An additive and method of use for treating flue gas of a coke-fired cupola following removal of the blast air during shutdown to adjust the charge and reduce acid buildup in the condensate and corrosion in downstream equipment by injecting into the flue gas a finely divided spray comprising an additive containing a volatile amine mixed with an antistatic agent that creates a positive static charge in the additive, and elevates the pH of the condensate by reducing the formation of sulfuric acid from entrained sulfur-containing compounds.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the treatment and neutralization of corrosive compounds and acid buildup in the flue gas and flue gas condensate of coke-fired industrial heating devices during shutdown, and more particularly, in the flue gas ductwork, piping, and downstream heat exchangers of a coke-fired foundry cupola of the type used in making pig iron or ductile iron from scrap iron.
2. Description of Related Art
Coke is used as the primary heating source for the melting of scrap iron in a foundry cupola. Because of the sulfur content in coke, sulfurous compounds are formed during combustion and exit the cupola in the flue gas. Water vapor created as a byproduct of combustion is also present. As long as the flue gas temperature stays above the dew point of water, the water will not react with sulfur dust entrained in the flue gas. However, many such cupolas are not run continuously, and during the shutdown phase of cupola operation, after the blast air is removed from the tuyeres, a fine water mist is sprayed into the flue gas stream to provide additional cooling. When the flue gas falls below 300° F., all wind to the unit is stopped. At that time, the cap to the combustion chamber is opened to the atmosphere. This action is done to prevent carbon monoxide and other objectionable fumes from building up in the plant. As the heat and fumes escape to the atmosphere, a venturi effect causes the air stream downstream of the combustion chamber to reverse. Air starts to flow in the opposite direction as opposed to the normal operational air flow. Moisture-laden atmospheric air is drawn into the system from the bag house. As the flue gas duct work cools, the dew point is reached. The resultant condensate combines with the entrained sulfurous compounds to produce sulfuric acid, which is highly corrosive to ductwork, piping and downstream heat exchange equipment. The associated repair and replacement costs for corroded downstream equipment have made it highly desirable to reduce such corrosion.
The use of morpholine or morpholine derivatives, sometimes in combination with amine alcohols, in steam lines and, more generally, as an acid neutralizer and or pH buffer in other applications including, for example, pipelines and processing equipment for petroleum fluids, is known. Prior patents and some published pending patent applications disclosing the use of such compounds, often in combination with other compositional components, are disclosed below: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,216,710; 6,986,358; 6,861,032; 5,916,483; 5,411,670; 5,366,643; 4,719,036; 4,120,654; 4,026,946; and 2,745,809. United States Publication Nos. 20070001150; 20050263739; 20050250666;and 20030199397. Some of the references disclose compositions useful as corrosion inhibitors that contain various amines and also contain quaternary ammonium chloride, often in combination with other compounds.


A gardening tool includes a shaft having a first end and a second end. A ground working instrument is positioned at the second end of the shaft. A generally T-shaped bifurcated handle is positioned at the first end of the shaft. The handle has two co-planar branches with extremities which are adapted for gripping to facilitate two handed use. The handle is sloped at an angle relative to the shaft. The handle has a recessed crotch portion where the branches meet the shaft. The crotch portion is adapted for gripping to facilitate one handed use.

A variety of tool handles have been proposed for use with ground working tools used by gardeners, which purport to provide advantages either in term of ground working efficiency or ergonomics. Some tools, such as disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 180,018 (Greiner 1957) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,013 (Yonkers 1990), are intended for one handed use. Other tools, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,582 (Reisner 1979), U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,427 (Nisenbaum 1989), U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,343 (Nisenbaum 1991), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,144 (Nisenbaum 1992), are intended for two handed use.


Embodiments relate to making predictions for values or states to follow multiple time steps after receiving a certain input data in a spatial and temporal memory system. During a training stage, relationships between states of the spatial and temporal memory system at certain times and spatial patterns of the input data detected a plurality of time steps later after the certain time steps are established. Using the established relationships, the spatial and temporal memory system can make predictions multiple time steps into the future based on the input data received at a current time.

1. Field of the Disclosure
Embodiments relate to making predictions using spatial patterns and temporal sequences learned by a spatial and temporal memory system, and more specifically to making predictions for values, states or distribution of values to follow multiple time steps after a current time using the spatial and temporal memory system.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Predictive analytics refers to a variety of techniques for modeling and data mining current and past data sets to make predictions. Predictive analytics allows for the generation of predictive models by identifying patterns in the data sets. Generally, the predictive models establish relationships or correlations between various data fields in the data sets. Using the predictive models, a user can predict the outcome or characteristics of a transaction or event based on available data. For example, predictive models for credit scoring in financial services factor in a customer's credit history and data to predict the likeliness that the customer will default on a loan.
Commercially available products for predictive analytics include products from IBM SSPS, KXEN, FICO, TIBCO, Portrait, Angoss, and Predixion Software, just to name a few. These software products use one or more statistical techniques such as regression models, discrete choice models, time series models and other machine learning techniques to generate useful predictive models. These software products generate different predictive models having different accuracies and characteristics depending on, among others, the amount of training data and available resources.
Each of these software products has different capabilities and requirements. Most of these software products involve an extensive amount of user configuration to product predictive models that is suitable for use. Such user configuration involves much time and experience on the part of users. In order to implement some advanced features, various complicated user operations and configurations are typically needed.

Performing multistep prediction using spatial and temporal memory system


There is provided an optical amplifier comprising a Raman amplifying section, a rare earth element doped fiber amplifying section to be disposed in the case where the number of operating channels exceeds the number of allowable channels A, and a control section. And the control section controls the wavelength of pumping light of the Raman amplifying section such that the signal light of the entire band is able to be amplified, in the case where the number of operating channels is equal to that of allowable channels A or less, and whereas the control section controls the wavelength of pumping light of the Raman amplifying section such that the signal light of the band located out of the amplifying band of the rare earth element doped fiber amplifier is able to be amplified, in the case where the number of operating channels becomes greater than the number of allowable channels A.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical amplifier used for an optical fiber transmission system and an optical signal processing system at various optical communication systems, in particular, suitably used for amplifying wavelength multiplexed light, and a controlling method for a Raman amplifier.
(2) Description of the Related Art
At present, as an optical amplifier for amplifying wavelength-multiplexed light, a rare earth element doped fiber amplifier is in general use. In particular, an erbium doped fiber amplifier (referred to as EDFA hereinafter) for C band whose amplifying band is 1530 to 1560 nm and an EDFA for L band whose amplifying band is 1570 to 1610 nm are well known for the fact that they exhibit excellent amplifying characteristics such as high pumping efficiency and low noise characteristic.
On the other hand, one of the problems to be solved for increasing the transmission capacity at a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system is the expansion of band of the optical amplifier.
In order to expand the band, as shown in FIG. 11(a), two EDFAs mentioned above are connected in parallel by using an optical multiplexer and de-multiplexer (CL multiplexer, CL de-multiplexer) called a CL coupler.
In this regard, as shown in FIG. 11(b), an optical amplifier having an amplifying band of 1530 to 1610 nm has already been proposed and has been put to practical use as a commercial product.
However, there are three problems at this optical amplifier in which two EDFAs are connected in parallel by using the CL coupler. The first problem (1) is the deterioration of noise characteristic (noise factor) caused by inserting the CL coupler. The second problem (2) is the high cost caused by using two kinds of optical amplifiers being the EDFA for C band and the EDFA for L band. The third problem (3) is the high cost caused at the time when the number of operating channels is small, for example, at the initial installation stage.
To cope with the problems (1), (2) among those problems, expanding the amplifying band by one optical amplifier has been studied. It has been proposed that, for example, at the Raman amplifier in which an arbitrary amplifying band and an arbitrary amplifying bandwidth can be set, the bandwidth is expanded by multiplexing plural pumping wavelengths; the bandwidth is expanded by using a hybrid amplifier, combining an EDFA being well-established, in spite of being limited somewhat in the bandwidth, with a Raman amplifier, so as to constitute a hybrid amplifier (for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 11-84440); the bandwidth is expanded by using an EDF (erbium doped fiber) being multi-component glass.
However, expanding the bandwidth by using the multi-component glass poses several problems from the viewpoint of the reliability and the high non-linearity of the EDF. Therefore, in order to realize the expansion of the bandwidth, the Raman amplifier becomes a key amplifier.
In connection with the expansion of the bandwidth by using the Raman amplifier, the possibility of amplifying 200 nm bandwidth has been reported (refer to Toshiki Tanaka et al. "200-nm Bandwidth WDM Transmission around 1.55 μm using Distributed Raman Amplifier", 28th European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) 2002, Post-Deadline Papers, Post-deadline session 4:PD4.6). However, the Raman amplifier has lower pumping efficiency than the rare earth element doped fiber amplifier. Therefore, at the Raman amplifier, larger pumping light power is required and the cost becomes high.

