors to perform the aforementioned loading or unloading function has a significant drawback. That is, it is very difficult for the operator of the tractor to see down into the truck bed or barge from his or her position in the cab. The operator'inability to see down into the truck bead or barge impedes his or her ability to properly control the movement of the grapple arm and grapple. As a result, the operator's ability to efficiently operate the grapple arm and grapple decreases.
In order to overcome the above described problem, several tractor models are constructed to include an adjustable cab riser apparatus. Such an apparatus allows the operator of the tractor to raise the cab to the desired height above the tractor body. Having the cab positioned at an appropriate height above the tractor body allows the operator to see into the truck bed, barge or container being loaded or unloaded, and therefore facilitates the proper control of the grapple arm and grapple.
Some cab riser apparatus are constructed to include a large unitary bracket member directly welded onto the frame of the tractor body. These apparatus also include a hydraulic cylinder and a number of support arms. The hydraulic cylinder and support arms are connected to the bracket member and a brace. The brace is connected to a platform member for supporting the tractor cab. Generally, the aforementioned cab riser components are arranged such that the actuation and extension of the hydraulic cylinder causes the brace, platform member, and therefore the tractor cab, to rise above the tractor body to a desired height. However, as will be discussed below, present cab riser apparatus suffer from several drawbacks.
One problem with the above described arrangement is that the hydraulic cylinder is less stable in its extended position, as compared to when it is in its retracted position. For example, in its extended position the hydraulic cylinder has a greater tendency to move about or "wobble" due to forces it encounters during use of the tractor. Since the hydraulic cylinder is attached to the platform member via the brace, its decreased stability is communicated to the platform member, and thus the cab. Therefore, the cab, in its raised position, also has a tendency to move about or "wobble" during use of the tractor.
Another problem with certain types of cab riser apparatus relates to the position of the cab once it is raised above the tractor body. For example, the spatial relationship of the support arms, bracket and brace typically causes the platform member to tilt relative to the tractor body when moved to an elevated position. Since the platform member supports the cab, the cab also tilts when moved to an elevated position. The tilting of the cab can be distracting or uncomfortable for the operator of the tractor.
Additional problems with prior art cab riser apparatus include (1) their inability to be retrofit onto existing tractor frames; (2) they are relatively bulky, and thus require a significant amount of space; and (3) the use of a large unitary bracket member is difficult to fabricate, and then weld onto a frame of the tractor body.
Therefore, in light of the above discussion, it is apparent that a cab riser apparatus that addresses the above described problems is desirable. The present invention provides such an apparatus. The cab riser apparatus of the present invention utilizes a number of "inverted hydraulic cylinders" and support arms arranged in a parallelogram linkage between a brace and a bracket member to elevate a tractor cab.
In use, the cab riser of the present invention provides an apparatus for elevating a cab which is relatively stable and thus inhibits the cab's movement during use of the tractor. Moreover, the present invention provides a cab riser apparatus wherein the cab does not tilt relative to the tractor body when located in any elevated position. In addition, the present invention provides a cab riser apparatus which (1) can be retrofit onto existing tractor bodies; (2) is relatively compact and thus requires less space when mounted; and (3) utilizes a bracket assembly which is relatively easy to fabricate, and then mount onto a tractor body.

Apparatus and method for moving a tractor cab relative to a tractor body


A query expression conversion apparatus includes a first generating unit, a first storage unit, an input unit, a conversion unit, and an output unit. The first generating unit periodically acquires structured data from a data set, analyzes the acquired structured data, and generates structural information of the data set. The first storage unit stores the structural information generated by the first generating unit so as to be associated with the unique address of the data set. The input unit inputs the unique address of the data set to be queried and the query expression having the structure of data as a condition. The conversion unit converts the query expression input from the input unit so as to be suitable for the structural information corresponding to the unique address of the data set input from the input unit. The output unit outputs a converted query expression converted by the conversion unit.

