Method and device to guide the strip between the stands in a rolling mill finishing train to roll thin strips of a final thickness in the order of 1.2 mm and less, the inter-stand device including at least a guide device arranged at the outlet of the upstream stand (11a), a looper unit (15) comprising at least a looper roller (20) and a guide device arranged at the inlet to the downstream stand (11b), the looper roller (20) having at least a lowered position at the step before the leading end of the strip enters and a plurality of raised positions, while the strip is passing through, to form the desired loop, the looper roller (20), at least when it is in the lowered position before the strip enters, being made to rotate at a tangential speed at least equal to the speed at which the strip is fed between the stands. The looper unit (15) comprises an empowered drive (21) associated with the looper roller (20) at least when the looper roller (20) is in its lowered position, the drive (21) being structured to make the looper roller (20) rotate, before the strip enters, at a tangential speed at least equal to the speed at which the strip is fed between the stands.

This invention concerns a method to guide the strip between the stands in a rolling mill finishing train and the relative device to be installed between the stands.
The invention is applied in hot rolling mills, in particular but not exclusively in finishing trains for rolling thin strips.
A conventional inter-stand device in a finishing train for strip usually comprises a guide device placed at the outlet of the stand upstream, a looper unit and a guide device placed at the inlet to the stand downstream.
The inter-stand device, and particularly the guide devices, have the function of transporting the leading end of the strip from one stand to the next stand, preventing the strip from hitting the inlet as it enters and the consequent accordion-like "buckling".
The inter-stand device is also intended to prevent the trailing end of the strip, when it comes out of the upstream stand, going to damage the working rolls of the stand with vertical, "tail-wagging" movements.
The looper unit, apart from cooperating with the guide devices in the above-mentioned functions, is also intended to generate and measure a desired loop on the strip during the rolling process, making it possible to adjust the speed of the rolls in the stand in order to maintain a flow of material as steady as possible between the upstream stand and the downstream stand.
The guide devices can be adjusted in height in order to align, with a certain tolerance, the pass-line of the guides with the tangent wire steel of the respective lower working rolls of the upstream and downstream stands.
This alignment allows the inter-stand device to be adapted to the variations in size of the working rolls and back-up rolls of the rolling stands.
The guide devices and the looper unit are moreover associated with moving units which make it possible to change the working and back-up rolls.
In devices known to the state of the art, the looper roller is an idler roller and is made to rotate by the strip itself.
When the strip enters the stand, in the state of the art, the looper roller is kept in a lowered position so as not to interfere with the pass-line of the guide devices.
Once the leading end of the strip has entered the downstream stand, the looper roller is raised and brought into contact with the strip which starts it rotating.
The lifting and lowering movement of the looper roller is normally generated by an electric motor or by a hydraulic roll; the looper roller itself is controlled, if necessary with a feedback circuit, to maintain the drawing action between stands at substantially constant values.
This function makes it possible to prevent the formation of shrinkages and variations in the width of the strip being rolled which derive from a non-uniform drawing action.
In the case of thin strip being rolled, with a thickness of less than 1.2 mm, the configuration of the inter-stand device as described above involves a plurality of disadvantages.
If the final product is to have a thickness of 1.2 mm, the inter-stand device upstream of the last stand in the finishing train operates on a thickness of about 1.5 mm.
Until this limit value, the bending rigidity of the strip is such as to allow it to pass through the inter-stand device without too much difficulty even at speeds of about 9.div.10 meters per second.
For thicknesses of less than 1.5 mm, because of the friction generated by the strip slipping on the carrying surfaces of the guides and the looper roller, and because of the reduced bending rigidity, which varies in inverse proportion to the cubic power of the thickness, the transfer of the leading end of the strip is difficult, there are dangers of "buckling" and overlapping of the strip inside the inter-stand device.
Moreover, there is also the problem of the impact between the strip passing through and the looper roller, which is stationary at first; this impact can cause slipping which can damage the surface of the strip.
JP-A-3-81010 discloses a looper equipped with a roller which, when the strip enters the device, is rotating at a greater speed than that of the strip and, when the trailing end is passing through, is made to rotate in the inverse direction.
These differences in speed cause the looper to slip on the strip, damaging both the strip and itself, and this solution is therefore unacceptable.
JP-A-61255714 discloses a pre-heating system of the strip between two stands.
This prior art document includes two rollers (11, 26), which are not powered; they support the strip and have a function of strip tension detection.
Therefore, JP'714 deals with problems which are different from those addressed by this invention (see also the arm 18), as it deals with the need to provide a correct transit line, and to allow the strip to pass inside the furnace.
Nor are the embodiments therein disclosed suitable to be applied to this invention.

Method to guide the strip between the stands in a rolling mill finishing train and relative device


An image projecting device is presented. The device comprises an SLM pixel arrangement; and two lens arrays. The lens arrays are respectively located at opposite surfaces of the SLM pixel arrangement and are integral with the SLM pixel arrangement, forming together with the SLM pixel arrangement a common SLM unit. Each lens in one array and a respective opposite lens in the other array are associated with a corresponding one of the pixels. Each of the lens arrays is implemented in a polymer spacer and is either spaced from the corresponding surface of the opposite surfaces of the pixel arrangement a distance substantially not exceeding 50 μm or is in physical contact with the respective surface. The device also comprises a light source system operable to produce an incident light beam of a predetermined cross section corresponding to the size of an active surface of the SLM pixel arrangement; and a magnification optics.

Microdisplays are miniaturized displays, typically with a screen size of less than 1.5″ diagonal. Microdisplays are commonly used in data projectors, head mounted displays, and in the traditional viewfinders of digital cameras. Microdisplays can be implemented within compact projectors, in viewfinders of handheld Internet appliances and in mobile phones for Web surfing and videoconferences, because full computer screens can be viewed.
Most microdisplays use a light-valve made of a silicon chip as the substrate material. The chip also houses the addressing electronics (at least an active matrix with integrated drivers), usually implemented in standard CMOS technology which allows very reliable and stable circuits, as well as very small pixel pitches (down to 10 μm or even somewhat smaller), as well as high display resolutions.
There are known reflective and transmissive light valves. Reflective light valves bounce light off the displayed image into the viewer's lens or the projection lens. Transmissive light valves are similar to backlit, portable computer screens using LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and EL (electro-lumination) technologies. Common reflective light valves are based on Liquid Crystal On Silicon (LCOS) and tilted micro-mirrors (DMD). Common transmissive light valves are based on Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCD).
Projectors that use transmitting microdisplays as mentioned above typically comprise an optical path that includes a light source and a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM), in which a beam shaping optic component as well as a polarizing component are disposed between them. Another polarizing component and a magnifying optic component are generally disposed between the SLM and the projection surface. The SLM is coupled to a video processing driver to produce the image modulation of the light according to an input signal.
Common optical difficulties in the design of known projectors based on microdisplay are: low energy efficiency; low brightness and non-uniformity of the output image due to the source non-uniform intensity distribution (i.e. Gaussian distribution over the SLM surface) and intensity losses; low focus depth of the output image. In laser based projectors, the "speckle" phenomena of a Laser source according to which, a granular pattern of light pervade the image, is also a technical difficulty. Other common difficulties directly related to the optical difficulties and to the hardware implementation are: size, weight, optical complexity, power consumption and the mobility of the overall projecting device.
Different methods and devices addressed to overcome one or more of the above-mentioned difficulties are disclosed by the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,545 discloses a compact and energy efficient projection display utilizing a reflective light valve. The output beams of the light sources are received by at least one spatial light modulator. The modulated output beams are collimated and combined. A projection lens receives the collimated and combined output beams and directs them towards a projection screen. Energy efficiency is achieved by using sequentially strobed RGB light sources instead of a white light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,789 discloses an optical system for high-resolution projection display, consisting of reflection birefringent (double refractive) light valves. The LCD projector comprises a polarizing beam splitter, color image combining prisms, illumination system, projection lens, filters for color and contrast control, and a screen. The illumination system includes a light source such as a metal-halide arc lamp, an ultraviolet and infrared filter or filters positioned in the optical path from the light source for filtering out the infrared and ultraviolet light emitted from the light source, a light tunnel for providing uniform light intensity, and a relay lens system for magnifying the illumination system output plane and imaging said plane onto the liquid crystal light valves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,703 discloses an image projection device having an SLM and a polarized source system. The optical system uses polarized light manipulated by at least one of a conicoid, or plane optical elements to effect a folded mirror system to project an image onto a screen by utilizing input light components of more than one state of polarization, thus reducing intensity losses over the optical system due to polarization filtering. The system supplies light components of substantially orthogonal polarizations for separate areas of the SLM to be output onto a projection screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,092 discloses a laser projector which includes a laser apparatus and a reflective liquid-crystal light valve capable of speckle suppression through beam-path displacement by deflecting the beam during projection, thereby avoiding both absorption and diffusion of the beam while preserving pseudocollimation (noncrossing rays). The latter, in turn, is important to infinite sharpness. Path displacement is achieved by scanning the beam on the light valves which also provides several enhancements—in energy efficiency, brightness, contrast, beam uniformity (by suppressing both laser-mode ripple and artifacts), and convenient beam-turning to transfer the beam between apparatus tiers. The deflection effect is performed by a mirror mounted on a galvanometer or motor for rotary oscillation; images are written incrementally on successive portions of the light valve control stage (either optical or electronic) while the laser "reading beam" is synchronized on the output stage. The beam is shaped, with very little energy loss to masking, into a shallow cross-section which is shifted on the viewing screen as well as the light valves. Beam-splitter/analyzer cubes are preferred over polarizing sheets. Spatial modulation provided by a light valve and maintained by pseudocollimation enables imaging on irregular projection media.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,263 discloses a compact size projection system which includes a bright light source of polarized light, and a spatial light modulator, having an alignment layer, to modulate the polarized projection light, wherein the bright polarized light source is aligned with the alignment layer to permit the polarized light to pass therethrough without the need for unwanted light blocking polarizers. The use of a polarized laser source together with its proper alignment with the light valve, enables substantially all of the laser light beams to be utilized by the SLM to form the projected image. Without the use of filters and/or polarizers with the light valve, the intensity losses of the laser optical output are thus reduced. Furthermore, the light emanating from a laser is polarized, and thus, there is no need for polarizing filters, which would otherwise reduce the laser light energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,700 discloses a laser illuminated and SLM-based projection system that includes a microlaser array coupled with a beam shaper to produce a bright (i.e. having a uniform intensity distribution) projection light beam to be impinged over the SLM. The beam shaper includes a binary phase plate, a microlens array arrangement or a diffuser arrangement to modify the shape and intensity profile of the projection light beam. The laser light illuminating the light valve thus has a uniform intensity distribution for projecting an extremely bright image, and is confined substantially to the pixel portion of the light valve.