Optical amplifier and controlling method for Raman amplifier


Proposed is a method for determining, by a movable robot, a position of a speaker, wherein the movable robot includes first to fourth microphones installed at four vertexes of a quadrangle of a horizontal cross section of the robot respectively, wherein the method includes: receiving a wake-up voice through first and third microphones disposed respectively at first and third vertices in a diagonal direction; obtaining a first reference value of the first microphone and a second reference value of the third microphone based on the received wake-up voice; comparing the obtained first and second reference values to select the first microphone; selecting a second microphone disposed at a second vertex, wherein the first and second microphones are on a front side of the quadrangle; calculating a sound source localization (SSL) value based on the selected first and second microphones; and tracking a position of the speaker based on the SSL value.

In recent years, a movable robot has been introduced and used in order to more effectively provide various services to users in public places such as airports. Users may use various services such as airport guidance service, boarding information guidance service, and other multimedia contents provision service via the robot arranged at the airport.
Generally, the robot placed at an airport recognizes a wake-up voice and operates. In the airport, many people come and go. Thus, there is a problem that it is not easy for the robot to identify a speaker who utters the wake up voice thereto.
Furthermore, when the robot is small, a voice of the speaker may be directly transmitted to a microphone installed in the robot. Thus, it may be easy for the robot to locate the speaker. However, because the voice of the speaker may not be directly transmitted to a tall robot, it is difficult for the tall robot to find the position of the speaker.
More specifically, a commonly used method for locating a speaker by a robot is GCC (Generalized Cross Correlation) algorithm. FIG. 1 is a diagram for illustrating a concept of the GCC algorithm. When it is assumed that a first microphone mic1 and a second microphone mic2 are in the same line, the first microphone and the second microphone are separated by a first distance d, and, thus, a distance between the second microphone and a speaker is larger by λ than a distance between the first microphone and the speaker (sound source). In this connection, when assuming that a position of the speaker is inclined by a first angle θ with respect to a normal line perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first microphone mic 1 and the second microphone mic 2, the angle θ may be obtained based on a trigonometric function, and, thus, a direction of the speaker can be traced.
In this connection, such a GCC algorithm uses TDOA (time difference of arrival) for voices arriving at the two microphones to estimate the direction of the speaker.
Therefore, in order to track the position of the speaker according to the GCC algorithm, this approach requires two microphones to receive the voice as a sample. Therefore, if the voice is not received properly by one of the two microphones, it may be virtually impossible to estimate the direction of the speaker.
In one example, this problem is outstanding as the robot is bigger. The robot may include at least two microphones, one being disposed at a front thereof and the other being disposed at a back thereof.
However, when the speaker speaks a wake-up voice in front of the robot, the microphone installed at the rear of the robot may not receive the voice while the robot body blocks the voice. Alternatively, the microphone installed in the back of the microphone has degradation in the voice receiving quality not to be able to calculate the GCC value. As a result, the position of the speaker cannot be estimated because the direction of the speaker is not known.

Movable robot and method for tracking position of speaker by movable robot


Provided are a method and an apparatus for processing audio data in a sound field. The method includes: acquiring the audio data in the sound field; processing the audio data through a preset restoration algorithm to extract audio data information about the sound field carried by the audio data; acquiring motion information about a target, and generating, through a preset processing algorithm, target-based sound field audio data based on the audio data information and the motion information about the target.

With a continuous development of science and technology, the virtual reality technology is gradually applied to lives of users. The virtual reality means creating a virtual three dimensional (3D) world through computer simulation to provide a user with sensory experience of sight, hearing and touch, so that the user may observe an object in the 3D space timely without any restriction.
In the related virtual reality technology, the virtual reality of sound (to create a surround stereophonic effect) is generally implemented via a multi-channel stereo audio equipment or a multi-channel stereophone. However, most surround stereophonic effect substantially is an effect in the two dimensional (2D) level. That is, through this effect, it can only roughly simulate whether a sound source is on the left side or the right side of the user, or whether the sound source is far away from or near the user. As a result, in a process of scene simulation, the sound only has a simple auxiliary effect and cannot satisfy requirements of the user for obtaining "immersive" experience in the current scene.
Therefore, the current virtual reality technology of the sound has poor reliability and user experience needs to be improved.

Method and apparatus for processing audio data in sound field

SHENZHEN SKYWORTH-RGB ELECTRONIC CO., LTD.


A rotating joint for pressure hoses has a plug-in part (1) with a hollow pin (4) that projects into and is sealed against a receiving part (2). The rotating joint also has a rolling bearing, in particular a ball bearing, that has an outer race joined to the receiving part (2) and a inner race joined to the plug-in part (1), as well as two coaxially-arranged elastically biased angular ball bearings (K1 and K2). The angular ball bearings are biased by a thrust collar (21) under pressure, which is slipped onto the hollow pin (4) coaxially to the receiving part (2).

When a hose is connected to a pipe, the problem of the hose twisting during use occurs and the turns remain in the hose jacket. Conventional hose joints, such as are known for example from DE 14 25 564, TAFELMAIER do not let the hose untwist itself by rotation of the joint. With such joints a spout is placed on the hose which in turn is inserted as a plug-in part into a receiving part. The plug-in part and the receiving part are often joined with a quick interlock which contains a locking device in the form of balls. Because of the ball configuration it is possible to rotate the hose in the joint when considerable force is used.
A simple hose, for example a water hose whose jacket is made of a flexible material, is not particularly sensitive to turns in the jacket. However hoses through which highly pressurized media flow are often surrounded by a metal hose. Turns in such pressure hoses can easily lead to the destruction of the jacket. It is therefore especially indicated to connect pressure hoses to pipes by means of joints that are able to rotate.
A simple form of rotating hose screw connection for pressure hoses is known from DE OS 27 11 584, RUMP,. The spout is for example provided with a guide nose which is able to rotate inside a threaded lug to prevent transmitting the rotation movements of a connected hand tool to the hose. In that case the guide nose is sealed with an O-ring. This form of rotating hose screw connection can only withstand high pressure under certain conditions and is therefore not suitable for this use. In addition, the friction-type bearing of the rotating connection fails when the individual components expand differently due to hot media flowing through them, because the friction in the bearing increases.
A rotating connection for fluid pipe lines with a locally stationary and a connected part which rotates or swivels around it is known from DE-OS 14 75 684, PILOT, wherein a rolling bearing provides low friction rotation between the parts. This rotating connection is particularly suited for supplying pressurized lubricating liquids to rapidly rotating shafts. To ensure a safe rotation, the rotating shaft passes through a double-row angular contact ball bearing and an opening. The installation of the individual components and their precise orientation is very costly. Since the hollow pin of the connecting part is relatively long and has a small diameter, it is difficult to carry off heat when hot media, particularly steam, pass through it. The components expand to different degrees and jam. This rotating connection is therefore not suitable for safely joining steam pressure hoses.

Rotatable ball-bearing joint for pressure hose


In an internal combustion engine having a compression ratio varying mechanism, in response to detection of the occurrence of any failure or trouble in the compression ratio varying mechanism, the control technique of the invention restricts execution of a specific control, which has adverse effects on stable combustion of the air-fuel mixture. The specific control having adverse effects on the stable combustion of the air-fuel mixture includes warm-up ignition delay control, lean burn control, and EGR control. This arrangement ensures table combustion of the air-fuel mixture, even when the compression ratio varying mechanism is locked in at a low compression ratio. The technique of the invention thus enables the internal combustion engine to be driven stably, even in the case of the occurrence of any failure or trouble in the compression ratio varying mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of varying a compression ratio in an internal combustion engine. More specifically the invention pertains to a technique of detecting a failure or trouble arising in a compression ratio varying mechanism and controlling an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
The internal combustion engine is advantageously small in size but is capable of outputting relatively large power. Because of these advantages, the internal combustion engine is widely used as the power source of diverse transportation facilities, such as automobiles, ships and boats, and aircraft, and as the power source of various stationary machines and equipment. The internal combustion engine makes a compressed air-fuel mixture subjected to combustion in a combustion chamber, converts the combustion pressure generated through the combustion into mechanical power, and takes out the mechanical power.
A technique of varying the compression ratio of the air-fuel mixture according to the driving conditions of the internal combustion engine has been proposed to improve a conversion efficiency into mechanical power (that is, a thermal efficiency) and increase an maximum output. Setting a low compression ratio ensures a sufficiently high maximum output under the conditions of high loading. Setting a high compression ratio enhances the thermal efficiency under the conditions of medium or low loading. The optimum ignition timing depends upon the compression ratio. The lower compression ratio advances the optimum ignition timing. The general control procedure thus changes the ignition timing with a variation in compression ratio.
One proposed technique fixes the ignition timing to the setting suitable for the high compression ratio, when any failure arises in the course of varying the compression ratio in the internal combustion engine (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 1-35047). The technique of this cited reference fixes the ignition timing to the setting for the high compression ratio, when the compression ratio is locked in at the high compression ratio. The technique prevents the ignition timing from advancing to the setting suitable for the low compression ratio, in the case of a lock-in of the compression ratio, thus lowering the potential for abnormal combustion called knocking.
The above prior art technique lowers the potential for knocking but may not allow the internal combustion engine to be driven stably, when some trouble or failure arises in the course of varying the compression ratio. Even when the compression ratio is locked in at the low compression ratio, this proposed technique fixes the ignition timing to the setting suitable for the high compression ratio. Such fixation is disadvantageous to stable driving of the internal combustion engine. The low compression ratio is undesirable for quick and stable combustion of the air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber. For stable combustion of the air-fuel mixture, the ignition timing is thus to be changed to the adequate setting with a decrease in compression ratio. Diverse controls are carried out in the internal combustion engine with the aim of improving the thermal efficiency or of reducing the emission. Some of such controls have adverse effects on stable combustion. Execution of such controls in the state of a lock-in of the low compression ratio may lower the stability of combustion and prevent the internal combustion engine from being driven stably.

