Systems and methods are provided for obtaining measurements of an integrated circuit chip and a connected carrier to obtain the measurements of the interconnect heights. More specifically, a method is provided that includes defining a top best fit reference plane and a bottom best fit reference plane, and adjusting the top best fit reference and the bottom best fit reference to be superposed to one another. The method further includes calculating first distances between each height measurement for a first set of points and the adjusted top best fit reference plane, and calculating second distances between each height measurement for a second set of points and the adjusted bottom best fit reference plane. The method further includes calculating height values of a gap or interconnect between the first substrate and the second substrate by subtracting the thickness of the first substrate and the second distances from the first distances.

Flip chip, also known as controlled collapse chip connection (C4), is a method for interconnecting semiconductor devices, such as integrated circuit (IC) chips and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), to chip carriers and external circuitry with join structures, such as C4 bumps (solder bumps), that have been deposited onto chip pads. The solder bumps are deposited on the chip pads on the top side of the wafer during the final wafer processing step. In order to mount the chip to chip carriers and external circuitry (e.g., a circuit board or another chip or wafer), the chip is flipped over so that a top side of the chip faces down, and is then aligned so that the pads align with matching pads on the chip carriers or external circuitry. Thereafter, the solder is flowed to complete the C4 interconnect.
Height values of the C4 interconnect (e.g., thicknesses of the gap between the integrated circuit chip and the chip carriers or external circuitry) are helpful data during integrated circuit chip packaging processes development and qualification. In instances where the integrated circuit chip is connected to the chip carriers or external circuitry via C4 bumps, height values of the C4 bumps are at least one component that is determinative of the height values of the interconnect between the integrated circuit chip and the chip carriers or external circuitry. Consequently, the height values of the C4 bumps and uniformity/variability of the C4 bumps provide information to evaluate cleanability under the integrate circuit chip, underfill flowability, chip join yields, and also may give insight of the shapes of the C4 bumps (e.g., dumbbell shape or oval shape) affecting reliability of the C4.
Conventionally, in order to obtain information on the height values of the C4 bumps, one or more cross-sections are taken of the C4 interconnect between the integrated circuit chip and the chip carriers or external circuitry. This method provides a height value of the C4 interconnect at the location of the cross-section, the shape of the C4 bumps at the location of the cross-section, and a few additional visual details at the location of the cross-section. However, each cross section can take hours of work to obtain, and the sample size is limited, e.g., each cross section only provides a snap shot of one location between the integrated circuit chip and the chip carriers or external circuitry. Additionally, the process is destructive to the measured interconnect device, and thus the measured interconnect device cannot be used downstream to evaluate the impact of the height of the C4 interconnect on downstream operations.

Measurements of an integrated circuit chip and connected chip carrier to estimate height of interconnect

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A decoding apparatus adapted for an optical access system comprises an interface, a detection element, and an error correction element. The interface receives a data from an optical storage medium. The detection element executes an error detection on the data received from the interface before the data is buffered to a first memory and generates a defect result in response to the error detection. The error correction element decodes the data in response to the defect result. A decoding method for an optical access system comprising the steps of: receiving a data from an optical storage medium via an interface of the optical access system; executing an error detection on the data received from the interface before the data is buffered to a first memory; generating a defect result in response to the error detection; and decoding the data in response to the defect result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a decoding apparatus adapted for an optical access system and a method therefor; more particularly, relates to a decoding apparatus and a decoding method for detecting and correcting errors in a data retrieved from an optical storage medium.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Since optical storage media have advantages of large capacity, low cost, high access speed, high compatibility, and portability, they become one of the most popular devices for storing data nowadays.
Due to the influence of scratches, fingerprints, collision, or dust, errors might occur when data stored in an optical storage medium is retrieved. Therefore, optical access systems of the prior art usually have a correction mechanism to correct the errors. FIG. 1 shows an optical access system of the prior art, and FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method of the prior art adapted for the optical access system to correct errors. The optical access system 1 comprises a pickup head 105, a buffer 107, a DRAM 109, a DRAM controller 111, a detection element 113, and an error correction element 115. The optical access system 1 retrieves data from an optical storage medium 101, such as a compact disc, and decodes the data before transmitting the data to a host 103 which is electrically connected to the optical access system 1. More particularly, referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a pickup head 105 reads the data from the optical storage medium 101 in step 201. Then step 203 is executed wherein the data is stored in the buffer 107 temporarily. In step 205, the data is then written into the DRAM 109 from the buffer 107 through the DRAM controller 111. Step 207 is executed to transmit the data from the DRAM 109 through the DRAM controller 111 to the detection element 113 to detect whether an error in the data exists after decoding the data. If no, it means that there is no error detected in the data and step 215 is executed to transmit the data to the host 103. If yes, step 209 is executed in which the data is then transmitted to the error correction element 115 to be corrected. After step 209 is executed, the method goes to step 211 to store a corrected data back to the DRAM 109. Finally, step 213 is executed wherein the corrected data is transmitted to the host 103.
In step 207, the decoding and detecting comprise an error detection code (EDC) check and at least one of a syndrome check and an erasure check to affirm whether an EDC error, a syndrome error, or an erasure error of the data exists.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,151 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,335 disclose similar systems or methods shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In both of the two patents, data is stored in a memory through a memory controller first. Then the data is transmitted to be detected whether there is an error in the data. If yes, the data and the error are sent to an error correction element for correct the error. After the correction, the corrected data is transmitted to a host. Based on the above descriptions, people skilled in the art can realize that the memory, i.e., the DRAM 109 is frequently accessed. This occupies lots of the bandwidth of the memory. Besides, if there is no error in the data, the process of decoding is still executed, which influences process speed and wastes power. Especially for BD/DVD/HDDVD discs, an error rate of data is generally less than 1%. In other words, over 99% of the decoding is unnecessary.
To solve the aforementioned drawbacks, a decoding apparatus which may decrease unnecessary operations and save the bandwidth of memory is required in the industrial field.


A method for objectively verifying the efficacy of manipulative therapy is provided. The method includes performing a first dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials test 82! on a patient 12! to establish a baseline response of the nerve latency period. A manipulative therapy technique 88! is then performed on the patient to relieve nerve root compression. A second dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials test 90! is then performed, to establish a post-manipulation nerve latency period.

Somatosensory Evoked Potential (SEP) tests have been employed for at least twenty years to monitor spinal cord function during surgical procedures. Surgical instrumentation or procedures may produce stress on the spinal cord. Repeated measurement of somatosensory evoked potentials during surgery provides electrophysiological data that may be used by the surgical team to make diagnostic decisions regarding global spinal cord function and nerve root trauma.
Nevertheless, somatosensory evoked potentials are not specific to individual nerve roots because they employ peripheral nerves that comprise nerve fibers that enter the spinal cord through several adjacent nerve roots. Consequently, somatosensory evoked potential wave forms are often not sufficiently specific to identify pathologies associated with individual nerve roots.
A Dermatomal Somatosensory Evoked Potential (DSEP) is produced by placing a stimulating surface electrode in a dermatomal field, such as an approved dermatome site, and recording the signature electrical response from scalp electrodes positioned on the head of a patient over the patient's somatosensory cortex. The evoked response to this peripheral stimulus theoretically can be used to evaluate the sensory input through individual sensory nerve roots.
Dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials have been successfully employed to monitor spinal cord function during spinal surgery and to document successful spinal root decompression. Unlike somatosensory evoked potentials, the evoked response measured by the dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials can be used to evaluate the sensory input through individual sensory nerve roots.
Patients with radicular pain often elect to pursue a conservative course of therapy that may initially include a combination of physical therapy and spinal manipulation. Such therapy may include the use of equipment such as the ACTIVATOR, or other similar equipment. Because the sensory components of nerve roots, especially the dorsal root ganglion, may be anatomically more vulnerable to mechanical or chemical pathology, patients may exhibit radicular pain and/or sensory loss without significant motor involvement. Although physical therapy and spinal manipulation may sometimes relieve these effects, no methods currently exist that may be used to correlate the resolution of problems with the performance of physical therapy using objective measurements.

Method for verifying efficacy of manipulative therapy


A pin box assembly having a column connected to a skid plate with an upper and lower surface. A kingpin is affixed to and extends from the skid plate. The skid plate is restrained from movement with respect to the column, and the column is for being connected to a towable RV. A strain gauge may be mounted to an upper surface of the skid plate. As an alternative to mounting the strain gauge to the skid plate, the strain gauge may be mounted to the column of the pin box. The strain gauges in the aforementioned locations measure strain as the weight of a towable RV is placed upon a fifth wheel hitch.

