Substantially rectangular-shaped tanks are provided for storing liquefied gas, which tanks are especially adapted for use on land or in combination with bottom-supported offshore structure such as gravity-based structures (GBS). A tank according to this invention is capable of storing fluids at substantially atmospheric pressure and has a plate cover adapted to contain fluids and to transfer local loads caused by contact of said plate cover with said contained fluids to an internal frame structure comprised of a plate girder ring frame structure and/or an internal truss frame structure. Optionally, a grillage of stiffeners and stringers may be disposed on the plate cover and additional sifters disposed on the plate girder ring frame structure and/or an internal truss frame structure. Methods of constructing these tanks are also provided.

Various terms are defined in the following specification. For convenience, a Glossary of terms is provided herein, immediately preceding the claims.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is typically stored at cryogenic temperatures of about −162° C. (−260° F.) and at substantially atmospheric pressure. As used herein, the term "cryogenic temperature" includes any temperature of about −40° C. (−40° F.) and lower. Typically, LNG is stored in double walled tanks or containers. The inner tank provides the primary containment for LNG while the outer tank holds insulation in place and protects the inner tank and the insulation from adverse effects of the environment. Sometimes, the outer tank is also designed to provide a secondary containment of LNG in case the inner tank fails. Typical sizes of tanks at LNG import or export terminals range from about 80,000 to about 160,000 meters3 (0.5 to 1.0 million barrels) although tanks as large as 200,000 meters3 (1.2 million barrels) have been built or are under construction.
For large volume storage of LNG, two distinct types of tank construction are widely used. The first of these is a flat-bottomed, cylindrical, self-standing tank that typically uses a 9% nickel steel for the inner tank and carbon steel, 9% nickel steel, or reinforced/prestressed concrete for the outer tank. The second type is a membrane tank wherein a thin (e.g. 1.2 mm thick) metallic membrane is installed within a cylindrical concrete structure which, in turn, is built either below or above grade on land. A layer of insulation is typically interposed between the metallic membrane, e.g., of stainless steel or of a product with the tradename Invar, and the load bearing concrete cylindrical walls and flat floor.
While structurally efficient, circular cylindrical tanks in their state-of-practice designs are difficult and time consuming to build. Self-standing 9% nickel steel tanks, in their popular design where the outer secondary container is capable of holding both the liquid and the gas vapor, albeit at near atmospheric pressure, take as long as thirty six months to build. Typically, membrane tanks take just as long or longer to build. On many projects, this causes undesirable escalation of construction costs and length of construction schedule.
Recently, radical changes have been proposed in the construction of LNG terminals, especially import terminals. One such proposal involves the building of the terminal a short distance offshore where LNG will be off-loaded from a transport vessel, and stored for retrieval and regasification for sale or use as needed. One such-proposed terminal has LNG storage tanks and regasification equipment installed on what is popularly known as a Gravity Base Structure (GBS), a substantially rectangular-shaped, barge-like structure similar to certain concrete structures now installed on the seafloor and being used as platforms for producing petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico.
Unfortunately, neither cylindrical tanks nor membrane tanks are considered as being particularly attractive for use in storing LNG on GBS terminals. Cylindrical tanks typically do not store enough LNG to economically justify the amount of room such tanks occupy on a GBS and are difficult and expensive to construct on a GBS. Further the size of such tanks must typically be limited (e.g. to no larger than about 50,000 meters3 (approximately 300,000 barrels)) so that the GBS structures can be fabricated economically with readily available fabrication facilities. This necessitates a multiplicity of storage units to satisfy particular storage requirements, which is typically not desirable from cost and other operational considerations.
A membrane-type tank system can be built inside a GBS to provide a relatively large storage volume. However, a membrane-type tank requires a sequential construction schedule wherein the outer concrete structure has to be completely built before the insulation and the membrane can be installed within a cavity within the outer structure. This normally requires a long construction period, which tends to add substantially to project costs.
Accordingly, a tank system is needed for both onshore conventional terminals and for offshore storage of LNG, which tank system alleviates the above-discussed disadvantages of self-standing cylindrical tanks and membrane-type tanks.
In published designs of rectangular tanks (see, e.g., Farrell et. al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,982,441 and 3,062,402, and Abe, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,547), the plates constituting the tank walls that contain the fluids are also the major source of strength and stability of the tank against all applied loads including static and, when used on land in a conventional LNG import or export terminal or a GBS terminal, earthquake induced dynamic loads. For such tanks, large plate thickness may be required even when the contained liquid volume is relatively small, e.g., 5,000 meters3 (30,000 barrels). For example, Farrell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,441 provides an example of a much smaller tank, i.e., 45,000 ft3 (1275 meters3), which has a wall thickness of about ½ inch (see column 5, lines 41–45). Tie rods may be provided to connect opposite walls of the tank for the purpose of reducing wall deflections and/or tie rods may be used to reinforce the corners at adjacent walls. Alternatively, bulkheads and diaphragms may be provided in the tank interior to provide additional strength. When tie rods and/or bulkheads are used, such tanks up to moderate sizes, e.g., 10,000 to 20,000 meters3 (60,000 to 120,000 barrels), may be useful in certain applications. For traditional use of rectangular tanks, the size limitation of these tanks is not a particularly severe restriction. For example, both Farrell, et al., and Abe, et al., tanks were invented for use in transport of liquefied gases by sea going vessels. Ships and other floating vessels used in transporting liquefied gases typically are limited to holding tanks of sizes up to about 20,000 meters3.
Large tanks in the range of 100,000 to 200,000 meters3 (approximately 600,000 to 1.2 million barrels), built in accordance with the teachings of Farrell et al. and Abe, et al. would require massive interior bulkheads and diaphragms and would be very costly to build. Typically, any tank of the type taught by Farrell et al., and Abe, et al., i.e., in which the tank strength and stability is provided by the liquid containing tank exterior walls or a combination of the tank interior diaphragms and liquid containing tank exterior walls, is going to be quite expensive, and most often too expensive to be deemed economically attractive. There are many sources of gas and other fluids in the world that might be economically developed and delivered to consumers if an economical storage tank were made available.
Bulkheads and diaphragms in the interior of a tank built in accordance with the teachings of Farrell, et al. and Abe, et al., would also subdivide the tank interior into multiple small cells. When used on ships or similar floating bodies, small liquid storage cells are of advantage because they do not permit development of large magnitudes of dynamic forces due to ocean wave induced dynamic motion of the ship. Dynamic motions and forces due to earthquakes in tanks built on land or on sea bottom are, however, different in nature and large tank structures that are not subdivided into a multitude of cells typically fare better when subjected to such motions and forces.
Accordingly, there is a need for a storage tank for LNG and other fluids that satisfies the primary functions of storing fluids and of providing strength and stability against loads caused by the fluids and by the environment, including earthquakes, while built of relatively thin metal plates and in a relatively short construction schedule. Such a tank will preferably be capable of storing 100,000 meters3 (approximately 600,000 barrels) and larger volumes of fluids and will be much more fabrication friendly than current tank designs.


A method and system for conveying contextually relevant information to a wireless client are disclosed. More particularly, a transmitter transmits a diffuse infrared signal to a client having an IrDA compliant communication interface. The transmitter communicates with the client by making a link layer in the transmitter compliant with an IrDA link layer running on the client. To perform communication, data is received at the transmitter from a service provider. The data is formatted into an IrDA compliant diffuse infrared signal and transmitted to the client. The client receives the data and parses it to extract contextually relevant information contained therein. The client may reply to the transmitter if a user of the client is interested in a service offered by the service provider. If the service provider receives a reply from the client, the service is made available to client.