Technique of detecting failure of compression ratio varying mechanism and controlling internal combustion engine


Provided is a drilling tool that includes a tubular body defining a longitudinal axial cavity extending therethrough. The tubular body also defines at least one radial guidance channel extending radially from the axial cavity through the tubular body. A cutter element is disposed in the at least one radial guidance channel and includes an internal surface inclined at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body. The drilling tool also includes a wedge element having an external surface configured to engage the internal surface of the cutter element and to direct the cutter element from a retracted position to an extended position as the wedge element moves from a first position to a second position.

Earth formation drilling is often accomplished using a long string of drilling pipes and tools coupled together. The drilling string is rotated together in order to rotate a cutting bit at the end of the string. This cutting bit creates the hole which the rest of the drilling string moves through. For various reasons, it may be desirable to widen the walls of the hole after it has been created by the cutting bit. Bore-hole underreamers exist to accomplish the widening of the hole. An underreamer may be coupled to the drilling string between two other elements of the drilling string. It may then be sent down hole with the drilling string, rotating with the drilling string, and widening the hole.
Various underreamer designs exist. Some have fixed cutting blades around the periphery of the underreamer and some have expandable blades or arms. Various types and hardness of earth formations also exist. Aggressive blades, extending quickly and/or relatively far beyond the periphery of the underreamer body, may be used in soft formations; and less aggressive blades, extending more slowly and/or a shorter distance beyond the periphery of the underreamer body, may be used in harder formations. Different types of formations may exist down the length of a drilling hole, and it may be desirable to widen the hole through each of these formation types. If the blades or arms with which the underreamer is equipped are not suitable for the types of formations being widened, the underreamer may need to be replaced. This generally involves pulling the drill string up from the hole, disconnecting the underreamer, and connecting an underreamer equipped with blades or arms that are suitable for the formation type. This may require a drilling operator to have several underreamers on hand as well as the tools required to change underreamers. The increased inventory requires a greater capital investment, more storage space, and greater maintenance costs than having a single underreamer.
Over the lifetime of the underreamer the blades or arms of the underreamer may become worn. When the underreamer is no longer able to perform a widening of the drilling hole, it may be withdrawn from the drilling hole and disconnected from the drilling string. A new underreamer may be put in its place, and the worn underreamer may be sent for retooling and refurbishment. Sending the worn underreamer away for retooling and refurbishment may result in costly down time or increased inventory and maintenance costs by requiring a replacement underreamer to be kept available.

Underreaming and stabilizing tool and method for its use


A transmission includes a housing, an electric motor having a stator within the housing, and a member including a generally cylindrical portion that circumscribes at least part of the stator. The member cooperates with the housing to form an annular coolant flowpath therebetween, and the member includes a plurality of holes to provide radial inflow of coolant from the flowpath to the stator to provide significantly improved motor cooling compared to the prior art.

Electrically variable transmissions, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,757, employ two electric motors mounted inside a transmission housing. The electric motors are coaxially oriented with an input shaft, an output shaft, and two planetary gearsets. Each motor is operatively connected to a member of one of the planetary gearsets to provide a range or mode of transmission operation characterized by a continuously variable speed ratio between the input shaft and the output shaft.
The electric motors in electrically variable transmissions must have very precise location, low sensitivity of location to thermal events, and very uniform coolant flow. Thus, manufacturing tolerances for components, such as the housing, that interface with the motors are typically small and, accordingly, limit the manufacturing processes that may be employed.


Embodiments provide a coated apparatus for improved corrosion resistance and associated system and system and method for artificial lift.

The disclosed subject matter provides an apparatus. The apparatus may comprise a coating for improved corrosion resistance. In an underground environment, the apparatus may be provided corrosion resistance via the coating which may comprise zinc, aluminum, lead, iron, copper, and cadmium. Embodiments relate to a coated apparatus, a system, and a system and method for artificial lift and/or natural flow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disclosed subject matter provides an apparatus. The apparatus may have a high corrosion resistance in a high radical concentration underground environment. The apparatus may comprise a first end, a second end, a carbon steel core, and a coating adjacent a portion of the surface of the steel core. The coating may comprise zinc, aluminum, lead, iron, copper, and cadmium.
The disclosure may further provide a system that may comprise a well. The well may comprise a well casing comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface. A well tubing found within the casing may comprise an interior surface and an exterior surface. At least a portion of the exterior surface of the well tubing may comprise a coating comprising zinc, aluminum, lead, iron, copper, and cadmium. At least one sucker rod may extend within said well tubing. The at least one sucker rod may be affixed to a pump jack at the surface of the earth. The at least one sucker rod may comprise a first end, a second end, a carbon steel core, and the coating adjacent a portion of the surface of the core.
The disclosure may further provide a system for artificial lift. The artificial lift may comprise one or more components of the aforementioned system. The artificial lift may comprise a means of removing hydrocarbons from underneath the surface of the earth.
The disclosure may further provide a method for artificial lift. The method may comprise supporting in a well casing a number of components. One component may be a well tubing comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface. In embodiments, at least a portion of the exterior surface of the well tubing may comprise a coating comprising zinc, aluminum, lead, iron, copper, and cadmium. Another component may be at least one sucker rod that may extend within the well tubing. The at least one sucker rod may be affixed to a pump jack at the surface of the earth. The at least one sucker rod may comprise a first end, a second end, a carbon steel core, and the coating of zinc, aluminum, lead, iron, copper, and cadmium adjacent a portion of the surface of the steel core. The method may further comprise powering the pump jack so as to actuate the at least one sucker rod and allow the displacement of underground fluid. In embodiments, throughout one or more steps of the method, the coating on the well tubing and the coating on the sucker rod may protect the sucker rod, the interior surface of the tubing, the exterior surface of the tubing, and the interior surface of the casing from electrochemical corrosion during the displacement of the underground fluid.

Coated apparatus for improved corrosion resistance and associated system and method for artificial lift


An air compressed gun (210) is provided having a stock (211), multiple barrels (212), a trigger (213) and a manual air pump (214). A pressure chamber (216) and release valve (217) is coupled to each barrel which is controlled by the trigger.

Toy guns which shoot or launch projectiles have been very popular for many years. These guns have been designed to launch projectiles in a number of ways. A common method of launching has been by the compression of a spring which propels the projectile upon its decompression or release, as, for example, with BB guns and dart guns. These guns however usually do not generate enough force to launch projectiles with great velocity.
Toy guns have also been designed which use compressed air to launch projectiles such as foam darts. These types of guns use a reciprocating air pump to pressurize air within a pressure tank. In use, a single dart is loaded and the pump is typically reciprocated several times with each firing of the gun. Therefore, the gun must be loaded and pumped with each firing as it is not capable of firing several darts in rapid sequence. The rapid firing of a gun may be desired for those playing a mock war or other type of competition.
Compressed air guns have also been designed having multiple barrels so that more than one projectile may be fired. However, these guns have a pressure tank for each such barrel. Thus, these guns require the pressurization of each pressure tank prior to firing. As such, these guns do not reduce the effort required to fire multiple projectiles. Also, compressed air guns have been designed with magazines for holding multiple projectiles. However, once again the gun is typically pumped between each successive firing.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a toy air gun which may rapidly fire a sequence of projectiles. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.

Johnson Research & Development Company, Inc.


The present invention relates to a device and method for selectively bleaching or dyeing a plurality of locks of hair. The device basically comprises a selector comb for selecting the locks to be treated from a portion of hair, and a container provided with at least one compartment that can internally house at least one liquid or pasty product for dyeing or bleaching. The selector comb is partially introduced inside the container and is movable inside and along same, being coupled thereto such that in an operating position of the device, the movement of the comb takes place, causing the gradual introduction of an increasingly longer portion of the locks selected by the comb inside the container at the same time as the gradual opening and communication of the inside of the compartment with the portion of the locks introduced therein, said portion being exposed to the liquid or pasty product.

