A spatial light modulator which includes a light modulation layer which is interposed between two photoconductive layers and laminated to both layers; the two photo conductive layers have charge images written thereon, respectively, by illumination of a writing light carrying optical information; the illumination direction of the writing light to the photoconductive layers are different from each other; and the two photoconductive layers permit the reading light to pass therethrough. When illuminated by a reading light via either of the first or second photoconductive layers, the light modulation layer optically modulates the reading light in accordance with the first and second charge images, under the presence of a voltage applied to the modulator. Thus it reads read out the first information and second information. The first and second photoconductive layers permit the reading light to pass therethrough.

The present invention relates to a spatial light modulator suitable for display apparatus, camera apparatus and optical computers and the like, and more particularly, to an improved spatial light modulator with respect to two items of information.
A conventional spatial light modulator is shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, a spatial light modulator 11 has laminates of a photoconductive layer 5 and a light modulation layer 7 between transparent electrodes 1 and 3. A drive source 9 is connected between the transparent electrodes 1 and 3.
Information writing is performed by irradiation of a writing light that includes the information, as shown by an arrow F1. More specifically, the electric resistance of the photoconductive layer 5 changes in accordance with optical intensity of the writing light, and a charge image corresponding to the information that is to be written is formed at the boundary between the photoconductive layer 5 and the light modulation layer 7.
The reading of the written information is performed by allowing a read light to pass through the spatial light modulator 11 as shown by the arrow F2. The light modulation layer 7 is applied with an electric field caused by the charge image that has been formed corresponding with the write information, and is in a status where light modulation is performed so as to correspond to the intensity of this field. Because of this, the reading light is modulated in its intensity or polarization plane corresponding to the information written in the light modulation layer 7 and light-to-light conversion is performed.
However, in such conventional technology, when two items of different information are to be handled at the same time, it is necessary to provide two spatial light modulators and it is necessary to have a synthesis operation of the read images.

Spatial light modulator with a photoconductor on each side of a light modulation layer


A method of using a conventional wet-pressed creped tissue machine produces a textured tissue sheet that is dried on a conventional cylindrical drum dryer to create an uncreped product with throughdried-like properties. Machine modifications and a proper balance of adhesive compounds and release agents permit a textured sheet to be dried on a Yankee drier and then pulled off without use of a crepe blade.

The present invention relates generally to methods for making tissue products. More particularly, the invention concerns methods for making an uncreped tissue on a modified conventional wet-pressing machine.
In the art of tissue making, large steam-filled cylinders known as Yankee dryers are commonly used to dry a tissue web that is pressed onto the dryer cylinder surface while the tissue web is still wet. In conventional tissue making, the wet paper web is firmly pressed against the surface of the Yankee dryer. The compression of the wet web against the drum provides intimate contact for rapid heat transfer into the web. As the web dries, adhesive bonds form between the surface of the Yankee dryer and the tissue web, often promoted by sprayed-on adhesive applied before the point of contact between the wet web and the dryer surface. The adhesive bonds are broken when the flat, dry web is scraped off the dryer surface by a creping blade, which imparts a fine, soft texture to the web, increases bulk, and breaks many fiber bonds for improved softness and reduced stiffness.
Traditional creping suffers from several drawbacks. Because the sheet is pressed flat against the Yankee, the hydrogen bonds that develop as the web dries are formed between the fibers in a flat, dense state. Although creping imparts many kinks and deformations in the fibers and adds bulk, when the creped sheet is wetted, the kinks and deformations relax as the fibers swell. As a result, the web tends to return to the flat state set when the hydrogen bonds were formed. Thus, a creped sheet tends to collapse in thickness and expand laterally in the machine direction upon wetting, often becoming wrinkled in the process if some parts of the laterally expanding web are restrained, still dry, or held against another surface by surface tension forces.
Further, creping limits the texture and bulk that can be imparted to the web. Relatively little can be done with the conventional operation of Yankees to produce a highly textured web such as the throughdried webs that are produced on textured throughdrying fabrics. The flat, dense structure of the web upon the Yankee sharply limits what can be achieved in terms of the subsequent structure of the product coming off the Yankee.
Another drawback of traditional creping is that the doctor blades used to effect creping on papermaking machines are subject to wear due to contact with the surface of the rotating cylinder. As wear progresses, the effectiveness of the doctor blade is diminished, which leads to progressively more variability in the tissue properties. Creping blades are commonly replaced after a product property of particular importance, such as stretch, bulk, or machine direction tensile strength, has changed from predetermined target levels. Changing creping blades requires considerable down-time and slows production.
The foregoing drawbacks of traditional creping may be avoided by producing an uncreped throughdried tissue web. Such webs may be produced with a bulky three-dimensional structure rather than being flat and dense, thereby providing good wet resiliency. It is known, however, that uncreped tissue often tends to be stiff and lacks the softness of creped products. Additionally, throughdried webs sometimes suffer from pinholes in the web due to the flow of air through the web to achieve full dryness. Moreover, most of the world's paper machines use conventional Yankee dryers and tissue manufacturers are reluctant to accept the high cost of adding throughdrying technology or the higher operating costs associated with throughdrying.
Prior attempts to make an uncreped sheet on a drum dryer or Yankee have included wrapping the sheet around the dryer. For example, cylinder dryers have long been used for heavier grades of paper. In conventional cylinder drying, the paper web is carried by dryer fabrics which wrap the cylinder dryer to provide good contact and prevent sheet flutter. Unfortunately, such wrapping configurations are not practical for converting a modern creped tissue machine into an uncreped tissue machine. Typical creped tissue machines employ a Yankee dryer with a heated hood in which high velocity, high temperature air is used to dry the web at rates well above those possible with conventional cylinder dryers. Most dryer fabrics would deteriorate rapidly under the high temperatures of a dryer hood, and they would interfere with heat transfer to the web. Further, the design of a conventional Yankee hood does not allow an endless loop of fabric to wrap the web through the dryer hood, without prohibitively expensive modifications to the equipment.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for making an uncreped tissue having a three-dimensional structure and offering good wet resilience, high softness and flexibility using a conventional papermaking machine including a Yankee dryer and drying hood. More particularly, there is a need for an adhesion control system which adequately adheres the web to the dryer surface to promote conductive heat transfer and resist blowing forces, while being bound loosely enough to allow the web to be pulled off the dryer surface in uncreped mode without damage to the web.

Method of producing low density resilient webs


A laser resonator (8) has discharge tubes (15) arranged in parallel with each other and bending mirrors (18a, 18b) facing each other at an angle of 90 degrees made therebetween, an output mirror (17) is arranged at a starting end of one discharge tube (15), and a rear mirror (19) is arranged at a terminal end of the other discharge tube (15). Additional reflecting mirrors (M.sub.1 ', M.sub.2 ') are arranged so as to cause a laser beam to make a U-turn on a plane inclined at 22.5 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, whereby the laser beam emitted from the output mirror (17) of the laser resonator (8) and polarized in a direction inclined at 90 degrees to the horizontal plane is successively reflected at the two additional reflecting mirrors (M.sub.1 ', M.sub.2 ') and thus is converted into a laser beam L.sub.45 polarized in a direction inclined at 45 degrees to the horizontal plane.