An Extensible Markup Language (XML), which is a general-purpose data description language, is characterized in that it can have a structure in which structured data and unstructured data are mixed in one document, it is easily processed by a computer, and it can improve readability. Therefore, the XML has been widely spread as a common data format to various kinds of computerized data. The computerized data (hereinafter, referred to as XML data) described with the XML is structured data in which elements with tags (marked up) are represented by a tree structure.
In recent years, since a large amount of XML data is used, an XML database that is suitable to store and appropriately manage the XML data has been developed. In addition, an integrated search technique has been developed, which searches a plurality of XML databases (data sets of XML data) distributed over the network like one database using a query expression described with XQuery which is a standard query language.
A problem of the integrated search is the difference in the schema (data structures of XML data) among a plurality of XML databases to be integrated. Since the XML database does not need to define the schema, it has high flexibility and expandability capable of responding to various kinds of XML data. However, in some cases, the data structure of the stored XML data varies depending on the database. Therefore, even when a query expression common to a plurality of XML databases to be integrated is performed, XML data suitable for search conditions is hit in a certain XML database, but XML data that should be semantically suitable is not hit due to the difference in data structure in another XML database. In particular, when XQuery is used as the query language, this tendency is strong since strict matching having a structure or a vocabulary as a condition is basically required.
As a method of absorbing the difference in the schema among a plurality of databases and performing an integrated search with a common query expression, a method has been known in which a master server that converts the common query expression into a query expression suitable for each of the plurality of databases is provided on the network. In general, a query expression conversion rule is defined in advance for each database to be integrated and is stored in the master server. Then, when a common query expression is input to the master server, the master server converts the common query expression so as to be suitable for the schema of each of a plurality of databases to be integrated and a query is performed for each database.

Query expression conversion apparatus, query expression conversion method, and computer program product


An eddy current flaw detection device according to an embodiment includes: a first exciter/detector that is supplied with alternating current and can induce eddy current in a tested object by generating a magnetic field change in the tested object; a second exciter/detector disposed opposite side of the first exciter/detector sandwiching the tested object therebetween. The second exciter/detector can detect a change in a reactive magnetic field generated by the eddy current. The first and second exciter/detectors each may have a coil including a helical coil wire, and the coil wire of the first exciter/detector may be thicker than the coil wire of the second exciter/detector.

Generally, in eddy current detection, alternating current from an alternating current power source is supplied to an excitation coil to induce eddy current in the vicinity of a surface of a tested object made of a metal material. A reactive magnetic field generated by the eddy current is detected by a detection coil. If there is a flaw in the vicinity of the tested object, the eddy current would change due to the flaw, and intensity and distribution of the reactive magnetic field generated by the eddy current would also change. Thus, the flaw can be detected.
A complex material, which is composed of a plurality of different materials in a layer structure or with fiber structure, may have a lower electric conductivity compared to metals. When a tested object is made of a complex material in an eddy current flaw detection, eddy current density induced in the complex material becomes low due to the low electric conductivity of the complex material. Thus, the magnetic flux density in the reactive magnetic field generated by the eddy current becomes low, and flaw detection sensitivity becomes low.

Eddy current flaw detection device and eddy current flaw detection method

Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation


The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a reactive silicon group-containing polymer. A novel process for the preparation of the polymer includes allowing an alkylene oxide to undergo ring opening polymerization with an organopolysiloxane compound having an active hydrogen-containing functional group with which the alkylene oxide is reactive as an initiator in the presence of a catalyst to synthesize a polymer of organopolysiloxane and polyoxyalkylene, and then introducing a reactive silicon group into the polymer. Another process for the preparation of the polymer as defined above is provided, which includes allowing an alkylene oxide to undergo ring opening polymerization with an organopolysiloxane compound having an epoxy group in the presence of a catalyst with an active hydrogen-containing compound as an initiator to synthesize a polymer the main chain of which is essentially a copolymer of organopolysiloxane and polyoxyalkylene, and then introducing a reactive silicon group into the polymer.

As reactive silicon group-containing polyoxyalkylene polymers have been known as disclosed in JP-A-50-156599 (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"), JP-A-54-6096, JP-A-57-126823, JP-A-55-82123, JP-A-55-131022, JP-A-62-230822, JP-A-63-83131, JP-A-3-47825, JP-A-3-72527, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,632,557, and 4,345,053. Because of their durability and coating properties, these reactive silicon group-containing polyoxyalkylene polymers are widely applied for sealing materials, adhesives, etc. However, these compounds leave some properties to be desired in weathering resistance and heat resistance and thus are disadvantageous in that they suffer from residual tack and surface contamination due to the attachment of dust or the like.
In an attempt to solve these problems, JP-A-55-21453 proposes an approach which comprises allowing a reactive and/or nonreactive organopolysiloxane polymer or a copolymer of reactive and/or nonreactive organopolysiloxane and polyoxyalkylene to undergo reaction with or be adding thereof to a reactive silicon group-containing polyoxyalkylene polymer. However, this approach is practically disadvantageous in that the compatibility of the polysiloxane component with the polyoxyalkylene component is insufficient, thereby causing macro phase separation or curing thereof during storage.