The weight distribution on a fifth wheel towable recreational vehicle (RV) is critical to handling and safety. However, understanding the load on a towable RV in real time use has been poorly understood. This lack of understanding has been particularly problematic to end users of towable RVs who have no way of knowing the actual load on their towable RV. Another problem of not knowing the load on a towable RV is that the towing vehicle may be subjected to unknown forces. The end users of towable RVs need to know the load characteristics so they can safely tow them.
Weight distribution in a towable RV can vary greatly. There are multiple reasons for significant variability in weight distribution. One reason is that options on a particular model of towable RV can be significantly different. The finishes, cabinetry, and other furniture can be different within the same model of towable RV. Additionally, the interior components or the user's cargo can be located in different places within the RV and that will affect weight distribution.
How an RV is used can also affect the weight distribution. Many towable RVs are toy haulers that have a cargo area near the rear of the vehicle. In such cases, the cargo may significantly alter the weight characteristics of the towable. As such, even if an end user of the towable RV knew the proper weight distribution before loading, it is unlikely that he will know it after loading unless some effort was taken to weigh the towable RV. Therefore, there is a need for monitoring the weight characteristics of towable RVs with very little effort on the part of the user.


The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for the treatment of post-chemotherapeutic hypotrichosis. More specifically, the present invention is directed to the use of compositions comprising bimatoprost for the treatment of post-chemotherapeutic hypotrichosis which may be applied before, during and after receiving chemotherapeutic treatment.

Eyelashes, in addition to their contribution to appearance, serve a functional role by protecting sensitive eye structures against foreign particles entering the eye. The nerve plexus that surrounds hair follicles has a very low threshold for excitation (Moses, 1970); as a result, dust or other particles that may come into contact with the eyelash hair fiber are sufficient stimuli to produce a blink reflex, thereby protecting the eye. In terms of the aesthetic function of eyelashes, eyelash prominence has been observed to be related to the attractiveness of individuals, with long, thick eyelashes considered to be a desirable physical attribute with a positive psychological effect (Shaikh and Bodla, 2006).
Inadequate or not having enough eyelashes is known as hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. Etiologies of hypotrichosis of the eyelashes in an adult population include idiopathic hypotrichosis, alopecia-inducing medication (e.g., chemotherapeutic agents) and underlying cutaneous or systemic diseases/conditions (eg, alopecia greata or hypothyroidism).
In healthy adults, eyelash hypotrichosis is often idiopathic and may be related to age. There is an inverse relationship between age and length of eyelashes; younger populations naturally tend to have longer eyelashes, while older populations tend to have shorter eyelashes (Pucci, 2005). For this reason, many otherwise healthy adults experience hypotrichosis as a consequence of aging.
A treatment is available for the natural hypotrichosis condition which may be result of person's genetic makeup or could be age related. Bimatoprost solution 0.03% (LATISSE®) is marketed for the treatment of hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. Bimatoprost is a synthetic prostamide. Topical application of bimatoprost solution can be used in normal healthy adults with inadequate amount of eyelashes or subject who want to further enhance the prominence of their eyelashes (Yoelin, 2010). Treatment with bimatoprost has been demonstrated to increase the percentage of eyelash follicles in anagen, which accounts for its ability to lengthen eyelashes. Bimatoprost-induced stimulation of melanogenesis in melanocytes present in dermal papilla which are responsible for hair shaft pigmentation results in darker eyelashes and, at the same time, appears to increase the size of the dermal papilla and hair bulb, affecting lash thickness and fullness (Cohen, 2010; Fagien, 2010; Law, 2010).
In contrast to the natural eyelash hypotrichosis condition where the hair follicle is normal except it produces shorter and inadequate amount of eyelashes, chemotherapy treatment results in damage to the hair follicle components that make the hair fiber such that after the chemotherapy drug treatment, the natural eyelashes either fall off completely or result in patchy hair loss. Chemotherapeutic agents are well known for their ability to cause hair loss. Other drugs that can cause hair loss to varied degrees include anticoagulants, antithyroid drugs, oral contraceptives, lithium, interferons, antihyperlipidemic drugs, and retinoids (Tosti et al, 1994). Chemotherapy-induced hair loss is known to result from the direct toxic insult to rapidly dividing cells of the hair follicle (Trueb, 2009). During the anagen phase of the hair cycle, the epithelial compartment of the follicle undergoes proliferation, with the greatest proliferative activity occurring in the bulb matrix cells as they build up the hair shaft. When cell mitosis abruptly ceases as a result of cytotoxic therapy, the partially keratinized hair shaft weakens and falls out, resulting in anagen dystrophic effluvium (Ulrich et al, 2008). In addition, some chemotherapeutic agents can cause apoptosis (ie, programmed cell death) in the follicular epithelium resulting in premature transitioning from anagen to catagen phases of the hair cycle; this process is known as telogen effluvium (Ulrich et al, 2008). The consequence of these processes is hair shedding, which can begin within 1 to 3 weeks and is often complete within 1 to 2 months after beginning chemotherapy (Trueb, 2009). Hair loss occurs with an estimated incidence of 65% in adult patients receiving chemotherapy (Trueb, 2009). While eyelash loss can be part of the experience of chemotherapy-induced hair loss (Trueb, 2009), there are no reliable data in the published literature that specifically address the incidence of eyelash loss due to chemotherapy. However, the known mechanism by which chemotherapy induces alopecia indicates that any active hair follicle in anagen would be susceptible, including scalp, body, eyebrow, and eyelash hair.
For most cancer treatments, after the chemotherapy regimen is completed, the patient recovers from the treatment side effects relatively quickly, ie, most side effects of chemotherapy resolve within a few weeks of the last treatment; however, hair growth can continue to be depressed for a period of time. It can take several months to a year, or even longer in some subjects, for hair growth to restore to pre-chemotherapy levels. Moreover, when the hair does recover early, it is generally much finer and thinner than the original hair and can take several hair cycles to restore to the pre-chemotherapy levels.
Hair loss is known to be one of the most psychologically upsetting side effects of cancer therapy (Botchkarev, 2003, Lemieux et al, 2008; Hunt, 2005); it has been described by patients as a constant reminder of their illness and is associated with a loss of control, an altered sense of self, and reduced social functioning (Beisecker et al, 1997; Cowley, 2000; Freedman, 1994; Luoma and Hakamies-Blomqvist, 2004; Richer and Ezer, 2002; Williams et al, 1999). The loss not just of scalp hair but body hair can lead to psychosocial problems such as diminished quality of life expressed as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem (Ulrich et al, 2008).
In the focus group studies, patients stated that the loss of eyelashes and eyebrows was worse than the loss of scalp hair because the latter could be easily concealed by a wig, whereas there was no way to make their eyelashes look "normal". False eyelashes were not a reasonable treatment in the opinion of the respondents because they did not have enough natural eyelashes to help the glue adhere to their eyelid margins. Moreover, such measures can result in severe irritation and skin damage and are therefore not ideal, especially in the post-chemotherapy population. In focus-group studies, many post-chemotherapy patients commented that their eyelashes never fully recovered to their pre-chemotherapy levels. Even though they noticed some re-growth, most complained that their eyelashes were sparse (ie, gaps between lashes), short, and lighter in color.
Currently there are no treatments available for chemotherapy induced eyelash loss. We discovered that treatment with LATISSE (bimatoprost 0.03% solution) restores eyelash growth and prominence quickly compared with the natural course of slower recovery. Thus the protective function of eyelashes is resumed earlier in treated patients as compared to non-treated patients. The post-chemotherapy patients treated with bimatoprost 0.03% solution express a higher overall satisfaction with their eyelashes as compared to patients treated with vehicle. Bimatoprost treatment in post-chemotherapy patients also restored length, thickness/fullness and darkness of eyelashes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Topical treatment for chemotherapy induced eyelash loss or hypotrichosis using prostamide F2 alpha agonists


Information indicative of the placement of spindle motor components may be obtained and used to provide a correction to one or more BEMF-derived attributes used to control the spindle speed. In some implementations, first and second signals indicative of BEMF of different stator windings may be used to determine a speed-related characteristic. The speed related characteristic may be used to determine an error amount, which may be used to determine a correction factor to control the speed of the spindle motor.

Some data storage systems, such as disc drive systems, use a motor to change the position of storage regions with respect to a mechanism to read and/or write to the storage regions.
For example, a disc drive data storage system typically includes one or more discs that store information using a magnetic medium. A spindle motor rotates the discs, and one or more read/write heads read information from and write information to memory regions on the discs.
In order to accurately position a head with respect to a storage region on a disc, variations in the rotational speed of the disc need to stay within acceptable limits. FIG. 1 shows a spindle motor system 100 with a stator 110 having stator windings 120-1 to 120-6 around six radially distributed stator poles 130-1 to 130-6. A rotor 140 includes a number of permanent magnets 150 each with poles 150-N and 150-S. Current flow through different ones of the stator windings 120-1 to 120-6 generates electromagnetic fields, which interact with the fields generated by the permanent magnets 150. Torque generated by this electromagnetic interaction causes rotor 140 to rotate with respect to stator 110.
Once spindle motor 100 has been accelerated to operational speed, a spindle motor control system is used to maintain the operational speed. During each rotation of the spindle motor, some energy is dissipated (e.g., as heat due to friction). Therefore, windings 120-1 through 120-6 need to be energized to provide the required torque to maintain the desired rotational speed.
As noted above, energy is provided to motor 100 by applying voltages of appropriate duration to the windings 120-1 to 120-6 at appropriate times. For example, at a particular time to, current may be generated in winding 120-1 by applying a positive voltage (e.g., +5 volts) to winding 120-1. Also at to, current may be generated in winding 120-3 to flow in the opposite direction in winding 120-3 by applying a ground or negative voltage to winding 120-3. Winding 120-2 may not be energized at time t0. However, as the permanent magnets 150 of rotor 140 rotate with respect to winding 120-2, the changing magnetic flux generates a back electromotive force (BEMF), which induces current flow in winding 120-2. The induced current may be detected and used in a feedback system to maintain the desired rotational speed.
In existing disc drive systems, the BEMF generated in a single winding is typically used to provide feedback for the spindle motor speed control system. A measured revolution time τMeas is determined by monitoring the BEMF signal in the winding for a complete revolution of the rotor. τMeas is compared to a reference time τRef, where τRef is the revolution time corresponding to the desired speed. The feedback system generates current in the windings to produce the necessary torque based on the difference between τMeas and τRef.