A laser beam machine equipped with a laser oscillator is widely used as a machine tool for carrying out a machining operation, such as cutting or welding, on a workpiece made of metal or nonmetallic material. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing, by way of example, the arrangement of a laser beam machine which is generally indicated at 1. The laser beam machine 1 comprises a laser oscillator 2, a laser machine tool 3, and a numerical control device (NC device) 4. A laser beam output from the laser oscillator 2 is guided to the laser machine tool 3 through a shielding duct 5 serving as a light guide path and then reaches a machining head 6 of the laser machine tool 3.
The machining head 6 includes a converging lens for converging light which has been deflected downward by a deflecting mirror in the laser machine tool 3 after passing through the shielding duct 5. Vertical position of the machining head 6 can be controlled by a Z-axis mechanism, whereby the laser beam output from the machining head 6 is converged to a machining spot on a workpiece 7 placed on an X-Y table, the position of which is controlled by the numerical control device (NC device) 4. Usually, the laser beam converged to the machining spot is circularly polarized in order to ensure proper machining, and, therefore, it is desirable that when the laser beam is emitted from the laser oscillator 2, it has already been circularly polarized or linearly polarized at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane. In the latter case, circularly polarized light can be obtained easily by arranging a phase delaying plate (1/4-wavelength plate) in the light path of the beam emitted from the laser oscillator 2, or by using a phase delaying mirror as the deflecting mirror in the laser machine tool 3.
The laser oscillator 2 is equipped with a gas excitation device including a discharge tube, and a laser resonator associated with a gas cooling unit etc. FIG. 2(a) through FIG. 2(c) schematically illustrate, by way of example, the arrangement of a conventionally employed laser resonator, along with additional elements such as a beam phase adjusting unit, wherein FIG. 2(a) is a plan view of parts of the laser resonator forming a resonant light path, as viewed from above a plane formed by the resonant light path, FIG. 2(b) is a front view of almost the entire laser resonator, as viewed from side with respect to the plane formed by the resonant light path, and FIG. 2(c) is a side view of the laser resonator, as viewed from the right-hand end face in FIG. 2(a).
Referring to these diagrams, a laser resonator, generally indicated at 8, comprises a machine frame 9, a gas excitation device 10, and a gas cooling unit 11. The machine frame 9 is composed of front and rear plates 12 and 13, each made of an aluminum plate, and four rods 14 connecting these plates so that the frame 9 may not be readily deformed by external force. Also, in order to minimize dimensional change of the machine frame 9 due to heat, each rod 14 is made of invar steel and is formed as a tubular member (resonator pipe), and cooling water is passed through the pipes 14 during operation of the laser resonator 8. That is, the machine frame 9 is designed so that thermal deformation thereof as a whole may be controlled to an extremely low level.
The gas excitation device 10 includes a discharge tube 15, a high-frequency power supply 16, an output mirror 17 arranged at a starting end (front plate 12) of the discharge tube 15, two bending mirrors 18, 18 arranged at an intermediate portion (rear plate 13) of the discharge tube 15, and a rear mirror 19 arranged at a terminal end (front plate 12) of the discharge tube 15. The gas excitation device 10 is fixed in position between the front and rear plates 12 and 13 via discharge tube holders 20. The bending mirrors 18, 18 are fitted in a reflector block 21 in such a manner that they face each other at an angle of 90 degrees therebetween. The high-frequency power supply 16 serves to produce an electric discharge between opposing electrodes arranged on the peripheral wall of the discharge tube 15, to thereby excite CO.sub.2 gas in the discharge tube 15. A laser beam emitted from the excited gas is amplified while traveling back and forth within the discharge tube between the output mirror 17 and the rear mirror 19, and part thereof is outputted frontward (to the left in FIG. 2(a)) from the output mirror 17 as a laser beam 22.
The gas cooling unit 11 is composed of a Roots blower 23, heat exchangers 24 and 25, respectively arranged on the intake and discharge sides of the blower 23, and a ventilating pipe 26. When the Roots blower 23 is in operation, air is circulated through the ventilating pipe 26 while the temperature thereof is adjusted by the heat exchangers 24 and 25, and flows round the surface of the discharge tube 15, though not illustrated, to cool the discharge tube 15.
Reference numeral 27 denotes a shutter mirror which is inserted across the light path when laser beam machining is to be temporarily suspended. When the shutter mirror 27 is in a shut state, the laser beam 22 is deflected from a main path for machining operation and is absorbed by a beam absorber 28.
Reference numeral 29 denotes a beam phase adjusting unit which includes therein a phase delay reflecting mirror 30 and a zero shift reflecting mirror 31. The beam phase adjusting unit 29 serves to convert a linearly polarized laser beam into a circularly polarized laser beam.
The foregoing is the typical arrangement of a conventional laser resonator. However, in order to ensure proper machining conditions with the laser resonator having an arrangement such as one described above, the overall size of the resonator must inevitably be increased. That is, in general, the laser beam output from the laser resonator 8 is converged to perform machining operation, and in order to ensure proper machining condition, there is a certain range for the distance (hereinafter referred to as "light path length") between the beam outlet of the laser resonator 8 and the machining spot, which will realize a good machining conditions. According to the result of an experiment in which cutting performance was tested using a beam of a CO.sub.2 gas laser, a desirable light path length was found to be a considerably large value of 3 m to 6 m (optimum light path length) as measured from the output mirror 17 of the laser resonator 8.
Thus, in the case where the conventional arrangement shown in FIG. 2 is employed as a part constituting the laser oscillator 2 disposed as shown in FIG. 1, suitable measures must be taken to ensure an optimum light path length for the laser beam 22 emitted from the output mirror 17. For example, the laser oscillator 2 must be separated from the laser machine 3 and be connected to the same by a long shielding duct 5, which, however, makes it difficult to obtain a compact laser beam machine. Also, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient light path length between the phase delay reflecting mirror 30 and the zero shift reflecting mirror 31 in the beam phase adjusting unit.
To shorten the light path length from the laser resonator to the machining spot, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 5-235454 discloses a system in which additional reflecting mirrors are arranged in the laser resonator so as to turn back the laser beam emitted from the output mirror of the resonator, such that the laser beam is outputted from the laser oscillator after traveling for a predetermined light path length from the output mirror. This publication discloses a laser resonator arrangement wherein the additional reflecting mirrors are arranged in the vicinity of the output mirror such that the laser beam emitted from the output mirror is immediately reflected twice and then outputted in a direction opposite to the direction of emission from the output mirror. In the following, this improved type laser resonator is referred to as the "improved laser resonator."
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an optical system employed in the improved laser resonator. In FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4 and 5 described later, like reference numerals are used to represent like or corresponding component parts in the conventional laser resonator shown in FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c).
Referring to FIG. 3, the laser resonator 8 includes two discharge tubes 15 arranged in parallel with each other, bending mirrors 18a and 18b facing each other at an angle of 90 degrees therebetween, an output mirror 17 arranged at the starting end of one discharge tube 15, and a rear mirror 19 arranged at the terminal end of the other discharge tube 15. Accordingly, the resonant light path is a generally U-shaped path formed by successively connecting the output mirror 17, one discharge tube 15, the bending mirrors 18b and 18a, the other discharge tube 15, and the rear mirror 19 one another. FIG. 3 illustrates two discharge tubes 15, but in practice, these discharge tubes 15 are connected to form a single discharge tube, which is filled with CO.sub.2 gas so that the internal space thereof may serve as a resonance space. The arrangement of the resonant light path is almost the same as that of the conventional type shown in FIG. 2.
The improved laser resonator is characterized in that two additional reflecting mirrors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are arranged so as to cause the laser beam to make a U-turn on a plane inclined at 45 degrees with respect to a plane (horizontal plane) formed by the resonant light path. Specifically, the first additional reflecting mirror M.sub.1 is arranged in the vicinity of the output mirror 17 such that the laser beam emitted from the output mirror 17 is bent by 90 degrees and then propagated in a direction which is within the plane inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the plane formed by the resonant light path. The second additional reflecting mirror M.sub.2 is arranged in such position and orientation that the laser beam reflected from the first additional reflecting mirror M.sub.1 is again bent by 90 degrees and then propagated in a direction opposite to, or different by 180 degrees from, the direction in which the laser beam is emitted from the output mirror 17. In order for the laser beam emitted from the laser; resonator to be circularly polarized light C, a phase delaying mirror is used for at least one of the two additional reflecting mirrors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2.
With this arrangement, when the laser beam 22 leaves the laser oscillator 2, it has already been propagated over at least a light path length corresponding to the longitudinal length of the laser resonator 8. Therefore, when connecting the laser oscillator 2 and the laser machine tool 3 shown in FIG. 1 to each other by a light path with the aforementioned optimum length, the length of the light path between the two (the length of the shielding duct 5) can be shortened correspondingly. Another arrangement which may be employed is one such that the laser beam reflected from the second additional reflecting mirror M.sub.2 is passed through a long focal-length lens before being emitted from the laser resonator 8 so that the angle of divergence of the laser beam 22 may be adjusted.
With the use of the improved arrangement of laser resonator, the dimension along the length of the laser resonator can be reduced, as described above. However, the following problems still remain unsolved:
(1) Since the additional reflecting mirrors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are set so as to be inclined at 45 degrees to the horizontal plane, the dimensional size of the laser resonator 8 along the height thereof becomes relatively large (indicated at h in FIG. 3), which is not desirable when making the oscillator compact.
(2) The phase delaying mirror used for at least one of the additional reflecting mirrors M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 to obtain circularly polarized light generally has short service life and is expensive. Therefore, this adversely affects the maintainability and the cost of the laser resonator 8.


A connector comprised of a connector housing including first and second chambers, and a terminal which passes through a first aperture provided between the first and second chambers is disclosed. The terminal comprises a base part having a substantially flat bottom, a tab portion extending from an end of the base part so as to be inserted into the first aperture, a first protrusion protruding upwards from the base part, and a second protrusion protruding downwards from the base part, the first chamber having, an upper wall, and a bottom wall, the bottom wall having a groove for receiving the second protrusion of the terminal therein and a step portion defined by the groove, the step portion having a top surface upon which the second protrusion slides so that the tab portion can be guided into the first aperture.

