In bar code symbol scanning systems employing laser, optical and sensor components, a mirrorless scanner arrangement mounts one or more of these components on a drive for repetitive reciprocating movement either about an axis or in a plane to effect scanning.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to laser scanner systems for reading indicia of different light reflectivity such as bar code symbols and, more particularly, to so-called mirrorless scanner systems wherein system components, other than mirrors, are employed to effect sweeping or scanning of symbols to be read.
2. Description of Related Art
Laser scanner systems and components of the type exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,251,798; 4,360,798; 4,369,361; 4,387,297; 4,593,186; 4,496,831; 4,409,470; 4,460,120; 4,607,156; 4,736,095; 4,758,717; 4,816,660; 4,808,804; 4,816,661; 4,760,248; 4,871,904; 4,806,742; 4,845,350, 4,673,803; as well as U.S. application Ser. Nos. 148,669 and 147,708 all of said patents and patent applications being owned by the assignee of the instant invention and being incorporated by reference herein--have generally been designed to read indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, e.g. bar code symbols, particularly of the Universal Product Code (UPC) type, at a certain working or reading distance from a hand-held or stationary scanner.
Typically, a light source such as a laser generates a light beam which is optically modified to form a beam spot of a certain size at the working distance and is directed by optical components along a light path toward a bar code symbol located in the vicinity of the working distance for reflection from the symbol. A photodetector having a field of view extending across and slightly past the symbol detects light of variable intensity reflected off the symbol and generates electrical signals indicative of the detected light. These electrical signals are decoded into data descriptive of the symbol. A scanning component is situated in the light path. The scanning component may either sweep the beam spot across the symbol and trace a scan line across and past the symbol, or scan the field of view of the photodetector, or do both.
In any case, the scanner typically includes a moving mirror. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,798 discloses a rotating polygon having a planar mirror at each side, each mirror tracing a scan line across the symbol. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,387,297 and 4,409,470 both employ a planar mirror which is repetitively and reciprocally driven in alternate circumferential directions about a drive shaft on which the mirror is mounted. U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,668 discloses a multi-mirror construction composed of a generally concave mirror portion and a generally planar mirror portion, the multi-mirror construction being repetitively and reciprocally driven in alternate circumferential directions about a drive shaft on which the multi-mirror construction was mounted.
No matter what the shape or orientation of the mirror, the known scanning components employed in laser scanning systems moved mirrors to perform the aforementioned sweeping and scanning actions. Moving other laser scanning system components was not thought to be practical. Thus, moving a gas laser tube was unthinkable, particularly in hand-held, compact system applications, due to the large size and the requisite large room necessary to accommodate a moving gas laser tube. Moving an optical lens was also not thought to be desirable, because optical alignment is critical in laser scanning systems. Hence, it was the mirror that was typically designated to effect the sweeping/scanning functions. However, in some laser scanning applications, mirror movements have not been found to be altogether desirable.
In non-laser scanning systems of the type exemplified by U. S. Pat. No. 4,578,571, a non-laser light emitting diode, an optical assembly, a photodetector, and electronic preamplifier/filter circuitry are all fixedly mounted on a common support that is connected to a cantilevered bimorph which is reciprocatingly driven to jointly move all the aforementioned components back and forth over a bar code symbol to be scanned. The large volume and heavy mass of all the commonly-mounted non-laser system components requires the expenditure of a great deal of power for the drive. This is not altogether practical in those cases, e.g. battery-powered operation, where power consumption is to be held to a minimum. Also, moving only one or more non-mirrored system components relative to another for conserving power was heretofore not considered desirable, because of the optical alignment problems described above. One feature of this invention resides, briefly :stated, in a mirrorless scanner arrangement in a light scanning system for reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, e.g. bar code symbols having alternating bars and spaces. The system is of the general type which includes a light source component, e.g. a laser, for emitting a laser light beam; an optical component, e.g. a focusing lens and/or an aperture stop, for optically modifying and directing the laser beam along an optical path toward the symbol located in the vicinity of a reference plane exteriorly of the system; and a photodetector component, e.g. a photodiode, having a field of view and operative for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity along a return path reflected off the symbol, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the detected light intensity. This electrical signal is thereupon processed and converted to data descriptive of the symbol.
In accordance with this invention, the mirrorless scanner arrangement includes means for mounting at least one of the components for repetitive, reciprocating movement relative to at least another of the components, as well as drive means for repetitively, reciprocatingly moving the mounting means and said at least one component to scan at least one of said light beam and said field of view. Only one or only two of said components can advantageously be reciprocated relative to said other components. In addition, all the components can be jointly reciprocated, in which event, it is advantageous if the optical and return paths are co-linear, at least within a housing in which all the aforementioned components are housed.
Advantageously, the drive means includes a motor having an elongated shaft, and operative for reciprocatingly turning the shaft about an axis which extends along the elongation of the shaft in alternate circumferential directions over arc lengths less than 360.degree., e.g. 10.degree. to either side of a center position. Said at least one component is mounted on the shaft for joint turning movement therewith.
The component mounted on the shaft may be the laser, e.g. a semiconductor laser diode, a focusing lens, an aperture stop, the combination of a focusing lens and-an aperture stop, or the entire combination of the diode, the lens and the aperture stop. Also, the photodiode could be mounted on the shaft for joint turning movement therewith. Since the diode requires a power supply, e.g. a 12-volt DC source, and since the electrical signal developed by the photodiode must be conveyed to signal processing circuitry, electrical coiled tensile wires are advantageously connected to the laser diode and the photodiode.
Rather than turning the aforementioned components about an axis, the drive means may also be operative to reciprocatingly move one or more of said components in a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis along which the optical path extends in a center position. Such planar movement can be effected by many types of drives, e.g. an electromagnetic drive, a mechanical drive, a piezoelectric drive, and a bi-metallic heating drive.
The mirrorless scanner arrangement of this invention can be used to generate a single scan line over the symbol to be read, or can be used with other scanner components to generate a multi-line scan pattern over the symbol.
In addition, the mirrorless scanner arrangement is very compact in size and light in weight, and can be mounted in modular manner in many different system configurations. For example, the arrangement can be mounted in hand-held housings having any convenient shape, e.g. a gun-shaped head having a barrel and a handle, or a box-like head, or a cylindrical-type head, or in desk-top housings, e.g. a workstation having scan-above, scan-down, or scan-sideways capabilities, or in stationary system installations, e.g. mounted at a production line or at a cash register. The compact size and lightweight characteristic renders the arrangement very versatile for multiple applications and uses. The power requirements for reciprocating the one or more components to be reciprocated is minimal. Advantageously, the arrangement is easily removable from the system in which it is installed. An arrangement requiring replacement is easily interchangeable with another.

Mirrorless scanners with movable laser, optical and sensor components


A torque transfer apparatus and method wherein a device such as a pipe tong is provided with hard metallic inserts (steel) on the tong jaws with thin facing material (bonding key material) which is interposed between the surface of the pipe and the insert. This soft bonding key material, aluminum or bronze sheeting, or coatings of soft alloy, under pressure by the clamping force of the tong jaws flows into the imperfections in the pipe and the imperfections in the insert thereby creating a bond. The bond fails when the applied torque overcomes the shear strength of the key material, shearing off small protrusions from the surface of the key material. This leaves the pipe surface undamaged. The surface of the inserts are provided with grooves and drainage holes and to insure greater contact with the pipe whose diameter may vary, the inserts are made from spring steel with a smaller diameter than that of the pipe so that when the clamping force is applied, the insert and the bonding key material straighten out and wrap around the pipe.

This invention relates, in general, to friction devices, such as brakes, clutches and friction drives where a high coefficient of friction with high contact load is critical.
This invention is particularly directed to a method and apparatus for transferring torque to drill pipe or casing, such as by manual or power tongs or other gripping assemblies, used on the rig floor of an oil and gas drilling or production rig either onshore or offshore.
More specifically, this invention is an improvement in the grippers on the jaws of such torque transfer apparatus and an improvement in the method of transferring torque to drill pipe or casing.
In known friction devices, the coefficient of sliding friction K is determined by the pairs of materials used and it is common to use hardened sharp steel teeth on the faces of the grippers against the softer pipe material so that the teeth are forcibly clamped around the pipe. The greater the clamping force, the better the grip on the pipe to avoid slippage, By penetrating and damaging pipe surfaces, these teeth developed a K equal to 0.5 to 1 or greater. Unfortunately, metal is chiseled out of the pipe if slippage occurs. The penetration of the pipe by the teeth and the slippage, if the latter occurs, sacrifice tool joints and the body of the pipe.
Another tendency in the prior art is to make the grippers out of a material that will provide minimum wear to the grippers if slippage occurs between the grippers and the pipe. Knowing the limitations of the coefficient of friction, prior art developed in the direction of increased contact area and evenly distributed normal loads, such as in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,064 and 4,869,137 by D. T. Slator. In the devices described by these patents, rubber backing is used to more evenly distribute normal loads on the pipe. In this way, with relatively low coefficient of friction, greater normal load can be applied with a reduced negative effect on the pipe.
Other gripping arrangements used to achieve the same effect comprises steel needles flexibly bonded together by rubber so that, under normal load, the shifting of the needles redistributes contact pressure.
It is also recognized that in the prior art, a pair of different materials with high coefficient friction is used, for example, composite brake pads against a steel disk. Both the pads and the disks wear out although the pads wear the most and are considered replaceable.
It is also known from friction physics that a majority of materials have a higher dry coefficient of friction against themselves than against other materials. Materials of the same origin have a tendency under load to form a bond similar to a cold weld and when there is slippage between the materials, galling occurs where small particles of the material are removed from the surfaces and jammed between the moving parts and in the prior art, there have been a full range of measures used to prevent galling from happening.
This invention, on the other hand, can be said to be an alternative to the prior art of friction gripping, ie, hard gripping surfaces against soft pipe surfaces and goes in the opposite direction to the prior art developments by providing a material softer than the pipe which contacts the pipe and wherein bonding becomes a desirable feature. In this invention, the transfer of rotational torque to the pipe then becomes a function of the shear strength of the softer material and, if slippage occurs, the softer material is damaged rather than the pipe.


