An electric noise suppressor is provided for suppressing high-frequency electric noise which comprises a thermoplastic housing and two ferrite members disposed therein. The thermoplastic housing is formed from two hingedly connected case halves, which are substantially identical. A ferrite member is secured to each case half by a laminated compressible adhesive-foam element, which is comprised of a resilient foam core layer and opposing adhesive layers disposed thereabout. Due to the resiliency of the foam core layer, the ferrite members are pressed into tight engagement within the thermoplastic housing. The end walls of the thermoplastic housing are formed with circular apertures, which are each formed with a diameter which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the cable which is engaged by the electric noise suppressor. The dimensional differences between the cable and the apertures allows the end walls to grippingly engage the cable at a predetermined location. With the electric noise suppressor being in a closed position, the thermoplastic housing ensures the ferrite members encircle a predetermined location along the length of a cable. A locking arrangement may be provided with the thermoplastic housing to maintain the thermoplastic housing in a closed position at the predetermined location.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for suppressing high-frequency electric noise, more particularly, to a new and improved ferrite electric noise suppressing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ferrite is widely used to prevent electronic data transmitting cables from either receiving or transmitting unwanted high-frequency noise. The ferrite is formed to fully encompass the data transmitting cable at particular locations to prevent the cable from acting as an antenna for the unwanted high-frequency noise.
To maximize electric noise suppression, the ferrite must fully encompass the circumference of the cable at each desired location. In the prior art, electric noise suppressors have been formed from two symmetrical ferrite members joined about a cable with tape or wire ties. As an improvement over these early designs, electric noise absorbers are combined with plastic casings which house the ferrite members. The prior art designs, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,559 entitled "ELECTRIC NOISE ABSORBER", include various biasing fingers formed unitary as part of the plastic casing which urge the ferrite members into engagement about the transmitting cable. The prior art plastic casings are also formed with gripping fingers for securing the casings to the desired location along the length of the transmitting cable, and with inwardly projecting fingers formed as part of the casing for loosely holding the ferrite in the casing. The ferrite members are not formed to tightly engage the transmitting cable, and the casings must be relied upon for maintaining the noise suppressor at the desired location.
The biasing fingers, the gripping fingers and the projecting fingers of the prior art noise suppressor casings are formed unitary therewith and require complicated molds and manufacturing procedures to be formed. Other prior art designs have been introduced to overcome these difficulties in manufacturing the complicated casing structures, and such other designs have utilized a separately formed metal spring which is mounted in the plastic casings for biasing the ferrite members about the cable as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,803 entitled "SIGNAL DISCRIMINATOR". These designs obviously result in additional manufacturing costs since manufacturing and preparation of the metal spring members are required along with the assembly effort of mounting the metal spring members into the casing.
It is an object of the subject invention to provide an electric noise suppressor having a plastic casing in combination with biasing means which is easily manufactured and assembled.


An electrochromic display device comprises: a first electrode substrate; a second electrode substrate; an electrochromic fluid distributed between the first and the second electrode substrate; and a dividing wall located between the first and the second electrode substrate, contacting the first and the second electrode substrate, respectively, and used for isolating the electrochromic fluid into various pixel areas. The electrochromic display device has no interference occurred between adjacent pixel areas. A method for producing such an electrochromic display device is further disclosed.

Electrochromism refers to a phenomenon that optical properties of a material (e.g., reflectance, transmittance, absorptivity or the like) vary, stably and reversibly, under an external electric field so that the appearance of the material exhibits a reversible change of color and transparency. Materials having an electrochromic property are called as electrochromic material, while a display device made from an electrochromic material is called as electrochromic display device. In comparison with other display devices, the electrochromic display device has many advantages, such as, no blind area, high contrast, low manufacturing cost, wide operating temperature range, low driving voltage, etc., and thus becomes increasingly a hot product among transparent display devices.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural view of the prior art electrochromic display device. The electrochromic display device comprises: a first electrode substrate 11, a second electrode substrate 12 located below the first electrode substrate 11, and an electrochromic fluid 13 distributed between the first electrode substrate 11 and the second electrode substrate 12, wherein the first electrode substrate 11 is composed of the first transparent substrate 111 and the first transparent electrode 112; the second electrode substrate 12 is composed of the second transparent substrate 121 and the second transparent electrode 122; and the electrochromic fluid 13 is formed by mixing electrochromic material 131 and electrolyte 132. In addition, the electrochromic fluid 13 is uniformly distributed in various pixel areas of the electrochromic display device (illustrated by pixel area A, pixel area B, and pixel area C in FIG. 1), while the electrochromic fluid in any two adjacent pixel areas is not isolated. When a driving voltage is or is not applied to pixels in any pixel area in the electrochromic display device, the electrochromic material 131 of the electrochromic fluid 13 within the pixel area will vary reversibly from a colored state to a colorless state, so as to achieve the object of display. With respect to the electrochromic display device as shown in FIG. 1, the electrochromic fluid 13 is uniformly distributed in various pixel areas of the electrochromic display device, and the electrochromic fluid in any two adjacent pixel areas is not isolated. Thus, when a driving voltage is applied to the pixels in one of the two adjacent pixel areas of the electrochromic display device while no driving voltage is applied to the pixels in the other pixel area, the electrochromic fluid 13 in the pixel area with a driving voltage applied tends to flow to the adjacent pixel area without a driving voltage applied due to the flowability of the electrochromic fluid 13, so that the electrochromic material in the adjacent pixel area without a driving voltage applied changes color, thereby resulting in a phenomenon that adjacent pixel areas interfere with each other and reducing the display effects and properties of the electrochromic display device.