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a conventional connector in a prior art which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 61-218081.
This type of connector comprises a connector housing 22 constructed of a synthetic resin and a terminal 23 which is accommodated in the connector housing 22.
The terminal 23 is a male type terminal (i.e. a male blade) and has a tab portion 30 and a first protrusion 26 which protrudes upwards from a location approximately in the middle of the terminal 23.
The connector housing 22 includes a first chamber 24 provided with an upper wall 25 and a bottom wall 34 between which the terminal 23 is accommodated. The upper wall 25 has a flexible engaging lance 27 which protrudes therefrom so as to engage with the first protrusion 26 of the terminal 23. Namely, the terminal 23 can be prevented from slipping out of the first chamber 24 by engaging the engaging lance 27 with the first protrusion 26. The connector housing 22 is one of a pair of connectors and includes a second chamber 28 to which the other connector is connected. Further, the connector housing 22 includes a vertical dividing wall 29 provided substantially between the first chamber 24 and the second chamber 28. The first chamber 24 has a guide wall 33 provided between the upper wall 25 and the bottom wall 34 so as to define both a first aperture 31 in the lower side thereof and a second aperture 32 in the upper side thereof.
Normally, in this type of connector 21, when the terminal 23 is inserted into the first chamber 24, the tab portion 30 passes through the first aperture 31 to be accommodated in the second chamber 28. However, if the terminal 23 is accidentally inserted into the first chamber 24 at a considerable tilt as shown in FIG. 2, a tab end 30a of the tab portion 30 may climb over the guide wall 33 and invade the second aperture 32, thereby resulting in a misinsertion of the terminal 23 in the first chamber 24.


An optical inspection system is provided in which the background video component of an analog video source which limits imaging integrity is removed enhancing the system's ability to process a wider range of image sources with increase digitizing sensitivity. The overall effects of background and background variations are nulled stabilizing the effective signal to noise ratio, thereby increasing inspection capability of the system and improving the system's process window for effective and efficient inspection.

The present invention relates to automated optical inspection and more particularly to pre-processing of an analog image signal prior to determining digitizing thresholds.
In automated optical inspection applications which entail an analog video source and some form of digital image processing, the analog video signal representing the image source must be converted to digital form by some type of analog-to-digital conversion process. One limitation of the efficiency of this process is determined by the amount of background level in the analog signal as a result of the reflectivity and color of the background of the image source. The reflectivity and color of the background may also vary across any given image source. The "white" and "black" levels of the analog signal correspond to the reflective and non-reflective surface areas of the image plane. This background component, referred to as the "black" level when the "white" level represents the pertinent information, can introduce inaccuracies in the digital signal resulting in a reduced "process window" limiting the defects which can be detected and can result in the need to alter the digitizing sensitivity which requires operator intervention.
Previous techniques of dealing with background levels are 1) determining a minimum digitizing sensitivity below which will be assumed and processed as background, or 2) by using a peak detecting process which is an averaging function rather than a real time or nulling function. These peak values were then used to set a digitizing threshold rather than alter the video signal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide analog video processing method and apparatus which enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of the analog signal and therefore increase the digitizing sensitivity.
It is an object of the present invention to provide analog video processing method and apparatus suitable for use in detecting defects in a wide variety of printed circuit boards including those having multiple layers.

Analog video processing apparatus and method for eliminating background levels in the analog signal

International Business Machines, Corporation


A nonlinear control system includes a controller, a model updater, and a model. The controller is configured to accept one or more input signals, and one or more updates generated by the model updater to produce one or more control signals. The system is configured to drive one or more transducers with the control signals to produce a rendered audio stream therefrom. The model updater is configured to analysis one or more portions of the audio stream and to update one or more aspects of the controller so as to alter performance of the transducer.

Technical Field
The present disclosure is directed to digital control of loudspeakers and particularly to nonlinear digital control systems for implementation in audio signal processing.
Background
Mobile technologies and consumer electronic devices (CED) continue to expand in use and scope throughout the world. In parallel with continued proliferation, there is rapid technical advance of device hardware and components, leading to increased computing capability and incorporation of new peripherals onboard a device along with reductions in device size, power consumption, etc. Most devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, include audio communication systems and particularly one or more loudspeakers to interact with and/or stream audio data to a user.
Every device has an acoustic signature, meaning the audible characteristics of a device dictated by its makeup and design that influence the sound generated by the device or the way it interacts with sound. The acoustic signature may include a range of nonlinear aspects, which potentially depend on the design of the device, on the age of the device, and/or the environment in which the device operates. The acoustic signature of the device may significantly influence the audio experience of a user.
Audio experience is one of many factors considered in the design of consumer electronic devices. Often, the quality of audio systems, loudspeakers, etc. are compromised in favor of other design factors such as cost, visual appeal, form factor, screen real-estate, case material selection, hardware layout, and assembly considerations amongst others.
Many of these competing factors are favored at the expense of the audio quality, as determined by the audio drivers, component layout, loudspeakers, material and assembly considerations, housing design, etc. In addition, due to the reduced available real estate and miniaturized component size, nonlinearities in the acoustic characteristics of such devices are becoming particularly relevant as the loudspeakers in such devices are being pushed to the limits of their capabilities.
Improved acoustic performance may be achieved, generally with additional cost, increased computational complexity, and/or increased component size. Such aspects are in conflict with the current design trend. As such, cost, computation, and size sensitive approaches to addressing nonlinear acoustic signatures of devices would be a welcome addition to a designer's toolbox.


