A frusto-conical lantern reflector comprised of two semicircular, flat sheets made of a resilient material, each with at least one surface that reflects light. Each generally semicircular sheet has a semicircular cut-out that forms an opening in the top of the assembled reflector. Fasteners are located on either side of the cut-away semicircular portion; the fasteners on one sheet are disposed to releasably mate with the fasteners on the other sheet so that when the sheets are deflected and the fasteners on the one sheet are aligned with the fasteners on the second sheet, the two sheets together form a frusto-conical reflector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a conical reflector for use with portable lanterns, and more specifically, a conical reflector that can be easily disassembled into two flat sheets for easy storage and transport when not in use, and easily reassembled for use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lanterns used by campers, such as candle lanterns, generally, do not provide sufficient light in the area directly below their base. The base is directly below the source of illumination and casts a shadow. A conical reflector can eliminate or reduce the shadow and the use of conical reflectors to direct lantern light downward is known in the art; examples include: U.S. Pat. No. 760,922 to Huse and U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,290 to Terry.
Huse shows a canopy for chimney tops which may be collapsed or folded for shipping purposes. The chimney is assembled by overlapping two or more rigid mica conical pieces and joining them together at the edges by rivets. The rigid conical mica pieces when disassembled do not lie flat.
Terry shows a lantern reflector formed from a single piece of sheet material which is joined together at a seam.
Campers carry articles such as lanterns and space is limited. Prior art lantern reflectors are generally bulky, and therefore undesirable.


The present invention relates to an improved device and method for flossing teeth. The device has a handle portion and a finger portion. The finger portion is inserted into an individual's mouth, and the handle portion is used for holding the dental flossing device. In a first embodiment, the dental flossing device has two apertures spaced along the finger portion. The flossing material is threaded through the first aperture and then the second aperture. A user presses one end of the flossing material against the device to keep the flossing material taut. The other end of the flossing material, extending from an aperture at the distal end of the device, is held by the user's fingers or is wrapped around a finger, depending on the individual's personal technique. Thereafter, the finger portion of the device is inserted into the mouth and flossing is performed. In a second embodiment, the device has only a single aperture through which the floss is threaded, a section of the floss being held against a side of the device by the hand of the user during use.

The present invention relates generally to a device for flossing teeth and, in particular, a device for improving the ability of a person to extract food and other particles from between teeth and to aid in the prevention of infections, diseases, tooth decay and other problems associated with poor dental hygiene.
In the past, devices for flossing one's teeth have been very complicated, having handles which contain a spool of dental floss therein, the floss being fed through a shaft and pulled off the spool through an aperture at the tip of the shaft. Such inventions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,734,107, 4,434,807 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 322,491. However, these types of dental flossing devices have numerous drawbacks. Specifically, dental floss must be purchased which is adapted for the specific dental flossing device being used. Furthermore, these devices can be relatively expensive as well as relatively bulky, and therefore difficult to carry for use when needed, such as after meals.
Other dental flossing devices comprise fork-like prongs separated a distance sufficient to contain therebetween a section of dental floss. However, one problem with these devices is the inability to obtain the necessary range of movement within one's mouth. Furthermore, a user may have trouble reaching deep within the back of the mouth with these devices. Another defect in such devices is the need to remove such devices from the mouth and reset a new length of floss when a change in floss is desired or the floss breaks. A representative selection of these devices can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,939,853; 3,799,177; 3,472,247; 3,734,107; 3,834,404; 2,837,098; 2,784,722; 2,467,221; 1,217,264 and 1,091,789.
Flossing tools have also been formed of a single member but including means for securing one end of the floss to the tool by means of a knot, or a knob about which the floss can be wrapped. Examples of such devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,393,687; 1,890,788; U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 272,565; 265,515 and 276,378. However, those devices have the drawbacks of requiring removal from the mouth and manipulation to advance a fresh length of floss. This increases the time required for flossing and complicates use.
Still another variation on flossing tools also involves the use of a single device bent at its end to provide two points for securing a length of floss therebetween. Examples of these tools include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,664,093 and 2,648,341.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved flossing device for flossing one's teeth having a construction which will allow a user to more efficiently floss, as well as providing the easiest transition from using only one's fingers to using the present invention, regardless of an individual's personal flossing techniques.


A combined data compression/error correction system suitable for use in synchronous communication utilizes a data compressor to produce variable rate compressed data from synchronous data. The variable rate compressed data is applied to a FIFO memory which is monitored to determine when the amount of data in the FIFO drops below a predetermined threshold. When it drops below this threshold, an error correction code generator generates a separator character and an error correction code which is appended to the compressed data in the FIFO. Thus, the additional bandwidth created by data compression is used to provide enhancement to the data integrity by providing a variable level of error correction varying in accordance with the free bandwidth generated by the data compressor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the fields of data compression and error correction. In particular, this invention relates to a device which utilizes data compression to free up bandwidth to be used for error correction.
2. Background
Error correction is commonly used in various devices and systems by appending a fixed number of Forward Error Correction (FEC) bits to a fixed number of data bits to allow for correction of a certain number of bit errors. Several methods of performing `fixed` error correction are known in the art. In general, these methods generate a fixed number of error correction bits for each block of fixed length processed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,961 to Abramson et al. describes an adaptive error correction system in which the number of burst errors are examined to determine what level of error correction is required to accomplish a fully correctable transmission. Then an error correction parameter is adjusted to manipulate the block size in accordance with the requirements of the channel. This patent also includes a rather extensive discussion of the background problems with error correction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,151 to Rydbeck et al describes a technique for providing adaptive error correction in digital transmission of analog signals (e.g. voice or video) in which bits of lower significance are sacrificed to provide bandwidth for insertion of error correction bits. However, this arrangement is obviously unsuitable for transmission of digital information since it would actually produce errors which are uncorrectable.
Adaptive error control is also discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,549 to Tong in which one of several different error control mechanisms is selected based upon the error performance of the channel. For example, burst errors and random errors may be best handled by different error control strategies. This patent allows for tayloring the error correction scheme to best correct for the type of errors produced by the channel.
Several types of data compression are well known in the art. For example, Huffman coding and modifications thereof as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,175 to Robert E. Bledsoe and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, have been used to provide data compression. Other data compression (or compaction) techniques are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,237,170 to Blasbalg et al, 4,560,976 to Finn, 4,612,532 to Bacon et al, and 4,706,265 to Furukawa. These patents are incorporated herein by reference.
In data compression environments, a constant data input rate is converted into a variable output data rate which is usually considerably lower on average than the input data rate. Thus, data compression typically provides the ability to transmit data using a lower bandwidth than would otherwise be required. Usually this decrease in required bandwidth is used to enhance throughput. That is, any bandwidth freed up by use of data compression is utilized to transport more data thus increasing the effective communication rate. This principal has been utilized, for example, in statistical multiplexers in order to pump more user data through a given link. It has also been utilized with data compressing asynchronous modems so that the modems may be rated at a higher information throughput than the communication channel and modem technology would normally allow.
Unfortunately, the advantage offered by data compression is difficult to utilize with synchronous communications links. Such links require the addition of a substantial level of flow control in order to utilize the variable rate output of a data compressor. A good example of this environment is that of a communication link using synchronous modems. The required flow control adds substantial complexity to the modem thereby substantially increasing its cost.
The present invention utilizes the increase in available bandwidth created by data compression advantageously to indirectly increase the data throughput by increasing the immunity of the data to noise, line disturbances, etc. By enhancing the integrity of the transmitted data, there is a lower need for retransmissions, etc. since many errors can be corrected without use of additional bandwidth.


A method of detecting eye location for a head-mounted display system includes directing positioning light to an eye of a user and detecting the positioning light reflected from the eye of the user. The method further includes determining a distance between the eye and a near-eye optic of the head-mounted display system based on attributes of the detected positioning light, and providing feedback for adjusting the distance between the eye and the near-eye optic.

Near-eye display devices are configured to present images to a user via a display that is positioned close to the user's eyes. For example, a see-through head-mounted augmented reality display device may be worn on a user's head to position a near-eye display directly in front of a user's eyes. An appearance of objects displayed on the near-eye display may be altered responsive to changes in distance between the user's eyes and the near-eye optics of the displays.

Feedback for optic positioning in display devices


A rotating starting resistance for a rotating electrical machine is disclosed. The resistance includes a helicoidal resistance wire that is wound in the shape of a torus, and connected to the rotating shaft of the electrical machine. The resistance wire may be directly fastened to a supporting member by means of a glass fiber cord suitably impregnated with a synthetic resin. The helicoidal nature of the starting resistance permits efficient cooling, and allows minimization of the overall height of the resistance. The resistance wire, which is wound in the shape of a helicoidal torus, may be reinforced at either the inner or outer diameter of the torus.

