Design of a T-connected autotransformer based 20-pulse ac-dc converter is presented in this invention. The 20-pulse topology is obtained via two paralleled ten-pulse ac-dc converters each of them consisting of a five-phase (five-leg) diode bridge rectifier. For independent operation of paralleled diode-bridge rectifiers, a zero sequence blocking transformer (ZSBT) is designed and implemented. Connection of a tapped inter-phase transformer (IPT) at the output of ZSBT results in doubling the number of output voltage pulses to 40. Experimental results are obtained using the designed and constructed laboratory prototype of the proposed converter to validate the design procedure and the simulation results under varying loads. The VA rating of the magnetic in the proposed topology are calculated to confirm the savings in space, volume, weight, and cost of the proposed configuration.

Recent advances in solid state conversion technology has led to the proliferation of variable frequency induction motor drives (VFIMD's) that are used in various applications such as air conditioning, blowers, fans, pumps for waste water treatment plants, textile mills, rolling mills etc.
As a practical technique, direct torque control (DTC) strategy is implemented in induction motor drives (DTCIMDs), serving various applications. These drives utilize voltage source inverters which are fed from conventional six-pulse diode bridge rectifiers. The most important drawback of these rectifiers is their poor power quality injection of harmonic currents into ac mains. The circulation of current harmonics into the source impedance yields in harmonically polluted voltages at the point of common coupling (PCC) and consequently resulting in undesired supply voltage conditions for the nearby costumers. The value of current harmonic components which are injected into the grid by nonlinear loads should be controlled within the standard limits.
The most prominent standards in this field are IEEE standard 519 and the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) standard. For DTCIMDs one effective solution to eliminate harmonics is the use of multipulse AC-DC converters. According to the recent investigations, these converters are based on either phase multiplication, phase shifting, pulse doubling or a combined solution (have been reported in U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,280). Application of multi-pulse technique (up to 18-pulse) in AC-DC converters are reported in U.S. Pat. No. 7,375,996 where line current THD of more than 5% is experienced under different load conditions.
The polygon-connected autotransformer based 30-pulse (U.S. Pat. No. 7,719,858) was designed for AC-DC power converter. The DC link voltage in this topology is higher than that of a 6-pulse diode bridge rectifier, thus making the scheme non-applicable for retrofit applications. However, the polygon-connected autotransformer based configurations, make use of three single-phase transformers while the T-connected autotransformer topology employs only two single-phase transformers, resulting in reduced space, volume, weight, and, finally, cost of the drive (U.S. Pat. No. 7,375,996).
In this invention, design of a T-connected autotransformer based 20-pulse AC-DC converter is proposed. In the proposed structure, two five-leg diode-bridge rectifiers are paralleled via a Zero Sequence Blocking Transformer (ZSBT) resulting in a 20-pulse output voltage. In order to double the number of pulses up to 40, a Tapped Inter-Phase Transformer (IPT) with two additional diodes are added at the rectifier outputs. The proposed converters are modeled and simulated using MATLAB to study its behavior and specifically to analyze the power quality indices at ac mains. Finally, a small-rating laboratory prototype of the proposed 40-pulse converter is constructed in order to verify the simulation results and examine the effectiveness of the proposed topology.

T-connected autotransformer-based 40-pulse AC-DC converter for power quality improvement


An improved closure insert is provided for throat region of a blow-molded container. This closure insert is provided with a scabrous perimeter and is permanently molded into the container throat region during container formation from a parison. The resulting seal resists loosening or disturbance when off-axis force or torque force is applied to the closure insert during container opening. The closure insert can be a subassembly constituted by removable parts that provide a variety of access options to the container contents.

Hermetically-sealed containers can be readily produced by the so-called blow/fill/seal techniques. Utilizing such techniques, a container body is first blow molded from an extruded parison segment, then charged (or filled) with a desired liquid or solid contents, and thereafter immediately sealed by a preformed insert while additionally molding the parison segment at the container neck and throat region about the inserted, preformed closure subassembly. See, for example, the container structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,110 to Weiler.
The hermetically sealed container structures that result from such a blow, fill and seal container molding procedure, especially those with a removable overcap as shown in the aforementioned patent, are very useful and have come into widespread usage. However, under certain conditions of relatively extreme usage, the preformed, inserted closure can become disengaged or loosened from its engagement with the material forming the container throat region. Such disengagement not only raises the risk of environmental contamination of the container contents, but also can cause dispensing problems when the container contents is about to be used after the container has been opened by twisting off the overcap that protects the insert. Examples of such extreme usage conditions include excessive torque applied to the inserted closure or an excessive force applied in a direction away from the container longitudinal axis.
A practical means for overcoming this loosening problem is needed and has been diligently sought, but has not been easy to achieve. However, the present invention provides a practical solution to this problem and permits the utilization of a wide variety of pre-molded inserts in conjunction with hermetically sealed, molded containers.

Torque-resistant closure for a hermetically sealed container


An ignition timing control system including a counter into which is introduced a data generated from a memory and indicative of the proper ignition advance corresponding to the operating conditions of an engine and the decrement or increment of the count is made in synchronism with predetermined degrees of rotation of the engine to determine the desired ignition timing. When knock occurs n times per m times of engine explosion stroke, the knocking ratio n/m is computed and the content of the counter is corrected in response to the value of the knocking ratio to correct the ignition timing. The value of m for the knocking ratio n/m is variable in accordance with the engine operating conditions.

The present invention relates to an ignition timing control system for internal combustion engines which retards the ignition timing when knocking signals, generated in response to the detection of knocking by means of vibration or sound caused inside and outside the cylinders of an engine due to the pressure therein are detected.
The ignition timing of an engine must be determined in accordance with the engine conditions so as to ensure the optimum operation of the engine. Ignition timing control systems known in the art are generally so designed that the ignition timing is controlled in accordance with the conditions of an engine which are represented by the engine's speed, as detected by its centrifugal advance mechanism and the engine's intake vacuum, as detected by its vacuum advance mechanism.
It is known in the art that generally, to achieve optimum engine efficiency and fuel consumption, ignition should occur at a position near a so-called MBT (the Minimum advance for Best Torque) and consequently it is necessary to adjust the ignition timing to the MBT in accordance with the engine operating conditions.
However, if the ignition timing is advanced gradually under certain engine conditions, knocking will result and stable operation of the engine will be made impossible. Generally, the relation between the MBT and the knock initiating ignition timing is such that the knocking limit is reached before the MBT under low speed and low load operation. Also, the knocking limit tends to be influenced by atmospheric conditions, such as temperature, humidity, etc., and consequently the ignition timing control systems now in use are so programmed that the ignition timing is controlled in accordance with the engine parameters comprising the engine speed and the intake vacuum so as to be retarded considerably with respect to the MBT to prevent the occurrence of knock under all of the possible operating conditions of the engine. As a result, the output as well as the fuel consumption are not optimized.
The existance of a close correlation between ignition timing and cylinder pressure is well known in the art, that is, when a mixture is exploded in the cylinder, no harmonic components (frequency components which are usually on the order of 5 to 10 KHz) are superimposed on the cylinder pressure when there is no knocking, but such harmonic pressure variations are caused when knocking occurs.
The effect of such harmonic pressure variations is the generation of vibration or sound to the outside of the cylinder. Many different types of so-called knock feedback ignition systems have been investigated in which the ignition timing is controlled by detecting such vibration or sound.
A known system of this type is designed so that the presence of knocking is detected for every explosion stroke of each cylinder, whereby the ignition timing is controlled in response to each combustion phenomenon or detection signal in such a manner that the ignition timing is retarded by a predetermined angle upon occurrence of knocking and the ignition timing is advanced by a predetermined angle when it is determined that there is no knocking condition.
A great disadvantage of this type of system is that when the feedback is applied in a multi-cylinder engine, due to the difference in intake system for fuel distribution, mixture distribution, etc., among the cylinders as well as the difference in combustion chamber condition (deposit, compression ratio, etc.) among the cylinders, there occurs a great variation in combustion among the cylinders thus increasing the hunting range of the ignition timing and thereby causing surging and slugging.