Method and apparatus for spindle motor control


The invention provides a lithium secondary cell including an inner electrode body impregnated with a non-aqueous electrolyte, made up of a positive electrode and a negative electrode each made of at least one metallic foil wound or laminated together and collectors to lead out a current from this inner electrode body. The edges of the metallic foil of the positive electrode and/or the negative electrode and predetermined parts of the positive electrode collector and/or negative electrode collector are joined together to lead out a current from the inner electrode body. The edges of the metallic foil, the edges (joint edges) arranged to be joined to the predetermined parts of the positive electrode collector and/or the negative electrode collector and the predetermined parts of the positive electrode collector and/or the negative electrode collector are joined together. The lithium secondary cell has excellent productivity and space-saving capability.

The present invention relates to a lithium secondary cell (hereinafter simply referred to as "cell"), and more particularly, to a lithium secondary cell with excellent productivity and space-saving capabilities.
The development of lithium secondary cells is underway as motor drive power supplies for electric cars and hybrid electric cars (hereinafter simply referred to, as "electric car, etc.") in response to a growing international demand for resource and energy savings to protect the global environment.
This lithium secondary cell contains an inner electrode body (hereinafter simply referred to as "electrode body") made up of a positive electrode and a negative electrode wound or laminated together with a separator made of a porous polymer film inserted in between so that the positive electrode and the negative electrode do not directly contact each other.
As shown in FIG. 20, a conventional wind type inner electrode body 61 is manufactured with a positive electrode 62 and negative electrode 63 wound with a separator 64 inserted in between, each provided with at least one collector tab 65 for the positive electrode and one collector tab 66 for the negative electrode (hereinafter referred to as "collector tabs 65 and 66"). Then, as shown in FIG. 19, the edges on the opposite side of the collector tabs 65 and 66 connected to the electrode plates 62 and 63 are attached to internal terminals 69A and 69B, etc. Reference numeral 76 denotes an elastic body (packing); 77, an insulation polymer film; 78, a pressure reducing valve; 79, a metallic foil.
Metallic foils, etc. are used for the electrode plates, such as aluminum, etc. for the positive electrode and copper or nickel for the negative electrode as collector substrates, and each electrode plate is formed by applying an electrode active material and the collector tabs are placed on at least one side of these collector substrates.
However, the collector tabs need to be attached to the electrode plates one by one, for example, by spot-welding, when the electrode body is wound, and the problem is that its process is complicated. Furthermore, at the edges on the opposite side connected to the electrode plates of the collector tabs, the plurality of collector tabs need to be bound and attached to the internal terminals by, for example, riveting, and therefore this process is also complicated and has a problem that it is not easy to connect the collector tabs while maintaining them at low resistance. Furthermore, there is another problem that connecting the electrode body and internal terminals using a plurality of collector tabs requires quite a large space.


Two phase heat transfer systems including integrated fluid transfer paths for exchange of a working fluid between an evaporator and condenser. Separate fluid transfer paths may be defined for communication of working fluid between the evaporator and condenser, wherein at least one of the fluid transfer paths is integrated with the evaporator and/or condenser. In one embodiment, both first and second fluid transfer paths are integrally provided to establish direct fluid communication between the evaporator and condenser to facilitate flow of vaporized and condensed working fluid respectively.

Many electronic devices (e.g., including electronic circuitry) generate heat during operation. Heat generated by electronic devices is preferably dissipated so as to improve reliability and reduce the potential for premature failure of the electronic devices. In some instances, the amount of heat generated by an electronic device may be such that cooling of the device by a heat transfer system is necessary to prevent overheating.
One proposed approach for dissipating heat generated by electronic devices is the use of a two-phase heat transfer system. In a two-phase heat transfer system, an evaporator may receive heat from an electronic device resulting in the heating of a fluid contained by the evaporator. In this regard, the fluid may undergo a phase change (e.g., the fluid may be vaporized from a liquid to a vapor). In turn, the evaporator may be connected to a condenser by way of a pipe or other plumbing extending between the evaporator and the condenser. Once the vaporized fluid enters the condenser, heat may be transferred from the fluid to the environment by way of the condenser such that the fluid condenses into a liquid in the condenser. In this regard, the condensed fluid in the liquid phase may be returned to the evaporator by the pipe extending between the condenser and the evaporator. Accordingly, the liquid phase fluid may again be heated in the evaporator and the cycle may repeat.
Two-phase heat transfer system may be beneficial because the amount of thermal energy (i.e., heat) associated with latent energy of a phase change is greater than a sensible heat of the fluid alone. That is, when a material undergoes a phase change the latent heat associated with the phase change of the material is absorbed or released in addition to the sensible heat associated with the change in temperature of the material in a single phase. Thus, a fluid that is transported after undergoing a change in phase may include significantly more energy than a fluid that has undergone sensible heating alone. It may often be the case that the latent heat associated with the phase change is much greater than the sensible heat that may be absorbed by the material.
Some two-phase heat transfer systems employ a pump or compressor to move the fluid through the cycle. It has also been proposed that capillary force, a pressure drop, or gravitational forces may be used to move the fluid through the cycle in a two-phase heat transfer system. In this regard, traditional two-phase heat transfer systems may be susceptible to a plurality of failure modalities that may negatively impact the reliability of the heat transfer system. For example, in the case of a two-phase heat transfer system that relies on a pump or the like to move fluid through the system, failure of the pump may render the system inoperable. Furthermore, the use of pipes or other plumbing to direct the fluid in the system (e.g., as in the case of a loop heat pipe) may be susceptible to failure, thus resulting in leaks and/or the reduction in fluid flow in the system. In any regard, the effectiveness of the system may be reduced or the system may undergo complete failure, which may result in undesirable excessive heating of the electronic device cooled by the heat transfer system.

Heat transfer system with integrated evaporator and condenser


A current mode driver generates a differential output signal that has a constant voltage swing between a lower voltage level and an upper voltage level. A feedback module determines an intermediate voltage between the lower voltage level and the upper voltage level, compares the intermediate voltage with a reference voltage, and generates a control signal based on a result of the comparison. The current mode driver maintains the voltage swing of the differential output signal at a constant voltage based on the control signal. The differential output signal may have a data signal component and a pre-emphasis signal component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic circuits, and more particularly to current mode drivers.
2. Description of Related Art
High-speed data transmitters in modern communications equipment employ current mode drivers for driving a voltage swing of a differential output signal. A current mode driver drives a voltage swing of a differential output signal by driving a differential current through a pair of resistive loads. The current mode driver typically includes a current source and a current mirror for generating a tail current. In operation, the current mode driver channels the tail current through a differential pair of transistors based on a differential input signal to generate the differential current.
Although a current mode driver provides significant advantages over some other types of drivers in terms of switching speed, a current mode driver is susceptible to integrated circuit process variations, supply voltage variations, and operating temperature variations. Such variations in process, voltage, and temperature may affect the amplitude, phase, and frequency of the differential output signal generated by the current mode driver. In particular, these variations may affect a voltage swing of the differential output signal, which may reduce the integrity of the differential output signal.
In light of the above, a need exists for a current mode driver that generates a differential output signal having a constant output voltage swing.