A bidirectional semiconductor device facilitates making a current flow from the first MOSFET to the second MOSFET and vice versa across low on-resistance and exhibits a high breakdown voltage. The bidirectional semiconductor device includes a first n-channel MOSFET including base regions, a second n-channel MOSFET including base regions, and an alternating conductivity type layer formed of drift region and partition regions arranged alternately. Partition regions are isolated from base regions by a high resistivity region and from base regions by a high resistivity region to maintaining a high breakdown voltage between first MOSFET and the second MOSFET. By connecting high resistivity regions and via drift regions to each other, a current is made flow from the first MOSFET to the second MOSFET and vice versa and the on-voltage is reduced.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor structure applicable to semiconductor devices, such as MOSFET""s (insulated gate field effect transistors), IGBT""s (insulated gate bipolar transistors) and bipolar transistors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device that exhibits a high breakdown voltage and a high current capacity and facilitates making a current flow from the first device region to the second device region and vice versa and a method of manufacturing the bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device.
The super-junction semiconductor device is a semiconductor device that includes a drift region including one or more alternating conductivity type layers. The alternating conductivity type layer provides a current path in the ON-state of the semiconductor device and is depleted in the OFF-state of the semiconductor device. The alternating conductivity type layer is formed of drift regions of a first conductivity type (e.g. an n-type) and partition regions of a second conductivity type (e.g. a p-type) arranged alternately.
FIG. 27 is a cross sectional view of a conventional vertical bidirectional MOS-type semiconductor device, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid Open Patent Application H07-307469, that facilitates controlling a DC current and an AC current at a low on-voltage. Referring now to FIG. 27, the conventional bidirectional MOS-type semiconductor device includes a first n-channel IGBT and a second n-channel IGBT. The first n-channel IGBT is formed of n+-type emitter layers 102, p-type base layers 103, an nxe2x88x92-type substrate 101 and p-type anode layers 104. The second n-channel IGBT is formed of n+-type emitter layers 105, p-type base layers 104, an nxe2x88x92-type substrate 101 and p-type anode layers 103. The operation of the second n-channel IGBT is the inversion of the operation of the first n-channel IGBT. The first n-channel IGBT makes a current flow from a first terminal 106 to a second terminal 107. The second n-channel IGBT makes a current flow from second terminal 107 to first terminal 106.
In the conventional MOSFET""s, low on-resistance causes a low breakdown voltage and a high breakdown voltage causes high on-resistance. That is, a tradeoff relation exists between the on-resistance and the breakdown voltage. The tradeoff relation between the on-resistance and the breakdown voltage exists also in IGBT""S, bipolar transistors and diodes. The tradeoff relation exists in the vertical devices, in that the flow direction of the drift current and the expansion direction of the depletion layers coincide with each other, and in the lateral devices, in that the flow direction of the drift current and the expansion direction of the depletion layers are different from each other.
Japanese Unexamined Laid Open Patent Application H10-209267 discloses a super-junction semiconductor device that reduces the tradeoff relation described above. The disclosed super-junction semiconductor device includes a heavily doped alternating conductivity type drift layer formed of n-type regions and p-type regions arranged alternately. The alternating conductivity type layer is depleted to sustain a high breakdown voltage in the OFF-state of the device. Since the depletion layers that expand from the pn-junctions between n-type regions and the p-type regions in the OFF-state of the device deplete the entire drift layer, a high breakdown voltage is obtained even when the alternating conductivity type drift layer is doped heavily.
However, the super-junction MOSFET""s proposed so far are unidirectional devices, that are capable of controlling the current flowing from the drain to the source but incapable of controlling the current flowing from the source to the drain. In other words, any semiconductor structure, that facilitates reducing the tradeoff relation between the on-resistance and the breakdown voltage of the bidirectional semiconductor devices, has not been proposed so far. Although the super-junction semiconductor device structures proposed so far sustain the breakdown voltage when the drain is biased at a potential higher than the source potential, the super-junction semiconductor device structures proposed so far fail to sustain the breakdown voltage when the drain is biased at a potential lower than the source potential.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide a bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device that exhibits a high breakdown voltage and facilitates making a current flow from the first device region to the second device region and vice versa across low on-resistance. It is another object of the invention to provide a method of manufacturing the bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device including: a semiconductor chip having a first major surface and a second major surface, the semiconductor chip including an alternating conductivity type layer between the first major surface and the second major surface; the alternating conductivity type layer being formed of drift regions of a first conductivity type and partition regions of a second conductivity type, the alternating conductivity type layer providing a current path in the ON-state of the semiconductor device, the alternating conductivity type layer being depleted in the OFF-state of the semiconductor device; a first device region on a first side of the alternating conductivity type layer; a second device region on a second side of the alternating conductivity type layer facing opposite to the first side; first regions of the second conductivity type in the first device region; second regions of the second conductivity type in the second device region; and a semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, the semiconductor region including at least the drift regions, the semiconductor region isolating the first regions and the second regions form each other, the semiconductor region isolating the partition regions from the first regions and the second regions.
Since the semiconductor region of the first conductivity type isolates the partition regions of the second conductivity type, the first regions of the second conductivity type in the first device region and the second regions of the second conductivity type in the second device region from each other, a high breakdown voltage is obtained in the opposite directions.
Advantageously, the semiconductor region of the first conductivity type includes a third region of the first conductivity type in the first device region and a fourth region of the first conductivity type in the second device region, and the third region and the fourth region are connected to each other via the drift regions. This configuration facilitates making a current flow from the first device region to the second device region and vice versa and reducing the on-resistance.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device including: a semiconductor chip having a first major surface and a second major surface, the semiconductor chip including a first alternating conductivity type layer and a second alternating conductivity type layer between the first major surface and the second major surface; the first alternating conductivity type layer being formed of drift regions of a first conductivity type and partition regions of a second conductivity type, the first alternating conductivity type layer providing a current path in the ON-state of the semiconductor device, the first alternating conductivity type layer being depleted in the OFF-state of the semiconductor device; the second alternating conductivity type layer being formed of drift regions of the first conductivity type and partition regions of the second conductivity type, the second alternating conductivity type layer providing a current path in the ON-state of the semiconductor device, the second alternating conductivity type layer being depleted in the OFF-state of the semiconductor device; a first device region on a side of the first alternating conductivity type layer; a second device region on a side of the second alternating conductivity type layer; and a semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, the semiconductor region isolating the partition regions of the first alternating conductivity type layer and the partition regions of the second alternating conductivity type layer from each other.
The partition regions on the side of the first device region and the partition regions on the side of the second device region are isolated from each other by the semiconductor region of the first conductivity type. The first regions in the first device region and the second regions in the second device region are isolated from each other even when the partition regions in the first alternating conductivity type are connected to the first regions and the partition regions in the second alternating conductivity type are connected to the second regions. Therefore, a high breakdown voltage is obtained in the opposite directions between the first device region and the second device region.
In the configurations described above, the drift regions in the first alternating conductivity type layer and the drift regions in the second alternating conductivity type layer may be connected via the semiconductor region of the first conductivity type. Since a current path is formed by connecting the drift regions in the first alternating conductivity type layer and the drift regions in the second alternating conductivity type layer, a current is made flow from the first device region to the second device region and vice versa, and the on-resistance is reduced.
According to a third embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a bidirectional super-junction semiconductor device formed of a first half device and a second half device; the first half device including a first device region and a first alternating conductivity type layer formed of drift regions of a first conductivity type and partition regions of a second conductivity type, the first alternating conductivity type layer providing a current path in the ON-state of the semiconductor device, the first alternating conductivity type layer being depleted in the OFF-state of the semiconductor device; the second half device including a second device region and a second alternating conductivity type layer formed of drift regions of the first conductivity type and partition regions of the second conductivity type, the second alternating conductivity type layer providing a current path in the ON-state of the semiconductor device, the second alternating conductivity type layer being depleted in the OFF-state of the semiconductor device, the method including the steps of: forming the first half device; forming the second half device; and bonding the back surface of the first half device, under that the first device region is not formed, and the back surface of the second half device, under that the second device region is not formed. Since the first alternating conductivity type layer and the second alternating conductivity type layer are formed easily by the manufacturing method described above, the manufacturing process is simplified and the manufacturing costs are reduced.

Bidirectional semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A light emitting device according to an embodiment includes a body having a recess; a light emitting chip disposed in the recess; and a first dampproof layer sealing the light emitting chip and extended from a surface of the light emitting chip to a bottom of the recess, wherein the light emitting chip includes a wavelength range of 100 nm to 280 nm, and the first dampproof layer includes a fluororesin-based material.

A light emitting diode may configure a light emitting source by using compound semiconductor materials such as GaAs-based, AlGaAs-based, GaN-based, InGaN-based and InGaAlP-based materials.
Such a light emitting diode is packaged and used as a light emitting device emitting various colors, and the light emitting device is used as a light source in various fields such as a lighting indicator displaying a color, a character indicator, and an image indicator.
In particular, in the case of an ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV LED), it is used for sterilization and purification in the case of a short wavelength, and it may be used in an exposure apparatus or a curing apparatus in the case of a long wavelength. However, the environment in which the UV LED of a short wavelength is applied is mostly highly humid or inside water, so that dampproof and waterproof functions are deteriorated, and thus device failure is caused and operation reliability may be deteriorated.

Light emitting device and light source module having thereof


A method and adaptor assembly are provided for installing a direct vent firebox, such as a gas fireplace insert, into an existing fireplace. An exhaust flue liner and inlet flue liner are installed in the chimney of the existing fireplace. A plate flue collar is aligned above a fastener plate flue collar. The lower ends of the exhaust flue liner and inlet flue liner are connected to the fastener plate flue collar above an exhaust opening and inlet opening formed in the fastener slider plate, respectively. Slider brackets are provided on the top panel of the firebox and the plate flue collar is slidably engaged with the slider brackets while the firebox is inserted into the existing fireplace until the exhaust opening formed in the plate flue collar and the exhaust opening formed in the fastener plate flue collar are aligned with the exhaust opening formed in the top panel of the firebox and the inlet opening formed in the plate flue collar and the inlet opening formed in the fastener plate flue collar are aligned with the inlet opening formed in the top panel of the firebox.

In the installation and use of a gas fireplace insert, a flue liner must be provided to conduct the flue gases from the firebox of the fireplace insert to the chimney of the fireplace. As well, with direct vent fireplace inserts, fresh air from the outside is fed to the firebox for combustion. A second flue liner is needed to carry this fresh air down the chimney to the firebox where combustion occurs.
Typically, the flue liner for the exhaust gases is connected to the outlet opening on the firebox and pushed upwards into the fireplace chimney to ensure that the exhaust gases are directed entirely up the chimney so that no exhaust gases can leak into the space between the firebox and the fireplace, thereby escaping into the room. As well, the flue liner for the inlet fresh air should be inserted well into the chimney and apart from the exhaust gas flue liner to ensure that only fresh air is fed to the firebox, and not exhaust gases.
In the past, it has been problematic to install flue liners to gas fireplace inserts because of the extremely restricted amount of space between the fireplace insert and the walls of the fireplace cavity when the fireplace insert is inserted into the fireplace. Therefore, it is often very difficult to maneuver the flue liners up the chimney or to connect the flue liners properly to the firebox to ensure a tight and leak-proof connection.
With a direct vent gas fireplace insert, it is necessary, in order to achieve high efficiency, that there is a tight, leak-proof connection of the flue liners to the fireplace insert, thereby creating a continuous circuit of flowing gases. That is, there should not be any leaks of gases between the inlet of the fresh air flue liner and the outlet of the exhaust gas flue liner so that there are no exhaust gases that leak into the room nor any room air sucked into the firebox and combusted. This substantial leak-proof continuous circuit of flowing gases must be maintained, particularly at the points or the two flue liners connect to the gas fireplace insert.
In Canadian Patent No. 1,281,249 issued on Mar. 12, 1991 and currently standing in the name of the Applicant herein, a method and adaptor for installing a flue liner to a fireplace insert is disclosed. In that case, the fireplace insert is not a direct vent fireplace insert, thus it is not necessary to keep a strict leak-proof circuit of flowing gases. In fact, because it is not a direct vent fireplace, the insert does not have a fresh air inlet to the firebox, thereby not necessitating a second flue liner. As such, a leak-proof circuit between the fresh air inlet and the exhaust air outlet is not required. The fireplace insert in that case uses room air for combustion instead of fresh outside air.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,281,249, the adaptor is described as a sliding flue liner adaptor on which the lower end of the flue liner is connected. The adaptor then engageably slides in brackets located on top of the fireplace insert when the insert is placed in the fireplace cavity. An opening is located in the adaptor where the flue liner connects thereto, and the opening is disposed such that it corresponds with the exhaust opening in the firebox when the adaptor is slid fully into the brackets. The adaptor may then be secured to the fireplace insert. The result is the simple connection and installation of the exhaust flue liner to the fireplace insert.
There is a need, therefore, for an adaptor to be used to install direct vent gas fireplace inserts, and to make the connection of the flue liners to the insert easier.