Ignition timing control system for internal combustion engines


In a complementary MIS semiconductor device of a dual gate structure, an N-type polysilicon layer for an N-channel transistor and a P-type polysilicon layer for a P-channel transistor are formed on a gate oxide film and a field oxide film. A recessed portion is formed on the field oxide film in a region including a junctioning region of the N-type polysilicon layer and the P-type polysilicon layer such that thicknesses of the polysilicon layers are reduced. A continuous silicide layer is formed on the polysilicon layers. The silicide layer is thin in the recessed portion on the field oxide film and is thick on an active region of each of the transistors. In this semiconductor device of a dual gate type, it is possible to prevent impurities of the polysilicon layers of gate electrodes from being diffused in a transversal direction and restrain an increase in resistance value of each of the gate electrodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a complementary MIS semiconductor device of a dual gate type in which a P-type polysilicon gate electrode is used as a gate electrode of a P-channel type MIS transistor and an N-type polysilicon gate electrode is used as a gate electrode of an N-channel type MIS transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The structure of a complementary MIS semiconductor device such as a CMOS semiconductor device is fined by progress of an LSI process technique so that products of complementary MIS semiconductor devices each having a pattern equal to or shorter than a half micron in length are developed. The CMOS semiconductor device uses a common N-type polysilicon gate electrode as both gate electrodes of a P-channel type transistor and an N-channel type transistor. In the CMOS semiconductor device, the N-channel type transistor is set to a surface channel type and the P-channel type transistor is set to a burying channel type in many cases. However, a semiconductor device having a fine pattern equal to or shorter than a so-called subhalf micron in length has a problem in that it is difficult to control short channel effects by reducing a punch through proof pressure of a burying channel transistor of a P-channel. Therefore, it is advantageous to set the P-channel type transistor to be also a surface channel type transistor. In this case, the gate electrode of the P-channel type transistor becomes a P-type polysilicon gate electrode so that a dual gate type transistor is constructed.
In the CMOS semiconductor device of the dual gate type, connection of a P-type polysilicon layer and an N-type polysilicon layer forms a PN junction as it is. Therefore, a silicide layer must be laminated and formed on the polysilicon gate electrodes to provide an ohmic connection.
In the CMOS semiconductor device of a dual gate structure, the silicide layer is laminated and formed on the polysilicon layers to prevent influences of the PN junction in a junctioning portion of the P-type polysilicon layer and the N-type polysilicon layer of the gate electrodes. In this case, impurities of the polysilicon layers are diffused in a transversal direction in a high temperature process after formation of the gate electrodes in which impurities ion-implanted into a substrate are activated to form a source and a drain, etc. In particular, boron (B) as impurities of the P-type polysilicon layer is diffused in this polysilicon layer, especially, the silicide layer in the transversal direction so that this boron has an influence on a Fermi level of the N-type polysilicon layer.
A method for taking heat treatment by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) is proposed as a method for activating the impurities for the source and the drain implanted into the substrate while the transversal diffusion of the impurities of this polysilicon layer is restrained (see Symp. on VLSI Technology, 17, 1989, pp. 29-30). However, in the heat treatment using the RTA, it is difficult to perform a control operation for compatibility of optimum distributions of arsenic (As) and boron. In particular, when arsenic is activated, a heat treatment temperature for preventing depletion of the N-type polysilicon gate electrode is increased so that boron is greatly diffused in the transversal direction.
If a thickness of the silicide layer is reduced, it is possible to prevent boron from being diffused in the transversal direction through the silicide layer. However, there is a problem in that resistance values of the gate electrodes are increased.
Therefore, for example, a means for solving this problem is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 2-239656. In this proposal, the P-type polysilicon layer and the N-type polysilicon layer of the gate electrodes are separated from each other on an element separating region. An insulator is buried in this separated region. When a high melting point metallic film formed on the polysilicon gate electrodes is formed as silicide, the high melting point metal is left in its state on the insulator to prevent boron from being diffused through a silicide film.

Complementary mis semiconductor device of dual gate structure having a silicide layer including a thinned portion


A protective case for a portable electronic device includes a back frame and a front cover. The back frame has a rigid plastic back frame with an elastomeric material bonded to portions of the plastic frame. An elastomeric insert is positioned around a portion of the interior perimeter of the back frame to provide impact resistance. Back frame engagement members are positioned on the perimeter of the rigid plastic back frame. The front cover mates with the back frame to enclose the elastomeric insert and the device. The front cover includes a touch screen cover and a rigid plastic front frame bonded to a perimeter of the touch screen cover. Front cover engagement members extend from the rigid plastic front frame that engage the back frame engagement members to hold the front cover on the back frame and enclose the device.

A wide variety of different types and designs of cases for portable electronic devices are known. Unfortunately, many cases do not provide adequate protection against impacts caused by dropping the device. In addition, may case designs are not sufficiently resistant to moisture or dust. Therefore, what is needed is a protective case design that provides an enhanced degree of impact, dust and moisture protection.


A quartz oscillator temperature sensor which measures temperature based on the change in resonance or oscillation frequency of a quartz oscillator with the change in temperature the oscillator can be constructed by cutting a piece of quartz from a wafer with a thickness of about 80 to 150 .mu.m by rotating the plane of the crystal defined by the electrical and mechanical axes 15.degree. to 25.degree. about the electrical axis and then forming the wafer into a quartz tuning fork. The tuning fork is housed in a case sealed with a stem and coupled to electrical leads with heat resistent solder formed with more than about 90 wt % Pb and less than 10% Sn. The area within the case should be at a substantially high vacuum.

The invention relates generally to temperature sensors and more particularly to a temperature sensor including a quartz oscillator for determining temperature by measuring the resonance or oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator.
Examples of conventional quartz oscillators for determining temperatures are described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 61-29652 and 1-29089. These publications specify a wide range of orientations of the quartz wafer and quartz oscillators having a frequency-temperature characteristic with a large first-order coefficient. However, neither publication describes various characteristics which must be taken into account in order to fabricate suitable quartz oscillator temperature sensors so that reliable sensors can be fabricated with suitable consistency. Additional details regarding quartz oscillator temperature sensors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,316, 5,200,714 and 4,987,670, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The following characteristics affect the suitability of a quartz oscillator temperature sensor. The angular orientation of the oscillator can affect the equivalent series--resonance resistance value (CI value) of the oscillator. The quartz oscillator can have a large CI value, or it can have a large variation in CI value with change in temperature, depending on the particular angular orientation of the oscillator. If an oscillator is constructed with an improper angular orientation, oscillation stoppage can occur at high temperatures.
Another drawback can be the presence of fin shaped structures on the quartz tuning fork. Fins result from imprecise manufacturing techniques and can remain on the outer surface after the tuning fork is formed by a photo-etching method, for example. Fins can lead to unstable oscillation properties.
If a flexural oscillation mode is used that involves a high-order oscillation mode, many conventional quartz oscillators exhibit what is commonly referred to as "spurious" phenomena. Spurious phenomena is an abnormality in oscillation which occurs when the frequency coincides with an unnecessary oscillation mode at certain temperatures within the usable temperature range of the quartz oscillator. In order to detect spurious phenomena, the frequency-temperature characteristics of the oscillator must be checked precisely over the entire usable temperature range.
Accordingly, in order to overcome deficiencies in conventional quartz oscillator temperature measuring devices, it is necessary to provide a method and apparatus for eliminating deficiencies in equivalent series-resonance resistance caused by unsuitable angular orientation; unstable oscillation resulting from the presence of fins on the oscillator; and the existence of spurious phenomena. These and other drawbacks of conventional quartz oscillator temperature measuring apparatuses can be overcome by constructing a temperature measuring apparatus in accordance with the invention.


A frame piece for a rack of a switching cabinet having fastening possibilities, torsional rigidity, material expenditure and manufacture that corresponds to requirements. The frame piece includes a section outside as a connection section between outsides of the rack that contact at right angles. Fastening sections of a section inside are connected to the connection section, which have in a longitudinal direction of the section fastening mounts and transition into section sides having second fastening mounts. The fastening sections are at a first angle to the outsides of the rack and the section sides are at a second angle to the connected fastening section. The fastening sections and the section sides form two inside edges of the section inside.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rack for a switching cabinet.
2. Description of Prior Art
A wide variety of requirements are imposed on a rack of a switching cabinet, all of which must be met by the cross-sectional shape of the employed frame pieces. Frame pieces that deviate in cross-sectional shape of the vertical frame piece can be used in the region of the lower or upper frame. A wide variety of fastening possibilities aligned in several directions are required precisely in the vertically aligned frame pieces of the rack. Optimal strength, preferably torsional rigidity must also be achieved with the least possible material cost for the frame pieces and simple manufacture of the frame piece must nevertheless be possible. Also, in the region of the vertical outside corner edges of the rack sufficient free space must be present to mount the hinge flap of a cabinet door and to form and accommodate sealing elements for the side walls or cabinet back wall being mounted.
A number of frame pieces are known for the rack of a switching cabinet that partly meet the mentioned requirements, but do not offer a satisfactory solution in all respects. Frame pieces designed as open hollow sections perform much more poorly than closed hollow sections.

Frame piece for a rack of a switching cabinet


An electronic processor is configured to determine sensor data reliability at an incident scene for real-time and post-incident processing. The electronic processor receives primary sensor data from a primary data source, retrieves secondary data associated with the primary sensor data, calculates a reliability index for the primary sensor data using the secondary data; compares the reliability index to a threshold and one of executes a particular action and applies a particular policy as a function of the comparison.