A display panel features a backlight unit including a back plate, a light-guide with a first surface facing a display device and a second surface facing the back play, and a light-source mounted on a side of light-guide. An orthographic projection of the first surface coincides with the display device, an orthographic projection of second surface coincides with back plate, the first surface has an area larger than that of second surface such that first surface covers the light source. A plurality of the display panels might be placed adjacent to one another to form a display structure.

Multi-directional display devices are often in demand in public places such as plaza or shopping mall. In order to realize multi-directional displaying, multiple displays are usually arranged in various directions in the public places. This is a waste of resources.
At present, multi-facet displays for multi-directional displaying have been commercially available. These multi-facet displays are usually formed by splicing a plurality of individual displays. However, since each of the individual displays more or less have a frame at the time of displaying, a broader frame can be formed accordingly after a plurality of individual displays are spliced, seriously impacting on the displaying effect of the multi-facet display.

Display panel backlight unit with light guide plate shaped to cover light source

BEIJING BOE CHATANI ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


The disclosure describes a lighting apparatus that includes a light-diffusive panel having opposing first and second faces and two or more side portions. A side portion has a curved surface and a third surface. Solid-state lighting (SSL) elements are disposed proximate the third surface of the side portion and are arranged to emit light at the third surface. A first reflector is disposed on the curved surface of the side portion and has a reflective surface to reflect light from the SSL elements into the light-diffusive panel. A plurality of disruptions are formed on the second face of the light-diffusive panel and are arranged to disperse internally reflected light. A second reflector is disposed on the second face of the light-diffusive panel and is arranged to reflect light emitted from the second surface into the light-diffusive panel.

Solid-state lighting (SSL) apparatus have semiconductor structures that emit light. Examples of SSL lighting include light-emitting diodes (LEDs), semiconductor laser diodes (LDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED), or quantum dots. Individual LEDs, LDs, OLEDs, PLEDs, and quantum dots may be referred to as "SSL elements." SSL is becoming more popular due in part to the energy efficient qualities and durability of SSL. One popular application is advertising and public information signage. In some implementations, LEDs are placed along one or more edges of a light-transmitting panel, and the light-transmitting panel is configured to evenly distribute light emitted from the LEDs through a surface of the panel.
With an edge-lit panel, light from the LEDs is spread evenly through the panel by total internal reflection. Disruptions formed on the surface of the panel scatter incident light so that light is emitted from the surface of the panel.


A lighting control system for a space equipped with lamps for illuminating the space comprises a power circuit for supplying power to the lamps, a controllable switch in the power circuit for turning the lamps on and off, an occupancy sensor for detecting motion within the space and generating a motion-detected control signal in response to the detection of such motion, and a timer for measuring a time-out interval following the generation of the motion-detected control signal by the occupancy sensor and producing a time-out control signal in response to completion of the measurement of the time-out interval. A processor receives the control signals from the occupancy sensor and the timer and produces a switch-off control signal for the controllable switch to turn the lamps off in response to the time-out control signal, modifies the time-out interval by a time-out offset value in response to preselected events, counts the number of times the switch-off control signal is produced, without the receipt of the motion-detected control signal, within a predetermined time following the end of the time-out interval, and decrements the time-out interval by the offset value in response to the count reaching a predetermined value.

Automatic shut-off lighting controls are used to save electrical energy, and are often required by legislated energy codes. Occupancy sensors are intended to keep lights ON while people are within the detection area. Detection is based on movement, which is typically sensed using passive infrared (PIR) or ultrasonic doppler shift means. When the occupant is stationary or does not move to a great enough degree to trigger detection, then the lights will turn OFF. To avoid this undesired consequence, a timer is employed to delay the OFF event. Ideally, this timer is set to a time that is at least the time between occupant movements such that the occupant will move again before the lights turn OFF. Determining the ideal duration of the timer can be a difficult chore. Occupant movements may be repetitive, but the interval between movements varies. If the timer duration is too short, then it is likely that the lights will turn OFF on the occupant. If the timer duration is too long, then the lights will remain ON longer than necessary after the occupant leaves the room, wasting energy. A false OFF can be a safety problem as well as an annoyance, so a longer than necessary time duration usually takes precedence over the need for energy savings. Occupancy sensors with manual timer settings may need to be re-adjusted until the occupant is satisfied. Sensors that have been in service for a while are often found with the time setting increased to the maximum or disabled altogether.
Manufacturers of occupancy sensors have attempted to address this problem by incorporating an automatic means to adjust the timer duration. One technique measures the interval between movements and tries to determine an ideal time-out setting based on a statistical interpretation of movement history. A reactive method increases the time-out setting in response to a false OFF event. A false OFF is assumed if movement occurs immediately after the OFF event.
There are problems with these existing methods. A statistical approach requires a great deal of data before it can zero in on the best setting, making it inherently slow to adjust in new occupancies or when the type of occupancy changes. The frustration and annoyance of occupants can be high due to false OFF occurrences while the sensor "learns the room." Stories of adaptive timing schemes being manually disabled are legend. In contrast, the reactive approach offers faster adaptation by increasing the timer in response to a single false OFF event. However, the drawback to this approach is that the timer duration will never be reduced when the type of occupancy changes. It is also more likely that all reactive sensors will eventually arrive at the maximum timer setting, wasting energy. Currently available reactive sensors typically make large adjustments in the timer (e.g., 1.5 times the existing value) so that the sensor reaches the maximum time-out very quickly to reduce annoyance to the occupants, but at is the expense of energy savings.
Manufacturers also are concerned with false ON events since such occurrences waste energy. One proposal to reduce false ON events is to use a fault tolerant mode that requires two subsequent initial detection movements before the sensor turns ON. This method is not ideal since it introduces a time lag. For example, with the PIR detection method, the occupant must move through two optical segments before the lights turn ON. This may require further travel into a dark room, compromising safety.

Automatic timing adjustment system for occupancy sensors


A method for implementing a prompt dose mitigating capacitor is disclosed. Initially, a flip chip is provided with multiple capacitors. The flip chip is then placed on top of a substrate having multiple electronic devices connected to a set of power rails. The terminals of the capacitors within the flip chip are subsequently connected to the power rails within the substrate in order to regulate voltages appeared on the power rails during a radiation pulse.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to integrated circuits in general, and in particular to a method for fabricating radiation-tolerant integrated circuit devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Most of today's high-density integrated circuit (IC) devices have been fabricated with complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processing technology that is well-known to those skilled in the art of semiconductor processing. Two biggest advantages of CMOS IC devices are high noise immunity and low power dissipation. As such, CMOS IC devices are desirable in most commercial applications. However, standard CMOS IC devices may not be very suitable for aerospace applications because those environments tend to be characterized by high levels of radiation, particularly charged particles, and standard CMOS IC devices are notorious for having a relatively low radiation tolerance.
Prompt dose upset (PDU) and prompt dose transients (PDT) are terms used to describe a response of an electronic circuit to a radiation pulse. A radiation pulse generates multiple electron-hole pairs in the semiconductor material through an ionization process. The electrons are swept toward, and collected at the positive circuit nodes, creating a negative pulse. In conjunction, the holes are collected in the ground terminal(s). Because an electronic circuit has inherent impedance, the above-mentioned "photo-current" creates undesired voltage drops, resulting in a "rail-span collapse," i.e., a collapse of voltage across the circuit nodes, which in turn cause logical or storage errors. The collapse of power rails in input/output (I/O) circuits create temporary transients, resulting in signal changes at the output of the I/O circuits. The effect of the radiation pulse worsens as power supply voltage is reduced with advance technologies (thus reducing the overhead margin), and with increase in device size and complexity (which increases the amount of photo-current).