This invention relates generally to rotating electrical machines, and more particularly to rotating starting resistances for electrical machines, which rotate with the rotating member of the electrical machine.
Rotating starting resistances, which are connected in a series or field circuit to modify the starting performance of electrical machines, are known in the art. See, for example, "Brown Boveri Mitteilungen" [Brown Boveri Reports], Volume 54, No. 9, at page 550, and "Dreiphasen-Synchronmotoren Typ WM 400 . . . 1000 4-Bis 14 Polig" [Three-Phase Synchronous Motors, Type WM 400 . . . 1000 4-to 14 Pole], CH-T5432, BBC Aktiengesellschaft Brown, Boveri & Cie., Baden, Switzerland, FIG. 8b at page 12.
A conventional starting resistance is manufactured in the form of a coiled strap of resistance material, such as steel or German silver. The coiled strap is then insulated with an insulating strip. This form of resistance, however, cannot be effectively cooled due to the insulation. Moreover, this type of construction requires the starting resistance to have a relatively large overall height.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a rotating starting resistance for an electrical machine which can be more effectively cooled, and which has a relatively smaller overall height than conventional rotating starting resistances.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the starting resistance is constructed from a helicoidal winding of resistance wire which is wound in the shape of a torus. The starting resistance is then mechanically connected to the rotating shaft of the electrical machine by suitable supporting elements. The resistance wire can be made from such materials as steel, German silver or a nickelchromium alloy.
The helicoidal nature of the resistance wire used to form the starting resistance allows effective cooling of the resistance, and allows a resistance of a given resistance value and thermal capacity to be constructed having a minimum overall height.

Starting resistance for a rotating electrical machine


An air-based-deployment-compatible underwater vehicle that may be configured to perform vertical profiling is described. The vehicle may be configured, during information transmission, to perform motion stabilization at a water surface. A body of the vehicle may have a cylindrical shape. Buoyancy control components of the vehicle may be disposed within the body. The buoyancy control components may be configured to adjust a volume and/or buoyancy of the vehicle to facilitate vertical profiling. Fins may be hingedly disposed on the body at one or more locations on the vehicle. The fins may be movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. The fins, in the first configuration, may be positioned substantially flat against the body. The fins, in the second configuration, may extend radially outward to slow descent and to provide motion stabilization. The fins may be pitched to rotate the vehicle about a longitudinal axis during vertical profiling.

A conventional profiling float may be an oceanographic instrument platform that changes its buoyancy in order to move vertically in an ocean. Conventional profiling floats may repeatedly collect information with sensors at a range of depths ("profiles"). Common sensors may include temperature, conductivity, and pressure (from which salinity can be calculated), though a wide range of other sensors have been deployed on floats. Conventional profiling floats may transmit collected data at a water surface by radio transmission to one or more satellites and/or other signal receivers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Air-based-deployment-compatible underwater vehicle configured to perform vertical profiling and, during information transmission, perform motion stabilization at a water surface, and associated methods


An apparatus for delivery of melting rings and valves to an inductor heater, for hard facing of valves for internal combustion engines by melting rings of heat-resistant alloy upon the working surfaces of valves, comprises gravity feed trays, one for feeding the work valves in a vertical position and the other for feeding work rings laid on their side to a tubular body. Between the exit of the tray for feeding the rings and the tubular body there is installed a horizontal tray which is located under the gravity feed tray for feeding the valves and in the same vertical plane with said tray. The distance between the sliding surfaces of the tray along which the valve head moves and the sliding surfaces of the horizontal tray along which the ring lying on its side moves is less than the length of the valve stem, so that the valve stem enters the hole of the ring and delivers it to the tubular body. Near the upper end of the tubular body there is installed a stop interacting with the valve stem for positioning the valve falling into the tubular body with its stem being upwardly directed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to welding apparatuses using induction heating wherein work pieces to be welded are previously positioned for the purpose. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatuses for delivery of melting rings and valves to an inductor heater for hard-facing of valves for internal combustion engines by melting rings of heat-resistant alloys upon the working surface of the valves.
Most efficiently the invention can be employed at enterprises engaged in serial production of valves for internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a known fact that to effect hard facing of a valve, an alloy ring is fitted onto its head, the valve is put in a vertical position and the above head with the ring fitted thereupon is placed into a high-temperature heater, for instance a high-frequency inductor.
At present, valves are hard-faced with the aid of devices wherein the fitting of a ring onto the valve head, the positioning of the valve in a vertical alignment and the delivering of the valve into the inductor are carried out by mechanical means, for instance a manipulator.
Despite the automation of the hard-facing process, there still remain possibilities to increase the efficiency of the above devices by shortening the time for assembling the work valve and ring, as well as by carrying out the above assembling at a time when the previous valve is being hard faced.
Also known in the art are apparatuses for hard-facing of valves for internal combustion engines, wherein work valves and the rings to be melted are fed to gravity. Such apparatuses are simple in construction and more efficient as compared with similar apparatuses wherein the assembling is performed by a number of mechanisms.
For instance, known in the art is an apparatus for hard-facing of valves for internal combustion engines comprising a means for assembling the work valve and the ring to be melted (cf. Swedish Pat. No. 7802954-3), including, a vertically positioned tubular body adjoined by gravity feed trays, one for feeding the work valves and the other for feeding the rings; a stop located under the tray for feeding the valves and intended for positioning the valve with its stem being upwardly directed; a receiver for receiving the rings and delivering them onto the valve stem; a pusher located under the tubular body and adapted to deliver the valve with the ring fitted upon its head into the inductor, and a mechanism for holding the valve therein.
To effect delivery of the valves inside the tubular body, the tubular body has a hole adjoined by the tray for feeding the rings to be melted, the receiver for receiving the rings is a kind of curtain inserted into the slot made in the tubular body below the hole for feeding the rings therein. The curtain is connected with a drive providing for its back-and-forward movement.
The pusher for feeding the rings is mounted on a slide and has a tubular body accomodate the valve with the ring fitted thereupon, the pusher slide being connected with the back-and-forward movement drive to provide that the pusher be placed alternately under the tubular body or the inductor.
The tray for feeding the rings has a complicated form which provides for vertically positioning the rings at the entry side of the tray and for its horizontally positioning at the exit side thereof. A separator for by-piece feeding the rings from a storage is mounted at the entry side of the tray for feeding the rings.
To feed the rings with a predetermined side turned in the direction of movement, i.e., to prevent the ring from turning over, there is provided another curtain inserted into the slot made in the tubular body above the aforementioned hole.
Despite the fact that the above apparatus has some advantages typical of the apparatuses using a gravity feed of workpieces to be welded, its application is limited which is due to the fact that the arrangement of the pusher on the slide connected with a drive and the necessity of mechanical processing of the tubular body to obtain various entries and exits for the valves and rings complicate the apparatus design.
In addition, the time spent for feeding successively the valves and rings to the tubular body, for fitting the ring in the receiver, as well as for moving the pusher to under the heater and then back to under the tubular body restrict the efficiency of the above apparatus.