Current mode driver with constant voltage swing


The invention is directed to an optical instrument comprising a housing and at least one optical assembly enclosed by said housing and mounted on a stage plate. The stage plate is supported on the base plate with the aid of supporting means which guarantees on the one hand a precise fixing of the stage plate compared to the base plate and thus the housing, and on the other hand allows the base plate to distort by whatever attacks without a transfer to the stage plate. There are three supporting structures of different kinds which fix three different points in a special way. Upon the disconnection of the third supporting structure the stage plate can be lifted like a lid around an axis which is the middle axis of the first and second supporting structure.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention is directed to an optical instrument especially for gauging the velocity of a travelling surface of a body or a fluid. The gauging light beam emitted from a laser hits the surface, is reflected and stray reflections are received by a detector, processed by a computer and given as a read out of a velocity. Such an optical instrument or any other optical instrument comprises an optical assembly which is carried by a stage plate. The invention concerns in particular the support of the stage plate carrying an optical assembly.
2. Description of the prior art
One of the fields where optical instruments as initially described are used is the rolling of rails from steel blocks. Since the beginning and the end of a rail in the process of being rolled is detected by the optical instrument and since the velocity of travelling is gauged the length of the rail can be computered within an instant. The optical instrument cannot be placed too far away from the rolling action, and therefore measurements have to be taken to maintain the accuracy of the optical instrument by excluding too much thermal stresses.
One known optical instrument for the contactless gauging of the velocity and the length of an object with the aid of a laser beam has a robust cast aluminium housing which has to be cooled by water. The housing consists of a thick-walled base and lateral as well as frontal plates in which the cooling water of the cooling system can circulate. Despite these efforts heat creeps into the structure, because not all areas of the housing can be reached by the cooling system so that distortions may occur. These distortions compromise the optical assembly for the focussing and guiding of the laser beam.
There are gauging systems with two beams or one beam and in the latter case there is a reference beam. In any case, the gauging light beam which is split, reflected and focussed and the stray reflections have to be passed through several optical components like lenses, mirrors and other optical aids which have to be positioned extremely accurate one to the other. If an accurate positioning is distorted by a mechanical attack or by heat deformation the quality of the instrument suffers severely. The velocity is measured by gauging the frequency of a surge received from overlapping the original frequency and the frequency of the stray reflections modified by the Doppler-effect.


A system for transporting a cattle chute with a tractor features a tractor having a hydraulically activated three-point hitch featuring a first three-point hitch leg, a second three-point hitch leg, and a center three-point hitch leg. The system features a cattle chute having a first side pickup, a second side pickup, and a center pickup. The system features a “U” shaped chute hitch having a first chute hitch leg, a second chute hitch leg, and a horizontal chute hitch connector. The chute hitch is located on the three-point hitch and features a first hook, a second hook, and a center hook. The first hook engages the first side pickup. The second hook engages the second side pickup. The center hook engages the center pickup. The hydraulically activated three-point hitch lifts the cattle chute for transport via the chute hitch.

Cattle chutes are used all across the country and all over the world to load cattle from a pen into a trailer. Even though they work very well, they must be built of sturdy construction to withstand the weight of full grown cattle passing thereon. The sturdy construction makes the cattle chute heavy and difficult to move, thus requiring an awkward, and unsafe attachment to a forklift, a front end loader, or a tractor using chains. The present invention features a system for transporting a cattle chute with a tractor.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.


Disclosed is an apparatus and method for a slide and tilt hinge mechanism. The slide and tilt mechanism comprises an upper element (102) having a top (140) and a bottom (132) and an angled (130) portion located at an end (144) of the upper element, the angled portion angled relative to the top and the bottom of the upper element. A lower element (104) having a first lower element portion (122) and a second lower element portion (124) coupled together by a joint (126), the joint allowing the first lower element portion to fold relative to the second lower element portion and the upper element. A slide enabling member (302/304), coupling the upper element to the lower element such that when the upper element and the lower element are in a closed configuration (100), the upper element prevents the lower element from folding. A biasing member (128), biasing the lower element to fold about the joint when the upper element is slid to an extended position.

Handheld device are continually being reduced in size and improved to meet consumer size, aesthetic, and performance requirements. Slider solution mechanisms permit parts of such devices, such as displays or keypads, to be retracted and hidden when not in use. Slider mechanisms can facilitate miniaturization and offer additional freedom to device designers. However, current sliding mechanisms are complex, bulky, heavy, and expensive. Current sliding mechanisms add significantly to the weight of the devices in which they are incorporated. Further, current sliding mechanisms are relatively thick, making it difficult to incorporate them into aesthetically-pleasing designs.
Known slider solutions have the main display on the outside of the product, however the ergonomics in the open position are not as good as a clam style (i.e. folding type of form factor). The known slider solutions have the following disadvantages: there is an inevitable step, resulting in a difference in heights between the top and bottom housing portions. Therefore the user interface and navigation part of the keypad sits above the numeric element making the overall ergonomics of the keypad poor. The difference in height also makes integrating of the styling between the bottom and top module difficult. The products tend to look disjointed. Most slider motions are flat so when placed on a desk they sit flat like a bar. This does not support the video and multi media user cases required for the trend toward higher tier 3G and beyond communication devices.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention with the accompanying drawings described below.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

Method and apparatus for a sliding hinge


Perforated plates (10) having very small holes (14) with a uniform diameter throughout the plate thickness are prepared by a "wire drawing" process in which a billet of sacrificial metal is disposed in an extrusion can of the plate metal, and the can is extruded and restacked repeatedly, converting the billet to a wire of the desired hole diameter. At final size, the rod is then sliced into wafers, and the wires are removed by selective etching. This process is useful for plate metals of interest for high performance regenerator applications, in particular, copper, niobium, molybdenum, erbium, and other rare earth metals. Er.sub.3 Ni, which has uniquely favorable thermophysical properties for such applications, may be incorporated in regions of the plates by providing extrusion cans (20) containing erbium and nickel metals in a stacked array (53) with extrusion cans of the plate metal, which may be copper. The array is heated to convert the erbium and nickel metals to Er.sub.3 Ni. Perforated plates having two sizes of perforations (38, 42), one of which is small enough for storage of helium, are also disclosed.