An electric torque converter mounted on a parallel hybrid vehicle employing a parallel hybrid system, using both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for propulsion, includes an electric motor generator having a motor generator rotor and a motor generator stator coil, and a composition-and-distribution mechanism located between the engine and a transmission for combining torque produced by the engine and torque produced by the motor generator with each other and for mechanically distributing the torque produced by the engine into the motor generator and a transmission input shaft. A converter case includes a third casing member formed with a boss portion supporting a rotating member of the composition-and-distribution mechanism by a bearing, and partitioning the motor generator from the composition-and-distribution mechanism. Also provided is a rotor support including a substantially cylindrical outer support portion supporting thereon the motor generator rotor, a substantially cylindrical inner support portion whose inner periphery is fixedly connected to the rotating member, and a connection portion interconnecting the inner and outer support portions. A locknut is located on the outer periphery of the rotating member and mates with a first one of axial ends of the substantially cylindrical inner support portion, for pre-loading the bearing via the rotor support. A position sensor includes a resolver rotor located on the inner periphery of the substantially cylindrical outer support portion, and a resolver stator located on the outer periphery of the boss portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric torque converter used in an automatic transmission and mounted on a hybrid vehicle employing a parallel hybrid system, using both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor (an electric motor generator) for vehicle propulsion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, it is strongly desired to improve fuel economy of automotive vehicles, for the purpose of protecting global atmospheric and saving earth resources. In order to reduce fuel consumption, there have been proposed and developed various hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles in which an internal combustion engine and an electric motor (an electric motor/generator), both serving as a propelling power source, are arranged in series to each other or in parallel with each other, and operate at various running modes, such as a motor-propelled vehicle driving mode, an engine-propelled vehicle driving mode, a regenerative mode, a power-assist mode, an electric power generation mode, and the like. For example, during the power-assist mode, the engine (a primary power source) is assisted by the electric motor (a secondary power source). Also, when the hybrid vehicle is decelerating, the hybrid system operates at the regenerative mode during which the electric motor is employed to convert kinetic energy of the vehicle into electric energy and to regenerate electricity which is stored in a car battery. One such parallel hybrid system has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-226392. FIG. 4 shows a development cross-sectional view of the parallel hybrid system disclosed in the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-226392. As shown in FIG. 4, rotational motion of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is input into a composition/distribution mechanism 103 capable of mechanically combining two different forces, that is, torque produced by the engine and torque produced by the motor/generator, with each other, and of mechanically distributing the torque produced by the engine properly. Electricity is generated by rotating a first motor generator 102 (mainly serving as an electric generator) connected to the composition/distribution mechanism 103. During the power assist mode (or the torque assist mode) or during the motor-propelled vehicle driving mode, torque (driving force) produced by a second motor generator 101 (mainly serving as an electric motor) is input into the composition/distribution mechanism 103. During vehicle deceleration, the first motor generator 102 also functions to regenerate braking energy (electricity) which is stored in the battery. The electricity regenerated and stored in the car battery can be reused for the torque-assist operating mode or the motor-propelled vehicle driving mode.
In order to efficiently travel the hybrid vehicle, it is necessary to accurately recognize or detect vehicle operating conditions such as a vehicle traveling state, and to select or use the power source suitable for the vehicle traveling state recognized, or to execute efficiently the electric power generation mode or the regenerative mode. For the reasons set forth above, it is important to achieve accurate motor generator rotation control (i.e., accurate motor generator rotational speed control). As information needed for the motor generator rotation control, input information from a revolution sensor (or a rotational position sensor) is often used. In the hybrid system as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-226392, a resolver 105 is provided for detecting the rotational position (rotor angle) of the first motor generator 102 (mainly serving as the generator), while a resolver 104 is provided for detecting the rotational position (rotor angle) of the second motor generator 101 (mainly serving as the motor). The basic principle of each of the resolvers 104 and 105 is similar to that of an electric motor. That is, the rotational position of the motor generator is sensed or detected by monitoring or reading an electromotive force produced by rotation of the motor generator rotor.
However, in the parallel hybrid system disclosed shown in FIG. 4, the resolver 105 for the first motor generator 102 is arranged in close proximity to a stator coil of the first motor generator 102, and also part of flux of magnetic force produced by the stator coil tends to undesiredly spread or escape in the transverse direction of the stator coil. Therefore, the accuracy that detects the rotational position of the first motor generator resolver 105 is lowered owing to the magnetic flux partially spreading in the transverse direction. Regarding the second motor generator resolver 104, the resolver is accommodated in a resolver chamber separated from a motor generator chamber for the second motor generator 101 to prevent the resolver 104 from being affected by electromagnetic wave noise produced by the motor generator 101. Thus, a resolver cover for the resolver 104 must be individually installed or mounted on the motor housing of the motor generator 101, thereby increasing the number of parts of the system, and thus resulting in an increased man-hour for installation of the resolver on the motor housing.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electric torque converter mounted on a parallel hybrid vehicle, which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide an electric torque converter mounted on a parallel hybrid vehicle employing a parallel hybrid system, which can accurately detect the rotational position of an electric motor generator (electric motor/generator) by means of a resolver, while preventing the resolver from being affected by undesirable electromagnetic wave noise produced by a stator coil of the motor generator.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objects of the present invention, an electric torque converter mounted on a parallel hybrid vehicle employing a parallel hybrid system, using both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor for propulsion, said electric torque converter comprises an electric motor generator having a motor generator rotor and a motor generator stator coil, a composition-and-distribution mechanism adapted to be located between the engine and a transmission for mechanically combining torque produced by the engine and torque produced by the motor generator with each other and for mechanically distributing the torque produced by the engine into the motor generator and a transmission input shaft of the transmission, the composition-and-distribution mechanism having a rotating member arranged coaxially with the transmission input shaft, a converter case which comprises a casing member formed with a boss portion supporting the rotating member of the composition-and-distribution mechanism by a bearing member, and partitioning the motor generator from the composition-and-distribution mechanism, a rotor support which comprises a substantially cylindrical outer support portion supporting thereon the motor generator rotor, a substantially cylindrical inner support portion whose inner periphery is fixedly connected to the rotating member, and a connection portion interconnecting the substantially cylindrical outer support portion and the substantially cylindrical inner support portion, a locknut located on an outer periphery of the rotating member and mating with a first one of axial ends of the substantially cylindrical inner support portion of the rotor support, for pre-loading the bearing member via the rotor support, and a position sensor which comprises a resolver rotor located on an inner periphery of the substantially cylindrical outer support portion, and a resolver stator located on an outer periphery of the boss portion of the casing member. It is preferable that the substantially cylindrical inner support portion of the rotor support has internal splines, and the rotating member has external splines formed on the outer periphery thereof, and that spline-connection between the internal splines and the external splines is established by screwing the locknut onto the external thread portion of the rotating member so that the locknut is tightened up onto the first axial end of the substantially cylindrical inner support portion of the rotor support, and that the second axial end of the substantially cylindrical inner support portion is abutted-engagement with the inner race of the bearing member while applying pre-load to the bearing member. More preferably, the electric torque converter may further comprise a torque converter input shaft arranged coaxially with the transmission input shaft, and also the rotor support, the motor generator, and the position sensor are arranged concentrically with the torque converter input shaft, so that the motor generator rotor is located on the outer periphery of the substantially cylindrical outer support portion of the rotor support, and that the motor generator stator coil is radially spaced apart from the resolver rotor via the motor generator rotor.