Method for implementing prompt dose mitigating capacitor

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


The disclosure is directed to piezoelectric film structures and sensors, and display assemblies using same. The piezoelectric film structure is transparent and includes: a substrate; a bottom optical layer disposed on or above the substrate; a bottom conducting layer disposed on or above the bottom optical layer; at least one piezoelectric layer disposed on or above the bottom conducting layer; a top conducting layer disposed on or above the at least one piezoelectric layer; and a top optical layer disposed on or above the top conducting layer. The sensor includes the piezoelectric film structure electrically connected to a signal processing system. The display assembly includes the sensor operably arranged relative to a display device. The piezoelectric film structures and sensors can be configured to determine one or more touch-sensing features associated with a touch event.

Smart phones and similar display-based devices typically have a touch sensor integrated with the display or the display cover of the device. The touch sensor provides touch-sensing functionality by sensing the position (and in some cases the movement) of a user's touch and uses this information to carry out one or more device functions.
It is also desirable for display-based devices to have additional functionality beyond mere touch-location sensing. Other functionalities include a pressure sensing, acoustic sensing, acceleration sensing and vibrational energy harvesting. It may also be desirable for the display-based device to have multiple touch-sensing functionalities.
Besides touch-sensing features, the covers for display-based devices need to be durable, i.e., scratch-resistant and break-resistant, while also having strong optical performance characteristics (e.g., high optical transmission, low reflectivity, low distortion, good color, etc.).

Piezoelectric film structures and sensors and display assemblies using same


A spill-proof platter apparatus is arranged to minimize spillage of items supported thereon during transport and use. The platter apparatus employs connector fixtures secured to a holder plate at one or more locations in a predetermined pattern. Receivers taking the form of beverage container braces, plates, bowls, and the like are removably engaged to the connector fixtures to locate beverage and food related items at a fixed position of the platter apparatus.

A variety of situations arise in which food and/or beverage is served and/or transported on a portable service device. Most typically, such portable service devices are trays or platters that define a carrying surface area that is large enough to support a plurality of food and beverage items, such as beverage containers, plates, and bowls, but yet small enough to be transported by a single person. The trays may be sized and configured primarily for personal use to accommodate single serving portions of the food and beverage items. In other cases, the trays may be sized and configured to support serving portions of food and/or beverage items suitable for a plurality of people. For both situations, transport of the service trays introduces the risk of spillage of the supported food or beverage items. Such service trays are also commonly employed in situations involving uneven and/or unsteady support surfaces. For example, service trays may be used on people's laps, as well as in moving vehicles, such as automobiles and boats. Clearly, such applications also introduce the risk of spillage of the food or beverage items.
While it is common for conventional trays/platters to include integral or detachable dividers for defining discrete zones at the tray surface for separating different food and beverage items, there remains a need to retain food and beverage items at a tray/platter in a spill-proof manner. A beneficial improvement from conventional trays would be an apparatus which facilitates the selective engagement of items such as beverage container braces, bowls, plates, bowl braces, and plate braces into a fixed position with respect to the platter, so that the food and beverage items are restrained from displacement along the platter surface.


A sand filter for use in a well is provided employing a length of perforated tubing. A tubular wedge wire screen is telescopically positioned on the tubing covering the perforations. A plurality of tubular corrugated filter elements are then positioned on the wedge wire screen in end-to-end relationship. Each of the filter elements is formed of diffusion bonded multiple layers of wire mesh and each of the filter elements is corrugated to provide an external surface having an area at least three times the area of the cylindrical external surface of the tubular wedge wire screen that is encompassed by each filter element. The corrugated filter elements are secured on the wedge wire screen and welded in abutted end-to-end position.

This invention relates to a sand filter for use in an oil and/or gas producing well. Oil and/or gas wells are drilled from the earth's surface, the well borehole penetrating into a subterranean hydrocarbon producing formation. Such formations are typically made up of porous rock. That is, oil and/or gas does not occur normally in the manner contemplated by the general public, that is, in pools of liquid or caverns filled with gas. Instead, hydrocarbons are typically found in a rock strata that has porosity and permeability sufficient that entrapped oil and/or gas can flow through the formation. As the porosity of a rock formation increases, the quantity of oil and/or gas in proportion to the mass of the rock can also increase. Further, as the permeability of a rock formation increases, the more freely oil and/or gas can flow from the formation.
Since porosity and permeability are inherent characteristics of most oil and/or gas producing formations, it is inevitable that sand components are typically carried along by the flowing hydrocarbon product.
When substantial quantities of sand are carried along as oil and/or gas is removed from a formation, the sand can eventually plug the openings into the interior of tubing by which the hydrocarbon production is withdrawn to the earth's surface.
When an oil producing well must be pumped, the entrance of sand into the fluid being pumped causes a high rate of pump wear. For these and other reasons, it is important to prevent as much sand as possible from entering into production tubing in a well and, for this purpose, sand filters have long been employed in the petroleum industry.
For information about sand filters and their application in oil or gas wells, see the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,367,406; 4,649,996; 1,992,718; 2,342,913; 2,985,241; 2,877,852; 2,858,894; 3,327,865; 4,064,938, 4,317,023; 4,388,968; 4,406,326; 4,428,431; 4,495,073; 4,494,603; 4,526,230; 4,649,996; 4,681,161; 4,811,790 and 4,821,800.
Some filtration systems include the use of packing material, and for reference to these type of filters see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,082,052; 5,115,864 and 5,232,048.
Sand filters previously used in the petroleum industry have been deficient in several ways. In one way, many of the materials used for providing sand filtration do not possess the required ability to screen out small sand particles, that is, the screening materials let small diameter sand through that can ultimately cause blockage of flow paths or high pump wear. A second problem is that they have relatively small external surface areas so that sand builds up, blocking further flow. It is apparent that longer filter life can be achieved in direct relationship to the external surface area of the filter. Materials that have been used in previous type sand filters do not lend themselves to designing a sand filter in a way to increase the external surface area. A third problem is that many materials that are used for filtration are not capable of withstanding the harsh environment of a producing well. A fourth problem with some type filters is that they are expensive to manufacture and difficult to install.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved sand filtration system for use in oil and/or gas wells that provides improved filtration effectiveness. Another object is to provide a filter that has increased surface area per unit length. Another object is formed of materials capable of withstanding the riggers to which downhole sand filters are subjected and that can withstand the process of positioning them into the bottom of a borehole. In addition, this disclosure provides a sand filtration system that can be expeditiously applied to the exterior of a length of perforated tubing.


The drive control circuit (200) includes a driver circuit (250) for intermittently supplying the magnetic coils with a supply voltage VSUP; a switching signal generating circuit (240) that generates a switching signal supplied to the driver circuit (250); and a voltage setter (270) that supplies a supply voltage control value Ya to the switching signal generating circuit (240). By adjusting pulse width of the switching signals DRVA1, DRVA2 with reference to the supply voltage control value Ya, the switching signal generating circuit (240) adjusts the effective voltage which is applied to the magnetic coils.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric motor; and relates in particular to technology enabling supply of variable voltage to the magnetic coils.
2. Description of the Related Art
The brushless motor disclosed in Patent Citation 1 is one example of motors known in the art utilizing permanent magnets and magnetic coils.    Patent Citation 1: JP 2001-298982A
Control of a brushless motor involves using a driver circuit composed of several switching transistors, and applying voltage to the magnetic coils through on/off control of the switching transistors.
Depending on the application for which a motor is used, there are instances in which different voltage values will be used as the supply voltage supplied to the motor. One problem encountered in the past was that in the case of different supply voltages, it was necessary for the drive control circuit of the motor to employ circuits customized for that particular voltage. Accordingly, there existed a need for motor control technology capable of adapting flexibly to changes in supply voltage.

Drive control circuit for electric motor and electric motor equipped with same


A method and system for preparing a mixture of Guerbet alcohols where one or more primary alcohols of the formula RCH2CH2OH are provided, with R representing hydrogen or a straight or branched chain alkyl group of 1 to 14 carbon atoms. A base and a catalyst are provided, which are mixed with the primary alcohol(s). The resulting mixture is heated to a process temperature above the boiling point of water under reaction conditions and the water resulting from the thus obtained condensation and dehydration of the primary alcohols is then removed constantly. When the Guerbet reaction has reached a certain stage, at least part of the reaction mixture is removed, followed by a separation of the desired Guerbet alcohols from the removed part of the reaction mixture. The other alcohols are then returned to the reaction mixture for obtaining a higher amount of the desired Guerbet alcohols.