Electrochromic display device and method of producing the same


A method of producing a roughening-treated copper foil, comprising (A) a copper foil, (B) a composite metal layer, which is formed on a bonding surface of the copper foil and comprises (I) copper, (II) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and molybdenum and (III) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron and zinc, and (C) a roughened layer comprising copper, which is formed on the composite metal layer.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roughening-treated copper foil useful for printed wiring boards or the like and to the production thereof, particularly, to a roughening-treated copper foil, which is useful for printed wiring boards due to its excellent adhesive strength to resin base materials of high Tg""s (glass transition temperature), such as FR-5, and to a method suitable for the production thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Copper foil for printed wiring boards generally has a bonding surface, which is previously roughened by some means to give higher adhesive strength on lamination onto resin base materials. For electrolytic copper foil, plating methods are mainly used as the roughening treatment. Japanese Patent Application Examined Publication No. 53-39376 (1978) discloses an example of the plating methods. According to the method, first a dendritic copper electrodeposition layer is formed on at least one bonding surface of a copper foil as a cathode by the so-called burning plating in an acidic copper plating bath at a current of the limiting current density or higher, then a smooth copper electrodeposition layer is formed on the dendritic copper electrodeposition layer at a current of a current density lower than the limiting current density (covering plating) to change the dendritic copper into nodular copper and to increase the adhesive strength by the nodular copper. After the formation of the nodular copper by the electrolysis treatment, the surface of the copper foil has a larger specific surface than before the electrolysis treatment, and the nodular copper works as an anchor, improving the adhesive strength between resin base materials and the copper foil. When nodular copper is formed on electrolytic copper foil, which generally has a surface (mat surface) rougher than the other surface (shiny surface), current is mainly centered to convexes, and the formation of the nodular copper is centered on the extreme ends of the convexes.
The recent spread of note type personal computers and pocket telephones has increased the use of glass-epoxy printed wiring boards produced by using as resin base materials FR-5 materials having high Tg""s. As compared with conventional FR-4 materials, epoxy resins having high Tg""s are more resistive to heat but have lower adhesive strength to copper foil. A means of enhancing the adhesive strength of copper foil to resin base materials is to increase the roughness of the bonding surface of copper foil. However, increasing the surface roughness tends to cause the so-called copper powder-falling off that is the falling of nodular copper even with small abrasion force and the so-called residual copper that is nodular copper left in resin base materials after the etching step in the production of printed circuits.
Japanese Patent Application Examined Publication No. 54-38053 (1979) discloses an improved method of forming a roughened surface by carrying out electrolysis treatment at an approximate limiting current density in an acidic copper plating bath to which a specific amount of at least one metal selected from arsenic, antimony, bismuth, selenium and tellurium is added. The addition of a very small amount of arsenic, antimony, bismuth, selenium or tellurium permits the formation of minute projections, but cannot solve the problem centering to the convexes on the copper foil. Further, using copper foil containing arsenic, antimony, bismuth, selenium or tellurium, which are poisons or deadly poisons, in printed wiring boards causes the problem of environmental pollution on discarding etching waste liquors or the printed wiring boards.
Addition of benzoquinoline to an acidic copper plating bath (Japanese Patent Application Examined Publication No. 56-41196 (1981)) or addition of molybdenum (Japanese Patent Application Examined Publication No. 62-56677 (1987)) are also proposed, but cannot improve adhesive strength sufficiently.
Japanese patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 8-236930 (1996) discloses a method for solving the problem, wherein electrolysis is carried out at approximate limiting current density in an acidic copper plating bath containing metal ions of at least one metal selected from chromium and tungsten and metal ions of at least one metal selected from vanadium, nickel, iron, cobalt, zinc, germanium and molybdenum, to form a roughening-treated layer containing the metals added. Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 11-256389 (1999) discloses a method of carrying out electrolysis at approximate limiting current density in an acidic copper plating bath containing molybdenum ions and metal ions of at least one metal selected from iron, cobalt, nickel and tungsten, to form a layer of burnt deposits (a layer formed by burning plating) containing the metals added.
These methods, however, also cause the phenomena of copper powder-falling off and residual copper because nodular copper is formed exclusively on the extreme ends of the convexes on copper foil.
An object of the present invention is to solve the problems in the prior arts. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a roughening-treated copper foil, which is suitable for printed wiring boards due to its high adhesive strength to resin base materials, by treating the bonding surface of copper foil by electrolysis so as to form nodular copper not only on the convexes on the bonding surface but also on the concaves thereon without increasing the surface roughness.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method suitable for producing the roughening-treated copper foil.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a roughening-treated copper foil, comprising
(A) a copper foil,
(B) a composite metal layer, which is formed on a bonding surface of the copper foil and comprises (I) copper, (II) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and molybdenum and (III) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron and zinc, and
(C) a roughened layer comprising copper, which is formed on the composite metal layer.
Herein, the terms xe2x80x9cthe bonding surface of a copper foilxe2x80x9d mean a surface of a copper foil, which faces an adherent when the copper foil is bonded to the adherent.
The present invention further provides a method of producing a roughening-treated copper foil, comprising
treating a copper foil as a cathode by electrolysis in a plating bath containing (i) copper ions, (ii) metal ions of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and molybdenum and (iii) metal ions of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron and zinc, at a current density lower than a limiting current density of the plating bath, to form on the copper foil a composite metal layer comprising (I) copper, (II) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and molybdenum and (III) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron and zinc; and
forming a roughened layer comprising copper on the composite metal layer by carrying out electrolysis in a plating bath containing copper ions at a current density not lower than a limiting current density of the plating bath to form a dendritic copper electrodeposition layer, and then carrying out subsequent electrolysis at a current density lower than the limiting current density of the plating bath to form nodular copper. Herein, the terms xe2x80x9cthe limiting current density of the plating bathxe2x80x9d mean a current density at which generation of hydrogen accompanies the cathode reaction for the deposition of the metals or metal compounds.

Method of producing a roughening-treated copper foil


A drive train for a vehicle having front and rear wheels includes a fluidic motor and a pump interconnected in a continuous loop, with one conduit connected to the inlet of the fluidic motor to the outlet of the pump and a second conduit connecting the inlet of the pump to the outlet of the fluidic motor. A gas/liquid fluid accumulator is in fluid communication with the first conduit and a low pressure reservoir is in fluid communication with the second conduit. An engine, sized to match the average torque demanded of the vehicle, is employed to drive the pump. Sensors are included for detecting the pressure within the accumulator and the power demanded of the vehicle by the driver and, optionally, vehicle speed. A motor controller controls displacement of the fluidic motor in accordance with the sensed power demand and a pump controller controls displacement of the pump responsive to the signal for detected pressure.

1. Field of the Invention:
The field of the invention is in motor vehicle transmissions providing increased fuel energy utilization efficiency.
2. The Prior Art:
Conventional transmissions used in motor vehicles transmit torque from the engine to the wheels by two means: (1) the predominant torque transfer is "pass through", i.e., in response to the driver's command for more power, the flow rate of fuel is increased to the engine, the engine's torque is increased and the increased torque is "passed through" to the wheels (see Mode 1 for a typical engine torque map--line "X" shown in FIG. 1); and (2) when the driver's command for more power exceeds what the engine can supply at its initial speed, the driver must shift the transmission to a lower gear (either manually or by triggering the shift in an "automatic" transmission) to increase the engine's speed (see Mode 2--line "Y" in FIG. 1, for example). Since power to the wheels at a given vehicle speed is proportional to engine torque times engine speed, power to the wheels is increased by either increasing engine torque (fuel flow rate at a given engine speed) and/or by increasing engine speed. There are two principal disadvantages of such transmissions: (1) the engine is usually operating in Mode 1 and thus supplies torque at an average efficiency much less than the optimum available (e.g., in FIG. 1 point A represents an average value while point B represents the optimum available efficiency at that speed); and (2) when a change of gear is needed, there is an interruption in the supply of torque to the wheels, manifested as a "jerk". Automatic transmissions smooth this "jerk" through a torque converter; however, increased inefficiency is the result.
Much work has been devoted to replacing conventional transmissions and their inherent disadvantages. This work has focused largely on continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Ideally, with a CVT an engine would operate along line "Z", the optimum efficiency line as shown on FIG. 1. CVT designs include is mechanical (e.g., variable ratio pulleys), electric (an electric generator driven by the engine "powers" an electric motor connected to the wheels--modern train locomotives utilize this design) and hydraulic which operates much like the electric design. These designs offer some improvements but still rely on Mode 1 (line "X" in FIG. 1--increased fuel rate at a given speed or, more generally when speed is changing, increased fuel rate per combustion event), as the means of increasing engine speed to increase power to the wheels. However, operation along the optimum torque curve shown as line "Z" in FIG. 1, leaves little remaining torque available above this optimum for rapidly increasing the speed of the engine (i.e., accelerating the rotating mass of the engine while overcoming increased friction) to quickly respond to the driver's command for increased power to the wheels. Rapid power response is a critical vehicle performance characteristic from a driver/customer's perspective.
There are two options currently recognized as improving the response of a CVT. The first option initially reduces the torque available to the wheels and applies this torque to accelerating the engine to the needed increased speed. However, this first option is commercially unacceptable because it results, not just in hesitation, but in an actual loss of power to the wheels, completely contrary to the driver's command for more. The second option reduces the standard operating curve downward from optimum so that more torque is available for Mode 1 function (See line "W" in FIG. 1), therefore resulting in a further efficiency trade-off while still not achieving the power response of conventional transmissions that can fully utilize both Mode 1 and Mode 2.

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency


A power supply apparatus for an X-ray imaging apparatus includes grid connection device(s) to connect to a power grid providing an AC input voltage, including circuit protection arrangement(s) to not trip below a safety current; an actively actuatable transformer arrangement to transform the AC input voltage into a DC output voltage as a supply voltage for the X-ray imaging apparatus; an electrical energy storage system; and a control apparatus to actuate the transformer arrangement to limit power consumption from the electric power grid as a function of the safety current and make up for a deficiency of a power requirement for the X-ray imaging apparatus from the energy storage system. The control apparatus is configured to actuate the transformer arrangement for time-dependent limitation of power consumption from the power grid according to a current/time profile, the current/time profile being deduced from a time-based trip profile of the circuit protection arrangement.