Apparatus for delivery of melting rings and valves to an inductor heater


A method for transmitting a short message to a plurality of subscribers in a mobile communication system. Upon detecting the selection of a short message service menu, a mobile communication terminal transmits short message information including a group identifier and a short message. A short message service center detects the group identifier from the short message information, reads subscriber numbers corresponding to the group identifier from its memory, and simultaneously transmits the short message to the called subscriber numbers.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to a method for transmitting short messages in a mobile communication system and, in particular, to a method for simultaneously transmitting a short message to a plurality of called subscribers in a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A GSM system is a European cellular mobile telephone system in which traffic and signaling information is transmitted as a digital signal in TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) format. In general, the signaling and traffic information transmitted between a base transceiver station and a GSM terminal has a burst form of 156.25 bits. Particularly, the data burst of the traffic channel includes 3 start bits, 58 message bits, 26 trailing sequence bits, 58 new message bits, and 3 stop bits. In addition, a guard space exists between successive bursts to distinguish between them, making the total length of a burst equal to 156.26 bits (with a burst time of 0.577 ms). Data bursts of other channels have 8 respective frames which are sequentially positioned on a radio channel frequency. These data bursts include compressed digital traffic information, voice information and character information.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram illustrates a GSM system in which the present method for transmitting short messages can be implemented. A home location register (HLR) 160 contains data for each of a plurality of mobile subscribers such as a home location of each subscriber and an address of a service center in which a short message for a GSM terminal is stored. The address of the service center is deleted after the short message is transmitted. A visitor location register (VLR) 150 includes data such as an actual or latest known location of a subscriber, an ON/OFF state of a GSM terminal and a secret number. A mobile switching center (MSC) 100 is connected to another MSC 200, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), an integrated services digital network (ISDN), and a short message service center 180. A first base station subsystem (BSS) 110 includes a base station controller (BSC) 112 and a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTSs) 114 and 116. A second base station subsystem (BSS) 120 includes a base station controller (BSC) 122 and a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTSs) 124 and 126. The BSCs 112 and 122 are connected to the MSC 100 and to at least one BTS (e.g., one of the BTSs 114, 116, 124, and 126). In addition, the BTSs 114 and 124 control the transmission of a message between a corresponding one of GSM terminals 10, 20, 30 and 40 and the MSC 100, and forms a radio link to transmit voice and data signals.
A subscriber authenticator 140, operatively coupled to the MSC 100, confirms an authentication number (or "secret number") of a subscriber in order to prevent other mobile subscribers from fraudulently using the identification of another subscriber. The short message service center 180 stores data such as short messages and (as explained in further detail below) a group identifier and a plurality of addresses associated with the group identifier. The telephone numbers of called subscribers are stored in these addresses. If a short message cannot be transmitted to the called subscriber number (i.e., the terminal of the called subscriber is busy or the called subscriber does not answer a call), the short message service center 180 repeatedly attempts to transmit the short message by a preset number of times. Short message service gateways 170 and 190 connect MSCs 100 and 200, respectively, to the short message service center 180.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrates a GSM terminal (e.g., the GSM terminal 10 of FIG. 1) in which the present method for transmitting a short message can be implemented. A controller 1 controls the overall operation of the GSM terminal. For example, the controller 1 causes the GSM terminal to generate short message group registration information for transmitting a short message during a "short message group transmission mode" (as explained in further detail below). A memory 2 stores various programs that are used by the controller 1 for performing short message group transmission and stores data generated during the execution of these programs. A key entry unit 3 has a plurality of numeric keys and function keys and generates key data. A display unit 4 displays the key data generated from the key entry unit 3, and displays the operating status of the GSM terminal. An audio circuit 6 converts an audio signal received through a microphone MIC, as well as data received from the controller 1, into an intermediate frequency signal. Further, the audio circuit 6 processes an intermediate frequency signal received from an RF circuit 5, and supplies processed data to the controller 1 and a processed audio signal to a speaker SP. The radio frequency (RF) circuit 5 demodulates an RF signal received through an antenna AT into an intermediate frequency signal. Moreover, the RF circuit 5 modulates an intermediate frequency signal received from the audio circuit 6 into an RF signal and transmits the RF signal through the antenna AT.
A conventional short message transmission operation will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. If a menu key on the key entry unit 3 of the GSM terminal (e.g., GSM terminal 10) is selected, the controller 1 causes the display unit 4 to display a plurality of menus. If a short message service menu is selected among the displayed menus, the controller 1 instructs the calling subscriber to sequentially input a short message service center number, a short message, and a destination address (i.e., a called subscriber). Conventionally, only one destination address can be input. Once the short message service center number, short message and destination address are input, the controller 1 determines if a transmit key (from the key entry unit 3) is selected. If the transmit key is selected, the controller 1 transmits the short message information (i.e., the service center number, the short message and the destination address) through the RF circuit 5 in the prescribed data burst format.
Referring again to FIG. 1, the BTS 114, for example, receives the short message information transmitted from the GSM terminal 10 and then transmits the information to the BSC 112. The BSC 112 then transmits the short message information to the MSC 100. The MSC 100 detects the called subscriber number included in the short message information and determines if the called subscriber number is a registered subscriber number. If the called number is a registered subscriber number, the MSC 100 will detect the service center number (i.e., the service center address) from the short message information and the MSC 100 is then switched to the short message service center 180. The service center address is temporarily stored in the HLR 160. The short message information is matched through the short message service gateway 170 and transmitted to the short message service center 180. The short message service center 180 stores the short message information and detects the destination address. The short message service center 180 then transmits the short message to the destination address via the MSC 100. If the destination address is the GSM terminal 40, for example, the short message service center 180 will transmit the short message to the GSM terminal 40. If the GSM terminal 40 is busy or the call is not answered, the short message service center 180 repeatedly attempts to transmit the short message by a preset number of times.
As demonstrated above, the short message is transmitted to a particular destination terminal by point-to-point links. Moreover, when the calling subscriber wants to transmit a short message to a plurality of terminals using the conventional method discussed above, the short message must be transmitted to each of the terminals one by one (i.e., only one destination address can be designated via the GSM terminal for each set of short message information transmitted to, and processed by, the corresponding MSC).

Method for transmitting short message to called subscribers


A rendering system and method based on a weighted value of a sub-pixel region are provided. The rendering system may change a pixel value of a single sub-pixel using pixel values of sub-pixels that represent, as respective central viewpoints, a plurality of viewpoints represented by the single sub-pixel based on an inclined lens, and may perform rendering using the changed pixel value.

1. Field
Example embodiments of the following description relate to a rendering system and method based on a weighted value of a sub-pixel region.
2. Description of the Related Art
To effectively implement a three-dimensional (3D) image, images having viewpoints different from each other may typically need to be respectively viewed by left/right eyes of human beings. To implement this 3D image without using a filter such as a glass, the 3D image may need to be spatially divided based on the viewpoints, which are referred to as an autostereoscopic display. In the autostereoscopic display, an image may be spatially divided using an optical device, and displayed. Here, as the optical device, optical lenses or an optical barrier may be representatively used. As an optical lens, a lenticular lens may be used by which respective pixel images are displayed only in a predetermined direction. In addition, using the optical barrier, only a predetermined pixel may be viewed from a predetermined direction due to a slit disposed in a front surface of a display. In a case of the autostereoscopic display using the lenses or the barrier, left/right viewpoint images, that is, two viewpoint images may be basically displayed, resulting in creation of a sweet spot having a significantly narrow width. The sweet spot may be expressed using a viewing distance and a viewing angle. Here, the viewing distance may be determined by a pitch of lenses or a slit, and the viewing angle may be determined by a number of expressible viewpoints. In this instance, a scheme of increasing the number of expressible viewpoints to widen the viewing angle may be referred to as an autostereoscopic multi-view display.
Accordingly, there is a desire for a rendering system and method that may more effectively provide a 3D image.

Rendering system and method based on weighted value of sub-pixel region


Compositions comprising, in combination, the insecticides methomyl and 2-dihalovinyl-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylates exhibit synergistic insecticidal activity. The novel compositions are exemplified and their use for controlling insects is demonstrated.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of bio-affecting compositions; more specifically, it pertains to such compositions containing organic active ingredients comprising the insecticide methomyl and certain esters of 2-dihalovinyl-3,3-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acids, the latter being pyrethroid insecticides related to chrysanthemum acid, and to the use of the compositions for controlling insects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
New pyrethroids, insecticidal 2-(2,2-dihalovinyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylates [Elliott, et al., Nature, 246, 169 (1973); British Pat. No. 1 413 491], are of great interest currently because, unlike previous compounds of this type, such as natural pyrethrins and the older synthetic pyrethroids (for example, allethrin and tetramethrin) they have good photo-oxidative stability. However, the new pyrethroids are very costly, and ways to increase their cost effectiveness are actively being sought.
Synergists have been used commercially in combination with pyrethrins and the older pyrethroid insecticides because they lessen the amount of insecticide required and thus reduce the cost at which insect control is achieved. Some of the most widely used synergists for pyrethrins and the older pyrethroids display little or no insecticidal activity in their own right; for example, the commercially important piperonyl butoxide [U.S. Pat. No. 2,550,737] and certain phosphonates such as mono(alkyl and alkenyl) mono-.omega.-alkynyl arylphosphonates [U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,885,031 & 3,944,666].
Some of the compounds which produce synergistic combinations with the new pyrethroid, 3-phenoxybenzyl 2-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate, are themselves insecticides. It is known that combinations of 2-allyl-3-methylcyclopent-2-en-1-one-4-yl 2-(2,2-dimethylvinyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate (allethrin) and N-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimido)methyl 2-(2,2-dimethylvinyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate (tetramethrin) with the aforesaid insecticidal 2-dihalovinyl-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate exhibit synergism when used to control several insect species, including insects of the order Diptera [U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,586]. O,O-Dimethyl 0-(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl) phosphorothioate (fenitrothion) and 1-naphthyl methylcarbamate (carbaryl), in combination with the aforesaid insecticidal 2-dihalovinyl-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate, exhibit synergism when applied to Nephetettix cinctceps, a rice pest [Japan Kokai 75 58,237 and 75 64,422, respectively].

Synergistic insecticidal combinations comprising methomyl and 2-dihalovinyl-3,3-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylates


Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for storing data to a plurality of physical storage volumes. In a particular embodiment, a method provides identifying first data for storage on the plurality of physical storage volumes. Each of the plurality of storage volumes corresponds to respective ones of a plurality of data channels. The method further provides segmenting the first data into a plurality of data segments corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of data channels and transferring the plurality of data segments as respective bit streams over the respective ones of the plurality of data channels to the respective ones of the plurality of physical storage volumes. The plurality of storage volumes stores the respective bit streams in the exact condition in which the bit streams are received.