The term "Guerbet alcohols" is commonly used to describe alcohols formed by Guerbet reaction, named after Marcel Guerbet, which is an auto condensation converting a primary aliphatic alcohol into its β-alkylated dimer alcohol with loss of one equivalent of water. The Guerbet reaction requires a catalyst and elevated temperatures.
Guerbet alcohols are saturated primary alcohols with a defined branching of the carbon chain. They are well known in the state of the art.
The term Guerbet alcohol as used in this specification is to be understood as a monofunctional, primary alcohol comprising at least one branching at the carbon atom adjacent to the carbon atom carrying the hydroxyl group. Chemically, Guerbet alcohols are described as 2-alkyl-1-alkanols, but in the present specification Guerbet alcohols comprise also multi-branched alcohols (multiple alkyl alcohols).
The reaction mechanism leading to Guerbet alcohols comprises essentially the following steps: First, a primary alcohol of the formula RCH2CH2OH, wherein R may be hydrogen or a straight or branched chain alkyl group, is dehydrogenated (or oxidised) to the respective aldehyde. In the following, two aldehyde molecules undergo an aldol condensation to an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde, which is finally hydrogenated to the "dimer" alcohol. The catalyst used for this reaction may be of alkaline nature (e.g. potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium tert-butoxide, etc.) possibly in the presence of a platinum or palladium catalyst. Usually the reaction takes place under heating and possibly pressurization. An overview of a Guerbet condensation process is given in the illustration below:

A Guerbet alcohol may also have two or more branches, particularly if it is the product of two or more subsequent condensation reactions. For example, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, the Guerbet dimer of 1-butanol, may react with 1-propanol to yield 4-ethyl-2-methyl-1-octanol. This further increases the variety of Guerbet alcohols.
An example of a process for preparing branched dimer alcohols based on the Guerbet reaction is for instance disclosed in the patent specification EP 0 299 720 B1 assigned to Exxon Chemical Patents Inc. The process comprises steps of first combining the primary alcohol mixture with KOH and NaOH and heating the mixture until the base dissolves. Thereafter a platinum catalyst on activated carbon support is added and heated to reflux with water being evolved and removed as it is formed.
Another example of a process for dimerizing alcohols in a manner of Guerbet reaction is disclosed in patent application US 2012/0220806 A1 filed by Cognis IP management GmbH. The process converts one or more starting alcohols having 2 to 72 carbon atoms and one to three OH-groups per molecule in the presence of a base (KOH), a carbonyl compound and a metallic hydrogenation catalyst. The process is limited to the use of alcohols that have at least one primary or secondary OH-group and a carbon atom bearing at least one hydrogen atom as a substituent that is directly adjacent to the carbon atom having the primary or secondary OH-group.
For a large scale production of multi-branched Guerbet alcohols, however, an improved manufacturing process is required that further allows to control the final distribution of Guerbet alcohols with respect to carbon number and branching type and number.


An I/O card (10) includes an internal PC board (26) attached to the frame means (12, 18) which extend along the edges of the PC board (26). A top panel (60) and a bottom panel (40) sandwich the frame (12, 18) and its associated PC board (26) therebetween. A socket connector (34) is positioned at the rear end of the I/O card (10). Oppositely, a specifically shaped and dimensioned opening (21) extends through the front wall (14) of the frame (12) in a front-to-end direction whereby a projecting section (29) of the PC board (26) extends into the opening (21). Two rows of traces (31) are staggeringly positioned respectively on opposite surfaces of the PC board (26) along the projecting section (29) so that when a card edge cable connector (70) is adapted to be snugly inserted into the opening (21) of the I/O card (10), the projecting section (29) of the PC board (26) is electrically and mechanically engaged within the card edge connector (70) for communication between the computer and the corresponding peripheral.

1. Field of The Invention
The invention relates to I/O cards assembly, especially to connection mechanism of an external cable connector and an I/O section of such card assembly.
2. The Prior Art
The conventional IC or memory card/cartridge generally includes a connector or connection area positioned along an edge thereof to engage with an external memory or IC card connector for signal communication in and out, for examples, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,176, 4,780,791, 4,798,946, 4,849,944, 4,857,005, 4,864,116, 4,872,091, 4,890,197, 4,893,001, 4,909,742, 4,941,835, 5,038,250 and 5,061,845. Recently, I/O cards are gradually and popularly used in computer industry. The I/O card generally comprises two different connectors at two opposite ends wherein one is a standard 68 pins socket connector which is commonly used in the traditional memory card and is adapted to mate with an external traditional memory card connector mounted on the mother board in the computer. The other is a 9 or 15 positions Input/Output (I/O) connector, even though it has not been standardized, which is designedly adapted to mate with a complementary connector connected to an external cable for peripherals that work in conjunction with the computer, for examples, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,207,586 and 5,242,310.
Because of the growing competition in computer industry, the price becomes an important consideration for the manufacturer. Hence, to lower the cost of the components is the goal for a computer manufacture and his associated component vendors. It can be understood that in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,586 to MacGregor, the I/O connector is designedly integral with the frame of the card for reducing the number of the parts and eliminating some fastening job thereof partially for cost considerations.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an I/O card which has a simplified structure or less parts for low cost to, at its I/O end, mate with an external cable of peripherals. The present invention eliminates the I/O connector used in the prior art I/O card by arranging two terminal arrays staggering on opposite sides of the internal PC board within an opening at the I/O end of the I/O card instead thereof to mate with an edge card type connector connected to an external peripheral cable.

I/O card and connection mechanism thereof


An attempt to fit an improper combination of housings (10, 30) together brings a projection (32R) of the wrong housing (30) into abutting engagement with an interference portion (15) in a fitting recess (12). Abutment surfaces (15a, 32Ra) are inclined in directions to move an inner peripheral surface of the fitting recess (12) towards an outer peripheral surface of the wrong housing (30). Therefore, the fitting recess (12) cannot deform and spread out, and the fitting of the wrong housing (30) cannot proceed by force.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector with an erroneous-fitting detection function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical connector has a male housing that can be inserted into a fitting recess in a female housing. Different kinds of male housings often have identical outer shapes and different kinds of female housings often have fitting recesses with substantially identically configured inner peripheries. However, the different kinds of housings may differ from one another with respect to the number of poles, and there is a fear that an improper combination of female and male housings will be fit together.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2003/0017748 A1 discloses connectors with projections formed on the outer periphery of each male housing so that the positions of the projections are different for different kinds of male housings. Grooves are formed in the inner periphery of the fitting recess of each female housing at positions for receiving the projections of the corresponding male housing. Thus, a proper combination of the female and male housings can be fit together without hindrance. However, the projections interfere with an opening edge of the fitting recess when the housings form an improper combination so that the fitting operation is prevented.
Housings generally are made of a synthetic resin, and therefore the opening edge of the fitting recess can be deform and spread outwardly. Such a deformation can be caused by the ribs on the male housing when the wrong male housing is mistakenly urged into the fitting recess of the female housing.
This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the invention is to enable erroneous fitting to be detected positively.


A bearing unit configured to support a first component for rotary movement with respect to a second component includes a first bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring and a second bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring and a separator axially disposed between and connecting the outer ring of the first bearing and the outer ring of the second bearing in an interference fit manner or in a friction fit manner to form a preassembled unit. The separator may be annular and have a plastic base body with axial openings in which metal spacers, cylindrical rods, for example, are mounted.

In a variety of bearing assemblies two bearings are disposed spaced in the axial direction. This can be necessary for different reasons. One application example is, for example, preassembled bearing units.
Here this can be, for example, a conventional bearing unit 1 shown in FIG. 3, for example, a truck hub bearing (truck hub unit or THU). The bearing unit 1 includes a common outer ring 2 that respectively includes on its radially inwardly facing side race surfaces 10 and 11 for a first rolling-element row 3 and a second rolling-element row 4, respectively. A separate inner ring 5 or 6 is respectively associated with the rolling-element rows 3 and 4. Here the outer ring is very long or has a large extension in the axial direction in order to realize an intermediate space in a region 7 between the race surfaces 10 and 11, which can also be referred to as raceways, and also to realize receptacles for seals 8 and 9 of the bearing unit 1. The outer ring 2 is usually manufactured from a rolling-element bearing steel.
Except for on the direct race surfaces 10 and 11, which can also be referred to as race zones, i.e., in regions wherein the rolling elements 3 and 4 roll on the outer ring 2, under certain circumstances no high-strength material is needed. Nonetheless in the manufacturing of the conventional bearing unit 1 a not-insignificant material section, namely in the regions indicated by the reference numbers 7, 8, and 9, must be processed, hardened, and transported. A complexity in the manufacturing of the product and thus also a cost component can thereby increase. This is undesired and can also occur in a variety of other bearing assemblies.
There is therefore a need to simplify the manufacturing of a bearing unit.