Process for the preparation of novel reactive silicon group-containing polymer

Kanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


A power calibration apparatus identifies a calibration area divided by an EFM frame unit on an optical disc and controls writing by a writing means. According to read out information for test writing written in the optical disc, a first writing power is calculated. By setting the first recording power as an initial value and changing the first recording power by a dense degree through steps corresponding to the number of the calibration areas divided by the EFM frame unit, the apparatus urges writing by the writing means. According to the read out information for the test writing written in the optical disc, a second writing power is calculated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power calibration method and a power calibration apparatus which determine the optimum writing power through writing information for test writing by emitting a laser light to a power calibration area on an optical disc, and reading the written information.
2. Description of the Related Art
When writing information into a recordable (write-once) optical disc (CD-R), the writing power is optimized by performing "test writing" into the power calibration area (hereinafter referred to as "PCA") beforehand. The process of optimizing the writing power will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.
AS shown in FIG. 8, the PCA 81 is divided into a test area 82 and a count area 83. The count area 83 is composed of one hundred count frames (CF01 to CF100), and the test area 82 is composed of one hundred partitions 84 (TA01 to TA100). A partition 84, which is composed of fifteen test frames (TF01 to TF15), is an area used for one power calibration. In prior art, as shown in FIG. 9, the optimization is performed by: writing a predetermined information into each of the fifteen test frames (TF01 to TF15) used for one power calibration, or in one partition 84, through changing the writing power in steps respectively, that is, in fifteen steps total; reading the written information; based on the reproducing signals, selecting the writing power in which the writing condition is the best; and writing information in accordance with the selected writing power.
In Japan as well as in other countries, enormous kinds of optical discs exist, and the recording sensitivity of these optical discs varies. Therefore, it may be difficult to determine the optimum writing power to all those having low recording sensitivity to those having high recording sensitivity from the result of writing and reading information, using the fifteen test frames.
Accordingly, in the prior art, there are some cases which perform the power calibration using a plurality of partitions 84 so as to improve the precision in determining the optimum writing power.
In order to improve the precision in determining the optimum writing power, it is necessary to perform the power calibration for multiple number of times using a plurality of partitions 84 as described above. However, since the PCA 81 only reserves for one hundred time use (that is, having one hundred partitions 84 only), there may be a case that the PCA 81 is run out and the optical disc becomes out of use during a process of writing a plurality of sessions or packet writing.
In the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.7-34052 and No.10-161734, a technique for saving the PCA is disclosed, in which the power calibration is performed by further dividing each fifteen frame having the smallest area into a plurality of areas.
Although these examples can save the PCA, one of the fifteen frames with the smallest area is further divided into fifteen frames in either case, and the writing power is determined from the result of writing and reading information using the divided fifteen frames, causing only a small number of samples for determining the writing power. Consequently, an error in the optimum writing power may be large.

Power calibration method and apparatus for optical disc


An imaging device includes a free-form lens having a shape in which (i) in a long-side direction of an imaging element, a resolution that changes along an optical axis long-side resolution curve, and the resolution that changes along a distant point long-side resolution curve in a position away from an optical axis, (ii) in a short-side direction, the resolution that changes along an optical axis short-side resolution curve, and the resolution that changes along a distant point short-side resolution curve in the position away from the optical axis, (iii) the distant point long-side resolution curve follows a shape of the optical axis long-side resolution curve, and has a higher resolution than the optical axis long-side resolution curve, and (iv) the distant point short-side resolution curve follows a shape of the optical axis short-side resolution curve, and has a higher resolution than the optical axis short-side resolution curve.

In recent years, there has been demand for widening the angle of view in a horizontal plane of in-vehicle optical cameras for obtaining a large amount of data frontward of a vehicle.
Patent Literature (PTL) 1, for example, recites an imaging device including a compact and lightweight lens that is capable of realizing an ultra wide angle while maintaining favorable optical properties by using a rotationally symmetric aspheric lens.

Imaging device having capability of increasing resolution of a predetermined imaging area using a free-form lens

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A semiconductor quantum dot is provided with a non-metallic substrate, and has a particle size ranged from 0.3 to 100 nm. A method of carrying out a chemical reaction or a photoluminescence reaction by using the semiconductor quantum dot is also provided. A redox reaction of a target sample is carried out, an active substance is generated, or an electron-hole pair is produced from the semiconductor quantum dot by providing the semiconductor quantum dot with a predetermined energy. Photons are released by the combination of the electron-hole pair so as to perform the photoluminescence reaction.