Adaptor for installing flue liners to direct vent fireplace inserts


An apparatus for determining the integrity of a tube is provided. The apparatus includes: a body having an extension mechanism and configured to be inserted into the tube; and a flexible eddy current sensor including a flexible housing coupled to the body via the extension mechanism, and one or more coils disposed in the flexible housing. The flexible housing is selectively extendable via the extension mechanism between a first position and a second position. The one or more coils are farther away from the body when the flexible housing is in the second position than when the flexible housing is in the first position. The one or more coils electrically couple with an interior surface of the tube when the flexible housing is in the second position, and the flexible eddy current sensor is operative to selectively induce electrical currents within the tube via the one or more coils.

Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to boiler tubes, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for determining the integrity of a boiler tube.
Discussion of Art
Many power generation plants utilize steam generators to power turbines which generate electrical power. Such power plants typically use boilers to generate and transport steam via boiler bank tube assemblies which include one or more tubes, referred to herein as "boiler tubes" and/or simply as "tubes," that fluidly connect an upper drum to a lower drum. The tubes of such boiler bank tube assemblies are typically fixed to the drums via a process known as expansion wherein the ends of the tubes are inserted into corresponding receiving holes on the drums, which usually have larger diameters than the tubes, and the ends of the tubes are then expanded into the drum via pneumatic expanders and rolling motors so as to form a seal between the drum and the tubes.
During boiler operations, water, and/or another medium, is heated in the tubes and/or drums such that it becomes a gas, e.g., steam, which pressurizes the tubes and drums. As such, the tubes of boiler bank tube assemblies experience thermal stresses, which may result in the emergence of new, and/or the agitation of existing, defects, e.g., thinning and/or cracking of a tube wall. Such defects in turn may degrade the integrity of the tubes, which, as used herein, refers to the likelihood that a tube will rupture and/or leak during boiler operations. For example, a tube with a high integrity is unlikely to rupture and/or leak, while a tube with a low integrity is likely to rupture and/or leak.
Generally, the likelihood that defects will develop or become agitated via thermal stress is dependent on the quality of the expansion process, i.e., the precision and consistency with respect to the shape and thickness of the ends of the tubes expanded and rolled within the drums. Many expansion processes, however, result in tubes being "over rolled," which as used herein, means the over expansion and/or over use of rolling motors that results in roll marks and/or excessively large internal diameter ("ID") ridges within the tubes. Both roll marks and/or excessively large ID ridges often form areas that experience high thermal stresses when subjected to the heat and/or pressurization of steam production, and are thus likely to result in cracking of a tube. Such cracks typically fall into two categories: 1) "circumferential cracks," which as used herein refers to cracks that generally follow the circumference of a tube, i.e., "circular cracks"; and 2) "axial cracks," which as used herein refers to cracks that generally follow the longitudinal axis of a tube, i.e., "long cracks."
As stated above, a tube with a low integrity may rupture and/or leak, which in turn may result in costly downtime of a boiler and/or cause severe physical harm and/or death to a bystander. Accordingly, many boiler tubes are regularly inspected to determine their integrity, and are subsequently repaired or replaced if found to have a significant risk of rupturing. Many methods for inspecting the integrity of such tubes, however, suffer from a variety of problems. For example, many inspection methods rely on ultrasonic shear wave technologies which are susceptible to false positives resulting from excessively large ID ridges, roll marks, and/or other geometric formations, that are inherently created in the tube by the expansion process which have not developed into cracks. Mistaking a false positive for an actual defect/crack, in turn, may result in unnecessary down time of a boiler and/or unneeded and costly maintenance.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved apparatus and method for determining the integrity of a tube.

Apparatus and method for determining the integrity of a tube


A memory system including a read module, a demultiplexer, an acquisition module, a tracking module and a control module. The read module is configured to (i) read pilot data and user data stored in a block of a first memory and (ii) generate read signals based on the pilot data and the user data. The demultiplexer is configured to, based on the read signals, generate pilot signals and user data signals. The acquisition module is configured to (i) receive the pilot signals and (ii) generate a first estimate of a signal-to-noise ratio of the block of the first memory based on a predetermined pilot pattern. The tracking module is configured to generate a second estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio of the block of the first memory based on the user data signals. The control module is configured to generate recovered data based on the first estimate and the second estimate.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Non-volatile semiconductor memory may include flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), nitride read only memory (NROM), phase change memory, magnetic RAM, multi-state memory, etc. Non-volatile semiconductor memory may include hard defects or soft defects. Hard defects refer to defects that occur during manufacturing of a memory device and can be detected during an inspection process. Soft defects are defects that occur due to aging and use of a memory device ("wear and tear").
Memory may be arranged in a hierarchy having levels. Memory defects may be associated with one or more levels of the hierarchy. A memory device may be divided into the levels of the hierarchy based on memory block size. Example levels in order of decreasing size include zones, sectors, pages, and/or arrays.
The hard defects may be detected and identified via scanning. The identification may include the location, type, and size of the portion of memory associated with the defect. In contrast, the soft defects are more difficult to detect since they occur over tune during use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Defect detection and handling for memory based on pilot cells


Bulk cubic gallium nitride is made by charging into a reaction vessel to a fill of 25-95% having a temperature difference between its ends of at least 1.degree. C. a gallium precursor, sufficient amount of an acid mineralizer to form product zinc blende gallium nitride, and sufficient amount of ammonia to at least solubilize the precursor; sealing the reaction vessel; heating contents of the reaction vessel to at least 150.degree. C. while autogenously pressurizing contents of the reaction vessel to at least 500 psi for a duration sufficient to form the product zinc blend gallium nitride; cooling contents of the reaction vessel; and removing from the reaction vessel the product zinc blende gallium nitride.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to bulk preparation of crystalline cubic or zinc blende form of gallium nitride.
2. Background Art
Gallium nitride has been considered a promising material for semicondutor devices since about 1970, especially for the development of diodes for emitting blue light and ultraviolet light. Gallium nitride is a candidate material for optoelectrical applications at such photon energies because it forms a continuous alloy systems InGaN and AlGaN. Other advantageous properties for this material include high mechanical and thermal stability, large piezoelectric constants and the possibility of passivation by forming thin layers of Ga.sub.2 O.sub.3 with a bandgap of 4.2 eV. The spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in wurtzite materials and the high electron drift velocity of 2.times.10.sup.5 m/s can be used to fabricate high power transistors based on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. For epitaxial growth of gallium nitride by the non-bulk procedure of molecular beam epitaxy it is necessary to supply nitrogen as a molecular beam. Although epitaxial growth of gallium nitride on sapphire and silicon substrates by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy using ammonia has been reported, gallium nitride does not grow on gallium arsenide when ammonia is used, and the nitridation of gallium arsenide surfaces by more active nitrogen sources is suggested for epitaxial growth of gallium nitride on gallium aresnide.
Growth of gallium nitride on gallium arsenide (001) and on gallium arsenide (111) substrates by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy using dimethylhydrazine, as a nitrogen source, produces gallium nitride of different crystal structures. Hexagonal gallium nitride usually exhibits a characteristic (0002) diffraction in x-ray diffraction which corresponds to the diffraction angle 2.theta. of 34.7.degree.. For epilayers on gallium arsenide (001), only a broad peak is observed at 2.theta. of 40.0.degree.. Any peak attributable to hexagonal gallium nitride is not observed. Assuming the zinc-blende structure to have the same band length as the wurtzite structure, the peak at 2.theta. of 40.0.degree. is assigned to (002) diffractions of the cubic latice. For epilayers on gallium arsenide (111) substrates, a sharp peak is observed at 2.theta. of 34.3.
For the growth of electronic devices it is usually advantageous to have a native substrate in order to eliminate any mismatch between expansion coefficients and crystal lattices. Bulk synthesis of gallium nitride in the normal hexagonal form has been known for many years. Crystals of hexagonal gallium nitride have been grown from the vapor phase at high pressure and temperature, in liquid flux melts, and in supercritical anmmonia using basic mineralizers. Such crystals can be cut up to make native substrates for electronic device growth. However, until this invention, the synthesis of cubic gallium nitride crystals in bulk form had not been reported.