A bus bar is connected between a battery post and a stud bolt to which an electric power supply wire is connected. An opening is provided in a housing in which an explosive sealing portion is accommodated. Just before the opening, a broken portion of the bus bar is provided. In the broken portion, a recess portion is formed, and this portion of the broken portion is thin. On both sides of the broken portion, a cutout portions are formed. In case of emergency, electric current generates in a trigger wire, and an explosive in the explosive sealing portion is exploded. An explosive force is directed to the opening of the housing, and the broken portion located just before the opening receives the explosive force forward. Due to the foregoing, the recess portion is broken and both broken pieces are bent at the cutout portions and opened being separated from each other. In this way, an electric power supply circuit is shut off.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit breaking device incorporated into an automobile and others.
2. Description of the Related Art
Concerning this type circuit breaking device, it is common to use a fuse or a fusible link incorporated into an electric circuit so that the current flow in the circuit is interrupted when excessive current is generated in the electric circuit. On the other hand, in case of an emergency such as an automobile accident, it is necessary to forcibly shut off the electric circuit in a moment. For example, in an electric power supply circuit of an electric automobile which has come into wide use recently, there is a strong demand for forcibly shutting off the electric circuit in a moment in case of emergency.
As disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 58-47809, the conventional circuit breaker of this type is activated in such a manner that an electric conductor incorporated into an electric circuit is forcibly broken by an explosive force. As shown in FIG. 10, this circuit breaker is composed as follows:
In a reinforced glass case 105, there are provided a fuse 102 connected between output terminals 101, an explosive 103, and a filament 104 for heating this explosive 103. When an electric current generates in the input terminals 106, this filament 104 is heated, so that explosive 103 is exploded. Utilizing the explosive force, the fuse 102 is broken. Due to the above structure, it is possible to forcibly shut off the electric circuit at an arbitrary time.
However, according to the conventional circuit breaker, the following problems may be encountered. The explosive force of explosive is dispersed in all directions, and only one portion of the explosive force acts on the fuse 102. Therefore, a considerably high intensity of explosive force is required for breaking the fuse 102 positively. Therefore, the sealed glass case 105 must have a strong structure so that it can withstand a high intensity of explosive force. Further the sealed glass case 105 must be subjected to a special treatment for enhancing the mechanical strength. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost is inevitably increased. Additionally, the conventional circuit breaker is disadvantageous in that it is not simple to reset the circuit breaker after the fuse 102 has been broken. Thus, after an electric automobile has been involved in an accident, it is impossible to reset the circuit breaker immediately so that the electric automobile can be moved under its own power.

Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd.


A medical electrical lead of the type which includes an electrode at a distal end of the lead a connector at a proximal end of the lead and an elongated electrical conductor extending between the electrode and the connector. The conductor is comprised of a wire wound in a coil configuration with the wire comprised of a duplex titanium alloy. Materials of such composition have been found to have suitable conductivity for use with implantable pulse generators and suitable fatigue strength when used in endocardial lead placement. Moreover, such materials have been found to pass tests intended to detect metal ion oxidation (MIO) in susceptible polymeric materials.

The present invention relates to medical electrical leads and, in particular, to conductors for such leads.
Early cardiac pacemaker conductors were composed of numerous fine, stranded stainless steel wires. Marked improvement in both fracture rate and flexibility resulted when stainless steel conductors were wound into small coils with a hollow core. The hollow core of the coils also improved implantation since a stylet could be passed through the core during implantation to stiffen the lead. Corrosion resistance was significantly increased when stainless steel was replaced with more corrosion-resistant platinum-iridium and nickel alloy materials such as MP35N. Highly specialized conductors were used with such materials such as the use of multifilar wire coils (to avoid loss of electrical continuity in the event that one wire breaks) and drawn brazed strand (DBS) wire material (to provide a low electrical resistance in a wire of high fatigue strength). Multifilar coils can also be used in side-by-side or coaxial arrangements with insulation separating the conductors to provide individual conductors for the transmission of separate signals or stimulation pulses. However, it has been noted that polymeric materials (such as polyether urethanes) used for lead insulation can be adversely affected over long periods of implantation by metal ions from the nickel alloy conductors. Accordingly, it would be desirable to replace nickel alloy conductors like MP35N with other conductors which would not exhibit such a problem.
Of critical importance in this effort is to find a wire material that can be used in a multifilar coil wire geometry that will not fail under the mechanical stresses to which the lead will be subjected. The motions an implanted lead can experience are tension, twist and bending within the coil wire. Each of these produce either normal (tensile or compressive) or shear stresses which occur in all directions, but certain directions predominate depending on the modes of motion involved. If the magnitude of these stresses are too great with respect to the fatigue strength of the material, the structure will fail. Also of great importance is to find a wire material that will provide low electrical resistance and corrosion resistance. Titanium has been suggested as a lead conductor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,647 issued to Kallok et al. Titanium is known for its inertness to many corrosive environments. For this reason, titanium has also been mentioned in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,040,544, 4,947,866 and 4,860,446 issued to Lessar et al as a suitable material for sputter coating onto nickel alloy lead conductors to reduce the release of harmful ions. However, it has not been clear which, if any, alloys of titanium could be used for lead conductors.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a medical electrical lead having a titanium alloy conductor material that will not promote the degradation of adjacent polymeric materials.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a medical electrical lead having a titanium alloy conductor material with good fatigue strength when used in a coil geometry.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a medical electrical lead having a titanium alloy conductor material with low electrical resistance.


Conveyor slat bottom flanges (78, 80) are positioned vertically between side portions of upper and lower clamp members (52, 54). The upper clamp member (52) is within the conveyor slat (70) and its side portions are above the conveyor slat flanges (78, 80). The lower clamp member (54) is welded or otherwise secured to a transverse drive beam (56). Its side portions are below the conveyor slat bottom flanges (78, 80). Bolts (164) project upwardly through openings in the transverse drive beam (56) and the lower clamp member (54) and thread into threaded openings (160) in the upper clamp member (52). Or, bolts (170) extend downwardly from the upper clamp part (52) through openings in the lower clamp part (54) and openings in the drive beam (56), to nuts (170) that are below the drive beam (56). Tightening of the bolts (170) causes the conveyor slat bottom flanges (78, 80) to be clamped between the two clamp members (52, 54). This secures the conveyor slats (70) to the transverse drive beam (56) without the need of forming fastener holes in the top (72) of the conveyor slat (70).