Current large scale (for the most part) data storage systems use storage volumes, most commonly hard disk drives (HDDs), on a standalone basis. That is, when data is transferred to one of the storage volumes, that storage volume stores the data in the same manner it would if it were a volume on, for instance, a personal computer. Accordingly, to achieve more desirable performance characteristics, such as higher access rates, better error rates, and better failure protection, data storage systems resort to using technologies like redundant array of independent disks (RAID) to write data to multiple volumes simultaneously and add parities to data in order to increase the speed in which data is stored while being able to recover the data should one of the storage volumes fail or otherwise cause errors in the data. As the capacities of individual volumes increases, the possibility of encountering an unrecoverable error when attempting to access stored data increases. It therefore becomes more difficult to achieve desirable error rates while keeping monetary costs per gigabyte of data low using traditional methods of storing data across multiple storage volumes
Overview
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for storing data to a plurality of physical storage volumes. In a particular embodiment, a method provides identifying first data for storage on the plurality of physical storage volumes. Each of the plurality of storage volumes corresponds to respective ones of a plurality of data channels. The method further provides segmenting the first data into a plurality of data segments corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of data channels and transferring the plurality of data segments as respective bit streams over the respective ones of the plurality of data channels to the respective ones of the plurality of physical storage volumes. The plurality of storage volumes stores the respective bit streams in the exact condition in which the bit streams are received.
In some embodiments, the plurality of data segments comprises a plurality of files. In those embodiments, the method provides segmenting the first data comprises splitting the first data into a plurality of subsets and splitting each subset of the plurality of subsets into a plurality of code words contained in the plurality of files if error correcting code (ECC) is used for data protection.
In some embodiments, splitting each subset of the plurality of subsets into the plurality of code words comprises orthogonally distributing symbols from each subset of the plurality of subsets into the plurality of code words to form the plurality of files.
In some embodiments, the method provides individually protecting each code word of the plurality of code words using a C1 Reed-Solomon error-correcting code and interleaving the plurality of code words.
In some embodiments, the method provides encoding each code word of the plurality of code words using a C2 Reed-Solomon error-correcting code.
In some embodiments, the number of subsets in the plurality of subsets is equal to twice the number of data channels in the plurality of data channels.
In some embodiments, the method provides performing at least one of cyclic redundancy check (CRC), encryption, or compression on the first data.
In some embodiments, each of the plurality of channels comprises a Serial ATA (SATA) channel between the storage subsystem and one of the plurality of physical storage volumes.
In some embodiments, the plurality of physical storage volumes comprises a plurality of hard disk drives.
In some embodiments, each hard disk drive of the plurality of hard disk drives only writes control and timing bits in addition to writing the bit stream.
In another embodiment, a system is provided including one or more computer readable storage media and a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media. Program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, when read and executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to identify first data for storage on the plurality of physical storage volumes. Each of the plurality of storage volumes corresponds to respective ones of a plurality of data channels. The program instructions further direct the processing system to segment the first data into a plurality of data segments corresponding to respective ones of the plurality of data channels and transfer the plurality of data segments as respective bit streams over the respective ones of the plurality of data channels to the respective ones of the plurality of physical storage volumes. The plurality of storage volumes stores the respective bit streams in the exact condition in which the bit streams are received.

Efficient data storage across multiple storage volumes each representing a track of a larger storage volume


In a chromating solution comprising a water-soluble chromium compound and a reducing agent and in which hexavalent chromium ions produced by dissolution of the water-soluble chromium compound have been partly reduced with the reducing agent to trivalent chromium ions, an oxycarboxylic acid compound is used as the reducing agent. This chromating solution causes neither gelation nor sedimentation of the solution even when hexavalent chromium ions are reduced to trivalent chromium ions at a reduction percentage of more than 50%. The chromating solution and a chromate film formed on a steel sheet may also contain an organic resin, phosphoric acid or a phosphoric acid compound, or a silica sol.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chromating solution that can form a chromate film from which hexavalent chromium ions may little dissolve out, and a chromated metal sheet obtained using such a chromating solution.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, as chromating solutions for metal sheets such as steel sheets coated with zinc, aluminum or an alloy of these, copper-coated steel sheets and aluminum sheets, coating types are prevailing in which an aqueous solution of a water-soluble chromium compound such as a chromic-acid and a chromate is coated on a metal sheet followed by drying without washing with water to form a chromate film. If chromium ions contained in such a chromating solution are all held by hexavalent chromium ions, the chromate film formed tends to be a film from which hexavalent chromium ions may dissolve out when the metal sheet is treated, and also the film may be moisture-absorptive. Accordingly, as disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 59-31872 (a method of chromating galvanized steel sheets) and No. 3-219087 (a chromating solution for galvanized steel sheets), usually the hexavalent chromium ions are partly reduced with a reducing agent to insoluble, trivalent chromium ions so that the chromate film can be improved in corrosion resistance and moisture resistance.
As the reducing agent, organic compounds such as polysaccharides and inorganic compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine are conventionally used. When, however, these reducing agents are used to reduce hexavalent chromium ions to trivalent chromium ions at a reduction percentage of more than 50%, the trivalent chromium ions turn into chromium hydroxide because the pH increases with an increase in reduction percentage, to cause gelation and sedimentation of the chromating solution, making it difficult for the solution to be coated on metal sheets. Hence, the reduction percentage of hexavalent chromium ions has been controlled to be not more than 50%. At such a low reduction percentage, however, the hexavalent chromium ions present in the chromate film may dissolve out to produce yellow stains or to adversely affect handlers, bringing about problems.

Chromating solution and chromated metal sheet


A four-wheel steering apparatus comprising a front wheel steering device having a front-wheel steering bar movable for steering front wheels, and a rear-wheel steering device having a rear-wheel steering bar mechanically separated from the front-wheel steering device and movable for steering rear wheels. The latter device has a rear-wheel steering bar drive assembly for moving the rear-wheel steering bar, and a rear-wheel steering control system for controlling the drive assembly in accordance with the steering amount of the front wheels to thereby control the amount of movement of the rear-wheel steering bar and control the steering amount of the rear wheels. The rear-wheel steering device comprises a maximum steering amount regulating assembly having a variably regulating member capable of mechanically restricting the maximum amount of movement of the rear-wheel steering bar and adjusting the maximum amount of movement. The maximum amount of movement of the rear-wheel steering bar to be mechanically restricted by the variably regulating member decreases as the vehicle speed increases.

The present invention relates to a four-wheel steering apparatus for use in motor vehicles and the like.
Four-wheel steering apparatus for use in motor vehicles comprise a front-wheel steering device and a rear-wheel steering device. Rear-wheel steering devices are known which comprise a rear-wheel steering bar mechanically separated from the front-wheel steering device and movable by an electric motor in accordance with the speed of the vehicle and the steering amount of the front wheels for steering the rear wheels (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,744 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication HEI 1-136876).
With such rear-wheel steering devices, the relative steering direction of the rear wheels (the steering direction of the rear wheels relative to that of the front wheels) and the maximum permissible steering amount are controlled according to the speed of the vehicle.
FIG. 9 shows an example of relationship of the vehicle speed to the relative steering direction and steering amount (steering angle) of the rear wheels. In the drawing, the vehicle speed (km/h) is plotted as abscissa vs. the steering amount (deg.) as ordinate. Represented by the steering amount of 0 is the neutral state, by the positive steering amount a steering direction of the rear wheels which is the same as that of the front wheels, i.e., steering of the same phase, and by the negative steering amount a steering direction of the rear wheels which is reverse to that of the front wheels, i.e., steering of reverse phase. The solidline curve A represents maximum permissible steering amounts at varying vehicle speeds. When the vehicle speed is low in this case, reverse-phase steering is done, and the maximum permissible steering amount increases as the vehicle speed decreases. When the vehicle speed is high, same-phase steering is done, and the maximum permissible steering amount increases to a value and then decreases with increasing vehicle speed. Within the range of maximum permissible steering amounts at varying vehicle speeds, i.e., within the range surrounded by the curve A and the abscissa, the steering amount of the rear wheels is controlled in accordance with the steering amount of the front wheels. In either case of steering of reverse phase or same phase, the actual steering direction of the rear wheels changes with the steering direction of the front wheels. Accordingly, it follows that the curve A of FIG. 9 represents maximum permissible steering amounts of the rear wheels at varying vehicle speeds in either of right and left directions.
With the rear-wheel steering device described, the amount of movement of the rear-wheel steering bar is mechanically (structurally) limited, and the foregoing mode of control is effected within the mechanical limits. With reference to FIG. 9, the two dot-and-dash lines B and C parallel to the abscissa represent steering amounts when the rear-wheel steering bar is moved to the right and left mechanical limits. Naturally, these amounts are slightly greater than the greatest value of maximum permissible steering amounts of the curve A. Mechanically, the rear-wheel steering bar is movable by the mechanically limited maximum amount irrespective of the vehicle speed, so that the rear wheels can be steered between the line B and the line C.
In the case where the rear-wheel steering device operates normally in its entirety, the steering amount of the rear wheels will not exceed the range surrounded by the curve A and abscissa of FIG. 9. In the event of a runaway of the electric motor, however, the steering amount of the rear wheels is likely to greatly exceed the maximum permissible amount at a particular vehicle speed since mechanically the rear wheels can be steered between the two lines B and C, hence a great hazard especially during high-speed running.
The rear-wheel steering devices include those wherein the rear-wheel steering bar is movable hydraulically as by a hydraulic motor or cylinder as disclosed, for example, in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication HEI 2-63974. The same problem as described above is encountered also with these devices.