X-ray imaging is a long-established procedure, in particular in medical technology. X-ray imaging apparatuses (X-ray machines) have the peculiar feature of major load fluctuations in electrical power consumption. For example, in standby mode an X-ray imaging apparatus draws only a relatively small and largely constant base load from the power grid. If an X-ray is being captured, however, a very high peak load arises for a very short period, which has likewise to be delivered by the power grid. This peak load arises in order, in particular using an X-ray tube or other X-ray source component of the X-ray imaging apparatus, to generate an X-ray pulse for capturing an image.
These requirements are met in the prior art through the provision of a suitable power grid supply connection. To this end, however, the power grid often has to be adapted at the planned installation location for the X-ray imaging apparatus, for example with regard to enhanced circuit protection measures and increased line cross-sections. This entails extra effort and results in an interruption to work procedures and thus in additional costs, and may constitute an inhibitory threshold for a medical facility, for example a hospital or a doctor's practice, wishing to upgrade to a higher power X-ray machine.
This is because even with X-ray sources which require only small peak powers, for example mammography machines, a common, conventional grounding socket outlet is insufficient for operating the X-ray imaging apparatus and changes have to be made to the installation on the power grid side.
To counteract these problems, the prior art has proposed, for example, using X-ray imaging apparatus with an energy storage function, which buffers the necessary peak energy. In this case, an additional electrical energy storage system is provided in the X-ray apparatus, wherein a control apparatus ensures that a power requirement of the other components of the X-ray imaging apparatus is always met in part by the energy storage system and in part by the electric power grid if it exceeds a grid power available from the power grid. The maximum line power drawable from the power grid is conventionally limited by the control apparatus such that circuit protection measures provided on the grid side, for example a circuit protection arrangement comprising at least one circuit protection device(s), are not tripped. With regard to such circuit protection arrangements, it is known to indicate an associated safety current, which is also known as a nominal current or guaranteed minimum holding current, which ensures that the circuit protection arrangement does not trip and cap the power supply. To implement such a restriction of power consumption from the electric power grid to a specific line power, it is known, for example, to actuate an actively actuatable transformer arrangement of a corresponding power supply apparatus for the X-ray imaging apparatus such that the current in the power grid does not exceed the safety current. This intervention may be carried out, for example, as part of automatic control of the transformer arrangement, which also serves in power factor correction (PFC). Such transformer arrangements may for example take the form of a sequence of a bridge rectifier and a step-up converter or indeed a flyback converter. The relevant factor here is that an actuatable transformer topology is present. Other potential prior art solutions also proposed provide an additional, external uninterruptible power supply between the X-ray imaging apparatus and the power grid.
DE 10 2010 042 565 A1 discloses by way of example a device for supplying a medical imaging machine with electrical energy, wherein the device is designed such that the medical imaging machine can be operated solely with the normal DC voltage provided by a charging device, with normal DC voltage provided by the charging device and an energy storage system or solely with the off-grid normal DC voltage provided by the energy storage system. Lithium-ion storage batteries are used as energy storage systems, wherein the device therein is able to operate an X-ray machine using a conventional power grid supply connection without having to overload the power grid. In particular, the X-ray machine is operable using a normal three-phase 16 amp service connection, wherein 16 A is an example safety current.
DE 103 55 424 A1 describes an X-ray machine with a device(s) for storing energy which comprise an ultracapacitor for compensating deficits in the energy which can be drawn from an energy supply grid.
DE 10 2009 010 219 A1 relates to an imaging tomography machine, which uses an energy storage system to enable operation of the tomography machine without special measures using the customer's normal service connection. The power grid therefore no longer has to be adapted on the customer's premises to the maximum power required in high power operation by laying lines with a higher level of circuit protection.
In the specific field of X-ray imaging apparatus, in which peak powers have to be drawn only briefly, capacitors, in particular also supercapacitors (supercaps), are suitable as energy storage systems, since they can be rapidly charged and discharged. However, it is desirable to make these of small dimensions for reasons of cost, space and effort. Other, rapid-charging and -discharging storage technologies, for example storage batteries, are likewise costly and complex to implement.

Power supply apparatus for an X-ray imaging apparatus, X-ray imaging apparatus and associated method


A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles which eject liquid; a common liquid chamber which supplies liquid to the plurality of nozzles; a liquid flow path for supplying liquid which is accommodated in a liquid accommodation unit to the common liquid chamber; a deaeration unit which deaerates liquid in the liquid flow path; a liquid flow unit which causes liquid in the liquid flow path to flow; a return flow path which connects the common liquid chamber and the liquid accommodation unit; and an on-off valve which closes the return flow path by being in a closed state.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus such as a printer.
2. Related Art
As an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus, there is an ink jet printer which performs printing by ejecting ink from nozzles which are provided in a recording head. Among such printers, there is a printer which suppresses dot omission which occurs when air bubbles are mixed in nozzles by performing deaeration of ink in a liquid storage chamber which stores ink which will be supplied to a recording head (for example, JP-A-2013-75371).
Meanwhile, in the above described printer, sedimentation of a pigment component which is included in ink is suppressed by circulating ink between a liquid storage chamber and a recording head when printing is not performed. When ink is circulated in this manner, it is also possible to expect an effect that air bubbles which are mixed into a flow path is collected in the liquid storage chamber. However, since a degree of deaeration of ink in the liquid storage chamber is decreased when ink containing air bubbles is collected, there is a problem in that deaeration of ink should be performed every time circulation is performed, and efficiency of deaeration deteriorates.
In addition, such a problem is not limited to a printer which performs printing by ejecting pigment ink, and is generally common to liquid ejecting apparatuses in which there is a concern that air bubbles which grow in liquid or air bubbles which are mixed into liquid may cause an ejection failure of liquid.


A one-piece electrical terminal (10) includes a strip (44) of conductive metal material having a contact portion (14) and a terminating portion (16). The contact portion (14) is fabricated of a relatively soft metal drawn into a shaped contact (18). The terminating portion (16) is integral with the contact portion (14) and is fabricated of a relatively hard tempered metal formed into a spring arm (16) supporting the contact (18).

Generally, electrical connectors include some form of dielectric housing or chassis for mounting one or more conductive electrical terminals. Typically, the terminals have a contact end and a terminating end. The terminating end is electrically terminated to conductors with which the connector is electrically associated. The contact end is adapted for engaging a contact of an appropriate mating connector or other mating electronic device. The terminating end of the terminal(s) can be terminated to a discrete electrical wire or to circuit traces on a printed circuit board, for instance.
In some connector applications, it is desirable or necessary to spring-load at least the contact end or portion of the terminal(s). This can be accomplished by fabricating a portion of the terminal with hard or spring tempered metal and then forming the terminal portion into a spring configuration. Another approach is to fabricate the terminal as a multi-part component wherein the spring is a separate part of the terminal assembly. An example of the latter type of terminal is a "pogo-pin" terminal which typically is fabricated of three parts, namely a housing for a separate spring which biases a separate contact end of the terminal. Such multi-part terminals create problems in both the cost of the assembly as well as its reliability.
In other connector applications, terminals are used in sealed environments, such as in battery connector applications. In other words, a spring-loaded terminal contact may project through a sealing grommet and move relative thereto while maintaining a seal with the grommet. In such applications, the contact end or portion of the terminal often is a closed-ended or dome-shaped structure which can be readily sealed about the periphery thereof. A multi-part "pogo-pin" terminal assembly often is used in such applications notwithstanding the problems mentioned above.
The present invention is directed to solving the various problems discussed above by a one-piece electrical terminal which is both spring loaded and includes an easily sealable contact end, such as a dome-shaped end.


A cathode that uses the tunneling effect of electrons through a layer of insulation consisting of alpha alumina in combination with a circuit to provide a pulsed current caused by a current interrupter within a frequency range of one to ten KHz.