This invention relates to reciprocating slat conveyors. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for connecting conveyor slats to transverse drive beams by clamping onto bottom flange portions of the conveyor slats.
A reciprocating slat conveyor comprises a plurality of conveyor slats that are mounted adjacent each other for longitudinal reciprocation. A typical reciprocating slat conveyor system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469, granted Dec. 27, 1988, and entitled Reduced Size Drive/Frame Assembly For A Reciprocating Floor Conveyor. The conveyor slats are divided into three sets, identified by the numerals xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c3xe2x80x9d, respectively. The slats are arranged in a plurality of groups, with each group including adjacent slats, one from each set. Referring to FIGS. 2-6 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469, advancement of a load xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d is accomplished by the simultaneous movement of all three sets of slats. The slats are then retracted, one set at a time. The conveyor includes three transverse drive beams, one for each set of slats. The slats of each set are connected to the corresponding drive beam by a plurality of connectors that are attached to the drive beam. Each drive beam is connected to a drive motor that is operated for selectively reciprocating the drive beam and the slats that are connected to it. The slats are also supported by bearings positioned over longitudinal guide beams.
FIG. 1 herein is like FIG. 11 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469. It shows a drive assembly comprising a frame 10, three drive units 12, three transverse drive beams 14 and slat connectors 16 for twenty-four slats 18 (FIG. 2 herein). In the conventional procedure for installing a reciprocating slat conveyor, the drive assembly is first installed. Then, the conveyor slats 18 are positioned above the drive assembly. A worker goes below the drive assembly and drills upwardly through openings in the connectors 16 to form corresponding openings in each slat 18. Then, a nut is held in place below the connector 16 while a bolt is inserted through the drilled hole in the slat from above the slat and is threaded into the nut. This conventional procedure is cumbersome due to the need to drill metal parts at a location in the field, removed from the fabrication facility, and the necessity for a worker to access the area below the drive assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,530, granted Dec. 14, 1999, and entitled Drive Beam Connector And Connection Method provides a specific connector for securing the conveyor slats to the transverse drive beams without requiring access to the area below the drive beams. It also provides for the use of conveyor slats that are predrilled in the fabrication facility, making it unnecessary to drill the conveyor slats in the field. FIG. 2 herein shows a conveyor slat 18 connected to a connector 16 that includes the floating nut bar 20 that is inside the connector 16. The connector 16 is connected to a transverse drive beam 14 by a series of bolts 22. The nut bar 20 is in a space 24 inside the connector 16. The top 26 of the conveyor slat 18 is provided with predrilled openings 28 that are sized and shaped to receive the heads 30 of screw fasteners 32. Openings 28 are countersunk openings and the fastener heads 30 are shaped to fit down into the countersinks. Threaded shank portions 36 of the screw fasteners 32 thread into a threaded opening 38 in the nut bar 20. The nut bar 20 floats sideways and allows the threaded shanks 36 of the screw fasteners to mate with the threaded opening 38. Bolts 22 hold the connector base 40 tight against the drive beam 14. Screw fasteners 32 hold the slat top 26 tight against the connector top 42.
While developing the invention that is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,530, it became apparent that there was a need for a way of securing conveyor slats to the drive beams without the use of screw fastener holes in the conveyor slats. The primary object of the present invention is to provide such a system.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for connecting a reciprocating conveyor slat having an inner space and laterally spaced apart bottom flanges to a drive beam that is situated below the bottom flanges. The apparatus is basically characterized by an upper clamp member that is fittable into the inner space of the conveyor slat and which has side portions positionable above the bottom flanges. A lower clamp member is connected to the drive beam. It has side portions that are below the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. The conveyor slat is positioned to place its bottom flanges vertically between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members. Then a bolt or bolts are tightened to pull the upper clamp member downwardly so as to firmly clamp the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members. The clamp members firmly grip onto the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat, firmly connecting the conveyor slat to the drive beam, without the need or use of fasteners that extend through openings in the top of the conveyor slat.
The bolt may have a head and a threaded shank and be insertable upwardly through openings in the drive beam and the lower clamp member and be threadable into a threaded opening in the upper clamp member. Or, the bolt may project downwardly from the upper clamp member, through openings in the lower clamp member and the drive beam, and be connected to a nut that is below the drive beam. In the first embodiment, a wrench is attached to the bolt head and is rotated to move the threaded shank of the bolt into a threaded opening in the upper clamp member. In the second embodiment, the wrench is attached to the nut and is used for threading the nut onto the threaded shank of the bolt. In both embodiments, the movement of the threaded shank of the bolt through the threaded openings in the upper clamp member or the threaded openings in the nut acts to pull the upper clamp member downwardly so as to firmly clamp the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members.
Preferably, at least one spring is positioned vertically between the upper and lower clamp members. The spring is of a size and strength sufficient to urge the upper clamp member away from the lower clamp member when the bolt is loosened. Initially, the bolt is tightened to such an extent that the upper clamp member is connected to the lower clamp member and the drive beam but the side portions of the upper clamp member are spaced vertically above the side portions of the lower clamp member an amount sufficient to allow movement of the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat into a position vertically between the upper and lower clamp members.
In preferred form, a plurality of bolts are employed. They are spaced apart longitudinally of the conveyor slat and are positioned laterally between the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. Preferably also, at least two springs are used. The springs are spaced apart longitudinally of the conveyor slat. The upper clamp member may be formed to include a downwardly directed upper socket for each spring, to receive the upper end portion of the spring. The lower clamp member would then be formed to include an upwardly directed lower socket for each spring, for receiving the lower end portion of the spring.
According to an aspect of the invention, the side portions of the upper clamp member have recesses and projections that are directed downwardly towards the side portions of the lower clamp member. The side portions of the lower clamp member have recesses and projections that are directed upwardly towards the side portion of the upper clamp member above it. The projections on each clamp member are in general alignment with the recesses on the other clamp member. As a result, when the bolts are tightened, the projections and recesses are moved together and against the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. They form wrinkles in the bottom flanges and these wrinkles serve to resist relative longitudinal movement of the conveyor slat relative to the transverse drive beam when a drive force is applied.
In preferred form, each side portion of the upper clamp member has opposite end parts and each side portion of the lower clamp member has complementary end parts. When the bolt(s) are tightened, the upper and lower end parts make clamping contact with upper and lower surfaces of the conveyor slat flanges. The recesses and projection are longitudinally between the opposite end parts of the side portions of the clamp members. The end parts grip the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat without deforming them. The projections and recesses deform the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat in their extent longitudinally between the end parts.
According to a method aspect of the invention, the conveyor slat is positioned so as to position the upper clamp member inside of the conveyor slat, horizontally between the side parts of the conveyor slat and vertically between the top and the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. The bottom flanges of the conveyor slat are positioned vertically between the clamping surfaces of the side portions of the clamp members. The bolt is tightened so as pull the upper clamp member downwardly and firmly clamp the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members. One of the clamp members may include stop lugs that are laterally between the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. These stop lugs make contact with the other clamp member and limit the amount of movement of the clamping surfaces together.
The invention also includes providing the conveyor slats with slide bearings onto which the conveyor slats can be snap fitted. The conveyor slats are positioned over the bearings and over the lower clamp members, with the bolts aligned with bolt receiving openings in the lower clamp member. Then, the conveyor slats are pushed downwardly so as to snap the conveyor slats onto the bearings and move the bolts through the bolt receiving openings in the lower clamp member. Then, from below the drive beam, a nut is attached to each bolt and is tightened so that the upper clamp members will be drawn downwardly into clamping engagement with the conveyor slat bottom flanges.
The lower clamp members may be made separate from the transverse drive beams and then welded or otherwise secured to the transverse drive beams. Also, the lower clamp members may be formed portions of the top panels of the transverse drive beams. Upper and lower dies positioned above and below the upper panels of the transverse drive means may be forced together to deform the metal between them to in that manner form undulating clamping surfaces. Also, the lower clamp member regions may be formed in a central portion of a flat panel of sheet member and then the panel of sheet member may be bent to form a channel.
The upper clamp members may be formed to include sockets for receiving either bolt heads or nuts. Each socket will have spaced a part wrench surfaces that engage opposite side surfaces of the bolt head or the nut. Each upper clamp member may be formed to include a plurality of sockets, each sized to receive a bolt head or a nut. The wrench surfaces of such sockets may extend transversely of the upper clamp member. Or, each upper clamp member may include a longitudinal channel having sidewalls which function as the wrench surfaces.
The upper and lower clamp members may be formed to include center portions between side portions which are adapted to contact each other and space the side portions vertically apart. The central portions may be continuous or segmented.
The upper and lower clamp members may include undulating clamp surfaces that extend laterally across the widths of the clamp members.
Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the best mode set forth below, from the drawings, from the claims and from the principles that are embodied in the specific structures that are illustrated and described.

Connector and connection method for conveyor slats


A semiconductor device including an operation control signal generation circuit configured for generating an operation control signal for a target word line. The semiconductor device including a copy operation circuit configured for performing a first copy operation of storing data of first cells coupled to an adjacent word line adjacent to the target word line, in second cells coupled to a first clone word line, based on the operation control signal.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure may generally relate to a semiconductor device, semiconductor system, and method related to performing a refresh operation.
2. Related Art
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of cell arrays for storing data. Each of the plurality of cell arrays includes a plurality of cells. Each cell is constructed by a cell capacitor and a cell transistor. The semiconductor device stores data through an operation of charging or discharging electric charges to or from the cell capacitor. Ideally, the amount of electric charges stored in the cell capacitor should be always constant. However, the amount of electric charges stored in the cell capacitor, actually, varies due to a voltage difference with respect to a peripheral circuit. Electric charges may leak in the state in which the cell capacitor is charged, or electric charges may be introduced in the state in which the cell capacitor is discharged. The variation in the amount of electric charges in the cell capacitor means that data stored in the cell capacitor is changed, that is, loss of stored data. A semiconductor device performs a refresh operation to prevent a phenomenon whereby data is lost as described above.
As processing technologies are developed, the degree of integration of a semiconductor device is gradually increased. An increase in the degree of integration of a semiconductor device exerts an influence on the size of a bank. The fact that the size of a bank is gradually decreased means that the interval between cells decreases, which means that the interval between word lines respectively coupled to adjacent cells decreases. While a particular problem has not occurred so far in relation with the interval between word lines, new issues which have not been previously considered to be problematic are caused recently as the interval between word lines decreases. One of the issues is an interference effect that occurs between adjacent word lines. If an interference effect occurs between adjacent word lines, the cells coupled to the corresponding word lines may be difficult to retain data stored therein. That is, the probability of losing data increases.
Recently, in a semiconductor device, in order to prevent data from being lost, a refresh operation is performed for all the cells of a bank, or an additional refresh operation is performed for adjacent word lines adjacent to a target word line which is accessed concentratedly.

Semiconductor device and semiconductor system with word line copy


A toy having a housing; a cover pivotally mounted to the housing for movement between a first position wherein an internal cavity of the housing is covered and a second position wherein access to the internal cavity is provided; a launching mechanism located within the internal cavity; a first projectile configured to be launched from the launching mechanism; a plurality of second projectiles configured to be launched from a plurality of projectile launchers secured to the housing; an actuation mechanism coupled to the cover, the launching mechanism and the plurality of projectile launchers, wherein operation of the actuation mechanism causes the cover to move from the first position to the second position and simultaneously launch the first projectile and the plurality of second projectiles from the launching mechanism and the plurality of projectile launchers.

Various embodiments disclosed herein are related to a toy, and more particularly to a toy for launching objects.
Toys for launching objects are popular with children, however, many such toys are similar in that an object is loaded into a launch mechanism of the toy, and whether by actuating a trigger or some other device, the object is released or otherwise projected from the toy.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a toy for launching objects that also provides additional entertainment and stimulation to the user.