During an incident, sensor data may be uploaded to a central repository. The sensor data may include public safety sensor data transmitted from devices in area networks associated with the incident. For example, the public safety sensor data may include sensor data transmitted from devices in a personal area network (for example, sensor data transmitted from devices used by a public safety responder), sensor data transmitted from devices in a vehicle area network (for example, sensor data transmitted from devices associated with a public safety vehicle) and sensor data transmitted from devices in an incident area network (i.e., sensor data transmitted from devices used by public safety responders within the incident coverage area). The sensor data uploaded to the central repository may also include non-public safety sensor data transmitted from devices in the incident coverage area including, for example, sensor data from surveillance cameras on buildings in the incident coverage area. Examples of sensor data may include data from sensors on wearable devices including belts, smart glasses, and gloves, data from sensors on converged devices, data from personal smart phones, data from firearms sensors, data from holster sensors, data from bio monitors, and data from cameras.
Sensor data received from an incident scene may trigger a real-time action or response and/or may serve as evidence for post-incident forensic analysis. For example, sensor data received from an incident scene may be used to notify a dispatcher, request backup assistance or trigger the recording of a video on a body worn camera. Sensors typically have minimal capabilities and often cannot be monitored as part of traditional infrastructure. As such, data collected from sensors may be compromised, for example, due to technical failure or malicious manipulation.
As the number of sensors increase, during an incident, the public safety responders to the incident may be overloaded with the volume of the uploaded sensor data. During post-incident analysis, forensic analysts may also be overwhelmed by the volume of searchable data in the central repository. In addition, compromised uploaded sensor data may quickly spread through area networks associated with the incident, potentially resulting in consequential responses.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Method and apparatus for determining sensor data reliability at an incident scene for real-time and post-incident processing


The present invention provides a film unit with a lens in which data such as a taking date can be taken at a low price. The IC substrate is put together while the film unit with lens is assembled. The timer in the IC times the current date and time. The date mode selector outputs the information, which is selected by the mode select switch, to the memory. The release sensor switches in synchronous with the release of the shutter button and outputs the current frame number information, which is counted by the frame number counter, to the memory so as to increase the frame number of the frame number counter. Moreover, the release sensor writes the information outputted from the timer and the information outputted from the date mode selector in the addresses 1-36 so as to correspond to the frame number information from the frame number counter in interlocking with the release of the shutter. Therefore, the taking date and time information of the film are written in the addresses 1-36 of the memory in turn. The information, which is written in the memory of the IC, is displayed on the display and projected on the frame P of the film F so as to be printed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film unit with a lens and a development method thereof, more particularly to a photo film wrapping unit (hereinafter, called "a film unit with a lens") which had previously an exposure function for photographing, and a development method of the film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the present applicant discloses a film unit with a lens in which a taking lens is arranged in a 135 film stored in a patrone. The user can get the film unit with the lens for a low price at any shop like getting an ordinary photo film, and after photographing, the user can ask for developing and printing of the film unit with the lens just as in the case of the conventional photographic film.
However, when the conventional film unit with the lens is tried for providing a function for taking a photographing date in the photo film at the time of photographing like the ordinary camera, that is, a function for taking in the data, it must be arranged with a timer for getting the date and the current time, a LCD (liquid crystal display) for displaying the date and the current time which are recorded by the timer, displays such as a LED (light emitting diode), a lamp for lighting the data, which are displayed on the displays, in interlocking with a release and a projection lens for projecting the data displayed on the display in the photo film, therefore, there is an disadvantage in that it is very expensive.

Film unit with lens and development method thereof


The present invention provides a spool seat with a positioning structure, which resolves the shortcomings of the assembly of a typical spool ceramic disc and spool seat. The spool seat of the present invention is provided with a chamber space for locating the fixed ceramic disc. The chamber space is provided with an internal locating portion which comprises an internal locating flange and external locating flange. An external locating portion is protruded from the chamber space. The chamber space is divided into inlet space and outlet space via the arrangement of internal locating portion. It is possible to eliminate the space restrictions for the fixed ceramic disc, and also prevent the rotation and slide or displacement when the fixed ceramic disc is assembled into the chamber space of the spool seat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a spool seat, and more particularly to an innovative spool seat with a positioning structure.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
The spool seat of a typical water control valve for positioning the spool ceramic disc is shown in FIG. 1. A locating portion 3 is arranged within the spool seat 2 for positioning the spool ceramic disc 1. However, there are shortcomings are observed during actual applications.
Given the fact that the inner diameter of a typical spool seat 2 is ΦB, the locating portion 3 for fixation of the spool ceramic disc 1 is generally protruded towards an inner side of the spool seat 2. Thus, the available space of the spool seat 2 is shown in FIG. 1, wherein only the space of ΦA can be used for assembly and positioning of the spool ceramic disc 1, leading to the waste of remaining space (ΦB-ΦA).
Thus, to overcome the aforementioned problems of the prior art, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved structure that can significantly improve efficacy.
Therefore, the inventor has provided the present invention of practicability after deliberate design and evaluation based on years of experience in the production, development and design of related products.


This invention provides a synthetic silica glass optical member used together with light having a specific wavelength of 250 nm or less, in which the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of transmittance [%/cm] per cm in thickness for the light in a predetermined direction within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis is 2.0%/cm or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a UV synthetic silica glass optical member and a reduction projection exposure apparatus using the same and, more particularly, to a synthetic silica glass optical member suitably used for a lens of an imaging optical system, the substrate of a photomask such as a reticle used to print the circuit pattern of an integrated circuit, a diffraction optical element (DOE), and an etalon plate for a light source in a reduction projection exposure apparatus using UV light such as an excimer laser beam, and a reduction projection exposure apparatus using the synthetic silica glass optical member.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, to transfer the pattern of an integrated circuit such as an IC or LSI, a reduction projection exposure apparatus (or photolithography apparatus) is mainly used. Along with the recent increase in integration density of integrated circuits, a wider exposure region and a high resolution over the entire exposure region are required for the projection optical system of an apparatus. To increase the resolution of the projection optical system, improvements of the apparatus have been examined, including shortening the exposure wavelength and increasing the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical system.
In the technique of making the exposure wavelength shorter, the light source used for an apparatus changes from g-line (wavelength: 436 nm) to i-line (wavelength: 365 nm), KrF excinier laser (wavelength: 248 nm), or ArF excimer laser (wavelength: 193 nm). To further increase the integration density of integrated circuits, use of a light source such as an F2 laser (wavelength: 157 nm), X-rays, or electron beam has been examined. Of these light sources, a reduction projection exposure apparatus using the F2 laser can be manufactured on the basis of the conventional design concept and therefore has recently received a great deal of attention.
On the other hand, an optical member used for the optical system of the apparatus is required to have sufficient optical characteristics for use together with light having such a short wavelength. Generally, a reduction projection exposure apparatus using light having a longer wavelength than i-line uses multi-component optical glass as the lens member of its illumination optical system or projection optical system. However, such optical glass abruptly decreases its internal transmittance for light having a shorter wavelength than i-line and, especially, rarely exhibits transmittance for light having a wavelength of 250 nm or less. For this reason, as materials of a lens of the optical system in a reduction projection exposure apparatus using an excimer laser as a light source, synthetic silica glass and single-crystal calcium fluoride (CaF2) are used. These two materials are necessary for chromatic aberration correction in the imaging optical system of an excimer laser.
Of the above optical materials, synthetic silica glass has a high light transmittance and, additionally, excellent characteristics: satisfactory excimer laser resistance, resistance to a change in temperature, satisfactory corrosion resistance and elastic performance, and small linear expansion coefficient (about 5.5xc3x9710xe2x88x927/K) near room temperature. Hence, for a reduction projection exposure apparatus, synthetic silica glass has been examined as a material of an optical member for which optical characteristics are required, including satisfactory UV resistance, and low possibility of heat generation in the substrate and thermal expansion due to the heat. A detailed example of such an optical member is the substrate of a photomask such as a reticle that is one of important elements in printing a pattern on a wafer.
Conventionally, silica glass is synthesized by a soot method such as VAD, OVD, or sol-gel method, or a direct method. To synthesize silica glass, a silicon compound such as silicon tetrachloride, silicon tetrafluoride, or organic silicon compound is used as a material. When a component such as germanium (Ge), titanium (Ti), boron (B), fluorine (F), or aluminum (Al) is doped as needed, the physical properties of silica glass can be changed. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. HEI 6-305736, a method of manufacturing synthetic silica glass as a material of a lens used together with an excimer laser beam is disclosed. However, generally, an optical system such as a projection optical system or illumination optical system is constructed by not a single lens but a plurality of lenses (lens group), so the light transmittance of the entire optical system corresponds to the integrated value of light transmittances of the lenses. For this reason, even a lens formed from synthetic silica glass manufactured by the above method still has insufficient light transmittance in use together with light having a specific wavelength of 250 nm or less.
When synthetic silica glass is used as a material of a photomask substrate, problems have been pointed out, including an increase in transmittance loss due to internal absorption or internal scattering of light, color center induced by the laser, degradation in optical performance due to heat or fluorescent light, and compaction that changes the density. Especially, the tendency becomes conspicuous when synthetic silica glass is used together with light having a wavelength of 190 nm or less.
Thus, an optical member such as a lens or photomask substrate formed from synthetic silica glass has insufficient optical characteristics such as UV resistance or light transmittance for light having a specific wavelength of 250 nm or less. When these optical members are used in a reduction projection exposure apparatus using a light source such as an ArF excimer laser (wavelength: 193 nm) or F2 laser (wavelength: 157.6 nm), line-width unevenness (print unevenness) in the pattern transfer process, and the like pose problems and make it very hard to achieve high resolution. For this reason, as a material of an optical member used together with light having a specific wavelength of 190 nm or less, single-crystal calcium fluoride has been examined because of its higher light transmittance and satisfactory UV resistance.
However, since single-crystal calcium fluoride has low resistance to a change in temperature, and is fragile and therefore readily breaks, damage easily occurs in the pattern formation process. In addition, since the linear expansion coefficient is as large as about 40 times that of silica glass, it is difficult to form a highly accurate mask pattern, and very strict temperature management is required for exposure processing.
The shorter the wavelength of light used in a reduction projection exposure apparatus becomes, the higher the optical performance required for an optical member such as a lens member or photomask member becomes. However, an optical member having desired optical performance, i.e., suitable for use in an apparatus using light having a wavelength of 250 nm or less and, more particularly, light having a wavelength of 190 nm or less has not been developed yet.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a UV synthetic silica glass optical member which has high light transmittance and UV resistance, achieves high resolution without generating any line-width unevenness (print unevenness) in the pattern transfer process, and therefore is suitable for use in a reduction projection exposure apparatus using light having a wavelength of 250 nm or less.
The present inventors have extensively studied to achieve the above object, consequently found that when in a silica glass optical member, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of transmittance [%/cm] per cm in thickness for the light in a predetermined direction within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis is 2.0%/cm or less, the above problems are solved, and completed the present invention.
More specifically, according to the present invention, there is provided a synthetic silica glass optical member used together with light having a specific wavelength of not more than 250 nm, wherein a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of transmittance [%/cm] per cm in thickness for the light in a predetermined direction within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis is not more than 2.0%/cm.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a reduction projection exposure apparatus comprising an exposure light source for emitting light having a wavelength of not more than 250 nm, a photomask formed with an original image of pattern, an illumination optical system for irradiating the photomask with the light emitted from the light source, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern image output from the photomask onto a photosensitive substrate, and an alignment system for aligning the photomask and the photosensitive substrate,
wherein at least a part of lenses of the illumination optical system and projection optical system, and the photomask are formed from synthetic silica glass in which a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of transmittance [%/cm] per cm in thickness for the light in a predetermined direction within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis is not more than 2.0%/cm.
As described above, in the optical member of the present invention, when the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of transmittance [%/cm] per cm in thickness for the light in the predetermined direction within the plane perpendicular to the optical axis is set to 2.0%/cm or less, and the member is used as a lens of the optical systems of the reduction projection exposure apparatus, or photomask substrate, the decrease in light transmittance of the entire optical system is suppressed. In the photomask, high light transmittance can be obtained, and local thermal expansion of the member can be suppressed. Hence, high resolution can be attained without generating line-width unevenness (print unevenness) in the pattern transfer process.
The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

