A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head, a platen, an absorption member, an electrode, a potential difference generating device. The liquid ejecting apparatus that adheres liquid, which is discharged from openings of a nozzle plate mounted on a liquid ejecting head, to a recording object. The potential difference generating device generates a difference in potential between the nozzle plate and the electrode by applying voltage to the electrode so as to form an electric field, whereby liquid ejected from the liquid ejecting head is electrically attracted toward the electrode. In this manner, it is possible to prevent the electrode and the absorption member from being lifted using components of the existing platen body.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus, a platen and a recording apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus that adheres liquid, which is discharged from openings of a nozzle plate mounted on a liquid ejecting head, to a recording object.
2. Related Art
When a liquid ejecting apparatus adheres liquid to a recording object without any remaining margin at the periphery of the recording object, the liquid ejecting apparatus ejects liquid toward an area slightly larger than the size of the recording object in view of an inevitable positional deviation between the recording object and a liquid ejecting head. Thus, liquid is also ejected toward an area where a recording object is not present in proximity to the side peripheries and front and rear peripheries of the recording object. Then, an absorption member is arranged at a position opposed to the liquid ejecting head and located farther from the liquid ejecting head than the recording object, and the absorption member absorbs liquid that has been ejected but not adhered to the recording object. This prevents a stain from adhering to around the recording object due to liquid that has not adhered to the recording object.
In the meantime, when liquid is adhered to a recording object, the recording object may possibly form wrinkles because a portion to which the liquid is adhered may possibly expand. If the wrinkles contact the absorption member, liquid that has been absorbed by the absorption member stains the recording object. Then, in most of the liquid ejecting apparatuses, in view of the heights of wrinkles formed in the recording object, a clearance of about 2 to 4 mm is provided between the recording object and the absorption member. For the same purpose of preventing a stain due to contact, a clearance of about 1 mm is provided between the nozzle plate and the recording object. Thus, about 3 to 5 mm clearance is provided between the nozzle plate and the absorption member.
On the other hand, for the purpose of improving resolution of an image that is formed on the recording object by liquid, liquid droplets discharged from the openings of the nozzle plate tend to become finer and finer. When focusing on a single liquid droplet, the amount of the liquid droplet is only about a few picoliter. These fine liquid droplets each have an extremely small weight, so that, when the liquid droplets are once discharged from the nozzle plate, they rapidly lose their kinetic energy due to the viscous drag of the atmosphere, or the like. For example, it has been proved that liquid droplets having an amount of less than 8 picoliter lose their velocity to substantially zero when they fly a distance of about 3 mm in the atmosphere. The fine liquid droplets that have thus lost kinetic energy need a relatively long time until they complete falling because falling motion due to gravitational acceleration becomes substantially equal to a viscous drag force of the atmosphere. Liquid droplets float in the air until they complete falling. These liquid droplets are termed as aerosols.
Some of the thus produced aerosols float to the outside of the liquid ejecting apparatus and adhere to a peripheral area. In addition, most of the aerosols adhere to portions within the liquid ejecting apparatus. When the aerosols adhere to a path, such as a platen, along which a recording object is transported, a recording object that will be transported for the next time is stained because the aerosols adhere again to the next recording object. Further, when the aerosols are adhered to an electrical circuit, a linear scale, a rotary encoder, an optical sensor, or the like, which are mounted in the liquid ejecting apparatus, it may cause malfunction of the liquid ejecting apparatus itself. Furthermore, when a user touches the portions to which the aerosols are adhered, user's hand will be smeared with the aerosols.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-202867 describes a liquid ejecting apparatus that has the function of actively collecting aerosols using an electric field. In the liquid ejecting apparatus described therein, for the purpose of adhering and absorbing liquid droplets that have not adhered to a recording object, an absorption member is arranged at a position opposed to a nozzle plate. In addition, a metal component, which serves as a first electrode, is arranged on the surface of the absorption member, and a metal nozzle plate having openings for ejecting liquid is used as a second electrode.
When these electrode and nozzle plate are applied with different voltages, an electric field is generated therebetween. On the other hand, liquid droplets discharged from the nozzle plate, at the moment when the liquid droplets are discharged from the nozzle plate, will be charged with the same pole as that of the nozzle plate owing to a so-called lightning rod effect. Thus, fine liquid droplets, which may become aerosols, also continue flying toward the electrode without any deceleration owing to Coulomb attraction from the electric field and are then adsorbed by the electrode having an electric potential that is opposite in pole to those of their own electric charge. Furthermore, liquid droplets that are adsorbed by the electrode are absorbed by the absorption member, which is arranged in proximity to the electrode, by the action of capillarity.
As described above, it has been proved that it is possible to suppress production of aerosols by means of an electric field utilizing the aerosols being electrically charged. However, there is another technical problem to be solved because of another action of electric field that is generated in order to collect aerosols.
That is, when an electric field is formed, an electrostatic force that attracts the electrode, which applies voltage, toward the nozzle plate is applied to the electrode. When an electric field having a strength of about 50 to 250 kV/m is formed in order to effectively collect aerosols, an electrostatic force of 2 to 55 μN per square centimeters is applied to components arranged inside the electrode. On the other hand, because the electrode is generally formed of a thin plate material, the electrode is light in weight and low in deformation strength. For this reason, the electrode may partially be lifted up due to electrostatic force received from the electric field.
In addition, to arrange an absorption member in proximity to the electrode, it is likely that the absorption member is mounted on the electrode. For this reason, when the electrode is lifted up due to the action of electrostatic force, the absorption member may also be lifted up toward the nozzle plate.
Further, when the lifted electrode, the lifted absorption member, and the like, contact a recording object, the rear face of the recording object is stained with liquid that has been already absorbed by the absorption member. Moreover, when the recording object collides with the lifted absorption member from the side, it is likely that the absorption member drops off from a position where the absorption member is initially arranged.


A folding seat assembly is attachable to the upright vertical post for a tennis net and consists of a pair of interchangeable clamp brackets secured around the vertical post. An upper elongated tube is pivotally mounted to the upper clamp bracket and is slidably mounted to a bottom seat guide. A lower elongated tube is pivotally connected to the bottom clamp bracket and is pivotally connected to the bottom seat assembly to create a triangular support for the seat. A second seat can extend from the opposite side of the same pair of clamp brackets. The seat(s) are maintained in a vertical inactive position by an over-center arrangement and a detent mechanism.

A variety of sports such as tennis include one or more upright vertical posts for supporting a net or ropes associated with that sport. During rest times, a player may desire to rest on a folding seat. However, the presence of folding chairs and stools and the like are undesirable as these devices must be removed from the playing field while the game is in progress. Various folding seats have been proposed which attach to vertical posts but these have not been widely adopted for a variety of reasons.
A folding seat which would be practical for use on a tennis court or the like must solve a variety of conflicting requirements. During a tennis match, the seat should be collapsible into a position having minimal impact with the play of the game. Furthermore, it should not interfere with cleaning and washing of a tennis court and other maintenance functions. In addition, it desirably would have minimum permanent impact on the tennis net posts and should be capable of removal when necessary. In use, the seat should be capable of supporting substantial weight without unnecessary strain on the tennis net post as might be caused by a cantilever seat or the like. Furthermore, it would be desirable to allow players on both sides of the tennis court to be able to simultaneously use a seat arrangement without creating any unnecessary imbalance or strain on the pre-existing tennis net post.


A device powered by a DC source produces an output signal the frequency of which changes as a function of changes in external magnetic fields sensed by such device. A pair of non-linear amplifiers are interconnected so that the output of one amplifier is the input of the other amplifier. An inductive sensor is connected between the outputs of the amplifiers. The inductive sensor has an elongated magnetic core and a coil is wound on the core. The voltages at the outputs of the amplifiers, across the inductive sensor, switch between zero and the full voltage of the DC source.