If an electric potential is established between base and cover layers, then a cathode current is discharged through the cover layer provided the layers' thicknesses are correctly dimensioned. Although this type of cathode is, in theory, of relatively simple construction and capable of providing remarkable advantages compared with a barium cathode, it has encountered considerable difficulties in practical application. To obtain a useful flow of electrons through the insulation and cover layers, these layers must be extremely thin, and, at the same time, the insulation layer must be able to withstand a high electric field intensity without breakdown, flashover or sparking.
In an earlier publication, K. M. Tischer determined that a field intensity level of approximately 5.times.10.sup.6 V/cm is required. On the other hand, in the "MEAD" research, an emission of approximately 10 lambda/cm.sup.2 is disclosed as attainable.
An aluminum oxide layer (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) is generally employed as an insulation layer having sufficient resistance and strength characteristics. Unfortunately, aluminum oxide, being a good adsorbent, is quite hygroscopic and because of this, is virtually useless as a practical matter if it operates in a region wherein water vapor may be present.
Thus other materials have been generally preferred. For example, European Patent 262 676 A2 discloses an insulation layer that is composed of special organic substances or a combination of an organic and an inorganic layer. Nevertheless, a need exists for a tunneling cathode wherein a sufficiently thin insulating layer coexists with the high electric field intensity requisite to produce a tunneling effect which more nearly approaches that theoretically possible.
The following is a list of publications which are relevant to the state of the art and the background of the instant invention, such publications being incorporated herein by reference:
C. A. Mead, J. Appl. Phys. 32, 646 (1961)
J. P. Spratt, R. P. Schwarz, and W. M. Kane, Phys. Rev. Letter 6, 341 (1961)
H. Thomas, Z. Physik 147, 395 (1957)
W. G. Spitzer, C. R. Crowell, and M. M. Atalla, Phys. Rev. Letters 8, 57 (1962)
C. A. Mead, Phys. Rev. Letters 8, 56 (1962)
J. C. Fisher and I. Giaver, Appl. Phys. 32, 172 (1961)
J. T. Advani, M.S. Thesis, MIT (May 1961)
R. M. Handy, Phys. Rev. 126, 1968 (1962)
K. M. Tischer, Telefunken AG, Rohrenwerk Ulm/Donau
C. E. Horton and J.W. Hall, GE-Technical Inf. Series
C. Mead, Phys. Rev. 128, 2088 (1962)
W. Haas and R. Johannes, Brit. J.appl. Phys. 14, 286 (1963)
R. Fowler and L. Nordheim, Proc. Soc. A 119, 173 (1928)
J. Bardeen, Phys. Rev. 71, 717 (1947)
H. Kanter and W. A. Feibelman, J.appl. Phys. 33, 3580 (1962)

Method for operation of a cathode using the tunnelling effect and a cathode configuration for execution of the method


A method and apparatus are provided to determine a failure of an automatic transmission temperature sensor in an automobile. The apparatus detects a start-up of the vehicle. A sensor detects the transmission fluid temperature. The transmission fluid temperature at start-up is checked to see if the temperature is below a first predetermined temperature or above a second predetermined temperature. If the sensor does not detect a predetermined change in temperature during operation of the vehicle after it is determined the transmission fluid temperature at start-up is above the first predetermined or below the second predetermined temperature, the sensor has failed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining the failure of an automatic transmission temperature sensor.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A transmission fluid temperature sensor (TFT) is used to detect a temperature of the transmission fluid. California Air Resources Board (CARB) has forced implementation of an "In-range TFT" diagnostic test to detect a TFT failure, because TFT is used as an entry condition for some transmission diagnostic monitors. CARB determined that TFT sensor may indirectly impact vehicle emissions and therefore requires this test.
Most prior art TFT diagnostic only detect open and short circuit faults. An improved test is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,246 to Mogaki ('246 patent). The test described in the '246 patent includes measuring the temperature of the engine coolant and the transmission fluid. The test of the '246 patent then determines whether the transmission fluid temperature is within a predetermined range. But when the engine coolant temperature is above a particular value or below a second value, the transmission temperature sensor is not tested.
The test described in the '246 patent may still provide a false error detection if the engine coolant temperature sensor is working and the transmission fluid temperature sensor provides an erroneous signal within a predetermined range, or if the engine temperature sensor provides an erroneous signal within a predetermined range.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a test which determines more accurately proper operation of a transmission fluid temperature sensor.

Apparatus and method for determining a failure of an automatic transmission fluid temperature sensor


A process for adjusting the composition of a liquid metal, such as steel, is provided wherein liquid metal is sucked up from a start receptacle into a reactor which is at a reduced pressure with respect to the start receptacle. First, the liquid metal is made to flow inside the reactor under conditions close to plug flow where it undergoes a metallurgical treatment. Next, after the liquid metal has been conveyed through the reactor it is completely discharged into a finish receptacle which is also at a reduced pressure with respect to the reactor. To insure thorough mixing, the reactor is divided into a plurality of cells, each of which has its own independent gas injector for agitating the liquid metal therein.

The invention relates to the smelting of liquid steel. It applies particularly to the smelting of high-purity steels having extremely low contents of carbon, or indeed also of nitrogen and of oxygen.
The use of vacuum reactors of the type called "RH" is commonplace nowadays in the smelting of liquid steel. It will be recalled that these reactors are composed:
of a tall vessel having a roughly cylindrical shape and internally lined with refractories, the upper part of which vessel is connected to a gas-sucking device capable of maintaining in this vessel a reduced pressure which may go down to at least 1 torr when the reactor is operating; PA1 of two pipes or dip tubes, having a cylindrical or oval cross section, which are internally and externally lined with refractories, one of the ends of which emerges in the bottom of the vessel; one of these dip tubes is furnished with a device enabling a gas, usually argon, to be blown thereinto. PA1 partial decarburization, by carbon combining with the oxygen which is already dissolved in the metal or which is blown into it for this purpose via a lance or tuyeres inserted into the wall of the vessel; PA1 addition of alloying elements which is thus carried out protected from the air and from the ladle slag, and therefore with optimum efficiency; PA1 reheating of the metal by aluminothermy: aluminum is added to the metal, then oxygen is blown thereinto and the resulting oxidation of the aluminum causes this reheating. PA1 an apparatus for the primary smelting of the liquid steel; PA1 means for continuously pouring said liquid steel from the primary smelting apparatus into a first receptacle provided with means for introducing deoxidizing agents into the liquid metal and with mixing means; PA1 a reactor for the rough decarburization of the liquid metal, including a vessel provided with means for putting it at a reduced pressure, with a first dip tube dipping into the liquid metal contained in said first receptacle and with a second dip tube dipping into an intermediate receptacle, said vessel also including means for blowing oxygen into said liquid metal; PA1 means for ensuring continuous flow of said liquid metal between said first receptacle and said intermediate receptacle; and PA1 at least one plant for adjusting the composition of the liquid steel of the type which has just been described, for which said intermediate receptacle forms said start receptacle.
These plants are used as follows. The ladle containing the liquid metal to be treated is brought under the RH and the lower ends of the dip tubes are immersed thereinto. After this, a vacuum is created in the vessel, which causes a certain quantity of metal inside it to be sucked out. Finally, the blowing of gas into the dip tube equipped for this purpose commences. The function of this blowing is to drive the metal lying in this dip tube toward the vessel, and for this reason this dip tube is called "ascending dip tube". The metal travelling through the vessel next redescends into the ladle using the other dip tube, called "descending dip tube". A continuous circulation of metal between the ladle and the vessel is thus obtained. Throughout the duration of the treatment (namely, in general, from about ten to about thirty minutes), any one same drop of metal therefore resides a number of times within the vessel. The average duration of these is a function of the flow rate of the metal in the dip tubes and of the ratio between the respective volumes of the ladle and the vessel. Passing the liquid metal into the vessel maintained under vacuum principally makes it possible to decrease its contents of dissolved hydrogen and, to a lesser extent, of dissolved nitrogen. The other metallurgical operations which may occur in the vessel are:
At the same time, the circulation of metal between the ladle and the vessel causes gentle agitation of the metal in the ladle, this being favorable to proper settling-out of the nonmetallic inclusions.
In recent years, there has been an increasing demand from steel-consuming industries for ferrometallurgical products having an extremely low carbon content (less than 50 ppm), in particular for cold-rolled sheet having high ductility and high tensile strength, for deep-drawing steels, for chrome-molybdenum ferritic stainless steels, etc. It has quickly become apparent that the RH is the in-ladle metallurgy reactor best suited to obtaining such steels under industrial conditions. In fact, the decarburization kinetics therein is favorably influenced by the massive injection of gas through the ascending dip tube, or even also into the vessel. Thus, for a ladle containing 300 t of liquid steel, an RH vessel containing 15 t of it and a flow rate of 240 t/min, a treatment time of 10 minutes may suffice to lower the carbon content in the steel from 300 ppm to 20 ppm.
The increase in demand for steels of greater and greater purity will, in the very near future, probably make it necessary to be able to obtain routinely even lower carbon contents (from 5 to 10 ppm) with a productivity at least equivalent to that of current plants (approximately 10 t/min in large integrated factories). Now, in conventional RHs, a distinct slowing down of the decarburization kinetics is observed when the average carbon content of the liquid steel becomes less than 30 ppm. Substantially speeding up said kinetics would allow the desired metallurgical performance to be obtained in a time which is still compatible with optimum running of the other steelmaking units. However, this would be conceivable only by considerably increasing the flow rate of the metal and the amount of gas blown in. The result would be an excessively accelerated wear of the refractories, and therefore more frequent stoppages and less reliable operation of the plant. In short, it seems to be beyond the scope of an RH of conventional design to obtain, at an industrial rate, carbon contents substantially less than 10 ppm under satisfactory technical and economic conditions.
It is all the more important to obtain as low a carbon content in the liquid steel as possible, since the steel will have many opportunities to recarburize during the subsequent production and casting operations for example by coming into contact with the refractories and cover powders of both the tundish and the mold.
The object of the invention is to propose a novel type of metallurgical reactor which allows the carbon contents in the liquid steel to approach the order of 10 ppm and less under satisfactory productivity conditions This reactor should also be able to be used to produce steels which are less deeply decarburized but have a very low content of oxidized inclusions.