The present invention relates generally to the field of wireless data communications and more particularly to XML based infrared data communications for facilitating context sensitive computing in handheld devices.
Proliferation of the Internet has made it possible for users to access vast amounts of data almost effortlessly. For example, with only a few mouse clicks users may inundate themselves with data such as; commercial data, scientific data, educational data, financial data, and data on general areas of interest such as sports and hobbies. Ease of access to networked data has helped fuel demand for even more types of data. Accompanying users' demand for data is a desire to have it sorted based on user preferences before the data is viewed or utilized. Failure to deliver data to users in a sorted manner wastes the users' time, leads to network congestion because of repeated requests for new data, and wastes processing and storage resources if large amounts of data must be processed to present a user with relevant information.
Problems associated with unfiltered data are especially challenging when users wish to take advantage of information while remaining mobile. These users are increasingly relying on wireless devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers and web enabled cell phones for processing information when on the go. An example would be a wireless device used to store personal contact information, calendars, email, business information, and financial information. While wireless devices have some processing capabilities, they are very limited when compared to desktop computing devices. Since wireless devices normally run on batteries, efforts must be made to reduce power consumption. Typically, slow speed processors and reduced memory sizes are employed to reduce power consumption. In addition, reducing the use of, or eliminating power hungry add-on components such as radio frequency transceivers (e.g. cellular and wireless Ethernet), modems, global positioning system (GPS) receivers, and the like, help to extend the life of batteries in wireless devices.
Context sensitive computing may be employed to address some of the shortcomings associated with providing unfiltered data to wireless devices. More specifically, context sensitive computing attempts to send users only data that is relevant to their needs. Context as used herein is comprised of two parts. The first part is an environmental context that describes the physical location of a user (e.g. an airport, a car, or a store) and the second part is referred to as a personal context and is associated with a user's personal preferences (e.g. a particular colored shirt, a favorite author, etc). In principle, context sensitive computing makes it possible to provide users of wireless devices having limited processing capabilities with relevant information.
To aid in the understanding of how contextual computing can aid users of wireless devices by providing them with relevant information an example will be presented. In this example a consumer would like to make a purchase at a shopping mall. In addition, the consumer would like to have relevant information, such as the latest sale price and industry reviews for a desired product, and the consumer also would like to know which merchant carries a particular style or color of the item sought. In this scenario, the consumer has two primary options for using data to facilitate selection of a product and a possible purchase. For example, the consumer may first review data in their home or at a library and make notes or print copies of the materials to then take shopping with them. The disadvantage with this approach is that the consumer may be using outdated information when attempting to make the purchase at the merchant's location. Alternatively, a consumer trying to avoid using outdated information for facilitating a purchase may attempt to ask various merchants for the latest pricing and selection options of the desired product. This later approach has a disadvantage in that it does not use the consumer's time efficiently.
In the example above, the consumer would be better served if they employed wireless computing devices to ensure that the latest data is presented to them in the most efficient manner. The wireless device should be able to determine the relevant environmental context within which the consumer is operating so that only relevant information is provided to the consumer. As previously discussed, environmental context refers to the physical environment in which the consumer, or user, is operating. In this example, environmental context may be a mall or a particular store within a mall. In addition, the wireless device should be able to sort available information so that a consumer is presented only with information that is relevant to their interests.
Prior art techniques for determining environmental context rely on the wireless device for processing information to determine position; or, alternatively, they use the infrastructure (i.e. ground based transmitters) to process information received from a wireless device to establish the location. When the wireless device processes data to establish position, global positioning receivers (GPS) are normally used. Some disadvantages associated with GPS receivers are that they typically require additional power and generally do not work well indoors. When the network infrastructure attempts to determine position, radio-frequency (RF) ranging techniques are used. RF ranging techniques normally employ beacons that transmit data to, and receive data from, wireless devices. Some of the disadvantages associated with RF beaconing techniques are that their locational accuracy is not very good and the wireless device consumes excessive power when transmitting beacon signals or when processing received beacon signals.
Prior art techniques for communicating data to wireless devices also have shortcomings. RF signals are the primary means for transmitting data to, and from, wireless devices. Since RF signals such as cellular, wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth™, and microwave consume large amounts of power, they do not efficiently utilize available power in wireless devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for infrared data communications


A conveyor has an overhead conveyor rail with a horizontal portion and an angled portion. A receptacle is carried by supports below the rail with the receptacle positioned transversely to the rail. A two-piece rack hanger has an upper part with an upper angular end portion pivotally connected to the receptacle by a bracket. The hanger has a lower part affixed to a rack for parts or articles and a pivot connects the lower part and the upper part of the hanger. The pivot is separable so that the lower part of the hanger and the rack can be separated from the upper part of the hanger. Stops are associated with the receptacle and upper angular end portion of the hanger to limit transverse movement of the racks as they move on the angled portion of the conveyor. When the racks reach a limited transverse position, they are held in horizontal dispositions by the pivot between the lower and upper parts of the hanger.

This invention relates to a conveyor having rack hangers with part-carrying racks which move to predetermined transverse positions when the racks are below angled portions of the conveyor and then pivot to maintain horizontal dispositions.
The conveyor can be of the monorail type which moves racks or frames of parts or articles supported below the rail along a predetermined path. The path typically extends through cleaning and/or painting and baking operations for the parts. Since the parts are usually cleaned or coated from both sides, the part racks must be positioned parallel to the path along which they move so that opposite surfaces of the parts can be equally treated from both sides.
The monorail conveyors typically move the parts along horizontal portions of the path as well as angular ones when the parts are moved between floors or different levels of operation. When the parts move along the angled portions of the path, the racks must not touch one another, which, of necessity, requires that the racks be spaced apart a substantial distance when on the horizontal portions of the predetermined path. Heretofore,, to avoid contact of adjacent racks during forty-five degree ascending and descending portions of the path, for example,, the racks typically were spaced apart on the horizontal portions of the path a distance equal to one and one-half times the rack width.
The unique conveyor design disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,309, issued Mar. 19, 1991, causes the part racks or frames to automatically rotate about upright axes between positions in which they are parallel to the predetermined path when the racks are below horizontal portions of a rail of the conveyor to positions in which they are transverse to the path when the racks are below angled, ascending or descending, portions of the conveyor rail. Consequently, the racks can be almost in contact when positioned parallel to the predetermine path and below the horizontal portion of the conveyor rail. Therefore, a substantially continuous wall of parts can be presented as they pass through cleaning, painting and baking operations, for example. The throughput capacity of an existing operation including a monorail conveyor having typically forty-five degree ascending and descending portions can be increased substantially fifty percent, maintaining the same processing cycle times and changing only the feed rates of coating materials applied to the parts. The conveyor design also enables the racks or frames to be more accurately positioned parallel to the direction of the predetermined path along which they move, which is important when precise spacing between the parts and spray gun nozzles, for example, is required for uniform coating or finishing.


An internal combustion engine has a carburetor for mixing fuel with air entering through an inlet. A heat exchanger is mounted onto the carburetor air inlet so that heat from the heat exchanger is conducted to the carburetor housing. The heat exchanger has a plurality of channels through which air from an air cleaner pass on the way to the carburetor. An electric heating device attached to said heat exchanger and a first thermostat controls the electric heating device to raise the temperature of the heat exchanger when the fuel-air mixture falls below a given temperature. A second thermostat senses the temperature of the heat exchanger and prevents the temperature from exceeding a level at which a user's skin will blister if the exchanger is touched accidentally. In cold operating environments, the heat exchanger assembly raises the temperature of the air above the dew point, thus effectively lowering the relative humidity. The carburetor also is heated so that water vapor in the air will not condense on the surfaces of the carburetor. This prevents accumulation of water which can freeze and affect the operation of the carburetor.

The present invention relates to naturally aspirated, internal combustion engines; and more particularly to anti-icing heaters for carburetors of such engines.
In near freezing atmospheric temperatures, the carburetor of an internal combustion engine is very vulnerable to the formation of ice in the throat of the carburetor, on the choke and throttle plates, and over the gasoline venturi orifices. This condition is referred to as "classic icing." In addition, if water is left standing around the choke or throttle plates, it may freeze when the engine is unused for a prolonged period of time in freezing atmospheric temperatures. In this case, the choke and throttle plates become stuck in a closed or near closed position and the engine will not start. The degree of classic icing in a carburetor throat during operation of the engine is dependent upon the amount of water vapor or the water content in the air. The freezing of water around the throttle plates, for example due to the engine's sitting unused overnight, is more susceptible to other sources of water, such as from the engine crank case vent tube required for emission control.
Several phenomena control the amount of ice build-up within the carburetor. The first phenomenon is decompression of intake air produced by the engine cylinder vacuum. Such decompression causes the intake air temperature to drop which may cause the air to go below the freezing point depending upon the ambient temperature intake, the amount of pressure reduction, and the flow rate of the air. The amount of pressure drop the air experiences can be controlled by the carburetor throat design and the throttle plate position.
An air intake temperature below freezing often causes the water vapor to condense and then freeze on a surface of the carburetion system which is also less than zero degrees Celsius. Another factor effecting ice build-up is residual water left in the carburetor throat from the previous operation. Such water can freeze the choke plate, throttle plate and cover the gasoline diffusion venturi nozzle.
A common solution to this problem in the use of the manually operated damper is a manifold heat exchanger that collects hot air off the exhaust manifold or the exhaust pipe of the engine. The collected hot air is directed by duct work into the carburetor. This mechanism has a winter and summer setting to prevent overheating of the gasoline in the carburetor during warm weather operation. The drawback of such a system is that the damper must be controlled manually depending upon the season of operation.

Anti-icing heater for an engine carburetor


A combustor for a gas turbine engine having a compressor upstream of the combustor and a turbine downstream of the combustor. The combustor also includes a combustor chamber, an oxy-fuel pilot burner (104) centrally positioned at an end of the combustor chamber, and an air-fuel premix burner configured to at least partially premix air and fuel. The air-fuel premix burner surrounds the oxy-fuel pilot burner (104) in an annular configuration.