This invention relates to devices which are adapted for detecting changes in the strength or intensity of magnetic fields and more particularly to such devices which are suited for use in magnetically sensitive fuzes.
Prior art devices for sensing changes in the strength of magnetic fields include flux gate type magnetometers which have been used in anti-tank and anti-vehicle mines. One such magnetometer utilizes a magnetic sensor having a sensing coil wound on a toroidal tape type magnetic core. The sensor is generally designed to operate over the entire flux-field hysterysis loop of its core so that when flux excursions along the hysterysis loop occur in response to large induced voltages due to large external magnetic field disturbances created by external sources, the sensor core saturates with magnetic flux. At the saturation points of the hysterysis loop the flux rate of change with respect to the magnetic field is small, but as the core comes out of saturation such flux rate of change increases in proportion to the slope of the hysterysis loop. If the slope is steep, the increase in flux rate of change and consequently the induced voltage in the sensor coil is high. The induced voltage in the sensor coil is amplified and rectified so as to convert it to a varying DC voltage.
In these flux gate magnetometers, the presence of a vehicle or tank is identified by the particular pattern of the varying DC voltage resulting from disturbance of the earth's magnetic field due to the presence of such vehicle or tank.
Such flux gate magnetometers suffer from long warm-up periods, in the order of 45 seconds, required to permit the magnetometer electronics sufficient time to stabilize, and hence important data could be lost during such warm-up periods. Also such magnetometer utilizes a reference voltage which is dependent upon previously obtained data from external magnetic field changes, and the circuit providing the reference voltage also takes a long time to stabilize. Due to the long warm-up time requirements, if the magnetometer is duty cycled at low on-to-off ratios, the data samples are far apart in time, and short duration data resulting from rapidly passing vehicles in proximity of the magnetometer sensor, will not be detected.
Additionally, the output signal from a flux gate magnetometer is in analog form and it must first be processed into digital format by an A/D converter before a microprocessor or computer can analyze the data. It is also difficult and costly to construct such magnetometer because the sensor coil is wound on a toroidal core upon which a coil with many layers is required, and toroidal cores are difficult to wind.
Further, the circuit of the flux gate magnetometer has a high degree of unreliability designed into it by virtue of having a large number of electronic components.
Importantly, the sensor of the flux gate magnetometers having a toroidal core, suffers from lack of magnetic field directivity, since such sensor responds to field vectors in more than one direction, such as vertical, lateral and radial field vector components.
Another prior art magnetometer used for sensing changes in magnetic fields is of the digital type. This type of magnetometer has a complex magnetic sensor having a core constructed from glass laminate substrates with a magnetic film deposited on each of the laminates. A coil is then wound on the glass laminate core. The electronics associated with the digital type magnetometer consists of an L-C sinusoidal oscillator wherein the L represents the coil of its sensor and the C is a capacitor in parallel with the sensor coil forming a parallel resonant circuit, wherein the LC circuit values determine the sinusoidal oscillation frequency. The output of the oscillator together with a signal from an accurate time base generator are fed into a logic AND gate. The output of the AND gate is fed into counters which count the frequency or repetition rate of the L-C oscillation. The frequency of oscillation is modulated when the inductance of the L-C tank circuit undergoes a change in inductance value due to the sensor being subjected to a change in an external field. This type of magnetometer requires additional magnets which are used to magnetically bias the glass laminate core to a sensitive area of its .phi.-H (magnetic flux versus magnetic field) hysterysis loop.
In view of its glass laminate sensor core construction, the digital magnetometer is unduly complex and costly to fabricate and structurally fragile. Additionally, the required biasing magnets further increase the sensor's complexity as well as it unreliability, and as in the case of the flux gate magnetometer, the digital type of magnetometer also has a large quantity of electronic components which degrade its reliability.
In the digital magnetometer, performance-wise, a change in external magnetic field will not produce a large change in frequency of the L-C oscillator, and consequently this magnetometer is basically a low sensitive device. It has been experimentally determined that when the flux in the coil of the LC oscillator, as measured by a gaussmeter, changed one-half gauss, the frequency of oscillation changed only by one-tenth of a percent.

Magnetic field intensity measuring device with frequency change indication


A process for manufacturing a reinforced membrane-seal assembly includes: (i) providing a carrier material; (ii) providing a planar reinforcing component having one or more first regions including pores and a second region including pores, the first regions being patches and non-continuous and the second region surrounding the first regions and being continuous; (iii) depositing an ion-conducting component; (iv) drying the ion-conducting component; (v) depositing a seal component; (vi) drying the seal component (vii) removing the carrier material. In embodiments, ion-conducting component fills the pores in the first regions and seal component fills the pores in the second region; steps (ii), (iii) and (v) can be carried out in any order; step (iv) is carried out subsequent to step (iii); step (vi) is carried out subsequent to step (v); and steps (iv) and (vi) are carried out subsequent to step (ii). Also disclosed is an assembly prepared by such process.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell comprising two electrodes separated by an electrolyte. A fuel, such as hydrogen or an alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, is supplied to the anode and an oxidant, such as oxygen or air, is supplied to the cathode. Electrochemical reactions occur at the electrodes, and the chemical energy of the fuel and the oxidant is converted to electrical energy and heat. Electrocatalysts are used to promote the electrochemical oxidation of the fuel at the anode and the electrochemical reduction of oxygen at the cathode.
In the hydrogen-fuelled or alcohol-fuelled proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), the electrolyte is a solid polymeric membrane, which is electronically insulating and proton conducting. Protons, produced at the anode, are transported across the membrane to the cathode, where they combine with oxygen to form water. The most widely used alcohol fuel is methanol, and this variant of the PEMFC is often referred to as a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).
The principal component of the PEMFC is known as a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and is essentially composed of five layers. The central layer is the polymeric ion-conducting membrane. On either side of the ion-conducting membrane there is an electrocatalyst layer, containing an electrocatalyst designed for the specific electrocatalytic reaction. Finally, adjacent to each electrocatalyst layer there is a gas diffusion layer. The gas diffusion layer must allow the reactants to reach the electrocatalyst layer and must conduct the electric current that is generated by the electrochemical reactions. Therefore the gas diffusion layer must be porous and electrically conducting.
Conventionally, the MEA can be constructed by a number of methods outlined hereinafter:
(i) The electrocatalyst layer may be applied to the gas diffusion layer to form a gas diffusion electrode. Two gas diffusion electrodes can be placed either side of an ion-conducting membrane and laminated together to form the five-layer MEA;
(ii) The electrocatalyst layer may be applied to both faces of the ion-conducting membrane to form a catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane. Subsequently, gas diffusion layers are applied to both faces of the catalyst-coated ion-conducting membrane.
(iii) An MEA can be formed from an ion-conducting membrane coated on one side with an electrocatalyst layer, a gas diffusion layer adjacent to that electrocatalyst layer, and a gas diffusion electrode on the other side of the ion-conducting membrane.
Conventionally, the MEA is constructed so that the central polymeric ion-conducting membrane extends to the edge of the MEA, with the gas diffusion layers and electrocatalyst layers being smaller in area than the membrane such that there is an area around the periphery of the MEA which comprises ion-conducting membrane only. The area where no electrocatalyst is present is a non-electrochemically active region. Film layers, typically formed from non-ion conducting polymers, are generally positioned around the edge region of the MEA on the exposed surfaces of the ion-conducting membrane where no electrocatalyst is present to seal and/or reinforce the edge of the MEA. An adhesive layer may be present on one or both surfaces of the seal film layer. The layers in the MEA are typically bonded by a lamination process. It is common practice that the polymeric ion-conducting membrane also comprises a reinforcement material, such as a planar porous material, embedded within the thickness of the membrane, to provide for improved mechanical strength of the membrane and thus increased durability of the MEA and lifetime of the fuel cell.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for the manufacturing of a reinforced membrane-seal assembly


A semiconductor memory device including a plurality of normal memory cells (11) and redundant memory cells (12) is disclosed. Normal memory cells (11) may include true normal memory cells and complement normal memory cells. Redundant memory cells (12) may include true redundant memory cells and complement redundant memory cells. When a normal memory cell (11) is found to be a defective memory cell, it may be replaced by a replacement redundant memory cell from the plurality of redundant memory cells (12). A defective memory cell that is a true normal memory cell may be replaced with a replacement memory cell that is a true redundant memory cell and a defective memory cell that is a complement memory cell may be replaced with a replacement memory cell that is a complement redundant memory cell. In this way, electric and physical conditions of a replacement memory cell may be essentially the same as the electric and physical conditions of the defective memory cell would have been had it not been replaced.