UV synthetic silica glass optical member and reduction projection exposure apparatus using the same


A coupler assembly for coupling a work tool to a work machine. The assembly includes a body, a first locking mechanism, and a second locking mechanism. The first locking mechanism is pivotable about a pivot from a first position to a second position and is configured to be coupled to the work tool in the first position and decoupled in the second position. The second locking mechanism includes a pin having a first end and a second end, a tab coupled to the pin proximate the second end, and a spring disposed between the first end and the second end. The second locking mechanism is axially and pivotably movable about an axis such that the second locking mechanism includes a locked position and an unlocked position. As the first locking mechanism moves from the second position to the first position, the second locking mechanism automatically moves to the locked position.

Many conventional work machines, such as those in the construction and forestry industries, perform various tasks such as craning or digging functions. To perform some of these functions, machines may include a work tool removably coupled to a boom arm. The work tool may include a blade, bucket, etc. A coupler may be used for removably coupling one or more work tools to the boom arm.

Coupler assembly for releasably coupling a work machine to work tool and method thereof


A network connection device allowing high-speed data conversion to ensure sufficiently high throughput is disclosed. The network connection device includes a plurality of conversion processors and a layer-4 switch. The layer-4 switch forwards an incoming IP packet to a selected one of the plurality of conversion processors depending on a result of analyzing the IP packet at layer 4. Therefore, the processing of data packet and the processing of control packet can be performed in parallel by the plurality of conversion processors, resulting in high-speed packet transfer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network connection device connecting different types of networks, and in particular to a data conversion control technique of performing conversion between data on a switched telephone network and packets on an IP (Internet Protocol) network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been a data communications network composed of a plurality of switched telephone networks connected by IP networks, which is called a VoIP (Voice over IP) network. In such a VoIP network, a VoIP gateway device is provided between a switched telephone network and an IP network to perform protocol conversion. More specifically, the VoIP gateway device converts an IP packet stream received from the IP network to a data stream to be transmitted to the switched telephone network, and vice versa.
Since a packet stream received from the IP network is composed of control packets and data packets, the VoIP gateway device converts the received data packets to, for example, a voice data stream while processing the control packets. Therefore, if the processor of the VoIP gateway device has a low signal-processing capability, then it is difficult to perform conversion from data packets to a voice data stream without a hitch, increasing the possibility of loss of packet and thereby reducing the quality of service such as the quality of reproduced voice. To avoid such a reduction in quality of service, it is necessary to provide the VoIP gateway device with a high-speed processor to increase in throughput.
However, the processing speed of a program-controlled processor is limited. When high-speed processing is needed to process voice and video packets, there is a high possibility that the conversion is not smoothly performed and thereby some packets are discarded.
There have been proposed several Internet telephony techniques in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication Nos. 10-210080, 11-220549, and 11-275070. However, none of these publications teach any technique of increasing in throughput so as not to reduce in quality of service.

Network connection technique in VoIP network system


System for fixation of shelf accessories to a shelf, the system comprising; —an elongate front fixation device (120, 220, 320, 420) having a longitudinal direction and being arranged to be fixed to a shelf (10), at or adjacent and in parallel with a front edge (11) of said shelf. The fixation device comprises at least one channel wall (123, 223, 323, 423) defining a longitudinally extending, open engagement channel (124, 224, 324, 424). At least one shelf accessory (140, 240, 340, 440, 640) is arranged to be supported on an upper surface of the shelf and comprising an engagement member (150, 250, 350, 450, 650) arranged to be brought into engagement with said channel wall, for fixation of the shelf accessory to the front fixation device and the shelf. The shelf accessory comprises a resilient member (158, 258, 358, 458, 441a, 600) arranged to press the engagement member into an engaged position at which the engagement member is in engagement with the channel wall and to allow the engagement member to be brought to a disengaged position at which the engagement member is disengaged from the channel wall by deformation of the resilient member. The resilient member is arranged to contact the front fixation device both in the engaged position and in the disengaged position of the engagement member.