The conventional metallic semiconductor quantum dots, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2), or cadmium sulfide (CdS), can be used for converting light energy to generate electron-hole pairs (or redox pairs) in the light, and catalyze the reactant, such as water, organic pollution, ammonia, etc., to perform the oxidation-reduction reaction, and further produce hydrogen or achieve decontamination to solve energy or environmental problems by the different reactants. Furthermore, in the above photochemical reaction process, the radicals or peroxides such as O2., OH., H2O2 are often produced, which can inhibit tumor growth or reproduction of bacteria, and therefore can be applied to the treatment. The electron-hole pairs generated by light can be recombined to release photons, and carry out a photoluminescence reaction used in detection of the target (such as a specific cell, tissue, or microorganism) for assisting diagnosis.
The current metallic semiconductor quantum dots, such as titanium dioxide, have disadvantages as following: (1) In the application of photochemical reactions of solar energy, the absorption range is ultraviolet light (wavelength less than 380 nm) of sunlight. The absorbed energy is only 4 percent of sunlight, and unable to effectively improve the efficiency. (2) Since the titanium dioxide quantum dots are very stable, and not easy to change the electronic properties by surface modification, it is not conducive to biomedical diagnosis and treatment of specific target design, and other applications in development related components. (3) In the treatment, since the penetration of ultraviolet light is very poor for skin, the UV excitation produces a low concentration of free radicals in the human body for carrying out the photochemical reactions. Therefore, the inhibition effect of tumor growth or bacterial growth is very limited. (4) In the diagnosis, titanium dioxide is a very stable quantum dot, the redox pairs generated under the light irradiation can be stably stored in the titanium dioxide, it is difficult to re-combine to release photons, and therefore the target position (such as a specific cell, tissue and microbial) cannot be effectively detected for assisting the diagnosis.
Moreover, another general metallic semiconductor quantum dots, such as cadmium sulfide, have disadvantages as following: (1) In photo catalysis, although the absorption range can be extended to infrared light (wavelength less than 700 nm), the cadmium sulfide quantum dots are easy to be oxidized by the generated redox pairs under light irradiation and cause photo corrosion. The catalysis reaction cannot be performed stably. (2) In the treatment, although the red to near-infrared light having strong penetration can be used as a light source, however, the generation efficiency of the free radicals or peroxides, such as O2., OH., H2O2, is very low, so that the treatment effect is poor. (3) Metal cadmium has high bio-toxicity, and is not suitable for diagnosis and treatment in vivo. (4) When applying to the diagnosis, since the CdS quantum dots have poor hydrophilicity, they need to perform a tedious surface modification before they can be uniformly dispersed in water. The process complexity is increased, the yield is declined, costs are increased, and the stability in water phase is affected, which are against their biomedical applications. (5) The CdS is difficult to be connected with biological molecules (such as antibodies, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids, etc.), resulting in a hard modification of specificity. (6) The surface of the CdS quantum dots contains many defects, and it is hard to carry out a photoluminescence reaction under a light irradiation. It is necessary to design a core-shell type composite or perform a complex surface modification to remove the defect so as to enhance the irradiation efficiency, but the complexity and the cost of the process are also increased.
As described above, although the conventional metallic semiconductor quantum dots also have the ability to provide the electron-hole pairs in the conversion of light energy to carry out a chemical reaction or photoluminescence reaction, however, the material properties, absorbance capacity, energy conversion efficiency, toxicity, chemical modification of the conventional metallic semiconductor quantum have the congenital obstacles which are insurmountable, therefore its scope of application is limited.
It is therefore necessary to provide a semiconductor quantum dot and a method of carrying out a chemical reaction or a photoluminescence reaction by using the semiconductor quantum dot, in order to solve the problems existing in the conventional technology as described above.

Semiconductor quantum dot and method of carrying out chemical reaction or photoluminescence reaction by using the same