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor memory device and its operation method and more specifically to redundant memory cells used to replace defective memory cells in a semiconductor memory device and its operation method.
It is a continuing goal to improve the overall yield of good semiconductor memory devices in order to reduce manufacturing costs. As the degree of integration of a semiconductor memory device becomes greater, the likelihood of occurrence of defective memory cells increases. One method of improving yield is through the use of redundant memory cells that can be used to replace defective memory cells. By replacing defective memory cells with redundant memory cells, some devices that include defects can be saved, thus yield can be improved and manufacturing costs may be reduced.
It is desirable, that when defective memory cells are replaced with redundant memory cells, that the redundant memory cells are properly characterized for the possibility of defects. This can reduce the likelihood of defective parts from being included in parts shipped to customers.
One method of testing is a cell stress test. In a cell stress test, all memory cells have a potential written into them so that a high electric field can be induced across a dielectric layer in each memory cell. However, in some cases it may be required to know the physical layout of the memory cells to determine whether a logic zero or a logic one needs to be written into a particular address location in order to ensure that the proper potential is written into the particular memory cell corresponding to the particular address location. However, when a redundant memory cell is used to replace a defective memory cell, the particular physical cell layout mapping with respect to address values is modified. This can have adverse affects on such a cell stress test and therefore compromise test results.
One such method of addressing this problem has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 11-203889 and will be discussed with reference to FIG. 1.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a block schematic diagram of a conventional semiconductor memory device is set forth and given the general reference character 100.
Conventional semiconductor memory device 100 has an address buffer 117, a row decoder 113, a column decoder 115, a spare row decoder 114, a memory cell array 101, a sense amplifier circuit 103, a program circuit 119, a block decision section 116, a data scramble control circuit 120, a clock generator circuit 121, a logical gate 122, an input buffer 111, a scramble circuit 108, and an output buffer 105. The output buffer 105 has a preamplifier 107, scramble circuit 108, and a main amplifier 109.
Memory cell array 101 has normal memory cells and redundant memory cells. When a normal memory cell is defective, it is replaced by a redundant memory cell. Each normal memory cell and each redundant memory cell stores either true data or complementary data. True data means that the stored data in a memory cell has a high potential when a data one is stored and a low potential when data zero is stored. Complementary data means that the stored data in a memory cell has a low potential when a data one is stored and a high potential when data zero is stored.
Block decision section 116 determines whether or not a redundant memory cell that replaces a normal memory cell stores data that is inverted with respect to data that would be stored in the replaced normal memory cell.
Data scramble control circuit 120 generates a scramble on signal SON having a high logic level when a redundant memory cell is stored data that is inverted with respect to data that would be stored in the replaced normal memory cell. When scramble on signal SON has a high logic level, scramble circuit 110 reverses write data to be written in the redundant memory cell. Likewise, to keep data coherency, when scramble on signal SON is high, scramble circuit 108 reverses read data read from the redundant memory cell.
In this way, conventional semiconductor memory device 100 writes data at the same potential level in a redundant memory cell as would be written in the replaced memory cell if it were not defective. Thus, it is possible to perform a stress test in which stress can be applied to the redundant memory cell in a similar manner as the normal memory cell.
However, in stress tests, it is also important to consider cell to cell breakdown conditions. In this case, it is important to write patterns so that the potential written into adjacent or nearby memory cells are known. In this way, a cell to cell stress can be performed.
Consider a test in which data one is written to all memory cells. When data one is written to all cells, half of the memory cells receive a high potential and half of the memory cells receive a low potential. Thus, cell to cell stress can be tested.
In this example, a first redundant memory cell stores a logic one with a high potential, a second redundant memory cell (physically adjacent to the first redundant memory cell) stores a logic one with a low potential, and a normal memory cell stores a logic one with a high potential. When the first redundant memory cell is used and the second redundant memory cell is not used, a high potential is written in the first redundant memory cell and a low potential is written into the second redundant memory cell. Thus, stress between the first and second redundant memory cells is tested. However, when the normal memory cell is replaced by the second redundant memory cell, inverted write data is written into the second redundant memory cell. Thus, a high potential is written into both the first and second redundant memory cells. In this case, cell to cell stress between the first and second redundant memory cells is not properly tested and defects may not be captured in testing.
It is desirable to keep similar electrical stress conditions in a redundant memory cell that is used to replace a normal memory cell as would occur in the normal memory cell.
In light of the above discussion, it would be desirable to provide a semiconductor memory device where electrical stress conditions in a redundant memory cell that is used to replace a normal memory cell may be similar to electrical stress conditions as would occur in the normal memory cell.
A semiconductor memory device according to the present embodiments may include a plurality of normal memory cells and redundant memory cells. Normal memory cells may include true normal memory cells and complement normal memory cells. Redundant memory cells may include true redundant memory cells and complement redundant memory cells. When a normal memory cell is found to be a defective memory cell, it may be replaced by a replacement redundant memory cell from the plurality of redundant memory cells. A defective memory cell that is a true normal memory cell may be replaced with a replacement memory cell that is a true redundant memory cell and a defective memory cell that is a complement memory cell may be replaced with a replacement memory cell that is a complement redundant memory cell. In this way, electric and physical conditions of a replacement memory cell may be essentially the same as the electric and physical conditions of the defective memory cell would have been had it not been replaced.
According to one aspect of the embodiments, a memory device may include a plurality of normal memory cells and plurality of redundant memory cells. Normal memory cells may include a first memory cell type that may store a first logic level with a first memory cell state and a second memory cell type that may store the first logic level with a second memory cell state. Redundant memory cells may include a first redundant memory cell type that may store the first logic level with the first memory cell state and a second redundant memory cell type that may store the first logic level with the second memory cell state. A replacement section may replace at least one normal memory cell with at least one redundant memory cell when the at least one normal memory cell has been determined to be defective. The replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell in accordance with whether the at least one normal memory cell is of the first memory cell type or the second memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell so that the at least one normal memory cell of the first memory cell type is replaced with the at least one redundant memory cell of the first redundant memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell so that the at least one normal memory cell of the second memory cell type is replaced with the at least one redundant memory cell of the second redundant memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the replacement section may be coupled to receive a test instruction signal. When the test instruction signal has a first test logic level, the replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell in accordance with whether the at least one normal memory cell is of the first memory cell type or the second memory cell type. When the test instruction signal has a second test logic level, the replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell independently from whether the at least one normal memory cell is of the first memory cell type or the second memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, each of the plurality of normal memory cells and the plurality of redundant memory cells may include a memory cell capacitor for storing a data value in accordance with a storage potential. The first memory cell state may be a state where the first logic level is stored with the storage potential higher than a predetermined potential and the second memory cell state may be where the first logic level is stored with a storage potential lower than the predetermined potential.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the replacement section may include an address scramble circuit coupled to receive an address and generate a redundant address in accordance with whether the at least one normal memory cell is of the first memory cell type or the second memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, an operation method for a memory device including a plurality of normal memory cells and a plurality of redundant memory cells may include the step of defining at least one replacement redundant memory cell from the plurality of redundant memory cells, when at least one of the normal memory cells has been determined to be a defective normal memory cell, to replace the at least one defective normal memory cell. The plurality of normal memory cells may include a first memory cell type that may store a first logic level with a first memory cell state and a second memory cell type that may store the first logic level with a second memory cell state and the plurality of redundant memory cells may include a first redundant memory cell type that may store the first logic level with the first memory cell state and a second redundant memory cell type that may store the first logic level with the second memory cell state. The method may further include the step of providing an address such that if the address corresponds to the at least one of the normal memory cells that has been determined to be defective, the at least one replacement redundant memory cell from the plurality of memory cells is selected such that if the at least one of the normal memory cells that has been determined to be defective is of the first memory cell type, the at least one replacement redundant memory cell is of the first redundant memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, if the at least one of the normal memory cells that has been determined to be defective is of the second memory cell type, the at least one replacement redundant memory cell may be of the second redundant memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, a memory device may include a plurality of normal memory cells and a plurality of redundant memory cells. Normal memory cells may include a first memory cell type that may store a first logic level with a first memory cell state and a second memory cell type that may store the first logic level with a second memory cell state. Redundant memory cells may include a first redundant memory cell type that may store the first logic level with the first memory cell state and a second redundant memory cell type that may store the first logic level with the second memory cell state. A replacement section may replace at least one normal memory cell with at least one redundant memory cell when the at least one normal memory cell has been determined to be defective. In a first operating mode, the replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell so that normal memory cells of the first memory cell type are replaced with redundant memory cells of the first redundant memory cell type and normal memory cells of the second memory cell type are replaced with redundant memory cells of the second redundant memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the first operating mode may be a test mode.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, in a second operating mode, the replacement section may replace the at least one normal memory cell with the at least one redundant memory cell so that normal memory cells are replaced independently from whether the at least one normal memory cell is of the first memory cell type or the second memory cell type.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the replacement section may be coupled to receive a plurality of addresses and provide a plurality of redundant select signals.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the replacement section may include a redundant address decision circuit coupled to receive at least a first portion of the plurality of addresses and may provide a replacement instruction signal. An address scramble circuit may be coupled to receive at least a second portion of the plurality of addresses and the replacement instruction signal and may provide at least one redundant address.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the address scramble circuit may include a scramble control circuit and an address mapping circuit. The control circuit may be coupled to receive at least a first one of the second portion of the plurality of addresses and the replacement instruction signal and may provide an address mapping control signal. The address mapping circuit may be coupled to receive the address mapping control signal which determines the mapping of the at least one redundant address with respect to at least a second one of the second portion of the plurality of addresses.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the address mapping control circuit may be coupled to receive a first operating mode signal that has a first operating mode logic level when the memory device is in the first operating mode.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, the address mapping circuit may include a plurality of transfer gates coupled to receive the address mapping control signal and may provide a controllable impedance path between the at least the second one of the second portion of the plurality of addresses and the at least one redundant address.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, a plurality of word lines may be disposed in a row direction and a plurality of bit lines may be disposed in a column direction. The at least one replacement memory cell may be included in a first redundant row of redundant memory cells and the at least one defective normal memory cell may be included in a first normal row of normal memory cells.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, when the at least one replacement memory cell replaces the at least one defective normal memory cell, the first redundant row of redundant memory cells may replace the first normal row of normal memory cells and a second redundant row of redundant memory cells adjacent to the first redundant row of redundant memory cells may replace a second normal row of normal memory cells adjacent to the first normal row of normal memory cells.
According to another aspect of the embodiments, a plurality of word lines may be disposed in a row direction and a plurality of bit lines disposed in a column direction. The at least one replacement memory cell may be included in a first redundant column of redundant memory cells and the at least one defective normal memory cell may be included in a first normal column of normal memory cells
According to another aspect of the embodiments, when the at least one replacement memory cell replaces the at least one defective normal memory cell, the first redundant column of redundant memory cells may replace the first normal column of normal memory cells and a second redundant column of redundant memory cells adjacent to the first redundant column of redundant memory cells may replace a second normal column of normal memory cells adjacent to the first normal column of normal memory cells.