A tire (1) for a motorcycle has: a groove portion (10) formed at a tread; and a block-shaped land portion (100) protrusive from the groove portion (10) toward an outside in a tire radial direction (TD). The land portion (100) has a plate-shaped small piece portion (107). Since an area with which the running wind comes into contact increases due to the small piece portion (107), the periphery of the groove portion (10) or the land portion (100) can be effectively thermally radiated. Thus, a temperature of the land portion (100) can be reduced, and even if the automatic motorcycle runs on the hard road surface over a predetermined period of time or more, it is possible to effectively restrain the lowering of required performance such as gripping force, feeling of grounding, and steering stability, which is exerted by the lowering of the rigidity of the land portion.

Conventionally, a tire for a motorcycle, which is employed in an automobile motorcycle which is oriented for motocross or enduro events specialized for a rough ground, is required to have its high applicability to an extent such that the tire is adaptable to road surfaces of a variety of states from a hard road surface such as a dry unpaved road surface to a soft road surface such as a muddy ground. In such a tire for a motorcycle, in order to enhance a gripping force (traction performance), a method of generally providing a plurality of block-shaped land portions at a tread to thereby cut the land portions into a road surface is widely employed.
In addition, in consideration of the fact that characteristics to be imparted to a land portion are different depending on a hard road surface and a soft road surface and the fact that a shoulder region of a tread is mainly employed at the time of cornering on a hard road surface, a method of making disposition patterns of land portions different from each other depending on a center region and the shoulder region of the tread is known (refer to Patent Document 1). According to such a method, the applicability of the tire for a motor cycle to a road surface can be improved.
Further, in a case where the tire for a motorcycle rolls on a hard road surface, since it is difficult to cut land portions into the road surface, a method of increasing an area for grounding onto the road surface by employing a soft rubber in the land portions is known as well. According to such a tire for a motorcycle, even at the time of rolling on the hard road surface, it is possible to ensure required performance such as a griping force, feeling of grounding, and steering stability.


A dual port memory device having a plurality of memory blocks which are divided from a memory cell array formed on same semiconductor substrate comprises a first memory block which shares a RAM port with a second memory block adjacent to one part thereof and also shares a SAM port with a third memory block adjacent to the other part thereof.

The present invention relates to a dual port memory device, and more particularly to the dual port memory device which commonly has a SAM (Serial Access Memory) port performing an input/output operation of serial data between a plurality of memory blocks and a RAM (Random Access Memory) port performing the input/output operation of random data.
Recently, the memory device has had large capacity. A method for reducing operative current by driving a plurality of memory blocks which are separated from a memory cell, has been developed. In such memory device, a specific memory block is enabled by an address signal applied from the out of the memory device. Further, a data access operation is performed via a sense amplifier and I/O lines provided to each of the memory blocks. Thereby, the more the memory device is subdivided into a plurality of memory blocks, the more the sense amplifier and the I/O lines associated with the input/output of data are increased and also occupy a wide region. This is more serious in the memory device having large capacity. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, an art that the memory blocks adjacent to each other have commonly one sense amplifier and the I/O lines is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,246 issued in 1991.
The SAM and RAM ports should be provided to each of the memory blocks so that the dual port memory device which has the SAM port performing the data input/output operation in serial and the RAM port performing the data input/output operation in random, can be separately driven by the block. An art that the memory block has commonly the SAM port with the other memory block adjacent thereto is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,214 issued in 1991.
As a construction view of a memory block of a dual port memory device according to the conventional art, FIG. 1 shows that the memory blocks adjacent to each other have commonly the SAM port.
Referring to FIG. 1, the two adjacent memory blocks 10 and 12 commonly include the SAM port 14 and a serial data I/O line and also have the RAM ports 16 and 18. The memory block 10 performs a random access operation through the RAM port 16 and performs a serial access operation through the SAM port 14. Further, the memory block 12 performs the random access operation through the RAM port 18 and performs the serial access operation through the SAM port 14 which is commonly included in the adjacent memory block 10. The dual port memory device shown in FIG. 1 is formed by the repeated construction of the two memory blocks which each have the RAM port and commonly have the SAM port. Therefore, the number of SAM ports is reduced by the half of the number of memory blocks.
However, the conventional dual port memory device shown in FIG. 1 has the RAM port which corresponds to the memory block one by one. Thereby, there aries a problem that the RAM port still occupies wide region, even if the number of SAM ports is reduced. This makes high integrated memory devices disadvantageous.


A simulated masonry module, made of blow molded plastic, has a box-like body with a textured front and top. Modules are pin-connected to each other at interleaving ends. They may be stacked, to form assemblies simulating a masonry wall. Straight, curved or angled walls may be constructed, as well as enclosures suited to contain soil or water in a tub-like liner. Filler blocks mate with the ends for make square terminal ends of wall segments. Sand or other material may be put inside the modules through a rear access port, to add mass and stability. The bottom of a module has sculpting, to loosely fit and interlock with the contour of the top of a like-module, when modules are stacked, so the horizontal joint is unobtrusive. A spike, used for connecting module ends, is retained in a shaped groove on the rear of the module, to enable convenient shipment of a module and spike combination.

Masonry objects, that is, things comprised of stone or brick have long been used in natural and artificial gardens for esthetic and functional purposes. For instance, masonry walls are used to define boundaries and retain earth. Typically, good construction requires some sort of foundation, particularly when the ground alternately freezes and thaws. In any case, masonry structures are inherently heavy and need to have adequate structural support.
Simulated masonry articles in general are known. For instance, they are used when gardens are placed within a building, where the weight of masonry walls and other objects is undesirable from the standpoint of the structure. Similarly, it is desirable to have light weight objects when portability, easy placement or easy rearrangement of the units is an aim. In the past, simulated masonry articles have been made of such as painted wood, plaster, and plastic resins, etc. Simulated rocks, which are hollow and are made of molded plastic resin, have been known for decorative purposes, for use in exterior and interior locations.
Modular garden wall systems are known. For instance: U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,523 to Steiner describes a modular concrete wall system. U.S. Pat. No. 348,598 to Strickland shows curved concrete modules. U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,113 to O'Mullan shows molded plastic edging. U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,540 shows a modular plastic 4-high brick wall, with open rear sides which can be closed with a panel. The interlocking stepped ends of the modules are held together by pins, which optionally extend into the earth. Filler blocks are used to make vertical plane ends.
The modular garden wall systems in the prior art have various advantages and disadvantages. Some are obviously heavy. While they are stable, they are difficult to transport, move about, and store. On the other hand, simulated masonry which is so light that it does not stay in place can fail to achieve more than a simple cosmetic effect. Simulated masonry often fails to be good looking and sufficiently simulative of ordinary masonry. Other prior art designs are expensive to fabricate. Still others have means for connecting which does not combine well cost, simplicity, appearance of the joint, and ease of assembly or disassembly. Thus, there is a need for improvements.

Simulated masonry garden walls having modular construction


A semiconductor device includes an N-type silicon carbide substrate, an N-type silicon carbide layer formed on the N-type silicon carbide substrate, a P-type region selectively formed in a surface layer of the N-type silicon carbide layer, an N-type source region formed in the P-type region, a P contact region formed in the P-type region, a gate insulating film formed on a portion of a region from the N-type source region, through the P-type region, to the N-type silicon carbide layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, an interlayer insulating film covering the gate electrode, and a first source electrode electrically connected to a surface of the P contact region and the N-type source region. An end of the interlayer insulating film covering the gate electrode has a slope of a predetermined angle.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein relate to a semiconductor device and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device used as a switching device formed on a silicon carbide substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an N-channel MOSFET that is a conventional switching device formed of silicon carbide. On a front surface side of an N-type silicon carbide (hereinafter, SiC) substrate 1, an N-type SiC layer 2 is formed and in a surface layer of the N-type SiC layer 2, plural P-type regions 3 are formed. In a surface layer of the P-type region 3, an N-type source region 4 and a P contact region 5 are formed. On a surface of the P-type region 3 and the N-type SiC layer 2 between N-type source regions 4, a gate electrode 7 is formed via a gate insulating film 6. On a surface of the gate electrode 7, an interlayer insulating film 8 is formed. On a surface of the N-type source region 4 and the P contact region 5, a first source electrode 9 is formed using nickel (Ni), and on a surface of the first source electrode 9 and the interlayer insulating film 8, a second source electrode 10 is formed. On a back surface side of the N-type SiC substrate 1, a drain electrode 11 is formed.
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional N-channel MOSFET formed using a P-type SiC layer on a surface. On a front surface side of the N-type SiC substrate 1, the N-type SiC layer 2 is formed and in a surface layer of the N-type SiC layer 2, plural P-type regions 12 are formed. In a surface layer of the P-type region 12, a P-type SiC layer 13 is formed. On the N-type SiC layer 2 where no P-type region 12 is formed, an N-type region 14 is formed in the P-type SiC layer 13 and in the surface of the P-type SiC layer 13, the N-type source region 4 and the P contact region 5 are formed. On a surface of the N-type SiC layer 2 and the P-type SiC layer 13 between N-type source regions 4, the gate electrode 7 is formed via the gate insulating film 6. On a surface of the gate electrode 7, the interlayer insulating film 8 is formed. On the surface of the N-type source region 4 and the P contact region 5, the first source electrode 9 is formed using Ni, and on the surface of the first source electrode 9 and the interlayer insulating film 8, the second source electrode 10 is formed. On the back surface side of the N-type SiC substrate 1, the drain electrode 11 is formed.
In the MOSFETs of the structures depicted in FIGS. 13 and 14, when positive voltage relative to the first source electrode 9 is applied to the drain electrode 11 and voltage less than the gate threshold voltage is applied to the gate electrode 7, a PN junction between the P-type region 3 and the N-type SiC layer 2 or the P-type SiC layer 13 and the N-type region 14 is reverse biased and therefore, current does not flow. On the other hand, when voltage equal to or higher than the gate threshold is applied to the gate electrode 7, at the surface of the P-type SiC layer 13 of the P-type region 3 directly under the gate electrode 7, an inversion layer is formed, whereby current flows, enabling switching operation of the MOSFET by the voltage applied to the gate electrode 7 (for example refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-058603).