A cash managing system comprises a plurality of automatic teller machines for receiving and dispensing cash from and to a customer, a cash arrangement device for arranging cash to be handled in the teller machines, and a plurality of loading safes. Each loading safe is designed to be selectively mounted in a desired one of the teller machines and the cash arrangement device, and transfers cash between the teller machine and the cash arrangement device. The cash arrangement device includes a data memory for storing cash data with respect to each teller machine. The cash data includes denominations and the amount of cash to be loaded in each teller machine. When a loading safe is mounted in a mount section of the cash arrangement device, a transfer mechanism of the device transfers cash, having the denomination and amount stored in the memory means, to the mounted loading safe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cash managing system which comprises a plurality of automatic teller machines, installed in, e.g., a bank, for automatically managing cash, i.e., bank notes, and which collectively manages the bank notes and information in the teller machines.
2 Description of the Related Art
Cash loading and unloading in and from various types of teller machines used in banks and the like are currently performed manually, and human factors are present in this management. Accordingly, when an actual amount of bank notes does not coincide with data, time-consuming, cumbersome procedures must be taken to find the cause.
For this reason, a system disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 61-234487 comprises a loader that can be commonly used for a plurality of teller machines, and bank note loading/unloading operations with respect to the teller machines are performed not manually but by using the loader.
The loader comprises a collectively storing box which has an interface section so that the storing box can be commonly used for the teller machines. Thus, bank note can be transferred by storing bank notes in the storing box without touching the bank notes and loading the box into another teller machine. However, in this loader, it is necessary to input denominations and the amount of the bank notes when they are stored into the storing box.
At the opening of banks and the like, it is necessary to input denominations and the amount of the bank notes to a number of storing boxes which are to be loaded in teller machines. Thus, the input operation is troublesome and it is feared that incorrect information may be input.
Generally, in banks and the like, the storing boxes in the teller machines are periodically collected and the number of bank notes is counted, in order to confirm the number of bank notes. However, upon using the storing boxes having the above-mentioned structure, the clerk should judge that which storing box should be collected. Thus, it is feared that a desired storing box or storing boxes is not collected or an undesired storing box or boxes is collected.
Further, by installing a memory in the above-mentioned storing box, it is possible to manage the number of bank notes in the storing box by means of the storing box itself. However, in this case, when the life of the memory has expired, the data stored in the memory is deleted, thus low in reliability.


In a mouse connected to a personal computer, a casing body is provided with a space for housing a data storage medium therein. A data processor communicates data between the personal computer and the data storage medium housed in the casing body. A door member covers an opening formed on the casing body, through which the data storage medium is attached or detached, in a closed position thereof. The door member constitutes a part of an outer face of the casing body at the closed position thereof.

The present invention relates to a coordinate input device, and more particularly to a mouse.
A so-called mouse for being moved on a flat surface to carry out an input operation has widely been utilized as a coordinate input device, for example.
Such a mouse comprises a mechanical movement detector for detecting a direction and a rotation amount of a ball which is rotatably supported in a case, or an optical movement detector for optically detecting the horizontal movement of the case, for example.
According to the mouse having such a structure, the case is horizontally moved so that the amount of the movement in an XY direction is detected by the mechanical or optical movement detector corresponding to the amount of the movement, and a detection signal is output to a connected personal computer.
While coordinates are input, a plurality of operation buttons are properly operated so that various input operations can be carried out.
Recently, a mouse comprising an interface in the USB standard has spread. Such a mouse can be connected to a USB connector commonly provided with another keyboard of a personal computer or various peripheral apparatuses.
On the other hand, a small-sized storage medium such as a compact flash, a smart medium or a memory stick has been used with the spread of a digital camera. By using these storage medium, data fetched by the digital camera can be easily transferred to the personal computer so that the data can be edited on the personal computer.
However, many personal computers which have currently been used do not comprise an interface capable of directly accessing these storage medium. In such a personal computer, therefore, it is necessary to add an interface device for mutually connecting the storage medium to the personal computer in order to use the storage medium.
In such an interface device, for example, there has been known an adapter attached to a PC card slot. By using such an adapter, the PC card slot is dedicated. Therefore, there is a problem in that another peripheral apparatus is prevented from being added.
Furthermore, in a case where an insertion unit of the storage medium is provided externally on the personal computer, it is necessary to newly maintain a space for providing the insertion unit around the personal computer and a cable for connecting the insertion unit to the adapter is required. Consequently, the periphery of the personal computer becomes messy.


Soft shadows can be rendered using a relatively expensive blur process by leveraging the structure provided for various user interfaces. The elements of a user interface may be arranged according to a hierarchical tree or scene graph. Certain related elements may be grouped into a shadow group that can cast and/or receive a shadow. When the root of the shadow group is designated, the other child elements of the group can be added automatically, up to the boundary of another shadow group. A single texture for a shadow group can be determined, blurred, and projected onto a corresponding receiving group. If the shadow needs to be regenerated due to motion, for example, only a single texture needs to be regenerated for the group instead of a shadow for each element. A throttling value may be set to further limit the number of shadows that can be regenerated per frame.

As computing devices, such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones, become increasingly sophisticated, new and interesting approaches have arisen for enabling such devices to convey information to a user. For instance, a graphical user interface (GUI) incorporating elements such as windows, icons, and menus may be an improvement over a command-line interface by simplifying how a user operates an underlying software application. As these interfaces move towards being more realistic, these elements can be given a shape and/or depth that enables them to provide a view that at least appears to show these elements in three-dimensional space. In order to achieve this effect, many interfaces utilize shadowing. Shadowing generally refers to determining which elements might cast a shadow on other elements given a determined spatial arrangement and a virtual light source location. For interfaces with many different elements, however, the need to continually determine and generate shadows for each of these elements can be relatively resource intensive, particularly for portable computing devices with limited battery life, memory, and processing power.