Process for preparing bulk cubic gallium nitride

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Device for the precise coupling of two cylindrical parts, especially to form compound tools, with the aid of two cylindrical bodies, one of which has a seat for accepting a pin projecting from the other cylindrical body, it being provided that the front end of the body with the coupling seat be given an inclined wall engageable with an inclined wall branching away from the base of the coupling pin of the other cylindrical body, that the transverse hole in the projecting pin accepts a threaded bush which engages with a cylindrical-headed screw, and that the free ends of the threaded bush and of the screw head have inclined circumferential surfaces engageable with inclined circumferential surfaces defining the transverse holes on the side facing the coupling seat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for the coupling of two cylindrical parts, especially to form compound tools.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term "compound tools" should be understood to refer to conventional chip-removing tools such as drill bits, cylindrical cutters or taps, which in order to be used in a machine tool must be assembled with a cone element that is inserted into the chuck of the machine.
To enable the same tool to be used for different chip-removing operations, it is often necessary to provide the cone element and the chip-removing tool with one or more extensions: these consist of cylindrical constructional elements which must be coupled together rigidly and with the greatest precision.
It is known in the state of the art to join one end of one cylindrical body having a seat to a projection provided on the other cylindrical body, thus enabling the two extensions to be joined by means of a male-female coupling.
To achieve a firm connection, in the known device the projecting part is first inserted into the cavity of the adjacent cylindrical part and then locked in position with the aid of screws or grub screws inserted transversely into the two cylindrical bodies to be assembled.
In one known embodiment, inside the coupling pin is a small cylinder with conical ends. These ends engage with the abovementioned transverse grub screws, which likewise have conical ends and therefore, when the two traverse locking grub screws are screwed home, the projecting pin is locked inside the cavity receiving it. During the tightening, the two parallel end surfaces of the cylindrical bodies are tightened together, creating the extension for the tool.
In the known embodiment, a problem has been encountered in that the area of contact between the two cylindrical bodies is formed by two surfaces parallel with each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical bodies being assembled; a fact which does not eliminate the danger of transverse movements and hence of the axes of the cylindrical bodies coming apart.
Furthermore in the known embodiment it has been found that because the angle of the cone of the locking grub screws assumes an angle of 45.degree. to the longitudinal axis of the coupled cylindrical bodies, and therefore the force with which the locking grub screws are tightened is translated into an equal locking force. Since the force with which the locking grub screw is screwed in cannot be increased at will lest the thread be damaged, the locking force applicable between the two cylindrical bodies is accordingly limited, even though a greater locking force would increase the rigidity of the coupling of the two cylindrical bodies.
A further problem with the known embodiment is observable in the fact that, if wear develops in either the pin or the cavity forming the male-female coupling, the cylindrical bodies may move reciprocally along the parallel coupling surfaces, which is a cause of imprecise machining.
Finally, the known device requires the use of two locking screws or grub screws for the assembly stage. This not only increases the number of constructional elements needed, but also requires careful and balanced tightening of the two locking grub screws. In addition, these locking elements must be removed while the pin and cavity are being joined together, and then reinserted afterwards.


A utility belt for painters having a holders for painting devices and tools, and releasable connectors for connecting the holders to the utility belt. Methods of using a utility belt for painters.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to utility belts used to carry various apparatus and supplies, and, more particularly, to utility belts utilized by painters for carrying or holding apparatus, supplies, and the like, and the methods of using same.
2. Background Information
In the painting art, an operator who is spray painting, roller painting or brush painting must stop working to retrieve various needed tools and apparatus, such as a spray gun, a caulking gun, masking tape, spray tips used in a spray gun, spray gun filters, and the like. Often, these various tools and apparatus are in different locations. Such a work stoppage, to locate these items, is time consuming and increases labor costs.
Further, when an operator is on a ladder or scaffolding, said operator must climb down to retrieve such afore-mentioned articles. Further, while climbing upward or downward, said operator is often carrying one or more tools or apparatus in one or both hands, thereby increasing the risk of danger, such as injury from a fall.
A utility belt which holds various tools, apparatus, and items, which is worn by an operator while painting, would be desirable. Yet, such a utility belt might cause danger, because such tools and apparatus hanging from the belt might catch against the ladder or scaffolding, causing the operator to lose balance, again resulting in injury from a fall.
Therefore, there is a need felt in the art for a utility belt for painters which permits usual tools and apparatus used in regular painting jobs, such as caulking guns, spray guns, spray hose, spray tips and filters for the spray gun, masking tape, and the like, to be carried on the belt. Further, there is a need felt in the art for a utility belt which permits each item attached to the belt to pull away, off of the belt, so that falls do not result from items on an operator's belt becoming snagged or otherwise connected to articles such that the snagging or connection causes the operator to lose his balance.
Such a utility belt promotes safety by preventing falls resulting in an operator (painter) trying to go up and down scaffolding or ladders with one or more tools in his hand; the operator can now dispose all tools and other items on the utility belt. Further, such a utility belt promotes safety by preventing falls resulting from the belt which becomes snagged or otherwise accidently connected to another article; each item on the belt will now pull away from the belt.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a utility belt for painters which contains holders for commonly used items, thereby keeping the operator's hands free while moving up and/or down ladders or scaffolding. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a utility belt in which each item thereon, including the holder for the item, will pull away if accidently snagged or caught upon an article. In this way, the operator is not accidently pulled off balance by such unwanted snagging of items on the belt, holders, or the belt itself. It is a goal of the present invention to enhance the safety of the operator during a painting procedure while reducing wasted time and labor costs.


A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a substrate holder positioned in the chamber, a gas source for supplying a process gas to the chamber, first and second ion sources located in the chamber, and a power source for energizing the first and second ion sources. Each ion source ionizes the process gas to produce ions for processing a substrate disposed on the substrate holder. The first and second ion sources include first and second anodes, respectively. The power source energizes the first and second anodes in a time multiplexed manner, such that only one of the first and second ion sources is energized at any time and interactions between ion sources are eliminated.

Commercial plasma sources are used for both deposition onto and etching from surfaces for a wide variety of industrial applications, especially semiconductor, optical, and magnetic thin film processing. The plasma formed by such sources generates reactive neutral and ionic species which can chemically and/or physically interact with surfaces to deposit or remove material.
In many processes, the use of energetic ions from the plasma source can result in the deposition of materials with unique properties or allow the etching of surfaces under conditions which would not otherwise be effective. An ion source mounted in a vacuum chamber in which the substrate is positioned is a common method for processing substrates in a plasma. A gas with specific chemical properties is supplied to the ion source for ionization. The plasma generated is a mixture of various reactive neutral and ionic chemical species as well as energetic electrons. The energy of the ionic species interacting with the surface depends upon plasma electrical properties and pressure. Typically, the energy of ions bombarding the substrate is controlled by means of a substrate bias. Alternatively, if the substrate is electrically floating, the ion energy will be determined by the electron energy distribution which determines the difference between the plasma potential and the potential at the surface for which there is zero net current (floating potential). Control of the ion energy is desirable since deposition or etching process characteristics and resulting materials properties often depend strongly on this parameter.
In some applications, it is desirable to process both sides of a substrate simultaneously. This is typical in the deposition of thin layers of various materials in the manufacture of magnetic hard disks used in magnetic memory systems. In this case, ion sources are positioned on opposite sides of the disk. However, ion sources which utilize an anode for establishing a plasma potential tend to exhibit plasma instability and oscillation when two such sources are operated simultaneously in a processing chamber. Such unstable behavior does not permit predictable ion generation and process stability. Also, it has proven difficult to coat thin films with properties which will satisfy the requirements of a protective film on a hard disk. Thinner coatings permit the head to fly closer to the magnetics of the disk as to permit an increase in areal density. In this application, depositing overcoatings, the coating should have sufficient hardness, density, and adhesion as well as practical qualities including high deposition rates and low numbers of macroscopic particles on the surface. Accordingly, there is a need for improved substrate processing systems and methods wherein two or more ion sources may operate in a stable manner in a processing chamber and wherein the properties of the deposited layers may be improved for their intended purpose.