To the best knowledge of the inventors, the prior art literature on oxygen use in gas turbine combustors has exclusively considered bulk enrichment of the combustion air with oxygen. However, the amount of bulk oxygen enrichment of combustion air required to markedly improved combustion stability in gas turbine engines a) is not a cost-effective option for practical turbine engine operation and b) produces an increase in NOx emissions. Additionally, the combustors typically run at fuel lean conditions, therefore there is already excess oxygen present in the oxidizer stream.
The basic configuration of a gas turbine engine commonly used for industrial power generation, illustrated in FIG. 1, comprises cold section characterized by a compressor, followed by a hot section characterized by a combustor section and a turbine. The cold section includes an air intake, optionally including a set of circumferentially-spaced inlet guide vanes, followed by a multi-stage axial flow compressor that delivers high pressure air to the combustor section. The turbine, downstream of the combustor section, provides power via a shaft to drive the compressor. The operating pressure ratio of the turbine, which is defined as the pressure of the air at the compressor exit to that of the air at the compressor intake, is normally less than about 18:1.
While combustor designs vary based on manufacturer, size, and application, many, particularly those of the multiple-can type (as shown in FIG. 2) and the can-annular type (as shown in FIG. 3), carry out combustion via an array of cylindrical tubes or "cans" disposed circumferentially around the turbine shaft. The principal difference between these two combustor configurations is that in the multiple-can type combustor, each can's air intake is mechanically coupled to a corresponding outlet port of the compressor, while in the can-annular type combustor, each can's air intake is open to a common single annulus connected to the compressor outlet. In either case, products of combustion are discharged from each can through a transition duct where they are then distributed around a 360° arc into the first stage of the axial flow turbine section.
Each individual can combustor typically has a combustor chamber fed by one or more air-fuel nozzles disposed about the circumference of an inlet plane of the can combustor in an annular configuration. The air-fuel nozzles introduce air and fuel, commonly with some degree of premixture, into the combustor chamber. In many cases, an air-fuel pilot burner is additionally disposed along the combustor axis. The air-fuel pilot burner, which is employed to enhance combustion stability, may be of either a pre-mix design or a nozzle-mix (i.e., diffusion or non-pre-mix) design. The combination of premix nozzles and pilot burner is collectively denoted herein as the gas turbine burner, and each can combustor includes its own gas turbine burner.
FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively, provide schematic illustration of the gas turbine burner inlet plane for multi-nozzle and annular-nozzle configurations, respectively, each of which uses a central air-fuel pilot burner. In a gas turbine burner 500 as in FIG. 4, multiple discrete premix nozzles 502 are arrayed in an annular configuration around a central air-fuel pilot burner 504, each premix nozzle having a fuel injector that discharges into a corresponding air stream. In a gas turbine burner 510 as in FIG. 5, an annular nozzle 512 includes one or more fuel injectors 516 arranged in an annular configuration surrounded by an air annulus 518 around a central air-fuel pilot burner 514.

System and method of improving combustion stability in a gas turbine


A stator core for an electromagnetic pump includes a plurality of circumferentially adjoining groups of flat laminations disposed about a common centerline axis and collectively defining a central bore and a discontinuous outer perimeter, with adjacent groups diverging radially outwardly to form V-shaped gaps. An annular band surrounds the groups and is predeterminedly tensioned to clamp together the laminations, and has a predetermined flexibility in a radial direction to form substantially straight bridge sections between the adjacent groups.

In one type of nuclear reactor power plant, liquid metal, such as liquid sodium, is used for the coolant which is heated by the reactor core. The liquid metal is circulated within the reactor by a plurality of annular linear-flow electromagnetic induction pumps which propel the liquid metal using electromagnetic force.
A typical electromagnetic pump includes an annular flow channel or duct surrounded by a column of alternately vertically stacked annular electrical stator coils and magnetic stator iron cores collectively forming a stator. Electrical current carried by the coils induces magnetic flux which is channeled through the cores in a predetermined direction for inductively propelling the liquid metal through the flow channel.
An electromagnetic pump may have solely a single stator surrounding the outside of the flow channel for propelling the liquid metal therethrough. Or, an electromagnetic pump may have double stators including an outer stator surrounding the flow channel, and an inner stator disposed radially inwardly of the flow channel. Each stator is similarly configured with alternating layers of stator coils supported by stator cores. Since the double stator electromagnetic pump is effective for generating magnetic flux both radially inwardly and radially outwardly of the flow channel, it is typically more effective for propelling the liquid metal axially through the flow channel.
In both types of pumps, the stator coils typically include a plurality of turns or windings of copper electrical conductors disposed coaxially about the longitudinal centerline axis of the pump. The alternating stacks of stator coils are supported on respective stator cores, with each stator core including a plurality of circumferentially adjoining iron laminations. The laminations are typically flat, sheet metal components which are relatively thin for reducing eddy current losses therein. Since the laminations are a constant thickness and extend radially outwardly from the pump centerline axis, they can tightly abut each other at their radially inner ends, but at their radially outer ends a larger circumference is provided than the laminations have the capability of filling. Accordingly, the laminations are typically configured in groups having a constant thickness in the circumferential direction, with generally V-shaped gaps being formed between adjacent ones of the groups.
Since the laminations are individual elements and subject to vibration during operation of the pump, they must be suitably clamped together to restrain vibration thereof. For example, the laminations may be fixedly joined to each other by a suitable adhesive, or may be joined together in the groups by suitable mechanical fasteners, or may also be joined together using a band or wire extending circumferentially around the outer ends of the groups, which band is placed in tension to clamp together the several groups in a complete ring as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,514--Brynsvold et al, which is assigned to the present assignee.
In one design being developed, the band is a substantially 360.degree. ring having a single split defining two ends which are generally L-shaped with radially outwardly extending flanges through which a nut and bolt fastener is provided to clamp together the band ends to place the band in tension for clamping together the several lamination groups. In tests of this clamping band design, the ability to maintain adequate tightness in the band for suitably clamping together the lamination groups was obtained only after repeated shakedown cycles of tightening the fastener, heating and maintaining the so assembled stator core at elevated temperature for about a week, followed by cool-down to a hot standby condition and repeating this cycle.
The tests suggested that the initial band tension was being lost in cycling of the stator core due in part to the eccentrically loaded fastener; relatively high friction between the band and the outer edges of the individual laminations which affected the ability to maintain uniform tension around the circumference of the band and a uniform conformance of the band to the perimeter contour of the lamination groups around the circumference of the band; and thermal expansion of the lamination groups which exceeded expansion of the clamping band which loosened the band upon thermal contraction of the lamination groups, with the initial circular configuration of the band upon assembly being distorted by the differential thermal expansion between the lamination groups and the band.
The ability to maintain a suitable tension in the band during operation of the stator core in the electromagnetic pump is required to maintain structural integrity of the stator core during its useful lifetime while restraining vibration thereof. Since the stator cores will necessarily undergo cycling from relatively low to relatively high temperatures during operation in response to cyclical operation of the reactor core itself, a suitable band clamp which can maintain adequate tension therein and clamping together of the lamination groups is required.


An optical wavelength converter comprises a substrate, a first waveguide formed in the substrate and allowing a fundamental wave to enter therein, and a second waveguide extending parallel to the first waveguide and disposed on the substrate at a predetermined distance spaced from the first waveguide, wherein the second waveguide has refractive index gratings formed and arranged periodically in the extending direction thereof, each refractive index grating having an equivalent refractive index different from that of the second waveguide. The optical wavelength converter is of high conversion efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical wavelength converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a channel type optical wavelength converter having a LiNbO.sub.3 layer dispersed with Ti strip layers on a substrate made of yttrium (Uesugi "Optical wavelength converter using a LiNbO.sub.3 waveguide" Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 49, No. 12, PP. 1234-1238, 1980).
In this type optical wavelength converter, it is necessary to conduct phase matching of the fundamental wave and the second harmonic for improving its conversion efficiency. The phase matching is obtained by a method of changing the refractive index in response to changes of temperature, by a method that both the equivalent refractive indexes to a propagating fundamental wave and the second harmonic are coincident in a single waveguide of the optical wavelength converter, or the like. The optical wavelength converter that uses the former technique, in which the phase matching is controlled by the change of temperature, is necessarily provided with a device for controlling temperature adjacent to the converter to avoid the influence of outside temperature changes. The device for controlling temperature utilizes the Peltier effect and keeps the temperature of the optical wavelength converter constant.
However, this device for controlling temperature has a problem that and its response is slow due to the fact that the time constant of the device is large, since the temperature of the device is subject to the outside changes in temperature. Furthermore, this device for controlling temperature requires a large amount of electric current to be driven sufficiently.