The jaw clutch damper system includes a damper which can be a disk spring which absorbs shock forces generated by rapid re-engagement of clutch plates of the clutch and dissipates energy of the shock forces in cooperation with the other components of the clutch, including a clutch spring, such that resulting shock forces exerted against rotatable members connected to the clutch are damped and reduced substantially in magnitude within a time interval before occurrence of a subsequent shock force.

It is well known to use jaw clutches including clutch plates having opposing matingly engageable or interlocking teeth for connecting rotatable members such as a shaft and a sprocket or pulley for rotation of one by the other. Many such jaw clutches include at least one clutch spring for exerting a spring force against the clutch plates for holding the opposing teeth in engagement. The opposing teeth of such clutches typically include opposing mating ramp surfaces which are slidable one relative to the other by the exertion of a disengagement force therebetween in opposition to and greater than the spring force, to cause the clutch plates to move away from one another. Such disengagement force can result, for example, from high torque conditions generated as a result of resistance to rotation of a driven one of the rotatable members. If the disengagement force is great enough in magnitude and duration to move the clutch plates out of mating engagement, the teeth of the driving clutch plate can ratchet or move over the teeth of the other clutch plate to allow rotation of the driving clutch plate relative to the other clutch plate. As this ratcheting occurs, there are times when the teeth of the two clutch plates are directly opposing so as to hold the clutch plates apart such that the clutch spring stores a substantial amount of potential energy. Then, as the teeth of the driven clutch plate pass the teeth of the other clutch plate and thus are no longer opposing, the clutch plates are no longer held apart such that the stored potential energy will be partially or fully released to drive the clutch plates together. If this occurs abruptly or suddenly, such as due to fast rotation of the driving clutch plate and/or abrupt stoppage or slow down of driven components, the clutch plates can be rapidly driven together so as to exert a shock force therebetween which can have a magnitude several times that of the spring force and the disengagement force. If the ratcheting continues, the shock force can be exerted numerous times or cyclically so as to have a repeating, hammering effect. The shock force can be transmitted through the clutch components to the rotatable members and other components such as supporting bearings, bushings, drive chains, belts, and the like, and can be damaging thereto. Problems that have resulted include movements of the rotatable members and associated components that result in accelerated wear and breakage. The hammering effect can also loosen connected items such as hardware and the like. Such clutches are often used to transmit relatively large amounts of rotational power, for instance, for rotating feeder apparatus within the feeder house of an agricultural combine, and thus, the spring force and disengagement force can have a magnitude of 1000 pounds or more. The magnitude of resultant shock forces exerted against the clutch plates and associated structure including shafts and the like can be many times that, including up to 10,000 pounds.
Accordingly, what is sought is a shock force damping capability for a jaw clutch which overcomes one or more of the problems set forth above.


A protective cover for a plasticizing cylinder of a shaping machine has an elongate internal space which is enclosed by at least one wall and in which the plasticizing cylinder can be arranged. A terminal box for heating strips arranged on the plasticizing cylinder projects into the elongate internal space, and the at least one wall has an opening which is closed by an openable cover member. In an opened condition of the openable cover member, the opening allows access to the terminal box or the interior of the terminal box.

The present invention concerns a protective cover for a plasticizing cylinder of a shaping machine, a plasticizing unit having such a protective cover and a shaping machine having such a plasticizing unit.
DE 37 42 403 C1 discloses a protective cover in which a plug bar covers the end of a protective cover in the region beneath the plasticizing cylinder.
Protective covers are known in which a terminal box is externally mounted to the protective cover.

Protective cover for a plasticizing cylinder


A selectable detent relief valve of this invention is used to operate a hydraulic detent mechanism on a manually operated spool valve. This design has three modes of operation, no-detent, continuous detent and kick-out detent. The no-detent position allows flow to pass through the relief valve, from a first port to a second port and bypass the relief function. The pressure created, disengages the detent mechanism in the spool valve. The spool always returns to neutral position as long as pressure is present. The continuous detent position blocks the flow from a first port to a second port. The kick-out detent position allows flow to pass from the first port to the second port to override (kick-out) the detent mechanism in the spool when the pressure is greater than 2600 psi.

A plurality of single detent mode spool valves are used to support the need for multiple modes of operation of certain hydraulic equipment such as an implement lift using hydraulic cylinders, or an auger or trencher chain drive motor. Using technology of this type requires that separate manual spool valves be incorporated for each distinct mode of operation that is required.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a single multiple detent mode manual spool valve.
A further object of this invention is to provide a manual spool valve that allows the operator to select the detent functions for the manual spool valve by simply selecting the appropriate mode on the relief valve and placing the actuator in the associated position.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a manual spool valve that enhances the safe control of the equipment of which it is a part.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.


A radio-frequency circuit module includes a multilayer body and a surface-mount component mounted on a front surface of the multilayer body. The surface-mount component includes variable capacitance elements integrated therein. Inductors including conductor patterns are provided in the multilayer body. On a back surface of the multilayer body, a first external connection terminal and a second external connection terminal are sandwiched between ground connection terminals. Ground via-conductors connected to ground connection terminals extend to the front surface of the multilayer body. The ground via-conductors are connected to each other in a layer near the front surface by a ground connection conductor which extends in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the extending direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio-frequency circuit module, such as a variable filter circuit module or a variable matching circuit module, which is capable of adjusting frequency characteristics or impedance characteristics for a radio-frequency signal to be transmitted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, various communication devices that transmit and receive a plurality of radio-frequency signals in different frequency bands (communication bands) by using a common antenna for these radio-frequency signals are commercially available. This type of communication device includes a radio-frequency circuit module, such as a variable matching circuit or a variable filter, for performing impedance matching for each communication band. As a variable filter module, the configuration disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-191521, for example, is available.
The variable filter device (module) disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-191521 includes surface-mount variable capacitance elements and passive elements including distributed constant lines. In the variable filter module disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-191521, the surface-mount variable capacitance elements are mounted on a single layer substrate, and the passive elements are formed on the surface of this substrate by using distributed constant lines, thus reducing transmission loss between the passive elements including the distributed constant lines and the variable capacitance elements.
However, the variable filter module disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-191521 has a large size and occupies a large area since the variable capacitance elements and the passive elements including the distributed constant lines are disposed on the surface of the single layer substrate.
Additionally, line conductors used for a control signal for the variable capacitance elements and line conductors used for a radio-frequency signal for the variable capacitance elements are disposed on the same plane. Accordingly, these line conductors are likely to interfere with each other, thus increasing the possibility that a control signal mix with a radio-frequency signal to be transmitted. That is, isolation characteristics concerning the isolation of a radio-frequency signal (communication signal) from noise are likely to decrease.


A machining apparatus for a workpieces includes an upper turn table support mechanism supporting an upper turn table from above to be vertically movable by a cylinder extending along a rotational axis direction of the table, a horizontal plate fixed to the cylinder so that a main surface thereof becomes perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cylinder, at least three displacement sensors which measure horizontal plate surface height positions when the upper turn table has moved down to a fixed position, and a control apparatus to calculate a relative upper turn table height position and an angle formed between the upper turn table rotational axis and the cylinder longitudinal axis from the horizontal plate surface height positions measured by the displacement sensors. A workpiece holding abnormality can be accurately and quickly detected before machining the workpiece to avoid damage, and an cylinder eccentric angle can be detected during machining.

In case of flattening a thin-plate workpiece such as a silicon wafer, a double-side polishing apparatus or a double-side lapping apparatus has been conventionally used. For example, in the double-side polishing apparatus, a discoid carrier having a planetary gear at an outer peripheral portion thereof is arranged between upper and lower turn tables having polishing pads made of urethane foam or nonwoven fabrics attached thereto. A workpiece is held in a holding hole of this carrier, a sun gear and an internal gear which mesh with the planetary gear are mutually rotated, and a rotational movement of the carrier or an orbital motion of the same around the sun gear is thereby caused. The rotational and orbital motions of this carrier and the rotation of the upper and lower turn tables cause the workplace and the upper and lower turn tables to slide, thereby simultaneously polishing upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece. During the polishing, to efficiently perform the polishing, polishing slurry is supplied from a plurality of holes provided in the upper turn table.
The upper turn table can move up and down, and the carrier can be arranged thereon at an ascending position, or the workpiece is held in the carrier at this position. After the workpiece is held, the upper turn table moves down so that the workpiece and the carrier are sandwiched between the upper and lower turn tables. The workpiece is manually held by an operator or held by using an automatic handling apparatus depending on situations (see, e.g., Patent Literature 1).
The upper turn table is moved up and down by an upper turn table support mechanism which supports the upper turn table from above. The upper turn table support mechanism includes a cylinder having a shaft which can move an and down, and the shaft of the cylinder is coupled with the upper turn table through a connecting section. For example, a universal joint or a spherical bearing is used for this connecting section. That is because, when a thickness of the workpiece to be polished or the carrier varies, a degree of freedom is imparted to an inclination of the upper turn table during the polishing so that a load can be assuredly transmitted to the workpiece.