Process for adjusting the composition of a liquid metal such as steel, and plant for its implementation


A duty cycle corrector comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is configured to receive a clock signal having a first phase and a second phase and to obtain a first threshold value based on the length of the first phase and part of the second phase and provide a first pulse and response to the first threshold value. The second circuit is configured to receive the clock signal and to obtain a second threshold value based on the length of the second phase and part of the first phase and provide a second pulse in response to the second threshold value. The time between the start of the first pulse and the start of the second pulse is substantially one half clock cycle.

Many digital circuits receive a clock signal to operate. One type of circuit that receives a clock signal to operate is a memory circuit, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), or double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR-SDRAM). In a memory circuit operating at high frequencies, it is important to have a clock signal that has about a 50% duty cycle. This provides the memory circuit with approximately an equal amount of time on the high level phase and the low level phase of a clock cycle for transferring data, such as latching rising edge data and latching falling edge data into and out of the memory circuit.
Typically, a clock signal is provided by an oscillator, such as a crystal oscillator, and clock circuitry. The oscillator and clock circuitry often provide a clock signal that does not have a 50% duty cycle. For example, the clock signal may have a 45% duty cycle, where the high level phase is 45% of one clock cycle and the low level phase is the remaining 55% of the clock cycle. To correct or change the duty cycle of a clock signal, a duty cycle corrector provides signals with transitions separated by substantially one half of a clock cycle.
Typically, analog and digital duty cycle correctors receive many clock cycles to achieve duty cycle correction. In analog duty cycle correctors, it is difficult to keep accumulated charges for an extended length of time. Even in power saving mode, clock signals are provided to the analog duty cycle corrector to update the accumulated charges. Thus, even in power saving mode, the analog duty cycle corrector remains operable and clock buffers remain enabled, which continuously consumes power. In digital duty cycle correctors, fine delay units are difficult to make and complex control logic is needed to increase correction speed.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.


A jewelry fastening aid assists a user in readily and securely joining disparate flexible ends of bracelets about the user's own wrist. The device provides a substantial improvement over related articles attempting to serve a related need but which are limited in application to slip-clasps. A rotatable and pivotable clamping assembly enables hands-free engagement with spring-clamp clasps, and holds spring clamp-clasps securely in an open position by engaging and retaining a tensioned opening-lever in an open position while simultaneously locking a spring-clamp body relative to the clamping assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand held fastening aid for disengagingly coupling male and female members of a fastening unit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a jewelry piece fastening aid which enables hands-free engagement with a fully adaptable spring-clasp or spring-clamp member to aid a user in securing jewelry about a user's own body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Jewelry, such as rings, brooches, necklaces and bracelets is widely used by women and men for ornamentation and particularly bracelets or ornamental bands or chains or strings are worn about a person's limbs. While bracelets are formed of many materials and applications are varied, it is quite common to understand that at the end of each bracelet or necklace or clasp there is some type of engagement mechanism. Such engagement mechanisms are alternatively referred to herein as clasps and have a first interlocking member and a second related interlocking member.
Typical clasps with first and second interlocking members often include spring biased interlocking members each of which is attached with (commonly) a slip lever and a receiving opening. Such bracelets are referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,327 to LaMacchia et al (entitled Bracelet Fastening Device) the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. The LaMacchia patent refers to a bracelet-fastening device having a hand held member in an end clasping assembly. The LaMacchia patent is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/400,024 filed Mar. 6, 1995, the entire contents of each of which are herein incorporated by reference.
In typical clasps either one of the receiving or mating members can be operated by hand to release the other. A mating member interlocks with a receiving member to connect the two ends of the bracelet together. Various configurations of releasable clasps have been devised for connecting the ends of bracelets and necklaces together and retain them around a person's limbs.
A major problem with a bracelet having a releasable spring clasp, and particularly spring ring and lobster type clasps is the effort required by a person to easily and quickly fasten a bracelet around their wrist. In manually fastening a bracelet around one's wrist an individual to exhibit great dexterity where there is no third hand or assistant available to engage and position the spring clasp, particularly where the user faces a physical disability that challenges dexterity.
For example, where there is no retaining assistant hand, first a user's hand adjoining the wrist upon which the bracelet is to be worn is often of no help manipulating the clasp and the person must instead solely use one hand opposite to the wrist from which the bracelet is to be worn to hold the first interlocking member in place while attempting to swing or position or juggle the second interlocking member into an advantageous spring lock engagement position while simultaneously actuating a lever-release for a spring-clasp. Frequently a person needs to try several times in order to successfully grasp the clasp of a bracelet when attempting to fasten it around their limb without the assistance of a third hand.
In particular the LaMacchia reference discloses in the figures an embodiment that includes a U-shaped claw ratting member that is springably engaged to bring two parallel surfaces into a gripping orientation. This gripping orientation is disclosed as engaging parallel flat sides of a female or male bracelet end.
During operation the LaMacchia patent teaches the grasping of the female parallel sided bracelet clasp and holding an engageable body member with the bracelet hand while using an alternative hand to laterally slide a male positioning member within the female clasp receiving cavity. As taught, the clamping assembly in the LaMacchia device is unable to retain spring clamps or lobster type clamps known in the prior art in an open and engageable position because it fails to engage the spring levers of the clasp type and simultaneously fails to retain the spring clamp clasp body relative to the spring lever, thereby forcing a user to employ their fingers and fingernails to maintain a delicate balance to hold the clip open.
As noted, it should be known to those familiar with spring clamp clasps that it is necessary to both simultaneously engage a spring clamp release lever, engage the lever, operate the lever against an internal spring bias and open a receiving slot, and stabilize and retain the spring clamp clasp body to enable relative motion of the spring clamp lever. The LaMacchia device fails to enable any of these requisite steps in engaging a "spring ring type clasp" or a "lobster claw type clasp".
Similar problems are faced by a user attempting to button up a piece of his/her wardrobe. In particular, a person with impaired fine motor skills may experience difficulty while engaging a button in a loop, and may require the assistance of a mechanical device to aid the process.
Therefore there is a need for a jewelry fastening aid to enable the user to readily grasp and operate spring ring and lobster claw type clasp mechanisms for bracelets and other jewelry.


A method is disclosed for the production of extruded plastic products by using an extruder (1) which has an extruder hopper (2) which is supplied with a hot mixture obtained by discontinuous mixing of PVC powder and aditives in a hot mixing zone, with the supply of frictional heat, wherein a first amount of PVC powder is mixed with an excess of additives with the supply of frictional heat, after which the mixture thus obtained is homogenised in the same mixing zone with a supplementary amount of PVC powder, in such a way that the final mixture has the desired concentration of additives, after which the hot mixture obtained after homogenisation is fed directly to the extruder hopper (2). An installation for the production of plastic products by extrusion, comprising a discontinuously operating hot mixer is also disclosed, as well as said hot mixer (3).

The invention relates to a method for the production of extruded plastic products using an extruder which has an extruder hopper which is supplied with a hot mixture obtained by discontinuous mixing of PVC powder and additives in a hot mixing zone, with the supply of frictional heat.
A method of this type is known EP-A-0 008 712. In this method the additives become predominantly soft or fluid at the elevated temperatures, as a consequence of frictional heat, as a result of which the said additives adhere very well to the PVC powder.
Following the preparation of this mixture by discontinuous hot mixing, the mixture obtained is transferred into a horizontal rotating and homogenising heat-retaining silo, from which the extruder is fed continuously or discontinuously. With this method the additives can be supplied to the mixer from a central weighing installation.
One drawback of this method is that a horizontal heat-retaining silo is needed in the extrusion line, while, moreover, a great deal of space is lost because a high vertical mixing installation is positioned above each extruder, as a result of which the building costs for a factory are appreciably increased.