A battery maintenance system including a battery, an electrical pulsation device configured to supply electrical pulsation energy to the battery during at least one pulsation period, a battery charger configured to transfer electrical energy to the battery during at least one charging period and a schedule configured for scheduling operation of the electrical pulsation device and the battery charger such that there is substantially no overlap between the pulsation period and the charging period.

This application generally relates to a system and method for maintaining one or more batteries and, more particularly, to an improved system and method for strengthening the charged cell voltage of the weakest cells of a battery above that of the strongest cells of the battery in order to improve the performance of older batteries and to prolong the useful life of such batteries as well as that of new batteries.
The act of charging and discharging a battery is referred to as a charge/discharge cycle. In an industrial environment, a battery typically undergoes a charge/discharge cycle during each 24 hour period. An industrial battery often undergoes more than a thousand charge/discharge cycles during its useful lifetime. Typically, the performance of a battery with respect to its voltage strength and an associated stored charge degrades over its useful lifetime.


A charging port device for an electric vehicle has an electrical driving mechanism for electrically applying a torque using a motor to move a restricting member to an inner-side position short of a predetermined position corresponding to a locked state or an unlocked state, and a mechanical driving mechanism for mechanically applying a torque to move the restricting member from the inner-side position to the predetermined position, when the restricting member is to be moved to the predetermined position, and a part of the restricting member overlaps the engaging member, when viewed from the direction of separation, at the inner-side position that corresponds to a movement to the locked state.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2010-264847 discloses a technique relating to a charging port device for an electric vehicle. In particular, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2010-264847 discloses a charging connector for connecting a charging port of an electric vehicle and a charging stand representing power supply means or device. The charging connector has a link 41 that is capable of turning with a button operation performed by the operator so as to enable coupling, and the charging connector engages a protrusion 34 in a charging inlet 11, thereby preventing the charging connector and the charging inlet from detaching from each other during charging. Also disclosed is a configuration having a slide-type lock bar (hereafter referred to as a lock mechanism) for disabling the link 41 from rotating in order to prevent the removal and theft of the charging cable during charging.

Charging port device for electric vehicle


Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and devices for calibrating contrast measurements from laser speckle imaging systems to accurately determine unknown particle motion characteristics, such as flow rate. The calibration stores to memory calibration data, which may include a set of measurements from samples with known particle characteristics and/or estimates of noise, including the effects on contrast arising from undesired signals unrelated to the unknown particle motion characteristics. The calibration data may be accessed and used to correct an empirical measurement of contrast and/or interpolate a value of the unknown particle motion characteristic. The system may include a light source, photodetector, processor, and memory, which can be combined into a single device, such as a wearable device, for providing calibrated flow measurements. The device may be used, for example, to measure blood flow, cardiac output, and heart rate, and can be used to amplify the pulsatile signal.

This disclosure relates to devices, systems and methods for calibrating and correcting flowmetry measurements made using laser speckle imaging (LSI). LSI is an optical technique for determining the rate of motion within a sample using interferometric information. LSI is typically performed with a coherent illumination source and image sensor, where light interrogates a sample and randomly interferes on the image sensor, producing a signature "speckle" pattern. The pattern is then analyzed, in space and/or in time, to determine particle motion within the sample.
Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is a technique for determining particle size and fluid flow rate that utilizes coherent illumination and interference. The technology has been used in medical applications for some time to measure blood perfusion [1]. In recent years, DLS technologies have seen major innovation and are now performed in a variety of ways [2]. One DLS method, called laser speckle imaging (LSI), uses a coherent laser source to illuminate a sample of light scattering particles, and images the scattered light using a multi-pixel detector. Early iterations used multiple photodetectors [3, 4], but many instruments now use a silicon-based camera sensor [5]. The sensor records the so-called "speckle" pattern, produced by light interference, as the scattered coherent light recombines onto the detection element. If the scattering particles are in motion, the interference pattern will fluctuate over time. The detection element has a finite exposure time, and if the interference pattern fluctuates during the exposure, the speckles will "blur," or their light intensity will be averaged within the detection element pixels. Researchers have previously developed a methodology to quantify the amount of "blurring" during the exposure by analyzing the amount of contrast between pixel intensity values in time and/or space. One common way to quantify contrast is to calculate the standard deviation of a local neighborhood of pixel intensities, often normalizing to the mean [6]. This parameter is typically referred to as the "speckle contrast." A reduction in speckle contrast indicates an increase in flow and vice versa. The speckle contrast may alternatively be calculated for multiple frames in time.
LSI is a useful technology in biomedical research to study blood flow within vascularized tissue [7]. Cells and other structures within the blood scatter the coherent light as they flow through the vasculature, and LSI can quantify this flow. Further developments have seen the inclusion of Monte Carlo simulation results and static scattering components in the LSI model [8]. However, a major disadvantage to LSI is that it is highly susceptible to numerous sources of noise. Because LSI relies on the standard deviation between pixels, noise from random and/or system sources, such as shot noise or dark sensor noise, can affect the speckle contrast and hence impact the quantification of flow. A myriad of other factors may affect the formulation of the speckle pattern onto the sensor including: coherence length of the laser (which varies between lasers and manufacturers), numerical aperture of the optical system, pixel size, wavelength, and ambient light, among others [9].

Systems and methods for calibrating and correcting a speckle contrast flowmeter


The disclosed invention relates to smart light apparatuses compunctions particularly well suited for providing wireless communications between a true vehicle and a died in being towed such as a trailer. A smart light controller comprising a process for his electrically associated with a traditional wiring harness associated with a two vehicle. The smart light controller detects light signals such as stop, left turn, right turn, and lights on and generates a corresponding RF control signals. The RF control signals are transmitted to smart lights associated with a vehicle can configured to receive the RF control signals. The smart light generates a light signal based on the receive control signals.

There is often need for providing signaling functions to a vehicle such as a trailer or automobile. Many times such signaling functions are difficult to add after the fact. In addition, prior art wired systems can be very annoying when they are not working properly. Consequently, there is a need for a simple way of adding lighting features, such as signaling features, to items such as vehicles.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a smart light apparatus and system for providing trailers and vehicles with signaling functions with or without a direct wired connection. The smart light apparatus can also monitor and transmit to a user a variety of environment data such as visual, audio, temperature, ice warning, collision warning, and RF warnings.
Other embodiment relate to smart lights configurable to perform a variety of tasks including lighting a path, lighting a room, providing emergency lighting, lighting associated with an alarm system, and for carrying around to perform the function of a traditional flashlight.


In an image sensor 1 wherein an N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 13 to become a light-receiving part of a first conductive type is formed in a well layer 12 of a second conductive type (P-type) provided in a semiconductor substrate 11 of the first conductive type (N-type), an N.sup.- -type impurity layer 14 whose impurity concentration is lower than that of the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 13 and connected to the lower side of the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 13 is provided between the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 13 and the P-type well layer 12. Alternatively, a P-type impurity layer (not shown) whose impurity concentration is lower than that of the P-type well layer 12 and joining with the lower side of the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 13 may be provided.

