Disclosed herein is a communication module, comprising a semiconductor chip in which channels for allowing signal converting means to convert current signals inputted from input terminals to voltage signals and outputting the same from output terminals respectively are arranged in parallel in plural form, and wherein the semiconductor chip is comprised principally of a semiconductor substrate in which a second semiconductor layer is provided on a first semiconductor layer with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, each of the signal converting means is formed in a channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer, which is defined for each channel, and the input and output terminals are formed on the channel forming regions of the second semiconductor layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween. In the communication module, the first semiconductor layer is formed with resistivity smaller than that of the second semiconductor layer and fixed to a fixed potential, whereby the amount of transfer of noise power developed through the substrate can be lessened and crosstalk developed between adjacent channels can be reduced.

The present invention relates to a communication module, and particularly to a technology effective for application to communication modules (such as a transmitting module and a receiving module) suitable for use in an optical interconnect communication system.
An attempt has been made to transmit data within or between apparatuses such as an exchanger, a parallel computer, a general-purpose large computer, etc. through the use of an optical interconnect communication system. Several transmission modes or systems are considered as for the optical interconnect communication system. However, a parallel data transmission mode capable of achieving simplification of the system, a size reduction in the system, etc. has been considered to be promising.
The optical interconnect communication system of the parallel data transmission mode principally includes a transmitting module for converting electric signals to their corresponding light signals, an optical fiber array cable, and a receiving module for converting the light signals to their corresponding electric signals. The transmitting module has a semiconductor chip (hereinafter called xe2x80x9ctransmitting IC (Integrated Circuit)xe2x80x9d) in which channels for allowing signal converting means to convert voltage signals inputted from input terminals to current signals and outputting the same from output terminals, respectively are arranged in parallel in plural form, a light-emitting device array unit in which laser diodes for respectively converting the electric signals outputted from the output terminals of the transmitting IC to light signals are arranged in parallel in plural form, and a lens array unit in which micro lenses are arranged in parallel in plural form. The transmitting module takes a structure wherein these are accommodated or held in a metal package. The receiving module includes a lens array unit wherein micro lenses are arranged in parallel in plural form, a photoreceptor or light-detecting device array unit wherein photodiodes for respectively converting light signals to electric signals are arranged in parallel in plural form, and a semiconductor chip (hereinafter called xe2x80x9creceiving ICxe2x80x9d) wherein channels for respectively converting current signals inputted from input terminals to voltage signals through the use of signal converting means and outputting them from output terminals are arranged in parallel in plural form. The receiving module has a structure wherein these are held in a metal package.
On the other hand, since each of the transmitting IC and the receiving IC takes a multi-channel circuit configuration in the case of the parallel data transmission mode, crosstalk is apt to occur between adjacent channels. Therefore, the technology of reducing the crosstalk developed between the adjacent channels in the transmitting IC to xe2x88x9221 [dB] has been described in xe2x80x9cICD issued by Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, ICD96-116, p.47-54 xe2x80x9c1.4 Gb/sx12-channel LD Driver IC for Optical Interconnectionxe2x80x9d.
In the transmitting IC, however, those other than light-emitting device drive circuits for respectively driving the laser diodes are held at a problem-free level because they are digitally operated, whereas in the case of the implementation of the receiving IC, a crosstalk of about 80 [mV] occurs between the adjacent channels if 800 [mV] is taken as internal logic amplitude. Since the receiving IC handles a small signal converted to a current by each photodiode, the crosstalk developed between the adjacent channels becomes critical. Assuming that the input impedance of an input preamplifier circuit used in a first stage is 1 [kxcexa9], for example, the crosstalk of 80 [mV] becomes equivalent to an input noise current of 80 [xcexcA].
On the other hand, since several tens of [xcexcA] are commonly used as the minimum signal input current, the crosstalk developed between the adjacent channels leads to fatality. According to the above-described reference, it describes that if the channels are spaced 1 [mm] from each other, then the crosstalk developed between the adjacent channels is reduced to near 30 [dB]. Even in this case, however, the receiving IC will suffer a crosstalk noise of about 25 [xcexcA], and hence a system margin is significantly reduced.
On the other hand, the technology of interposing a buffer area or zone for inhibiting the motion of carriers between each of memory cells and its corresponding switching circuit with a view toward preventing damage of memory information due to a parasitic bipolar element in an SRAM using a Bi-CMOS (Bipolar-Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 62-71265. The present technology can be applied even to a problem of crosstalk developed between adjacent channels in transmitting and receiving modules employed in an optical intercorrect communication system. A certain degree of effect can be expected by providing a buffer zone between an input preamplifier circuit and a digital circuit portion. However, crosstalk developed through a substrate cannot be ignored at a high frequency. Since no countermeasures are taken against the substrate, a sufficient effect cannot be achieved.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of reducing channel-to-channel crosstalk.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of increasing the reliability of a communication module.
The above, other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
A summary of typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be described in brief as follows:
(1) There is provided a communication module comprising:
a semiconductor chip in which channels for allowing signal converting means to convert current signals inputted from input terminals to voltage signals and outputting the same from output terminals respectively are arranged in parallel in plural form; and
wherein the semiconductor chip is comprised principally of a semiconductor substrate in which a second semiconductor layer is provided on a first semiconductor layer with an insulating layer interposed therebetween,
the signal converting means is formed in a channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer, which is defined for each channel,
the input and output terminals are formed on the channel forming regions of the second semiconductor layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween, and
the first semiconductor layer is formed with resistivity smaller than that of the second semiconductor layer and fixed to a fixed potential.
(2) In the communication module described in the means (1), a conductive layer electrically separated from the channel forming regions and fixed to a reference potential is provided between the channel forming regions of the second semiconductor layer.
(3) In the communication module described in the means (1), each signal converting means referred to above has an input preamplifier circuit which performs an analog operation, and an internal circuit and an output circuit both of which are digitally operated,
the input preamplifier circuit is formed in an input circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer,
the internal circuit is formed in an internal circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer,
the output circuit is formed in an output circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer, and
the input circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer is enclosed on all sides by a conductor electrically isolated from each channel forming region referred to above and fixed to the fixed potential.
(4) In the communication module described in the means (1), the signal converting means referred to above has an input preamplifier circuit which performs an analog operation, and an internal circuit and an output circuit both of which are digitally operated,
the input preamplifier circuit is formed in an input circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer,
the internal circuit is formed in an internal circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer,
the output circuit is formed in an output circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer, and
the preamplifier circuit forming portion, the internal circuit forming portion and the output circuit forming portion of each channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer are respectively enclosed on all sides by the conductor electrically separated from the channel forming region and fixed to the reference potential.
(5) In the communication module described in any of the means (2) through (4), the conductive layer is electrically separated from the channel forming regions of the second semiconductor layer by insulating layers reaching the insulating layer in the direction of the depth of the second semiconductor layer from the surface thereof.
(6) In the communication module described in the means (3), each of the input terminals is formed on the input circuit forming portion of the channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer.
(7) In the communication module described in the means (3), each of the input terminals is formed on the input circuit forming portion and each of the output terminals is formed on the output circuit forming portion.
(8) There is provided a communication module comprising:
a semiconductor chip in which channels for allowing signal converting means to convert current signals inputted from input terminals to voltage signals and outputting the same from output terminals respectively are arranged in parallel in plural form; and
wherein the semiconductor chip is comprised principally of a semiconductor substrate in which a second semiconductor layer is provided on a first semiconductor layer with an insulating layer interposed therebetween,
the signal converting means is formed in a channel forming region of the second semiconductor layer, which is defined for each channel,
the input and output terminals are formed on the channel forming regions of the second semiconductor layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween, and
a conductor fixed to a reference potential is provided between the input terminals and the second semiconductor layer.
(9) In the communication module described in the means (8), a conductor fixed to the reference potential is provided between the output terminals and the second semiconductor layer.
According to the above means (1) through (7), since the amount of transfer of noise power developed through the substrate can be rendered small, channel-to-channel crosstalk can be reduced.
Further, since the channel-to-channel crosstalk can be reduced, the communication module can be increased in reliability.
According to the above means (8) and (9), since the substrate and the terminals can be separated from one another, the amount of transfer of noise power developed through the substrate can be lessened and hence channel-to-channel crosstalk can be reduced.
It is also possible to increase the reliability of the communication module because the channel-to-channel crosstalk can be reduced.