Electric torque converter mounted on parallel hybrid vehicle


The present invention discloses a protective cover mechanism for protecting a socket of an electronic device. The protective cover mechanism includes a base and a fluid restrictor. The base is disposed on the socket for covering the socket. The fluid restrictor is installed on the base and is for blocking airflow on a side of the socket, so as to guide the airflow to a neighboring electronic component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective cover mechanism, and more specifically, to a protective cover mechanism for protecting a socket of an electronic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Motherboards of electronic devices are often stacked in a delivery vehicle as being transported to the factory for assembly, so that a socket, like a CPU socket, is damaged easily because of collision between the motherboards. As a result, it is usually to dispose a protective cover on the CPU socket for preventing the CPU socket from being damaged due to the collision in transportation. However, the conventional protective cover is too thin and has no specific shape for identification, so that it does not facilitate an operator to take, to position and to assemble, resulting in wasting a lot of assembly time and labor. As a result, it is an important issue to design a protective cover mechanism for protecting the CPU socket with easy assembly.

Protective cover mechanism for protecting a socket of an electronic device and electronic device therewith


An enclosure includes a housing defining an internal splicing area and at least one port at least one port configured for passage of at least one telecommunications cable into the enclosure. The enclosure protects the optical fibers, optical fiber splices and optical devices contained therein. A support basket is disposed in the splicing area and extends longitudinally within the housing. The support basket is shaped to substantially conform to a portion of the circumferential shape of the splicing area. A repositionable, removable support platform is disposed on the support basket in a first orientation for storage and disposed in a second orientation for installation and maintenance of the fiber optic splices and optical devices housed in the enclosure. The optical fiber splices and optical devices are disposed in a splice tray which is adjacent to the support platform. Additionally, the support basket includes a multilayer slack storage compartment.

Telecommunication cables are ubiquitous and used for distributing all manner of data across vast networks. The majority of cables are electrically conductive cables (typically copper), although the use of optical fiber cables is growing rapidly in telecommunication systems as larger and larger amounts of data are transmitted. A telecommunication cable typically includes a bundle of individual telecommunication lines (either optical fibers or copper wires) that are encased within a protective sheath. As telecommunication cables are routed across data networks, it is necessary to periodically open the cable so that one or more telecommunication lines therein may be spliced, thereby allowing data to be distributed to other cables or "branches" of the telecommunication network. The cable branches may be further distributed until the network reaches individual homes, businesses, offices, and so on.
At each point where a telecommunication cable is opened, it is necessary to provide some type of enclosure to protect the exposed interior of the cable. Commonly, the enclosure has one or more ports through which cables enter and/or exit the enclosure. Once inside the enclosure, the cable is opened to expose the telecommunication lines therein. Conventional telecommunication enclosures are constructed to facilitate the management and protection of individual telecommunication lines and splices thereof. For example, conventional enclosures have re-enterable housings and are designed to incorporate splice trays to assist a craftsman in creating a splice connection between two telecommunication lines. Once all required splices are made, the enclosure is secured to protect the opened portion of the cable from moisture, dust, insects, and other hazards.
Conventional telecommunication enclosures may be stand mounted, pole-mounted, buried or housed in a handhole or pedestal. The installation and maintenance of these telecommunication enclosures can be hampered by a lack of workspace as in the case of aerial or pole-mounted enclosures or by the need to have a clean workspace in which to work with the optical fiber cables and optical fiber splices. Thus, a need exists for more craft friendly enclosures which have improved workability in the field.

Enclosure and organizer for telecommunication lines and splices


An organic semiconductor element part formed on a substrate is covered with a planarizing layer, a radiator plate is fixed with an adhesive layer on the planarizing layer, and a shield layer intercepting the adverse effects exerted on the organic semiconductor element part during the curing of the adhesive layer is formed between the adhesive layer and the planarizing layer. When the adhesive layer is a photo-curing adhesive layer, the shield layer prefers to intercept the light used for curing the photo-curing adhesive layer. When the adhesive layer is a thermosetting adhesive layer, the shield layer prefers to intercept the outgassing occurring during the curing of the thermosetting adhesive layer. By adopting this configuration, it is made possible to accomplish infallible interception of oxygen and moisture and effect radiation of heat with high efficiency. It is further made possible to suppress the adverse effect induced during the adhesion of the radiator plate and prevent the organic semiconductor element part (organic EL element) from being deteriorated.

The organic electroluminescence (hereinafter referred as "EL") element that is one kind of organic semiconductor element is expected to find application to a wide range of fields such as illumination and display because it is the spontaneous light-emitting type of sheet light source manifesting thinness and lightness in build and wideness in angular field of view. The ordinary organic EL element is furnished with an element part resulting from stacking a transparent electrode as an anode, an organic layer containing at least a light-emitting layer, and a cathode sequentially in the order mentioned on a transparent substrate, for example, and is so configured as to extract from the back surface side of the substrate the light generated by feeding electric current to the organic layer.
Incidentally, since the organic layer partaking in the construction of the organic EL element is formed of a generally extremely unstable organic material, it produces a defect of being readily deteriorated by the influence of oxygen and moisture and entails the problem that the element suffers from shortness of the service life. The organic EL element, therefore, necessitates a countermeasure against the invasion of the interior of the element by oxygen and moisture existing in the ambience of the organic EL element.
The organic EL element generates not only light but also heat. When this heat accumulates inside the element, it induces deterioration of the organic material. Thus, the ability of the element to radiate heat constitutes an important matter. This problem of the generation of heat by the organic EL element tends to become more conspicuous in consequence of the enlarging the surface area of the light-emitting area as in the organic EL element for use in illumination, for example.
As the measure against the invasion by oxygen and moisture, the ordinary organic EL element, for example, adopts a configuration that has the element part containing the organic layer sealed with a sealing can made of metal or glass and has the gap inside the sealing can filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas
Since the organic EL element so configured as to effect necessary sealing with a sealing can is required to have the relevant components individually sealed with a sealing can, it entails numerous problems in terms of workability, productivity, and cost of production as well. Further, owing to the configuration requiring the periphery of the element part containing the organic layer to be sealed with a sealing can, the element entails the problem of rendering necessary cooling difficult. An attempt to attach a structural body with high thermal conductivity contiguously to the element part containing the organic layer with a view to enhancing the effect of thermal radiation, for example, is not easily implemented in the organic EL element possessing such a small thickness as several hundred nm and revealing poor mechanical strength. To do justice by all means, the effect of thermal radiation is very low because the inert gas with low thermal conductivity intervenes between the stacked body containing the organic layer and the sealing can, although the sealing can additionally fulfills the function of radiating the heat generated in the stacked body.
As structures for sealing an organic EL element without using a sealing can, the configurations that accomplish the sealing of a stacked body containing an organic layer by covering the stacked body with a protective film made of a resinous material have been proposed (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,408 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,335, for example). The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,408 discloses a configuration that enables prevention of the invasion by oxygen and moisture with a multilayer structure consisting of a protective layer, a sealing layer, an internal air isolation layer, etc and the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,335 discloses a configuration that attains the formation of a protective layer against mechanical damage by further superposing on a multilayer film a protective layer such as a plastic sheet or a metallic sheet.
Then, as heat-radiating structures for an organic EL element, the configurations that accomplish the thermal radiation by sealing an element part containing an organic layer with a protective film and attaching a radiator plate directly to the protective film have been proposed (refer to JP-A HEI 10-106746 and JP-A HEI 10-2756681, for example). The inventions described in JP-A HEI 10-107646 and JP-A HEI 10-275681 disclose a configuration that accomplish the thermal radiation by causing a radiator plate (plate of glass, resin, ceramic, or metal) to be tightly joined directly on a water-repellent protective film, for example.
However, the inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,408 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,335 mentioned above have a principal purpose in perfecting a film-sealing structure and pay virtually no consideration to thermal radiation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,335, for example, discloses a concept of superposing a plastic sheet or a metallic sheet on a film-sealing structure and does not assume at all the function of a radiator plate. Let alone, the optimization of a structure for effecting thermal radiation of high efficiency and a structure for reconciling film sealing and thermal radiation is not assumed at all.
The inventions described in JP-A HEI 10-106746 and JP-A HEI 10-275681 mentioned above, while disclosing a concept of providing a radiator plate, pay virtually no consideration to film sealing and merely go the length of making a simple statement that a radiator plate is provided. Naturally, the inventions disclosed in JP-A HEI 10-106746 and JP-A HEI 10-275681 have absolutely no mention of the optimization of a structure for reconciling film sealing and thermal radiation.
In the case of directly disposing a radiator sheet on a sealing film, the radiator sheet is ordinarily pasted to the sealing film by the use of an adhesive agent, for example. It has been unveiled that the environment prevailing in this case during the curing of the adhesive agent exerts an adverse effect on the organic EL element. When a photo-curing adhesive agent is used, for example, since the ultraviolet light radiated for the purpose of curing this adhesive agent irradiates the organic EL element at the same time, it causes deterioration of the organic substance in the organic EL element. When a thermosetting adhesive agent is used, since the curing thereof necessitates application of heat, the outgassing occurring during the heating infiltrates the sealing film and reaches the organic EL element part and likewise causes deterioration of the organic EL element part. The conventional technique has not recognized at all the adverse effect exerted on the organic EL element during the course of adhesion and has not taken any measure against the adverse effect.