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A treatment method that increases circulation and pluripotency of stem and progenitor cells within a patient can be used to fight off or cure various diseases for the patient such as chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease. An administrator of the treatment method is provided with a medicinal-administration system such as an intravenous injection system. The treatment method begins by preparing a dosage of oxygen-ozone mixture with the medicinal-administration system. The medicinal-administration system then transfuses the oxygen-ozone mixture in the patient's bloodstream so that the renal system and/or the bone marrow can be targeted by the oxygen-ozone mixture. These steps are repeated as a plurality of treatment session for the patient.

A first objective of the present invention is to increase the following factors: circulating numbers of stem cells such as hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC); circulation numbers of progenitor cells such as endothelial, renal, nephron, musculoskeletal, neuronal, and other progenitor cells; and precursor cells. A second objective of the present invention is to increases the pluripotency of those progenitor and stem cells that are capable of being pluripotent. Both the first objective and the second objective of the present invention can be achieved by a patent at any age and in any underlying state of health or disease, which includes, but is not limited to, chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), diabetes mellitus (DM), cerebro-vascular disease (CVD), coronary artery disease (CAD), neurological diseases, heart disease of any etiology, lung diseases, and aging. The present invention can also replace the need for bone marrow transplants in elderly patients or for other diseases that require an increased count of stem or progenitor cells, and rescue patients from chemotherapy induced bone marrow ablation and radiation therapy or toxicity induced myelo-ablation.
The present invention is thought to work by causing the multiplication of primitive mesoderm cells in their niche, and a release of the multiple stem cell, progenitor and precursor products of these and other stem cells, progenitor cells and precursor cells, which can give rise to bone, muscle, nerves, blood vessels, kidney and other tissues, into the circulating blood. In addition, the present invention also causes HSCs and HPCs to de-differentiate or differentiate into several organ-generating precursors (between primitive mesoderm and HSCs stage). Indications for its usage include, but are not limited to, several conditions: kidney failure (CKD for stages 1 through 5 and ESRD); stroke, multiple sclerosis, gout, diabetes, osteoarthritis, autoimmune diseases, every infectious disease and all degenerative diseases, and infectious diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
A person who falls and breaks their bone at the age of 90, and then heals this bone back, is not an exception (a 1 in 1000 miracle) to the rule (which was previously thought, of, as standard order for 999/1000) of aging, disease and death. All 1000/1000 human beings are supposed to be able to do this, we postulate. Therefore, we state categorically, that if the Regenerative Organ System of people functioned the same way as it did in the healthy elderly, it is the norm, and it is the standard to which one aspires to. We must make happen and solidify our acceptance that the rule of normal health functionality is a high functioning Regenerative Organ System, and not make this normal functionality, the exception to the perceived rule of mandatory aging, illness, and death.
Hence, we postulate that there exists a Regenerative Organ System within the body. The kidney is the "brain" of this Regenerative Organ System, and the bone marrow is the "spinal cord" of the Regenerative Organ System. Dr. Arjun Raj of UPenn has described cellular members of the orchestra of this putative Regenerative Organ System, which he refers to, as immortal cells. That when all works well, the Regenerative Organ System should be able to revive a damaged organ, cell, or organ system, or the interconnection and inter-communication between these. We hypothesize that the communication between different elements of the Regenerative Organ System to trigger regeneration as is observed utilizing our protocol, is effected by the sensing of the oxygen molecules by neurons in blood vessel walls, which by becoming syncytial in nature, communicate instantly this message to end organs where stem and progenitor cells are made—such as, and most especially, the kidney, and the effector organ or executive arm of the regenerative organ system, namely, the bone marrow; and not just elements within the blood circulation, such as actual stem cells, or even, the amount of circulation.
There is an existent underlying network of neurons all over the body, that permit communication between the brain, spinal cord, nerves and all tubular systems including the genito-urinary system, the respiratory tract, the lympho-vascular system, the gastro-intestinal tract. It is when neurons in this intricate reticular (which means lace-like) network, fall out due to stress (patchy neuronal death), that we see disease depending upon where the neurons fall out—the diseases manifest, and when the amplitude of the current of life energy, through this reticular network of body-wide neurons, diminishes, then aging is caused. Usually, it is a combination of both, that results in death. This is our hypothesis, which is called the final common pathway of organismal aging, disease and demise (FCPOADD). The pathogenetic mechanism of the FCPOADD is patchy neuronal death. If every fifth neuron dies, or the life energy in the entire network diminishes to a fifth, aging results. If a group of neurons dies out in the pancreas, diabetes can result. If every fifth neuron dies out in the colon, for example, constipation might result. If a patch of neurons dies out in the colon, diverticulosis might result. The disease that manifests depends upon where the neurons die out, in a concentrated fashion or manner.
We believe that the Regenerative Organ System is capable of regenerating these neurons that have dropped out, by mechanisms no one has described previously. Also, the Regenerative Organ System seems to require the presence of Vitamin B12 for neuronal nutrition and Vitamin D for neuronal syncytium formation (in blood vessel walls and all over the body, to communicate the message of abundant availability of protective Vitamin B12 and oxygen-molecule combinations or oxygen gas alone, as is administered in our protocol, to hyper-drive oxidative phosphorylation or larger quantities of cellular energy synthesis, which uniformly facilitates cellular healing, by facilitating proper protein folding and proper enzymatic action, degradation and autophagy as and where indicated). It is also postulated that Vitamin B12 is required to mitigate the effects of cosmic radiation on the Regenerative Organ System, or any type of unwanted radiation on this. This can be proven by the destruction of hematopoietic stem cells and regenerative system, by Acute Radiation Syndrome caused by poisoning with nuclear isotopes such as Polonium 210, as was witnessed in the poisoning of agent Alexander Litvinenko. We believe that our protocol, by regenerating the Regenerative Organ System, will not only reverse chronic medical illnesses, it will also reverse radiation toxicity, and chemotherapy toxicity to the regenerative elements in the bone marrow and kidney, and even as they circulate and shut down the regenerative functionality within the kidney, and seek to patent this concept as well—that.

System and treatment method to increase circulation and pluripotency of stem and progenitor cells within a patient


An image scanning device includes a main body casing, a scanning unit which is movably disposed within the main body casing, and a position indicating unit to generate position information of the scanning unit, and to wirelessly receive and display the position information.

1. Field of the Invention
An image scanning device and a multifunction apparatus having the same consistent with the present general inventive concept relate to a configuration to recognize the position of a scanning unit movable to scan an image of a target object.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image scanning device seats a predetermined target object on a transparent flat plate, and scans an image of the target object with a scanning unit moving under the flat plate. The image scanning device may be a separate device to perform only this function, or may be part of a multifunction apparatus, for example, with an image forming device forming an image on a printing medium. The multifunction apparatus scans the image, and may then form the scanned image on the printing medium.
Since the scanning unit projects a light beam to the target object to scan the image, the image scanning device is provided with a cover covering the transparent flat plate and the target object to prevent the light beam from leaking to the outside. However, since the light beam is blocked by the cover, a user is unable to recognize the position of the scanning unit as it moves. If the user is unable to recognize the current position of the scanning unit, the user is likely to open the cover before image scanning is completed, thereby causing scanning inferiority.
To solve this problem and inform the user of the current position of the scanning unit, the conventional configuration includes a light emitting body, a circuit unit driving the light emitting body, and a lens transmitting a light from the light emitting body. However, since the conventional configuration uses a cable to apply power to the light emitting body, the motion of the scanning unit is restricted thereby, and a lot of installation space is needed, thereby increasing the size of the device. Also, the light from the light emitting body interferes with the light beam from the scanning unit to cause scanning inferiority.

Image scanning device and multifunction apparatus having the same