The present invention provides methods of forming a semiconductor workpiece. One method of forming a semiconductor device in accordance with the present invention includes: providing a semiconductor workpiece; forming a via within the semiconductor workpiece, the via including plural sidewalls joining a bottom surface at respective plural corners; first sputtering a process layer upon at least a portion of the bottom surface using ionized metal plasma physical vapor deposition; and following the sputtering of the process layer, second sputtering at least some of the process layer towards the corners within the via.

Advanced interconnect systems currently require extensive use of liners, glue layers and barrier layers. Titanium (Ti) and titanium nitride (TiN) thin films are used for providing such layers to facilitate the integration of tungsten (W) and aluminum (Al) filled plugs for contacts and vias. Plug aspect ratios of 2:1-3:1 will be needed for 0.25 and 0.18 micron CMOS logic technologies at sub 0.4 micron and 0.3 micron diameters, respectively. At these geometries, the demands on the step coverage of these films is increased considerably. At and beyond 0.25 micron technology, conventional Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) of TiN is limited by step coverage. Several alternative processes to address these issues have been investigated, leading to considerable advances in Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) of TiN and collimated sputtering of TiN. Chemical Vapor Deposition of TiN can provide excellent step coverage. However, typically these processes require relatively high deposition temperatures and impurities such as carbon or halides from the precursors are often incorporated in the film.
In current CMOS processes, Ti and TiN films are deposited by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) using magnetron sputtering. The use of PVD provides excellent film properties at high purities and low defect densities. Thus, it is preferable and cost-effective to extend the capabilities of PVD processes as far as possible.
In the case of Ti films, this has been previously achieved by collimated PVD. However, the collimator approach for TiN has not been as successful due to defect problems. In particular, the TiN film deposited on the collimator surfaces does not adhere well to the surfaces and is a source for particle generation. A further disadvantage of the collimator approach is a reduced and variable deposition rate during the collimator life due to deposition of the film on the collimator.
PVD TiN is widely used for liner and glue layer applications in production of 0.35 micron generation products. Standard PVD TiN, however, does not have adequate bottom coverage, limiting its use beyond 0.25 micron technology. Once an overhang adjacent a via becomes appreciable, it further shadows the deposition on the sidewalls and bottom corners. Thus, simply using thicker deposited film cannot get around this problem. Thicker TiN also introduces several other problems--(i) the overhang at the via top makes W via fill more difficult; (ii) the thinning of the TiN just below the overhang creates a potential weak spot; and (iii) the thicker TiN dimensions over the field leads to a thicker metal stack height.
In previous technologies, the via profile was sloped slightly to accommodate the TiN overhang. This approach cannot be extended as design rules shrink and via to adjacent metal spacing becomes very small (i.e., .about.0.3 micron). The space of 0.3 micron has to accommodate overlay misalignment and the critical dimension variation in the via and metal patterns. Such requires via profiles to be vertical. The second problem listed above can lead to catastrophic failures. Here, the barrier TiN layer may fail just below the overhang, leading to a reaction between Ti and WF.sub.6 during CVD W deposition.
The W material deposited on the field area is normally removed by either CMP or by plasma etch. In the case where CMP is used, the use of thicker TiN requires a longer CMP polish step thereby reducing throughput. In the case where plasma W etch is used, the thicker TiN also results in a thicker metal stack for the next metal layer. A thicker metal stack makes it more difficult to achieve adequate gap fill at minimum spaces. More importantly, it results in increased sidewall capacitance. Such increased capacitance degrades the interconnect performance--both in terms of interconnect speed and crosstalk.
Referring to conventional sputtering deposition technologies, neutral metal atoms are emitted from the target in a roughly cosine distribution. This distribution coupled with the optimization of the sputtered source area is designed to result in a uniform thin film deposition on the substrate. This coupled with some gas scattering results in the metal atoms arriving at the substrate at a large angular distribution. This angular range manifests itself in varying deposition rate and film thickness uniformity dependent on the target to substrate spacing. It is also the primary reason for poor step coverage inasmuch as the field area has a large solid angle of view of the target, while the via sidewall and bottom have only a limited view.
Therefore, Ion Metal Plasma Physical Vapor Deposition (IMP PVD) has been utilized to improve bottom coverage of vias compared with conventional sputtering techniques. For example, in conventional sputtering techniques, the thickness of the material deposited at the base or bottom surface of the contact is typically 10% of the thickness of the material deposited atop horizontal surfaces outside of the contact area. However, with the utilization of IMP PVD, the thickness of the material deposited at the base or bottom surface of the contact is typically 30-40% of the thickness of the material deposited atop horizontal surfaces outside of the via or contact area.
A significant percentage of the neutral atoms emitted by the source are ionized by a radio frequency (RF) plasma generated between the source and the substrate in IMP PVD. These metal ions arrive at the semiconductor workpiece or wafer at a normal incidence resulting in substantial improvement in the bottom coverage of the via opening. The sidewall coverage is significantly reduced due to the arrival of the metal ions at a normal incidence.
It has been observed that IMP PVD of TiN typically provides sufficient bottom coverage in the center of the bottom surface of the via. However, the coverage at corners defined by the bottom surface and the sidewalls of the via is relatively thin compared with the coverage at the center region of the bottom surface of the via.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide adequate layer coverage adjacent the corners defined by the sidewalls and bottom surface of the via formed within the semiconductor device.

Methods of forming a semiconductor device


Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that is adapted to improve the production yield. The method generally includes etching a semiconductor substrate to form a trench, filling the trench with a conductive material, separating the filled conductive material to form a plurality of gate patterns and a bit line contact region, and etching the substrate to define an isolation region.

The invention generally relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to a semiconductor device adapted to improve its production yield and a manufacturing method thereof.
As semiconductor devices become more highly integrated, the line width of the gate has been narrowed, and the gate channel length has decreased. However, this results in the generation of a defect whereby a transistor of the semiconductor device operates abnormally.
To solve this problem, a transistor which includes a recess gate is suggested. The recess gate allows a portion of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to a given gate region to be etched at a fixed depth, in order to increase the contact area between an active region and a gate. As such, the gate channel which lies between source/drain regions positioned on both sides of the gate is lengthened.
However, when the semiconductor substrate is partially etched in the formation of the recess gate, horns can remain because the bottom edges of the recess are not completely removed. Horns may result in the formation of a defective gate in the following process.
Also, a more highly integrated semiconductor device makes it more difficult to adjust the threshold voltage of a transistor by means of only the recess region. To this end, a bulb-type recess having an enlarged bottom portion which is formed in the transistor region is proposed. Although the bottom portion of the recess region is additionally etched in the formation of the bulb-type recess, horn-shaped residuals can remain. In accordance therewith, the defect can be generated and furthermore these residuals can cause a decrease in threshold voltage.
One of the most controversial matters is a short channel effect caused by the decrement of the gate channel length. Actually, the more highly integrated semiconductor devices require elements capable of operating at a higher-speed when at a lower operating voltage of about 1˜2 voltage. To this end, the threshold voltage of a transistor must be lowered. However, if the threshold voltage is lowered, it is difficult to control the operation of the transistor due to the short channel effect. Moreover, the short channel effect causes a DIBL (Drain Induced Built-in Leakage) phenomenon involving hot carriers.
To minimize the short channel effect, a variety of aspects regarding the semiconductor device have been researched, but the only way around this problem continues to be the high integration of the semiconductor device. For example, a method controlling the doping concentration has been used for the semiconductor device, but it cannot substantially prevent the short channel effect. Also, a method of forming an SSR (Super Steep Retrograde) channel and an ion implant channel through a vertically abrupt channel doping process has been used. An additional method of forming a halo-shaped channel through a laterally abrupt channel doping process and a large angle tilt implant process has been used.
The manufacturing method of the semiconductor device as described above is an attempt to form a channel length to be long enough to prevent the short channel effect, through the process of forming a gate on an active region and etching the active region to form a recess. However, several factors deteriorate the productivity of the semiconductor device. These factors include the reduced channel length due to the high integration of the semiconductor device, a moat caused by stripping a silicon nitride film during the formation of an isolation film, and a lowered threshold voltage due to the horns generated during the etching process when forming a recess gate.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A load port apparatus connects a main opening of a wafer transportation container with a frame opening. The load port apparatus includes an installation part, a frame, and a flange clamp. The installation part has an installation table configured to install the wafer transportation container and move to and from the frame opening. The frame is upright from the installation part and has the frame opening. The flange clamp includes an engagement portion and a drive portion. The engagement portion is configured to be engaged with a flange surrounding an outer circumference of the main opening. The drive portion is configured to drive the engagement portion. The engagement portion is engaged from above or the side with a flange groove formed in the flange and opening radially outwardly.