Regenerators are periodic-mass-flow heat exchangers in which a fluid is periodically pumped back and forth through a matrix. During one part of a flow cycle, the matrix absorbs heat from the fluid, and when flow is reversed, heat is transferred from the matrix to the fluid. Two key factors in operation of these devices are the heat exchange between the fluid and the matrix and the heat storage capacity of the matrix. These factors can be characterized by numerical coefficients as follows:
(a) heat exchange-hA PA1 (b) heat storage-C PA1 a. for a given heat exchange, the pressure drop and void volume should be minimized; or, conversely, for a given pressure drop and void volume, the heat exchange should be maximized. PA1 b. the matrix heat capacity must be large enough to keep the temperature swing during a blow period to a small value. PA1 (1) crossed rod or wire screens, PA1 (2) randomly packed sphere beds, and PA1 (3) perforated plates. PA1 (1) perforated plates versus sphere beds for equal pressure drops and identical regenerator dimensions, PA1 (2) perforated plates versus screens for equal pressure drops and identical regenerator dimensions, and PA1 (3) perforated plates versus screens for equal pressure drops, equal regenerator void volumes, and equal regenerator lengths. PA1 (1) perforated plates provide at least a sixfold improvement in performance over packed sphere beds, PA1 (2) for equal regenerator volume, perforated plates are better than wire mesh screens for some ranges of Reynolds numbers, and PA1 (3) for equal void volume, perforated plates are superior to wire mesh screens at all Reynolds numbers.
where h is the heat transfer coefficient (SI units-watts/m.sup.2.K), A is the heat transfer area (SI units-m.sup.2), and the C is the matrix heat capacity (SI units-Joules/kg.K).
There are two additional secondary factors for regenerator operation, namely, pressure drop (.DELTA.P) (SI units for pressure-Pa) across the regenerator due to frictional losses and void volume (VV) (SI units for void volume-m.sup.3) of the regenerator. The pressure drop must be overcome in order to drive the fluid through the regenerator. This requires work, and this work is not recoverable, so that it is a loss to the cycle. The void volume of the regenerator causes the output mass flow of the regenerator to be less than the input mass flow. The difference is required to "fill" the void volume. In addition, it means that all the mass flow does not flow entirely through the regenerator. Some fraction of that will only traverse a part of the regenerator, and this part will undergo a partial heat exchange process.
In an "ideal" case, the value of hA will be very large when compared to the capacity rate, (mc.sub.p) of the fluid. Here m is the mass fluid flow, and c.sub.p is the heat capacity of the fluid (SI units: m-kg/sec; c.sub.p -Joules/kg.K). In the ideal case the value of the matrix heat capacity, C, must be large when compared to the product .tau.mc.sub.p where .tau. is the "blow" period or a period of time between flow reversals (SI units-sec). In this ideal case, the void volume and pressure drop will be zero. It is impossible to build the ideal regenerator described above since the factors are interrelated. Therefore, all practical regenerators will have pressure drop and void volume. The problem for the regenerator designer is to obtain the necessary values of heat transfer and heat storage, while minimizing the effect of pressure drop and void volume. Previous design efforts have developed a number of different analytical techniques. These techniques must also consider the overall system in which a regenerator is used. However, regardless of the application, certain things are always desirable. These include:
In order to produce very high efficiency regenerators, it is not sufficient simply to provide high thermal capacity material. The material must also be incorporated in an optimum geometry that provides a most effective heat exchange per unit void volume and at the lowest possible pressure drop. Three possible regenerator matrix geometries have been considered and subjected to analysis to determine their relative efficiencies. These regenerators include:
For this analysis to be valid, certain characteristics are required in the perforated plates, in particular, each perforation must have a uniform cross section throughout its length, and the "entry" and "exit" of the perforations must have a sharp right-angle shape. Further considerations are as follows: The "friction factor" and "Stanton number" of tubes with a circular cross section depend on the length-to-diameter ratio (L/D); tubes with a rectangular cross section approach the performance of parallel plates and do not depend on the L/D ratio; and the performance of circular cross section tubes with relatively small L/D approaches that of parallel plates.
Comparisons of heat transfer performance have been made for three study cases:
The results obtained show that:
Predictions of regenerator performance may be made using average temperature values along the entire length of the regenerator. A preferred approach, however, is to section the regenerator and use average values for each section. This requires a knowledge of the temperature gradient along the length of the regenerator, taking into account two main temperature effects: (1) the thermal conductivity of the fluid decreases at lower temperatures so that smaller flow passages are required at low temperatures if effective heat transfer is to be maintained, and (2) the volumetric heat capacity of the matrix decreases at low temperatures, requiring more matrix material.
The regenerator matrix material must be in thermal contact with the fluid in order to be useful. This means that the thermal penetration length, that is, the distance the temperature wave propagates into the matrix, must be long enough that the entire matrix participates in the heat transfer process. For sinusoidal temperature variation, the thermal penetration depth is given by: ##EQU1## where k, .rho., and c.sub.p are the matrix thermal conductivity, density, and specific heat, respectively, and .mu. is the operating frequency. Thus, both a high specific heat and a high thermal conductivity are required to make full use of the matrix heat capacity. This can severely limit the choice of materials.
While the higher efficiency of perforated plates with defined hole geometry is clear, a practical method of fabricating such plates has not been available, particularly at the hole sizes and extent of perforation volume desired for operation of high-performance regenerators at liquid helium temperatures. Hole diameters ranging from 300 microns down to below 1 micron and an open porosity value of 30 to 40 percent of the plate area may be required for specific regenerators, with smaller holes and porosities being required for lower operating temperatures.
Perforated plates for use in various types of heat exchangers are disclosed in prior patents. Hoffman in U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,357, issued Sep. 20, 1966, discloses perforated plates with eight mil diameter holes formed by die cutting or photoetching. U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,099, issued Sep. 19, 1972, to Nesbitt et al. discloses plates with eight mil diameter holes, which are said to be formed by any conventional methods through drilling, punching, etching, or use of sintered matrices of spheres, chips, or wires. U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,460, issued Jan. 11, 1966, to Garwin, shows perforated plates with 15 mil diameter holes but does not disclose how the holes are formed. At the hole sizes of interest for high-performance cryocoolers, that is, from below 1 to 300 microns in diameter, conventional methods as disclosed in these patents are ineffective in that holes produced by these methods do not have a uniformity of shape along their length as required for maximum efficiency. Mechanical methods such as drilling or punching are not practical at these sizes because drills or punches of such sizes are not available and because of the large number of holes required. Photoetching through a mask results in holes of non-uniform shape along their length owing to underetching or other effects that produce curved or inclined, rather than straight, hole walls through the depths of the plate.
Another important factor in the design of high-performance regenerators is the selection of a plate material having optimum thermal properties for the temperature range of operation, in particular, a high specific heat at a selected temperature, consistent with a high thermal conductivity, amenability to fabrication, and reasonable cost. At above 50.degree. K., copper, brass, and 304 stainless steel meet these requirements; at 20 to 50 K, erbium and lead have the highest volumetric heat capacity, and below 20 K, helium and materials with magnetic transitions, in particular GdRh, GdEr.sub.x Rh.sub.1-x, Er.sub.3 Ni and other rare earth alloys have a favorable high heat capacity. Any alloy containing a precious metal such as rhodium would be too expensive. Many of the rare earths are relatively expensive; however, when fabrication costs are included, the cost of some of these materials, in particular Er.sub.3 Ni, would not be prohibitive for high performance applications.
Japanese investigators have performed work on regenerative cryocoolers for use at liquid helium temperatures. (Proceedings of the Sixth International Cryocooler Conference held in Plymouth, Mass., Oct. 25, 1990). This work is directed to regenerators using Er.sub.3 Ni as a heat exchanging material, this compound being selected because of its uniquely high specific heat at temperatures from 3.degree. K. to 20.degree. K. However, it is a brittle intermetallic compound not amenable to fabrication into perforated plates using known methods. The Er.sub.3 Ni in this work was provided in the form of 0.6 mm spheres in a packed bed. Such a geometry does not enable the potentially high performance of this material to be realized. Much better performance would be available if perforated plates of Er.sub.3 Ni with controlled pore geometry would be made.
In addition to providing perforated plates made of selected metals or intermetallic compounds, it is desired to provide a method of fabricating composite plates which would incorporate inclusions of a plate material contained at predetermined locations in a matrix of a first material. The matrix of such a plate would provide the thermal conductivity needed for good heat transfer, and the inclusions would provide the high heat capacity needed for good thermal storage. No method is available for fabricating plates with such a structure. Another desired approach would be to provide perforated plates which include some perforations that would entrap helium and thus take advantage of the high heat capacity of helium.

Perforated plates for cryogenic regenerators and method of fabrication


The present invention proposes a multiplier device performing multiplication of different powers of two serially in time (not in parallel) in order to further reduce the area needed for a hardware realization. By virtue thereof, it is enabled to use only one adder in connection with the multiplication which contributes to a reduced hardware amount and reduced required area for the hardware. A shifter means based on binary weighted shifting is used for shifting in connection with the multiplication, thereby reducing the required hardware amount (number of multiplexers and hardwired shifting elements) and thus reducing the area for hardware implementation still further. The present invention can be used in applications using digital multiplication, such as in digital signal processing DSP, digital filters and/or finite impulse response filters FIR filters as well as programmable and/or adaptive digital filters. As the multiplier is represented in CSD coding, the number of necessary shifting operations can be reduced and the number of necessary additions can be reduced, thus contributing to a reduced area needed for a hardware realization of a shifting means and a multiplier device on a silicon chip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiplier device and to a shifter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the spreading of digital signal processing, a need for multiplier devices which multiply digital signals has arisen.
Conventionally, when multiplying two digital signals each of which representing a number value, the multiplication is performed as follows. Assume A to represent the multiplicand and B to represent the multiplier, and assume further, for example only, that A and B, respectively, are in a 4 bit representation (generally, a n-bit representation) (a bit being also referred to as digit).
For multiplying (in decimal system) A=11 by B=7 (which yields 77 in decimal notation), the following has to be effected if A, B are binary signals.
For each bit of the multiplier, the value of the multiplicand is to be shifted by a number of bits, which number of bits corresponds to the significance of the bit of the multiplier. That is, for the least significant bit (representing 20), a zero shift of the multiplicand has to be effected, while for the most significant bit out of n bits (representing 2n−1), a shift by (n−1) bits has to be effected. Also, as shown below, the thus shifted multiplicand values will have to be added to form the result.