Processing systems with dual ion sources


In an electrophotographic printing apparatus which includes a photosensitive drum having a photoconductive layer on its surface, a primary charger for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum, a developing agent tank for containing powder developing agent, a developing system for supplying the powder developing agent supplied from the developing agent tank to the surface of the photosensitive drum, and a cleaner for removing the powder developing agent from the surface of the photosensitive drum. The photosenstivie drum, the primary charger, the developing system, a container for the developing agent tank, and the cleaner are integrally mounted to a support member to form an image-forming cartridge. This cartridge is removably mounted to a main body of the electrophotographic printing apparatus, and the developing agent tank is removably mounted in the container of the cartridge.

A conventional electrophotographic apparatus of the above type is shown in Japanese Patent Kokoku Publication No. 54,392/1983. In this apparatus, in an electrophotographic copier, a photosensitive drum and a developing device for toner development of the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum in correspondence with the image of the original, and a cleaner for removing any powder developing agent remaining on the photosensitive drum are integrally mounted on a support member, and this support member is slid with respect to the main body of the electrophotographic copier in the direction of the axis of the photosensitive drum for removal and mounting.
The expression "integrally mounted" as used herein means that the named components can be separately disassembled from the rest of the printing apparatus without being separated or disassembled from each other.
In the apparatus disclosed in the above publication, as set forth in the fourth column, the developing device, the photosensitive drum and the cleaner are integrated into a single exchangeable unit, and when either of them reaches the limit of life span, the entire exchangeable unit is exchanged for a new one.
Further, as described in column 6 and column 11, and shown in FIG. 2 in the publication, a toner bottle 20 is provided in the developing device A, and a powder developing agent formed by mixing the toner and the carrier is contained therein.
When the powder developing agent is exhausted, the exchangeable unit as a whole is at the limit of life span, and must be replaced regardless of the consumption or wear of other components. This leads to increase in the printing cost, and is detrimental to the economy of the user. The deficiency can be eliminated by increasing the capacity of the toner bottle, or by lowering the cost of the exchangeable unit. The former measure increases the size of the exchangeable unit, and the latter measure is technically difficult.
Of the components of the exchangeable unit, the toner bottle reaches the limit of life span when the powder developing agent contained therein is exhausted, but, at that time, other components may not have reached their limit of live span, and their limit of life span is dependent on factors other than the consumption of the powder developing agent, for instance the number of sheets that have been printed, and it is practically impossible to have the limit of life span of the toner bottle and all other components to reach simultaneously under various conditions.
For this reason, the user of the apparatus must dispose the exchangeable unit, part of which can still be used, and this is uneconomical to the user.


Cooling or chilling apparatus for cooling or chilling beverage containers such as bottles or cans including a chamber which includes a chilling liquid cooled by a refrigeration unit and a support arrangement for supporting containers in the liquid. A flexible membrane in the form of a plastics bag surrounds the containers to prevent the containers coming into direct contact with the liquid but which permits the chilling liquid to cool the contents of the containers.

Beverages in containers are normally cooled in conventional refrigerators, or in larger commercial establishments, cold rooms. There is however usually a considerable period of time which elapses between the time at which the beverage container is placed into a refrigerator or cold room and the time at which its temperature is acceptable for drinking. More rapid cooling can be achieved by using ice, however, ice is not readily available in many situations and additionally cannot be contained easily without melting. The above problems are accentuated in establishments which are involved in the supply of cold beverages such as restaurants. In these situations, it is often impossible for a large range of wines or other beverages to be stored and maintained at a low temperature for service and supply. Some arrangements have been proposed whereby bottles or other containers are placed into a container carrying a chilled liquid, however, in these arrangements the bottles or other containers become wet and therefore are not immediately suitable for use. Additionally, there is a danger that wet bottles or containers can slip from the grasp of a user.


Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for centralized control of autonomous vehicles. In some embodiments, a system and method allow an autonomous control system on-board an autonomous vehicle to pass control of the autonomous vehicle to an offboard panel of experts upon encountering an anomaly. In some embodiments, a system and method allow a regulatory entity to proactively distribute rules and requirements to autonomous vehicles while operating within a regulated space.

Once viewed as a futuristic technological concept that was forever over the horizon, autonomous vehicles are now widely considered an imminent inevitability. Advances in sensor technologies and control systems have spawned a proliferation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in current-generation vehicles, including adaptive cruise control (ACC), parking assistance (e.g., automatic parallel parking), blind spot monitoring and land change assistance, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning.
The even more advanced artificial intelligence systems onboard the next-generation vehicles currently under development go far beyond assistance, promising fully autonomous operation of the vehicle. Indeed the sensor and control systems onboard soon-to-be-released autonomous vehicle designs can safely navigate the vast majority of driving situations without human input at all.
Yet even the most optimistic of autonomous vehicle designers concede that substantial challenges remain. In particular, even the most advanced autonomous vehicles under development struggle to properly navigate highly anomalous, less-frequently encountered "edge cases". And despite extensive internal representations of traffic regulations, autonomous vehicles possess a limited ability to adequately respond to spatial and temporal variations in regulatory frameworks.

Systems and methods for centralized control of autonomous vehicles


A miniature recycle-type heat exchanger to produce recycle-type heat exchangers from high extensibility, high plasticity aluminum or copper billets (ingots) utilizing a pressure forming press to extrude lightweight, thin, and small form factor recycle-type heat exchangers. The production method includes annealing copper and aluminum billet (ingot) material, conveying the material to a vibrator for placement in an ordered arrangement, and then conveying and fixing the material onto molds in a pressure forming press for the extrusion tasks required to fabricate the heat exchanger bodies. In the final stage after shaping and determination of the fluid input direction, the bodies are placed in a vacuum sputtering machine to undergo a rough textured heat conductive microparticulate deposition process to complete the production of miniature recycle-type heat exchangers that are of very compact dimensions and lightweight, but have a large heat exchange capacity and, furthermore, a high heat transfer rate.

Conventional heat exchangers installed in notebook computers now include extruded aluminum heat exchangers, cast aluminum heat exchangers, and miniature copper tube heat exchangers. As indicated in Table 1, the miniature copper tube heat exchanger has the best heat transfer capability, with a heat transfer coefficient of nearly 10 w/m.sup.2 .degree. C. However, the shortcoming of the said copper tube heat exchanger is that hard welding under very low vacuum conditions is required during the production process, which oxidizes the surface of the finished product and increases manufacturing cost. At the same time, the copper tube heat exchanger tends to radiate large amounts of heat that is readily transferred to the host device, where components are subjected to damaging high temperatures. Furthermore, the copper tube heat exchanger cannot be utilized for three-way heat transfer applications. Having observed such actual situations, the two inventors of the present invention, experienced in the manufacturing aluminum capacitor shells for many years, became aware of that the pressure forming press utilized to extrude aluminum billet into capacitor shells and other similar housings (such as easy-open drink containers) could also be utilized under normal temperature production conditions to fabricate complex shaped products in a single extrusion operation and after fabrication, would be capable of withstanding greater stress due to the resulting increased mechanical strength and also requiring less raw material. Since an ultra thin product having at least a thickness of 0.2 mm can be formed in a single operation, mass production at a fast rate was among the advantages obtained. As a result, research was conducted on a heat transfer invention involving large surface areas with the objective of compelling the entry direction of the air into the product (during convection) and that of higher heat transfer rates as well as the forming of complex shapes in a single punching and extrusion operation to reduce production costs, with accumulated heat to be transferred from a heat conductive microparticulate coating and dissipated in a low temperature fluid to achieve heat exchange. The research culminated in the miniature recycle-type heat exchanger production method of the invention herein.

Miniature recycle-type heat exchange production method


In connecting a center contact and an outer contact of a terminal contact set to a center conductor and an outer conductor of a coaxial cable at its cable end, the center and outer contacts are formed by punching an electroconductive plate, as a contact frame, integral with each other and with first and second frame portions connected to each other by bridge portion and carrying center and outer contacts, respectively. After the center and the outer contacts are connected to the center and outer conductors, respectively, those contacts are separated from the first and second frame portions. The center contact comprises first press-fit portions to be press-fitted to the center conductor and first holding portion to hold a first cover of the cable insulating the center conductor from the outer conductor. The outer contact (2) comprises second holding portion for holding a second cover of the cable insulating and covering the outer conductor, and second press-fit portion to press-fit to the outer conductor. The second press-fit portion has a press-insert portion to be contacted with the outer conductor and to clamp the first cover, and a guide piece for guiding the second cover of the cable to a position between the second press-fit portion. The center and outer contacts can be assembled, as connector contacts, into a plug insulator to form a plug connector.