Stores that retail convenience goods or commodities on a daily basis often present their goods on shelves. In order to create an ordered display of these goods on the shelving and to enhance their presentation there is used a number of different shelf accessories, such as shelf dividers, different types of devices for pushing the goods and different types of goods-carrying trays, etc. Such accessories are often mounted on the upper surface of the shelf.
Known technology allows these accessories to be fastened to the shelf in a number of different ways, for instance mechanically with the aid of screws or technically equivalent devices, by frictional engagement or by adhesion with the aid of double-sided adhesive tape or by corresponding means.
The devices used to fasten the accessories to the shelves will preferably have some fundamental properties. One important property is that it is possible to fasten the accessories at selected positions along the length of the shelving, so as to position the accessories in a chosen space relationship that is adapted to suit different packages and different quantities of goods. The accessories should further be securely held to the shelf in order to avoid that they are inadvertently loosened or displaced from their intended positions.
Shelf dividers constitute an example of accessories where the mutual distance there between can be particularly important. The shelf dividers often consist of partitioning walls which are fastened to the shelving such as to extend at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the shelving and to project outwardly perpendicularly therefrom. The primary purpose of the shelf dividers is to separate different groups of goods from one another and to create order on the shelving. Particularly when a goods advancing means is placed between two shelf dividers, it is essential that the shelf dividers are not displaced towards one another, since the friction between goods and shelf dividers may then become so great as to prevent advancement of the goods.
The accessories will preferably also be held firmly, such as to ensure that they will not topple. In conjunction with this, it is important that the accessory is held firmly and that the fixing device enables respective accessories to be readily fixed and removed.
After setting up a shelf and positioning all accessories along the shelf, it is sometimes necessary to reorganize the shelf, requiring one or more of the shelf dividers to be removed or moved and fixed in a new position. For example, this is the case when the spacing between two adjacent shelf dividers must be adjusted in order to accommodate a new item of goods or package of goods of other dimensions. In addition, it may often be desirable to subsequently fasten other accessories, such as information carriers, for instance flag holders or coupon holders on a shelf that has earlier been placed in order. In order to facilitate such reorganization of parts of a shelf that has already been placed in order it is desirable that individual accessories can be removed and then secured in a new position and to affix new accessories without needing to release remaining shelf dividers.
An additional important aspect is that the fixation devices should be easy to use and especially that it should be easy for the personnel working with the devices to understand how to efficiently handle the devices when setting up and reorganizing shelves. I practice, personnel working with such organization of shelves rarely have the time to study mounting manuals and quite frequently they get little or no instructions or training concerning the handling of the various fixation arrangements that exist on the market. Quite often it happens that the mounting systems are used incorrectly or inefficiently, which may lead to additional work and thereby to reduced profitability for the shop owner. Therefore it is desirable that the construction of the fixation systems is simple such that it is self explanatory how to use the system just by the look of its constituent parts, even for personnel having no earlier experience of the system.
Depending on what products that are to be placed on the shelves, the shelves may have different depth dimensions in the horizontal direction, perpendicular to the front edge of the shelves. Accordingly, the shelf accessories need to exhibit corresponding lengths in order to reach over the shelves' entire depth. In practice, the shelve depths utilized in stores varies from 200 mm to 800 mm. In some occasions the shelf depth may be as large as 1000 mm, however at the majority of shelves for daily commodity stores the shelf depth varies between 400 an 700 mm. Especially at longer accessories, it might be difficult to prevent the rear end of the accessories from moving in the directions parallel to the longitudinal direction of the shelf, thereby causing the accessories to bend. Such bending may in turn cause disorder of the products on the shelf, hinder the functioning of pushers and cause other related problems. In order to prevent or alleviate such problems it might be necessary to provide the fixation systems for longer accessories with additional fixation devices that are arranged at the rear edge of the shelf. The accessories may then be provided with corresponding rear fixation means which are brought into engagement with the rear fixation device for separately fixing also the rear ends of the accessories to the shelf. However, such additional fixation arrangements for the rear end of the accessories naturally makes the systems more complex and thereby more expensive both to manufacture and to mount onto the shelves. Additionally, when setting up and reorganizing shelves provided with such rear fixation arrangements, it is necessary, for each accessory, to position and engage both ends of the accessory to a respective fixation device. This constitutes a cumbersome, time consuming and ergonomically disadvantageous operation, especially since it requires that at least one hand is stretched over the entire shelf depth to reach the rear edge of the shelf. It would thus be advantageous and desirable if also longer accessories could be satisfactory fixed and maintained at the shelf while utilizing only a front fixation device arranged at the front edge of the shelf.
It is also desirable that the means for fixating the accessories will have an aesthetic appearance and will not be an unnecessary obstacle to placing or removing goods on and from a shelf or from adjacent shelving. It is also important that the accessory fixing means are of simple construction and can be produced and mounted at low cost.
Further, it is desirable that the means for securely holding accessories to a shelf can be applied to existing shelves without requiring the shelves to be replaced or modified in some way.


Devices and methods for obtaining image data that preserves highlight details and shadow details from image data from a high dynamic range (HDR) image sensor are provided. For example, an image signal processor may include a first data path of a relatively high bit depth, front-end image processing logic, and a second data path of a relatively low bit depth. The first data path may receive HDR image data from an image sensor. The front-end image processing logic may convert the HDR image data into lower-bit-depth image data, while preserving highlight details and/or shadow details of the HDR image, by using at least two transfer functions that preserve different subsets of the high dynamic range. The second data path may output this lower-bit-depth image data to other image processing logic for additional image processing.

The present disclosure relates generally to image processing and, more particularly, to generating a high dynamic range (HDR) tone mapped, high-local-contrast image in an electronic device.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Electronic devices increasingly employ cameras or other image capture devices. For example, handheld devices such as portable phones and portable media players increasingly use cameras to capture images and video. Even notebook and desktop computers may routinely include front-facing cameras and/or other image capture devices, allowing a user to easily generate user profile photographs and/or capture video for video conferencing. These image capture devices may capture image data of a bit depth higher than the data paths commonly used for image signal processing. Some image capture devices may capture image data with a bit depth exceeding 10 bits, for example, while image signal processor data paths may typically use image data of only 8 bits. In addition, many compression methods (e.g., MPEG, JPEG, and/or H.264) generally involve processing 8-bit image data. Accordingly, image data from image capture device may be compressed from a higher bit depth to a lower bit depth before reaching an image signal processor core, where most hardware image signal processing may take place. Reducing the bit depth of the image data from a higher bit depth (e.g., 10-14) to a lower bit depth (e.g., 8) may result in a loss of details as the dynamic range that can be described by the lower bit depth decreases correspondingly. Indeed, dynamic ranges within images will generally exceed the range of 8 bits, even though 8 bits may almost be sufficient to smoothly render a uniformly lit surface. However, shadows and specular highlights can easily require 14-16 bits to capture the full dynamic range of a scene.
Typically, the loss of dynamic range that occurs when higher-bit-depth image data is reduced to lower-bit-depth image data is mitigated by applying a transfer function. The transfer function may map the higher-bit-depth image data to lower-bit-depth image data in a manner that may be indistinguishable to the human eye over much of the original dynamic range. However, such image data compression may clip some highlights and/or shadows originally represented in the higher-bit-depth image data.
Various techniques have thus been developed for obtaining an image that appears to include all of the details of a higher-bit-depth, high dynamic range (HDR) image despite having a relatively low bit depth. Conventionally, these HDR techniques involve capturing multiple images at various levels of light exposure. Typically, at least one such image contains specular highlight details and at least one contains shadow details. Combining properly exposed portions of these multiple images into a single image may produce an image that includes both highlights and shadows. However, obtaining such an HDR-tone-mapped image in this manner may be memory and/or processor intensive, drawing additional power and reducing the efficiency of an electronic device. Moreover, because such HDR image processing may require multiple images taken at different exposure times, it may be difficult or impossible to obtain an HDR-tone-mapped image when an image involves a moving subject.

Devices and methods for obtaining high-local-contrast image data


Provided is a communication device, even in a case that many communication devices are connected in a radio communication network constituted of a plurality of different radio communication technologies, that suppresses data transmission of one communication technology from delaying due to data transmission situation of another communication device and enables coexistence of different radio communication technologies. A communication device for transmitting and/or receiving a signal using a plurality of radio communication systems, the communication device includes transmitting a signal configured to reserve a first frequency indicating that a radio wave of a prescribed frequency band is used using a first radio communication system among the plurality of radio communication systems; and transmitting, after transmitting the signal indicating that the radio wave is used, a signal configured to request transmission of data to another communication device using a second radio communication system that is different from the first radio communication system.

By using different radio communication technologies such as a wireless LAN that is called WiFi (registered trademark) such as IEEE802.11b, g, n, or the like, a short-range radio communication Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy (BLE), or the like, a heterogeneous radio communication network is constructed (NPL 1 and NPL 2). Many apparatuses such as information terminals such as smartphones or the like, sensors, or the like are connected to this radio communication network.
Both the wireless LAN and the BLE use an Industry Science Medical (ISM) Band of 2.4 GHz. In the BLE, in order to avoid interference of an apparatus equipped with the wireless LAN, an Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) is applied (NPL 2). The BLE performs communication using the AFH while avoiding a frequency channel used by the wireless LAN.

Communication device and communication method


A reverse osmosis water purification system for providing potable water from a municipal water or other source containing undesired impurities. A motor driven pump supplies a feed stream to a reverse osmosis unit resulting in the creation of a product water stream and a concentrate or brine stream. The inclusion of a product water holding tank may be optionally omitted by routing the product water outlet stream directly to the tap via a branched line. A pressure sensor causes a solenoid valve to open when the withdrawal of water from the tap is terminated, opening a valve in the branch line leading back to the pump. The pump then continues to run, recirculating the product water stream to a mixing unit where it is blended with a major part of the concentrate stream that is being recycled and with make-up fresh water to create a composite feed stream. As the system continues to run in this recirculation mode, the composite feed stream entering the purification unit becomes gradually purer, and once the quality reaches a desired level, the system is placed in shutdown mode. Because of the high quality of the water on the feed side of the membrane in the reverse osmosis unit, little contamination of the purified water on the product side occurs during shutdown.