Semiconductor memory device and its operation method


A radiation detecting apparatus is provided. The radiation detecting apparatus includes a pair of rails extending in a channel direction, a plurality of collimator modules provided in the pair of rails and arranged in the channel direction, each collimator module having a plurality of collimator plates arranged in the channel direction, and a plurality of detector modules provided on a radiation outgoing side of the collimator modules and arranged in the channel direction, wherein each of the collimator modules has a pair of alignment pins extending along an irradiation direction, wherein the rails include a surface of placement for each collimator module, the surface of placement formed with one of concave holes and grooves in which first ends of the alignment pins are fitted, and wherein each of the detector modules has one of concave holes and through holes in which second ends of the alignment pins are fitted.

The present invention relates to a radiation detecting apparatus and a radiation imaging apparatus, and particularly to a technology of alignment between a collimator and a detector.
An X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus is equipped with an X-ray source and an X-ray detecting apparatus. The X-ray detecting apparatus is equipped with a detector comprised of a plurality of detecting elements, and a collimator for the elimination of scattered radiation, which is comprised of a plurality of collimator plates.
In order to improve the X-ray incoming efficiency and detection characteristics of each detecting element, there is a need to highly accurately align the detecting elements and the collimator plates with each other.
On the other hand, there has heretofore been adopted a method of inserting collimator plates into slits of comb-like collimator plate holding parts attached to rails to perform their positioning and positioning detector modules in other slots formed in the rails through pins (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-328175, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 7, etc.).
In the above method, a reference for positioning each collimator plate and a reference for positioning each detecting element have been provided separately. Therefore, tolerances accumulate from their positioning, and a position displacement between the detecting element and the collimator plate may occur, thus resulting in a limit to an increase in the accuracy of their alignment.
With the foregoing in view, there has been a demand for a technology capable of more accurately aligning the detecting elements and the collimator plates with one another.

Radiation detecting apparatus and radiation imaging apparatus

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A power assisted upright cleaner is provided with resilient spring cushioning for a hand grip driven actuating means that initiates power assist for the cleaner.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to power assisted upright vacuum cleaners or the like and, more specifically, to a resiliently cushioned actuating means for such a cleaner that initiates the cleaner's power assist.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Handle or hand grip actuation of a power assisted vacuum cleaner or the like are old and well known where reciprocation of the handle or hand grip relative to the power assisted appliance initiates or terminates power assist. Some of these units even include some sort of spring dampening which, in some manner, is attached to the handle or even the hand grip. But these arrangements, heretofore, have placed the resilient member or spring in a parallel disposition relative to the actual actuating drive line. How much better would be an in-line or series disposition of the spring so that any inertia or low ineffective spring force would be taken up before movement of the power assist drive line. This would insure full cushioning for the total initiating movement of the power assist drive line rather than only for a portion of its travel. A direct drive is thereby provided by the resilient spring element rather than an indirect one.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a cleaner or the like having power assist with an in-line resilient element in the power assist actuating means.
It is an additional object of the invention to utilize a variety of differing resilient spring elements to accomplish this purpose.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide at least one improved hand grip structure to accommodate one of the resilient spring elements.
It is an even further object of the invention to provide an improved drive line actuating means for a power assisted cleaner or the like.

Resiliently cushioned activating means for power assist


A method for driving a CCD solid state imaging device of a frame-interline type is disclosed. The CCD imaging device comprises a semiconductor substrate, an image section including a number of pixels arranged two-dimensionally and each having a radiation sensor, transfer gate and a first vertical CCD, a storage section, a horizontal CCD shift register, and an output section. The semiconductor substrate having a protruding portion as a drain member is biased at a low level for accumulating signal charges during an effective picture interval and at a higher level for draining all of the signal charges during a frame shift transfer period. The amplitude of the driving signals for driving gate electrodes of the vertical CCD shift registers can be large without reading out noise-forming charges so that the transfer efficiency can be improved in a CCD imaging device.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for driving a two-dimensional charge coupled device solid state imaging device (referred to as a CCD imaging device hereinafter) and, more particularly, to an improvement in driving vertical CCD shift registers of a frame-interline CCD imaging device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, demand for CCD imaging devices is rapidly increasing. Among other imaging devices, frame-interline CCD imaging devices have been developed significantly, since they have advantages of low noise characteristics and a small chip size. However, there is a requirement for a frame-interline CCD imaging devices in which vertical CCD shift registers transfer signal charges in a larger amount and more efficiently.

Method for driving two-dimensional CCD imaging device


A thin film magnetic read/write head is manufactured using Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 dams. The Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 dams are formed using a sacrificial layer which is deposited upon a bottom pole layer. An Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer is deposited over the sacrificial layer. When the sacrificial layer is removed, the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer forms dams between which a top pole piece is deposited. The sacrificial layer is removed using lapping and a selected chemical etch; etch of the sacrificial layer which lifts-off overlying partial lapping or chemical etch followed by chemical Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; depositing photoresist dams and chemically, etching the encapsulation layer and the sacrificial layer; or removal through physical or thermal shock of the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer sputtered at zero bias followed by a selective chemical etch of the sacrificial layer. The thin film magnetic head of the present invention has pole tips which provide an outside pole face contour that is significantly different from a pole tip contour along a gap region. This reduces an undershoot effect in readback pulses in a readback signal. The altered contour can be used on both top and bottom pole tips to eliminate both leading and trailing undershoots. Additionally, in shielded probe heads for vertical recording a gap region contour can be altered to achieve a similar reduction in leading undershoot.