The present invention relates to a load port apparatus and a method of driving the same.
In a manufacturing process of semiconductors, wafers are transported between processing devices using a wafer transportation container referred to as FOUP, FOSB, etc. The wafer transportation container includes a main opening for taking in and out wafers and a lid for closing the main opening. The wafers in the wafer transportation container are stored in a sealed space by the lid.
When the lid of the wafer transportation container is opened to take out the wafers from the wafer transportation container and introduce a cleaning gas from the main opening of the wafer transportation container thereinto, used is a load port apparatus for connecting the wafer transportation container with a wall opening. When the load port apparatus is used, the internal space of the wafer transportation container can airtightly be connected with another space, such as minienvironment, via the opening, and the wafers in the container can be taken in and out therefrom while the wafers are being isolated from other spaces in the semiconductor factory.
As a technique of preventing a positional displacement of the wafer transportation container, such as FOUP, proposed is a load port including a pressing arm configured to be engaged with an upper part of a FOUP (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: JP2010098121 (A)

Load port apparatus and method of driving the same


In an electromagnetic fuel injection valve, a fitting surface of a valve housing, over which a seal positioning ring is fitted, is formed of a diameter smaller than that of an annular sealing surface over which a seal member is fitted. A tapered surface is provided between the fitting surface and the sealing surface, and a resilient projection is formed on the seal positioning ring, so that the projection is in pressure contact with the tapered surface in a state in which the seal positioning ring has been fitted over the fitting surface. Thus, the seal positioning ring can be retained easily and precisely in a regular position on the outer peripheral surface of the valve housing by a reaction force provided by the resilient projection and hence, no post-treatment is required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seal member mounting structure in an electromagnetic fuel injection valve, and particularly, to an improvement in a seal member mounting structure including a step which is formed on an outer periphery of a valve housing having a valve seat at its front end and which faces a front end of the valve housing, a seal positioning ring made of a synthetic resin, which is mounted on the outer periphery of the valve housing to abut against the step, a cap which is fitted over and locked to an outer periphery of the front end of the valve housing to define an annular seal mounting groove on an outer peripheral surface of the valve housing by cooperation with the seal positioning ring, and an annular seal member which is mounted in the seal mounting groove to come into close contact with an inner peripheral surface of a mounting bore provided in an intake manifold of an engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such seal member mounting structure in the electromagnetic fuel injection valve is already known, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.5-288130.
In the conventionally known seal member mounting structure in the electromagnetic fuel injection valve, the seal positioning ring is formed integrally on the valve housing by molding. Therefore, the width of the annular seal mounting groove defined on the outer peripheral surface of the valve housing by the combination of the seal positioning ring and the cap can be stabilized to provide a good sealing function to the seal member mounted in the annular seal mounting groove.
However, when the structure including the seal positioning ring formed integrally on the valve housing by molding is employed, a troublesome post-treatment for removing a flash protruding toward the seal mounting groove is required, which is disadvantageous in cost. Moreover, there is a possibility that the seal mounting groove may be damaged during the post-treatment.

Seal member mounting structure in electromagnetic fuel injection valve


A flow rate control device in a hydraulic excavator, comprising a hydraulic pump which is driven rotatively by an engine, a hydraulic actuator which is driven by a hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump, a control valve which controls the supply of the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator, an operating means which operates the control valve so as to change over the valve from one position to another, a relief valve disposed in a discharge oil path extending from the hydraulic pump to limit the maximum pressure in the discharge oil path, an operational condition detecting means for detecting an operational condition of the hydraulic actuator, a pump pressure detecting means for detecting the discharge pressure of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump, a flow rate adjusting means for adjusting the discharge flow rate of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump, and a control means to which are inputted detection signals from both the operational condition detecting means and the pump pressure detecting means. When a specific operational condition of the hydraulic actuator is detected and when the said discharge pressure is held at a predetermined relief cut-off pressure or higher for a predetermined period of time, the control means makes control so that the discharge flow rate of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump is decreased to a relief cut-off pressure by the flow rate adjusting means. According to this construction, the relief cut-off control can be made only where required for each of various works of different conditions which the hydraulic excavator performs, such as excavating work, crushing work and land readjusting work. That is, even when the discharge pressure is held at a predetermined relief cut-off pressure or higher for a predetermined period of time, the relief cut-off control is made if the hydraulic actuator is in the specific operational condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flow rate control device for use in relief cut-off control in a hydraulic excavator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a certain hydraulic excavator there is made a control called relief cut-off control in which the discharge flow rate from a pump is decreased when the pump pressure has reached a relief cut-off pressure. Once this relief cut-off control is made, for example when a rock or the like strikes against a bucket during excavating work of the hydraulic excavator and an overload acts on the excavator, it is not only possible to prevent the energy loss of hydraulic oil caused by relief operation but also possible to diminish the relief noise. Besides, there does not occur any shock during relief operation, so it becomes possible to effect smooth operation and it is also possible to improve the heat balance of hydraulic oil and devices.
In the conventional hydraulic excavator, however, the relief cut-off control is made on the basis of only a preset relief pressure of a relief valve. That is, the relief cut-off control is made irrespective of what work and under what conditions the hydraulic excavator is performing.
Generally, it is known that once the relief cut-off control is made, the operator of the hydraulic excavator feels a sense of incongruity or feels as if force were gone, as an inevitable result of decrease in the discharge flow rate from the pump.
In the above conventional hydraulic excavator, the relief cut-off control is made each time the load imposed on a hydraulic actuator increases to a certain degree. Consequently, at every relief cut-off control, a sense of incongruity or an extinct-of-force feeling is given to the operator. As the case may be, it may become impossible to continue operation due to an insufficient pump discharge.

Flow rate control device in a hydraulic excavator


The invention relates to a control apparatus of an engine. The apparatus carries out a minute-injection for injecting a minute amount of a fuel so as not to generate an engine torque when a required engine load is zero. The apparatus calculates at least one coefficient for correcting a heat release gravity position calculated when the minute-injection is carried out such that it corresponds to its base position and/or for correcting a heat release rate corresponding the gravity position calculated when the minute-injection is carried out such that it corresponds to its base rate. When the required engine load is larger than zero, the apparatus controls the gravity position corrected by the coefficient to its target position.

A closed loop electronic control system for controlling a combustion of a diesel engine is described in the JP unexamined patent publication No. 2009-209943.
According to this publication, a premixed compression ignition combustion can be controlled efficiently by changing a fuel injection on the basis of a gravity of a combustion process and its base value.

Control apparatus of internal combustion engine


An assembly of a device having a component, the assembly including a damper having a damper gearwheel coupled to a damper member. The damper member has a first condition restricting motion of the component of the device to a first rate in a first direction and a second condition restricting motion of the component of the device to a second rate in the first direction slower than the first rate. The damper gearwheel is rotationally fixed relative to the damper member when the damper is in the first condition. The damper gearwheel is rotatable relative to the damper member when the damper is in the second condition.

Printers are provided with a tray for receiving media (e.g., paper) to be printed on. The tray is moveable within the printer between a feeding position where media is fed from the tray to an automatic document feeder and a lower loading position where an operator can load additional media onto the tray.

Assembly for printer having damped media tray

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An improved apparatus is disclosed for spraying a liquid marking material onto the surface of a substrate by dividing a stream of the marking material into droplets by an impinging stream of pressurized control fluid directed at the surface to be sprayed. The apparatus comprises a module forming a plurality of first conduits for delivery of the stream of marking material and a plurality of second conduits for delivery of the impinging stream of control fluid. In one embodiment, the module comprises a module body having a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of second grooves and means for enclosing such grooves to form the first and second conduits, respectively. Methods of producing substrates having a sprayed pattern are also disclosed which employ such apparatus.