Communication module having a structure for reducing crosstalk


A medium supplement which promotes the secretion of tPA from cells producing this protein natively or by virtue of recombinant transformation without the concomitant addition of contaminating proteins is described. Autoclaved brain/heart infusion preparations contribute virtually no extraneous proteins to the medium but greatly enhance the secretion of tPA.

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can be prepared by culturing cells which produce it, either on a large or small scale. The cells may produce tPA either natively, or by virtue of transformation with the recombinant gene. The colon fibroblast cell line, CCD18Co, isolated from the colon mucosa of a neonate, is available from the ATCC as accession no. CRL1459. This strain is known to produce tissue plasminogen activator as its normal cellular product. Various techniques are available for extending the life of these normally tPA-secreting cells. See, for example, Chang, S. E., Biochem Biophys Acts (1986) 823:161-194; Rhim, J. S., Science (1985) 227:1250-1252; Graham, F. L., J Gen Virol (1977) 36:59-72; Moyer, M. P., In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology (1987) 23:141-146.
In addition, mammalian cell lines, such as murine and Chinese hamster ovary cells, have been transfected with vectors bearing expression systems for tPA and obtained as stable transformed lines capable of producing this protein. See, for example, published EPO applications 117,059 and 117,060.
Methods are also available for culture of mammalian cells on a practical scale. Particularly advantageous is the use of a static maintenance reactor corresponding to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,860. Other techniques for culturing mammalian cells include use of beads for anchorage dependent cells, utilization of large-scale fermenters, roller bottles, and various perfusion reactors.
It is generally found that the levels of tPA produced by recombinantly modified mammalian cells are much higher than those obtained from cells which produce this protein normally. To some extent, the levels of tPA obtained are dependent on the nature of the culture medium, and it has been considered advantageous to supplement basal medium with serum. Even this supplementation, however, does not increase the level of production from non-recombinant cells to that obtainable using recombinant cells; also, it creates problems with respect to purifying the tPA product away from the serum proteins. The present invention suggests a culture medium which permits high levels of production of tPA both by recombinant and native producers.


The invention relates to a container for cut flowers, the container being nestable, the container comprising a container body which at an upper region is provided with a channel-shaped sleeve holder for holding a protective sleeve arranged to protect cut flowers. The channel-shaped sleeve holder is open at its top. Further, the channel-shaped sleeve holder has an outer channel wall. The container further comprises at least one anti-interlocking flange extending downwardly from the channel-shaped sleeve holder. The anti-interlocking flange, or at least a bottom section of the anti-interlocking flange, is staggered with respect to the outer channel wall, or at least a top section of the outer channel wall.