Organic semiconductor element with shield layer


Magnetite particles that contain 0.1-5.0 wt % of P, 0.1-5.0 wt % of Al and optionally up to 5.0 wt % of Si on the basis of Fe, that have .sigma..sub.r /SSA ratio of no more than 0.9 (.sigma..sub.r, residual magnetic flux density; SSA, specific surface area) after the application of 1 kOe and that are hexahedral, octahedral or tetradecahedral in shape have a sufficiently low residual magnetic flux density that they are suitable for use as magnetic toners or resin-dispersed carriers in electrostatic copying.

This invention relates to magnetite particles that have low residual magnetic flux density, are hexahedral, octahedral or tetradecahedral in shape and that are used as electrophotographic magnetic toners and resin-dispersed carriers, and as black pigments for coatings. The invention also relates to a process for producing such magnetite particles and their applications.
While various electrostatic copying systems are commercially available today, dry development is performed either by a two-component process using a toner and a carrier or by a one-component process using only a toner. Magnetite is used in most toners and carriers.
Magnetic particles for use as toners and carriers are required to have various characteristics and particularly those to be used in one-component development are required to have low residual magnetic flux density in order to attenuate the magnetic agglomeration of toner particles. As for the shape of magnetic particles, they are required to be angular as exemplified by hexahedrons in order to provide an enhanced abrasive effect on a photoreceptor to form a satisfactory latent-image. Thus, it is desired to provide magnetite particles that have low residual magnetic flux density and which are angular in shape as exemplified by hexahedrons.
Magnetite particles are known to assume a spherical, hexahedral or octahedral shape depending upon the conditions of their production, particularly the alkali/Fe ratio employed for the generation of the magnetite particles. Spherical magnetite particles generally have low residual magnetic flux density but hexahedrons and polyhedrons having more faces have increased residual magnetic flux density. For example, Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 201509/1991 proposed hexahedral magnetite particles but they are short of achieving the required low residual magnetic flux density. Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 144840/1994 proposed substantially hexahedral magnetite particles having blunt, almost planar, ridgelines and they are also short of achieving the required low residual magnetic flux density.
It has also been proposed that Si, Al and other elements be added to magnetite particles such that they have specified shapes or are improved in dispersibility and heat resistance. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 9045/1991 and Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 92642/1994 proposed that Si be added in order to produce spherical magnetite particles. Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 286723/1993 teaches an improvement in the dispersibility and heat resistance of magnetite particles by addition of Si and/or Al during and after the formation of magnetite particles. Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 25747/1996 proposed that Si be allowed to be localized in magnetite particles, thereby reducing their residual magnetism and high electrical resistance. Japanese Patent Publication No. 51538/1993 discloses a high-density, unfogged toner made of octahedral magnetite particles having an uneven distribution of Si. Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 333594/1993 proposed that Si be localized in magnetite particles to produce a toner of high resolution and density.
Phosphorus (P) compounds are extensively used in the art of magnetic iron oxides but they have been rarely used in cubic or polyhedral magnetite particles. Conventionally, phosphorus is added to magnetic iron oxides either during the preparation of .alpha.-FeOOH or by doping its surface. As an example of the first method, Japanese Patent Publication No. 25546/1964 uses phosphorus in order to retard the growth of crystal nuclei; further, Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 25202/1983 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 18766/1993 use phosphorus in order to provide an improved particle size distribution. As an example of the second method, U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,334 teaches the use of phosphorus as an anti-sinter agent in thermal conversion to .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4. However, all of these examples intend to ensure that the magnetic iron oxides as the final product will have improved dispersibility or that they are improved in shape anisotropy by virtue of the retention of acicularity.
Phosphorus may be added during the formation of magnetite particles, as taught in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46525/1985; however, this method is intended to produce Co-containing magnetite particles of high coercivity by addition of P together with Co.
Thus, no magnetite particles have been known in the art that contain P and Al, and optionally Si, that have low magnetic residual flux density and that are hexahedral, octahedral or tetradecahedral in shape, nor has been known a process for producing such magnetite particles.

Magnetite particles, a process for producing them and applications thereof


A DC power source unit includes a main unit that generates DC voltage, and an output cable. The output cable is connected, either integrally or detachably, at one end to the output of the main unit and another end to an adapter plug. The adapter plug is electrically connected to an electrically powered tool, such as an electrical drill. An output voltage switching unit switches the level of voltage supplied by the main unit to the electrically powered tool, to a level that matches the rated voltage of the electrically powered tool that corresponds to the fitting portion of the adapter plug.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a DC power source unit that can be used for cordless electrically powered tools.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cordless electrically powered tools, such as electrical drills, can be used any place and are easy to use because no power source cables are required. However, the use of batteries invites some disadvantages. When the charge remaining in the batteries drops to less than an allowable limit, the batteries need to be replaced or recharged. Further, because the battery voltage gradually drops as the use of the battery progresses, the tool""s operation efficiency is not constant.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional DC power source unit suitable only for situations wherein the tool is used close to an AC power source and when work with the tool can be accomplished in a single location without the need to move the tool to different areas. The DC power source unit includes an AC/DC converting box 50, an input cable 57, and an output cable 54. The input cable 57 has one end connected to the converting box 50 and another end attached to a plug 56. The plug 56 is used for connection to an AC power source. The output cable 54 has one end connected to the converting box 50 and another end attached to an adapter plug 55. The adapter plug 55 is detachably connected to the electrically powered tool. As shown in FIG. 2, the converting box 50 includes a transformer 51 for dropping the AC 100 volts to ten and several volts, a rectifier 52 for rectifying the AC voltage to a DC voltage, and a smoothing capacitor 53 for smoothing the waveform of the rectified voltage.
With the DC power source unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the AC voltage supplied from a commercial outlet is converted to a DC voltage to be supplied to the tool. Such a DC power source unit allows the continuous use of tools, thereby ensuring constant work efficiency.
The motors contained in electrically powered tools do not heat up significantly when the tool is driven with batteries. For this reason, the battery powered tools are, generally, not provided with motor cooling fans. Even if the fans are provided, they are small size fans.
When a tool is driven using the conventional DC power source unit, the tool tends to be used continuously for a long period of time, causing the temperature of the motor to rise significantly. This shortens the service life of the motor or the tool. To overcome the above problem, one solution would be providing a large-size cooling fan within the electrically powered tool. However, a large-size cooling fan would increase the overall size of the tool. Large size tools are not desirable for the operator to handle or operate. Another solution to this problem would be providing a temperature sensor in the tool to monitor an abnormal temperature rise within the tool. Power supply to the motor can be controlled in response to the output of the sensor. However, it is difficult to add a new component to the electrical circuitry of the tool and to modify control circuitry of the tool. Even if such addition and modification of the control circuit were made, the resultant electrical arrangement would be complicated.
Some conventional power tools are provided with an internal DC power supply unit. However, the power tools must be made in a large size to accommodate the internal DC power supply unit. Also, the power tools are heavy because the internal DC power supply unit adds to the overall weight of the power tools. Further, because the DC power supply unit is provided internal to a particular power tool, that DC power supply unit can not be used for any other power tools.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved DC power source unit that is suitable for use in electrically powered tools.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a DC power source unit that minimizes shortening of the service life of electrically powered tools.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a DC power supply unit that is easy to use, and that can be easily used with a great variety of power tools for supplying power to the power tools.
To achieve the above and other objects, several types of DC power source units are provided for supplying DC voltage to an electrically powered tool.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a DC power source unit for supplying DC voltage to an electrically powered tool, includes a main unit, an adapter plug, an output cable, and output voltage switching means. The main unit has an output and produces DC voltage from the output. The adapter plug has a fitting portion adapted for electrically coupling with the electrically powered tool. The output cable is attached, either integrally or detachably as described below, at one end to the main unit and at another end to the adapter plug. The output voltage switching means is for switching a level of voltage supplied by the main unit to the electrically powered tool, to a level that matches rated voltage of the electrically powered tool that corresponds to the fitting portion of the adapter plug.
A battery pack can be provided for supplying DC voltage to the electrically powered tool. In this case, it is desirable that the battery pack include a fitting portion that is shaped substantially the same as the fitting portion of the adapter plug.
The output cable can be either integrally connected to or detachably engaged with the adapter plug. When integrally connected, it is desirable that the output cable be detachably engaged with the main unit. In this case, a connector that is integrally connected to the output cable is provided for detachably connecting the output cable to the main unit. A voltage setting means is housed in the connector. The voltage setting means corresponds to the rated voltage of the electrically powered tool that corresponds to the adapter plug integrally connected to the other end of the output cable. The output voltage switching means switches the level of supplied voltage according to the voltage setting means, upon connection of the connector to the main unit.
When the output cable is detachably engaged with the adapter plug, it is desirable that the adapter plug house therein a voltage setting means corresponding to the rated voltage of an electrically powered tool that corresponds to the adapter plug. In this case, the output voltage switching means switches the level of voltage according to the voltage setting means, upon coupling of the adapter plug to the electrically powered tool.
A plurality of adapter plugs can be provided in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of electrically powered tools. In this case, each adapter plug is shaped to enable coupling with a corresponding electrically powered tool that has a corresponding rated voltage, and is also shaped to prevent coupling with all non-corresponding electrically powered tools that have a non-corresponding rated voltage. Also, a connector is provided for detachably connecting the cable to each adapter plug. The connector is adapted to connect to all adapter plugs regardless of the rated voltage of the corresponding electrically powered tool. It is particularly beneficial in this case, that each adapter plug house therein a corresponding voltage setting means as described above.
According to another aspect of the invention, a DC power source unit includes a main unit that has an output and produces DC voltage from the output, an adapter plug that is electrically coupled to the electrically powered tool in use, a connector that is electrically connected to the output of the main unit, and an output cable having one end attached to the adapter plug and another end attached to the connector. An output voltage setting means is also provided in the adapter plug for setting a level of voltage to be supplied to the electrically powered tool. The level of voltage set by the output voltage setting means corresponds to a rated voltage of the electrically powered tool. A load current detection means is also provided for detecting a load current flowing in the electrically powered tool and outputs a detection signal indicative of the load current. An output voltage changeover means is also provided for changing over the level of voltage to be supplied to the electrically powered tool in response to the level of voltage set by the output voltage setting means. A control means is provided for transmitting the level of the voltage set by the output voltage setting means to the output voltage changeover means based on the detection signal output from the load current detection means. The adapter plug may be detachably connected to the one end of the output cable. Preferably, the output voltage setting means is a resistor.