This invention relates to an image sensor.
A first conventional technology will be described with reference to the outline construction view of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, this image sensor 110 uses a so-called photogate. That is, a photogate 112 is formed on a P-type semiconductor substrate 111. An N.sup.+ -type first impurity layer 113 of this photogate 112 is formed in a state common with one of the diffusion layers of a transfer gate 114.
To the other N.sup.+ -type second impurity layer 115 of the transfer gate 114, the gate of a source follower [for example constituted by a MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) transistor] 121 is connected and one of the diffusion layers of a reset gate 122 is connected. Also, a vertical switch (for example constituted by a MOS transistor) 123 is connected to the source follower 121 in series.
Next, as a second conventional technology, an amplifying type MOS image sensor 130 of the kind shown in the outline construction view of FIG. 2 has been proposed from the technology research center of Nihon Hoso Kyokai.
That is, an N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 131 to become a light-receiving part is formed in a part of an upper layer of a P-type semiconductor substrate (for example a silicon substrate) 111.
To the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 131, the gate of a source follower (for example constituted by a MOS transistor) 121 is connected and one of the diffusion layers of a reset gate 122 is connected. Also, a vertical switch (for example constituted by a MOS transistor) 123 is connected to the source follower 121 in series.
An image sensor of this kind is described in F. Andoh, K. Taketoshi, J. Yamazaki, M. Sugawara, Y. Fujita, K. Mitani, Y. Matuzawa, K. Miyata, S. Araki: "A 250,000-Pixel Image Sensor with FET Amplification at Each Pixel for High-Speed Television Cameras", ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 212-213 (Feb. 1990).
When an image sensor of the construction shown in FIG. 1 is formed using a miniaturization CMOS process, the gate electrode of the photogate is formed with tungsten polycide. Consequently, the gate electrode becomes one which does not allow light to pass through. To avoid this, by adding and carrying out a so-called mask step, it is possible to remove a tungsten layer of the tungsten polycide and make it a construction of a gate electrode whose transmittivity of light has been raised. However, absorption of light by polysilicon, and particularly absorption of blue light, cannot be ignored.
Also, because red light penetrates as far as the inside of the substrate, and a P-type semiconductor substrate is used for the substrate, so-called inter-pixel crosstalk, wherein electrons photoelectrically converted in the P-type substrate itself enter the surrounding pixels, occurs. This is a serious problem in constructing a so-called 1-chip color image sensor.
Also, in an image sensor the occurrence of after-image and the realization of high sensitivity are in a so-called trade-off relationship. That is, during charge accumulation, the potential of the photogate is in a shallow state, and the potential of the transfer gate is in an intermediate state. The potential of the reset gate is in a shallow state. When it is operated in this kind of potential state, the transfer gate becomes a transverse type overflow gate, the voltage of the impurity layer (115) described with reference to the above-mentioned FIG. 1 becomes VDD and the impurity layer (115) becomes an overflow drain.
On the other hand, during detection, when the potential .phi.RS of the reset gate is made deep and the source follower and the vertical switch are operated, switching noise (hereinafter called kTC noise) in the impurity layer (115) described with reference to the above-mentioned FIG. 1, which arises on cut-off of the reset gate, is detected.
Also, during signal detection, the potential of the photogate is made deep, the charge in the photogate and the impurity layer (113) described with reference to the above-mentioned FIG. 1 is moved to the impurity layer (115) and the potential of the impurity layer (115) is detected by the source follower and the vertical switch.
With the detection method described above, only the impurity layer (115) becomes so-called floating diffusion, the capacitance (capacitance) is the most small and kTC noise, which is switching noise, can be detected, and CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) is possible. In other words, realizing high sensitivity becomes easy.
However, because charge transfer from the impurity layer (113) through the transfer gate to the impurity layer (115) is by the BBD (Bucket Brigade Device) method, which is a method wherein a signal charge accumulates in a capacitor and this is transferred to the next capacitor in so-called bucket relay fashion by the switching action of a MOS-FET (field-effect transistor), after-image occurs.
When trying to eliminate after-image, it is necessary to raise the voltage of the transfer gate on resetting and reset both the impurity layer (113) and the impurity layer (115). At this time, the charge of the photogate is also reset.
In this case, after the potential .phi.RS of the reset gate is made shallow, the voltage of the transfer gate is made high and charge in the photogate and the impurity layer (113) moves to the impurity layer (113) and the impurity layer (115) and the transfer gate and a potential is detected by the source follower and the vertical switch.
However, because the impurity layer (113) and the impurity layer (115) and the transfer gate become so-called floating diffusion, the capacitance (capacitance) of this so-called floating diffusion increases.
The image sensor described in the above-mentioned second conventional technology also produces inter-pixel crosstalk, for the same reasons as the above-mentioned first conventional technology. As a construction for avoiding the occurrence of this inter-pixel crosstalk, the kind of construction shown in the outline construction view of FIG. 3 has been proposed.
As shown in FIG. 3, this image sensor 140 is one obtained by, in the image sensor (130) described with reference to the above-mentioned FIG. 2, using an N-type semiconductor substrate 141 for the substrate, forming a P-type well layer 142 on that N-type semiconductor substrate 141, and forming an N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 143 to become a light-receiving part on that P-type well layer 142. The construction of the source follower 121, the reset gate 122 and the vertical switch 123 is the same as the construction described with reference to the above-mentioned FIG. 2.
However, in processes miniaturizing MOS structures, because the impurity concentration of the P-type well layer 142 is coming to be set high, with the image sensor described with reference to the above-mentioned FIG. 3, the junction capacitance between the P-type well layer 142 and the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 143 increases. Consequently, because the charge detection capacitance (the junction capacitance pertaining to the N.sup.+ -type impurity layer 143 and the interconnection capacitance as far as the source follower 121) becomes large, the detection sensitivity decreases.


Systems and methods for obtaining dimensions for threaded fasteners are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes an apparatus that determines a dimension of a fastener using a probe that senses a linear displacement of the fastener. A probe tip is rotatably disposed on the probe that contacts the fastener. A controller is coupled to the apparatus for receiving the dimensional characteristic. In another embodiment, a measurement apparatus includes a rotating spindle that supports the fastener and a probe that detects a dimension and having a portion that rotatably engages the fastener. A scale is coupled to the probe to determine a displacement. In another embodiment, a method includes positioning a fastener in a spindle that rotates the fastener, engaging the fastener with a probe to sense a dimension of the fastener, the probe having a terminal portion that rotatably conforms to the fastener, and processing the dimension.

Threaded fasteners are commonly available in a variety of sizes, thread configurations, materials and grades. In certain critical fastening applications, the dimensional tolerances of the fastener may be of significant importance. For example, selected fasteners employed in the construction of civil and military aircraft have been identified as critical to the airworthiness of the aircraft. Accordingly, these fasteners are frequently subjected to enhanced inspection procedures to ensure compliance with established government and/or commercial standards for fastener quality.
An important aspect of the inspection procedure is a determination of the conformity of the threaded fastener with established dimensional standards. In one known method, threaded fasteners may be individually dimensionally inspected using micrometers and similar devices for the measurement of a shank diameter of the fastener and/or the major and minor thread diameters of the fastener. Thread gages typically configured as a "go" or "no-go" devices may also used to accept or reject threaded fasteners that have conforming or non-conforming thread profiles, respectively. Alternately, other devices, such as an optical comparator, may also be used to inspect the thread profile.
Although the foregoing method is suitable for determining the dimensional conformity of threaded fasteners, certain drawbacks nevertheless exist. Manual inspection of relatively large lots of fasteners is generally time consuming, since a reasonable number of the fasteners must be dimensionally inspected in order to attain a statistically significant sample. Moreover, in instances where all of the fasteners in the lot must be inspected for dimensional conformity, significant amounts of inspection time are required. In either case, accurate dimensional measurements may depend upon the skill of the inspector, which may lead to variations in the dimensional data collected from a selected lot of fasteners.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for rapidly and accurately obtaining dimensional information for threaded fasteners.

Systems and methods for dimensionally inspecting threaded fasteners


This invention relates to a novel needle for expeditiously determining proper insertion of the needle into a patient. A transparent shaft is positioned behind the tip of the needle. Upon insertion of the needle into the vein of a patient, blood is observed in the transparent shaft of the needle. Preferably, the shaft is formed of polyurethane or polycarbonate the needle can be used with an over-the-needle catheter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving the determination of proper insertion of a needle.
2. Description of the Related Art
An over-the-needle catheter is a surgical device for insertion into the tissues of a body cavity. A needle and a concentric outer catheter are inserted into the vein of a patient. After insertion, the needle is withdrawn through the emplaced catheter. Fluids can be introduced or removed through the catheter. The problem of quickly determining proper insertion of the needle catheter has persisted in the medical community.
A typical over-the-needle catheter assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,831. In this assembly, a cannula insertion needle projects from the "forward" end of a hollow handle. After the cannula insertion needle is inserted into the patient, the needle is retracted into the handle. A hollow needle is used so that fluids may pass through the needle temporarily while the needle is within the patient. It is disclosed that the needle has a sharpened tip and is made of stainless steel.
One conventional solution for determining when the point of the needle is properly in a blood vessel is to use a transparent housing and flash chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,740 describes conventional use of a catheter assembly by inserting the concentric catheter and needle through the skin of a patient and into a blood vessel. When the point of the needle is properly located in the vessel, a small amount of blood will flow through the needle and into a flash chamber. Since the needle housing and flash chamber are made of a transparent or translucent polymeric materials, the flow of blood is apparent in the flash chamber. After insertion, the needle is retracted from the catheter into the housing.
Prior art catheters have the disadvantage that after insertion of the catheter into the patient the person inserting the catheter must wait until blood flows into the flash chamber to determine whether or not the catheter has been property inserted. However, the flash chamber is at the end of the catheter that is opposite to the end inserted into the patient. Accordingly, the person inserting the catheter must take his eyes away from the insertion site to check for the appearance of blood in the flash chamber. Prior art catheter also have the disadvantage that if the blood pressure of the patient is low, for example, if the patient is an infant or is suffering from a vascular shutdown, blood may not flow into the flash chamber. Without observing blood in the flash chamber, the person inserting the catheter is unable to determine if the catheter has been properly inserted.
Of possible general relevance to the invention are U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,850,961; 4,964,854; and 5,053,014 which describe assemblies for over-the-needle catheters.
A practical solution to the problem of expeditiously determining proper insertion of an over the needle catheter in a patient is not found in the prior art.