Stated in other words, the multiplier bits serve to control the respective shifting (which corresponds to a multiplication by a respective power of two in binary representation) of the multiplicand, and the shifted multiplicands are to be added.
In the field of digital signal processing, for example in the field of digital filtering, binary data are also represented as Sum-Of-Powers-Of-Two (SOPOT). A number represented with Sum-Of-Powers-Of-Two (SOPOT) can be a Canonic Signed Digit (CSD), in order to perform the multiplications needed for example in filtering operations. Other Sum-Of-Powers-Of-Two (SOPOT) representations can be the signed digit (SD) representations, the Minimum Signed Digit (MSD) representation, which are explained herein below.
In Canonic Signed Digit code, values of 1, 0, and −1 are used as digits to represent the value, whereas the binary code uses only 0 and 1. In an ordinary binary number, the average number of non-zero digits is larger than in CSD coded numbers, so that the CSD coded number has a minimum of non-zero terms.
For example, the following table shows a correspondence between a binary coded number of n=4 bits (the example represents values of 0 to 15) and the corresponding CSD coded number. Correspondences of decimal numbers 16 and 17 for binary and CSD representation are also shown.
DecimalBinaryCSD0000000000100010000120010000103(= 4 − 1)00110010-1401000010050101001016(= 8 − 2)0110010-107(= 8 − 1)01110100-1810000100091001010011010100101011(= 16 − 4 − 1)101110-10-112(= 16 − 4)110010-10013(= 16 − 4 + 1)110110-10114(= 16 − 2)1110100-1015(= 16 − 1)11111000-1161000010000171000110001. . .etc.
In a case of negative binary numbers, this example may be different. It should be kept in mind that with CSD code representation, the number is only approximated. Apparently, as derivable from the above example, when using CSD representation, with a maximum number of non-zero bits, the decimal numbers may be represented.
Generally, in CSD coded numbers, no non-zero terms can be placed adjacent to each other, so that a terms of 1 and/or −1 are always to be spaced by a term of 0.
Also, the above example was given with reference to positive integer values only. Generally, a CSD presentation of any number (X) can be given by representing the number in sums and differences of powers of two as follows:
      X    =                  ∑                  i          =                      -            ∞                                    i          =                      +            ∞                                                                                g          i                *                  2          i                      ,                      with                                              g        i              ∈          {                        -          1                ,        0        ,        1            }
Thus, the above example has been chosen such that only positive values of i are used.
The number of additions (NA) needed in a multiplication is then NA=(L−1), wherein L is the number of non-zero terms in the CSD presentation.
For the decimal value of "7", with CSD code representation in comparison to binary representation, the number of non-zero terms is reduced from three to two, while also, the number of necessary shift operations is reduced (from two shifts for the middle two bits in binary representation to only one shift operation for the most significant bit in CSD representation, since for the least significant bit, no shifting is required (shift by zero).)
Thus, referring back to the above example of multiplying A*B (11*7), this corresponds to the subtraction of "one times A" from "eight times A" when using CSD representation of the multiplier. A subtraction, however, corresponds to the addition of the 2's complement of the value to be subtracted. (The 2's complement is formed by inverting each bit of the value to be subtracted (1's complement) and then adding just binary "1" thereto.)
Thus, when making use of the CSD representation, a multiplier device which is a part in digital designs, which part consumes the most area on a semiconductor device chip, is replaced by a certain number of adders. The number of adders is dependent on the accuracy of the presentation of the multiplier which in turn is dependent on the number of non-zero terms in the CSD code representation.
The multiplication by a power of two (i.e. 20, 21, . . . , 2n) is usually performed by shifting the multiplicand (in binary and/or 2's complement) format either to the left by a corresponding number of bits (as explained above) for multiplication, or to the right in case of division.
Generally, a number that is represented with Sum-Of-Powers-Of-Two (SOPOT) is represented in a so-called Signed Digit representation wherein the sign of the different power of two can have a value out of the set of values 1, 0, −1. Minimum Signed Digit (MSD) representation is the format, in which the number is represented with a minimum number of non-zero terms. There can be many different MSD representations of a same number. Canonic Signed Digit (CSD) representation is always one of the possibilities of MSD representation, while CSD is the format, in which there is a restriction such that the occurrence of adjacent non-zero signals is not allowed (thus, there are no adjacent non-zero digits in CSD representation). For example, assume a number of decimal "3", which can be represented in
SDMSDCSDas follows:1-1-110011010-11-10-1010-10011010-1
In cases, in which the multiplier has a fixed value and is thus known beforehand, the shifts can be realized by wiring and without any extra hardware (logic circuits).
However, this limits the applicability of the multiplier device to multiplications by only the fixed multiplier value.
For increasing a field of applicability of a multiplier to variable multiplier values, arrangements have been conceived, according to which the shift amounts can be altered.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art arrangement of a shifting means usable in a multiplier device. The shifting means effects variable shift amounts for variable control signals, for example in a binary and/or CSD representation. A control signal can be a multiplier in case of applying the shifter in a multiplier device. At least, the control signal is derivable from the multiplier.
As shown in FIG. 1, the multiplicand denoted by X is supplied to the shifting means. The multiplicand is branched, with the number of branches corresponding to the number of bits of the multiplier (not shown as a separate signal (control signal) in FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1, the multiplicand X is branched to eight branches, with a respective branch of the multiplicand's signal X (duplicate of X) being subjected to a respective fixed shift of a value between zero and seven. The shifting is performed by a shifting element (not shown) realized by a wiring which shifts the supplied signal X by the provisioned (predetermined) shift amount.
A respective pair of shifted values of the signal X is supplied to a first stage of multiplexers MUX (2:1 multiplexer). One of the shifted signals is selected by a control signal (not shown) supplied to the multiplexer.
Each output of one of the first stage multiplexers is supplied to a respective multiplexer of a second stage of multiplexers MUX (2:1 multiplexers). Since the multiplexers are 2:1 multiplexers in the example of FIG. 1, respective two output signals of a first stage are supplied to a multiplexer of the second stage. One of the input signals to a respective second stage multiplexer is selected by a control signal (not shown) supplied to the multiplexer.
Each output of one of the second stage multiplexers is supplied to a multiplexer of a third stage of multiplexers MUX (2:1 multiplexers). One of the input signals to a respective third stage multiplexer is selected by a control signal (not shown) supplied to the multiplexer to be output (labeled Y in FIG. 1). Note that as shown in FIG. 1, the third stage of multiplexers contains a single multiplexer only.
As the control signal for controlling the multiplexers of the first through third stage, either the bits of the multiplier are directly used or the control signal bits are derived from the bits of the multiplier, and applied thereto in a manner such that the multiplicand X is shifted by a value corresponding to the significance of a respective bit of the multiplier being currently processed. Stated in other words, assuming that a first bit has the significance of zero (least significant bit LSB) and an eighth bit has a significance of seven (most significant bit MSB), then if the bit no. 5 of the multiplier is processed, this fifth bit has a significance of "four". Hence, the multiplexer stages are controlled such that at the output Y of the shifting means the signal X shifted by an mount of four bits is output.
Apparently, such a shifting means as shown in FIG. 1 requires numerous logic circuits and multiplexer devices for realizing a desired shift amount.
Still further, for effecting multiplication operations, such shifted values of the multiplicand have to be added, as explained above with reference to the example of the multiplication operation.
FIG. 2 of the drawings shows an arrangement of adders for summing those shifted values. In the example shown, in order to keep the drawing simple, it has been assumed that the multiplier is only a four bit multiplier.
Thus, the multiplicand X is supplied to four shifting means "Shifter". Each shifting means may be constituted and subjected to a control by the multiplier as described with reference to FIG. 1.
At the output of the shifting means, respective outputs Y0, Y1, Y2, and Y3 are output which denote signal X shifted by zero (Y0), signal X shifted by one (Y1), signal X shifted by two (Y2), and signal X shifted by zero (Y3), respectively.
These shifting means output signals are grouped to pairs and supplied to respective adder means denoted by "+". The adder means are arranged to perform an addition in parallel since Y0 and Y1 are added by one of the adder means, while simultaneously Y2 and Y3 are added by another one of the adder means.
The thus obtained partial additions are supplied to a further adder means of a subsequent adder stage, are added and output as a final addition result (Z).
Thus, also such a multiplier device using parallel addition requires numerous adder means and numerous shifting means, that is a bulky hardware, in order to be suitable for performing the multiplication by a variable multiplier.
Further prior art is known, for example, from the publication "A Systematic Approach For Design Of Digit-Serial Signal Processing Architectures" by K. K. Parhi, in IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems, Vol. 38, No. 4, April 1991. This document presents a systematic unfolding technique to transform bit-serial architectures into equivalent digit-serial ones. However, in order to accomplish this goal, functionally correct control circuits have to be generated and implemented, thereby leading to an increased amount of (control) hardware.
W. J. Oh and Y. H. Lee present in their article "Implementation Of Programmable Multiplierless FIR Filters With Powers-Of-Two Coefficients" in IEEE Transactions On Circuits and Systems-II: Analog And Digital Signal Processing, Vol. 42, No. 8, August 1995, a possibility to implement shorter shifters. However, the arrangement of multiplier devices is not specifically concerned.
Duan, Ko, and Daneshrad discuss in their article "Versatile Beamforming ASIC Architecture For Broadband Fixed Wireless Access", in IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1999, that programmable CSD multiplication is usually implemented using shifters and multiplexers, while their examination of CSD properties revealed that as discussed by Oh, Lee cited above, the number of shifters and multiplexers can be reduced by dividing the shift operation into a pre-shift and hardwired shift, thereby resulting in further complexity reduction.
However, studies of the present inventors revealed that the achievable complexity reductions are still not optimum.
The same holds for the above authors' (Duan et al.) publication "A Highly Versatile Beamforming ASIC For Application In Broad-Band Fixed Wireless Access Systems" in IEEE Journal Of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 35, No. 3, March 2000.
Khoo, Kwentus and Willson propose in "A Programmable FIR Digital Filter Using CSD Coefficients", in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 31, No. 6, June 1996, a coefficient multiplier adopting a two-level transmission gate multiplexer network for selecting appropriate hardwired pre-shift data. This, however, causes considerable delay, which is suggested to be compensated by an (additional) pipeline register. This, however, does not support the complexity to be reduced to a minimum.
Several types of multipliers are presented by Chang, Satyanarayana and Parhi in "Systematic Design Of High-Speed and Low-Power Digit-Serial Multipliers", in IEEE Transactions On Circuits And Systems-II: Analog And Digital Signal Processing, Vol. 45, No. 12, December 1998. However, processing of a multiplier being represented in CSD format is not considered.
Also, a CSD multiplier device requiring still a considerable amount of silicon area is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,388.
A further programmable CSD multiplier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,974. However, several programmable shift paths and a corresponding plurality of adders are provided for summing these outputs. Hence, also this prior art arrangement requires quite a bulky hardware which consumes quite significant area when implemented on a silicon chip.
In summary, implementing flexibility to achieve multiplication by a variable multiplier requires additional hardware, i.e. logic circuits.
In consequence, such arrangements are quite bulky and consume lots of semiconductor chip area, which is undesired in view of the aim to miniaturize IC chip designs. Also, the costs for such devices increase with an increase in the consumed chip area.