A protection circuit device using a MOSFET has a plural of conductive paths separated electrically, a MOSFET chip integrating two power MOSFETs in one chip where a gate electrode and a source electrode are fixed on the desired conductive path, conductive material provided on a common drain electrode of the MOSFET, and insulating resin covering said MOSFET and supporting said conductive path in one body. Removing a drawing-around of the common drain electrode and fixing the source electrode directly on the conductive path, low ON-state resistance is realized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a protection circuit device using MOSFET and method of manufacturing the same, particularly enabling to build in a secondary battery and carrying out battery management.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the spread of pocketable terminal, small lithium ion battery having large capacity is desired. A protection circuit device carrying out battery management of charge-discharge of the lithium ion battery must be smaller and sufficiently resist to short of load. As such protection circuit device is built in vessel of lithium ion battery, miniaturization is required, and freely using COB (Chip on Board) technique using many chip parts meets require of miniaturization. However on the other hand, as switching element is connected to lithium ion battery in series, it is needed to make ON-state resistance of the switching element extremely small. This is indispensable factor to lengthen talking time or stand-by time in pocket telephone.
A protection circuit carrying out concrete battery management is shown in FIG. 19. Two power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 are connected to a lithium ion battery LiB in series to detect voltage of the lithium ion battery LiB with a control IC. The detection carries out on-off control of the two power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2, and the lithium ion battery LiB is protected from over-charge, over-discharge, or load short. The power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 connect drain electrodes D in common, source electrodes S are arranged respectively at both ends thereof, and gate electrode G of each MOSFETs is connected to the control IC.
At charge, a power source is connected to ends of the circuit, and charge current is applied to the lithium ion battery LiB to arrow direction so as to charge. When the lithium ion battery LiB becomes over-charge state, voltage is detected by the control IC, gate voltage of the power MOSFET Q2 becomes L (low level) from H (high level), and the power MOSFET Q2 becomes off and cuts the circuit so as to protect the lithium ion battery LiB.
At discharge, both ends of the circuit are connected to a load and operation of a pocketable terminal till designated voltage. However when the lithium ion battery LiB becomes over-discharge state, voltage is detected by the control IC, gate voltage of the power MOSFET Q1 becomes L from H, and the power MOSFET Q1 becomes off and cuts the circuit so as to protect the lithium ion battery LiB.
Moreover at load shot or over-current, much current flows the power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 so that voltage of both ends of the power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 suddenly rises. Because of that, the voltage is detected by the control IC, and similarly at discharge the power MOSFET Q1 becomes off and cuts the circuit so as to protect the lithium ion battery LiB. However as large current flows at short time till the protection circuit operates, it is required that peak drain rash current flows much to the power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2.
As two N-channel type power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 are connected to the lithium ion battery LiB in series in the protection circuit, low-ON-state resistance (RDS(on)) of power MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 is most required point. Therefore development raising sell density by fine pitch machining at manufacturing the chip is driven forward.
In detail, although sell density was 7.4 million per a square inch and ON-state resistance was 17 mΩ in planer structure that a channel is formed on a semiconductor substrate surface, at first generation of trench structure forming a channel at side face of trench, sell density is extremely improved in 25 million per a square inch and ON-state resistance is decreased in 27 mΩ. Further in second generation of the trench structure, sell density is 72 million per a square inch and ON-state resistance is decreased in 12 mΩ. However making fine has limit, and there is a limit to decrease ON-state resistance extremely.
FIG. 20 is a plan view describing a protection circuit device mounting such a power MOSFET improved in sell density. Although circuit parts shown in FIG. 19 are mounted actually, the parts are not shown all in the figure. A conductive path 2 comprising copper foil is formed on both face of an insulating board 1, and has multilayer interconnection where the conductive paths 2 of upper face and lower face of the board are connected through through-hole (not shown) at desired position. Power MOSFETs 3 and 4 are resin-molded in an external form of SOP8 for surface mounting, two terminals 5 and 5 connected to drain electrodes go out at one side, and at the opposite side, a gate terminal 7 connected to a gate electrode and a source terminal 8 connected to a source electrode go out. Symbol 9 is a control IC, symbol 10 are chip capacitors corresponding to C1 to C3 of FIG. 19, and symbol 11 are chip resisters corresponding to R1 and R2 of FIG. 19. Symbols 12 and 13 are external terminals corresponding to LP2 and LP3 of FIG. 19. The external terminals are fixed on pads 14 formed at part of the conductive path 2 by solder. Although the protection circuit device is formed in a suitable shape to put in the case of the lithium ion battery, miniaturization is the largest problem for fundamental needs.
FIG. 21 shows a section structure of the power MOSFETs 3 and 4. A frame is a pressed frame comprising NK-202 (copper 97.6%, tin 2%) as material, and a bare chip 23 of the power MOSFET is fixed with a preform material 22 comprising solder or silver paste on a header 21 of the frame. A drain electrode is formed by gold lining electrode (not shown) on lower face of the bare chip 23 of the power MOSFET, and on upper face, a gate electrode and a drain electrode are formed by deposition of Aluminum. As connected to a header 21, a drain terminal of the frame is connected to the drain electrode directly, and the gate electrode and the source electrode are electrically connected to a gate terminal 7 and a source terminal 8 by ball bonding using gold bonding wire 24. Therefore ON-state resistance of power MOSFET is influenced ON-state resistance existing in frame material, preform material, material for the bonding wire, and electrode material of the source electrode on the upper face of the chip for decreasing ON-state resistance.
FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 are plan view describing the prior art decreasing ON-state resistance devising bonding wire. FIG. 22 is a view where current capacity is improved by increasing the bonding wire 24 connecting the source electrode and the source electrode 8 to four wires. Further FIG. 22 is a view where current capacity is improved by increasing the bonding wire 24 connecting the source electrode and the source electrode 8 to four wires, two short wires and long two wires, and where resistance of the source electrode is decreased by broadening bonding portion to the source electrode.
Difference of ON-state resistance depending on the conventional mounting structure of power MOSFET is completed in FIG. 18. Sample A and Sample B are the conventional mold structure of SOP8, Sample A corresponds to the structure of FIG. 22, and Sample B corresponds to the structure of FIG. 23. These figures show, in the case that bonding wires is changed to combination of two short wires and two long wires from four short wires, decrease of ON-state resistance of 1.33 mΩ, from 13.43 mΩ to 12.10 mΩ, however changing solder to Ag paste can not decrease ON-state resistance.
However a present state is that small, light weight pocketable terminal and long life of built-in battery thereof are more strongly required. In the sate, there is a problem that useful solving means breaking down mounting structure of protection circuit device using power MOSFET, realizing low ON-state resistance, and realizing small protection circuit device using MOSFET is not found out.