Applying highlights in hair is one of the most common hairstyling salon practices when one wants to liven up or enhance one's hair, emphasizing a certain color with respect to another to make it more interesting and attractive. It basically consists of applying bleach or dye directly to the hair distributed in locks spread out in the desired region to give the desired enhancement or color.
It is generally appropriate to dye or bleach only the locks of hair on the outermost layer which are the ones that are seen. Nevertheless, the liquid dye or bleach tends to penetrate all the hair, so it is not uncommon for it to reach the underlying hair that is not meant to be treated.
Therefore, even though this practice may in principle seem simple, professional hairstylists and others who have tried to give someone else or themselves highlights admit that it is necessary to be extremely familiar with the technique in order to obtain a truly professional result.
The three most well-known techniques for applying hair highlights are: comb-in highlights, cap highlights and foil highlights. The choice of one technique or another depends on the desired highlight thickness, highlight distribution and hair length, and each one has its own advantages and drawbacks.
Comb-in highlights are used for very fine and superficial highlights. To that end, dye or highlighting liquid is usually applied to the tip of a comb that is subsequently passed through several locks, one at a time, and time is given to the liquid to act before the hair is washed again. With this method it is not feasible to make too many highlights because when the individual locks are covered with liquid, it is easy for part of that liquid to be transferred to portions of adjacent hair that one does not want to dye or bleach.
To facilitate the task of applying comb-in highlights, several tools have emerged, such as that disclosed in utility model ES103272-U, which describes a device for distributing dye and a tool combined for applying highlights in the hair, which a hairstylist forms by making locks of hair according to different layers. The device comprises a body for distributing dye and a tool combined with the first for applying highlights.
Another example of a device is the one disclosed in patent ES2171914-T3, consisting of a comb comprising a rod from one of the sides of which there extends a plurality of parallel prongs, wherein the rod is hollow and communicated with a reservoir for a viscous liquid to be applied to the hair, and fluid-containing little wells which are laterally open on only one side, each one in the junction between two prongs. Each fluid-containing little well is defined by a hole in the rod to which fluid is supplied from the rod of the comb. The prongs of the comb are separated to provide a plurality of wider spacings at their distal ends and narrower spacings at their root ends, the wider spacings being able to receive the locks to be treated, each narrower spacing communicating with a fluid-containing little well.
In the cap highlights, the hair is usually brushed from front to back before placing a plastic cap provided with a series of small holes uniformly distributed all over its surface and the cap is tied under the chin to fix it to the head. The hairstylist introduces a crochet needle through each hole to hook a lock of hair and pull it out through the hole. The highlights will be more or less chunky depending on the amount of hair that is hooked. The locks of hair pulled out in this manner and isolated from the rest of the hair remaining under the cap are then subjected to treatment with bleach or dye, and the product is left to act so that the color change effect takes place. After a suitable period of time, according to the desired highlight tonality, the cap is taken off and the entire head is washed to remove the bleach. The bleaching or lightening, whichever is appropriate, is completed by adding a pigment.
Since in this technique the hair must first be brushed from front to back, there is a considerable amount of hair under the cap that keeps the cap separated from the scalp and makes it difficult for the treatment to reach the hair roots, there being several millimeters that go untreated and therefore given an unkempt result. On the other hand, the hair underlying the hair that is on top can be from a different area of the head, and added to the fact that the hairstylist cannot see through the cap, it is difficult to control exactly what part of the hair is being subjected to treatment. Another drawback to be taken into account is that vast experience and care are required for introducing the crochet needle without hurting the scalp, and in the regions surrounding the ears, which are also are covered by the cap and hidden from the view of the hairstylist, in addition to the discomfort and even certain pain caused in the person when the cap is removed after the treatment time has elapsed.
The foil technique consists of maintaining a strip of aluminum foil under the hair to be subjected to treatment. Firstly, a portion of hair to be treated or dyed is separated from the rest and combed, and it is worked by known techniques, for example successively moving a crochet needle or a tool with a fine and elongated end up and down for the purpose of selecting the fine locks left above the passage of the needle and these will be the locks that are subjected to treatment. The plurality of fine locks selected from the chosen portion is tensed with one hand, and a strip of aluminum foil is held thereunder against the scalp, making sure that the edge of the strip is as close as possible to the roots of the selected locks. Then the bleach, dye or other product suitable for changing hair color is applied with a brush to the plurality of locks isolated in this manner and placed on the strip of foil. After that, the free lower end of the strip of aluminum foil is folded or rolled towards the head until it is separated from the next portion of hair that has to be subjected to treatment. The sides of the strip are also folded inwards to form a wrapper or packet completely enclosing the locks subjected to treatment, leaving them like that for the necessary time, and the wrapper is removed after that.
Placing and keeping the strip of foil or wrapper in its place both while applying the bleaching or dyeing agent during the process of action of said agent is not easy and is extremely tedious. Any movement of the head of the person being subjected to treatment or any carelessness on the part of the hairstylist can lead to splashes or the formation of dotting or bleaching in unwanted regions. Furthermore, it is not simple when the person with the many wrappers in his/her head is placed under a dryer to accelerate the bleaching process because any movement can make one or some of the wrappers slide out of their position and ruin the desired effect. Another drawback is that since the locks are wrapped in foil, the hairstylist has to partially undo the wrapper to check the degree of bleaching acquired during the wait time. As indicated, the process is long and tedious and uniformity of all the highlights is not assured because the hairstylist is usually more tired with the last applications and will most likely unwittingly vary the thickness of the highlights when working the hair prior to applying the product.
It would therefore be desirable to have a device that allowed applying highlights in hair in a simple and quick manner, achieving a satisfactory result regardless of the hairstylist's skill.

Device and method for selectively bleaching or dyeing a plurality of locks of hair


A vehicle input apparatus includes a display screen that displays a cursor that indicates an operation item with respect to a predetermined operation object, an input device that outputs signals according to a sliding operation using the fingers of an operator on an operation surface, and a display control portion that controls movement of the cursor on the display screen according to the signals that are output from the input device. The display screen includes a plurality of display areas that are divided according to the number of the plurality of operation surfaces, and each of the plurality of operation surfaces is associated with a separate display area, and an operation range is set on the display screen so that the cursor can only be moved within the range of the respective associated separate display area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle input apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, for example, on-vehicle equipment is disclosed in which a sliding operation using the fingertip of a driver is performed on a touch pad (slide pad) disposed on a steering wheel in a state where a plurality of menu items are displayed on a monitor, and according to this, a cursor is moved with respect to the plurality of menu items and a desired menu item can be selected (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H11-105646).
However, in the on-vehicle equipment according to the related art, a touch pad is disposed at the center portion of a steering wheel, and thereby, an operation range (area) of an operation surface is widely secured. However, it is necessary for a driver to remove one hand from the steering wheel at the time of a sliding operation, and there is a problem in that the operability is deteriorated.
In order to solve such a problem, for example, in the related art, an input apparatus in which a touch pad is disposed on a spoke portion of a steering wheel is disclosed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2009-298285).
However, in an input apparatus according to the related art, due to the shape of a steering wheel or other switches that are present in the periphery of the spoke portion, there is a problem in that it is difficult to sufficiently secure the area of the operation surface of the touch pad.


A flexible, two headed flashlight arrangement has a bendable elongated shaft with opposite ends, the shaft having a thin diameter of selected length and being bendable into any selected shape and a separate self-powered flashlight assembly fixed to each end of the shaft. Each flashlight assembly comprising a housing containing an LED circuit with at least one LED, a switch having open and closed positions for respectively interrupting and passing electricity to the LED, and at least one battery for powering the LED when the switch is closed.

The present invention relates generally to the field of flashlights, and in particular, to a new and useful, flexible, two headed flashlight arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,746,918 to Rubino discloses a telescopic flashlight that includes an adjustable mirror with flashlight section at one end of a flexible, bendable member, and a battery housing at the opposite. U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,295 to Shih discloses as similar item but without a mirror.
A flashlight arrangement with two light sources at opposite ends of a flexible member known as the HUGLight can be viewed at URL: http://showertek.com/collections/mirror-lights-more/products/huglight. The HUGLight uses an enlarged battery compartment at an intermediate location along the length of the flexible member.
Another flashlight product called the 24-LED Twist Light Flexible Flashlight/Lantern Work Repair Safety HB is available at: http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=24%20LED%20Twist%20Light%20Flexible%20Flashlight%20Lantern%20Work%20Repair%20Safety%20HB%20Smith%20Tools&_itemId=201245330449. This product has two lights at opposite ends of a flexible member, but the flexible member is a large diameter, corrugated structure that is difficult to wrap around other structures and even less amenable to being wrapped around the hand or arm of a user.
A need remains for an improved flexible flashlight arrangement with two self-powered light emitting ends and a thin, elongated, easily bend-to-shape flexible member between them.