Reverse osmosis units have been used for a number of decades to purify water for home, municipal and industrial uses. Examples of purification systems using reverse osmosis units to provide quantities of potable water suitable for home or other relatively limited uses are shown in the following patents of Donald T. Bray: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,568,843; 3,794,172; 3,794,173 and 3,939,074. Such self-contained systems were generally designed to provide potable water on demand by being essentially permanently connected to a municipal water supply line pressure. They created a ready reservoir of purified or potable water which would be available to be dispensed to a user, either by gravity flow or by flow driven by the expansion of air compressed behind a bladder within a confined tank or the like.
Reverse osmosis membrane separation devices generally function on the basis of employing a significant fluid pressure difference between the inlet side of the membrane barrier, i.e., the feed side, and the opposite side of the membrane barrier, i.e., the product side. This pressure difference motivates the flow of fluid through the micropores of the membrane barrier while generally preventing the passage of salt and mineral solutes through the membrane. However, when such a membrane separation device is operated only intermittently, as is the practice with respect to most small scale household or domestic appliance versions of such reverse osmosis systems, a typical cyclic process occurs with every shutdown and start-up. Once the pressure difference across the membrane barrier is removed as a result of shutdown, flow through the membrane to the product side ceases. As a result, the two volumes of fluid which now occupy the void spaces on both sides of the membrane barrier are no longer subject to this pressure-driven osmotic separation effect. Consequently, the salt and mineral solutes in the liquid on the feed side of the membrane are now able to slowly pass through the membrane barrier and mix with the fluid on the product side, and the solutes generally continue to do so until equilibrated common solutions have been formed on both sides of the membrane.
When start-up again occurs so that high pressure and liquid flow are reestablished on the feed side of the membrane device, the osmotic separation process resumes; however, the residual volume of higher salt and mineral content liquid on the product side of the membrane in the purification unit will constitute the first portion of the product water stream to be discharged from the unit before a truly purified outlet stream will again be discharged from the purification unit. In most small scale or domestic appliance-type membrane separation systems, a liquid accumulation reservoir or tank is provided into which the discharge from the membrane purification unit is directed. Such a tank provides for rapid dispensing of a fairly large quantity of product liquid at the tap or other point of use, and because the tank or reservoir will be repeatedly filled to its desired capacity during periods of non-use, this arrangement permits the use of a small, economical membrane separation device having only a relatively low, direct, product flow rate. In such a system configuration, the problem of high salt and mineral content accumulating in the small volume of liquid on the product side within the purification unit during periods of shutdown becomes minimal because this small volume will be flushed into the tank or reservoir at the time of start-up where it becomes highly diluted with the very considerable volume of liquid within the product holding tank; as a result, the ultimate product remains generally acceptable.
However, there is some contamination of the product side liquid which is occurring and which, although acceptable, is still undesirable, and the search for new and improved water purification systems is an always continuing one.


An apparatus for lapping a workpiece including a plurality of magnetic heads supported by a tool is disclosed. The lapping apparatus comprises a rotary lapping table, a lapping head attachment frame, an adjuster ring resiliently supported by the frame, a lapping head attached to the adjuster ring, a tilting assembly attached to the lapping head, and an up and down movable back plate pivotally attached to the lapping head. The apparatus further comprises first actuators or cylinders for correcting balance by applying forces on right and left sides of the pivotal point of the back plate, and second actuators or cylinders for correcting bow of the workpiece by applying operating forces on a plurality of predetermined locations of the tool so that the moving directions of movable parts of the second actuator means are substantially parallel with the directions of the operating forces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an apparatus and a method for lapping magnetic heads, and in particular to an apparatus and a method for lapping a workpiece provided with a plurality of magnetic heads.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a thin film magnetic head, which is used in a disc drive in a computer, is manufactured in a batch process. In this process, a workpiece, provided with a ceramic bar (thereafter being divided into sliders) on which a row of transducers including a plurality of thin film magnetic heads are arranged, is lapped such that throat heights in gaps of the respective transducers are adjusted to have desired values at which optimum data signal processing can be realized.
A problem that exists in lapping such magnetic heads so as to obtain desired throat heights is that the ceramic bar or the workpiece is stressed and/or has an undesirable curvature or bow. Namely, when the ceramic bar is stressed and/or has an undesirable curvature or bow, a lapping apparatus can not uniformly lap the ceramic bar. For example, even if the throat heights of the magnetic heads on a center of the ceramic bar have optimum values, the throat heights of the magnetic heads on both ends of the ceramic bar might be too low or too high to have optimum values.
An apparatus for lapping magnetic heads, which can solve such problem, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,356. The apparatus adjusts throat heights of thin film magnetic heads arranged on a ceramic bar to be optimum by correcting the curvature of the ceramic bar and lapping the corrected ceramic bar while measuring resistances whose values are changed by the throat heights.
In the lapping apparatus disclosed in the U.S. Patent, a workpiece, which is provided with a ceramic bar on which a row of transducers including a plurality of magnetic thin films are arranged, is adhered to a bottom of a tool which likes a long thin plate, and the tool is attached to a back plate of the apparatus. However, the conventional apparatus has a problem that an attitude of the back plate to which the tool is adhered is not based on the abrasive surface of a rotary lapping table. For example, let us assume a case that the back plate is set vertically based on the abrasive surface of the rotary lapping table which is set horizontally. In this case, if the abrasive surface of the lapping table is not set horizontally, the workpiece can not be lapped with accuracy, or flatness of the lapped workpiece is decreased. As a result, the throat heights of the magnetic heads become uneven.
Further, the conventional lapping apparatus is provided with three magnetic actuators which are used to correct the curvature or bow of the ceramic bar. However, since the magnetic actuators are operated to rotate arms and to supply operating forces to the workpiece through the pivotal movements of the arms, thrust characteristics of the magnetic actuators for rotating the arm are undesirably decreased.

Apparatus and method for lapping magnetic heads


A clip for mounting a weatherstrip between an end side of a window and a window frame includes: a weatherstrip side member having arms for engaging the weatherstrip and tabular engagement pieces extending from a base portion of the arms; and a window frame side member including box-shape holding portions for allowing the tabular engagement pieces to slide therein and an attachment device, i.e. T stud attachment portion and a double-sided tape, for attaching to the window frame. An engagement device is provided between the engagement pieces and the holding portions, and is formed of claws provided on one of the engagement pieces and holding portions and holes provided on the other. The weatherstrip side member and the window frame side member can be separately formed, and easily combined.

The present invention relates to a clip for mounting a weatherstrip in order to attach the weatherstrip between an end surface of a window and a surface of a window frame opposite to the end surface.
Conventionally, a weatherstrip is generally mounted between a side end surface of a front window shield of an automobile and a window frame surface of a windshield pillar opposite to the side end surface for both sealing and decoration. In order to mount the weatherstrip on the auto body side, a clip formed of a synthetic resin has been used.
A known method for mounting the clip on the auto body includes a method in which a stud pin (hereinafter referred to as a T stud) including an expanded head portion projecting on the auto body side (refer to Japanese Utility Model No. 07-22329), or a method using a double-sided adhesive tape (refer to Japanese Utility Model No. 02-11211). These methods have been selected according to a situation, and sometimes according to a location in the same type of vehicle.
In the case of using the double-sided adhesive tape, it is preferable to use a thermoset adhesive with a high adhesion strength. However, in general, a synthetic resin does not have enough heat resistance to withstand heat for curing the adhesive. Accordingly, the clip needs to be made of metal. Therefore, it is not possible to use a clip using the T stud and a clip using the adhesive together, and it is difficult to satisfy a demand for reducing the number of parts to simplify part management.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above mentioned problems of the conventional technology, and an object of the invention is to provide an improved clip for mounting the weatherstrip so that the clip can be attached with both the T stud and the adhesive.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


Process for dewatering organic liquids admixed with water wherein the admixture is brought into contact with a molecular sieve. The moleculat sieve is pretreated so as to reduce its acid site concentration and attain an ammonia TPD value of 18 mmol/g or less prior to contact with the admixture. The present invention relates to a process for dewatering organic liquids admixed with water, said process comprising bringing the admixture into contact with a molecular sieve, characterized in that the molecular sieve is pretreated so as to reduce its acid site concentration and attain an ammonia TPD value of 18 mmol/g or less prior to contact with the admixture.