In a photodiode formed by a region of a first type inside a region of a second type, of a semiconductor substrate, the region of the first type includes a first zone including a dopant of the first type having a first concentration and a first depth. The region of the first type also has a second zone adjacent to the first zone in the dopant of the first type has a second concentration higher than the first concentration and a second depth smaller than the first depth. A method for making such a diode is also disclosed.

FIG. 1 shows an image sensor known especially from the document D1 (US 2006/0103747). The sensor has a photodiode 101, a transfer transistor having a transfer gate 150, a floating node 107, and a means 103, 109, 111, 113 of reading the floating node. The photodiode 101 has an N− type accumulation region 110 (called a "shallow region" in D1) in a P− type region 120 of a substrate or directly on a P− substrate, and a P+ type very shallow pinning region 160 (called a "pinning layer" in D1) situated above the shallow region. The regions 110 and 160 are limited on one side by an isolation region 130 and on the other side by a vertical plane passing through a flank 140 of the gate 150. The interface between the region 160 and the region 110 forms a first PN junction and the interface between the region 110 and the substrate forms a second PN junction.
The working of such a diode comprises an accumulation phase and a transfer phase. During the accumulation phase, a ground potential is applied to the P region 120 (substrate) and to the P+ region 160 and a reverse bias potential Vd is applied to the N− region 110. When photons strike an upper surface 118 of the diode, electron-hole pairs are generated in the diode, more specifically in the regions 160, 110, 112, 120, and the electrons here are stored in the N region 110. During the transfer phase, the gate 150 of the transfer transistor is turned on and the electrons generated by photo-emission are transferred to the floating node 107 whose content can then be read by the reading means.
The depth of the regions 110, 160 and the N, P dopant concentrations in these regions are chosen so that, when the charge transfer is complete, the gate of the transfer transistor being on (the potential Vp is applied to the N type region 110), the space charge zones of the two diodes meet. Thus, during the accumulation phase, the gate of the transfer transistor being off, no majority carrier can be extracted from the region 110. Such a diode is called a pinned diode or fully depleted diode.
One problem with a diode according to FIG. 1 is its limited storage capacity.
The document D1 proposes to increase the storage capacity of such a diode by making the N− region by implantation of two N− type dopants having different coefficients of diffusion and different densities of concentration (FIG. 2 of D1), the implantation zone of the first dopant 112 surrounding the implantation zone of the second dopant 114.
The invention also seeks to increase the storage capacity of a prior art diode by proposing an alternative to the solution of D1.

Pinned photodiode with high storage capacity, method of manufacture and image sensor incorporating same


In a semiconductor device having an impurity diffusion layer in a surface part of a semiconductor surface and a first insulator layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and the impurity diffusion layer, the first insulator layer has a first recessed surface which defines a first contact hole. A first contact conductor plug is filled in the first contact hole. A second insulator layer is formed on the first insulator layer and a first upper plug surface of the first contact conductor plug. The second insulator layer has a second recessed surface which defines a second contact hole exposing the first upper plug surface. A second contact conductor plug is filled in the second contact hole to overlie the first upper plug surface and to be brought into contact with the second recessed surface. A conductor pad may be disposed between the first and the second contact conductor plugs.

This invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
A conventional semiconductor device is described in "Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Part 1, the thirty-second volume, 1993, January, pp. 339-346". This semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate, an impurity diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate, first through third insulator layers formed on the semiconductor substrate to have first and second recessed surface which define first and second contact holes exposing first and second predetermined areas of the impurity diffusion layer and the gate electrode, and first and second contact conductor plugs filled in the first and the second contact holes.
In the semiconductor device, inasmuch as aspect ratios of the first and the second contact holes are large, it is hardly possible to fill the first and the second contact conductor plugs in the first and the second contact holes.

Semiconductor device capable of easily filling contact conductor plug in contact hole


A field game goal structure which includes a plurality of inner elongate members, at least two of which are connected at an upper end and have spaced apart bottom ends. A plurality of outer elongate members have one end of each outer member attached to one of the bottom ends of each of the inner elongate members. The outer elongate members extending outwardly from a centrally portion of the goal structure. A free end of each of at least two of the outer elongate members are connected. The inner and the outer elongate members in combination define a plurality of intersecting non-vertical, non-horizontal planes.

The present invention relates to field games, and more particularly to field games in which players attempt to pass objects into a goal to score points.
Athletically oriented games have become a popular means of leisure time activity for many people. The popularity of individual games can be attributed to the game having an appropriate mixture of skill, athletic ability, a fostering of the competitive spirit, and having a set of rules and objectives which make the game easy and fun to play without requiring a large investment on the part of a player. Another factor which facilitates the popularity of a particular game is the ease of the game setup and its adaptability to being played in the physical space available to the players, as well as the portability of the necessary equipment required to play the game.
Athletic action games such as football, soccer, baseball, and basketball generally require a large playing area and multiple players on each team. Applicant is unaware of an action game which is readily adaptable for either indoor or outdoor play and which is scalable as a factor of the available playing area and number of players.


A fuel control system includes devices that generate parameter signals. The parameter signals include an engine runtime signal and at least one of an engine load signal, a temperature signal and a barometric pressure signal. A modification module generates a modification signal based on the parameter signals. A control module compensates for a current fuel volatility by adjusting a current air/fuel mixture of an engine based on the modification signal.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
In an internal combustion engine (ICE) fuel may be injected into an intake manifold, for example single port injection per fuel bank, per engine or multi-ports injection per cylinder. Alternatively or additionally, fuel may be injected directly into cylinders. The fuel is then mixed with air to form an air/fuel mixture. The air/fuel mixture is combusted to generate torque. The fuel and air may be controlled such that the engine maintains an air-to-fuel ratio at stoichiometry. The engine may operate using fuels with different stoichiometric values, such as a gasoline and ethanol blend. As the percentage of each fuel in the overall fuel mixture changes, the stoichiometric value may change.
The stoichiometric value of a fuel mixture may be measured to allow for optimal operation of the engine based on the particular fuel mixture. The engine system may change the relative amounts of air and fuel delivered to the cylinders based on the stoichiometric value for the fuel mixture.
The volatility or the measure of how quickly fuel vaporizes changes with the type of fuel and the operating engine temperature. For example, during cold starts when an engine is at an ambient temperature or is not up to a normal operating temperature, fuel vaporizes at a reduced rate. This affects the ability of an engine to maintain a predetermined idle speed.

Fuel volatility compensation for engine cold start speed control


There is disclosed herein a park locking mechanism for a selected gear of a vehicle transmission. The mechanism includes a manually actuatable shift rod, a pivotally mounted pawl lever for selectively engaging the gear, a rod assembly operatively connected to the pawl lever, a rotatable rod operatively connected to the shift rod, an actuating lever secured to the rotatable rod for rotation therewith, "lock" and "unlock" recesses formed in the distal end of the actuating lever, spring-loaded lug means for alternately engaging said recesses, and an opening formed in the actuating lever for connection with the rod assembly for pivoting the pawl lever into engagement with said selected gear when the PARK mode is selected by the operator.

Heretofore, a park locking mechanism or sprag was disclosed in Holbrook et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,620, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, including a pawl lever operating in conjunction with a retainer bracket and a pair of laterally adjacent cam rollers to lock a gear to a transmission case when the PARK operating mode of the transmission is manually selected by the operator of the vehicle.


The powered ramp door lift is used in cargo trailers and other ramp door applications and includes a powered winch assembly, a pair of wire cables or nylon straps connecting the winch assembly to the ramp door, and a “pusher” mechanism. The winch assembly mounted to the trailer header winds and unwinds the cables onto a pair of spools mounted to a drive shaft, which is driven by an electric motor. The “pusher” mechanism prevents the “unspooling” problems that effect the operation of winches in automated ramp door applications. The pusher mechanism engages the ramp door in the closed position and applies an outward force to the ramp door over a small portion of its travel to assist in the initial lowering of the ramp door from the closed position. The winch assembly also includes a cable tension winch shut off mechanism, which deactivates the winch motor in the absence of any tension on cables.