The present invention relates to a bidirectional breakover component including a lightly-doped N-type substrate, an upper P-type region extending over practically the entire upper surface of the component except its circumference, a lower P-type uniform layer on the lower surface side of the component, substantially complementary N-type regions respectively formed in the upper region and in the lower layer, a peripheral P-type well, an overdoped P-type region at the upper surface of the well, and lightly-doped N-type regions between the circumference of the upper region and the well.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to breakover protection components, currently called Shockley diodes or gateless thyristors, of bidirectional type.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The diagram of a bidirectional Shockley diode appears in FIG. 1. A first Shockley diode S1 and a second Shockley diode S2 are connected in antiparallel between terminals A1 and A2.
FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a semiconductor component conventionally constituting a bidirectional Shockley diode.
The component is constructed on a very lightly-doped N-type substrate 1 and includes on its upper and lower surface sides P-type regions 3 and 4 occupying the major part of the component surface. Each of regions 3 and 4 contains, in a substantially complementary way, an N-type region, respectively 6 and 7. Substantially facing each of regions 6 and 7, at the interface between the respective P region and the substrate, are disposed lightly-doped N-type regions 8 and 9. The upper and lower circumferences of the substrate are surrounded with a highly-doped N-type ring, respectively 11 and 12. The circumferences of the upper and lower surfaces are coated with insulating layers, currently in silicon oxide, respectively 14 and 15. An upper metallization M1 corresponding to electrode A1 covers regions 3 and 6 and a lower metallization M2 covers regions 4 and 7. These metallizations stop on the peripheral oxide layer, respectively 14, 15.
A first vertical Shockley diode, the anode of which corresponds to the upper surface, includes regions 3-1-9-4-7. A second Shockley diode, the cathode of which corresponds to the upper surface, includes regions 6-3-8-1-4. For each of these diodes, the interface (3-8; 4-9) between the internal P-type region and the corresponding lightly-doped N-type region determines the breakdown voltage.
Generally, the lower surface of the component is intended to be mounted by brazing on a base plate forming a thermal distributor. In the case of the component shown in FIG. 2, this base plate 20 must exhibit a surface smaller than the surface of the component and of lower surface metallization M2. Indeed, when the component is mounted on this plate by a brazing layer 21, the brazing tends to overflow laterally to form pads 22. Should metallization M2 extend on the entire lower surface of the component and plate 20 be wider than the component, the brazing pad would overflow on the lateral surface of the component and short-circuit regions 4 and 7 with substrate 1. The function of the component would no longer be ensured, or would be very degraded.
Thus, a tendency of actual technology, for simplifying the assembly, is to implement so-called well components, that is, components having on their entire circumference a region of the same type of doping as one of the lower surface layers. Thus, a short circuit between the lower surface and the lateral surface no longer hinders the operation of the component.
The transformation of the component of FIG. 2 into a well component is illustrated in FIG. 3. Well 31 is formed by P-type drive-ins extending from lower and upper surfaces and joining lower surface P-type region 4. It should be noted that, in this case, the transition from the simple structure of FIG. 2 to the well structure of FIG. 3 is relatively direct. In particular, the disposition of regions 8 and 9 determining the breakdown voltages of the component is not altered.
As shown in FIG. 3, the component can be mounted on a thermal distributor plate 33 which is wider than the component and a possible brazing pad 35 will not affect the operation of the component since it joins a region of the same type of doping as the useful regions which are desired to be connected by lower surface metallization M2.
FIG. 4 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of another embodiment according to the prior art of a double Shockley diode. The component is again formed based on a substrate 1, including upper and lower P-type regions 3 and 4 wherein are formed upper and lower N-type regions 6 and 7. Lightly-doped N-type regions 8 and 9 at the interface between the P-type regions and the substrate are replaced with lightly-doped N-type lateral regions 41 and 42. This disposition enables reaching of a breakdown voltage lower than that of FIG. 2. Indeed, the breakdown voltage depends on the doping gradient at the junction likely to break down. In the case of FIG. 2, the bottom of a P diffusion, that is, a relatively lightly-doped region is located at this junction. Conversely, in the case of FIG. 4, the upper part of the P diffusion (3 or 4) is in contact with N.sup.- region 41 or 42. As a result, lower breakdown voltages can be obtained, which is desired for some applications.
However, the component of FIG. 4 has the same assembling disadvantages as that shown in FIG. 2.

Surface breakdown bidirectional breakover protection component


Disclosed is a centrifugal type clutch brake device in which a ring-like drive disc is caused to move vertically in synchronism with the engagement/disengagement of a centrifugal clutch to thereby engage/disengage the brake, thus attaining a simplification in structure. In the centrifugal type clutch brake device of the present invention, the ring-like drive disc (11) is connected to the lower portion of a centrifugal clutch housing (21) of a centrifugal clutch (22) through the intermediation of a moving device (30), and the brake is engaged/disengaged in synchronism with engagement/disengagement of the centrifugal clutch (22).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal type clutch brake device, and more specifically to a novel, improved centrifugal type clutch brake device having a substantially more simplified structure in which a moving means consisting of a screw, pin or the like is provided between a centrifugal clutch housing and a ring-like drive disc of a centrifugal clutch and in which, after the centrifugal clutch is disengaged, the ring-like drive disc is moved axially upwards to effect braking.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 6 and 7 schematically show how a conventionally used clutch brake device of the type described above is formed according to an existing technique, with the titles of the relevant documents not being disclosed.
In FIGS. 6 and 7, numeral 1 indicates a rotation shaft provided on the side of a driving means 2, such as an engine, and on the upper portion of the rotation shaft 1, there is provided an actuator plate 4 through the intermediation of a first bearing 3 so as to be rotatable by means of an operation system cable 5. On the back side of this actuator plate 4, there is provided an actuator 9 mounted to a plate 6 on the driving means 2 side through the intermediation of a column 7 and a set spring 8 so as to be vertically movable (In FIG. 6, it is shown in the raised and lowered states, respectively, on the right-hand side and the left-hand side with respect to the center line of the drawing).
Between recesses 4a and 9a of the actuator plate 4 and the actuator 9, there is provided a ball 10 with a retainer.
Fixed to the middle position of the rotation shaft 1 is a drive disc 11 substantially in the form of a disc, and the lower portion of this drive disc 11 is equipped with a blade holder 13 through the intermediation of a second bearing 12, with the blade holder 13 being connected to a driven member, such as a blade (not shown).
Arranged inside the blade holder 13 is a facing plate 16 urged by a clutch spring 14 and having a facing 15, with the lower surface of the drive disc 11 and the lower surface of the actuator 9 being capable of coming into contact with and moving away from the facing 15.
Next, the operation of this device will be described. The left-hand side portion of the device in FIG. 6 is connected to the operation cable 5. In the state in which the brake is disengaged and the clutch is engaged, the blade (not shown) connected to the blade holder 13 rotates with the rotation of the rotation shaft 1, which is driven by the driving means 2.
When, in the above-described state, the operation system cable 5 is restored by a brake spring 5A, the actuator plate 4 rotates, and the ball 10 with a retainer is detached from the recess 9a. The actuator 9 is lowered as shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 6 and comes into contact with the facing 15. At the same time, the contact between the drive disc 11 and the facing 15 is canceled, and the rotation of the rotation shaft 1 is not transmitted to the blade holder 13, with the result that the rotation of the blade holder 13 is stopped.
The conventional clutch brake device, constructed as described above, has the following problem.
That is, to rotate and stop the blade holder, it is necessary to rotate the actuator and vertically move the actuator through the ball, resulting in a rather complicated clutch/brake mechanism. Further, a dedicated cable and an operating lever are indispensable to the operation system, resulting in high cost and necessitating novel designing of the apparatus main body.
As is admitted, a very high level of safety is required of the device. However, since it does not allow post-mounting to a novel/used apparatus, the device has not very much found its way throughout foreign countries, and it is very difficult for the device to meet the recent demand for lower price.