The invention relates to a nestable cut flower container for holding cut flowers.
Such containers are known, and widely used in the cut flowers industry, for example for transporting, storing, and/or displaying cut flowers. Typically, the containers, which usually are plastic injection moulded containers, are re-usable containers and are nestable in order to provide for reduced volume when empty. The cut flower containers can thus be nested into each other, which is an important aspect of these containers, for instance in order to store and/or transport empty containers in a space saving and thus relatively cost effective manner.
A typical nestable cut flower container comprises a base and four side walls extending upward from the base and together forming a circumferential wall. At an upper region, said cut flower container is provided with a channel-shaped sleeve holder for holding a protective sleeve arranged to protect cut flowers. Said channel-shaped sleeve holder is typically formed as a substantially U-shaped channel, which is open at its top, and which has an outer channel wall facing outwardly and an inner channel wall being substantially parallel with the outer channel wall. The inner wall of the channel forms the upper wall parts of the four upwardly extending side walls of the container. Each of said four side walls further comprise a relatively high lower wall part, also known as the wall or actual wall of the container. Normally, said lower wall parts are sloping such that the container is tapering in a downward direction towards its base. Due to the sloping lower wall parts, the cut flower container can be nestable. Usually, the inner channel wall is relatively high with respect to the outer channel wall, such that a protective sleeve, which is often formed a foldable strip of sheet material that comprises folding lines, can be supported on the outer side face of the inner wall of the channel when said protective sleeve is pressed there against when it is folded around cut flowers disposed in the container, which cut flowers are then often flaring outwardly, hanging over the channel, and have then thus to be pushed inwardly. The outer wall of the channel is relatively low with respect to said inner channel such that the protective sleeve can be moved over said outer channel wall towards the upper portion of the inner channel wall. In order to counteract a negative effect on the nesting height, the channels, especially their relatively low outer channel walls, are relatively low. A disadvantage of such low outer channel wall may lie in that the channels of two adjacent cut flower containers may slide onto each other, when stacked next to each other on a pallet for example. For instance, when the pallet is transported in a truck, the cut flowers have been placed into a cut flower container, a cardboard protective sleeve has been put into the U-formed upright channel and a lid has been put on the protection sleeve to provide for a surface on which another container can be positioned. These three elements can then typically be strapped together, e.g. by a polypropylene band. Such packages or so-called container assemblies can then be stacked on a pallet, for instance up to a height of about 240 to 250 centimeters, including the pallet. The stacked container assemblies may be strapped together and/or to the pallet, e.g. by a polypropylene band. When a truck drives, a pallet and/or one or more container assemblies thereon can be slightly moving, depending on the space between the pallets and/or the containers of each pallet. When the truck has an emergency stop or is driving on a hilly road, then a bottom of the channel of the adjacent container can slide on the top of the outer wall of the channel of the next container. The pallet then may become less stable. When it arrives at the distribution centre and is unstrapped by removing the strapping, the packages can tilt from the pallet. For instance thereto, anti interlocking flanges, such as corner flanges, have been proposed that extend downwardly from the outer channel wall. These anti interlocking flanges need to have a certain minimal height to reduce the risk of the adjacent containers sliding onto each other. For a conventional container, the anti-interlocking flange rests on the outer wall of the channel of a lower container when said containers are nested, thus the height of the anti interlocking flange may have a negative effect on the nesting height. Nevertheless, in conventional nestable cut flower containers, these anti interlocking flanges thus need a certain minimal height in order to prevent loosing its sliding prevention functionality.

Container, assembly, set, and kit of parts


A printhead carrier includes a body having spaced apart bearings by means of which the body is supported at a predetermined position in the printer adapted to position a printhead on the printhead carrier at a placement relative to a path of a sheet of print media through a print zone in the printer, and a height-adjustable mechanism associated with one of the bearings that is continuously adjustable to effect a continuous increase or decrease of the height of the one bearing relative to the body to thereby set the printhead at a proper angle relative to the sheet of print media.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to proper locating of a printhead relative to a print media path in a printer and, more particularly, to a printhead carrier with a height-adjustable bearing mechanism for effecting continuous adjustment of the printhead carrier position to set the proper angle of the printhead relative to a sheet of print media.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional inkjet printer includes a frame which defines a print media path along which a sheet of print media is transported through a print zone in the printer. A printhead carrier assembly supported on the frame of the printer includes a printhead carrier adapted to undergo reciprocating movement relative to a carrier frame and across the print media path for carrying and scanning at least one printhead through the print zone. As the printhead traverses the print zone it ejects drops of ink onto the sheet of print media at predefined locations to form a printed image thereon that is expected to be a high-quality replica of image data inputted to the printer for printing. The achievement of a high-quality printed image is dependent, at least in part, on the proper alignment of the printhead carrier relative to the carrier frame to provide the desired gap between the printhead and the sheet of print media. If the printhead carrier is not properly aligned and positioned relative to the carrier frame, the printhead will then not be properly spaced relative to the sheet of print media in the print zone and, as a consequence, the expected high quality of the image printed will be not be attained.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,386,681 and 6,692,107, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, recognize the need to properly align and position the inkjet printhead with the sheet of print media to produce a high-quality replica of the input image data. In the printers disclosed in these patents a printhead carrier is aligned with and supported by a carrier frame in the printer at locations of primary and secondary bearings defined on the carrier. At its primary and secondary bearings, the carrier slidably rides on two guide members of the carrier frame in the form of elongate rods or rails spaced apart from one another. The primary and secondary bearings are formed at locations on the carrier that are preselected for properly aligning the printhead relative to the sheet of print media and also for enabling the carrier to be translated by a suitable translation mechanism bi-directionally along an axis defined by the guide members across the width of the sheet of print media. The translation mechanism may include a belt attached to the carrier and a drive motor coupled to the belt to drive the belt and thereby translate the printhead carrier along the guide members.
More particularly, there are two primary bearings and one secondary bearing defined on the carrier where it rests on the two guide members. The two primary bearings are spaced apart from each other and formed on the carrier adjacent the respective opposite ends thereof. The primary bearings each contact one guide member on a top guiding surface thereof and at two locations thereon. The one secondary bearing is aligned between the two primary bearings, laterally offset both vertically and horizontally from them, and located above them. The secondary bearing is integrally formed by a unitary structure that contacts the other guide member on a top guiding surface thereof and thus at one location thereon.
Other printers are known that employ similar primary and secondary bearings. In many higher-end products, however, the secondary bearing is not integral but actually an additional part fastened onto the carrier. By making the secondary bearing an additional part, the bearing material can be optimized for better wear and a longer life of the carrier. Additionally, in some printers this additional part forming the secondary bearing is made adjustable to change the angular relationship of the printhead carrier to the guide members. However, this additional secondary bearing part has only limited capability in that it can only be used to make a few rough, discrete adjustments which fall short of being able to set the proper angular relationship of the printhead carrier to the guide members.

Printhead carrier with height-adjustable bearing mechanism for continuous adjustment of the printhead carrier position


A video measurement system includes an imaging system, a reticle projector for projecting an image of a reticle through the imaging system onto the test object, and a camera for capturing images of the test object together with the reticle image projected onto the test object through the imaging system. A selective reflector reflects the reticle image into the camera from a position along the imaging system in advance of the test object. A mode selector is operable in a first mode for directing the reticle image to the test object and from the test object to the camera and is operable in a second mode for directing the reticle image to the selective reflector and from the selective reflector to the camera.