Protection circuit device using MOSFETs and a method of manufacturing the same


A vibration gyro made of a single crystal piezoelectric material includes: a base; a plurality of resonating arms extending from the base; an excitation electrode formed on a surface of at least one of the plurality of resonating arms so as to vibrate at least the one of the plurality of resonating arms; and a piezoelectric element detecting a vibration component due to a Coriolis force acting perpendicularly to a vibrating direction of the plurality of resonating arms being vibrated by the excitation electrode, the piezoelectric element being mounted on a surface of at least one of the plurality of resonating arms and the base.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vibration gyro for detecting an angular velocity of a rotating object.
2. Related Art
Vibration gyros are used for camera shake detection in photographic devices, direction detection in car navigation systems, and so on. In recent years, such a demand prevails in various fields, and improvement in performance to detect an angular velocity and downsizing has been required.
Vibration gyros employ a vibration mode in which an excitation mode and a detection mode are at right angles to one another. For example, JP-A-8-35841 discloses a vibration gyro provided with piezoelectric elements for excitation and detection formed on a resonator made of a material generating a mechanical vibration and having a square shape in cross section. The vibration gyro enables the resonator to vibrate largely and to detect an angular velocity with high accuracy by using the piezoelectric elements.
However, the vibration gyro in related art requires large electrical power to excite the resonator by the piezoelectric element for excitation, causing large electricity consumption. Further, the vibration gyro in related art needs to have the piezoelectric elements formed on four faces of the resonator, thereby causing difficulty in a process of mounting the piezoelectric elements associated with miniaturization of the resonator and requiring a large number of man-hours.


The present disclosure relates to immunostimulatory compositions that are effective in eliciting immune responses in avian species. More specifically, these immunostimulatory compositions comprise an immunomodulator composition and an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide that when administered stimulate toll-like receptor 21.

The immune systems of vertebrates have evolved molecular mechanisms for recognizing invading pathogens and initiating cellular signaling pathways to actively resist infection. Some of the molecular mechanisms are specific for a particular microbe and involve biomolecules such as antibodies that recognize the surface antigens of a single species of pathogen. Unfortunately, pathogen-specific defense mechanisms are not completely effective as some animals do not develop any acquired resistance until after infection has set in, and in some instances, the pathogen has evolved stealthy means for evading a vertebrate's acquired defenses.
Vertebrates also recognize infections more generally, and this recognition leads to non-specific immune responses such as an uptick in cytokine expression. This defense can be elicited when cellular receptors bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). This interaction between the PAMP and the host's cognate receptor for the PAMP can initiate an immune response. For example, toll-like receptor protein 21 (TLR21) is the chicken functional homolog of mammalian TLR9 and is capable of recognizing unmethylated CpG motifs, which have a higher CpG content in microbes than in vertebrates. Known methodologies leverage this nonspecific immune response pathway by administering plasmids or oligonucleotides having unmethylated CpG motifs, and activation of TLR21 by CpG motif-containing nucleic acids has been shown to activate cellular signals involved in the immune responses to microbial infections. However, administered immunostimulatory plasmids or oligonucleotides alone may fail to elicit a response sufficient to combat infection.
Large-scale animal producers are in dire need of alternatives to antibiotic treatment of infections. Consumers are pressing these producers for antibiotic-free animal products, and at the same time, increasing incidence of infection due to antibiotic resistant pathogens is illuminating the dangers of administering antibiotics prophylactically to large populations. Similarly, antibiotic resistance is becoming a national emergency in human healthcare. Hospitals and doctors' office are becoming ground zero for the emergence of drug resistance bacteria such as multiple resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Thus, there is a need for immunostimulatory compositions and methods for eliciting non-specific immune responses against pathogens. The disclosed methods and compositions are directed to these and other important needs.


A cut-off construction for a transverse fan assembly, including for use with agricultural combine harvesters, to permit the transverse fan assembly to be operated to provide increased air flow volume at a lower rotational fan speed, which cut-off construction includes generally planar inner surfaces on first and second body portions that are positioned laterally to one another along the top of the output throat of the air plenum of the transverse fan assembly between the outer periphery of the fan and a baffle construction of the transverse fan, such that the inner surface of the first body portion is disposed at a cut-off inclination angle α, dependent upon certain parameters of the fan, and the inner surfaces of the first and second body portions intersect with one another in such a way that an upper wall for the output throat is formed by the cut-off construction and by the baffle construction of the fan assembly, which upper wall has a concavity formed therein and therealong near the outer periphery of the fan that effects a shift of the steering vortex of the fan in such a way as to permit the fan to operate with increased air flow volume at lower rotational fan speed.

In the harvesting of crops it is desired that the grain be separated from other elements or portions of the crop, such as from pod or cob fragments, straw, stalks, and the like. Agricultural combines typically have employed a rotary threshing or separating system for separating and segregating the grain from such other crop elements or portions. In general, rotary threshing or separating systems are so designed that, as threshing occurs, the resulting crop material is typically caused to fall or be conveyed to a clean grain and tailings conveying system, sometimes also referred to as a collecting and conveying system, or even more simply as a conveying system, for further processing, which processing typically includes the feeding of such resulting crop material from the rotary threshing or separating system onto an underlying vibratory cleaning system or onto one or more conveyors for conveyance to such a cleaning system.
The cleaning system typically includes a set of stacked sieves or shoes that are reciprocally moved, usually in the fore and aft directions, to separate or sift the grain from tailings and material other than grain (MOG). With many combines, as the grain is cleaned from the MOG, it falls through the sieves and drops onto or into one or more underlying clean grain pans that are disposed below the sieves, which pans feed the clean grain to an intersecting, cross, generally laterally extending, clean grain conveyance trough, sometimes referred to as the clean grain auger trough or, more simply, the clean grain trough.
The laterally extending clean grain conveyance trough receives the clean grain conveyed thereto from the clean grain collecting troughs and typically has associated therewith a conveyance mechanism, often in the form of an auger extending therethrough, for moving and delivering the clean grain in such clean grain conveyance trough to an elevator that carries the clean grain up to a clean grain tank.
During the vibration of the sieves, air is blown upwardly and rearwardly through the sieves to carry lighter elements of the MOG, or chaff, away. The heavier elements and tailings that are too large to fall through the sieves and too heavy to be blown away are caused to be moved by the vibrations, generally rearwardly along the top surfaces of the sieves, towards and over rear edges of the sieves to fall onto a tailings pan located below and extending somewhat beyond such rear edges. The tailings pan, similarly to the clean grain pan, feeds the tailings to an intersecting, cross, generally laterally extending, tailings conveyance trough, sometimes referred to as the tailings auger trough or, more simply, the tailings trough.
The sidewardly extending tailings conveyance trough receives the tailings conveyed thereto from the tailings collecting pan and/or troughs and has a conveyance mechanism, often in the form of an auger extending therethrough, for moving and delivering the tailings to a tailings return conveyor operable for carrying the tailings upwardly, back to the cleaning or separating system of the combine, for reprocessing, including further threshing of the tailings.
Over the years, fans of various types, including, by way of example, vane-type fans, paddle fans, and cross-flow fans of various designs, all of which are capable of producing air to be blown upwardly and rearwardly through the sieves to carry the chaff away from the grain and tailings deposited onto the cleaning system sieves, have been employed in or with agricultural combines to provide the desired air flow. Such chaff is typically blown into an optional chaff spreader, operable for distributing the chaff over a desired swath of the field from which the crop is cut, or directed into an optional chopper, operable for mixing the chaff with straw for chopping and distributing such mix, or simply directed downwardly onto the field through a rear opening of the combine.
While all of such noted fan types can operate to produce air flows for carrying chaff away, some fan types have proven more effective at producing the air flow volume desired. Ideally, the fan employed will be able to develop a maximal air flow volume at as low a fan speed as possible. For a number of years now, transverse or cross-flow fans of various designs have been recognized to be particularly well-suited for the noted purpose.
Transverse or cross-flow fan assemblies are well known in the art, and such fan assemblies typically have included axially spaced disk-like members that support a plurality of elongated fan blades in some form of cylindrical pattern or array, often with as many as thirty-six fan blades disposed in a cylindrical arrangement about the axis of rotation of the fan. With some fan assemblies, straight and cross-sectionally curved fan blades have been disposed with the tips of the blades extending generally parallel to the axis of rotation, which fan blade configurations are generally hereinafter referred to as axially aligned fan blade arrangements. In more recent years, newer types of transverse fan assemblies have been developed in which the fan blades in a number of fan assemblies have, instead, been angled, such as in a chevron blade arrangement. Examples of two transverse fan assemblies that have been advantageously employed in combines is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,162, with one disclosed fan assembly utilizing an axially aligned fan blade arrangement and another disclosed fan assembly utilizing a chevron blade arrangement, in both of which assemblies the fan blades have an arcuate cross-section.
Transverse fans have proven particularly useful in combine cleaning systems because such fans can produce a wide stream of air that can be directed upwardly toward the cleaning sieves of the combine cleaning systems but require relatively little space. Such fans, in typical agricultural combines, are disposed such that their air outputs are below the sieves of the cleaning system, and, so, are positioned close to the ground over which the combine moves.
As will be appreciated, rocks and other debris commonly found in fields can be detrimental to the normal high speed rotational operation of fan blades, and broken and/or bent fan blades can affect fan performance, and consequently, the overall efficiency of a combine in which a transverse fan assembly is installed. Accordingly, when transverse fan assemblies are employed with typical combines, the fan blades are normally protected by installing the fan within a fan wrapper or air plenum, with the fan being rotatably mounted within an inner chamber of the air plenum to operably drive air between an air inlet and an air outlet.
Desirably, such transverse fans, especially as employed in combines, will thus provide a relatively wide output of air, and will do so in such a way that they carry sufficient pressure so that, when material is deposited onto the sieves of the cleaning system, they will continue to operate to produce an air flow directed towards the sieves that is adequate for the intended purposes. As noted previously, ideally, such a fan will operate at as low a speed as possible to develop the desired air flow. To some extent, increased air flow can be effected by increasing the rotational speed of the fan, but such an increase in rotational speed is not without consequences, including, generally, increased noise and wear and tear on the fan.
Consequently, users have continued to seek improved fan constructions in which better air flow can be developed while they operate at low speeds.
Although transverse fans have been employed for many years, due to the complex nature of air flow within transverse fan constructions and difficulties in predicting and determining what the consequences of various changes in the design and operation of such transverse fans may be, development of improved fan constructions has proved problemsome.
In general, as transverse fans operate, a relatively large vortex, sometimes referred to as a steering vortex, is formed, generally situated partially within and partially outside of the fan rotor or impeller, near a fan cut-off, which is sometimes referred to as a stabilizer. The position, size, and intensity of such steering vortex is strongly influenced by the structural features of the fan, including the geometric parameters thereof, as well as the volume rate and pressure rate of the fan. Additional, or secondary, vortices may also be produced in the inlet and outlet zones of the fan, and the shape of the air plenum surrounding the fan rotor can greatly influence the performance characteristics of the fan.
In efforts to develop an improved transverse fan construction, it has been found that changes in the construction and configuration of the fan cut-off, including an inclination of the cut-off relative to passing fan blades, can affect the position of the steering vortex and the performance characteristics of the fan. In particular, it has now been found that, when the present invention is incorporated into a transverse fan of the type that has been employed in recent years in combine harvesters for providing air flow to cleaning systems of such harvesters, the transverse fan can provide a better or increased air flow while still operating at a low rotational speed, thereby resulting in better fan performance without the adverse consequences that would otherwise result as fan speed was required to be increased to secure the increased air flow.