A system and method for scanning a number of frequencies in a test environment. A transmitter and a receiver are moved together to a number of locations in a scanning space. Signals are transmitted at the number of frequencies from the transmitter at the number of locations. Reflected signals are received by the receiver at the number of locations. The reflected signals are reflections of the signals transmitted at the number of frequencies from the transmitter. The number of locations in the scanning space is identified.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to field scanning in which signals are transmitted at a number of frequencies in a test environment and signals, reflected in response to the transmitted signals, are received and analyzed. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to determining frequency characteristics of a test environment and supporting, moving, and determining the location of a transmitter and a receiver in a test environment for field scanning to reduce undesired effects on the transmitted and received signals in the test environment.
2. Background
Field scanning involves the transmission of signals at a number of frequencies in a test environment. The test environment may include either an open or enclosed space into which the signals are transmitted. The transmitted signals are reflected from the test environment and objects in the test environment. The reflected signals are received and may be analyzed to determine frequency-related characteristics of the test environment or of objects placed in the test environment.
Signals may be transmitted in the test environment at a number of frequencies. The frequencies of the signals transmitted in the test environment may depend on the particular test or analysis to be performed. For example, without limitation, the signals transmitted in the test environment may include radio frequency signals, radar cross section frequency signals, or signals at any other number of frequencies, ranges of frequencies, or combinations of frequencies.
Field scanning may be used for a number of purposes, objects, or applications. For example, field scanning may be used to identify frequency signatures of various objects. For example, without limitation, field scanning may be used to identify frequency signatures of vehicles, such as aircraft or other vehicles. Further, field scanning may be used to identify frequency responses of air traffic control towers or other airfield structures and operations to identify ambient signals at various frequencies. For example, without limitation, such ambient signals may include emissions from construction crew radios or from various field operation devices, such as aircraft maintenance devices, aircraft radios, nearby cellular telephone towers, amateur and saboteur radio transmissions, or other sources or combinations of sources of potential ambient signals that may affect air traffic control tower and air field operations. Field scanning also may be used to obtain frequency field test data for maritime, ground surveillance, police, mobile radio and telephone, global positioning system, and other electromagnetic products and services.
Field scanning methods and systems may be designed specifically for the test environment and the tests to be performed. Typically, a test environment for field scanning may include a transmitter and receiver, a reflector, an object under test, and a number of support structures. For example, a support structure may be used to support the object under test in the test environment during scanning. A typical structure for supporting the object under test may include a mounting base and pylon or other structures and combinations of structures for supporting the object under test at a desired position in the test environment. The object under test may be mounted to the support structure via a mechanism that provides for rotation or other movement of the test object with respect to the support structure.
The transmitter and receiver typically also may be mounted on a support structure in the test environment. For example, the transmitter and receiver may be mounted at the top of a pylon or other support structure that is positioned at a pre-determined location in the test environment. The transmitter and receiver may be attached to the pylon or other support structure via a mechanism that provides for rotation or other movement of the transmitter and receiver with respect to the pylon or other support structure. The transmitter and receiver may be mounted to the support structure facing the reflector.
During the performance of a field scanning test, the transmitter is controlled to emit signals at a number of frequencies in the direction of the reflector. The reflector reflects the transmitted frequencies back to the receiver. The reflected signals are received by the receiver. Frequency data derived from the received reflected signals may be recorded and analyzed.
Various objects in the test environment, including the various structures for supporting the transmitter and receiver in the test environment, may reflect and absorb signals at various frequencies and to various degrees. Therefore, such structures may affect the signals that are transmitted and reflected in the test environment in undesired ways. For example, the presence of such structures and other objects in the test environment may distort the frequency data obtained during a test. This distortion may reduce the accuracy of the frequency data collected and affect the analysis of such data in undesired ways unless such distortion can be corrected. Unless such distortion is identified and removed or accounted for in resulting test data, the actual frequency response of a vehicle or environment undergoing testing in the test environment may be determined less accurately.
The accuracy of frequency response measurements also may be affected by ambient emissions in the test environment where the measurements are made. For example, such ambient emissions may result from terrestrial radio frequency communications in the area where the frequency data is obtained.
Ambient emissions may affect any test or measurement in which a test signal is intentionally transmitted from a transmitter and a resulting test signal received by a receiver is analyzed. In any such test, signals from ambient emissions may be received by the receiver along with reflections of the intentionally transmitted test signal. In this case, the ambient emissions may mask or distort the reflections of the test signal generated by the transmitter. The test signal data derived from the signals received by the receiver may include data resulting from received ambient emissions, thereby affecting the analysis of the test signal data in undesired ways. Therefore, a reliable analysis of the received test signal data may not be made if the test is performed in the presence of ambient emissions.
The effect of ambient emissions on frequency field scanning and other tests involving transmitting and receiving a test signal may be reduced by conducting the tests or other measurements in an area where ambient emissions are known to be at a reduced level. However, conducting such measurements or other tests under such controlled conditions may be expensive, inconvenient, time-consuming, or impractical in many cases.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues. For example, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for identifying a baseline frequency response of a test environment for frequency field scanning. The identified baseline frequency response may take into account the frequency characteristics of ambient objects and signals in the test environment. Baseline frequency response data for the test environment may be used to improve the accuracy of any frequency field scanning tests performed in the test environment.


A vibration-proof zoom lens comprises a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, a positive fourth lens group, and a positive fifth lens group, which are disposed in this order from a subject side. The second lens group moves toward an image side at a time when magnification changes from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. The fourth lens group moves to correct variation of an image plane at the time of magnification change. The first, third and fifth lens groups are fixed. The third lens group is composed of first to third subgroups. When vibration occurs, the second subgroup is moved in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis to correct an image position so that an image blur is prevented.

A zoom lens of a rear focus type is known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-151967, which is a counterpart of Japanese Patent No. 3109342). This kind of the zoom lens has a five-group structure in which positive, negative, positive, positive and positive lens groups are disposed in this order from a subject side. The negative second lens group is moved toward an image side when magnification is changed from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. The fourth lens group is moved to perform focusing and to correct image plane variation caused due to zooming. The first, third and fifth lens groups are securely fixed, so that the entire length of the lens groups is kept constant at the time of zooming and focusing. Moreover, a high zoom ratio of ten times is set and aberration fluctuation is restrained over the entire zoom range to achieve a high image-forming performance.
With respect to the zoom lens having a high zoom ratio, a blur of a shooting image is remarkably caused by camera shake and vibration of a vehicle or the like at a time of a telephoto operation. In view of this, a zoom lens having a vibration-proof function is known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-128619, which is a counterpart of Japanese Patent No. 3359131). In this kind of the zoom lens, a certain lens is moved in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis when vibration occurs. By virtue of this, an image-forming position is moved in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis so that the blur of the shooting image is resolved.
The zoom lens described in the above-noted Publication No. 7-151967 is successful in preventing the aberration from fluctuating at the time of zooming. However, large eccentric aberration occurs when the certain lens is moved in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis. Thus, there is a problem in that the zoom lens of the Publication No. 7-151967 does not have a lens structure suitable for conferring the vibration-proof function.

Vibration-proof zoom lens and camera provided with the same


A magnetic fluid shifter damper mechanism for a vehicle transmission may include a shift linkage having a first position and a second position, a magnetic fluid damper disposed between a substantially fixed point and a support point on the shift linkage, a fluid inside the magnetic fluid damper resisting substantially a motion of the support point relative to the substantially fixed point in the presence of a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field is applied substantially to the fluid when the shift lever is in substantially the first or the second position, and wherein the magnetic field is removed substantially from the fluid when the shift lever is substantially between the first and the second position.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of vehicle transmission shift systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common problem with vehicles equipped with manual transmissions is transmission shift lever jump-out (i.e., unintended disengagement of a gear ratio). A transmission may jump out of gear when the vehicle travels over bumpy roads or railroad crossings. Shifters ought to be designed to shift with minimal effort. Such a shifter, however, may be particularly susceptible to disengagement if the chassis is subject to resonances due to bumps in the road. There is a need for a transmission shift system that is responsive and easy to shift, yet is not prone to disengagement.


A blow molding mold which can reduce the production cost and can easily perform replacement work. The blow molding mold includes a body mold, a bottom mold and a neck mold. The neck mold is provided with a first cooling mechanism. The body mold includes an inner body mold corresponding to the outer surface of a body portion of a plastic bottle, and an outer shell located outside the inner body mold. The inner body mold can be attached/detached to/from the outer shell when replacing the inner body mold in conformity with the shape of the plastic bottle.

Plastic bottles are commonly used as beverage bottles these days. Such a plastic bottle can be obtained by placing a preform into a blow molding mold, and subjecting the preform to blow molding.
A blow molding mold for producing a plastic bottle includes a body mold, a bottom mold and a neck mold, corresponding to a body portion, a bottom portion and a neck portion, respectively, of the plastic bottle.
The body mold, the bottom mold and the neck mold are generally formed integrally. The whole blow molding mold, consisting of the body mold, the bottom mold and the neck mold, is replaced with a new one in conformity with the shape of a new plastic bottle.


An improved spreader assembly adapted to be mounted on a the rear end of a cargo bed of a vehicle. The spreader assembly includes a spreader gate, a gate connector adapted to pivotably move the spreader gate about a substantially vertical axis enabling the gate to be swung away from said cargo bed, to expose an opening between the sidewalls of the cargo bed, and a spreader mount connected to the gate and extending rearwardly therefrom. The spreader gate includes a two gate sections positionable with respect to one another to provide a variable longitudinal length of the gate.