Vertically pivoting ramp doors are common features on cargo trailers, as well as, various types of recreational vehicles and enclosures. Ramp doors are hinged to cargo trailers to allow the ramp doors to swing from a vertical closed position where the ramp door encloses the door opening to an open position where the ramp door contacts the ground, thereby providing a ramp for access to the trailer interior. Powered ramp door lifts used to automatically raise and lower the ramp doors are a highly desirable feature, particularly for applications with large heavy ramp doors. Typically, powered ramp door lifts consist of one or more cables connected to the ramp door and a simple cable winch mounted within the trailer interior. While, simple cable winches winding a single cable can be used to lift the ramp doors in a ramp door application, two cables are needed to ensure that the ramp door remains level as it moves between the open and closed position and prevent the twisting of the ramp door under its own weight.
Heretofore, conventional powered lifts have been used in cargo trailers and other applications with limited success. One of the major drawbacks of conventional lifts in ramp door applications has been the tendency of the cables to "unspool" from the webs of the winch spool in the absence of cable tension from the winch. When two cables are used to support the ramp door, the tension on each cable is often unequal. This difference in tension may be the product of a variety of practical factors, including: the difference in the length of cable wound around each spool, differences in the amount of cable stretch, variances in the outer diameters of the spools and/or the manner in which each cable is wound onto the spools. Any differences in cable tension between the two cables results in a slack cable, which leads to unspooling problems. Consequently, greater care must be taken to install dual cable powered lifts to ensure little difference in the cable tension between the two cables.
In addition, when the ramp door is in the vertical closed position, the weight of the door rests directly over the door hinge, such that the force of gravity acting on the door in the vertical plane is substantially opposite the supportive force of the hinge. Due to the mass of the ramp door and its static rotational inertia in the vertical closed position, the ramp door tends to remain at rest as the winch begins to unwind the cables. While cable tension provided by the winch holds the ramp door in the vertical closed position, if the ramp door does not immediately begin to lower with the unwinding of the winch, cable tension is lost. In the absence of cable tension, the resilient memory of the cables will cause the cables to "unspool" and become tangled or bound in the winch apparatus. Users often must pull on the closed ramp door to over come the initial rotational inertia of the door as the winch unwinds the cable. To pull the ramp door open, the user must often be positioned under the lowering ramp door, which creates a potentially hazardous situation. Conventional powered ramp door lifts using simple cable winches, like torsion spring counterbalances that are used to unweight the ramp doors in manually lifted ramp door applications, only exert a force on the door through the cables to pull the door closed. In the vertical closed position, the force applied to the ramp door by the lift is inward. Consequently, a powered ramp door lift that provides a small outward force to the ramp door to maintain cable tension during the initial travel of the ramp door from the closed position is needed to ensure consistent and instantaneous operation of the lift in raising and lowering the ramp doors between the closed and open positions.


A check valve that reduces leakage caused by flapping is disclosed. The shape of the heat seals focus the flow of gas in the valve so that the flapping that results from using elongated parallel heat seals is reduced. Alternative embodiments also enable tying of balloons while reducing the risk of leaking. Balloons can also be inflated at a greater rate without risk of leakage thereby reducing labor costs and the reduction in leaks also reduces the return of faulty products.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of valves. In particular the invention relates to check valves that reduce leakage caused by flapping.
2. Description of the Related Technology
The main cause of returned balloon products is because of leaky valves. A number of check valves exist for balloons for permitting the entrance of fluids, such as gasses or water, but not permitting the fluids to then escape from the balloon once the fluid has entered the balloon. A problem with existing valves is that during the inflation process the valve flaps back and forth. When the valve flaps it causes a slight over pressure in the outlet section of the valve. This causes the plastic to stretch and the valve to leak.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional balloon valve 10. FIG. 1 shows self-sealing valve 10 as placed within non-latex balloon 12. As is well known in the art, balloon 12 includes a body 14 and a stem 16, defined by two flexible plastic balloon sheets 18, 20 that are constructed with a heat-sealable material. Body 14 of balloon 12 is inflatable with an inflation fluid, such as air or helium, through stem 16. Stem 16 extends from a boundary 34, shown as a dashed line in FIG. 1 and extends to the distal end 22.
As shown in FIG. 2, valve 10 is constructed of first and second flexible plastic valve sheets that are sealed or fused along two longitudinal edge lines 50, 52. The first and second sheets have a thickness in the range of 1 to 3 mm. After the sheets are sealed together, the first and second valve sheets cooperate to define a valve inlet 64, valve outlet 66 and valve passageway 68 extending there between. The valve passageway 68 includes an inlet section 70 extending from the valve inlet 64, an outlet section 72 extending from the valve outlet 66, and an interconnecting offset section 74. As shown, the outlet section 72 has a width corresponding to the width of the valve outlet 66, and the inlet section 70 has greater width corresponding to that of the valve inlet 64. The offset section 74 provides a relatively smooth transition between the inlet and outlet sections 70, 72 and defines an offset angle, designated "A" on FIG. 2, in the range of fifteen to forty degrees.
As shown in FIG. 1, valve 10 lies entirely within the balloon 12. That is, a first portion 80 of valve 10 extends into the body 14 and is substantially free or floating. This floating first portion 80 facilitates sealing under pressure in that the floating first portion 80 often partially folds over to crease the valve passageway 68. A second portion 82 of valve 10 extends beyond the boundary 34 and partially into the stem 16. This second portion 82 includes valve inlet 64 and is bonded to the balloon stem 16 in the final assembled balloon state. The second portion 82 of the valve 10 is heat-sealed to the balloon sheets 18, 20.
The outlet section 72, formed by the heat-seal along the parallel edge lines 50 and 52 causes valve 10 to flap back and forth during inflation. When the valve flaps it causes a slight over pressure in the outlet section 72 of valve 10. This causes the plastic to stretch and valve 10 to leak. Utilization of higher-pressure inflators increases the chances that a leak will occur.
Changing the way valve 10 is shaped and heat-sealed will produce a stronger valve that reduces flapping. By reducing flapping, higher pressure inflators can be used which can reduce the overall amount of labor time needed to inflate the balloons and also reduce the loss of product caused by leaky valves.
Therefore, a need exists to produce a valve that reduces overall leakage caused by flapping and therefore reduces the loss of product due to leakage and permits the usage of higher-pressure inflators.

Check-valve for reduction of leakage caused by valve flapping


A toner container of the present invention stores powdery toner to be replenished via a toner outlet thereof and includes a container body. A shutter device is positioned in the toner outlet for selectively opening or closing the toner outlet. The shutter device includes an opening/closing member, a resilient member constantly biasing the opening/closing member from the inside toward the outside of the container body, and a support member supporting the resilient member and opening/closing member. The toner container is simple and-easy to mount and dismount from an image forming apparatus while surely preventing the toner from leaking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus and more particularly to a toner container to be removably mounted to an image forming apparatus for replenishing toner to a developing device.
2. Description of the Background Art
While a toner container mounted to an image forming apparatus is usually replaced by the user, the replacement often causes toner to scatter and is awkward to perform. A toner container easy to mount and dismount without causing toner to scatter has been proposed in various forms in the past. For example, a toner container whose cap is automatically opened when the container is moved and is therefore easy to use is available. However, this kind of toner container has sophisticated, expensive structure.
There has been proposed an image forming apparatus and a toner container constructed to solve the above problem. The toner container has its toner outlet automatically opened when simply inserted into the setting portion of the apparatus from the above or has it automatically closed when simply pulled out of the setting portion. A nozzle extends upward from the setting portion. The toner container includes a self-closing valve that opens when the nozzle is inserted into the toner container. The self-closing valve is implemented as a sponge seal formed of compressed foam sponge non-permeable to air and formed with a cruciform slit. The sponge seal elastically deforms when the nozzle is inserted into the slit of the seal or closes the slit when the nozzle is removed from the slit, thereby preventing toner from leaking.
However, the problem with the sponge seal is that the elastic restoring force is apt to decrease due to, e.g., creep when the seal hardens in a low-temperature environment or due to aging. The sponge seal reduced in restoring force often causes the toner to leak when the toner is pulled out of the setting portion. Particularly, the toner outlet is positioned at the bottom of the toner container. Therefore, when the closing movement of the sponge seal is delayed at the time of mounting or dismounting of the toner container, the toner scatters around the setting portion due to its own weight. Moreover, the nozzle is apt to tear off or shave off the sponge seal at the time of mounting and dismounting. The resulting pieces of the sponge seal would degrade image quality if introduced in the developing device.
It has been proposed to dispose a mechanical shutter, which closes under the action of a spring, in the toner container. The mechanical shutter, however, reduces the substantial area of the portion of the toner container that leads to the toner outlet, causing the toner to bridge. Particularly, it is likely that a flexible toner bag forming part of the toner container is folded or inclined, aggravating the bridging of the toner.
Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-20702, 9-197818 and 2000-267415.

Toner container and image forming apparatus using the same


The improved method and arrangement are for cooling torrefied lignocellulosic material. By adding water in controlled amounts to the torrefied material in a grinder at exit from a roaster the entire volume of torrefied material could be cooled down to a temperature well below the critical temperature without increasing the water content of the final product.