Dynamic rendering of soft shadows for interface elements


A technique for supplying power and data signals to panel-mounted components includes distribution of power and data conductors in a trunk wireway and further distribution to component locations via drop cable assemblies disposed in drop wireways. The drop cable assemblies and trunk cable assemblies may include identical cable. The cables have a plurality of parallel conductors in an insulated jacket. Connectors are mounted on the drop cable assemblies for receiving plug-in component cable assemblies routed to individual components mounted within component panels or bays. The components are thus electrically coupled in parallel with one another and may receive both power and data signals via the drop and trunk cable assemblies coupled to a network. Individual components may be independent installed and removed for servicing with interrupting service to upstream or downstream components in the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical component panels and techniques for interconnecting power and data conductors in such panels. More particularly, the invention relates to a technique for providing multiple plug-in connections in a panel or cabinet structure through a wiring topography which can be readily and economically installed to provide a highly flexible and reliable device infrastructure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide range of electrical devices are assembled and interconnected in panels, cabinetry, enclosures, and the like. Traditionally, switch gear has been mounted on panels within enclosures and interconnected via individual wires run between terminals of each switch gear component. Troughs or conduits may be provided between the components to protect the wires and to facilitate both installation and servicing. Where electrical power and data signals are exchanged between external circuitry and the enclosed components, separate conductors have commonly been routed, with power conductors often separated physically within the enclosures to avoid potential for interference and short circuits, and to conform to industry standards and codes.
In a special type of electrical component assembly, commonly referred to as a motor control center or MCC, three phase power and data signals are exchanged between panel-mounted components and external circuitry. In this exemplary application, special wireways are provided for routing wiring separate from regions in which the components are mounted. Where low-level power is provided for sensors, controllers, actuators, and the like, these are sometimes grouped in twisted conductor sets with data conductors. In such cases, all power and data conductors are individually terminated at both ends to wire the components to one another and to the external circuitry. Where an industrial control network is employed to interface with the components, the wiring topography may provide for xe2x80x9cdaisy chainingxe2x80x9d the components to one another in a series fashion. Higher power electrical supply is routed separately, with power conductors being fed through power buses, typically three-phase buses, and connected to line-side terminals of relays, switches, contactors, and the like.
A number of drawbacks exist in conventional wiring topographies of the type described above and the resulting systems. For example, where wires are individually terminated, they must generally be stripped and installed in a time-consuming process. Where multiple power and data conductors are provided in a cable assembly, such assemblies are often shielded, requiring the removal of a portion of the shield prior to termination of the individual conductors. In systems where insulation-piercing components are used to facilitate termination, the conductors may still require shielding to be removed and individual conductors to be laid out in a desired manner in the connectors.
Additional drawbacks result from the topography adopted in conventional conductor-terminated systems. For example, where components are individually wired and xe2x80x9cdaisy chainedxe2x80x9d to one another, removal of an upstream component, such as for servicing, can result in the need to temporarily disconnect all downstream components. Depending upon the application, therefore, down time of the downstream components, as well as other components in the system can result. In extreme cases, removal of a component can require interruption of entire operations or processes.
Heretofore known wiring techniques and topographies also pose difficulties when used in conjunction with higher power circuits in a single enclosure or panel. For example, industry standards may require specific physical spacing between higher voltage power conductors and lower voltage instrumentation lines. Where wireways in the component enclosures do not offer such separation, arrangements must be made to accommodate the conductors and to maintain the desired separation. Again, this can imply a relatively time-consuming operation that affects the overall cost of the system, both upon installation and during later servicing.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved technique for interconnecting components in electrical systems, such as MCC""s and the like. There is, in particular, a present need for a wiring topography which is relatively time-efficient to install and service, and which offers flexibility in interfacing with a wide range of components, as well as in removal of components during servicing with a minimal amount of disruption to other components and systems.
The present invention provides a wiring topography technique designed to respond to these needs. The technique may be employed in a wide range of systems, particularly in systems in which a number of electrical components are coupled to power and data conductors for remote control and monitoring operations. The technique is particularly well suited to MCC""s and similar panel-mounted systems in which both higher power conductors and instrumentation-level conductors are routed in wireways or on the surface of support panels for feeding power and command signals to components and for retrieving feedback signals via data conductors.
The inventive topography is based upon provision of primary or trunk conductors in a first routing level, and drop or tap conductors in a second level. The trunk conductors are preferably provided in a flat cable which can be installed with mating connectors via insulation-piercing conductive elements. The drop conductors may be provided in similar flat cable which is interfaced with the trunk cable to feed a number of locations within the system. The drop cables may be installed in wireways which meet a wireway of the trunk cable to provide a clean and straightforward infrastructure during installation and later servicing. Connectors on the drop cable may also be installed via insulation-piercing conductive elements. The connectors on the drop cables facilitate interfacing with components via plug-in sockets.
The basic infrastructure established by the wiring topography may be installed during initial configuration of the system. In a preferred embodiment, the trunk and drop cables are pre-installed in corresponding wireways, with sockets being exposed for receiving plugs directly to the mounted components. The components may be separately mounted, such as on removable panels, or directly installed in the enclosure on fixed supports. The components may then be interfaced with the drop and trunk cable conductors via plugs. For later servicing, individual components can be unplugged and removed or replaced without interrupting service to upstream or downstream components, or to the drop or trunk cables.