It is known to apply liquid dyes to moving substrates, particularly textile materials, from a plurality of streams which are directed onto such materials and selectively controlled to produce a pattern thereon. It is also known, in connection with such methods and apparatus, to use a control fluid, commonly air, as the means by which flow of liquid dye is controlled. While various techniques for control have been used, the control fluid methods commonly employ one of the following approaches.
In a first approach (see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3.985,006, 3,969,779 and 4,095,444), a stream of marking material is directed at the desired substrate and a transverse stream of a control fluid is used to divert the marking material stream into a barrier or the like, in response to externally supplied dyeing pattern information.
In a second approach (see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,443,878 and 3,570,275), a curtain of marking material is directed in closely spaced, parallel relation to the desired substrate, and one or more streams of a control fluid are directed through the curtain in the direction of the substrate, thereby causing displacement of marking material from the curtain onto the substrate.
In a third approach (see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,038), a stream of a control fluid such as air is directed into a mixing chamber in which a quantity of marking material is introduced in accordance with pattern information. The chamber may be positioned in close proximity to the desired substrate, and may be configured so that, for example, air enters the chamber from the top, intersects a flow of marking material entering the chamber from the side, and causes a spray of air and marking material to exit from the confines of the chamber, via a conduit extending from the bottom of the chamber, onto the desired substrate.
Although these apparatus have shown limited utility for the production of products with fairly regular dyeing patterns, they have proven inadequate to produce more "complex" patterned products of two basic categories. The first may be called a "diffuse pattern" product, in which the desired substrate has been marked or dyed in a pattern which exhibits soft, diffused color boundaries and perhaps exhibits color areas which overlap and blend almost imperceptibly from one to another, and which product may exhibit literally dozens or hundreds of different colors, shades, or hues over the pattern area. The second category may be called a "random pattern" product, in which the distribution of color within areas on the substrate has a random or pseudo random appearance. The color may be in the form of extremely small flecks or specks, or may be in the form of larger areas having irregular, random appearing borders. Some products exhibit characteristics which are a combination of these two categories, wherein, for example, irregularly shaped patches of color exhibit diffused boundaries and contain a multitude of varying shades or hues, and which may contain randomly distributed and/or overlapping specks of color in localized areas of the substrate.
Coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,743, entitled Apparatus and Method for Spraying Moving Substrates, discloses a unique apparatus that will produce such "complex" patterned products. Therein several arrays of closely spaced streams of marking material are normally directed into corresponding collection surfaces or receptacles. Each stream in a given array has associated with it a source of pressurized air or other control fluid which, on command, forms and directs an atomizing control fluid stream into contact with the marking material whereby the stream of marking material is transformed into a mist of variously sized diverging droplets which are propelled in the direction of the substrate to be marked. By interrupting the streams of atomizing fluid in oscillatory fashion, uniform reproduction of various solid color or multi-hued patterns is possible. By employing such controlled pulsations, the marking material sources, directing fluid sources, substrate, droplet size distribution and the degree of droplet dispersion can be carefully controlled, yielding intricate patterns possessing great subtlety, delicacy, and variety which may be produced with a high degree of reproducibility. By providing for the nonsimultaneous actuation of adjacent atomizing fluid streams along a given array, a wide variety of side to side or fill direction patterns may be produced.
In prior art apparatus, the conduits and orifices for delivery of the marking material have been fashioned separately from the conduits and orifices for delivery of the air (control fluid) stream. The separate components were then assembled in the desired configuration by mounting them in a holder along with other pairs of separate components to form an array of marking material/control fluid orifice combinations. For the machine to operate optimally, each orifice combination in the array must deliver exactly the same amount of marking material onto the substrate as its neighbor over the entire width of the substrate. Due to manufacturing tolerances in the conduits, orifices and the holder, the resulting tolerance build up of the components over the entire array was large enough to effect a variation in the geometry of the assembled components. This variation in geometry adversely affected the flow rate of the marking material and control fluid, the directivity of the marking fluid and control fluid, and the amount of aspiration induced pressure drop seen across marking material orifices. This in turn could produce a variation in marking material flow onto the substrate target area, creating streaks on the substrate.
The individual dye nozzles can be retracted from the air stream to eliminate aspiration, and the various components are or can be arranged for manual alignment. However, such an arrangement has proved to be labor intensive because of the number of component combinations involved (sometimes as many as 573 or 2000 combinations per machine) and the trial and error nature of the adjustments. Such an alignment procedure is not efficient or economical in the production environment. Additionally, because of the long length of the marking material conduit and because the conduit had a single exit orifice, a solid contaminant, once in the conduit would clog the orifice and would be difficult to remove.
The invention described herein provides a mechanism whereby the geometry of the air and dye conduits and orifices is maintained to minimize or eliminate variation in dye flow rate and directivity to the substrate without the need to employ complex and inefficient alignment procedures. With this mechanism aspiration of dye is permanently eliminated from the process and whereby solid contaminants can be more easily removed from the marking material conduit. Other features are set out in the Summary of Invention below.

Apparatus for dispersing and directing dye onto a substrate


A device which mounts on uprights which enables an individual, when gripping it, to go through the range of motion of the pronated pull up exercise easier than gripping a round bar, due to an increase in muscle capacity. This is made possible by having two knobs for the thumbs to grasp projecting from the top of the device next to the center sides of two curves cut out of the top of the rectangular body of the device. In use, the device is first mounted on uprights that are high enough so that the user is suspended from the ground when gripping the device. The user then wraps his or her fingers around the curved openings and clutches the thumb knobs with his or her thumbs and performs the pronated pull up exercise, strengthening the muscles of the trunk and arms and stretching the back. The thumb knobs allow increased use of the muscles attached to the thumb, the angle of the sides of the curves emphasize the use of the fingers with stronger muscles attached and the vertical surfaces below the curves steady the palms of the hands. This enables the user to get a stronger grip on the device than would be possible with a round bar allowing the user to perform the pronated pull up exercise easier. The user therefor is able to more easily experience therapeutic stretching of the back which occurs during the course of the pronated pull up exercise.

1. The Field Of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixed exercise device and more particularly to a fixed device from which an individual may go through the range of motion of the pronated pull up exercise.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The pronated pull up exercise has previously generally been done while suspending one's self from a round bar.
The object of the present invention is to allow the user to be able to grip the present invention in a more effective manner than is possible with a round bar, thus making the pronated pull up exercise easier to do so that therapeutic stretching of the back, which occurs during the exercise, can more easily be accomplished.
A more effective grip is made possible by the present invention, which is unique and different, in the following ways.
1. The body of the invention is of a rectangular shape which presents a flat surface which gives vertical support to the palms of the hands when it is gripped. A round bar provides no such support. PA1 2. There are curved openings in the body of the device: which when gripped, positions the hands at an angle which places greater weight on the stronger fingers of the hands allowing the user to better utilize his or her muscle capacity to a greater extent. A round bar has no curved openings to achieve such an effect. PA1 3. There are two knobs that project out from the top center sides of the curved openings of the invention. These knobs enable the user to grip the invention better with his or her thumbs. This allows utilization of the thumb muscles during the pronated pull up exercise making it easier to do than with a round bar which offers virtually no effective gripping surface for the thumbs during this exercise.

Pull up device with thumb grasping knobs


An synthetic-image forming apparatus including: an interface for inputting image information from a computer; a scanner for inputting original document image information; an operation portion for inputting region information indicating a region in which images are synthesized; an operation portion for selecting a printer base mode in which the image information from the interface is synthesized onto outside of the region and image information from the scanner is synthesized onto inside of the region or a scanner base mode in which the image information from the interface is synthesized onto inside of the region and the image information from the scanner is synthesized onto outside of the region; image forming portion for synthesizing the image information from the interface and the image information from the scanner in accordance with the mode selected by the operation portion and the region information supplied from the operation portion and forming an image on a selected sheet in accordance with the synthesized image information; and a control portion that inhibits an image forming operation of the image forming portion if image size included in the image information supplied from the interface and size of the selected sheet do not coincide with each other in the printer base mode and that permits the image forming portion to start the image forming operation if the image size of the image information supplied from the interface and the size of the selected sheet do not coincide with each other in the scanner base mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that synthesizes images supplied from a plurality of apparatuses to form a synthesized image on one sheet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, there has been suggested an image forming apparatus that comprises a digital image processing portion including a scanner portion and a printer portion and that is connected to an external unit so as to be capable of forming a composite image.
In an apparatus of the foregoing type, if the size of an output image and the size of recording paper, which can be supplied from the printer portion, do not coincide with each other when image information supplied from the external unit is outputted from the printer portion, the foregoing case is always treated as an error.
However, an operation of a type in which an image supplied from an external unit and an image supplied from a scanner portion are synthesized in an appointed region so as to be outputted, sometimes encounters a problem that their sizes do not coincide with each other.
In a case where an image supplied from the scanner portion is used as a base, the size of the paper corresponding to the foregoing image is instructed by an operator. Even if the size of an image from the external unit and the size of the paper do not coincide with each other, the foregoing case cannot always be considered as an error.
Therefore, if a case of the foregoing type in which the sizes of the images do not coincide with each other is discriminated to be an error, a user must perform a complicated process to synthesize and process desired images in such a way that the size of an image supplied from an external unit, the size of an image supplied from a scanner and the size of the paper are previously matched. Thus, there arises a problem for the user to perform an excessively complicated work.

Image forming apparatus for synthesizing plural images