It is known that lignocellulose biomass material can be transformed through thermo condensation (torrefaction) to a product that is well suited for the production of thermal energy. A process for torrefaction is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,917. During torrefaction, lignocellulose material such as wood is subjected to a roasting process that takes place at elevated temperature. According to a presentation by J. P. Bourgeois and Jacqueline Douat entitled "Torrefied wood from temperate and tropical species, advantages and prospects" and held in Göteborg, Sweden at "Bioenergy 84" 15-21 Jun. 1984, torrefaction is performed in a temperature range of 180° C.-400° C. Torrefaction can also be understood as "thermo condensation", U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,572, which is here defined as isothermal treatment of lignocellulose materials to eliminate water and carbon oxides by chemical reactions.
The practical torrefaction process typically involves cutting or crushing a lignocellulose material into small pieces which are transported to a roaster where the material is exposed to elevated temperature in an inert atmosphere (oxygen free or low oxygen conditions). The temperature may be in the range of 180° C.-400° C. and typical values lie within a range of 250° C.-280° C. The roaster is a closed compartment which holds the inert gas phase, or a non-oxidizing inert gas may be passed through the roaster. The time used for torrefaction in the roaster depends largely on the temperature. U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,917 suggests that the process may be completed within 10 minutes and that 3-6 minutes may be considered suitable. Another document that discusses torrefaction, U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2008/0022595, suggests that torrefaction is carried out at a temperature in the range of 250°-320° C. and with a residence time in the range of 10 to 40 minutes. During torrefaction, substances such as water vapor, hydrocarbons and carbon oxides leave the lignocellulose material and the residue is a solid product which has high energy content in relation to its mass. This improves the transport economy of the final product, i.e. it becomes cheaper to transport the torrefied product since its energy density is increased. The torrefied product is very friable and can thus easily be ground to particles that can be compacted to further increase the energy density.
Torrefied material has been subjected to elevated temperature during roasting, so it is very hot when it leaves the roaster and it is completely dry or the water content has been reduced to levels that are negligible. It is reactive and may very easily ignite in contact with airborne oxygen when it exits the reactor (the roaster). The torrefied material needs to be cooled to avoid the fire hazard. U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,917 suggests that torrefied material is cooled with a cold and non-oxidizing gas. The use of air would be inappropriate since it contains oxygen. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,572 suggests that methods that are known per se may be used to control the atmosphere during the cooling process. The document mentions as an example the spraying of a small amount of water on the hot material to create a steam atmosphere and to increase the heat transfer rate at cooling, i.e. evaporative cooling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,572 further suggests that the material should not be contacted with an oxidizing medium until it has cooled below 200° C. Applying cooling water sprays on a bed of torrefied material is problematic since it may lead to an uneven cooling. Parts of the torrefied material bed may become sufficiently cooled while other parts remain at a temperature level which is dangerous when the material is later exposed to air. Adding more spray water will entail the disadvantage that some parts of the torrefied material receive too much water and becomes soaked. High moisture of the torrefied product must be avoided since it decreases the net heating value of the product. It is possible to even out the temperature differences in a bed of torrefied material by mixing it with a suitable device.
In this context, it is to be noted that torrefied material has a low thermal conductivity. The result is that the internal part of each individual particle in the bed of torrefied material is hotter than the surface of it. The bigger the particle, the hotter are the internal parts of the particles. The conclusion must be that cooling of a torrefied wood piece is a relatively slow process and that there is a risk that material pieces leave the cooling step with un-sufficiently cooled internal parts. There is a risk of exothermic reactions and fire when such a particle is penetrated by air.
It is desirable to compact the torrefied material to increase the density (e.g. combustible fuel pellets with high density) for reduction of the product volume at transportation and storage. The compaction machines typically need a feed temperature up to 100° C. in order to ensure a good pellet quality. The temperature of the torrefied material is typically around 250° C. when it exits the roaster. Such hot feed material will result in overheating of lubricants for bearings and rolls which results in wear and mechanical damage of the pelletizing machine. It is necessary to cool the torrefied product prior to pelletizing for protection of machinery. Reheating of torrefied material which is cooled to a very low temperature (much below 100° C.) prior to pelletizing will cause additional operation costs. The flow of cooling water should be controlled accurately from this point of view. Even when the quantity of water is very carefully selected, it may still be the case that parts of the torrefied material become soaked while other parts do not get sufficient cooling.
The biomass feed to torrefaction can be crushed or chipped forest residue. The particle size distribution of such feed is not directly suitable for a pelletizing process. Typical industrial pellets are made with dies having 6 or 8 mm holes through which the biomass is pressed to form pellets. The average particle size suitable for pelletizing should be below 3 mm (˜⅛ inch), so it is necessary to grind the torrefied material in a mill prior to pelletizing it to fuel pellets.
The materials handling (conveying) from the roaster to a mill entails several problems since the hot torrefied material is dusty and highly reactive (i.e. flammable, possibly even explosive under certain circumstances). It is important to prevent leakage of air to the material in any transporting solution from the roasting to the mill, even when the torrefied material has undergone a cooling procedure because the cooling may have failed to cool all parts of the torrefied material to a safe level. In principle, the conveying system and the mill can be made inert by means of steam or nitrogen for example. However, in practice it is difficult to make the system perfectly sealed and any frictional heat by moving parts increases fire hazard.
One objective of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and an arrangement that achieves a uniform cooling through the entire volume of the torrefied material before it is exposed to an oxygen containing environment.
Another objective of the invention is to ensure safe grinding conditions of torrefied material to particles with a correct temperature and size for pelletizing purposes.
A third objective of the invention is to provide a method and arrangement which permits safe torrefied material handling (conveying) from grinding to pelletizing.
These and other objectives of the invention are achieved by the present invention as will be explained in the following.

Method and arrangement for torrefaction with controlled addition of cooling liquid to the torrefied material


A touch array substrate and a touch display panel are provided, including a base substrate, a TFT layer, a flat layer, a metal wiring layer, an insulating layer, a bottom transparent electrode, a passivation layer and a top transparent electrode. The metal wiring layer includes a touch signal line, a dummy wiring and a connection wiring connecting the touch signal line and the dummy wiring. The critical dimension of the connection wiring is smaller than the critical dimensions of the touch signal line and the dummy wiring, or a portion of the connection wiring close to the first via is bent away from the first via, to enlarge the distance between the connection wiring and the first via. The connection wiring is prevented from falling into the first via and contacting the TFT layer, and the top transparent electrode and the bottom transparent electrode are prevented from being directly short-circuited.

Thin Film Transistor (TFT) is the main driving component in current Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode (AMOLED) devices. It is directly related to the display performance of the flat panel display device.
Most of the liquid crystal displays on the market are backlight type liquid crystal displays, which include liquid crystal display panels and backlight modules. The working principle of the liquid crystal display panel is to fill liquid crystal molecules between a Thin Film Transistor Array Substrate (TFT Array Substrate) and a Color Filter (CF) substrate, and to apply pixel voltage and common voltage respectively on the two substrates. The rotation direction of the liquid crystal molecules is controlled by an electric field formed between the pixel voltage and the common voltage to transmit the light of the backlight module to generate a picture.
According to different structures, the touch display panels can be divided into: the touch circuit covering on the liquid crystal cell (On Cell), the touch circuit embedded in the liquid crystal cell (In Cell), and the external type. The embedded touch display panel has the advantages of lower cost and thinner thickness, and is favored by major panel manufacturers, so that it has evolved into the main development direction of the future touch technology. Referring to FIG. 1, it is a schematic cross-sectional view of a current in-cell touch array substrate. Mostly at present, the In-Cell Touch uses a bottom transparent electrode (BITO) as a touch signal electrode, a top transparent electrode (TITO) as a pixel electrode, and a separate metal (Metal) line as a touch (Touch) signal line. The touch signal lines are mostly made of independent metal wiring layers (M3).
In order to ensure the critical dimension (CD) uniformity of the display (AA) area (M3), M3 needs to be evenly distributed in the AA area, and the M3 includes a touch signal line and dummy (Dummy) wiring, the dummy wiring being in a floating state and longitudinally running through the entire AA area. In order to avoid static electricity accumulation in the dummy wiring, the dummy wiring should be in contact with BITO. But, some of the dummy wiring is just in the BITO longitudinal free position (i.e., there is no BITO above the dummy wiring), so the dummy wiring cannot pass through the via of the insulating layer to contact with the BITO. In the prior art, it is by the dummy wiring in short-circuited contact with the adjacent touch signal line (the touch signal line can be in contact with the BITO through the via of the insulating layer) to avoid the dummy-wiring floating. However, the connection wiring for the short-circuited connection is very close to the via of the flat layer (PLN) under the insulating layer due to the limited position. When the M3 key size is too large or the overlay mark for accurate measuring is slightly offset, the connection wiring is likely to fall into the via of the PLN and so the M3 and the second metal layer (M2) are short-circuited. Since M3 is connected to BITO and M2 is connected to TITO, that is, BITO and TITO are directly short-circuited, this situation results in the poor touch control on the display panel.

Touch array substrate and touch display panel

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