Method and installation for the production of plastic products with the aid of a hot mixture of PVC powder and additives, and a hot mixer suitable for use with this method


A system and method for detecting both the forward and reverse power of a power amplifier are provided. The power amplifier is a quadrature power amplifier including an in-phase amplifier circuit and a quadrature-phase amplifier circuit. A radio frequency (RF) input signal is split and phase-shifted to provide an in-phase RF input to the in-phase amplifier circuitry and a quadrature-phase RF input to the quadrature-phase amplifier circuitry, where the quadrature-phase RF input is +90 degrees out-of-phase with the in-phase RF input. In one embodiment, a power detection system operates to downconvert quadrature output signals from the in-phase and quadrature-phase amplifier circuits based on quadrature local oscillator signals. The outputs of the quadrature downconversion are then selectively combined to provide a quadrature signal indicative of forward power, a quadrature signal indicative of reverse power, or both a quadrature signal indicative of forward power and a quadrature signal indicative of reverse power.

The output power of a transmitter in a wireless communication link is largely determined by the power amplifier (PA) and the load impedance seen at the output of the PA. For open loop PAs, variations in load impedance will result in variations in the output power. Ideally, the load impedance is constant. However, in reality, the load impedance may vary due to variations in the impedance of the components in the transmit chain following the power amplifier, such as a duplexer, caused by frequency and temperature variations. The load impedance may also vary due to variations in the impedance of the antenna caused by proximity of the antenna to foreign metallic objects and the user's body. For a mobile handset communication link, output power variations decrease the quality of service, increase the probability of dropped calls in fringe areas, increase the liability of the mobile terminal manufactures in terms of tolerated output power versus Specific Absorption Ratio (SAR), and increase the peak current of the PA.
There are several methods to reduce output power variation due to load impedance variation. One method is to insert an isolator between the PA output and the antenna. However, the isolator is an additional component that increases board area and cost. In addition, the isolator adds loss to the transmit path, thereby decreasing the efficiency of the transmitter. Another method is to add a radio frequency (RF) power control loop. Common RF power control loops consist of a directional coupler and a RF power detector, where the output of the RF power detector is used to control the output power of the PA. Like the isolator, a directional coupler is an additional component that increases cost and adds loss to the transmit path, which decreases the efficiency of the transmitter. By using a directional coupler, which is used to separate forward power from reverse power at the PA output, and a power control loop, the transmitter can provide constant forward power to the antenna. However, in order to provide constant delivered power to the antenna, a dual directional coupler is necessary in order to measure the forward and reflected power at the output of the PA. The insertion loss of a dual directional coupler is twice that of a single directional coupler (in dB). As such, a dual directional coupler further decreases the efficiency of the transmitter.
In addition, testing of mobile devices is becoming increasingly more stringent and, as a result, over-the-air (OTA) testing is now being standardized to further test performance. As OTA testing is developing, Total Radiated Power (TRP) is becoming increasingly important. The TRP of a mobile device is an integral measure of the radiation pattern emitted by the device during transmit operation while in a real-world, or a simulated real-world, environment.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for detecting forward and reverse power of a RF transmitter that is insensitive to variations in load impedance, adds minimal insertion loss to the transmit path, and adds minimal cost.

Forward and reverse VSWR insensitive power detection using quadrature downconversion


The present disclosure generally relates to therapeutic nanoparticles. Exemplary nanoparticles disclosed herein may include about 1 to about 20 weight percent of a mTOR inhibitor; and about 70 to about 99 weight percent biocompatible polymer.

Systems that deliver certain drugs to a patient (e.g., targeted to a particular tissue or cell type or targeted to a specific diseased tissue but not normal tissue), or that control release of drugs has long been recognized as beneficial. For example, therapeutics that include an active drug and that are capable of locating in a particular tissue or cell type e.g., a specific diseased tissue, may reduce the amount of the drug in tissues of the body that do not require treatment. This is particularly important when treating a condition such as cancer where it is desirable that a cytotoxic dose of the drug is delivered to cancer cells without killing the surrounding non-cancerous tissue. Further, such therapeutics may reduce the undesirable and sometimes life threatening side effects common in anticancer therapy. For example, nanoparticle therapeutics may, due the small size, evade recognition within the body allowing for targeted and controlled delivery while e.g., remaining stable for an effective amount of time.
Therapeutics that offer such therapy and/or controlled release and/or targeted therapy also must be able to deliver an effective amount of drug. It can be a challenge to prepare nanoparticle systems that have an appropriate amount of drug associated each nanoparticle, while keeping the size of the nanoparticles small enough to have advantageous delivery properties. For example, while it is desirable to load a nanoparticle with a high quantity of therapeutic agent, nanoparticle preparations that use a drug load that is too high will result in nanoparticles that are too large for practical therapeutic use. Further, it may be desirable for therapeutic nanoparticles to remain stable so as to e.g. substantially limit rapid or immediate release of the therapeutic agent.
Accordingly, a need exists for new nanoparticle formulations and methods of making such nanoparticles and compositions, that can deliver therapeutic levels of drugs to treat diseases such as cancer, while also reducing patient side effects.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Therapeutic polymeric nanoparticles with mTOR inhibitors and methods of making and using same


A method of controlling the supply of cells into an asynchronous network, comprises the steps of storing incoming bytes from multiple channels in respective channel buffers, creating in memory a timing event wheel partitioned into a plurality of sectors, of which one is active at any time, and placing cell pointers in the sectors. The cell pointers identify channel buffers and are distributed around the wheel in accordance with a desired transmission schedule. The wheel is stepwise advanced at a predetermined rate, and the cell pointers in the active sector are scanned at each advance of the wheel to identify the corresponding channel buffers. The bytes from the identified channel buffers are assembled into cells, which are forwarded for transmission over the asynchronous network. These are then multiplexed with VBR cells from another source.

This invention relates to asynchronous data networks, such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, and in particular to a method of scheduling the supply of cells mixing different classes of traffic, for example voice and data.
ATM is an asynchronous packet switching network in which data packets are broken into fixed-length cells of 53 bytes each and sent over virtual circuits established between a pair of communicating devices. The virtual circuits can be either permanent or switched, in which latter case the virtual circuit is set up by the network manager at the time of placing a "call" between the sending and receiving ends.
Although ATM is fundamentally asynchronous in its operation, one of the features offered by ATM is the ability to provide constant bit rate (CBR) services between the endpoints. CBR is important for time sensitive data, such as voice and video. CBR can be achieved by controlling the supply of cells into the network, buffering the cells at the receiving end and creating an output bit stream clocked by signals recovered from the ATM network using known clock recovery techniques.
It is often desired to mix variable bit rate (VBR) traffic with the CBR traffic in order to optimize the use of available bandwidth. VBR traffic consists of data that is not time sensitive, for example, computer files and the like or signaling information.
One of the problems that arises is in the scheduling of traffic into the ATM network. CBR traffic, which is delay sensitive must given priority over VBR traffic. Various approaches are known for controlling the supply of VBR and CBR cells. For example, VBR traffic can be sent out using the leaky bucket algorithm. For each virtual circuit, credits accumulate up to a pre-programmed maximum value at the average cell transmission rate. Each time a cell is sent, a credit is removed until the packets are segmented or no credits are left. As long as credits exist, cells are transmitted at the peak rate. CBR traffic is handled by a simple backpressure mechanism. When a CBR cell shows up at the interface, the controller stops the VBR (AAL5) assembly engine and lets the CBR cell through. This does not permit user control over the sending of CBR cells, and in particular is unsuitable for managing multiple CBR circuits, for example, from an ST-BUS backplane.
An object of the invention is to alleviate this problem.


In an optical pickup device, a first light source and a second light source, light emission points of which are not on an identical optical axis, are provided. A first laser light beam and a second laser light beam, wavelengths of which are different from each other, are respectively emitted from the first and second light sources. The first and second laser light-beams reflected from an optical recording medium are diffracted based on different diffraction order, such that the diffracted first and second laser light beams are received by a common light receiving element.