The present invention relates to production of thin film magnetic heads. In particular, the invention relates to aligning the upper and lower pole tips in a thin film magnetic head using a sacrificial layer yielding a contoured pole face which provides reduced undershoot in a readback signal.
Thin film magnetic read/write heads are used for magnetically reading and writing information upon a magnetic storage medium such as a magnetic disc or a magnetic tape. It is highly desirable to provide a high density of information storage on the magnetic storage medium.
Recording systems typically become more cost effective by providing areal densities which are as high as possible for a given recording surface. In the case of rotating disc drives (both floppy and hard disc), the areal density is found by multiplying the number of bits per unit length along the track (linear density in units of bits per inch) by the number of tracks available per unit length in the radial direction (track density in units of tracks per inch).
The demand for increased storage density in magnetic storage media has led to reduced magnetic head dimensions. Magnetic heads are now fabricated in a manner similar to that used for semiconductor integrated circuits in the electronic industry.
During fabrication, many thin film magnetic heads are deposited across the surface of a wafer (or substrate). After the layers are deposited, the wafer is "diced" or sliced into many individual thin film heads, each carried by a portion of the wafer so that an upper pole tip, a lower pole tip, and a gap are exposed. The pole tips and the gap (and the portion of the substrate which underlies them) are then lapped in a direction generally inward, toward the center of the thin film head, to achieve the desired dimensions. This lapping process is a grinding process in which the exposed portion of the top and bottom pole tips and the gap are applied to an abrasive, such as a diamond slurry. Electrical contacts are connected to conductive coils. The completed head is attached to a carrying fixture for use in reading and writing data on a magnetic storage medium such as a computer disc.
In operation, the exposed upper and lower pole tips are positioned near a moving magnetic storage medium. During the read operation, the changing magnetic flux of the moving storage medium impresses a changing magnetic flux upon upper and lower pole tips. The magnetic flux is carried through the pole tips and yoke core around the conductor coil. The changing magnetic flux induces an electrical voltage across the conductor coil which may be detected with electrical detection circuitry. The electrical voltage is representative of the changing magnetic flux produced by the moving magnetic storage medium.
During a write operation, an electrical current is caused to flow in the conductor coil. This electric current induces a magnetic field in top and bottom magnetic poles and causes a magnetic field across the gap between the upper and lower pole tips. A fringe field extends in the vicinity beyond the boundary of the pole tips and into the nearby magnetic storage medium. This fringe field may be used to impress magnetic fields upon the storage medium and magnetically write information.
The highest track density achievable is strongly influenced by the accuracy and precision of alignment of upper and lower pole tips and their width. Magnetic pole tips typically have a pole thickness in the range of about one micrometer to about five micrometers depending upon design criteria, i.e. a thicker pole for better overwriting efficiency and a thinner pole for increased resolution capability during the readback operation.
As track density increases, currently approaching and exceeding 2400 tracks per inch, the alignment between the upper and lower pole tips in thin film magnetic read/write heads has become critical. At such a high storage density, design criteria require magnetic transducers in which the bottom pole tip width is very nearly the same as the top pole tip width. Top and bottom pole tips should also be in close alignment. At these small dimensions, alignment between the pole tips of a head becomes critical, particularly as dimensions of the pole tips approach the tolerance and definition limits of the deposition techniques. A technique which provides better pole alignment begins with a top pole, bottom pole and a gap area separating the top and bottom poles, all fabricated substantially wider than desired. A narrower mask layer is then deposited upon the upper pole. The structure is then aligned using a material removal process ("milling") such as ion milling or reactive ion milling in which high energy ions bombard the pole tip region to remove the excess material (top pole, bottom pole and gap material) that extends beyond the edges of the mask layer. The mask layer protects only a portion of the top pole, bottom pole and gap so that the width of the completed pole tips is approximately the same as the width of the mask layer.
The noted alignment technique suffers from a number of drawbacks. The mask layer is difficult to remove from the pole tip structure after the milling process. To ensure adequate protection of the pole tips during milling, the mask must be very thick to withstand the milling process. A thick mask, however, decreases the ability to control the shape of the pole tips. Furthermore, if the remaining mask material is stripped away following milling, the delicate structure of the thin film head may be damaged. If, on the other hand, the mask layer is made thinner to improve process control and facilitate removal of the mask following ion milling, the risk of damaging the pole tip structure during milling is increased.
During readback of magnetically stored information, the thin film head provides an electrical output signal which is representative of both the relative strength of the magnetization in the media, and the magnetic field pattern of the read head. It is highly desirable to provide the highest level of information storage density possible for a given magnetic storage system. Unfortunately, increased storage density leads to a lower signal-to-noise ratio for the sensed signal from a given disk. The readback signal comprises a series of superimposed symbols whose existence and location are used to represent digital information.
Signal recovery errors will result if the detection circuitry is confused in one of the following ways:
1. Detecting a symbol that was not written; PA1 2. Rejecting a symbol that was written; PA1 3. Placing a written symbol in a wrong clock cell.
Cost effective detectors presently in use are confused by leading and trailing undershoots in the isolated readback pulses just as easily as they are confused by noise. This is because for an arbitrary recorded pattern, the undershoot readback waveform from one recorded transition can interfere with the main pulse of another transition and result in one of the above signal recovery errors.
Therefore, the undershoots reduce the maximum recording density which may be achieved in a magnetic storage system. Undershoot occurs due to discontinuities in the magnetic readback flux path characteristic of the finite pole lengths of the thin film recording head. Rather than trying to compensate for the undershoots in the data signal using sophisticated electronic decoding methods, it would be highly desirable and a significant contribution to the art to provide a thin film magnetic head which minimizes the leading and trailing undershoots in the isolated readback pulse.
An accurate and precise method of aligning pole tips and reducing undershoot in the readback signal would be an important contribution to the art.

Thin film head with contoured pole face edges for undershoot reduction


A medical pump comprises a casing having side walls, a peripheral wall, and a pump chamber defined thereby, an inlet port formed substantially in the central portion of one of the side walls of the casing, an outlet port formed in the peripheral wall of the casing so as to extend tangent thereto, a rocker substantially concentric with the inner peripheral surface of the casing and disposed in the chamber, and a rocker driving unit for rocking the rocker so as to vary the volume of the space between the rocker and the outlet port with the lapse of time, thereby producing a rotating flow in fluid in the casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical pump adapted for use as a blood pump for a heart-lung machine, blood pump as a substitute for the heart, auxiliary heart, artificial heart, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pumps of various types have already been developed as blood pumps for medical use. These pumps include, for example, roller pumps, finger pumps, positive-displacement blood pumps, rotary blood pumps, centrifugal pumps, and teaspoon-type centrifugal pumps (see "Artificial Organs" Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 448 to 452). In the roller pumps, blood in an elastic tube is gradually forced out for delivery by stroking the tube by means of a roller. In the finger pumps, blood in an elastic tube is forced out by gradually constricting the tube by means of a compressor. In the positive-displacement pumps, blood is sucked in or pulsed out by reciprocating a piston or diaphragm by means of a check valve at the inlet or outlet. In the rotary pumps, blood is discharged by rotating a rotor to change the capacity of a space between the rotor and a pump housing. In the centrifugal pumps, an impeller is rotated at high speed to apply a centrifugal force to blood, thereby discharging the blood. In the teaspoon pumps, a blade is brought into precession.
According to the roller pumps or finger pumps in which blood is discharged by stroking or constricting the elastic tube, however, blood cells of the blood are liable to be destroyed (or hemolyzed), so that the pumps can hardly stand prolonged use. Since the deformation of the elastic tube requires a lot of energy, moreover, the efficiency of energy conversion is low.
In the positive-displacement pumps, the artificial valve located at the inlet or outlet is very expensive, and blood is liable to coagulate around the valve. Since one pulse requires a capacity equivalent to that of the heart, moreover, the artificial heart, including a drive mechanism therefor, has so large a total capacity that it cannot be easily implanted in the thoracic cavity. Since the internal diaphragm is reciprocated, furthermore, the energy conversion efficiency is lower than in the case of the rotary pumps.
In the rotary pumps, blood is liable to be destroyed by the rotor, and microbism or blood coagulation can be easily caused unless the gap between a rotating shaft and a housing section is fully sealed. Satisfactory sealing between the shaft and the housing section, however, requires engineering skill of a high order.
In the centrifugal pumps, the gap between the rotating shaft and the housing section cannot be fully sealed. In order to solve this problem of sealing, the drive mechanism and the impeller may be magnetically coupled through a housing wall by the use of a permanent magnet. According to this method, however, the pump section must be increased in size, and the energy conversion efficiency is extremely low.
The teaspoon pumps have been developed to cope with these problems. These pumps are based on the principle that a fluid in a vessel can be rotated by bringing a spoon into precession. More specifically, a spoon-shaped blade, having spindle-shaped cut end portions, is caused to make a precessional motion in a casing, thereby fulfilling a turbo-pump function.
In these teaspoon pumps, however, blood at the outer peripheral portion of a pump chamber is stirred by means of the spoon so that the blood is delivered centrifugally. Therefore, the configuration of a passage is so complicated that the manufacture of the pump is difficult and entails higher costs.
Since the single spoon-shaped blade is used in the teaspoon pumps, moreover, the energy conversion efficiency is low.
If the pump chamber is formed into an annular passage through which the blade passes, in order to improve the energy conversion efficiency, the gap between the blade and the wall surface of the annular passage is so narrow that a great shearing force is applied to blood cells of the blood flowing through the gap, thereby causing substantial hemolysis. Since the blood flow near the root of the spoon involves no substantial kinetic energy, moreover, the blood may possibly coagulate at that portion after prolonged use.
In general, blood pumps for medical use are expected to have all of such advantages as reluctance to cause destruction or coagulation of blood, small capacity, high energy conversion efficiency, etc.