Video measuring machines are often required to measure test objects having features of different heights, including at different magnifications, which can require adjustments to capture images in proper focus. Although many such machines include telecentric imaging systems for avoiding variations in magnification through a depth of focus, adjustments are often required to maintain the test object or features of the test object at a best or at least acceptable focus position of the telecentric imaging systems for taking accurate measurements.
Focusing can be accomplished in a variety of ways including by relatively moving all or a portion of the imaging system with respect to the test object. Identifying suitable focusing positions can also be accomplished in a variety of ways, including by taking one of more measurements of image contrast within the captured images. For example, image contrast can be assessed by measures of intensity variations or energy content of higher spatial frequencies.
However, the surfaces of some test objects can be either poorly reflective or even too specular, which can diminish contrast variations within the captured images and thereby diminish the accuracy with which focus adjustments relying on contrast variations can be made. To overcome this type of obstacle, grid projectors have been added to video measuring machines for projecting a reticle grid onto the test objects. The projected grid, which can be readily imaged within the camera, provides the required contrast variation necessary for making proper focus adjustments.
Known video measuring machines can be arranged with a variety of illumination systems, including coaxial or through-the-lens illumination systems, oblique illumination systems, and backlighting illumination systems. Although LED (light emitting diode) and other efficient lighting sources can be used, a large amount of energy is sometimes required to achieve the proper level of illumination, which can heat the imaging system optics or their supports. Material expansions caused by heat, as well as adjustments between different settings, such as different magnifications, can affect optical system alignments and other machine calibration issues.
For purposes of monitoring and correcting such misalignments and related calibration issues, another type of grid projector has been used to project a grid through at least a portion of the imaging system onto the camera's image plane detector. The grid includes centering features, such as concentric circles, which can be used for monitoring image position and size on the camera detector.
The additional apparatus for projecting different grids in opposite directions through the imaging system adds cost, complexity and bulk to the imaging systems.

Video measuring system with dual-acting reticle projector for focusing and alignment


A communication unit receiver comprising: a multi-section analog to digital converter, ADC, configured to receive an analog signal and convert at least a first portion of the analog signal into a digital signal using a first ADC dynamic range. A modem, coupled to the multi-section ADC, is configured to: process the digital signal; determine a signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, for sub-carriers of the analog signal; and output an ADC selection signal to the multi-section ADC that selects a subset of sections of the multi-section ADC, where the selection signal is based at least partly on the determined SNR. Only the subset of sections of the multi-section analog to digital converter, ADC is configured to convert a second portion of the analog signal into a digital signal using a second ADC dynamic range that is less than the first dynamic range.

A typical wireless communication receiver includes a down converter stage in order to translate a received radio frequency carrier signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and thereafter (or direct) to a baseband signal. Many current wireless communication systems employ digital technology, which introduces complexity into the receiver's down converter stage, whereby an input radio frequency signal is divided and multiplied by a local oscillator signal and a quadrature version of the local oscillator signal. The resulting outputs are known as the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components. Filtering and amplification in the analogue stages typically precede analogue to digital conversion and subsequent filtering and amplification in the digital domain.
A recent development in wireless communications has introduced short-range wireless capabilities to wireless communication units, e.g. Bluetooth™ and WiFi™. For example, the Internet of Things (IoT) market is a booming technology area investigating Wi-Fi™ technology for many low power consumption products.
Most radio architectures that use digital modulation schemes require two analogue to digital converters (ADCs) in the receive path to convert respective quadrature (I and Q) signals. In radio frequency (RF) transceivers operating in receive mode, a large part of the overall current consumption is used by the ADCs to convert the quadrature 'I' and 'Q' signals from the analogue to the digital domain.
To address such problems associated with ADCs, architectures for implementing scalable resolution A/D converters and architectures for controlling dynamic ranges of an A/D converter have been investigated. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,295,645 B1, a mechanism for dynamic selection of an ADC dynamic range using solely power is proposed.
Architectures and circuits and methods for improving the performance, and reducing the current consumption, of ADCs would therefore be useful.

Communication unit receiver, integrated circuit and method for ADC dynamic range selection


A rod turning tool having a first sleeve with at least one open end and having an internal thread and an external tapering with second and third sleeves surrounding the first sleeve and arranged on uphill and downhill sides of the external tapering, the second and third sleeves having compatible taperings on the inside diameters thereof to be flush with the external tapering of the first sleeve, and a plurality of fasteners connecting the second and third sleeves axially. A tightening of the fasteners drawing the second and third sleeves together, sliding along the external tapering which acts to compress the first sleeve against a rod threaded into the internal threads of the first sleeve. In an alternate embodiment, the second sleeve is located against the external tapering and the third sleeve is fixed in axial position by an external flange of the first sleeve and the plurality of fasteners draws the second sleeve toward the fixed third sleeve to compress the first sleeve.

The present invention relates to a tool for rotating a rod or post, such as a stud. A threaded rod such as a stud fastener, often times presents an assembly or disassembly problem in that there generally is no gripping surface on such a fastener against which to apply a torque force to rotate the fastener. This is particularly true when there are very close tolerances between the stud fastener and the threaded opening into which it is threaded, requiring a high torque level for rotation of the fastener relative to material into which it is being inserted or from which it is being removed. Occasionally threaded rods, or studs, are placed into working environments wherein corrosive liquids or gases are present causing a locking or seizing to occur between the stud and its surrounding material, increasing the difficulty of removal of the stud.
Various mechanisms have been proposed for assisting in stud removal or inserting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,292 discloses a device which could be used to remove a stud. This device employs an arrangement of loose jaws which engage against ramp surfaces to selectively move the jaws radially inwardly to grip a central post when the tool is rotated in one rotational direction. Rotation in an opposite direction will cause the jaws to loosen from the post. Therefore, such a device can be used only to rotate the post in one rotational direction.
It would be an advance in the art if there were provided an easy to use tool, economically manufactured and maintained, for radially rotating a rod in either rotational direction.


Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring power consumption by electrical devices. In some aspects, a computing device can detect a change in aggregate electricity usage at a monitored environment that includes multiple electrical devices. The computing device can determine that electricity usage by one of the electrical devices has changed. The computing device can determine that the change in electricity usage has occurred based on a change in a monitored operational parameter other than electrical power provided to the electrical device. The value of the monitored operational parameter can change based on an operation performed by the electrical device when using electricity. The computing device can determine how electricity is used by the electrical device by correlating the change in the aggregate electricity usage and the change in the electricity usage by the electrical device.

Electrical devices located in homes, dwellings, or other structures consume electricity. Utility companies, consumers, and other individuals or entities may monitor consumption of the electricity by devices within a structure or other environment to which electricity is provided. Monitoring consumption of electricity by consumers in a home may allow a utility company to identify distribution issues and other problems. Monitoring consumption of electricity by consumers in a home may allow to provide information to the consumer that describes individual power consumption by each appliance, thereby allowing the consumer to more effectively manage energy consumption in the home.
In some cases, utility companies or other entities may monitor electricity consumption by individual devices in a home. Current solutions for monitoring electricity consumption involve installing power measurement devices in line with a powered device. A power measurement device may be installed in line with a powered device by connecting a probe, tap, or other conductor of the power measurement device to an electrical terminal of the powered device or to a cable that is used to provide power to the device. The power measurement device determines the electricity consumption by the device by measuring the current flowing through the electrical connection to the device.
Current solutions for monitoring electricity consumption by individual devices may present disadvantages. For example, a power measurement device that is installed in line with a powered device may be difficult to install if an electrical terminal of the device is not conveniently located. Power measurement devices may also have a large physical size. For example, national and international safety standards and other requirements may require electrical devices that contain potentially hazardous electrical energy source to include a housing or other structure with certain protective physical characteristics, which may result in a larger device profile. The larger size of an electrical device may hinder the installation of power measurement sensors in line with an electrical terminal of a powered device. The use of such in-line power measurement devices having a large physical size may also hinder installing other electrical devices in the same location or replacing the monitored electrical device.
It is desirable to monitor power consumption by an electrical device without directly measuring electrical current flowing through an electrical connection to the device.

Monitoring power consumption by electrical devices using monitored operational parameters


A doll having a pocket secured to the face portion of the doll for displaying a photograph. The doll includes a doll body and a doll head with a pocket which may include a releasable sealing closure such that the photograph may be sealed within the pocket. Releasable fabric fasteners may be utilized to secure the pocket to the face portion, whereby the pocket may be selectively removed to facilitate both a reversing of the pocket and a washing of the doll or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dolls and more particularly pertains to a doll having a pocket secured to the face portion of the doll for displaying a photograph.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of dolls is known in the prior art. More specifically, dolls heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of exhibiting changeable facial features are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, a doll with an envelope for a photo image face is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,586 which is provided with a pocket means located in a face zone thereof to receive a photographic likeness of a person to personalize the doll.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,987 which teaches a doll having a personalized, photographic face, such as a mother's face, impregnated in the material of which the doll is constructed.
Other known prior art dolls include U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,626; U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,556; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,319.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a doll having a pocket secured to the face portion of the doll for displaying a photograph in which the pocket includes a releasable sealing closure such that the photograph may be sealed within the pocket, and releasable fabric fasteners for securing the pocket to the face portion of the doll, whereby the pocket may be selectively removed to facilitate both a reversing of the pocket and a washing of the doll or the like.
In these respects, the photograph face doll according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of displaying a photograph upon the face portion of the doll.

Photograph face doll with removable face pocket


The cutter mixer has a mixer tub with side walls and a floor. The floor includes a primary floor portion at a lower elevation. At least one secondary floor is positioned vertically above the primary floor portion. A primary vertical spindle is journaled in the center of the primary floor. A secondary vertical spindle is journaled on the secondary floor. Auger flighting is attached to the primary spindle. Auger flighting is also attached to the secondary spindle. The flighting decreases in width from the bottom to the top of each spindle. The bottom of the flighting on the primary spindle sweeps over substantially all the primary floor. The flighting on the secondary spindle overlaps the flighting on the primary spindle and sweeps fodder from the secondary floor to the primary floor. The augers are driven to cut and mix fodder and discharge fodder from the primary floor.

Cattle are fed rations that include fodder, silage, and protein supplements. The fodder includes grasses and other plants such as clover and alfalfa. Silage is various green plants that are chopped into small pieces and fermented in a silo. The protein supplement is usually ground or palletized grain. Grains that are commonly used include corn, milo, soy beans, barley and oats. Alfalfa can be processed and used as a protein supplement. Fish meal has also been used as a protein supplement in the past.
The fodder is dried and baled in most cases. The bales are generally large round bales or large rectangular bales. Both large round and rectangular bales generally weigh between 1,200 and 2,000 pounds. Such bales can be handled and transported economically. Fodder can also be dried and stored in loose stacks.
The fodder is mixed with silage and or with a protein supplement. The fodder is reduced to relatively small pieces either before or during mixing with either silage or a protein supplement. Cows will leave large pieces of coarse fodder and eat only the silage and protein supplement if the fodder is not reduced to a small particle size. Machines for reducing fodder include hammer mill grinders and vertical spindle mixers.
The vertical spindle mixers have a large tub with an open top. One or more vertical spindles are mounted on the floor of the tub. These spindles include auger flighting and bars with sharp or toothed edges attached to the auger flighting. Rotating the spindle or spindles reduces the fodder in a large bale to small pieces within a few minutes. Silage and a protein supplement can be mixed with fodder in the mixer. After the feed in the tub is reduced and mixed, a discharge door in a side wall of the tub is opened and the feed is forced through the door by an auger. A single spindle mixer discharges the feed through the discharge door and cleans the tub floor rapidly. Large mixers with two or three vertical spindles also discharge the material rapidly but tend to leave some fodder on the tub floor. Some of the feed tends to be passed from one spindle to another spindle rather than being discharged through the discharge opening after the tub is mostly emptied.