The present invention relates to a method of dewatering organic liquids, especially alcohols, using a molecular sieve which has been pretreated to absorb the water therefrom.
Alcohols and esters are usually produced in an environment containing water or moisture, be it as a reactant during hydration of olefins to form the alcohol or as a by product of a condensation reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol to form the ester. The product alcohol and ester are usually contaminated inter alia with water. More, specifically where a synthetic route is used to produce an alcohol such as ethanol or isopropanol by the hydration of an olefin such as ethylene or propylene respectively, water is a reactant and hence it is inevitable that the product is contaminated with water. Again, alcohols produced by the biofermentation routes from agricultural feedstocks such as corn, beet and sugarcane, and by processing of biomass such as agricultural residues, herbaceous crops, waste paper and pulp, or municipal wastes are also contaminated with water. More importantly, methods of removing water from such products are complicated by the fact that in the case of ethanol, for instance, it forms an azeotrope with water thereby making the dewatering thereof difficult. Cumbersome and expensive methods have to be used. Of the various methods suggested for dewatering aqueous alcohols, the following processes may be considered typical: use of ion-exchange resins (DE-A-4118156), pervaporation using membranes (JP-A-04308543); treatment with an ortho-ester and followed by passing through a set of catalyst beds (DD-A-278336); by reaction with 2,2-dialkoxy-propane on a catalyst bed comprising acid ion-exchange resin and an acid zeolite (DD-265139); selective extraction of ethanol in the mixture into liquid carbon dioxide (EP-A-231072); using a combination of extraction with liquid carbon dioxide and a molecular sieve and then fractional distillation (EP-A-233692); azeotropic distillation in the presence of an entrainer such as eg cyclohexane; and, of course, the use of various types of molecular sieves or zeolites (EP-A-205582, GB-A-2151501, EP-A-142157, EP-A-158754, U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,662, U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,857, GB-A-2088739 and FR-A-2719039). The use of molecular sieves is an attractive method because of its relatively simplicity and low cost. In the last-named FR-A-2719039, the principle feature is the use of a super-heated, partially dried alcohol to regenerate the used molecular sieve.
One of the problems associated with the use of conventional molecular sieves is that by-products are usually formed due, e.g. to the reversal of the olefin hydration reaction, i.e. back conversion of isopropanol to propylene and water, or the hydrolysis of an ester back to the reactant alcohol and carboxylic acid, thereby resulting in the loss not only of the valuable product but also the chemicals, effort and energy expended in the first place in the hydration and esterification reactions respectively.
It has now been found that the cause of this reversal and the consequent loss of purity can be avoided if the molecular sieves are pretreated according to the invention prior to contact with the aqueous organic liquids.
Accordingly, the present invention is a process for dewatering organic liquids admixed with water, said process comprising bringing the admixture into contact with a molecular sieve, characterised in that the molecular sieve is pretreated so as to reduce its acid site concentration and attain an ammonia TPD value of 18 xcexcmol/g or less prior to contact with the admixture.
By xe2x80x9cmolecular sievexe2x80x9d is meant here and throughout the specification the sieve as such or when such sieve is bound in or with a binder.
By xe2x80x9cammonia TPD valuexe2x80x9d is meant here and throughout the specification, an ammonia temperature desorption value which is the amount of ammonia desorbed from a molecular sieve after said sieve has been fully saturated with ammonia and then subjected to a thermal desorption until no more ammonia is evolved. As such the xe2x80x9cammonia TPD valuexe2x80x9d represents the concentration of acid sites in the molecular sieve accessible to ammonia. The acid site concentration can of course be defined by other well known characterisation techniques such as infrared spectroscopy and microcalorimetry. The ammonia TPD value of the molecular sieves used in the present invention for dewatering is suitably determined by initially heating a preweighed amount of a commercial sample of a molecular sieve to an elevated temperature e.g. about 150xc2x0 C., at the rate of about 10xc2x0 C. per minute in an inert atmosphere, then reducing the temperature of the heated sieve to about 100xc2x0 C. in an inert atmosphere over an extended period, eg overnight at that temperature, and then re-heating the ammonia saturated sieve to about 700xc2x0 C. at the rate of 10xc2x0 C. per minute and measuring the amount of ammonia desorbed from the molecular sieve. Determination of the desorbed ammonia can be carried out by titration of the desorbed gases using a dilute mineral acid solution such as e.g. 0.02N hydrochloric acid.
In the case of commercially available molecular sieves which are in the so called xe2x80x9cpotassium cation formxe2x80x9d, the ammonia TPD value is generally greater than 19 xcexcmol/g and is typically in the range from 19 to 25 xcexcmol/g. However, after pretreatment, the ammonia TPD value of the treated molecular sieve is xe2x89xa618 xcexcmol/g, suitably less than 15 xcexcmol/g and preferably less than 12 xcexcmol/g, eg from 1-11.5 xcexcmol/g.
Molecular sieves which are capable of adsorbing the water from an admixture thereof with an alcohol are well known. Typically, such molecular sieves are crystalline although the particular sieve employed is not critical. Such sieves should, however, be capable of adsorbing at least 2% by weight of water, e.g. from 2-30% w/w, preferably from about 5-25% w/w under the adsorption conditions. The sieve is suitably a zeolitic molecular sieve having an average pore diameter of about 3 Angstroms (xc3x85). Typical examples of such molecular sieves are the A type zeolites, especially 3A, although others having different pore diameters such as eg 4A and 5A may also be used. Almost all commercially available molecular sieves which have hitherto been used in the dewatering process especially of alcohols though sold as a xe2x80x9cpotassium cation formxe2x80x9d invariably have an ammonia TPD value of greater than 19 xcexcmol/g. Typical examples of such commercially available zeolitic molecular sieves are those sold as UOP AS-5078 and Ceca Siliporite(copyright) NK30 although such molecular sieves are also available from other sources. These, so-called xe2x80x9cpotassium cation formsxe2x80x9d as described e.g. in EP-A-0 142 157, when used as such for dewatering( aqueous alcohols result in a significant amount of by products formation such as e.g. olefins, ethers and/or aldehydes. This is unacceptable for the by-products may not only contaminate the solvent alcohol being treated but may also undergo further degradation or polymerisation in the presence of the untreated molecular sieve thereby further adversely affecting the quality of the dewatered alcohol and the consequent loss of alcohol purity. That this is the case can be seen e.g. from the description at column 2, lines 50-60 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,476 referred to above and also from the examples and comparative tests shown below.
The feature of the present invention is that such so-called xe2x80x9cpotassium cation formxe2x80x9d of zeolitic molecular sieves can be further treated to reduce the ammonia TPD value thereof to the levels now claimed prior to contact with the organic liquid-water admixture in order to carry out the dewatering process. The further treatment is suitably carried out by bringing the commercially available molecular sieve into contact with a solution of an ammonium or an alkali metal salt, such as e.g. a salt of sodium or potassium, especially e.g., the nitrate salt to enable any residual H+ cations in the commercial sieve to be exchanged with the additional alkali metal cations. A final washing procedure is then carried out to remove any residual salt and acids produced as a result of the ion exchange procedure. The alkali metal salt is suitably used as an aqueous solution and the concentration of the aqueous solution of the ammonium or alkali metal salt used will depend upon the nature of the untreated molecular sieve. Typically, however, such concentration is suitably in the range from about 0.01 to 2 molar, preferably from about 0.05 to 0.5 molar. The treatment of the untreated molecular sieve is suitably carried out at a temperature in the range from 10 to 90xc2x0 C., preferably from 20 to 70xc2x0 C. By this method the ammonia TPD value of the commercial molecular sieve such as 3A can be reduced to values of 18 xcexcmol/g or below, suitably below 15 xcexcmol/g and preferably below 12 xcexcmol/g. Usually, the ammonia TPD value of the untreated molecular sieve is reduced by at least 10%, preferably by at least 40% prior to use in the dewatering method of the present invention. Alternatively, the aforementioned treatment can be carried out on any binder used in the preparation of the bound molecular sieve prior to the sieve beings bound in or with the binder. In this instance, the treatment should be carried out to the extent that the ammonia TPD value of the final bound molecular sieve is within the ranges specified above. Typical binders used in bound molecular sieves are montmorillonites, kaolin, sepiolites and atapulgites
In the dewatering process, the molecular sieve of reduced ammonia TPD value is brought into contact with the organic liquid-water admixture to be dewatered. This may be done batchwise or continuously e.g. by packing a column with an amount of the substantially acid-free molecular sieve and then passing the admixture to be dewatered therethrough. The rate of passage of the admixture to be dewatered through the packed column is suitably such that there is adequate contact time between the admixture and the sieve. Such contact time would of course depend upon
a. the nature of the organic liquid in the admixture,
b. the amount of water in the admixture,
c. the capacity of the molecular sieve used,
d. the temperature and pressure at which the two are brought into contact, and
e. whether the admixture is in the liquid or in the gaseous phase.
Typically, however, such contact time is suitably in the range from 15 seconds to 5 minutes for a unit volume of the admixture to pass through a unit volume of the molecular sieve. Within this range, if the admixture is e.g. a liquid mixture of water and isopropanol and it is passed through a pre-treated crystalline 3A molecular sieve at a temperature of say about 110-120xc2x0 C., then such contact time would be in the range from about 30 seconds to 3 minutes, e.g. about 1 minute for a unit volume of the admixture to pass through a unit volume of the treated molecular sieve. By operating this process, an organic liquid substantially free of water can be recovered from the base of such a column assuming that the admixture to be dewatered is being fed into the top of the packed column.
Depending upon the efficiency of the molecular sieve, the used sieve which may be saturated with water can be regenerated i.e. the adsorbed water desorbed, either by the techniques of temperature swing desorption or pressure swing desorption. In the temperature swing method, a stream of hot fluid is passed through the used molecular sieve so as to drive the adsorbed water out of the sieve. For a given pressure, the quantity of water adsorbed diminishes with increasing temperature. In the pressure swing method, desorption of the adsorbed water can be achieved by significantly reducing the pressure relative to that under which adsorption was carried out.
The efficiency of the dewatering process can be improved by operating two columns simultaneously such that when one of the columns is in the adsorption mode the other is in the desorption mode and the feed of the admixture to be treated is passed through the column in the adsorption mode thereby enabling a substantially continuous operation.
The process is particularly suitable for use in dewatering alcohols such as e.g. ethanol, isopropanol, secondary butanol and tertiary butanol, and aliphatic esters such as e.g. n-propyl formate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, methyl propionate and ethyl isobutyrate whether they be produced by a synthetic route such as e.g. alcohols produced by olefin hydration processes or whether they be produced by the biofermentation of agricultural feedstocks such as corn, beets and molasses, the latter process including alcohols, especially ethanol/water mixtures, produced by the processing of Biomass such as agricultural residues, herbaceous crops, waste paper and pulp, and municipal solid wastes.
The present invention is further illustrated with reference to the following Examples and Comparative Tests (not according to the invention):