Multiplier and shift device using signed digit representation


The present disclosure relates to an injection molding device with a first mold half and a second mold half, arranged movably with respect to said first half, and a central mold half arranged between said first and second halves and rotatable about an axis of rotation. Arranged to the side of the central mold half is a further processing device.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The field of the present invention is the injection-molding of plasticized materials, in particular plastic.
2. Related Art
Injection molds for producing articles from a plurality of plastic components or parts are known in the art. In addition to solutions based on turntables arranged in a parting plane, molds with a rotating, cube-like central part are also known.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,023 from Klöckner Ferromatik Desma GmbH discloses an injection molding device with a central part arranged between two outer parts which can move relative to each other along spars of an injection molding machine. The rotatable central part is floatingly mounted on two separate guide rods arranged parallel to the spars of the injection molding machine. The guide rods protrude from one of the die platens of the injection molding machine. The arrangement allows only small central parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,711 from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. discloses a device for producing brushes. A cube-shaped central part, which is rotated in 90° increments about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the spar, is arranged between two outer parts which are movable relative to each other along spars. The device allows brushes to be produced from a hard and a rubber-like soft plastic. The transfer of the parts from the first outer part to the second outer part via the cube-shaped central part is brought about by undercuts.
European patent EP 1155802 from the same applicant discloses an injection molding device with two production planes (parting planes) with a reversing system which is arranged between a stationary and a movable mold part and serves to mount a central mold part. The central mold part is held by a lower and an upper crossmember by means of holding means and arranged so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis. The crossmembers are guided on the spars of an injection molding machine. In order to compensate for the weight of the central mold part, the lower crossmember is, if necessary, supported on the machine bed of the injection molding machine. The holding means are arranged so as to be displaceable relative to one another in order to allow the central mold part to be exchanged. In a first production plane, a first material component is injected into a cavity, thus producing a first part. The part made of the first material component clings to the central mold part when the mold is opened, and is brought with the central mold part, by rotating the central mold part in one 180° or two 90° increments, into the second production plane, where it is operatively connected to a second material component after the mold has been closed. The central mold part is supported on the spars of an injection molding machine via holding devices.
EP 0895848, from Ferromatik Milacron Maschinenbau GmbH, discloses a further device with two parting planes. A central mold part, which is mounted in a lower and an upper crossmember and supported on a machine bed of an injection molding device, is arranged between a stationary and a movably arranged mold half. The central part is arranged so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis through 180° and has cavities only on two sides. The bearing in the region of the upper crossmembers can be opened so as to allow the central part to be removed.
EP 1119449 (referred to hereinafter as EP'449), from Krauss Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH, discloses an injection molding device with two production planes, with a stationary and a movable mold half. A mold central part, which is held on one side by means of a guide sunk in the machine bed of an injection molding machine and is arranged so as to be rotatable about an axis, is arranged between the two mold halves. The injection molding machine is for this purpose adapted so as to meet these particular requirements. The device described in EP'449 is suitable for producing parts from a plurality of plastic components.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,381B2 from Krauss Maffei discloses an injection molding device with a rotating central part. A central part, which is rotatable about a vertical axis, is arranged between two outer parts which are movable relative to each other along spars of an injection molding machine. The central part is arranged on a carriage supported on the machine bed of the injection molding device. The guide of the central part is not connected to the spar of the injection molding machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,251B2 from MGS Enterprises, Inc. discloses a further injection molding device with a rotatable central part, which device corresponds in terms of its construction largely to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,381 B2.
WO03/049917 from Gram Technology APS describes in an unclear manner in the form of concept approaches and without specific solution proposals a type of injection molding device with a central part rotating about an axis of rotation. The inventor believes that the rotation should be utilized for closing hinge closures. Because the hinge closures are intended to be closed as the mold rotates, they cannot be arranged in any desired manner in the parting plane. For example, the open closures cannot be oriented parallel to the axis of rotation. Owing to the principles involved, this concept is highly limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,787,094B2 from Continental PET Technologies discloses an injection molding device for producing multilayered preforms for beverage packages. In this case too, a rotatable central part is arranged about a vertical axis between two outer parts which are movable relative to each other along spars. The central part is rotated in each case through 180°.
DE2215289 discloses an injection blow mold with a rotating central part which is arranged between a stationary first outer part and a second outer part, which is movable relative thereto, and serves to produce hollow bodies by injection blow molding. The outer parts surround the core formed by the central part.
JP55095544 from Japan Steel Works Ltd. discloses a device for assembly-type injection molding. An injection mold is arranged on an injection molding machine with two injection stations. A first mold outer part is arranged in a stationary manner and a second so as to be displaceable along four spars. Between the two mold outer parts, a mold central part is arranged so as to be rotatable about an axis and likewise displaceable along the spars of the injection molding machine. Secondary processing machines, which serve to process intermediate products held on the mold central part in a 90° position, are arranged at an angle of 90° relative to the longitudinal direction of the spars. The secondary processing machines are arranged in a stationary manner in relation to the injection molding machine, so that the secondary processing machines can be used only when the mold central part is stationary.
GB14807 from Mardon Illingworth discloses an injection molding device with a lid closing mechanism, integrated in a parting plane, for closures. The lid closing mechanism closes the closure in that the closure upper part is guided on a circular path toward the closure lower part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,387 from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. discloses a device for removing workpieces from an injection molding device. The injection molding device is based on swivel arms which are swiveled from the side into the parting plane about an axis of rotation arranged parallel to the parting plane when the injection molding device is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,597 from Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. discloses a device for unloading and assembling injection molded parts from an injection mold. The parts are grasped and assembled from different parting planes by means of grippers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,082 from Marland Mold Inc. discloses an injection mold with a lid closing mechanism, integrated in the region of the parting plane, for hinge closures. The lid closing mechanism is based substantially on a frame which is rotatable about an axis and acts on the closure upper part.
WO0228622 from Schoettli AG discloses a device for closing hinge closures in an injection mold with a large number of cavities. The device is pushed linearly from the side on a rail system in the region of the parting plane between the two mold halves when the injection mold is opened. The individual pushers are controlled by sliding blocks.
Drawbacks of the methods and devices known in the art include the fact that they do not allow precise positioning and thus efficient production of parts while including a third mold half. An efficient solution is possible only by an optimum interplay.

Injection molding device with a rotatable central part


A serial network switch for an electronic gaming machine adds auxiliary serial ports suitable for communication with an existing slot accounting system in a casino gaming environment.

A gaming industry entity, such as a casino, is typically required by a regulatory body to maintain accurate records of transactions initiated by or through each electronic gaming machine controlled by that entity. Conventionally, such records are communicated via a wired connection from an electronic gaming machine to a local or remote server. A network coupling the local or remote server and the electronic gaming machine (and/or other electronic gaming machines) is conventionally referred to as a "slot accounting system."
Conventional electronic gaming machines are typically manufactured with a discrete number of physical ports configured to communicably couple to a slot accounting system. In addition, once approved by a relevant regulatory body, an electronic gaming machine and/or software associated with an electronic gaming machine cannot generally be modified to incorporate new or additional features—including security-enhancing or functionality-enhancing features—without undergoing an expensive and time-consuming re-approval process conducted by, or under the authority of, the relevant regulatory body.

Apparatus for retrofit of auxiliary serial communication port(s) in a slot accounting system


A device for hooking a heddle of a weaving loom of the Jacquard type to a harness cord of the loom that includes an endpiece molded on an upper end of the heddle. The endpiece including an aperture for the passage and wedging of the cord and a housing for receiving two strands of the cord. The device also includes a rigid sleeve reciprocally slidably mounted on the endpiece between a first position, in which it allows access to the aperture, and a second position, in which it covers the aperture and exerts a compressive force for constricting the aperture and blocking access to the lower end of the cord. The device may also be used for hooking one or more cords on a string.

The invention relates to a device for hooking a heddle on a harness cord of a weaving loom of the Jacquard type or a harness cord on a string of a Jacquard loom, and to a Jacquard loom equipped with such a device. The invention also relates to a method for the manufacture of such a device and to a method for hooking a heddle on a Jacquard harness cord by means of such a device.

Device for hooking between elements of a shed forming device, method for manufacturing it and method for hooking by means of such a device


An earth moving or construction equipment implement control system is disclosed. The control system includes a fuzzy logic controller that is connected to an electro-hydraulic valve. An implement position sensing system senses the height of the implement. A set point is compared to the implement position to produce an implement position error signal which is an input to the fuzzy logic controller.