A self-calibrating nulling radiometer for non-contact temperature measurement of an object, such as a body of water, employs a black body source as a temperature reference, an optomechanical mechanism, e.g., a chopper, to switch back and forth between measuring the temperature of the black body source and that of a test source, and an infrared detection technique. The radiometer functions by measuring radiance of both the test and the reference black body sources; adjusting the temperature of the reference black body so that its radiance is equivalent to the test source; and, measuring the temperature of the reference black body at this point using a precision contact-type temperature sensor, to determine the radiative temperature of the test source. The radiation from both sources is detected by an infrared detector that converts the detected radiation to an electrical signal that is fed with a chopper reference signal to an error signal generator, such as a synchronous detector, that creates a precision rectified signal that is approximately proportional to the difference between the temperature of the reference black body and that of the test infrared source. This error signal is then used in a feedback loop to adjust the reference black body temperature until it equals that of the test source, at which point the error signal is nulled to zero. The chopper mechanism operates at one or more Hertz allowing minimization of 1/f noise. It also provides pure chopping between the black body and the test source and allows continuous measurements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a self-calibrating radiometer for non-contact measurement of the radiant temperature of an object.
2. Description of the Background Art
The measurement of radiant temperature is important to many science and industrial applications. Radiant temperature is the temperature of an object inferred from the gray body emission of the surface under study. For many problems, it is desirable to measure radiant temperature with an accuracy and precision better than 0.1K. In practice, it is difficult to routinely achieve this level of accuracy or precision with commonly used techniques (i.e. without routine calibration). An interesting and important remote sensing application requiring this level of accuracy is global warming assessments using sea surface temperatures inferred from the radiant temperature. Conversely, water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs and others with in-situ surface monitoring temperatures, can be used to calibrate airborne and satellite infrared remote sensing systems. Water and other opaque liquids can also be useful for calibrating infrared instruments in the laboratory. In cases where a large uniform surface is needed, a liquid such as water can make an excellent calibration source.
The following characteristics for water surfaces are important in the discussions that follow. Water is 99% absorbing at 100 microns thick in the 8-12 micron spectral region; the emissivity of pure water is approximately 0.986 across the 8-12 micron spectral region; and the skin surface temperature can be different from bulk temperature by as much as 1K. Since the effective water thickness is only a fraction of a millimeter and its surface temperature can be significantly different from the bulk temperature, it is difficult to use contact measurement techniques to infer the surface temperature. This limitation can be minimized in some cases with significant stirring or agitation of the liquid""s surface, if practical. However, a more desirable solution is to employ a non-contact radiant temperature measuring technique.
Non-contact methods using infrared radiometer techniques, such as Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) 8-12 micron region, are among the best techniques for determining the skin surface temperature of remotely sensed surfaces and water bodies. These techniques, however, are usually accurate to about 1K because of drifts in the radiometer and its electronics. The accuracy can be improved with routine measurements against a known temperature source, such as a black body. Black bodies with 0.1K or better temperature accuracy and precision can be achieved by many different approaches. In general, one needs two black body temperature calibrations covering the desired temperature range to account for both offset and gain drifts. Even more sources may be necessary if the detection system is nonlinear. However, most radiometers do not have built-in calibration sources or other methods to correct for drifts in offsets and gains. If they do, it is usually only one source, and thus only accounts for offsets. This is usually because black bodies are expensive and can draw many watts. For field portable instruments, the added expense and power demands are not very desirable. Commercially available radiometers are also typically designed to provide temperature updates every few seconds, which is overkill for many objects with large thermal inertia. For example, for water and liquid bodies with long thermal time constants, temperature measurements need to be updated only once every few minutes.
In the microwave region, self-calibrating radiometers have been constructed for nearly 50 years. The operational principle of such a device is as follows. An antenna collects microwave radiation from a source under study. A detector is synchronously switched between the signal from the antenna and a known RF or microwave source referred to as the noise source. This noise source can be generated artificially or through a natural process, such as Johnson noise. If Johnson noise of a resistance is used, the temperature of the resistor can be adjusted to change its resistance and null the signal. The signal strength can then be defined in terms of the temperature of the resistor, which is then a measure of the radiant temperature of the source, if the antenna properties are well understood. This switching process produces an alternating current (AC) signal. The AC signal offers significant advantages over direct current (DC) measurements because it can be averaged for extended periods to produce a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In contrast, DC signals typically cannot be averaged over extended periods due to 1/f noise and other low frequency drifts. The AC signal is synchronously rectified and integrated to produce a DC signal that is proportional to the difference between the signal detected by the antenna and that of the noise source. This difference signal is then used in a feedback loop to adjust the noise source until it is approximately equal to the signal from the antenna, which is referred to as the null condition. A voltage proportional to the noise source strength is then used to define the antenna signal.
The elegance of this approach is that one calibration source cancels both offset and gain drifts. Although this technique works well in the microwave and RF, it will not work for the infrared or any other spectral region where antenna and standard RF techniques do not work. While similar switching techniques have been employed with infrared detection systems, the switching has been done at very low frequencies, and non-continuously. For example, an infrared radiating surface will be observed for a minute and then the detector will be switched or moved so that a black body will be observed for a minute. The black body is then adjusted to equal the surface radiation. This however creates significant data gaps during the switching between the surface and the black body, and requires some means to prevent detection of radiation from sources other than the black body and the test source during switching. A need therefore remains for a low power, self-calibrating infrared radiometer that can be used for making radiant temperature measurements of objects, such as water bodies, and provide a measurement accuracy and precision on the order of 0.1K or better.
The present invention fulfills the foregoing need through provision of a radiometer that employs a black body source as a temperature reference, an optomechanical mechanism, e.g., a chopper, to switch back and forth quickly and contiguously between measuring the temperature of the black body source and that of a test source or object, and an infrared detection technique. More particularly, the radiometer functions by measuring infrared radiance of both the test and the reference black body sources; adjusting the temperature of the reference black body so that its radiance is equivalent to the test source; and, measuring the temperature of the reference black body at this point to determine the radiative temperature of the test source.
To achieve this functionality, the radiation from the reference black body source and the test object or source is detected by an infrared detector that converts the detected radiation to an AC electrical signal. The chopper is positioned between the two radiation sources and the infrared detector, and, through a movable set of optics, alternates back and forth between exposing the detector first to only a first of the two sources, second to both of the sources, and third, to only the second of the two sources. In this manner, the chopper provides continuous radiation to the detector so that the radiometer can thereby generate a continuous stream of measurement data. A reference signal that monitors the motion of the chopper is sent along with the AC detector signal to an error signal generator that can be a synchronous detector, such as a Lockin amplifier. The synchronous detector creates a precision rectified error signal that is approximately proportional to the difference between the temperature of the reference black body and that of the test object or source.
The error signal is used in a feedback loop that includes a temperature-modifying device, such as a thermoelectric cooler, to adjust the reference black body temperature until it equals that of the test source, at which point the error signal is nulled to zero. A precision temperature monitor measures the reference black body temperature at this null point, which is then an accurate estimate of the radiant temperature of the test object or source under study.
The advantages of the radiometer design include high accuracy, low power, self-calibration and nonlinearity compensation with a single reference black body source. Regarding the accuracy, since contact type temperature sensors with long-term stability and accuracy better than 0.1K are routinely available, the same level of accuracy can be achieved with the present invention since the radiant temperature of the test source is estimated from a contact temperature measurement of the reference black body source. Further, the feedback loop minimizes any nonlinearities, offset and gain drifts in the infrared detection process so that additional reference black bodies are not required to compensate for these nonlinearities. The use of the low power chopping mechanism results in the radiometer having extremely low power requirements in cases of near ambient temperature measurements. The periodic switching at one or more Hz between the reference and test sources produces a periodic signal that can be integrated with little impact of 1/f noise, enabling the use of room temperature detectors to achieve Noise Equivalent Delta Temperature (NEDT) of a few mk with several seconds of integration. Additionally, switching at these frequencies allows near continuous measurements of the test source, while a pure chopping arrangement of the chopper, discussed in further detail below, eliminates any data gaps between test source and reference black body source measurements. Finally, the radiometer is self-calibrating through contact thermometer calibration standards.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the chopper is implemented using an electromechanical resonator to oscillate a prism shaped reflector. The desired features of the chopper include pure chopping, low power (few mw), high reliability (millions of cycles) and one Hz or greater chopping frequency. Pure chopping means that the infrared radiation that the detector sees comes only from the reference black body source and the test source under study. It is also desirable that during part of the chopping cycle, the detector system sees only the reference black body source and during another part of the chopping cycle, the detector system sees only the test source under study. Typically, choppers block the radiation, but this is not desirable in the present invention since the object that does the blocking itself will radiate into the detector system, thus inducing an unwanted signal.
The resonator achieves the foregoing goals through use of an electromagnet assembly that drives a pair of metal leaf springs back and forth, thus also causing the reflector, which is attached to the leaf springs, to oscillate. As the reflector oscillates, the two angled reflector surfaces direct radiation received from the test source and the reference black body to the infrared detector. At the two extremes of the oscillatory motion, only radiation from one or the other of the two sources is reflected toward the detector. At the mid-point of the motion, radiation is received by the detector from both of the sources. Since the chopper is implemented by an electromechanical resonator, it behaves like a crystal watch using minimal power. The use of steel or another shim material in the leaf-springs to form a high Q resonator will allow the resonator system to oscillate with less than a few mw of power. Keeping,the shim material within the elastic limit of the material will allow the system to oscillate potentially millions of cycles without failure.

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


The invention provides a transistor having low leakage currents and methods of fabricating the transistor on a semiconductor substrate. The transistor has a gate and a nonuniform gate oxide under the gate.

FIG. 1A depicts a partial top-view of a conventional MOSFET device 10. As shown in FIG. 1A, MOSFET device has a gate 12 over a substrate 22. A source region 14 and a drain region 16 are located in substrate 22 on opposite sides of gate 12. Gate 12 is referred to as having a length L that extends in the y-direction and a width W that extends in the z-direction, shown in FIG. 1A. Consistent with that usage, the dimension of a MOSFET gate, such as gate 12, in the z-direction, will hereafter be referred to as its width, and a reference to the ends of the gate will be understood to refer to opposite ends of the gate in the z-direction.
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional schematic view of the MOSFET device 10. As shown in FIG. 1B, source 14 and drain 16 are formed in a well region 20 in substrate 22. Gate 12 is separated from substrate 22 and thus source 14 and drain 16 by an oxide layer 15. The thickness of oxide layer 15 and the degree of any overlap of the gate over the source and the drain regions can vary. Device 10 may also have dielectric spacers 50 and 55 on two sides of gate 12, and lightly doped drain (LDD) regions 40 and 42 adjacent source and drain regions 14 and 16, respectively. Spacers 50 and 55 help to further isolate gate 12 from source 14 and drain 16 to prevent the build-up of device capacitance. Device 10 may be isolated from other devices also formed on substrate 22 by dielectric trenches (not shown) at some or all sides of device 10.
Source and drain regions 14 and 16 in substrate 22 are typically regions doped with dopants of a same conductivity type. Well region 20 is typically doped with dopants of a different conductivity type from that in the source and drain regions. LDD regions 40 and 42 are typically doped with dopants of the same conductivity type as in the source and drain regions, but dopant concentrations in the LDD regions are typically much lighter than in the source and drain regions.
A MOSFET device, such as device 10, behaves like a switche: when it is "on", i.e., when a sufficient threshold voltage, Vt, is applied to the gate, a channel 18 is formed in a region immediately under oxide layer 15 and relatively large currents flow through the channel between the source and drain. Ideally, when the MOSFET 10 is "off", there is no current flow. In practice, however, there is typically a small amount of unwanted leakage current when device 10 is off. Assuming that Ion is the current that flows between the source and drain of a MOSFET device in the "on" state, and Ioff is the small amount of unwanted leakage current that flows or "leaks" between any two of the source, drain and gate in an off-state of the device, the on/off ratio (Ion/Ioff) of a transistor is a common figure of merit and benchmark for transistor performance comparisons. Higher Ioff values result in lower on/off ratios, and indicate degraded transistor performance.
There are several causes of off-state leakage currents. Parasitic leakage paths between the gate and channel, commonly referred to as sidewall leakage, can result in excessive forward and reverse gate leakage currents. For example, leakage can occur where the gate overlaps or is closely adjacent the drain and the source (commonly referred to as edge conduction leakage). Devices which exhibit high edge conduction and sidewall leakage are characterized by degraded device performance, such as increased off-state power dissipation.
Leakage currents can also result from other sources within a semiconductor device or as a consequence of various device processing steps. For example, in practice processing steps associated with the formation of shallow trench isolation (STI) may result in electrons being trapped near a substrate-nitride interface, inducing sidewall leakage between an isolating trench and a device.
Leakage currents can also occur due to inverse narrow width effect (INWE). INWE is a parasitic phenomenon which lowers the effective threshold voltage as the length of the gate becomes smaller. Device performance, reliability, layout efficiency and yield are known to be degraded by the inverse narrow width effect. The lower threshold voltage, Vt, means higher off-state leakage currents that increase overall power consumption, result in excess heat generation and can cause problems related to the dissipation of excess heat.
Another design and manufacturing concern relates to gate oxide thinning. Gate oxide thinning occurs over the device lifetime due to stresses on the device such as high applied voltage levels, temperature and imperfections in the oxide layer. The phenomenon of the thinning of the gate oxide film increases the likelihood of dielectric breakdown which an adversely affect the operating characteristics of devices. Moreover, the well-known "hot-carrier effect" can cause damage to the oxide layer by increasing the chances of oxide breakdown, particularly at oxide edges.
As device geometries continue to shrink and threshold voltages continue to scale down, leakage currents have an even greater impact on device performance. Particularly in low power or high temperature applications, leakage currents can represent a significant source of device degradation and performance impairment. The problem of leakage currents is exacerbated by the existence of numerous possible causes of such currents. To resolve the problem requires complex failure identification and analysis. Such failure analysis projects are costly and highly dependent upon the skills and resourcefulness of the individuals conducting the failure analysis. Therefore, a need exists for a device design and fabrication approach that can compensate for manufacturing defects, device degradation or tolerance failures due to leakage currents.