Method and apparatus for supplying data and power to panel-supported components


Platinum complexes containing 3-ketone cyclobutane 1,1-dicarboxylic acid as leaving group for treating cancers and a preparation method of the complexes, one of the platinum complexes is cis-[3-ketone cyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid radical.diamineplatinum (II)], GSH-5 for short, the chemical structure formula is expressed by formula (1). The other platinum complex is cis-[3-ketone-cyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid radical.trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamineplatinum (II)], GSH-6 for short, the chemical structure formula is expressed by formula (2). In the formula (2), two chiral carbon atoms marked with * in the trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamine group are both of R forms or S forms.

Since clinical application of cis-platinum, researchers have made drug screening on thousands of platinum complexes. Particularly in the recent 20 years, enormous research has been done on antitumor platinum complexes having a new-type structure-activity relationship and their mechanisms, but until now, no platinum drug superior to cis-platinum in overall performance is found. At present, a few antitumor platinum drugs, including cis-platinum, carboplatin and oxaliplatin, have been widely applied in the clinic, but they also show high toxicity and certain drug resistance during clinical use. The shortcomings limit the application of these platinum drugs to a certain extent. Among the existing platinum drugs, cis-platinum no doubt has very strong antitumor activity, but its toxicity is the highest too; although the toxicity of carboplatin is much lower than that of cis-platinum, its inhibiting ability in many tumor cells is disappointing. Given that, changing or adjusting the leaving group or ligand of cis-platinum, carboplatin and oxaliplatin can yet be regarded as an effective way to obtain high-performance and low-toxicity platinum drugs.

Anti-tumor bivalent platinum complex and preparation method for complex and ligand of complex