An article is formed from an ingot of a nickel-iron base alloy having a composition including from about 4.5 weight percent niobium to about 5.5 weight percent niobium and capable of forming delta-phase precipitates, and having fewer than about 1 grain per square inch at 100.times. magnification. An array of intragranular delta-phase precipitates is precipitated within the ingot to provide grain nucleation sites. The ingot having the array of delta-phase precipitates therein is deformed at a temperature below a delta-phase solvus temperature, thereby producing a fine-grained billet.

This invention relates to the processing of nickel-iron-base alloys, and, more particularly, to the refinement of ingot grains through the precipitation of delta-phase precipitates.
A semifinished wrought nickel-base alloy article is conventionally made by first melting blends of the constituent elements of the alloy. The final cast ingot is produced using one or more cast and remelt steps. Primary thermomechanical working of the ingot (termed "ingot conversion") converts the structure of the cast ingot from a coarse as-cast dendritic grain structure to a fine equiaxed billet grain structure (termed a "cast-wrought" structure). The primary conversion step in highly alloyed metals such as superalloys also serves to break up interdendritic regions, thereby reducing the segregation that occurs during solidification of the ingot. The semifinished billet is then further processed into its final geometry by forging, heat treating, and machining. An example of a nickel-iron-base alloy manufactured into articles by this approach is alloy 718.
Using conventional casting methods the average dendrite grain size in as-cast ingots is typically coarser than ASTM 1 and often coarser than ASTM 00 grain size. If such a material were processed directly into the shape of the final product, an insufficiently high level of strain would be introduced to allow uniform recrystallization of the ingot structure. The result would be non-recrystallized regions that retain the large as-cast grain structure of the ingot. Because grain size is one of the primary parameters controlling properties in these materials, the non-recrystallized regions will typically either fail the microstructural requirements for the final product or, if not detected, will lead to accelerated mechanical failure of the product. The thermomechanical ingot conversion of the ingot into billet prevents the presence of as-cast grains in the billet and also mitigates associated chemical segregation in the billet, ensuring a fine-grain structure in the billet.
Conventional ingot conversion processing is an expensive operation. The function of the primary thermomechanical working is to recrystallize the material using the strain added during each working operation to nucleate new grains at existing grain boundaries. Commercial ingots of nickel-iron-base superalloys often weigh thousands of pounds. Because of the large size of these ingots, it is difficult to achieve a uniformly high level of strain for recrystallization in a single thermomechanical operation. The large-grain areas in the ingot, having a lower grain boundary density, require more cumulative strain to achieve a uniform final grain size. The ingot conversion therefore typically requires multiple upset and draw operations. In theory, the coarser the starting grain size the more thermomechanical operations will be required to refine the grain size.
The equipment to accomplish the multistep thermomechanical conversion in commercial practice is large in size and expensive. The rough thermomechanical working also requires skilled operators, and careful control over the processing practices. This equipment requirement and extensive processing cannot be avoided or significantly reduced in scale under conventional practice because of the non-uniformity in as-cast grain structure due to differences in solidification rates across the large cross-section of the large ingots.
There is a need for an improved approach to the mechanical processing of ingots into final articles, which reduces the required processing and still results in an article of acceptable, or even improved, final quality. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Delta-phase grain refinement of nickel-iron-base alloy ingots


A golf ball is shown with an outer surface that is substantially covered with a plurality of spaced dimples that give the ball a suitable long and predictable flight pattern for wood or iron shots due to imparting an increased lift to the ball when the ball has a backspin. An undimpled patch is formed on the outer surface for use as a smooth putter-contacting surface. The size of the undimpled patch is chosen to achieve the desired putting accuracy objective without detracting from the increased "hang" time of the flight of the ball. The center of the undimpled patch is substantially spaced between about 90.degree. and 100.degree. from the center of the imprint of the brand name of the ball manufacturer, so the ball may be positioned for putting with the brand name indicia located at the top of the ball, and the location of the undimpled patch being easily discernible from above by the golfer as he stands over the ball and prepares to putt.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the configuration of the outer surface of golf balls, and particularly to such designs which relate to the pattern of the dimpled surface area of the ball so that when the ball is hit by a putter it will assume a more accurate, predetermined, directional roll.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A pioneer patent in the art of golf balls is the Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 878,254 of Feb. 4, 1908 which taught for the first time that the outer surface of a golf ball should be provided with a plurality of spaced dimples which substantially cover the outer surface. The advantage of this dimpled surface is that it gives stability in flight and also increased lift to the ball. In the words of the Taylor patent, "Its principal object is to obtain better results in the flight of the ball in the direction of a sustained hanging flight giving a flat trajectory with a slight rising tendency particularly toward the end of the flight, than have been possible with balls of known types." A smooth surfaced ball that is driven by a given force at a given angle would stay in the air only 2 seconds, while the Taylor dimpled ball would stay in the air 5 seconds for a good wood shot. This is due to the turbulent air action caused by the dimples on the forward moving ball which is back-spinning. The Taylor dimples take advantage of the Bernoulli Effect, which is well known in the science of aerodynamics. To create a vacuum over the top surface of the ball which causes the ball to rise and have a longer "hang" time in flight. The teachings in this Taylor patent are believed to be found in every golf ball on the market at the present time.
The Hagen U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,699 relates to a golf ball surface configuration comprising annular recesses completely covering the ball. These recesses have concavely curved outer walls and convexly curved inner walls with the result that the outer surface is more nearly smooth all over. Hagen asserts that his golf ball is more accurate in flight and also in putting or rolling along the surface of the ground.
The Beldam U.S. Pat. No. 1,681,167 describes the surface configuration of a golf ball where the primary object is to provide a form or character of surface by which a better "grip" of the club with the ball is obtained without slip or relative movement. Also the surface configuration furnishes a better "grip" of the "green", and hence a truer run. The outer surface is filled with rectangular recesses that are surrounded by cross ribs.
The Fotheringham U.S. Pat. No. 1,716,435 is very similar to the Hagen U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,699 in that it describes a golf ball that is covered with a plurality of annular recesses having concavely curved outer walls. This renders a golf ball that is more nearly smooth all over.
The Nepela et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,190 describes a golf ball having dimples in a wide band extending completely around the ball, and the diametrically opposed undimpled portions outside this band having fewer or no dimples allegedly "to decrease the drag on the ball while leaving the lift characteristics substantially the same thereby to cause the ball, for a given striking force, to exhibit directional control." The force tending to slow a conventional golf ball as it travels through the air is commonly referred to as drag. The drag is proportional to the planar area of the ball pushing through the air. With the air film spinning with the ball, the effective planar area of the ball is increased thereby increasing the drag forces imparted on the ball. The patent states that, "any detrimental forces acting to slow the ball in flight will reduce the distance the ball travels." This Nepela patent teaches concentrating the dimples in a circumferential band centered about a circumferential line or great circle around the ball. Then the ball is teed with the plane of the band aimed along the desired direction of flight. This patent states, "By making the surface regions outside the band smoother, i.e., fewer dimples, less air turbulence results and a thinner film of air is carried by these areas thereby reducing the drag on the ball." This patent also states, "For putting, the undimpled areas between dimples form an even spherical surface for control of the ball." The patent states that the large undimpled areas exhibit a spinning "barbell effect", thereby doing away with the sidewise spin which would cause curving of the flight path.
The Shaw et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,727 has a golf ball with a surface pattern of dimples arranged to provide at least 12 and as many as 30 symmetrically disposed bald patches. The purpose of these bald patches is to increase the distance of the ball, but the statistics given in this patent appear to show a minuscule improvement of 2 yards in 230 yards. This patent does not discuss any change or improvement in the putting of the ball. Also each bald patch is narrow and elongated in shape; i.e. a width of 0.856 dimple diameters and an area of 4.01 times the mean dimple area. These bald patches are too small for serving as putting targets.
Also, it is known in the prior art to imprint the brand name of the manufacturer on the cover of the ball, and to assist this procedure an undimpled patch may be reserved of such a size to provide a smooth surface for printing only.


In a preferred embodiment, a football game simulation apparatus, including: a game board; indicating apparatus disposed in said game board to indicate a quarter of a football game being simulated; scoring apparatus disposed in said game board to indicate scores of teams playing the football game being simulated; and holding apparatus disposed in the game board to temporarily hold therein cards employed in playing a simulated football game.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recreational games generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel apparatus for scoring a simulated football game.
2. Description of the Related Art
Football has become a most popular sport, with organized teams comprising players ranging from the very young to adult professionals. Generally, the season for playing football, at least on the professional level, lasts from early fall into the following January. This leaves avid fans without contact with the sport for a good part of each year.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for simulating the game of football and, especially, the scoring of games and ranking of teams throughout a simulated season of games.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.