Cut-off construction for transverse fan assemblies that have elongated fan blades of arcuate cross-section


An electro-optical system, and method for making the electro-optical system. The electro-optical system includes a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) having a laser source located on the PIC, a fiberless optical coupler located on the PIC. The fiberless optical coupler is configured to be coupled to a fiber array. The electro-optical system also includes an optical element, and a mechanical aligner. The optical element is aligned with the fiber array, via the mechanical aligner, for a light from the laser source to transmit in between the fiber array and the PIC through the optical element, when the fiberless optical coupler is coupled to the fiber array.

Communications systems and data centers are required to handle massive data at ever increasing speeds and ever decreasing costs. To meet these demands, optical fibers and optical ICs (such as, a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) or integrated optical circuit) are used together with high speed electronic ICs. A PIC is a device that integrates multiple photonic functions (similar to an electronic IC or RF IC). PICs are typically fabricated using indium phosphide or silicon oxide (SiO2), which allows for the integration of various optically active and passive functions on the same circuit.
The coupling of PICs to optical fibers is not as well advanced as the integration and/or coupling of electronic ICs. Specifically, the challenges facing optical connections are different and much more complex than connecting electronic ICs to, for example, a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). Some difficulties are inherent in wavelength, signal losses, assembly tolerance, and polarization characteristics of optical packaging.
Existing solutions utilize various techniques for connecting optical fibers to PICs. One technique suggests using various types of butt connections to the edge and surface fiber connections a PIC. The butt of a fiber can be connected to a planar waveguide at the edge of a PIC. This technique is efficient only if the cross sectional of the propagating mode of the fiber and the waveguide areas of the fiber core and the waveguide are of similar size. In most cases, this technique suffers from poor assembly tolerance and is not suitable for high fiber-port count.
An existing technique suggests laying a section of fiber on top of the surface of the PIC where the end of the fiber has been cut at an angle to form an angled tip. The angled tip has a flat surface, which reflects a light beam down to a waveguide grating coupler disposed on the integrated circuit. The light beam is reflected off the reflective surface of the angled tip by total internal reflection. The waveguide grating coupler is designed to accept the slightly diverging light beam from the reflective surface of the angled tip of the fiber. The light beam can also propagate through the fiber to a chip coupler in the opposite direction, up from the substrate through the waveguide grating and into an optical fiber after bouncing off the reflective surface of the angled tip. This technique further requires coating on the exterior of the reflective surface with epoxy.
Among others, all of the above-noted techniques require precise alignment and active positioning of the optical fiber to the PIC. As such, current techniques suffer from poor and very tight alignment tolerance to gain an efficient connectivity. For example, a misalignment between an optical fiber and a PIC of 1-2 microns would result in a signal loss of about 3 db. Furthermore, the alignment is now performed with expensive equipment or labor-intensive assembly solutions. As a result, mass production of PICs and/or optical couplers is not feasible. Furthermore, most current Single Mode (SM) fiber-chip connection uses non-scalable assembly technologies due to active-alignment protocols. Such protocols support low volume production and cannot be scaled to application with large port count. For example, data-center switches with high density and chip-to-chip connectivity applications are not supported by the active-alignment protocol.
Furthermore, current wide-band optical fiber to chip connectivity uses complicated edge coupling geometry and sub-micron tight tolerance, which mostly requires active alignment of specialized tools.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a solution that would overcome the challenges noted above.


The present invention suppresses leakage magnetic field. A power transfer coil configured to transmit or receive power includes: an inner coil; a first outer coil formed so as to surround the inner coil such that a magnetic flux opposite in phase to a magnetic flux outside the inner coil is generated outside the first outer coil, the first outer coil having one end connected to a first terminal and the other end connected to one end of the inner coil; and a second outer coil formed so as to surround the inner coil such that a magnetic flux opposite in phase to the magnetic flux outside the inner coil is generated outside the second outer coil, the second outer coil having one end connected to a second terminal and the other end connected to the other end of the inner coil.

Patent Document 1 discloses a coil antenna comprising a main coil formed by winding a conductor wire about a reference axis, and an auxiliary coil arranged so as to be spaced apart from the main coil at a predetermined interval as well as being electrically connected in series to the main coil such that the same alternating current as that flowing in the main coil is flowed therein.


An apparatus and method for adapting a power amplifier to a variable load includes comparing the actual output power to the expected output power, modifying a drive signal to the power amplifier, measuring the value of at least one electrical parameter, determining the difference between the measured value and a predetermined value, and periodically adjusting the drive signal according to the difference. The parameters modified include, but are not limited to, the power delivered to the input of the power amplifier, the DC power supply voltage to any stage of the power amplifier, and the current setting bias values.

When a handset is brought into proximity to a reflector, e.g. a tabletop or hand, the near field of the antenna is disrupted. This disruption changes the impedance of the antenna and thus changes the output load impedance of the power amplifier (PA). Since the power amplifier efficiency, linearity and harmonic performance are functions of load impedance, when the antenna is mismatched, the transmitter loses efficiency and distorts the output signal. The power efficiency loss results in less talk time but can be mitigated with a larger battery. As the handset must meet strict government regulations regarding distortion, the power amplifier must handle the changing load impedance without exceeding the allowed distortion.
One prior art technique is to supply the power amplifier (PA) with significantly more primary power. This allows for more linear operation into mismatch, but results in an inefficient, large power amplifier. This reduces the talk time unless the battery is grown, and increases the cost of the PA. Another prior art technique uses two smaller PAs. The load to each PA is inverse to one another. Thus, when one sees an open, the other sees a short. This minimizes distortion but requires more semiconductor area. The efficiency suffers due to the loss in the combined network. Alternatively, an isolator may be placed between the power amplifier and the antenna. The isolator adds cost, is large, adds loss and so requires a larger PA, and restricts the bandwidth of the transmitter.