Earth moving equipment such as motor graders, bulldozers and the like typically have a controllable implement that moves the earth. Likewise, construction equipment, like a cold planer, used in connection with resurfacing roadways, will have an implement that contacts the ground. The implement is manually controlled by an operator who manipulates a series of levers or other devices to effect the desired motion. Many tasks require a high level of skill and demand high levels of operator attention to perform. For example, when manually grading a surface, the operator must pay close attention to the height of the implement to make sure that it stays relatively constant with respect to the surface to thereby prevent the implement from digging too deeply and gouging the surface or raising too high and leaving a bump in the graded surface. While an experienced operator can generally perform this task, inexperienced operators or fatigued experienced operators are much less efficient.
To overcome this problem, various devices have been developed to automatically control the height of the implement. For example, one such system employs a datum, typically in the form of string grade line that is placed at a predetermined height above the desired grade. A sensing unit is attached to the implement and includes a wand that extends from the sensing unit and rests on the string grade line. As the implement height changes, the wand's relation to the grade line changes, causing the sensing unit to generate an error signal. The error signal is then used by the control system to automatically adjust the height of the implement. One drawback to the use of the wand system is that if the spring force of the wand is excessive, or if the string grade line is loosely strung, then the wand can displace the string from its desired position, thereby introducing an error in the control of the implement. Another drawback is that the wand must be on the string grade line to operate properly. To start automatically operating the implement, the operator must get out of the machine and set the wand on the string line. If the wand falls off of the string line, the sensing unit will produce a large error signal which will cause the implement to gouge the earth surface.
An automatic control system that uses an ultrasonic range finding device, has been developed to overcome some of these problems associated with prior art automatic control systems. For example, one such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,355 issued to Davidson et al. In that device, an ultrasonic range finding device is mounted to the implement and measures a separation distance from the range finding device to the earth's surface. A comparison circuit periodically compares the measured separation distance to a first, second, and third predetermined intervals and produces a positive error signal if the separation distance is within the limits of the first comparison interval, generates no error signal if the separation distance is within the second comparison interval and generates a negative error signal if the separation distance is within the third comparison interval. One drawback with the system disclosed in Davidson et al. is that it will not work outside the predetermined comparison intervals. Thus, the operator must manually move the implement to a position within one of the three comparison intervals before the system will automatically position the implement.
It would be preferable to have a control system that overcomes these and other drawbacks associated with the prior art.

Apparatus and method for control of an earth moving implement


An arrangement in connection with supporting a press roll which press roll includes a support shaft extending through a rotating roll shell in the axial direction and being supported using at least one bearing element in at least one bearing point to a support frame, such as a bearing block, and which arrangement includes a torque support for preventing the rotation of the support shaft. At least one torque support has been arranged to at least one of the bearing points inside a bearing housing or equivalent.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a press roll.
2. Description of Background Art
Previously is known an arrangement of a deflection-compensated roll in which, between a non-rotatable centre shaft and an outer surface of the bearing housing or an outer bearing cap of the roll, there is a support element i.e. wedge support by means of which the non-rotatability of the centre shaft is provided in relation to the bearing housings. The wedge simultaneously functions as a torque support between the centre shaft and the bearing housing. The support element conveys force from the shaft to the bearing housing and further to an external support of the bearing housing. Such a solution is presented e.g. in specification FI74785B in FIG. 1, part 66. U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,988 discloses a controlled deflection roll. The roll support is prevented from carrying out any rotational movement by a pin or equivalent structure.
The structure is commonly used in paper and board machines in press and calender applications.
In known arrangements, the positioning of the torque support causes a moment of rotation to the bearing housing in relation to the centre of the housing around the vertical axis y.

Arrangement in a press roll and a press roll


The present disclosure relates to an energy replenishment port assembly, comprising: a housing seal made of an elastic material; a housing having an installation port, the housing seal being arranged around an edge of the installation port and extending from a reverse side of the edge of the installation port; and a receiving port component comprising a receiving port, the receiving port component being detachably installed on the installation port. The housing seal is configured to being pressed against a vehicle body to sealingly install the housing onto the vehicle body. The receiving port is configured to receive an energy replenishment connector.

Refueling is a common operation associated with motor vehicles. During refueling, a refueling pipe is inserted into an opening defined in a vehicle body that is in communication with a fuel tank of the vehicle. In order to facilitate the operation, a corresponding energy replenishment port assembly is typically installed in the opening of the vehicle body to facilitate receiving the refueling pipe and directing the refueling pipe to align with an inlet of the fuel tank. The operation of filling the vehicle with fuel or another desired fluid (e.g. a urea solution) or charging the vehicle is simplified by installing the energy replenishment port assembly corresponding to a filling opening or charging jack on the vehicle body.


An inflator which preferably has a gauge thereon and means for communicating with a medical connector or device. The inflator has a syringe body, a handle on the syringe body, a plunger which extends out from the handle and extends into the syringe body, and a plunger locking mechanism which is associated with the handle. The plunger locking mechanism includes an actuation lever which is configured to be depressed, thereby causing the plunger locking mechanism to actuate. The plunger locking mechanism includes a ratchet pawl which is configured to selectively engage corresponding ratchet structure, thereby locking the plunger in place, during which time the plunger is prevented from being retracted, but can still be advanced (i.e., pushed into the syringe body during pressurization). The plunger locking mechanism is configured such that when the actuation lever is released, the ratchet pawl disengages from the corresponding ratchet structure, thus freeing the plunger.

The present invention generally relates to inflation devices which are configured to deliver fluid to a medical balloon catheter, working fluid under pressure and to monitor that pressure during therapeutic procedures such as balloon sinuplasty, a procedure to expand and permanently dilate sinus passages within a mammalian body.
Inflation devices such as the devices shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,838,864 and 6,796,959, may be used in such procedures; however, the robust locking mechanism used to engage a plunger for high pressure development on these type of inflators, while intuitive to hospital catheter laboratory personnel familiar with such devices, have proven to be challenging to some medical personnel unfamiliar with hospital catheter lab procedures. These inflation devices are configured such that they are typically provided with one of two types of plunger engagement: either plunger initially engaged thus requiring active disengagement by the user, or plunger initially disengaged requiring active engagement by the user. Further, pressurization is subsequently accomplished via the user having to rotate the plunger in order to advance its screw type mechanism forward, thereby delivering fluid and building pressure.
Medical providers in hospital catheter laboratory settings are generally highly trained with regard to how to use such complicated inflation devices. However, some medical procedures, such as balloon sinuplasty, are not always conducted in a hospital catheter laboratory setting. Instead, such procedures are often performed at less costly environments, such as the office of an ENT doctor where both doctors and their assisting nurses have not necessarily had the extensive training and experience of catheter laboratory technicians.
A simpler operating inflation device that is more intuitive and requires less training is therefore more desirable for such applications. Standard syringes are a common every day item within all medical care settings, and medical staffs universally understand their operation without additional training.

Simplified medical inflation device with passive latch


A compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle refueling system has a hydraulic fluid reservoir, an accumulator, and two banks of cylinders, each of which has an axially moveable piston, a pair of inlets and an outlet. The pistons separate the CNG from hydraulic fluid. The refueling system drains the banks one at a time by refueling CNG vehicles with a plurality of refueling depots. Hydraulic fluid is pumped from reservoir to the cylinders to maintain 3600 psi of pressure in the cylinders while CNG is being dispensed. A pressure limiting valve limits pressure in the vessel tanks to 3000 psi. When the bank is drained of CNG, the pistons stop moving, the pressure at the outlets drops below 3000 psi, and the pressure at the inlets increases. This difference in pressure is sensed, causing the control panel to change banks. The pressure in the accumulator and the lack of pressure in the reservoir causes the hydraulic fluid to return to the reservoir. The second bank simultaneously begins to dispense CNG in the same manner as the first bank.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles require specialized refueling delivery systems. One such system utilizes high pressure storage vessels or bottles which are delivered full to a dispensing or filling station on shuttle trucks. A hose from the storage vessel is connected to the tank on the vehicle to be refueled, allowing CNG to flow from the storage vessel to the tank. A high pressure compressor applies pressure to the vessels as the CNG fuel flows to the vehicles. The compressor is required to compensate for pressure drops in the vessels resulting from dispensing the CNG.
This system has several disadvantages. The compressor is very expensive and usually represents a significant portion of the cost of the filling station. The compressor is also noisy, it requires regular maintenance and the system is inefficient. The compressor can only unload approximately 50% of the CNG contained within the high pressure vessels due to its fixed compression ratio.
Another CNG refueling system consists of equipping the filling stations with hydraulic power units (HPU). The shuttle trucks carrying CNG in pressure vessels are connected to a hydraulic system. The pressure vessels have an internal piston which is pressurized by hydraulic fluid. The piston also separates the hydraulic fluid from the CNG. HPU pumps are used to maintain pressure in the vessels as CNG is dispensed.
This type of system also has several disadvantages. The pressure vessels require large volumes of hydraulic fluid from a large hydraulic fluid reservoir. The large quantity of hydraulic fluid requires significant power handling capabilities, it must be preheated in colder climates, and it poses a more serious pollution hazard. Once the vessels are filled with hydraulic fluid, a significant amount of time is required to drain the vessels.

Cascade system for fueling compressed natural gas