A hydraulic lash adjuster for an engine valve train has a hydraulic lash adjusting arrangement for automatically compensating for lash in an engine valve train, and a lost motion arrangement for inhibiting motion induced in the valve train in response to a lift profile of a rotating cam from being transferred to an engine valve.

A typical hydraulic lash adjuster (HLA) comprises a first oil chamber defined between an outer body and a plunger assembly slidably mounted within the outer body, and a spring biased to enlarge the first oil chamber by pushing the plunger assembly outwardly from the outer body to extend the HLA. Typically, the HLA has a second oil chamber, defined by the plunger assembly and which is in fluid communication with the engine's oil supply. The first oil chamber and the second oil chamber are separated by a one way valve and oil flows from the second chamber into the first chamber through the one way valve when the HLA extends (and hence the first chamber enlarges) because the oil pressure in the second chamber becomes higher than that in the first chamber. Whereas oil can flow into the first pressure chamber via the one way valve, it can only escape the first pressure chamber very slowly, for example, via closely spaced leak down surfaces. Accordingly, a HLA can extend to accommodate any slack in a valve train assembly, such as between the cam and the roller but after it is extended, the incompressible oil in the first chamber provides sufficient rigid support for the HLA to open the valve when a rocker arm pivots (i.e. the incompressible oil prevents the plunger assembly being pushed back inwardly of the outer body so that the HLA acts as a solid body).
Compression engine brakes are typically used as auxiliary brakes, in addition to wheel brakes, on relatively large vehicles, for example trucks, powered by heavy or medium duty diesel engines. A compression engine braking system is arranged, when activated, to provide an additional opening of an engine cylinder's exhaust valve when the piston in that cylinder is close to the top-dead-center position of its compression stroke so that compressed air is released through the exhaust valve. This causes the engine to function as a power consuming air compressor which slows the vehicle.
In a typical valve train assembly used with a compression engine brake, the exhaust valve is actuated by a rocker arm to provide an additional compression brake exhaust valve lift in addition to the main exhaust valve lift. The rocker arm rocks in response to a cam on a rotating cam shaft and acts on the exhaust valve, either directly, or indirectly (for example, by means of a valve bridge) to open it. Lost motion variable valve actuation systems may be used to inhibit the additional compression brake exhaust valve lift when the engine is in normal engine combustion mode.
A hydraulic lash adjuster may also be provided in the valve train assembly to remove any lash (i.e. gap) that develops between components in the valve train assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,062 describes a valve actuation system that comprises a lost motion system and a separate, distinct automatic lash adjuster. The system is complicated and has a large number of distinct components.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,483 describes a variable valve actuation system that comprises a manual lash adjuster. Manual lash adjusters have the disadvantage of not providing automatic lash adjustment. Instead, a mechanic must adjust a manual lash adjuster during engine servicing.


A network detection method links multiple nodes residing in a network topology to form multiple edges and creates snake paths through the edges using a snake algorithm. The routing frequencies of each of the snake paths is calculated, and software-defined network (SDN) policy flows to each of the nodes are produced and applied. The health and performance status, and available bandwidths, of the snake paths are dynamically detected via packet flows using a pathChirp bandwidth detection method.

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a network organizing technique. An SDN with an OpenFlow protocol separates the data and control functions of networking devices, such as routers, packet switches, and LAN switches, by inserting a well-defined Application Programming Interface (API) between the two. In many large enterprise networks, routers and other network devices encompass both data and control functions, making it difficult to adjust the network infrastructure and operation to large-scale addition of enduser systems, virtual machines, and virtual networks.
In a hybrid SDN, engineers can run SDN technologies and standard switching protocols simultaneously on the physical hardware. A network manager can configure the SDN control plane to discover and control certain traffic flows while traditional, distributed networking protocols continue to direct the rest of the traffic on the network.
Under the hybrid network including SDN and legacy switches, when a network or network devices needs to be diagnosed, an SDN controller sends checking requests to the switches for network diagnosis. However, the network or the network devices can be heavily loaded by frequent checking when the sending of KeepAlive packets via the SDN controller is persistent, and errors cannot be immediately discovered.
In addition, the SDN controller needs extra packets, for example, pathChirp packets for checking of network state information, for example, bandwidth information. Therefore, the more switches being managed by the SDN controller, the more loadings the SDN controller will get.

Network detection method and controller using the method

Cloud Network Technology Singapore Pte. Ltd.


A system and method for determining a fluid property for a fluid flowing in a pipe may include sensing baseline vibrations when test fluids with known values for a fluid property (e.g., fluid density or fluid viscosity) flow through the pipe, or computer modeling the baseline vibrations. The baseline vibrations are analyzed via cross-correlation and/or deconvolution to separate the fluid filled pipe's baseline combined structural response from excitation and base coupling effects. During field or other operations, sensors may take vibrational readings along the pipe when an operational fluid (e.g., drilling fluid) flows through the pipe. The operational vibrations may be analyzed via cross-correlation and/or deconvolution to separate the operational combined structural response of the fluid filled pipe from excitation and base coupling effects. The baseline and operational structural responses may compared. Similarities or differences in the structural responses may be used to determine fluid properties of the operational fluid.

Natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.), man-caused disasters (e.g., accidents and terrorist attacks), deferred maintenance, heavy and/or long term use, exposure to corrosive elements/conditions, and age are just some of the factors that can bring about structural degradation of the structural framework of buildings, towers, bridges, dams, cranes, etc. It is often difficult to determine whether the structural framework of a building, crane, etc. is still structurally sound after a long service period or after being subjected to a structurally traumatic event.
Fluids flow through a fluid conveying pathway, for example, an open channel, closed conduit, etc. (referred to generically as a pipe throughout the rest of this document). Often it is desirable to obtain information regarding the properties (e.g., viscosity, fluid density, etc.) of the fluid flowing through the pipe. However, access to the fluid for measurement or monitoring purposes may be limited or nonexistent due to the fluid being enclosed or the pipe being in an inaccessible location.
There is a need in the art for a system for, and a method of, determining the existence of structural change in a structural framework. There is also a need in the art for a system for, and method of, determining the properties of a fluid flowing through a pipe.

System for and method of monitoring properties of a fluid flowing through a pipe


The present invention provides a cocaine aptamer represented by the following chemical formula (CI),R-DNA-L-Fc  (CI)                where        R represents R1-PO4—(CH2)n1—;        R1 is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbon group and the derivative thereof;        n1 represents a natural number;        DNA consists of a gene sequence capable of binding to cocaine;        L is a linker represented by -L1-(CH2)n2-L2-;        L1 is absent or an optional linker;        L2 is absent or an optional linker;        n2 represents a natural number; and        Fc represents a ferrocene group.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cocaine aptamer and a method for detecting cocaine using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
James S. Swensen et al, "Continuous, Real-Time Monitoring of Cocaine in Undiluted Blood Serum via a Microfluidic, Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensor" Journal of American Chemical Society, 2009, 131, 4262-4266 (hereinafter, referred to as "James et. al.") discloses a cocaine aptamer represented by 5′-HS—(CH2)11-AGACAAGGAAAATCCTTCAATGAAGTGGGTCG-(CH2)7-MB-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 01, MB represents methylene blue). FIG. 11 is a duplicate of FIG. 3 included in James et. al. As shown in FIG. 11, the reduction current of MB with regard to the cocaine aqueous solution having a concentration of 0 μM (namely, the aqueous solution which does not contain cocaine) is approximately 380 nanoampere. The reduction current of MB with regard to the cocaine aqueous solution having a concentration of 250 μM is approximately 400 nanoampere. Therefore, the S/N ratio of the cocaine aptamer disclosed in James et. al. is approximately 1.05 (=400/380).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cocaine aptamer and method for detecting cocaine using the same

Abstract: The present invention provides a cocaine aptamer capable of detecting cocaine with high sensitivity.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.