Salt spreading is a common practice to maintain roads during the winter months. Over the years, private businesses have become involved in road, driveway and parking lot maintenance in the form of removing snow from such areas and spreading of salt on such areas. Private businesses typically use pick-up trucks to perform this type of service. In the past, numerous types of salt spreaders have been developed to be attached to the conventional vehicles. Typically, the spreader is mounted on the rear of the vehicle to spread particulate material, such as salt, sand, cinders, etc. onto the surface being traveled by the vehicle. One of the more common spreaders employs a hopper having a lower discharge opening through which the particulate material falls onto a rotating spreader element. Such a spreader is known as a broadcast spreader. By rotating the spreader element as material is being discharged onto the spreader element, the particulate material is centrifugally propelled by the spreader element in a wide pattern onto the ground surface. Typically, a motor is mounted on the spreader to cause the spreader element to rotate. In some instances, the spreader element is support on a motor-driven shaft which protrudes upwardly into the hopper to break up conglomerations of material and to agitate the material in the hopper for better feeding through the discharge opening.
Typical salt spreader mount assemblies used in conjunction with pick-up trucks have fastened the salt spreader to the truck's rear bumper tailgate. The usual procedure is that the spreader is secured to the truck in a fixed position by the use of bolts and brackets. Due to the relative difficulty in installing the assembly, such assemblies are left on during the spreading season and are not removed until the season ends. Another configuration available includes the use of brackets which slide over the tailgate and incorporates a frame which rests on the vehicle's bumper. The use of these two mounting assemblies restricts the access of an operator to the rear of the vehicle's cargo area via the tailgate. If the tailgate is to be opened, the spreader assembly must be disengaged from the tailgate and the hopper emptied prior to removal. Such a disassembly requires considerable time and labor merely to gain access to the cargo bay of the vehicle. In typical operations, the particulate material is loaded and stored in the cargo bay prior to being loaded into the hopper. However, due to the complexity of removing the assembly from the tailgate so that the tailgate can be opened and the cargo bay can be accessed through the tailgate, the tailgate is typically not used to access the cargo bay once the spreader assembly is attached to the tailgate. As a result, access to the cargo bay of the vehicle is limited and if access is desired, it must be over the side wall of the vehicle. This limited access increases the difficulty of loading particulate material and other objects into the cargo bay of the vehicle and to gain access to the particulate material for loading into the hopper. Typically, the spreader material, such as bags of road salt and/or cinder ash, must be lifted over the side walls of the cargo bed thus resulting in additional labor times for loading such cargo into the cargo bay and damages to the side walls of the vehicle.
A salt spreader mounting assembly disclosed in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 5,375,773 overcomes several of the problems associated with accessing the cargo bed via the tailgate when a spreader assembly is attached to the vehicle. The spreader mounting assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,773 includes a frame which attaches to the vehicle and includes pivoting connections between the frame of the vehicle so that the frame can be swung horizontally thereby permitted access to the tailgate of vehicle. Once the assembly is swung away from the tailgate of the vehicle, the tailgate may be opened, thereby allowing access to the rear cargo area of the vehicle via the tailgate. Although the spreader mounting assembly is an improvement over many of the prior spreader mounting assemblies, there are several disadvantages associated with such mounting assembly. Once such disadvantage is that the frame which supports the hopper and spreader must be fully swung from the tailgate so as to allow the tailgate to be opened. As a result, the vehicle must be positioned in an area so as to provide enough space to fully swing the frame away from the tailgate so that the tailgate may be opened. Another disadvantage with respect to this mounting assembly is that the frame components must be made of heavy gauged steel to support a hopper filled with particulate material as it is being swung from the tailgate of the vehicle. The heavier materials which must be used for the construction of the frame result in additional costs and difficulty in moving the frame by an operator. A further disadvantage is that once the frame is swung away from the tailgate, the hopper is out of position to allow for easy loading of the particulate material into the hopper. While the tailgate is open, the frame cannot be swung back to its closed position since the end of the tailgate would engage the hopper and/or rotating spreading element and thereby damage such component. Another disadvantage is that the mounting bracket for the mounting assembly must be bolted to the top of the side wall of the vehicle. As a result, bolt holes must be drilled into the top of each of the side walls to secure the bracket to the top of the side walls. The resulting holes permanently disfigure the vehicle and can result in rusting of the vehicle around the drilled bolt holes. A further disadvantage of the spreading mounting assembly is that the outer surface of the tailgate can be damaged if the tailgate is not properly closed prior to the frame being closed and secured to the rear of the vehicle. Another disadvantage is that the spreader assembly is not easily adaptable to a variety of differing width cargo beds, thereby limiting the utility of such mounting assembly to specific sized trucks.
In view of the deficiencies of the present spread mounting assemblies, there is a need for a salt spreader mounting assembly that will allow easy access to the rear of the vehicle's cargo area, provides for easy loading of the spreader hopper from the cargo bay of the vehicle, minimizes permanent damage to the vehicle and can be used in a wide variety of trucks.


A shank for a working tool has at least three recesses (5) provided within the lockable region (3) and arranged in a cross-section (c-c) to the tool axis (A) at least at angles of 0°, 120°, and 240° within the radial reference dimension (R) of the shank, with at least one of the recesses (5) being axially closed toward a free end of the shank (1), and at least one protrusion (6) arranged circumferentially between two adjacent recesses (5) outside of the radial reference dimension, with the sum of central recess angles (α) of the recesses amounting to at least 150°, and a central protrusion angle (β) of the at least one protrusion (6) being smaller than a central recess angle (α).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shank a rotatable and/or percussively driven working tool such as a drill bit, a chisel, or a core bit for working stone, concrete, or masonry
2. Description of the Prior Art
Usually, a rotary/percussion working tool such as, e.g., disclosed in German Publication DE39 41 646 A1, has a shank extending along the tool axis and having cylindrical guide surfaces, locking grooves, which are axially closed at their ends adjacent to the free end of the shank, and axially open entrained grooves. Radially displaceble locking members, which are provided in an associated chuck, engage in the locking grooves, limiting axial displacement of the working tool.
According to German Publication DE 196 04 283 A1, a shank can have three additional webs which extend up to the free end of the shank and circumferentially arranged between the grooves. The entrained surfaces, which are located radially inwardly with respect to the diameter of the cylindrical guide surfaces, necessitate, because of their small radial distance from the axis, application of high contact surface pressures for effecting torque transmission. As a result of the application of high contact surface pressures, they rapidly wear off. Because these grooves are formed by machining them in a previously round shank, the impact or blow transmitting cross-section, which is available in the shank, is reduced. As a result, disturbing reverberations, which take place, weaken the pulse transmission.
According to German Publication DE 34 13 432 A1, a shank has three circumferentially, uniformly distributed grooves axially closed at their opposite ends. The grooves are formed by a non-cutting, embossing process in a round blank, with radial portions of increased height provided on tangential nut edges. The increased height portions permit to increase the rotation-transmitting outer diameter of the shank, which defines guide surfaces of shanks of different diameters and receivable in a special three jaw chuck. Because the guide surfaces are formed by increased height portions on the tangential groove edge, this shank is unsuitable for transmitting of high torques that cause an extensive wear.
German Utility Model DE 84 33 275 U1 discloses a shank having three circumferentially uniformly distributed grooves closed at their respective opposite axial ends and formed by a non-cutting, embossing process in a round blank. The grooves, which are formed as recesses, are associated with respective radial protrusions. In the shank of the utility model DE 84 33 275 U1, the central recess angle is smaller than the central protrusion angle. With a suitable deformation tool and taking into consideration a longitudinal expansion of the blank during the deformation process, a uniform displacement of material radially outwardly over the cross-sectional area is achieved. Thereby, a rotation-transmitting outer diameter of the shank correspondingly increases. In case when some longitudinal expansion is allowed, the outer diameter corresponds to that of the blank. With wide radial protrusions, the deformable material is not optimally used for increasing the torque transmission.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a shank for a rotatable and/or percussively driven working tool capable of transmitting high torques, without being subjected to a noticeable wear, and having good pulse characteristics.


Methods for forming a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method comprises forming a channel layer overlying the semiconductor substrate, forming a channel capping layer having a first surface overlying the channel layer, oxidizing the first surface of the channel capping layer, and depositing a high-k dielectric layer overlying the channel capping layer.