This invention relates to, in an optical pickup device provided with a plurality of light sources for emitting laser light beams different in wavelength with light emission points not existing on an identical optical axis, a method for receiving a reflected beam from a record side of an optical record medium by a common light receiving element, and relates to an optical pickup device using the light receiving method.
An optical pickup device of multiple light source type, provided with a plurality of laser light sources for emitting laser light beams different in wavelength is known as an optical pickup device for recording and reproducing a signal on a plurality of optical record media different in thickness, track pitch, etc. For example, a laser light beam having a wavelength of 780 nm is required for reproducing CD-R and thus an optical pickup device for reproducing CD-R as well as DVD and CD is of two-light-source type comprising a laser light source having a wavelength of 650 nm and a laser light source having a wavelength of 780 nm.
As such an optical pickup device of two-light-source type, the following configuration is known: As shown in a conceptual drawing of FIG. 5A, a monolithic two-wavelength semiconductor laser chip having a configuration in which light emission points of a red laser and a near-infrared laser, 101 and 102, are built in an active layer of a single semiconductor chip is used, and return light beams emitted from the semiconductor laser chip and then reflected on a reflection face of an optical record medium are diffracted by a hologram element, whereby the light receiving points of the return light beams of both wavelengths are matched and the return light beams are received by a common light receiving element and a signal can be detected.
In this case, the light emission points 101 and 102 for emitting laser light beams L1 and L2 of different wavelengths formed on the semiconductor laser chip 100 are 30 to 300 xcexcm apart from each other. Therefore, the laser light beams emitted from both the light emission points 101 and 102 are not positioned on the same axis. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5B, the optical axes of return light beams L1r and L2r of the wavelengths reflected on an optical record medium (not shown) and incident on a hologram element 103 are also apart at a similar distance from each other.
In the related art, both the return light beams L1r and L2r are diffracted by the hologram element 103 as primary diffracted light and are introduced into a common light receiving element 104. Generally, the wavelength xcex1 of the return light beam L1r is 650 nm and the wavelength xcex2 of the return light beam L2r is 780 nm. When a grating pitch of the hologram element 103 is defined as d, diffraction angles xcex81 and xcex82 of the primary diffracted light beams L1r(+1) and L2r(+1) are represented as follows:             θ      1        ≅          D      h        ≅                  λ        1            d                  θ      2        ≅                  D        +        Δ            h        ≅                  λ        2            d
Thus, the following equations can be obtained.   D  =                              λ          1                                      λ            2                    -                      λ            1                                    Δ                  xe2x80x83        =          5                    xe2x80x83                  Δ
Therefore, the positions at which the primary diffracted light beams L1r(+1) and L2r(+1) can be received by the common light receiving element 104 are positions apart a distance D about five times a light emission point spacing xcex94 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis relative to the return light beams incident on the hologram element 103.
The described optical pickup device introduces the primary diffracted light beam of each wavelength into the common light receiving element. Therefore, the diffraction angle is comparatively large and if the wavelength of the laser light source changes with the environmental temperature, change in the light receiving position on the common light receiving element caused by change in the diffraction angle occurring accordingly is large. If the light receiving position on the common light receiving element changes, an offset easily occurs in a focusing error signal and a tracking error signal. When an offset occurs, an error correction cannot appropriately be made and thus there is a probability of degradation of the recording and reproduction performance of the optical pickup device.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a light receiving method capable of suppressing change in a light receiving position on a common light receiving element in an optical pickup device of multiple light source type and an optical pickup device using the light receiving method.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a light receiving method in an optical pickup device, comprising the steps of:
providing a first light source and a second light source, light emission points of which are not on an identical optical axis;
providing a common light receiving element;
emitting a first laser light beam and a second laser light beam respectively from the first and second light sources, wavelengths of which are different from each other;
converging the first and second laser light beams onto a record face of an optical recording medium; and
diffracting the first and second laser light beams reflected from the optical recording medium based on different diffraction order, such that the diffracted first and second laser light beams are received by the common light receiving element.
If the return laser light beams different in wavelength are diffracted based on different diffraction orders, the diffraction angle of the diffracted light beam of each wavelength can be lessened and thus the light receiving position shift on the common light receiving element caused by wavelength change of the light source can be lessened. Consequently, the recording and reproduction performance of a signal becomes stable.
Preferably, the different diffraction order for the first and second laser light beams are respectively selected from the following combinations:
positive primary diffraction and positive secondary diffraction; and
negative secondary diffraction and negative primary diffraction.
Preferably, the light receiving method further comprises the step of passing the first and second laser light beams reflected from the optical recording medium through an enlarging optics, before or after the diffracting step.
If the beam diameter is thus enlarged, occurrence of a signal detection error for a light receiving position shift on the common light receiving element can be more suppressed.
Preferably, the light receiving method further comprises the step of detecting at least focusing errors in the first and second laser light beams, based on light amounts detected by the light receiving element. The focusing errors in the first and second laser light beams are detected by the same processing. In this configuration, signal processing circuit can be simplified.
An optical pickup device using the above described method comprises a diffractive element for diffracting the first and second laser light beams reflected from the optical recording medium based on different diffraction order, which is formed with a diffraction grating having a saw-toothed cross sectional shape.
In this configuration, the diffractive direction can be set to a predetermined direction and the yield of light can be enhanced.
Preferably, the diffractive element comprises a concave lens function.
The diffractive element can be provided with a concave lens function. In doing so, the beam diameter of return light can be enlarged for suppressing occurrence of a signal detection error caused by light receiving position change in the common light receiving element, and the function and effect can be provided without increasing the number of optical elements.

Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho


An electrical connector (1) is used for electrically connecting a ball grid array (BGA) central processing unit (CPU) (3) with a printed circuit board (PCB). The connector includes a generally rectangular insulative housing (10) and a number of terminals (20) received in the housing. Each of the terminals includes a connecting portion (200), a solder pad (202) extending from a bottom end of the connecting portion, and a cantilever (204) extending aslant from a top end of the connecting portion. The cantilever has a concave portion (206) near a free end thereof. When the CPU with a multiplicity of solder balls is attached onto the connector, the concave portions of the terminals cover bottom portions of the solder balls. Therefore, the terminals of the connector electrically connect with the solder balls of the CPU steadily, and a reliable connection between the CPU and the PCB is established.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a ball grid array (BGA) central processing unit (CPU) with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB).
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, electrical connectors are widely used to electrically connect land grid array (LGA) central processing units (CPUs) with printed circuit boards (PCBs). Such an electrical connector 9 shown in FIG. 6 generally comprises an insulative housing 90 and a multiplicity of terminals 92 disposed in the housing 90. The housing 90 defines a number of passageways 901 each of which receives one of the terminals 92. Referring to FIG. 7, each of the terminals 92 includes a retaining portion 920 with several barbs to interfere with edges near the passageways 901 to secure the terminal 92 in the housing 90, a solder pad 922 extending from an upper portion of the retaining portion 920, an L-shaped connecting portion 925 extending from a lower portion of the retaining portion 920, and a contact beam 926 extending from an upper end of the connecting portion 925. A solder ball 928 is attached on the solder pad 922. An arc portion 929 is formed at a free end of the contact beam 926. The arc portion 929 forms an upper contact point (now labeled) which protrudes towards a bottom surface of an LGA CPU (not shown) with a number of metal pads.
Referring to FIG. 8, in use, the connector 9 is assembled onto a PCB 8 with the solder balls 928 of the terminals 92 contacting pads 80 of the PCB 8. The LGA CPU is attached on the connector, with the metal pads of the LGA CPU corresponding to the arc portions 929 of the terminals 92. The LGA CPU is pressed down, and the metal pads of the LGA CPU abut against the upper contact points of the arc portions 929 of the terminals 92 to deform the terminals 92. The contact beams 926 of the terminals 92 form a vertical force towards the metal pads of the LGA CPU, thereby the terminals 92 electrically contacting the metal pads of the LGA CPU. Thus, the connector 9 electrically connects the LGA CPU with the PCB 8. In above-mentioned operation, compression of the metal pads of the LGA CPU deforms the connecting portions 925 of the terminals 92, such that the upper contact points move in a horizontal direction. Because the metal pads of the LGA CPU has a length in the horizontal direction, displacements of the upper contact points of the terminals 92 are unlikely to affect electrical connections between the terminals 92 and the metal pads.
Recently, with utilization of ball grid array (BGA) CPUs, a shortcoming of the above-mentioned connector 9 appears. Referring to FIG. 8, a BGA CPU has a number of solder balls disposed on a bottom surface thereof. In an assembly of the BGA CPU 7 with a number of solder balls 70 and the connector 9, it is desired that a lower dead point of each of the solder balls 70 abuts against the upper contact point of corresponding terminal 92 of the connector 9. Therefore, the contact beam 926 of each of the terminals 92 provides a vertical force in an axial direction, and connections between the terminals 92 and the solder balls 70 are steady and reliable. However, in use, when the solder balls 70 press the arc portions 929 of the terminals 92 down, the connecting portions 925 of the terminals 92 deflect and the upper contact points of the terminals 92 move in a horizontal direction. Thus, adjacent portion of the upper contact point of each of the terminals 92 would contact a portion which is not the lower dead point of the solder balls 70, and the force provided for the solder ball 70 is not perpendicular to the bottom of the BGA CPU 7. Therefore, the connections between the solder balls 70 and the terminals 92 are unlikely to be steady and reliable.
In view of the above, a new connector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.