Output impedance insensitive power amplifier architecture

Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A cooking appliance including an interior, a fan mechanism having at least one fan wheel in the interior, at least one first flow directing member for subdividing the interior into a pressure chamber that houses the fan wheel and a cooking chamber, in which the first flow directing member includes at least one suction port for sucking atmosphere from the cooking chamber into the pressure chamber when the fan wheel is in operation and at least one blow-off port for blowing atmosphere from the pressure chamber into the cooking chamber when the fan wheel is in operation; and at least one second flow directing member that is included with the fan mechanism in the area of the suction port of the first flow directing member in order to improve the flow from the cooking chamber into the pressure chamber by forcing an axial main flow H in the suction zone of the fan mechanism, where the second flow directing member performs a nozzle function, extends from the fan mechanism into the cooking chamber, and overlaps the edge of the suction port of the first flow directing member, and where the first flow directing member extends into the second flow directing member.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a flow directing device for a cooking appliance with a fan mechanism, which comprises at least one fan wheel in an interior of the cooking appliance for circulating atmosphere, comprising at least one first flow directing member for subdividing the interior into a pressure chamber with the fan wheel and a cooking chamber, wherein the first flow directing member leaves free at least one suction port for sucking atmosphere from the cooking chamber into the pressure chamber in the area of the fan wheel and at least one blow-off port for blowing atmosphere from the pressure chamber into the cooking chamber when the fan wheel is in operation, at least one second flow directing member, which is mounted onto the fan mechanism or molded with the fan mechanism in the area of the suction port of the first flow directing member in order to improve the flow from the cooking chamber into the pressure chamber by forcing an axial main flow in the suction zone of the fan mechanism, and a cooking appliance with such a flow directing device.
Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, numerous measures for optimising a flow in the interior of a cooking appliance are known. Usually, a first flow directing member is used in the form of an air directing plate between a cooking chamber and a fan chamber or pressure chamber, which comprises a central suction port and leaves open blow-off ports facing the walls of the interior, so that a fan wheel arranged in the pressure chamber can suck atmosphere from the cooking chamber through the suction port and blow it out via the blow-off ports.
DE 203 14 818 U1, for example, deals with the targeted blowing of atmosphere from the pressure chamber into the cooking chamber via specially arranged blow-off ports in the first flow directing member. DE 10 2007 023 767, which is not pre-published, also deals with the blow-off ports of a first flow directing member, wherein movable elements should be arranged in blow-off ports, which move depending on the pressure progression in the cooking chamber. Another approach can be found, for example, in DE 203 09 268 U1 by using second flow directing members in the fan chamber in which a breaking up of the eddies should be forced while passing through a blow-off port between the pressure chamber and the cooking chamber, so that eddies spread out in the cooking chamber. Second flow directing members for forcing a homogeneous flow in the cooking chamber are also described in DE 203 12 031 U1.
A further flow directing device can be found, for example, in DE 10 2004 004 393 B4, in which a first flow directing member is in the form of a single piece with a second flow directing member. More precisely, the edge of the first flow directing member is turned in the form of an air directing plate in the area of its suction port to form a flow directing nozzle. This nozzle is a suction nozzle and is designed to improve the suction of atmosphere from a cooking chamber into a fan chamber of a cooking appliance. However, the disadvantage here is that a gap must be present at all times between a rotating fan wheel in the pressure chamber on the one hand, and the suction nozzle on the air directing plate on the other, in order to avoid damage. With cooking appliances in industrial kitchens in particular, this gap is large enough, due to tolerances, to enable atmosphere to flow from the pressure chamber directly into the suction area of the fan wheel, i.e., it is not directed via a blow-off port into the cooking chamber and via the suction port of the air directing plate into the suction area of the fan wheel, so that a short-circuit occurs with the atmosphere, which flows in from the cooking chamber through the suction port of the air directing plate. For this reason, this flow, which penetrates through the gap, is also known as a short-circuit flow, and occurs at a very sensitive point in the suction area of the fan wheel, i.e., in the deflection area of a main flow from the cooking chamber into the pressure chamber, more precisely, where a deflection occurs from a radial direction into an axial direction of the main flow. Thus, the short-circuit flow runs transverse to the main flow in the suction area of the fan wheel, so that it narrows the main flow and can itself cause a displacement and swirling of the main flow, which leads to an overall reduction in the effectiveness of the circulation of cooking chamber atmosphere by the fan wheel.
Generic flow directing devices for cooking appliances are described in EP 1 767 869 A2 and DT 25 19 604, wherein in both cases, a first flow directing member spreads out at least up to the suction port of a fan wheel, and in the case of DT 25 19 604, even extends into the suction port, while the second flow directing member is provided in the form of an outer contour of the fan wheel.

Flow directing device for a cooking appliance


A centrifugal fan noise-lowering structure includes a frame having an upper and a lower cover and a sidewall, which together internally define a receiving space communicable with an air inlet and an air outlet of the frame; a stator assembly located in the receiving space and fixedly mounted on the lower cover; and a rotor assembly correspondingly assembled to the stator assembly. The receiving space is internally defined a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone. The upper cover is provided with an airflow passage, which has an inlet located at a position corresponding to the high pressure zone, and an outlet located at a position corresponding to the low pressure zone. With the airflow passage, air in the high pressure zone can be guided to jet out to the low pressure zone to thereby reduce noise produced by the centrifugal fan during its operation.

Since centrifugal fans, centrifugal compressors, centrifugal blowers and centrifugal pumps have the advantages of being capable of changing the flowing direction of a fluid (i.e. having fluid inlet and fluid outlet oriented to different directions), utilizing a centrifugal force to further increase the pressure of the fluid, being highly adaptable to different spaces (applicable to narrow space in, for example, a notebook computer for heat dissipation), and being simple in structure, they have wide applications in daily life, such as being used in notebook computers, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, bathroom exhaust fans, kitchen range hoods, air-conditioning or related ventilation system for car engines, industrial equipment, and water-cooling towers. However, centrifugal fans, compressors, blowers and pumps would produce noise during their operation to form a serious and unacceptable problem. It is therefore necessary to improve the noise problem of the centrifugal type machines.
Most currently available centrifugal fan noise-lowering structures are focused on the optimization of the structural design of fan, such as adjusting the shape of fan blades, the geometry of air inlet, the style of volute, the throat gap design and the number of air guiding structures; or the mounting of additional active noise-eliminating devices or deafening devices. The conventional optimized structural designs have the disadvantage of narrow scope of application. That is, the locally optimized structural designs are uneasy to be widely applied. Usually, many optimized structural parameters must be re-calculated once the environment and operating conditions are changed. On the other hand, the mounting of additional noise-eliminating devices has the drawback of largely increased materials and manufacturing cost and occupying more space.
It is therefore an important target of the technical persons in this field to solve the disadvantages in the conventional centrifugal fan noise-lowering structures.

Centrifugal fan noise-lowering structure


A shade structure includes a vertical column and a roof having a cover, a framework supporting the cover, and a mount attached for rotational adjustment to a top of the column and supporting the roof on the column. The framework includes a triangularly-shaped main beam arrangement comprising a plurality of beams secured together to form a triangle that lies in a vertical plane and that defines a peak and opposing first corners, with the mount being located between the peak and one of the opposing corners. The framework further includes a pair of transverse beams and a bracing beam secured to the triangular main beam arrangement that define opposing second corners. By this arrangement, an adjustable shade structure is provided that is able to withstand over 40 mph wind loads.

The present invention relates to an adjustable shade-providing building structure, and more particularly relates to a structure configured to provide adjustable shading in an outdoor open environment, but that is also configured to meet many building codes and to provide greater durability and permanency than umbrella furniture systems and traditional shading systems that will not withstand wind loads.
Many establishments require (or desire) shading structures to facilitate and promote outdoor activities. For example, furniture with umbrellas are often used in outdoor restaurants, picnic areas and beaches to provide shade from the sun while allowing users to enjoy the sun and outdoor areas. However, the umbrellas used in furniture are typically relatively lightweight and not intended to be left outside for extended periods of time. Nor are they made with sufficient structure to withstand high wind, intense rain or other harsh weather conditions. Nor are they made to meet building codes.
There are also umbrella structures and covers that are intended for more permanent installation and use, such as structures for covering hot tubs, pools, and the like. However, where they are intended to be exposed to the environment for longer periods of time, they are typically intended to be latched down with multiple latches and/or anchored with tie-downs. Also, many are complex to assemble and expensive to erect and/or install.
There are also awnings and fabric-covered "porch-type" systems. However, they are not free-standing, but instead require the presence of a building wall for their basic anchoring and support. Further, though these systems are sometimes extendable, they are not adjustable around a specific center location in order to continue to provide shading in the center location as the sun moves across the sky. Instead, they basically must be big enough or low enough so that the desired area always has some shade. Also, like umbrellas, many of these systems are not intended to withstand high wind, intense rain, or other harsh weather conditions. Instead, they are intended to be retracted and/or taken down during any significant wind and weather.
We, the inventors, have found a continued unmet need for an adjustable structure configured to provide adjustable free-standing shading, including shading that an "untrained" user can adjust, but that is also configured to meet building codes and to provide greater durability and permanency than traditional umbrella and awning systems. In particular, the present known prior art shading systems do not provide a roof-supporting structure sufficient to withstand high wind (such as 90 mph wind loads) where the structure is also adjustable to maintain shading in a particular area as the sun moves across the sky. Further, the known shading systems that are more durable tend to lack style and elegance. Further, they include multiple components, making them expensive to purchase, cumbersome to assemble, expensive to erect and/or build, and difficult and expensive to repair.
In addition, there is a need to combine basic structural building technology with shading technology in a manner that provides flexibility in the design, styling, and appearance. It is desirable to provide a building structure that is flexible in terms of size, shape, and simplicity of installation and repair.
Another need is that common umbrella systems have a pole in the center. With a pole in the center, a table below is impossible unless it is built around the column. It is desirable to have an offset column umbrella that allows for any table and column arrangement be placed directly below the center of shade when the sun is overhead.
Thus, a system having the aforementioned advantages and solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

Adjustable shade-providing building structure