The majority of present day integrated circuits (ICs) are implemented by using a plurality of interconnected field effect transistors (FETs), also called metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs or MOS transistors). The ICs are usually formed using both P-channel and N-channel FETs in which case the IC is referred to as a complementary MOS or CMOS integrated circuit (IC). There is a continuing trend to incorporate more circuitry having greater complexity on a single IC chip. To continue this trend, the size of each individual device in the circuit and the spacing between device elements, or the pitch, is reduced for each new technology generation.
As critical dimensions shrink, device components such as the gate length and the thickness of gate insulator layers are scaled down in substantial proportion with each technology node. At the 65 nm node, conventional gate insulator materials such as, for example, thermally grown silicon dioxide (SiO2) or deposited silicon oxynitride (SiON), begin to exhibit excessive leakage current and thus provide only marginally sufficient electrical isolation between the gate electrode and the underlying channel of a transistor. The problem of excessive leakage current is compounded when metal gate electrodes are used because such electrodes can reduce the oxide, thereby further decreasing its insulating properties. Therefore, alternative materials having dielectric constants greater than about 7 (referred to herein as high-k dielectrics) have been considered for use with advanced devices including advanced CMOS devices. Gate insulators made from high-k dielectrics can be made thicker than those made with SiO2 without sacrificing capacitance, and thus offer the benefit of a significant reduction in leakage current. Candidate materials include transitional metal oxides, silicates, and oxynitrides such as hafnium oxide, hafnium silicate, and hafnium oxynitride.
However, many high-k dielectrics, while offering improved insulating properties, also retain certain negative characteristics that can potentially degrade device performance. For example, high-k dielectrics typically contain metal-oxygen bonds that are polarizable. As a result, when placed under an electric field (such as that applied to a gate electrode), these materials generate remote phonons that can cause charge scattering. Such scattering reduces the mobility of charge carriers in the channel, reducing transistor drive current thereby. In addition, charge trapping at the interface between the channel and the high-k insulator or within the high-k dielectric itself can alter the threshold voltage (Vt) of a transistor, rendering its performance inconsistent. Further, such trapped charges can lead to excessive coulomb scattering of channel carriers that can further reduce drive current. These undesirable effects are exacerbated when a high-k gate dielectric is positioned in close proximity to a channel, which often is the case in advanced devices fabricated for the 45 nm technology node and beyond.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide semiconductor devices having gate channels that are buried by a capping layer interposed between a channel and a high-k gate dielectric. Further it is also desirable to provide methods for fabricating such semiconductor devices. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Method of forming a semiconductor device


A new and distinct cultivar of winter-hardy herbaceous Hibiscus hybrid plant named ‘Cherry Cheesecake’ with branched upright habit, foliage of dark-green with a faint blush of purple-gray overlay, many large flat-faced flowers over a long season; flowers having a cherry-red eye, strong radiating veining and a blush at the petal tips of magenta on a faint pink to near white background.

The present invention relates to the new and distinct, hardy, herbaceous, perennial Hibiscus plant, Hibiscus 'Cherry Cheesecake' hybridized by Clarence H. Falstad, III in the summer of 2009 at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The new plant, originally labeled #F9-34-01-09, is from a cross between a proprietary hybrid #F7-152-03 (not patented) as the female or pod parent times the proprietary seedling identified as #07-155-05 (not patented) as the male or pollen parent. Both parents have a complex mixture of species in them, most likely including at least the species: moscheutos, coccineus and laevis. Hibiscus 'Cherry Cheesecake' was first asexually propagated in 2011 by both stem cuttings and sterile tissue culture at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The resultant asexually propagated plants have been found to be stable and true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


Real-time video can be efficiently and reliably streamed over wireless networks by fountain encoding a stream of video packets at the frame-level. Specifically, deep packet inspection may be performed on the stream of video packets to identify a set of video packets corresponding to an intra-coded frame (I-frame). The set of video packet may then be fountain encoded together as a data segment to produce a set of fountain encoded packets corresponding to the I-frame. Video packets corresponding to other frames (e.g., P-frames, etc.) may also be encoded on a frame-by-frame basis. This may allow a user equipment (UE) to begin displaying earlier frames in a group of pictures (GoP) while fountain encoded packets for subsequent frames are still being received, thereby reducing latency and improving the overall user experience.

Real-time video technologies have been emerging rapidly such that video can now be streamed over wireless communication networks. Demand for real-time video streaming services is likely to increase as more and more video-capable terminals are deployed in wireless communication networks. However, reliably and efficiently providing streaming real-time video services may be challenging in some wireless network environments. For example, wireless interfaces that are experiencing multi-path fading and shadowing may produce packet error rates that result in unacceptable video quality. Accordingly, techniques for reliably and efficiently transporting video streams over wireless communication networks are desired.

System and method for real time video communication employing fountain coding


The present invention discloses an error recovery method for parallel architecture data storage devices. The present invention provides means for simultaneously arranging data on a plurality of recording surfaces so that intermittent and/or solid failures do not prevent access to the data stored thereon. A first error correcting code comprising a parity bit is generated for each dataword. The dataword and the parity bit are stored simultaneously and bit-wise to a plurality of recording surfaces. A second error correcting code is generated for a plurality of bits transmitted to a specific recording surface. The second error correcting code is written onto the same recording surface as the bits from which it was generated. The second error correcting code is used to detect and correct intermittent errors in the data read from a particular recording surface. The first error correcting code is used to correct data read from a particular surface when the second error correcting code indicates that a solid failure has occurred, which the second error correcting code cannot correct. The result is a data storage device combining large capacity and fast transfer rates with improved fault tolerance.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates generally to data storage devices for computer systems. In particular, the present invention provides an error recovery method for parallel architecture data storage devices.
2. Description Of Related Art
Disk drives have long been popular mass storage devices. They provide a low cost solution to the problem of non-volatile data storage. Virtually all computer system manufacturers, therefore, provide for disk drives as system peripherals.
The major advantage of disk drives is low cost. This advantage is outweighed for some applications by the disadvantage of insufficient data transfer speed, particularly in supercomputer environments of the type provided by Cray Research, Inc., the Assignee of the present invention. The problems facing a computer system user wishing to increase the data transfer rates of disk drives are not trivial.
The basic structure of the disk drive consists of a metal disk coated with magnetic material rotating under one or more read/write heads. Most disk drives are multi-platen systems where a number of the metal disks are arranged in a stack.
All data transfers to disk drives are sequential in the sense that data moved in or out sequentially one word at a time. The access time to a selected word is partially dependent on its location. Data is recorded on the disk in concentric circles called "tracks". The disk drive has detection means for indicating when the magnetic head is positioned at the outermost track. A motor controls the head position causing the head to step from track to track. This head positioning function is called a "seek". The period required to position the Read/Write heads from the time the command is received until the time the drive becomes ready is known as the seek time.
Once a track is selected, it is necessary to wait for the desired location to rotate into position under the head. The average waiting time, known as latency time, is the time for half a revolution.
Within each track, information is organized into segments called "sectors". A sector can consist of any number of bytes, limited only by the storage capacity of the track. The addressing of sectors is typically a software function. So that the sectors can be identified by the software, each sector is preceded by an identifier block. The format of this identifier block is system dependent.
Usually each track is single bit serial, so that each byte is stored as eight consecutive bits on a track. Because track selection and latency increase access times, it is preferable to transfer large blocks of data which will be sorted in sequential locations. Once the disk heads are positioned at a particular track and no further head movement is required, data will be transferred at a fixed rate. This fixed rat is determined by the speed of the disk drive and is independent of the computer system itself.
Parallel architectures increase disk capacity and data transfer rates, but such architectures are more vulnerable to errors and the resultant corruption of data. If there are errors in these parallel architecture devices, then greater amounts of data may become inaccessible. Thus, the usefulness of parallel architecture data storage devices is limited by the fault tolerance of the device.

Error recovery method and apparatus for high performance disk drives


This disclosure concerns systems and methods for removal of material from the body of a patient, and particularly for percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Systems according to the various embodiments of the disclosure include one or more of nested first and second components, for instance a scope nested within a suction or irrigation catheter, guidewires with self-expanding distal tips, and wash-out elements to facilitate rapid removal of stones through an access sheath.

Kidney stones (also referred to as "nephrolithiasis") affects about 5% of adults in the United States, and is characterized by the formation of stone-like accretions (or "calculi") comprising insoluble or poorly soluble excreted salts. Kidney stones, which may migrate throughout the urinary tract, can cause significant pain, and may obstruct the flow of urine or act as a nidus for infection, both of which can in turn acutely or chronically damage the kidneys.
Kidney stones are generally treated non-invasively in one of two ways, depending on stone size and position: fragmentation (lithotripsy), by means of a flexible ureteroscope or by external application of shock waves to the affected kidney, or removal (nephrolithotomy), typically by means of a percutaneously inserted cannula or needle. In a typical percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) procedure, a user identifies a stone within the renal pelvis (especially at or near the upper pole) and inserts a cannula or needle/sheath introducer apparatus through the skin and the renal cortex into the renal pelvis; the needle is then removed, leaving the sheath in place to define a channel through which the stone(s) or fragments thereof can be removed, and into which instruments can be inserted to provide irrigation and/or suction, or to manipulate the stone. The size of the sheath limits the number of instruments that can be inserted into the kidney, their size, and the size of the stone or stone fragments that can be removed is limited by the internal diameter of the sheath, and a larger sheath would be desirable to permit insertion of more and larger instruments, and removal or larger stones and/or fragments. At the same time, because insertion of the sheath through the renal cortex may damage renal function, it is desirable to minimize the size of the sheath and to maximize the utility of the devices that can be inserted therethrough. It should be noted as well that, while PCNL procedures were developed in the 1970s, these competing demands have never been fully reconciled.