A recording method is provided, which comprises the steps of (a) generating a plurality of pulse sequences corresponding to a plurality of linear velocities, (b) while rotating a recording medium with a linear velocity selected from the plurality of linear velocities, forming at least one of a recording mark and a space by irradiating the recording medium with a pulse sequence selected from the plurality of pulse sequences, the pulse corresponding to the linear velocity. The step (a) comprises the steps of (a-1) measuring at least one first recording parameter corresponding to at least one linear velocity selected from the plurality of linear velocities, (a-2) determining a second recording parameter corresponding to the plurality of linear velocities based on the at least one first recording parameter measured, and (a-3) generating the plurality of pulse sequences corresponding to the plurality of linear velocities based on the second recording parameter measured.

To perform constant angular velocity (CAV) recording of information on an optical disc, recording parameters need to be optimized for each of the successively changing linear velocities. The term "CAV recording" refers to a technique of recording information onto an optical disc, while changing a recording clock, having a period T, depending on a change in linear velocity, so that the linear density of recorded data is constant.
Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-344754 discloses a method for determining an optimum recording power level for each of successive linear velocities. In this method, test recording is performed at particular linear velocities in advance. Based on the results, an optimum recording power level is calculated for an arbitrary linear velocity.
Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-118245 discloses a method for calculating an optimum pulse width for an arbitrary linear velocity, based on the widths of a starting pulse and a final cooling pulse contained in a pulse sequence, which has been previously recorded on an optical disc at a prescribed linear velocity.
However, when the method disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-344754 is used to perform CAV recording of information at high density and high speed (e.g., when information is recorded onto DVD-RAM), an optimum recording power level for an arbitrary linear velocity, which is calculated based on the result of test recordings performed in advance at a particular linear velocity, is different from the actual recording power level for the linear velocity.
When the method disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-118245 is used to perform CAV recording of information at high density and high speed (e.g., when information is recorded onto DVD-RAM), an optimum pulse width for an arbitrary linear velocity, which is calculated based on the widths of a starting pulse and a terminating pulse contained in a pulse sequence which has been previously recorded on an optical disc at a prescribed linear velocity, is different from the optimum pulse width for the arbitrary linear velocity.
These differences are caused by variations in optical discs or variations in the diameter of a light spot produced by recording apparatuses. Therefore, the differences occur even when optical discs are produced by the same manufacturer. The differences are significant when CAV recording of information is performed at a high density and a high speed. Therefore, a technique for generating an optimum pulse sequence corresponding to an arbitrary linear velocity for each combination of an optical disc and a recording apparatus is required.
The present invention is provided to solve the above-described problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording method and a recording apparatus for producing an optimum pulse sequence, depending on an arbitrary linear velocity, even when CAV recording of information is performed at a high density and a high speed, and a recording medium.

Recording method, recording apparatus, and recording medium


A holster for handguns, of composite construction including a handgun-holding pocket of laminated flexible material including a layer of a resiliently compressible foam material, with a frame of rigid material attached to the pocket structure, leaving the pocket structure free to move slightly with respect to the frame. A compression band surrounds a portion of the handgun-holding pocket to compress the layer of resiliently compressible material against the surfaces of a handgun held within the holster to provide resistance against withdrawal of the handgun. Anti-twist plates may be provided to resist unauthorized removal of a handgun from the holster, and a security strap and thumb-break are attached to the frame of the holster but not attached directly to the handgun-holding pocket.

The present invention relates to holsters for handguns, and in particular to a holster of composite construction providing improved support, protection, and security for a handgun.
For several years, handgun holsters of composite fabric construction have included a handgun-receiving pocket of laminated fabric structure comprising a strong outer layer, a smooth, relatively soft and non-abrasive inner layer, and an intermediate layer of resiliently compressible material such as closed-cell foam material. While such holsters are adequate for carrying a handgun, their ability to grip a handgun securely enough to resist withdrawal by adversaries and to resist dislodgement of a handgun as a result of sudden or violent movement of the holster's wearer is sometimes less than completely satisfactory, particularly for peace officers whose weapons are subject to attempts at removal by criminals.
Lack of ability of a holster to hold a handgun securely may be partly because of the manner of attaching security straps and belt loops to the holster, resulting in some compression of the laminated material forming the handgun-receiving pocket, so that the resiliently compressible material is not completely free to grip a handgun.
Another factor in the inability to hold a handgun securely enough has been the general shape of handgun holsters, in which a closed bottom end of a holster's handgun-receiving pocket may exert a squeezing force against the muzzle end of a handgun held in such a holster, tending to squeeze the handgun back out of the holster.
Most handguns are asymmetrical, in that latch levers, safety buttons, and other projections may be located on one side of a handgun but not on the opposite side. It is still desirable for a handgun to sit straight in a holster, for the sake of appearance.
It is known that with the laminated fabric holster structure disclosed, for example, in Cook U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,947, different handguns, within a range of sizes, can be accommodated safely in a holster of a single size. Such a holster, however, may not be able to hold a handgun securely enough for some situations, as mentioned above.
In particular, it is desirable for a holster to continue to securely hold a handgun, despite a person other than the wearer twisting the handgun within the holster in an attempt to release a security strap of the holster.
A holster ideally should also provide a certain amount of resistance to removal of a handgun, and should provide such resistance over a reasonable distance as the handgun is being withdrawn from the holster. Once a handgun has been partially removed from a holster beyond such a distance, however, it should thereafter be able to be withdrawn fully with only a small resistance, so long as it is withdrawn in the proper direction.
It has previously been known to provide a stiffening layer supported by sheet metal located on the outside of a handgun holster, as disclosed by Seldeen U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,150. Such a stiffening layer as in the Seldeen holster, however, would not improve the security of a handgun-receiving pocket of fabric construction.
Bianchi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,656 and Bianchi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,663 disclose a military holster including a welt which may be of various sizes so that the holster can receive handguns of different sizes. The holster also includes a reinforcement on the exterior of a handgun-receiving pocket of laminated fabric including a layer of a closed cell polyurethane foam.
Lindell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,506 discloses a leather holster including a reinforcing piece provided to strengthen the structure of the holster.
Sloan U.S. Pat. No. 3,252,639 discloses a holster in which a welt located along a rear margin of the holster is adjustably positioned and then clamped in place by a bolt.
Willoughby U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,483, Nichols U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,001, Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,592, Goldman U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,708, Gaylord, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,968, and Engle U.S. Pat. No. 2,410,640 disclose various attachments of belt loops to holsters or weapons cases to permit adjustments of the position of the belt loops.
Applicants' assignee has made and sold certain prior art handgun holsters in which lower portions of a handgun-receiving pocket are reinforced by a stiffening layer of sheet material, in a holster of fabric construction. Applicants' assignee has also manufactured and sold holsters in which a welt is included along a rear margin of a handgun-receiving pocket of a handgun holster of laminated fabric construction including a layer of resilient foam material.
What has been lacking in the prior art, however, is a handgun holster of fabric construction capable of accommodating handguns of various sizes and configurations, which is adjustable to provide a desired amount of resistance to withdrawal of a weapon from the holster by the wearer of the holster, which is capable of preventing a handgun from dropping from the holster as a result of foreseeable shock or movement, and which resists unwanted removal of a handgun from such a holster by an adversary, whether such withdrawal be attempted from ahead or behind the wearer or by twisting a weapon held in the holster.