The present invention relates to a method for attaching a terminal contact set to a coaxial cable at its cable end and, in particular, to such a method using a contact frame having the terminal contact set integrally formed from a metal plate.
Generally, a coaxial cable is used as a transmission line and comprises a first conductor, as an center or inner conductor, centered inside, a first conductor, as an outer conductor, extending coaxial with the center conductor, a first insulator cover covering and insulating the center conductor from the outer conductor, and a second cover or an outer jacket covering and insulating the outer conductor.
When the coaxial cable is used for electrically connecting between a two electrical apparatus, cable ends thereof are processed to expose the center and outer conductor ends which are, in turn, connected to electrical circuits in the apparatus.
In order to make it easy to connect the center conductor and the outer conductor to the circuit, a terminal contact set are attached to the cable end. The terminal contact set is often assembled in a connector insulating as connector contacts to form an electrical connector such as a plug connector.
A set of the terminal contacts comprises a first contact element or a center contact to be connected to the center conductor end of the coaxial cable, and a second contact element or an outer contact to be the outer conductor of the coaxial cable.
In the prior art, the center contact and the outer contact are produced independently from each other by, for example, punching metallic plates to form center contact flat parts by use of a die and to form outer contact flat parts by use of a different die, respectively.
Subsequently, the outer contact is fitted to the outer conductor end and then mechanically fixed to the outer jacket, by deforming the outer contact flat plate. On the other hand, the center contact is fitted to the center conductor end and then mechanically fixed to the second cover, by deforming the center contact flat part.
However, the terminal contact set for the coaxial cable as described above is disadvantageous in that the center contact and the outer contact are independently produced into the flat parts by the use of the two different metallic plates and the two different dies.
In the meanwhile, attachment of the center contact and the outer contact to center conductor end and the outer conductor end of the coaxial cable is carried out in the manner wherein an increased number of steps are required and a work efficiency is extremely low so that an assembling operation inevitably requires a relatively long time. In the manner, at first, the center contact part is brought into contact with the center conductor and is deformed or crimped to press-fit to the center conductor. Thereafter, the outer contact part is brought into the outer conductor and deformed and crimped to press-fit to the outer conductor.

Attachment of terminal contacts to coaxial cable end and cable connector having terminal contacts

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited


A liquid filled bag loading device stabilizes the bag in a loading position and then releases the bag gently into a open top tray type box which can be easily closed. The loading device provides a powered roller at the entrance to a loading position to assist the bag in entering the loading position. In the loading position the bag floats on an air cushion over a set of trap doors as the bag is stabilized between side and back walls. A gentle tamper device is used to assist in accelerating the bag's stabilization prior to the trap doors opening to drop the bag vertically through a chute into a waiting box.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of packaging of liquid filled flexible containers (namely bags) and their movement and guidance into a rigid protective container (usually a cardboard box).
2. Prior Art
In the beverage industry the use of thin film liquid and gas tight containers, commonly known as bags, is common. The bags often have an oxygen barrier in the thin film to protect the contents of the bag from oxygen in the surroundings. A fill/discharge spout is usually located at one end/corner of the bag. Such an unprotected flexible bag is impractical for storage and handling. It is not stable, cannot be stacked, and is difficult to grasp and hold, also the bag is not durable to any sharp corners or edges or objects which it might encounter. It is, however, less expensive than a rigid container capable of holding a similar volume. Therefore, a common practice which has evolved, is the use of such a flexible liquid filled bag in a cardboard box which protects the bag from shipping and handling hazards such as sharp objects and provides the opportunity to stack and handle the liquid in the bag just like any other commodity shipped in cardboard boxes.
Commonly, a bag is filled with liquid and the liquid filled bag is directed into the box by guiding or conveying it by various means and/or chutes. A patent by Hirschberger, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,683 provides an example of such loading.
A drawback associated with the prior art devices is that the rough handling received by the bag in guiding it into the cardboard box sometimes results in damage to the bag or placement of the bag spout in an unacceptable location. Faulty placement of the bag can cause its edges to hang out of the box and be damaged by the edges of the box. A slow moving packaging line which reduces the risk of damage is not efficient. Accelerating the process often causes the liquid filled bag to act in a generally predictable but not always consistent manner which causes the box loading process to fail and/or damage the product too often for efficient production.
During an accelerated and naturally variable loading operation, the natural tendency of a liquid filled bag is to start to roll at any point where a barrier or guide is erected to stop or influence the bag's motion. This rolling action often causes the fill/discharge spout of the bag to be displaced a commercially undesirable distance from its intended location. This displacement causes customer dissatisfaction upon tearing out a perforated portion of the box behind which the spout should be located and not finding it there.
To overcome these shortcomings in past devices, often, it has been necessary to station a person at the loader to aid in guiding the bag into the box or to finesse the bag after it has been placed in the box to decrease the likelihood of damage and spout misalignment. This repositioning is done by additional personnel who perform this repositioning while the bags and boxes move on conveyors. This repetitive motion can lead to injuries and any time there is additional rubbing movement of the bag there is a potential for bag and/or product damage. When the bag rubs against the sharp edges of the cardboard box it causes unacceptable injuries to the bag which can cause leaks in the bag and/or product rejection or returns by the consumer if not immediately identified.
Alternately, an excess clearance has been added to the box depth to assure that when the bag is placed in the box it does not extend up over the edges of the box and remains undamaged through the final box closing process.
Damage to the bag is especially critical where the beverage contained in the bag, such as wine, deteriorates with exposure to oxygen. Oxygen may enter the bag as a result of holes in the barrier layer of the film caused by the loading process.
In the prior art devices the liquid filled bag is conducted to a drop or release location. At the drop location, the bag is released into a chute or slide which is supposed to convey the bag into the box and keep the bag in a desired predetermined orientation with the box. Because of the nature of liquid in a bag and the freedom of the bag to deform to any outside or inside pressure, the movement of a bag through a chute for any distance where the bag changes direction and has the opportunity to roll can and does cause displacement of the spout and damage to edges of the bag when it touches or presses against sources of injury. When a direction changing chute is used to convey the bag, the positioning of the bag lacks the consistency required to provide a packaging system with a high quality and commercially acceptable defect rate.

Liquid packaging placement and control device


An improved process for preparing cyano substituted benzyl esters is disclosed. The process involves reacting an acid halide with an aldehyde and a water soluble cyanide in water in the presence of a tetraalkyl ammonium halide wherein each alkyl group contains from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms. The resulting benzyl esters are particularly useful as insecticides.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved process for preparing certain benzyl ester insecticides. More particularly, the invention relates to a process in which an acid halide is reacted with an aldehyde and a water soluble cyanide in water and in the presence of a tetraalkyl ammonium halide wherein each alkyl group contains from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Benzyl esters of the pyrethroid type having insecticidal activity have been described in the literature. See, in this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,163 issued to Elliott et. al. This patent discloses a number of synthetic esters which may be represented by the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, Y represents hydrogen or cyano, and X represents halogen.
One particularly interesting group of these materials are those in which Y in the above formula represents a cyano group. However, one problem in the processes previously available for the preparation of these cyano substituted materials is the requirement that the esterification reaction be carried out in the presence of relatively large amounts of organic solvents. As is well known, the use of such solvents introduces a number of problems into the commercialization of the process. In addition, the previously available processes often involved one or more of the following: low yields, long reaction times and low purity.
One method for preparing cyano substituted benzyl esters of the general type indicated above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,176 issued to Matsuo et. al. This patent relates to alpha-cyanobenzyl cyclopropanecarboxylates and discloses that these materials may be prepared by reacting an acid halide and an aldehyde in an aqueous solution of sodium or potassium cyanide and an aprotic solvent. Specifically, this patent indicates that "a mixture of the acid chloride . . . and the aldehyde . . . or a solution of the mixture in an aprotic solvent is added to an aqueous solution of sodium or potassium cyanide, and the resulting mixture is stirred to obtain the alpha-cyanobenzyl-cyclopropanecarboxylate" (column 3, lines 49-55).
Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,361 issued to Sheldon et. al., discloses basically the same process and adds the use of an onium catalyst to the reaction mixture. In accordance with the teachings of this patent, either a quarternary onium compound or a sulfonium compound may be employed as a catalyst in this reaction. A number of suitable onium compounds are disclosed in the reference. However, as noted above, the process requires a relatively large amount of an aprotic solvent.

Preparation of cyano substituted benzyl esters