This invention which combines an oxygen storage system with a catalytic converter to enhance the conversion of common pollutants found in the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine. The oxygen storage element is placed upstream of the catalytic converter and is designed to extract excess oxygen from the exhaust gas stream and release the extracted oxygen when the exhaust gas stream is oxygen deficient. Controlling the oxygen level in this manner allows for effectiveness of the converter to be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improved catalytic reaction systems and to methods for catalytic reaction of carbon containing compounds. In one specific aspect, the present invention relates to improving the catalytic conversion of gases in a catalytic converter utilizing short channel substrate.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Undesirable emissions from internal combustion engines, particularly those in automobiles, continue to be a major environmental problem in spite of significant reductions in these emissions resulting from the use of catalytic converters. A factor limiting the performance of catalytic converters is that the undesirable emissions are a concoction of pollutants, each pollutant placing an individualized requirement on the catalytic converter to effect its conversion. The conversion ability of today's catalytic converters is dependent upon the availability, or lack thereof, of oxygen. For example, the destruction of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons requires the presence of sufficient oxygen where as the destruction of nitrogen oxides is inhibited by oxygen. If all three pollutants are to be controlled, a mechanism is required to regulate the presence and quantity of oxygen within the catalytic converter.
Oxygen availability within the catalytic converter can be regulated by operating the engine such that the amount of oxygen delivered to the catalytic converter is controlled by regulating oxygen entering the engine relative to the fuel to be consumed, thereby regulating the oxygen within the engine exhaust gas stream. This control scheme requires that the engine be operated very close to stoichiometric fuel-air ratio if all three pollutants are to be controlled. Although the mean stoichiometry can be closely controlled, under today's driving conditions large variations can occur with typical control systems causing catalytic conversion inefficiencies and thus undesirable levels of pollution.
To refine the regulation of oxygen within the converter, substrate coatings utilized within the converter have been engineered to incorporate, in addition to a catalytic component, an oxygen storage capability. In operation, the oxygen storage capability absorbs excess oxygen from the exhaust stream, to allow nitrogen oxide conversion and releases oxygen to an oxygen deficient exhaust stream for hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide conversion. Ceria is typically used to provide this oxygen storage capability. To provide sufficient oxygen storage, a heavy loading of ceria is required, typically an amount at least ten or twenty times that of the precious metal loading and often as much as one hundred times greater. With current engine controls, a total weight of ceria of at least about twenty to thirty grams per liter of engine displacement is normally required or about thirty to forty grams of ceria per liter of monolith catalyst.
Short-channel, direct-coated, catalytic reactors, such as those of U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,241, incorporated herein by reference, allow for much more effective utilization of the catalytic components of the catalytic coating, thus are capable of being designed into highly efficient, compact reactors, having as little as a tenth the volume of a monolith converter sized for equivalent conversion effectiveness. A typical compact converter is forty to fifty percent the size of a conventional monolith converter for improved performance. To assure optimum conversion effectiveness in direct coated compact converters, the platinum group metals applied to the substrate represent more than 50% by weight of the coating with the remainder other materials, such as bonding agents and stabilizers. As a result, oxygen storage oxides, such as ceria, are practically limited in compact reactors to an amount less than that of the catalytic metal, typically less than twenty percent of the coating or no more than about one percent of the catalyst weight, an amount insufficient to provide an effective oxygen storage capability. As a result, customary deviations in exhaust stoichiometry hinder the ability of a stand-alone short-channel, direct-coated, catalytic reactor to meet ULEV or lower emission levels without a major improvement in engine fuel-air ratio management.
Short-channel, direct-coated reactors such as those of U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,241 can use an under layer of ceria (or alumina) prior to deposition of the platinum metal layer, but the maximum ceria content suggested to be deposited on the substrate is an amount that would create a roughly equivalent layer to that of the catalyst layer or a weight about 66% of that of the platinum. In addition, overcoating the ceria with a plating layer as taught in '241 blocks contact of the ceria with the exhaust gases rendering the ceria ineffective for oxygen storage.
The present invention makes possible the integration of an optimum oxygen storage device within a short-channel, direct-coated, catalytic reactor for the control of pollutants from an automotive internal combustion engine. This invention therefore allows an internal combustion engine to meet or even exceed California's stringent ULEV emissions requirements with available engine controls.


A shutter/diaphragm apparatus includes an intermediate plate between a diaphragm cam plate and a diaphragm rotating plate. A plurality of blades are provided between the diaphragm cam plate and the intermediate plate and between the diaphragm rotating plate and the intermediate plate. The blades are driven by a relative rotation between the diaphragm cam plate and the diaphragm rotating plate to vary the size of an aperture defined by the blades. The relative rotation can also completely close the aperture. The invention can also be applied to a diaphragm apparatus which has no shutter function.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shutter/diaphragm apparatus which serves not only as a shutter but also as a diaphragm (aperture stop) in a camera or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A shutter/diaphragm apparatus in which aperture blades can also be used as shutter blades is known in the art. In such a known shutter/diaphragm apparatus, a plurality of blades are provided between an annular diaphragm cam plate and a diaphragm rotation plate, so that a relative rotation between the cam plate and the rotation plate causes the blades to rotate or swing to vary the size of the aperture defined at a central portion of the blades (aperture-stop mechanism) or completely close the aperture (shutter mechanism).
In the above-mentioned known shutter/diaphragm apparatus, to make the shape of the aperture as circular as possible, not only must the number of blades be increased but also each blade must be elongated and smoothly curved in an arc-shape.
However, if the number of blades is increased, it is difficult to overlap the blades at the center of the aperture because the blades interfere with each other at the center of the aperture. Thus, the aperture does not completely close which is not acceptable in a shutter.
To solve this problem, a number of proposals have been made. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-133038 each blade is provided with an extension which is adapted to completely close the aperture.
However, in the above proposed system, if, for example, five or more elongated blades are partly overlapped, the distal end (end of the aperture side) of the uppermost blade interferes with the base end of the lowermost blade due to a possible deformation or deflection of the blades. Consequently, no appropriate shutter operation can be obtained or the blades may be damaged.
If the number of blades is restricted to provide an appropriate shutter operation, it is difficult to realize an approximately circular aperture as mentioned above, and the aperture is star-shaped or diamond-shaped. Thus, no appropriate diaphragm function can be obtained.