The invention relates to a method for producing an assembly, as well as to an assembly produced by this method.. The foot of the assembly is butt welded to the hexagonal tube prior to the introduction of the bundle of rods into the latter. This introduction takes place in the vertical direction using a jack which passes through the foot of the assembly. The upper neutron protection is then fixed by pressing the tube into recesses. Finally, the vacuum producing system and the plug are fitted in the foot.. Application to assemblies for fast neutron nuclear reactors.

The present invention relates to a novel method for the production of an assembly for a nuclear reactor, as well as to an assembly obtained by this method.
The fertile or fuel assemblies used in fast neutron nuclear reactors essentially comprise three parts. Thus, starting from the top, each assembly comprises an upper neutron protection, an intermediate (fissile or fertile) part and a foot or base.
More specifically, the foot or base of the assembly comprises a cylindrical tube welded by its upper end to a solid annular bearing member and by its lower end to a plug having a lock. The annular bearing member has a spherical bearing surface by which the assembly rests on a support which also serves to supply liquid sodium to the assembly. For this purpose, the tube has openings and the bearing member is traversed by an axial passage. The intermediate part comprises a bundle of fuel rods fixed at their upper end to an attachment grid and located in a tube having a polygonal and generally a hexagonal cross-section. Finally, the upper neutron protection is constituted by a solid member, whose centre is traversed by a passage by which the reheated liquid sodium leaves the assembly.
At present, the connection between the three parts of the assembly is brought about by welding the ends of the hexagonal tube to the upper neutron protection and to the bearing member of the assembly foot.
Bearing in mind this latter feature, at least one of the welds connecting the hexagonal tube to the solid parts constituted by the upper neutron protection and the bearing member of the assembly foot must be produced after fitting the bundle of rods into the tube. At present, the bundle of rods is fitted before the production of these two welds.
This production procedure is not satisfactory, particularly for the following reasons.
The making of the welds when the bundle of fuel rods is in place must take place behind a neutron protection. Thus, the welding, inspections and possible repair operations have to be carried out remotely, which involves long and costly handling operations with respect to the assembly.
In view of the safety requirements, a weld having even a very small crack (e.g. of length exceeding 0.2 mm) must be considered as unsatisfactory. However, the presence of the fuel rod bundle within the hexagonal tube makes the inspection of the welds much more difficult. Thus, the more accurate direct, non-destructive inspection methods cannot be used in these conditions and other methods, such as ultrasonic testing, does not make it possible to detect such small cracks.
It is therefore conventional practice to use an inspection procedure consisting of taking testpieces from sample tubes during the production of the assemblies, followed by the performance of appropriate tests and inspections on these testpieces. Thus, such an inspection takes place with a time lag and the results thereof are only available after carrying out one or two series of welds (each series consisting e.g. of 20 welds). Therefore, when a doubtful testpiece has been detected, it is necessary to scrap, or at least consider as dubious, a large number of finished assemblies. Therefore, this method suffers from very high costs and can lead to the immobilization of a large amount of fissile material.
The disadvantage referred to hereinbefore is not only theoretical, because the different geometry of the parts to be welded (relatively thin hexagonal tube and thick solid parts) leads to the formation of an asymmetrical weld bead and causes differential expansions and consequently thermal stresses, which in each case lead to a risk of cracking during welding.

Method for the production of a nuclear reactor assembly and assembly obtained by this method


A system for indoor shrimp aquaculture is described that comprises a plurality of stacked raceways, each raceway being a long, flat rectangular tank comprising at least two sections arranged in series and scaled to accommodate shrimp of increasing size. The sections are separated by a moveable section divider whereby shrimp may be transferred between sections once they reach a predetermined size by opening the moveable section divider and allowing the shrimp and water to flow through into the next section. Each raceway includes a waste collection assembly situated at the downstream end of each section for collecting waste for removal. Methods of using the system to grow shrimp are also provided. The raceways are further adapted to facilitate operation of the production module at large scales, in this way; the system is scaleable to achieve high-throughput production of shrimp.

Shrimp farming from the world's oceans can no longer safely meet demand. Alternative methods to try to meet the demand have been developed and enhanced. Typically shrimp production comes from outdoor ponds operated throughout the world but predominantly in tropical or warm climates such as Asia and South America. The outdoor farming methods, while productive, face challenges and drawbacks with respect to disease contraction, environmental damage and a continuing need for various chemicals to keep the shrimp alive and enhance growth.
Farming methods have been developed for indoor closed containment providing a controlled and sometimes enhanced shrimp production. While these methods offer some improvements over outdoor farming, there are still drawbacks associated with the methods. For example, many indoor commercial farms still require large spaces and substantial amounts of water while few practice a high level of bio-security.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,298 describes a method and apparatus for intensive rearing of post-larvae shrimp under controlled conditions. The apparatus comprises first and second rearing units containing habitat structures formed from a plurality of stacked substrates, in which the combined total surface area of the second rearing unit is greater than that of the first rearing unit. Shrimp are moved from the first rearing unit to the second rearing unit after a pre-determined period of growth.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,336,498 describes a system and method for super-intensive shrimp production. The system includes a set of at least two raceways having sloped bottoms with either a bottom nadir or apex, with one of the raceways being at least partially stacked on top of the other. Raceways may be different sizes and shrimp may be transferred from raceway to raceway as they increase in size.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0045189 describes a shrimp culture system that comprises one or more horizontal sheet-like dividers that are used to subdivide a water tank into multiple flow zones. Strips or fronds of high surface area material are attached to the dividers to promote the photosynthetic production of oxygen in the flow zones.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

Indoor shrimp aquaculture system and method


A filter bag arrangement for a vacuum cleaner includes a bag body of filter material, and a stiffening element in the form of a filter mounting plate with an inlet opening of the bag therein. The vacuum cleaner includes a housing defining a chamber into which the bag may be inserted, a lid to cover the chamber, and a filling pipe stub that is insertable into the inlet opening. Plural individual mounting elements are provided at the outer edge of the stiffening element and are inserted into corresponding individual receivers of the housing so as to spatially position and fix the inlet opening of the filter bag arrangement relative to the housing of the vacuum cleaner.

It is conventionally known to provide a vacuum cleaner filter bag with a stiffening element in the form of a filter mounting or securing plate, as well as a filling hole or inlet opening through which the dust-laden air flows into the filter bag through a filling pipe stub from a vacuum hose. In this regard, the filling pipe stub of the vacuum cleaner housing or lid must be inserted into the inlet opening of the filter bag. It is thus necessary to ensure that the filter bag is properly positioned in the vacuum cleaner housing, so that the filling pipe stub can be inserted into the inlet opening of the filter bag without problems.
The European Patent Publication EP 396 864 B1 has disclosed an arrangement for mounting and securing a vacuum cleaner filter bag in a vacuum cleaner housing, in a manner so as to allocate and align the filling pipe stub to the inlet opening of the filter bag without problems, and thereby to ensure the smooth and proper functioning of the filter bag and its connection to the filling pipe stub. Particularly, the disclosed arrangement aims to avoid installation errors of the filter bag, such as a misalignment of the filling pipe stub and the inlet opening of the bag. However, this known arrangement is relatively complicated and therefore costly, and comprises a relatively large number of individual elements. A simpler and more economical arrangement of a filter bag in this regard would be advantageous.

Filter bag arrangement for a vacuum cleaner


A mobile communication system capable of executing optimization of network processing based on a change in utilization characteristics is provided. The mobile communication system according to the present invention includes a network operator device (12) that is arranged in a mobile communication network managed by a mobile communication provider and a service platform (13) that provides an application service for a mobile communication device (11), the mobile communication device performing communication via the mobile communication network. The service platform (13) transmits to the network operator device (12) a characteristic change in the mobile communication device (11) associated with an event notification transmitted from the mobile communication device (11) and the network operator device (12) changes a network parameter associated with the mobile communication device (11) according to the characteristic change in the mobile communication device (11) transmitted from the service platform (13).

In recent years, a method for optimizing setting of each processing node forming a mobile communication system has been required. In the 3GPP, a method for optimizing network processing according to utilization characteristics of a mobile communication terminal has been proposed (Non-Patent Literature 1). For example, for a terminal fixedly installed in a specific location, network processing may be executed to reduce control processing regarding a movement. Specifically, the intervals at which the terminal executes location registration may be set longer than a predetermined period of time. Further, when the mobile communication terminal is a terminal that permits a delay, network processing may be executed to transmit data to a mobile terminal in such a way as to control communication time to avoid the timing at which the amount of data to be transmitted and received becomes the largest.