Dual-oxide transistors for the improvement of reliability and off-state leakage


A supporting rib arrangement for a lower ceiling which is to be suspended beneath a structure-fixed ceiling and method of using such supporting rib arrangement comprising support or carrier profile members for supporting ceiling components of the lower ceiling, for instance precast slabs, said support profile members being arranged in a grid arrangement or field and abutting at their ends at node points. Suspension or hanging components are connected in such a manner with the supporting rib arrangement and the structure-fixed ceiling respectively, that they permit limited displacement of the supporting rib arrangement relative to the ceiling for tolerance compensation. The suspension components together with the support profile members are connected in spaced relationship from the node points and each individual suspension component is arranged to be adjustably movable in the three coordinate directions between the structure-fixed ceiling and the supporting rib arrangement independent of the remaining suspension components.

The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of supporting rib arrangement for a lower or under ceiling which is to be suspended at a structure-fixed ceiling wherein the support or carrier profile members supporting the ceiling components of the lower ceiling, for instance, precast slabs, are arranged in a grid arrangement or field and abut one another with their ends at node points. Further there are provided suspension or hanging components which are connected in such a manner with the supporting rib arrangement and the structure-fixed ceiling respectively, that they allow limited displacement of the supporting rib arrangement relative to the ceiling for tolerance compensation. The invention also relates to a method of using such supporting rib arrangement in a structure.
With a prior art supporting rib arrangement of this type, for instance as taught in Swiss Pat. No. 437,714, the suspension components in the form of vertical bolts are connected at fixed points of the structure-fixed ceiling and secured with the supporting rib arrangement at the node points. At these node points there are also undertaken measures to ensure that the bolts can be adjustably moved within narrow limits, and specifically through the aid of crosswise overlapping elongate holes in the connection plate and the support profile members and by means of an additional adjustment hole in the connection plate. An adjustment movement of a bolt, with this construction, is effective at all other connection locations with the other bolts at the node points. It is for this reason and because of the limited displacement possibility predicated upon such construction that it is impossible to compensate to a desired degree inaccuracies in the structure. This impairs the sound absorbing capability of the ceiling, because joints of different widths cannot be avoided at the support profile ends which directly abut one another at the miter cuts or bevel cuts. Furthermore, the aesthetic appearance of the ceilings which are suspended with the heretofore known support profile is unsatisfactory because the unavoidable inaccuracies are visible.

Supporting rib arrangement for a lower ceiling which is to be suspended beneath a structure-fixed ceiling and method of using such supporting rib arrangement


A device for opening a door on an aircraft to expose a receptacle for receiving a fueling nozzle on another aircraft so that the first mentioned aircraft can be refueled in flight. The device has a hydraulically operated actuator for opening and closing the door and another hydraulically operated actuator for locking and unlocking latches engageable with the nozzle for holding it in the receptacle. The hydraulic system has a single valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid through a single conduit to the door actuator for both door opening and door closing movement of the actuator piston. When closed, this valve isolates the hydraulic system from the pressure source so that no part of the hydraulic system is pressurized when the device is not in operation.

In the prior door opening mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,162 there is a hydraulic door actuator with a mechanical means for locking the same in its position when the door is closed and another means for simultaneously directing hydraulic fluid to one side of the door actuator piston for also holding the door actuator in its door closed position. A manually operated means is operable for simultaneously unlocking the door actuator from its door closed position and for opening a valve to direct pressure fluid to the other side of the piston to move the piston toward door opening position. It has been found that it is unnecessary to retain fluid pressure in the door actuator for holding it in door closing position when the mechanical means is locking the actuator in its door closed position. Also, it is undesirable in any hydraulic system to unnecessarily subject any portion thereto to high fluid pressure.
In another prior art refueling door opening device a manually operated rotary cam shaft when rotated to one position opens a first valve to connect a pressure source to a first conduit that is connected to one side of a door opening actuator and opens a second valve to connect a reservoir to a second conduit connected to the other side of the actuator. When rotated to another position the cam shaft opens a third valve to connect the pressure source to the second conduit and opens a fourth valve to connect the reservoir to the first conduit.