Mobile communication system, service platform, network parameter control method, and non-transitory computer readable medium


A pressure-biased, temperature sensor for monitoring a fluid system for either an over-temperature or under-pressure condition. The sensor includes a bellows operator immersed in the fluid of a coolant system. The bellows operator expands in response to changes above a predetermined temperature or below a predetermined pressure to complete a signal circuit and energize a signal means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention discloses a multiple function sensing means for a fluid system. More specifically, this invention relates to a sensor for a vehiclular coolant system. The sensor is a compact structure to monitor under-pressure and over-temperature in a coolant system, and provides a signal means indicative of a malfunction. Coolant can boil away at normal operating temperatures if the system is open, such as with a ruptured hose or loose radiator cap.
2. Prior Art
Monitoring devices and sensors for fluid systems are known in the art, particularly temperature sensing apparatus for automobile coolant systems. There have been efforts to provide both over-pressure and over-temperature sensing devices, but not an under-pressure and over-temperature sensor. Indicative of this prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,356 (Kinzer) which discloses a pressure-temperature sensor. In this apparatus, opposed bellows chambers are coupled by a movable electrically conducting disc, which is displaced between a tube end and a thermocouple junction. The disc is moved to contact the thermocouple switch to energize a signal means and thereafter the disc is adjusted with a fluid at a known pressure to disclose an accurate pressure reading. The thermocouple is utilized in a known fashion to yield the temperature of a surrounding fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,933,453 (Schlaich) teaches an indicating device responsive to both temperature and pressure. However, this device requires a coil resistor 13, a temperature coil shown as bimetal coil 16, and a diaphragm operator 24. The diaphragm operator 24 is responsive to an excess pressure to open a circuit. This device provides a current from a battery (not shown) to the end of resistor coil 13 and wiper 14 which is operable by diaphragm 24. The temperature actuation, although reasonably accurate at most temperatures, is inadequate to move the indicator for its entire distance or stroke. However, at an overheated condition sufficient for the liquid to boil vigorously, an excess pressure is disclosed that will actuate the diaphragm to move the indicator for substantially its entire travel range. A drawback noted in this device is, that until vigorous boiling occurs, the thermometer or temperature indicator does not accurately indicate the water temperature due to the difference between the water temperature and air temperature of the space surrounding the temperature responsive instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,099 (Remick, Jr., et al) teaches a boiling point indicator which utilizes two sensors, one for pressure and one for temperature. A diaphragm operator moves a mechanical indicator. There is no teaching of an electrical signal provided for such readings. This particular device is operable only as an indicator of a safe-unsafe temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,728 (Metz) teaches an instrument for monitoring a physical parameter, either temperature or pressure, utilizing an elastic sensor displaceable as a function of the monitored physical parameter. However, it is capable of only monitoring one parameter at a time. The device requires a belt having characteristics which change along the length thereof. The elastic sensor is responsive to the belt characteristic to produce an output signal which varies as a function of the physical parameter being monitored. Such a device is impractical for most automotive or vehicular usages.
Illustrative of early efforts at monitoring fluid bath temperatures is U.S. Pat. No. 1,815,642 (Zubaty) illustrating a bellows filled with a heat responsive fluid, which bellows is immersed in a fluid bath. A mechanical arm is connected between the bellows and a temperature indicator. As the fluid within the bellows is heated, the bellows is permitted to expand to move the mechanical arm and indicate the temperature. There is no teaching or consideration of pressure measurement.
Most vehicle coolant systems are operated at an elevated pressure which permits them to operate at a higher temperature. Generally these coolant systems are provided with relief valves to protect against an over-pressure condition. At a lower pressure the coolant will boil and evaporate from the system at a lower temperature. Therefore, it is vital to be forewarned of an under-pressure condition as well as an over temperature condition in these coolant systems. The above devices, which require immersion in or communication with a fluid to sense either over-temperature or over-pressure, do not provide a means for measuring both an over-temperature condition and an under-pressure condition. The under-pressure condition prevails when the system fluid pressure is lost from a cooling system, such as by a loose radiator cap.


A drive control apparatus for a series hybrid vehicle. The series hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a generator, a battery and a motor. The generator is activated by electricity from the engine so as to drive the motor. The battery is charged by the electricity from the generator, being discharged so as to provide a voltage to the motor. In other words, the motor is also activated by discharging electricity from the battery. There are three modes for activating the motor, i.e. a mode for activating the motor only by the battery, a mode for activating it only by the generator, and a mode for activating it both by the battery and the generator. The motor activating modes will be selected depending upon a required motor output. An output voltage of the generator is determined so as to derive the required output according to the selected mode. The generator is of a type which can output a voltage according to a field current. The field current of the generator is controlled so as to obtain the required output voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drive control apparatus for a series hybrid vehicle (called "SHV" hereinafter), and more particularly to a drive control apparatus for controlling a motor to be installed in the SHV.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of hybrid vehicles (called "HV" hereinafter) having an engine and a driving motor as driving apparatuses have been proposed up to now. The HVs are roughly classified into parallel hybrid vehicles (PHVs) and SHVs. Usually, the SHV has a configuration as shown in FIG. 15.
In FIG. 15, the SHV includes an engine 10, a generator 12 and a motor 14. The generator 12 is a d.c. generator to be rotatably driven by the engine 10. The engine 10 and the generator 12 are mechanically connected via a speed increasing unit 16. The speed increasing unit 16 increases the number of rotations of the engine 10 so as to be compatible with the generator 12.
The generator 12 supplies its output to the motor 14 via an invertor 18, which converts the received output into 3-phase a.c. electricity, and provides it to the motor 14. The motor 14 is a 3-phase a.c. motor, of which mechanical output is transmitted to wheels 24 via a differential gear 22 and so on.
The invertor 18 also receives d.c. electricity from a main battery 26. In other words, the motor 14 can be selectively driven by the electricity either from the generator 12 or the battery 26. For instance, when the engine 10 is inoperative, the generator 12 cannot supply the electricity to the motor 14, so that the motor is driven by the electricity solely from the main battery 26. Since the main battery 26 is a chargeable and dischargeable type, it can be charged by a regenerated power from the motor 14, a charger (not shown), or the like. The main battery 26 can supply the electricity to electric appliances mounted on the vehicle via an auxiliary battery.
The engine 10, generator 12, invertor 18 and other units are controlled by an electronic control unit ECU 28. Specifically, the ECU 28 controls the operation of components of the vehicle such as fuel injection into the engine 10, excitation of the generator 12, and the switching of transistors in the invertor 18 using a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. For instance, the ECU 28 receives a signal indicating the extent of a driver's stepping on an accelerator or brake pedal. Based on the signal, the ECU 28 controls a speed of the engine 10 and an excitation voltage of the generator 12, providing the invertor 18 with the PWM signal, and controlling the vector of a primary current of the motor 14.
With the foregoing SHV, the motor 14 is selectively driven by the electricity either from the generator 12 or the main battery 26.
Selection of either the generator 12 or the main battery 26, or use of both of these power sources depends upon the acceleration performance or other factors of the vehicle so as to satisfy the desired specification. For instance, it is preferable to set up a power supplying plan in which only the generator 12 is used to supply an output in a given range.
Up to now, PHVs in which either an engine or a battery, or the engine and battery is selectively used as a drive source are known (refer to Japanese Patent Publications Sho 62-27603 and Sho 62-27604). By using the techniques disclosed in these references, it is possible to control the supply of power for the SHV.
With the prior art, selection of the drive sources is mechanically performed, which causes undesirable shocks at the time of selection.

Drive control apparatus of series hybrid vehicle


The disclosure provides an ultra thin display module, comprising a LED substrate, a plurality of LED lamp beads, a secondary lens and a display panel. The plurality of LED lamp beads is disposed on the array of the LED substrate, the secondary lens is disposed on the LED substrate, the secondary lens is encapsuled inside the top surface of the LED lamp beads, and the display panel is disposed on the top surface of the secondary lens. The ultra thin display module and method for assembling the same of the disclosure use a brand new structure of ultra thin display module, such that the thickness of the module is greatly decreased as compared with the present techniques.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to the liquid crystal display field, and more particularly, to an ultra thin display module and a method for assembling the same.
2. The Related Arts
Accompanied with the development of the liquid crystal techniques, it is more and more important to decrease the thickness of the products. At present, display modules are assembled by display panels and backlight modules. The thickness of the display modules is decreased by thinning the backlight module. Currently, the backlight module is constituted by iron frames, reflective sheets, backlight plates and optical films. Thus, the thickness of the display modules is decreased by thinning the components in the backlight modules. However, there are limits for the thickness of those components, such that there is a minimum thickness of the display module, and the thickness of the display modules are not thin enough.

Ultra thin display module and method for assembling the same

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd