Disclosed is a wafer inspecting apparatus suitable to determine whether a scattering substance is a surface foreign matter or an internal defect even if the particle size of the scattering substance is smaller than the wavelength of irradiation rays used for inspection. The wafer is obliquely irradiated with irradiation rays at the Brewster angle, and scattered rays which are scattered from a scattering substance on or in the wafer are detected at and angle 0.degree. and an angle of the Brewster angle or more by detectors. Then, it is determined whether the scattering substance is a surface foreign matter or an internal defect on the basis of a ratio between the intensities of the scattered rays detected by the detectors. The intensity of scattered rays which are scattered from a surface foreign matter and detected at an angle of the Brewster angle or more is larger than the intensity of scattered rays which are scattered from the foreign matter and detected at an angle 0.degree., and the intensity of scattered rays which are scattered from an internal defect and detected at an angle of the Brewster angle or more is smaller than the intensity of scattered rays which are scattered from the internal defect and detected at an angle 0.degree.. This makes it possible to distinguish the surface foreign matter and the internal defect from each other.

The present invention relates to a wafer inspecting apparatus, and particularly to a wafer inspecting apparatus for inspecting crystal defects such as precipitates or stacking faults in a silicon wafer in such a manner as to distinguish the crystal defects from foreign matters adhering on the surface of the silicon wafer.
As the level of integration of LSIs (Large Scale Integrated Circuits) has been enhanced, there has arisen a large problem in terms of reduction in percent non-defective and reliability resulting from failures of MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistors constituting main parts of the LSIs. The failures of MOS transistors are typically caused by dielectric breakdown of gate oxide films and excess leakage currents at junctions. That is to say, most of the failures of MOS transistors directly or indirectly result from crystal defects in silicon substrates. To be more specific, in an LSI fabrication process, if a crystal defect exists in a surface region, to be oxidized into a silicon oxide film, of a silicon substrate, then a structural defect is formed in the silicon oxide film, causing dielectric breakdown upon operation of the LSI; while if a crystal defect exists in a depletion layer of a junction, there occurs a large amount of a leakage current therein. In this way, the presence of a crystal defect in a surface region, in which elements are formed, of a silicon substrate is undesirable because such a crystal defect causes a failure of a MOS transistor. For this reason, measurement of these crystal defects is important in quality control of silicon crystals. In this case, it may be desirable that crystal defects in a wafer be measured in such a manner as to be distinguished from foreign matters on the surface of the wafer, because the countermeasure taken against crystal defects in the wafer is different from that taken against foreign matters on the surface of the wafer.
One method has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-318500. In this method, infrared rays are rendered incident on a silicon substrate in the direction perpendicular thereto, and scattered rays are detected at the Brewster angle of silicon with respect to an axis perpendicular to the surface for each polarized component, to detect internal defects and surface foreign matters in such a manner as to make a distinction therebetween. The principle of this method is based on the fact that in regard to the transmittance of scattered rays which are scattered from an internal defect to the surface of a silicon substrate, the dependence of the intensity of a detection signal of the scattered rays on the polarization direction becomes largest when the scattered rays are detected at the Brewster angle of silicon.
Another method has been reported by Moriya and others in Proceedings of the 44-th Joint Meeting on Applied Physics, No. 1, p. 312, 1997, in which surface foreign matters and internal defects are detected using obliquely incident irradiation rays. In this method, a scattering substance detected by irradiation of S-polarized rays is taken as a surface foreign matter, and a scattering substance detected by irradiation of P-polarized rays is taken as an internal defect.
A further method has been reported by Kurihara in Journal of Electronic Material, PP. 50 to 56, February, 1997. In this method, the surface of a wafer is irradiated with rays in the direction perpendicular thereto, and foreign matters and irregular defects on the surface of the wafer are detected in such a manner as to make a distinction therebetween on the basis of a difference in angle distribution of the scattered rays.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 6-345662 has disclosed a method in which the surface to be detected is irradiated with two kinds of laser rays having different wavelengths, and the presence or absence of defects on the surface is determined on the basis of a correlation between signals of the different scattered rays having the different wavelengths and scattered from the defects.
The above-described methods in which it is determined, by making use of polarization of scattered rays, whether a detected scattering substance is a surface foreign matter or an internal defect has the following problems:
The first problem is that when an object to be detected is irradiated with S-polarized rays, the incident rays interfere with reflected rays from the surface of the object and thereby the reflected rays are shifted from the incident rays by a phase of 180.degree., to cause a phenomenon that the surface becomes dark. On the contrary, when an object to be detected is irradiated with P-polarized rays, such a phenomenon occurs little. Taking the phenomenon into account, when a foreign matter having a particle size larger than the wavelength of irradiation rays is irradiated with the irradiation rays, the intensity of scattered rays from the foreign matter in the case using S-polarized rays as the irradiation rays is larger than the intensity of scattered rays from the foreign matter in the case of using P-polarized rays as the irradiation rays. On the contrary, for a foreign matter having a particle size sufficiently smaller than the wavelength of irradiation rays, the intensity of scattered rays from the foreign matter in the case of using P-polarized rays as the irradiation rays is larger than the intensity of scattered rays from the foreign matter in the case of using S-polarized rays as the irradiation rays, because of the interference effect. Accordingly, even if the intensity of scattered rays from a scattering substance in the case of using P-polarized irradiation rays or the intensity of scattered rays of a P-polarized component from the scattering substance is larger than the intensity of scattered rays from the scattering substance in the case of using S-polarized irradiation rays or the intensity of scattered rays of an S-polarized component from the scattering substance, it cannot be determined that the scattering substance is an internal defect.
The second problem is that the polarization state of scattered rays from a scattering substance is changed depending on whether the material of the scattering substance is anisotropic or isotropic. For example, in the case where irradiation rays are scattered from a scattering substance having a particle size sufficiently smaller than the wavelength of the irradiation rays (measurement of micro-defects are generally equivalent to the case), it is apparent from the Rayleigh scattering theory that the polarization direction of the scattered rays from the scattering substance is the same as the irradiation direction of the irradiation rays insofar as the material of the scattering substance is isotropic. Accordingly, in the case where the scattering substance is an isotropic internal defect, there occur only the scattered rays which are scattered in the same polarization direction as that of the irradiation rays. However, in the case where the scattering substance is an anisotropic internal defect, the polarization direction of the scattered rays from the scattering substance is changed depending on the degree of the anisotropy of the scattering substance.
In view of the foregoing, it is undesirable to generally adopt a method of distinguishing a surface foreign matter and an internal defect from each other by making use of polarization information of irradiation rays or scattered rays.
Next, the above-described method in which the surface of a wafer is irradiated with irradiation rays in the direction perpendicular thereto has a problem. In the vertical incidence of irradiation rays, all polarized components are parallel to the surface irrespective of the polarization direction of the irradiation rays, so that the irradiation rays interfere with reflected rays irrespective of the polarization direction. Such interference between the irradiation rays and reflected rays makes small the intensity of the irradiation rays on the surface. This makes it difficult to detect a micro-defect.


A color facsimile apparatus includes a plurality of color ink jet heads for different colors. The apparatus comprises instructing circuitry for instructing monochromatic printing of data received in a color receiving mode, and a controller for controlling image data received in a color receiving mode according to a signal from the instructing circuitry for recording of data by a monochromatic ink jet head.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a color facsimile apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, color facsimile apparatuses have been proposed. For such color facsimile apparatuses, various types of printers are proposed.
Recently, an ink jet printer of bubble jet type has been proposed, which utilizes bubbles generated by thermal energy for discharging ink from nozzle toward a printing medium to print characters, images, etc. on the printing medium. In this printer, a heat-generating resistor (i.e., a heater) provided in each orifice is far smaller in size than the piezoelectric element used in the conventional ink jet printer. Thus, it permits high density multiplex arrangement of orifices to obtain high quality print image, as well as permitting high speed and low noise operation.
Meanwhile, the facsimile apparatus is required to be capable of not merely transmitting image at high speed but also receiving higher quality image at high speed. The bubble jet type ink jet printer as noted above is thought to be one of printers which can meet the above requirements.
However, in such color facsimile apparatus, if it is intended to full color print data received in a color receiving mode at all time, it is necessary to perform printing in, for instance, four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan and black. Thus, the printing takes long time, and the received data can not be quickly confirmed.
Further, where printing is done in color at all times, a great quantity of ink is required.
Further, the above ink jet printer has the following problem.
The orifices of the recording head are subject to clogging caused by ink having viscosity increased due to non-use of the head, low relative humidity environment and difference in recording frequency or by attachment of dust. Accordingly, a discharge recovery mechanism is provided for removing ink of increased viscosity by causing forced discharging of increased viscosity ink from the inside of the orifices or withdrawing ink through a cap covering and protecting the head nozzle. In addition, when the recording head is out of use, its orifices are held covered by the cap to prevent non-discharge of ink.
However, even with the provision of the above measure, clogging of the ink nozzle is liable in such case as when the recording head has been out of use for long time or in a comparatively dry room because ink passages of ink nozzles are actually very narrow. Further, if some nozzles are used at a very low frequency during printing operation, they are liable to be clogged in the next printing.
Where such a printer is used for a facsimile apparatus, despite normal communication a white streaked or fringe-like pattern is generated in the output image to cause deterioration of image quality or missing information. To solve this problem, it may be thought to permit automatic monitoring of the state of the head before printing and refuse communication if the head is abnormal. However, if automatic reception is set for long time absence, the state of refusal of reception is inconveniently maintained for long time.
Particularly, in case of a color recording apparatus, three ink heads for respective colors of yellow, magenta and cyan are necessary, and therefore the probability of abnormal state of any one of the heads and probability of state of inability of reception are high.
The above problem is encountered not only in ink jet recording but also other recording systems where color image is reproduced for each color, for instance a thermal printer and electrophotographic system.
Meanwhile, in a bubble jet type ink jet printer for full color recording, recording heads for three different colors of Y, M and C or four different colors of Y, M, C and Bk are provided in a row or juxtaposed state such as to form images with relative movement of the ink heads and recording paper in the direction of the row.
For realizing a color facsimile apparatus, which can receive color image signal with such a color ink jet printer, it is important to permit high speed recording control.


A graphics control for an interactive user interface includes a plurality of individually specified graphics components. Each graphics component has non-transparent portions and potentially also has transparent portions. In one embodiment, the graphics components include a background component, a face component, a frame component, and a focus component. The components are overlaid on each other from bottom to top, creating a layered effect. The face component is selectable by the user input to perform an action, and selecting the face component changes the appearance of the face component. Other than the background component, the components each are constructed of a texture bitmap and one or more luminance bitmaps. The texture bitmaps are tiled to conserve memory and data bandwidth. The luminance bitmaps can be supplied in a small size, and scaled using a special tiling technique.

Conventional computer programs commonly utilize graphical user interfaces having what are referred to as graphics "controls". A graphics control is a discrete visual object on the computer screen that can be manipulated by the user to perform an action in an associated application program.
Perhaps the most common controls are buttons, which allow a user to select options, and scroll bars, which allow the user to move through a document or position text in a window. An example of a button, as it commonly appears in popular graphical user interfaces, is shown in FIG. 1 generally designated by reference numeral 10. The button has a textual label that indicates the function of the button. The user can select the button by moving an on-screen pointer to the button and pressing a key such as a mouse key. When the button is selected, it changes its appearance momentarily. In some implementations, the button is made to appear as if it has actually been pressed. The application program interprets this selection as an instruction from the user, and performs the function indicated by the button's label.
A check box is another common type of control. A check box is simply an empty box. When the user selects the box, it is filled with a check mark or an "X" to indicate that the user has selected a corresponding option.
Other common types of controls include radio buttons, spin dials, list boxes, and text boxes. These graphics controls are widely used in the Microsoft Windows.RTM. programming environment, in which they can be conveniently implemented with operating system calls. For further information regarding such graphics controls, and for descriptions of how to implement and use such controls, refer to Microsoft Windows 3.1 Guide to Programming, Redmond, Wash.: Microsoft Press, 1987-1992, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The following discussion assumes a working familiarity with the use and programming of popular graphical user interfaces such as implemented in the Microsoft Windows.RTM. programming environment.
Currently existing graphics controls are functionally adequate in the common environment of a typical personal computer. However, the nature of computing devices is changing rapidly. In newer computing devices, existing forms of graphics controls may not be effective. As an example, many people believe that home computers will someday be supplanted by hybrid entertainment devices that integrate the functions of computers and televisions. As another example, it is likely that set-top boxes associated with cable television services will soon be required to implement much more sophisticated user interfaces as interactive services become available to cable subscribers.
The rapid growth of communications between computers is another development that is changing the nature of computing devices. Many people believe that the personal computer of today will soon be replaced by a much simpler and less expensive device whose main function will be to access the resources of an external network such as the Internet. Again, it is often envisioned that such a device will be integrated with other entertainment devices such as televisions.
These developments point to an apparent merging of television, video, and computer functions into a single device, in which a single user interface will be desirable.
However, existing graphics controls do not work well in the more "active" environments of the video and television worlds. In these environments, the user is continually presented with very colorful, unpredictable, and rapidly changing display screens. Conventional graphics controls are easily overlooked in these environments. Even in the Internet environment, where content providers often compete for audiences, more colorful and noticeable controls are desired.
Such colorful and noticeable graphics controls are available only at a relatively high price in public network environments--such as interactive television networks, online service networks, and the Internet--in which data bandwidth is at a premium. Creating a complex graphics control requires a lot of data, and in these environments such data must be transferred from a server to a client over connections that are often quite slow. Furthermore, a relatively simple client device such as a set-top box might have only limited storage capabilities, and might therefore be incapable of handling complex or lengthy data.


An electrical socket for TAB ICs. More particularly, the socket includes a flexible etched film having an array of traces thereon, a base on which the film is positioned to receive a TAB IC thereover and a cover having a pressure plate for biasing the IC against the film to provide an electrical connection between respective traces on the IC and on the film.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,611 discloses an apparatus for burn-in testing of multiple ICs mounted on carrier tape by the TAB process without having to remove the chips from the tape. A plurality of ICs on a strip of tape is wrapped over a pair of back to back printed-circuit boards (PCB) with the leads from the tape engaging respective contact arrays on the PCBs. The tape and ICs are held in position by hinged covers which include dielectric pressure pads or ribs to press the tape leads against the contact arrays. The apparatus further includes an electrical connection assembly providing an electrical link between the contact arrays on the PCBs and test equipment outside the oven.
While several ICs on tape can be tested simultaneously in one of the test apparatus described above, it is clear that the loading and unloading must be done manually which takes time and requires semi-skilled workers. It is therefore desirable to provide a burn-in socket which although limited to receiving a single IC on tape, can be loaded, tested and unloaded robotically. It is also desirable to provide a socket for TAB ICs for general use; e.g., in computers and like electronic equipment.


Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products for real-time processing of data and dynamic delivery via and interactive interface. In some embodiments, the system is configured to facilitate a communication session between an entity system associated with an entity user and a user device associated with a first user. The system is further configured to perform one or more user activities, in an integrated manner, within a single integrated interface, without requiring the entity user to operate disparate applications and navigate multiple interfaces. Moreover, the system is configured to identify, in real-time, session inputs associated with the communication session to be provided to the first user. The system may also transmit a trigger communication to the entity user via a first peripheral device associated with the entity system, such as an audio head set and a display device.

Existing systems are configured for telephonic communication between individuals. However, existing systems fail to anticipate activities associated with the telephonic communication. Moreover, existing systems are not capable of harnessing other devices associated with the individuals for facilitating the telephonic communication. There is a need for a novel system structured for facilitating proactive, predictive and intelligent interactive communication sessions between individuals. Furthermore, there is a need for a system that is structured to transform the communication sessions between individuals by harnessing the functionality of associated devices.

Real-time processing of data and dynamic delivery via an interactive interface


A tilt wing VTOL aircraft has a fuselage with sides and an upper surface, an upper wing having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a chord, a lower surface and an upper surface. The wing is pivotally mounted on the fuselage for rotation from a cruise flight position in which the upper surface of the wing is flush with the upper surface of the fuselage to a hover position in which the wing is perpendicular to the upper surface of the fuselage. Aircraft engines are mounted on the wing. The aircraft has a pair of flaps at the trailing edge of the wing, each located between the fuselage and an engine and each spaced the same distance from the fuselage and each of the engines. The flaps are mounted for selective movement from colinearity with the chord of the wing to a first angle of about +30.degree. with the chord and about 30.degree. with the upper surface of the wing and to a second angle of about -30.degree. with the chord and about 30.degree. with the lower surface of the wing. When the flaps are between a small angle with the chord and the first angle with the chord, the aircraft moves in a forward horizontal direction while in hover and when the flaps are between a small angle with the chord and at the second angle with the chord, the aircraft moves in a reverse horizontal direction while in hover. The horizontal motion forces are produced by the propeller slipstream acting on the wing flaps and because the flap aerodynmnic center of gravity is at essentially the same height as the aircraft center of gravity.

The present invention relates to a tilt wing VTOL aircraft. More particularly, the invention relates to a direct horizontal motion control for selectively moving a tilt wing VTOL aircraft in forward and reverse directions when its wing is in the hover position. No aircraft pitch motion is required to produce fore and aft motion.
Known VTOL aircraft and particularly tilt wing VTOL aircraft are unable to move in forward or reverse directions while their wing is in the hover position, unless they change pitch angle. The requirement of known VTOL aircraft to pitch before translation occurs due to rotation of the thrust vector which introduces a lag in vehicular planar motion response in the most important fore and aft directions.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a tilt wing VTOL aircraft which is able to move horizontally in forward and reverse directions while its wing is in the hover position, without pitch motion being required.
An object of the invention is to provide a tilt wing VTOL aircraft which functions efficiently, effectively and reliably to selectively provide forward and reverse horizontal motion while its wing is in the hover position, without pitch motion being required.
Another object of the invention is to provide a VTOL aircraft having a direct horizontal motion control of simple structure for selectively horizontally moving the aircraft in forward and reverse directions when it is in hover, without pitch motion being required.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a VTOL aircraft having a direct horizontal motion control which is inexpensive in manufacture for selectively horizontally moving the aircraft in forward and reverse directions when it is in hover.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a VTOL aircraft having a direct horizontal motion control which is installable on a VTOL aircraft with facility, convenience and rapidity and which selectively horizontally moves the aircraft in forward and reverse directions when it is in hover.
Another object of the invention is to provide a VTOL aircraft having a direct horizontal motion control which functions efficiently, effectively and reliably to selectively horizontally move the aircraft in forward and reverse directions when it is in hover.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a VTOL aircraft having a direct horizontal motion control which is able to selectively accelerate the aircraft in forward and reverse directions up to a magnitude of essentially .+-.0.1 G when the aircraft is in hover.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tilt wing VTOL aircraft which is able to accelerate in forward and reverse directions up to a magnitude of essentially .+-.0.1 G when the wing of the aircraft is in a hover position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a VTOL aircraft which is able to be controlled to move horizontally in forward and reverse directions when the wing of the aircraft is in a hover position much more quickly than known similar aircraft.


A system for and a method of extracting energy from a capacitive source, for example the energy induced in an insulated section of the overhead wire of an AC transmission line. The energy is extracted from the overhead wire by tapping the primary winding of a voltage step-down transformer which develops at its secondary an AC voltage the value of which is regulated through shunt switching. The shunt switching regulation as such is achieved by power thyristors the firing of which is selectively controlled in accordance with the phase and the amplitude of the output voltage. A comparator is used to compare the output voltage value with that of a signal delivered by an internal ramp generator. Moreover, the firing instant of the thyristors is governed by the output signal of the comparator and also in function of the information on the polarity of the output voltage cycles. Such shunt switching regulation allows the extraction from the overhead wire a maximum of power per kilometer of insulated wire and ensures a high stability of the output voltage despite substantial variations in the load connected to the secondary of the step-down transformer. The instant extracting system allows inter alia an economic and steady supply of power to microwave repeater stations which usually run along energy transmission lines and remote from central supply sources.

The present invention relates to a method of and a system for extracting electrical energy embodied in a capacitive source and concerns more particularly a method of and a system for tapping the electrical energy from the overhead wires of AC power transmission lines.
The presence of electrical energy in the overhead wires of high AC voltage transmission lines has been well known for several years as yet. The tapping of that energy, particularly at remote locations, offers numerous advantages, but technological problems, such as the saturation of the transformers used, have hitherto delayed an economical and reliable extraction of that energy.
The object of the present invention resides in a system and a method which permit to harness such available power from the overhead wires of AC transmission lines. The harnessing of that power presents many advantages and provides for a large number of applications one of which resides in feeding the microwave communication networks usually disposed along lengthy transmission lines. At the present time, the communication and data transmission stations are supplied in power by means of diesel type generators, due to their physical remoteness, which show numerous disadvantages in terms of maintenance, reliability and supply in fuel.
As known in the technique, the overhead wire is that conductor hung up at the head of the pylons supporting the high voltage conductor bundles and which normally acts as a lightning arrester for power transmission lines. That wire is therefore grounded against earth and is not used to convey electrical energy. However, due to its proximity to the bundles of conductors, a certain amount of energy is induced in that wire through capacitive coupling.
The purpose of the present invention is directed to the tapping of that AC energy induced in the overhead wires capacitively coupled to the bundles of conductors of AC voltage transmission lines.

Energy extraction system from a capacitive source with shunt switching regulation


An optical detector for determining the wavelength of an optical signal iudes a semiconductor material in the path of the optical signal having a bandgap less than the optical signal. A conductive layer is positioned on the semiconductor material and a plurality of conductive pads are also positioned on the semiconductor material to delineate individual photodetectors. The pads have a common node established by the conductive layer. The optical detector produces a plurality of photocurrents between the pads and the conductive layer in response to the optical signal which photocurrents can be measured and compared to determine the wavelength of the optical signal. A system for determining the wavelength of the optical signal includes a plurality of optical detectors numbered 1 to n positioned sequentially in the path of the optical signal. The detectors produce photocurrents which are converted into digital signals. A microprocessor receives the digital signals and determines a ratio therebetween. A memory accessible by the microprocessor relates the ratio and the nth numbered detector to the wavelength of the optical signal.

Prior optical detectors have used a plurality of semiconductor photodetectors, each with a different bandgap energy. As an incoming optical signal at a given energy level is incident on the photodetectors, a photocurrent is generated in those detectors that have a bandgap energy level less than the energy level of the optical signal. By observing which photodetectors do and do not produce a photocurrent, the energy level and thus the wavelength of the optical signal is known. This technique requires complicated and expensive epitaxial growth procedures to vary the bandgap energy level of each photodetector. Such fabrication techniques are complicated and expensive.

Detector for determining the wavelength of an optical signal

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


A direct current motor power controlling chopper apparatus is disclosed which determines the operational speed of one or more traction motors propelling a passenger vehicle along a track. The speed of the motor is established by changing the ON and OFF conduction ratio or duty cycle relationship of a thyristor switch device to determine the field current and the armature voltage of that motor. The present apparatus can provide a greater controlled range of motor speeds including a lower minimum OFF operation and a full ON capacity. In addition, the present apparatus provides greater reliability due to less thermal stress on the thyristor switch devices and fewer circuit elements required to provide an improved motor current control operation.

It is known in the prior art to control the speed of a direct current series traction motor by a chopper apparatus including a thyristor switch device in series with the motor. Speed control of the motor is provided by varying the width of voltage pulses supplied to the motor such that the resulting average power supplied to the motor establishes the operational speed thereof. A charged capacitor has been used to provide a biased voltage across the conducting thyristor device for commutating the conduction of that thyristor device. A traction motor is operative in a motoring mode when the passenger vehicle is being propelled along a track, and in a braking mode when the vehicle is being stopped or decelerated.
As described in a published article in the Westinghouse Engineer for Mar. 1973, at pages 34 to 41, the average voltage applied to the motor armature is controlled by adjusting the ratio of chopper OFF time to the chopper ON time with the resulting average motor current determining the motor torque for moving the vehicle along the track.
It is well known to persons skilled in this art, when operating a d-c traction motor at a controlled deceleration or acceleration rate, the motor current is controlled, whereas to maintain a desired speed, the motor voltage is controlled.

Traction motor current control apparatus

North Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County


An air gun includes a valve assembly with a sliding baffle for limiting the maximum velocity and energy which can be provided by the gun. The valve assembly includes a valve body which has a pressure reservoir, an air passage, and a valve seat between the pressure reservoir and the air passage. A valve normally closes the valve seat to hold pressure in the pressure reservoir and is moved away from the valve seat when the gun is fired. A bleed opening in the valve body connects the air passage to the outside of the valve body, and an exhaust opening connects the air passage to the barrel of the gun. The baffle is slidably mounted in the air passage and is movable between a first position in which the bleed opening is restricted and the exhaust opening is unobstructed and a second position is which the exhaust opening is restricted and the bleed opening is substantially unobstructed.

This application relates to air guns, and, more particularly, an air gun with a spring-loaded baffle for limiting the maximum velocity or energy which can be obtained with the gun.
A multi-stroke pneumatic air gun normally operates by compressing an air charge into a valve assembly and discharging the pressurized air to propel a projectile. As the gun is pumped, each stroke increases the pressure in the valve, thereby increasing the velocity and energy of the projectile. To limit the maximum energy and velocity which is obtainable with a given gun, various devices have been used such as bleed-off holes located between the valve seat and the projectile and pressure regulators which limit the maximum pressure which is obtainable within the valve reservoir. Bleed-off holes not only reduce maximum velocity, but reduce the velocity which can be obtained with fewer compressive strokes. Bleed-off holes may also be ineffective in limiting the velocity of low mass projectiles because of the shock wave which is created by the discharge of relatively high pressure. Pressure regulators are relatively complex in nature and introduce additional leak points to the mechanism, thereby lowering reliability. Pressure regulators can also be subject to surge created by increasing the pressure in the valve by the relative speed at which the compressive means are applied.

Air gun with baffle for limiting maximum velocity


A molded unitarily formed pallet is provided, the pallet including wood particles bonded together by a cured binder in compressed relation. Also provided is a method for making such pallets. The pallet includes a deck having an upper supporting surface, a lower surface, a plurality of integral leg sections extending downwardly from the deck, and a densified integral peripheral portion surrounding the deck to provide increased strength at the periphery of the pallet. The pallet may also include narrow elongated wooden strips bonded to the densified peripheral edge to further increase the strength of the pallet.

The invention relates to pallets for use in material handling and a method for making such pallets. More particularly, the invention relates to pallets formed of wood flakes joined by a curing agent, and the pallets having peripheral edges constructed to resist damage.
One example of a prior art pallet is illustrated in the Rosewicz et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,023, issued June 14, 1977. Attention is also directed to the molded pallet illustrated in the Carlson U.S. Pat. No 3,359,929, issued Dec. 26, 1967.
Attention is further directed to the molded composite structures described in the Wheeler U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,688, issued May 9, 1972 and the Skladany U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,085, issued Sept. 17, 1963.

Pallet having densified edge and method of making same

Board of Control of Michigan Technological University


A test system or simulator includes an integrated circuit (IC) benchmark software program that executes workload program software on a semiconductor die IC design model. The benchmark software program includes trace, simulation point, basic block vector (BBV) generation, cycles per instruction (CPI) error, clustering and other programs. The test system also includes CPI stack program software that generates CPI stack data that includes microarchitecture dependent information for each instruction interval of workload program software. The CPI stack data may also include an overall analysis of CPI data for the entire workload program. IC designers may utilize the benchmark software and CPI stack program to develop a reduced representative workload program that includes CPI data as well as microarchitecture dependent information.

A modern information handling system (IHS) may include a processor for processing, handling, communicating or otherwise manipulating information. These IHSs often include integrated circuits (ICs) that incorporate several components integrated together on a common semiconductor die. Some IHSs operate as test systems that evaluate the functionality and performance characteristics of other IC designs during the development process of the IC. A typical IC development process employs early design specifications that may include stringent requirements relating to the overall capability of the IC or other performance requirements. For example, a design requirement of a particular IC may demand that the IC operate without failure at a predetermined clock frequency. In another example, an IC design requirement may specify that a particular IC must execute standard benchmarking software to precise performance specifications.
With such rigorous requirements on IC design performance, designers often must develop extensive test strategies early in the IC development process. It is very common to apply these test strategies before the physical IC design hardware is complete. Designers develop computer or IC design models and test various parameters of the IC in a test simulation before actually fabricating the IC in hardware. The more detailed or accurate the IC design model for simulation, the more accurate the testing results become. However, more detailed IC models typically result in longer test application software execution times during testing.
Test strategies may involve extensive testing with large workload software application programs or test application software in a simulation environment. Test systems execute workload software application programs to benchmark or otherwise test parameters of the IC design, such as an IC design simulation model. Workload software application programs may include large numbers of instructions that often number in the trillions. Due to the large number of instructions in these workload software application programs, it may not be feasible to run or execute a workload software application program on an IC design model and still evaluate results in a timely manner. Hours of a typical workload software application program execution in a real world processor may correspond to months of execution time within a simulator.
What is needed is a testing methodology and apparatus that addresses the problems faced by IC designers as described above.

Method and apparatus for evaluating integrated circuit design performance using basic block vectors, cycles per instruction (CPI) information and microarchitecture dependent information

International Business Machines Corporation


The system and method capture an image of a presenter of a presentation. The image of the presenter may be a still image or a video stream. In one embodiment, the image of the presenter has the background removed. An image of the presentation is captured. The image of the presentation may be a still image or a video stream. A transition, such as a gesture or movement of the presenter is detected. In response to the detection of the transition, an image of the presenter is superimposed on the image of the presentation to create a combined image. Alternatively, in response to the transition, the image of the presenter is removed from the presentation. The combined image or the image of the presentation with the image of the presenter removed is then sent to participants viewing the presentation.

In todays web conferencing systems, the experience that is provided to participants viewing a web conference remotely typically consists of a view of the presenter of the web conference in one window along with a separate view of the presentation in a different window. This view is different from the view of a participant who is actually attending the web conference. The natural experience of the participant who is attending the web conference live is that the video of the presenter and the presentation are part of the same experience. Trying to reproduce this immersive experience to a remote audience is still a challenge with today's technology. The goal is to provide the remote participant a similar experience that a participant attending the web conference in person would have.

System and method for managing a presentation


A harmonic coding arrangement where the magnitude spectrum of the input speech is modeled at the analyzer by a relatively small set of parameters and, significantly, as a continuous rather than only a line magnitude spectrum. The synthesizer, rather than the analyzer, determines the magnitude, frequency, and phase of a large number of sinusoids which are summed to generate synthetic speech. Rather than receiving information explicitly defining the sinusoids from the analyzer, the synthesizer receives the small set of parameters and uses those parameters to determine a spectrum, which, in turn, is used by the synthesizer to determine the sinusoids for synthesis.

Accurate representations of speech have been demonstrated using harmonic models where a sum of sinusoids is used for synthesis. An analyzer partitions speech into overlapping frames, Hamming windows each frame, constructs a magnitude/phase spectrum, and locates individual sinusoids. The correct magnitude, phase, and frequency of the sinusoids are then transmitted to a synthesizer which generates the synthetic speech. In an unquantized harmonic speech coding system, the resulting speech quality is virtually transparent in that most people cannot distinguish the original from the synthetic. The difficulty in applying this approach at low bit rates lies in the necessity of coding up to 80 harmonics. (The sinusoids are referred to herein as harmonics, although they are not always harmonically related.) Bit rates below 9.6 kilobits/second are typically achieved by incorporating pitch and voicing or by dropping some or all of the phase information. The result is synthetic speech differing in quality and robustness from the unquantized version.
One approach typical of the prior art is disclosed in R. J. McAulay and T. F. Quatieri, "Multirate sinusoidal transform coding at rates from 2.4 kbps to 8 kbps," Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Acoust., Speech, and Signal Proc., vol. 3, pp. 1645-1648, April 1987. A pitch detector is used to determine a fundamental pitch and the speech spectrum is modeled as a line spectrum at the determined pitch and multiples thereof. The value of the determined pitch is transmitted from the analyzer to the synthesizer which reconstructs the speech as a sum of sinusoids at the fundamental frequency and its multiples. The achievable speech quality is limited in such an arrangement, however, since substantial energy of the input speech is typically present between the lines of the line spectrum and because a separate approach is required for unvoiced speech.
In view of the foregoing, a recognized problem in the art is the reduced speech quality achievable in known harmonic speech coding arrangements where the spectrum of the input speech is modeled as only a line spectrum--for example, at only a small number of frequencies or at a fundamental frequency and its multiples.

Harmonic speech coding arrangement where a set of parameters for a continuous magnitude spectrum is determined by a speech analyzer and the parameters are used by a synthesizer to determine a spectrum which is used to determine senusoids for synthesis


A balloon catheter device designed to be especially well suited for use in providing medical treatment within a blood vessel, and a method for conducting such medical treatment are provided, wherein the balloon catheter has a central support tube or lumen, and has, near a distal end of the catheter, a plurality of inflatable balloon elements extending along the catheter in helical patterns, with the balloon elements spaced equidistantly around the central support tube. The catheter thus provides the ability to apply pressure, by way of the inflated balloon elements, to center the central support tube in the blood vessel, while at the same time preserving blood flow in the blood vessel past the catheter as well as in side branch blood vessels extending from the blood vessel under repair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to balloon catheters, and more particularly to catheters for use in centering a central support tube in a blood vessel for use in a medical treatment process.
2. Description of Related Art
Several designs of dilatation balloon catheters have been proposed in the prior art, examples of which can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,321; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,958; U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,388; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,017. Each of those balloon dilatation catheters was designed for the purpose of administering treatments to physically widen constricted blood flow passages. The term stenosis is used in this regard to refer to a region of a blood vessel which has been narrowed or constricted to such a degree that blood flow is restricted. In severe instances, treatment of the stenosis is required. Treatment of coronary blood vessels by use of the aforenoted prior art dilatation balloon catheters is referred to in the art as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), which procedure is described in various forms in the patents identified above. The term "dilatation catheter", as used herein, will refer to the type of catheter which is principally designed for use in widening constricted blood flow passages, as is done in the PTCA procedure.
One problem associated with PTCA which has been recognized in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,017, issued to Sahota, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,388, issued to Hofmann, is that, in performing the PTCA procedure, blood flow cannot be completely occluded for extended periods of time, measured in terms of well under one minute, due to the increased probability that serious damage to the patient's heart or other downstream vessels or organs will occur. The Sahota patent presents two approaches to solving this problem, a first of which is to provide a balloon catheter which, even though the inflated balloon completely occludes the blood vessel, i.e., the balloon inflates into contact with the blood vessel around the entire circumference of the blood vessel, blood is permitted to flow from a proximal side of the balloon to the distal (downstream) side of the balloon through a central lumen. The second solution proposed by Sahota, which appears to be conceptually the same as the Hofmann solution, is to design the balloon such that, when the balloon is expanded or inflated, it will not completely occlude blood flow, but which will, at the same time, provide sufficient area of balloon contact around the circumference of the blood vessel such that the tissue or other matter creating the constriction in the blood vessel can be compressed against the vessel wall in an effective manner. These designs purport to permit a longer dilatation period to be used when performing the PTCA procedure.
A further balloon catheter design of which the present inventor is aware is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,130, issued to Fogarty et al. This catheter was not designed as a dilatation catheter for use in performing the PTCA procedure, but instead was developed for use in removing blood clots from blood vessels, and also for use as a diagnostic tool carrying diagnostic equipment in a lumen or lumens associated with the catheter. The corkscrew shape of the balloon on this catheter was adopted specifically to avoid the application of diametrically opposed forces on the wall of the blood vessel, so as to minimize the possibility of abrasions and/or perforations occurring in the vessel wall. As such, this balloon catheter would be particularly unsuitable for use in performing the PTCA procedure or for other procedures requiring some amount of diametrically opposed force or other opposing forces to be applied.
It has previously been noted that dissection of the blood vessel is a potential problem in performing the PTCA procedure, and one or more of the aforenoted patents directed to a dilatation catheter discuss procedural steps which attempt to minimize the possibility that dissection will occur. None of the above-noted dilatation catheter patents discusses providing a balloon-type catheter having a balloon configuration which is especially well-suited for use in repairing or tacking such dissections.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a balloon-type catheter having features making it especially well-suited for use in processes that call for medical treatment to be administered from inside a blood vessel, and that require the treatment agent to be centered in the blood vessel to the greatest degree practicable.
It is a further principal object of the present invention to provide a balloon-type catheter in which a plurality of balloons are configured in a helical or spiral pattern extending around a central support tube or lumen, whereby a medical treatment can be administered from inside the blood vessel while preserving blood flow down the main trunk or blood vessel, and also in side branches extending from the main trunk.


An improved structure of a working platform having a rectangular base plate, four rollers, a pair of inverted U-shaped frame supports, at least a pair of lateral support rod, a plurality of screws and at least a lateral flat plate, characterized in that the four corners of one face of the base plate are mounted with the rollers and the other face of the base plate is disposed with connection blocks, and the frame supports comprises a horizontal beam having two ends bent to form an erect tubes and the horizontal beam is protruded with a plurality of horizontal holding blocks along the direction of the lateral flat plate so that a lateral shielding plate is formed between the two erect tubes, and the erect tubes connect other tube opening of the horizontal beam is inserted correspondingly to the connection blocks. The other end of the erect tube is provided with a fastening slit, and one rod end of the lateral support rod bends out to form a top fastening plate and a bottom fastening plate. The tip of the bottom fastening plate can fasten with the other side of the straight fastening slit of the erect tubes, and the tip of the top fastening plate can directly fasten to the fastening slit. The inner edge of the bottom fastening plate is provided with lateral support rod for the supporting of a flat plate.

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a working platform, and in particular, to a platform which is formed by easy connections of parts forcing the working platform.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Working platforms are used as table for displaying of food or as a moveable trolley in food stalls or market. However, the conventional platform is difficult to dismantle and all the screws have to be removed in order to fold the platform. Thereof, the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a working platform which can solve the shortcomings of the conventional platform.


Image data or addressing signal information for a dual-scan display (110, 168) is stored in three half-frame buffers (114a, 114b, and 114c; 172a, 172b, and 172c). Each of two buffers contains complete display information, comprising either image data or column signal data, for section 126B or 126T of the display. The third buffer receives and stores image data or column signals for a subsequent frame for one of the two display sections. By offsetting the frame periods of the two independent display sections, both display sections have display information corresponding to a complete frame without requiring two complete frame buffers, thereby reducing cost, size, and complexity of the display.

Flat panel displays are used in a wide variety of applications, such as televisions, notebook computers, projection systems, and cellular telephones.
FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a typical passive matrix flat panel display system 10 that includes a liquid crystal panel 12, in which a set of first transparent electrodes 22 are arranged in horizontal rows on the surface 18 of a first glass plate 14, and a set of second transparent electrodes 24 are arranged in vertical columns on the opposing surface 20 of a second glass plate 16, positioned parallel to and spaced apart from first glass plate 14. An electro-optical material 28, such as a liquid crystal, is sandwiched between plates 14 and 16; and a matrix comprising a large number of individually controllable picture elements 30, or "pixels," is defined wherever a first, or row, electrode 22 and a second, or column, electrode 24 overlap. Some displays, known as "dual-scan" displays, include two sets of column electrodes 24 separated by a non-conducting gap 40. Each set of column electrodes 24 overlaps only half of the total number of row electrodes 22, thereby forming two independently addressed display sections 42a and 42b, each comprising a separate, independent matrix of pixels 30.
A complete image is typically displayed during a time interval known as a "frame period," which lasts approximately one-sixtieth of a second. The optical state of each pixel 30, which is determined by the root mean square ("rms") of the potential difference between the row and column electrodes 22 and 24 over the frame period, is controlled by applying electrical addressing signals to row and column electrodes 22 and 24. The large number of pixels 30 allows the formation of arbitrary information patterns in the form of text or graphic images.
Addressing signals determined in accordance with any number of addressing techniques are applied to the electrodes by addressing signal voltage drivers, known as "LCD (liquid crystal display) drivers." Row electrodes 22 are typically "selected," i.e., have a nonzero, image-independent voltage applied, during one or more of the "addressing intervals" that comprise the frame period. Image-dependent column signals determined in accordance with the addressing technique are applied to the column electrodes 24 in each addressing interval. The application of the row addressing signals that cause selections of row electrodes 22 are coordinated with the application of the column signals to produce across each pixel during the addressing interval voltages that result in an rms voltage value over the frame period corresponding to the desired optical state of the pixel 30.
In some addressing techniques, row electrodes 22 are selected sequentially, a single row at a time, and each column signal during any addressing interval depends only upon the desired state of the pixel in that column corresponding to the single selected row. In more modern addressing techniques, such as Active Addressing.TM. techniques, multiple rows are simultaneously selected and each column signal is determined by the desired states of multiple pixels 30 in the column corresponding to the selected rows. Because each row is selected multiple times with the selections distributed over the frame period, image data corresponding to the multiple pixels must be available throughout the entire frame period to calculate the column signals. With such techniques, the rms value across individual pixels 30 during a frame period will be correct only if pixel values for the multiple pixels 30 in each column are not changed throughout the frame period. The entire frame of image data, therefore, must be stored and available for use in the calculations for a complete frame period. If the image data is changed during an frame period, the rms voltage will not be correct and image degradation will result.
A large quantity of data is associated with the image for each frame. A typical liquid crystal display may have 480 rows and 640 columns that intersect to form a matrix of 307,200 pixels. It is expected that matrix liquid crystal displays may soon comprise several million pixels. The state of each pixel, i.e., its color or shade of gray, is described by several bits of data, the exact number of bits depending upon the desired number of colors or gray levels. Because of the large number of pixels and multiple bits required to specify the optical state of each pixel, a large amount of image data is required to characterize the image of each frame.
Because it is not possible to receive an entire set of image frame data and calculate the column signals in the short period of time available between frames, it is generally necessary to have sufficient data storage associated with the display to store two complete frames of image data. One complete frame of image data is made available for calculating column signals, while image data for the subsequent frame is simultaneously being received and stored in another memory location.
To reduce the size, cost, and complexity of liquid crystal displays, it is desirable to reduce the amount of data storage required, but because modern addressing techniques require the same image data from multiple pixels in each column to be available during multiple addressing intervals, it has not been possible to reduce the data storage requirements for such displays below two complete frames.

Memory configuration for display information


An interchangeable cylinder lock core with a mechanism for transferring a torque to a lock unit when a key plug is rotated. The interchangeable cylinder lock core includes a shell having an upper part, provided with a central row of locking pins in associated cavities, and a lower part with a cylindrical bore accommodating the rotatable key plug. At least a part of the cylindrical bore extends through a rotatable retainer sleeve. A back region of the key plug has a minimum length with the adjoining front region of the key plug being located in front of the mechanism for transferring torque. The adjoining front region accommodates, in addition to the central row of locking pins, at least one side locking mechanism which is located in its entirety within the front region of the key plug and interacts with at least one recess in a fixed front end sleeve portion.

Such lock and key systems, lock units and associated interchangeable cylinder lock cores are frequently used, especially in the US, in locking systems with a large number of lock units serving as door locks. From time to time, many of these cylinder lock cores need to be replaced quickly whenever an associated key is lost, or a new tenant, owner or user wishes to upgrade the door lock with a new cylinder lock core.
Since the 1930's the Best Lock Company has dominated the US market for this kind of locking systems. Accordingly, there exist today a huge number of such door lock units. A number of manufacturers are providing their own interchangeable cylinder lock cores to replace the existing ones.
However, in general, there are no really high security interchangeable lock cylinder cores on the market.
One reason for this is that the key plug has a relatively small diameter and that most of the space is occupied by cavities for accommodating the locking pins, a keyway as well as the two prong holes in the back region of the key plug. There is no room for a conventional side bar or other kinds of side tumbler mechanisms which normally require a longitudinal extension along the full length of the key plug.
Another reason is that the two prong holes have to be dimensioned so that even a relatively high torque can be transferred to the lock unit by way of a cam or some other locking device coupled to the lock unit, e.g. for closing a door effectively. Therefore, the cam or other locking device has to be securely fastened to each of the prongs, and the prongs have to fit well into the prong holes. They must not lose their engagement or break.
Also, in order to enable an easy mounting of the cylinder lock core into the housing of the existing lock unit, there must be a certain play between the prong holes and the prongs, so as to enable an easy and effective guiding of the prongs into the prong holes. Once, mounted, the engagement must be secure, with no risk for disengagement or breakage.
Accordingly, a good guidance and an effective engagement between the prongs and the prong holes will require that the two prong holes in the back region of the key plug are relatively long, preferably having mutually the same length, so that they will symmetrically carry the same load when a torque is applied.
A recently developed system, including an interchangeable cylinder lock core of the kind defined in the first paragraph above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,186,194 (Field et al). In this prior art system, the lock comprises a conventional cylinder lock with a shell and a key plug having two long prong holes in a back region and an auxiliary side locking system which is separate from the normal central row of locking pins. The auxiliary side locking system comprises an auxiliary locking pin being disposed in an associated hole in a side region of the key plug and being movable between a first position, in which a portion thereof projects outside the key plug, and a second position in which the auxiliary locking pin is retracted into said hole. A slider arranged in the key plug, underneath the auxiliary locking pin, is movable axially along the key plug between a first position, where it holds the auxiliary pin in said first position, and a second position, where it permits the auxiliary pin to fall down to its second, retracted position. In this way, the key plug is released so that it may be rotated within the shell. In an alternative embodiment, the auxiliary pin engages directly with a retainer sleeve which surrounds the key plug.
The auxiliary side locking system will ensure that the key plug is effectively locked in its rotary position and cannot rotate as long as the slider is held in its first position. Even if all the regular locking pins are manipulated or "bumped" into their correct releasing positions in an attempt to pick the lock, the remaining auxiliary side locking pin will prevent rotation of the key plug. So, this prior art system will substantially increase the safety against lock picking.
In another prior art exchangeable lock construction of similar design, disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,396 (Kim), there is a key plug with a side locking mechanism including a sidebar which interacts with a number of side locking tumblers. The side bar also interacts with a retainer sleeve (a "tubular operation body") which extends along the full length of the key plug. Accordingly, on the side provided with the side bar, the key plug will be solid virtually all the way to its rear end, and the associated prong in the associated lock unit will have to be sheared in order to accommodate the key plug and its security full length sidebar. With this construction, the torque to be transferred to the lock unit, by rotating the key plug by means of an inserted key, will be effected by means of one prong only, situated on the opposite side of the key plug.

Interchangeable cylinder lock core for a cylinder lock unit


A support bracket for mounting a device such as a laser targeting and feedback system to a spray gun. The bracket includes a bolt having a threaded end, a first collar disposed on the bolt opposite the threaded end and a second collar threadably engaged with the threaded end of the bolt. A compressible member is disposed on the bolt between the collars. Opposite the compressible member, a support arm used to support the device is attached to the second collar. The bracket is engageable with a portion of the spray gun body and is engaged therewith by deflecting the compressible member between the collars such that the compressible member frictionally engages the spray gun. The use of the compressible member to secure the bracket to the hook allows the bracket to be utilized with spray guns having various configurations so long as the spray gun incorporates a portion on the spray gun body that is engageable by the compressible member.

The present invention relates to spray guns, such as paint spray guns, and more specifically to mounting brackets for attaching items to the spray gun.
Spray guns have long been used to coat objects with a liquid spray, such as paint, varnish, etc. The spray gun allows a pressurized stream of the liquid spray coating to be applied to the object in a quick and easy manner.
With many of these coatings, it is important to apply the coating evenly to the surface to avoid overspray of the coating and/or leaving uncoated sections on the surface of the object. In order to apply the coating evenly over the entire surface of the object, in many instances it is necessary to position the spray gun a optimum distance from the object to ensure the proper coverage of the object with the coating. However, because spray guns are normally manually operated, variations in the distance between the spray gun and the surface of the object to be coated during the coating process are usually unavoidable.
To reduce the detrimental effects of this distance variation, devices have been developed that effectively measure the distance between the tip of the spray gun and the object surface to ensure that the spray gun is positioned at the optimal distance from the surface, helping ensure proper coverage of the object with the coating. One such device is a laser targeting and feedback device that can be mounted directly to the spray gun.
However, due to the numerous configurations of the spray guns currently in use, a number of different mounting assemblies have resulted that each secure a laser targeting feedback system to a particular spray gun design. For example, Klein, II et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,498 discloses an optical spray coating monitoring system and method. This system includes a sensor head including a bracket used to removably attach the sensor head to a boom extending from the spray gun. The bracket includes a pair of downwardly depending flanges adapted to receive and engage the boom and including adapted to receive a threaded bolt beneath the boom. When the bracket is properly positioned about the boom, a nut threadably engaged to one end of the bolt is tightened on the bolt to compress the bracket into engagement with the boom to fixedly secure the sensor head on the spray gun.
Similar arrangements for other mounting assemblies used to secure other types of devices to spray guns can be found in Sabatelli et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,804 and Brett U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,839. In each of these patents, the mounting assembly is adapted specifically for use with a certain type of paint spray gun configuration, limiting the use of the mounting assembly to that particular gun configuration. As a result, when using a device incorporating a specific mounting assembly, including a laser targeting and feedback system, use of that device is limited to paint spray guns having a configuration compatible with that particular mounting assembly. Furthermore, as each mounting assembly disclosed in the above-mentioned patents utilizes the frictional engagement of a clamping bracket with the spray gun, in many cases the bracket can slide or rotate with respect to the spray gun, thereby placing the device out of alignment with the spray gun. If the device is a laser targeting system, any movement of the device will result in the coating being applied to the object in a less than optimal manner.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop a mounting bracket that can securely mount a device such as a laser targeting and feedback system to a spray gun and is capable of being utilized with spray guns having a number of different configurations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting bracket that can be used with spray guns of varying configurations to support a device, such as a laser targeting and feedback system, on the spray gun.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a mounting bracket that employs a resilient, compressible member capable of frictionally engaging the spray gun to provide a secure attachment of the bracket and device to the spray gun.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a mounting bracket that allows the device secured to the bracket to be adjusted with respect to the bracket in order to properly position the device with respect to the nozzle of the spray gun.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a mounting bracket that has a simple and inexpensive construction and is easy to assemble and use.
The present invention is a mounting bracket used to support a device, e.g., a laser targeting and feedback system, on a spray gun that can be secured to spray guns of various configurations that include an upstanding hook used to hang the spray gun in a storage location when not in use. The bracket comprises a bolt having at least one collar disposed at one end and a compressible member disposed on the bolt between the collar and a head on the bolt. The bolt is adjustably and threadably attached to the collar such that the threaded collar may move along the threaded end of the bolt to compress the member between the bolt head and the collar and engage the spray gun.
Opposite the compressible member, the threaded collar is also attached to a support arm having a first leg attached to the collar and a second leg extending generally perpendicularly from the first leg. The first leg of the support arm is adjustably attached to the threaded collar and the device is adjustably attached to the second leg. This allows the position of the first leg of the support arm to be adjusted relative to the threaded collar and the position of the device to be adjusted relative to the second leg of the support arm to precisely position the device relative to the spray gun.

Universal mounting bracket for laser targeting and feedback system

University of Northern Iowa Research Foundation


A bicycle comprises a wheel-supporting frame member, a swing arm mounted on the frame member to pivot about a pivot axis, and a wheel mounted on the pivot arm for rotation about a rotation axis spaced apart from, to the rear of and substantially below the pivot axis. The pivot axis is located relative to the rotation axis such that upward vertical displacements of the rotation axis relative to the pivot axis upon rotation of the swing arm from a neutral position are accompanied by substantial rearward horizontal displacements of the rotation axis relative to the pivot axis. In the case of a rear wheel suspension, the drive chain passes over an idler sheave, which is mounted for rotation on the rear wheel support member generally below the pivot axis with its circumferential support surface for the chain located such that a tangent to it is proximate to the pivot axis.

Some mountain bikes have energy-absorbing suspensions. In the case of the front wheel, the suspension commonly includes an axially or pivotally acting energy-absorbing assembly that enables the front fork to move relative to the headset. Various forms of trailing arm suspensions are used for the rear wheel. In a typical rear suspension, as shown in FIG. 2, a structure 12 resembling the rear triangle of a conventional bike is pivotally attached to a frame portion 14 at a pivot axis 16 and is coupled to a frame portion 18 by an energy-absorbing and damping assembly 20.
FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically a characteristic of presently known suspensions, regardless of type, and regardless of whether they are for the front or rear wheels. The geometry of typical suspensions is such that the displacement of the wheel (and its rotation axis) when the wheel goes over a bump is primarily vertical. This means that the speed at which energy is absorbed by the suspension is short. For example, if the suspension could be designed to permit an infinite displacement horizontally upon encountering a bump, the time for absorbing the displacement would also be infinite--the wheel would never go over the bump. Increasing the time for energy absorption permits the capacity of the energy absorbing and damping components to be reduced, as a direct function of the time, and improves the efficiency of the suspension. The geometries of previously known bicycle suspensions is such that only small horizontal rearward displacements for any given vertical displacements can occur. Some suspensions produce forward horizontal displacements upon upward vertical displacements, which makes the time for response even shorter. Thus, the capacity of the energy-absorbing and damping components of previously known bicycle suspensions must be large to absorb and damp the energy rapidly.
As shown schematically in FIG. 3, a suspension of the type shown in FIG. 2 permits the rear wheel 22 to be displaced upwardly through a distance .DELTA.V when the bike traverses a bump. In most, if not all, rear suspensions of the type under consideration, the pulling distance of the chain 24 between the pedal crank sprocket 26 and the freewheel sprocket 28 changes from a length L1 to a length L2 (which may be either an increase or decrease, depending on the geometry) when the rotation axis 30 of the wheel displaces vertically. Thus, the suspension is coupled to the chain pull, in the sense that displacement of the suspension either drives or releases the driving sprocket wheel due to the change in pulling length. When the pulling length L2 is increased over L1 (pulling length of chain increases), the rider experiences an abrupt decrease of the pressure from the pedals to his legs as the increase in length is taken up by rotation of the driving sprocket wheel relative to the driven sprocket wheel, followed by a resumption of full pressure. When the pulling length of the chain decreases, the rider experiences an abrupt increase in the pressure from the pedals to his legs as the driven sprocket tends to drive the driving sprocket in reverse to accommodate the reduced pulling length, followed by a resumption of normal pressure. In either case, the changing forces on the legs as the pulling length changes is bothersome. Another way of looking at the way the suspension works is to recognize that the forces of the rider's legs on the driving sprocket wheel work in conjunction with the energy-absorbing and damping system of the suspension in responding to traversing bumps. Thus, the rider is functioning as a shock absorber.

Bicycle with trailing arm wheel suspensions


An image forming apparatus has a main body, a belt unit configured to accommodate a belt, a belt cleaning member and an accommodating unit. The belt cleaning unit is configured to remove waste toner adhered on the belt. The accommodating unit is configured to accommodate the toner removed by the belt cleaning unit. The apparatus further includes a drum unit having a drum cleaning member, and a waste toner conveying mechanism configured to convey the waste toner to the collecting unit. The conveying mechanism has a drum-side conveying unit configured to be connected with the drum cleaning member. Communication between the drum-side conveying unit and the collecting unit is enabled in association with movement of the drum unit from the outside position to the inside position, and disabled in association with movement of the drum unit from the inside position to the outside position.

Technical Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus employing an electrophotographic image forming method.
Conventional Art
Conventionally, as an example of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, there has been known a so-called tandem type color printer which has a plurality of photoconductive drums corresponding to a plurality of colors (e.g., yellow, magenta, cyan and black).
It is generally known that, in such a tandem type color printer, waste toner adhered on the photoconductive drums is removed by toner collecting units, and the removed toner is conveyed to a container which is typically arranged at a lower section of the printer.
Specifically, the waste toner on each of the photoconductive drums is scraped and removed with a cleaning blade of the toner collecting unit. Then, the waste toner is conveyed toward one axial end portions of the photoconductive drums with use of auger screws, respectively. The toner collected at one side end portions of the photoconductive drums falls down, with its own weight, from the toner collecting unit to a toner conveying unit, and is further conveyed to the collection container and accumulated therein.
As above, the waste toner adhered on the plurality of photoconductive drums is conveyed downward by its own weight, without being caused to proceed against a direction of gravitation force.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The bearing provides a first bearing ring, a second hearing ring and a wear ring attached to the first bearing ring. The wear ring provides at least one hook cooperating with the first bearing ring for the axial retention of the wear ring relative to the first bearing ring. The first hearing ring further provides at least one centering member projecting into and engaging within a complementarily shaped recess of the wear ring, for angular locking of the wear ring relative to the first bearing ring.

Such devices provide a rolling bearing of which one of the rings is rotatable and the other is fixed, the rotary ring being provided with a radial engagement surface intended to come into contact with the end of the diaphragm fingers of the clutch.
A non-rotating operating element supports the rolling bearing, and, under the action of a control member (mechanical, electrical or hydraulic), moves the bearing in an axial direction so as to press the engagement surface of the rotary ring against the diaphragm of the clutch and actuate the clutch mechanism.
In order to limit wear by friction between the fingers of the diaphragm and the rotating ring during disengagement and clutch manoeuvres, it is possible to fix on the rotating race a wear ring of polymeric material. For details on such a wear ring, one can for example refer to the patent application FR-A1-2 887 312.
In the bearing described in this prior art document, a holding plate is provided on the rotating ring to ensure the retention of the wear ring on the rotating ring. However, this solution has the disadvantage of increasing the number of components of the bearing to be manufactured, stored and assembled.
The present invention aims to overcome this disadvantage.


A plurality of cells in a flash memory device are coupled together in a series configuration, as in a NAND flash memory. A position of a first accessed cell is determined with reference to a ground potential in the flash memory device. A first word line signal is coupled to the first accessed cell. The first word line signal voltage level is adjusted in response to the position of the first accessed cell in its series of cells.

Flash memory devices have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices typically use a one-transistor memory cell that allows for high memory densities, high reliability, and low power consumption. Common uses for flash memory include portable computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and cellular telephones. Program code, system data such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), and other firmware can typically be stored in flash memory devices. Most electronic devices are designed with a single flash memory device.
NAND flash memory devices are becoming popular due to the high memory densities possible at a relatively low cost. The NAND architecture connects 8, 16 or 32 memory cells in series on a single bit line. A simplified diagram of a typical prior art NAND architecture flash memory is illustrated in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, a NAND flash array is comprised of an array of floating gate cells 101 arranged in series strings 104, 105. Each of the floating gate cells are coupled drain to source in the series chain 104, 105. Word lines (WL0-WL31) that span across multiple series strings 104, 105 are coupled to the control gates of every floating gate cell in order to control their operation.
In operation, the word lines (WL0-WL31) select the individual floating gate memory cells in the series chain 104, 105 to be written to or read from and operate the remaining floating gate memory cells in each series string 104, 105 in a pass through mode. Each series string 104, 105 of floating gate memory cells is coupled to a source line 106 by a source select gate 116, 117 and to an individual bit line (BL1-BLN) by a drain select gate 112, 113. The source select gates 116, 117 are controlled by a source select gate control line SG(S) 118 coupled to their control gates. The drain select gates 112, 113 are controlled by a drain select gate control line SG(D) 114.
It can be seen from FIG. 1 that in order to read one memory cell, current must flow through the other memory cells in the series 104, 105. Therefore, the remaining cells become parasitic resistances in series with either the drain or source connections. Since the cell 123 at the bottom of the series 104 is closest to the array ground, it sees 31 voltage drops in the drain line and one in the source line. The cell 120 at the top of the series 104 sees 31 voltage drops in the source line and one in the drain line.
It is well known in the art that the current of any transistor (i.e., memory cell) is determined by the transistor's Vgs and Vds, depending on the mode of operation. In saturation mode, the current of the cell varies mostly with Vgs and is not a function of Vds. The transistor current varies with the square of Vgs. In linear mode, the current through the cell varies with Vds.
Assuming a particular cell is operating in saturation mode in order to get the highest gain, it can be seen that the cell 123 at the bottom of the series of cells 104 does not experience a voltage drop on its Vgs. The cell 120 at the top of the series of cells 104 sees 31 times the voltage drop in the source voltage. Since the cell current is a function of (Vgs−V1)2, the difference in the source voltages is going to be squared in reflection of the cell current change, Vt (i.e., the threshold voltage) being the same. This eventually may result in the bottom cell 123 being over-erased due to the top cell 120 dictating the number of erase pulses.
Typical flash memory uses a single bit-per-cell. Each cell is characterized by a specific threshold voltage or Vt level. Within each cell, two possible voltage levels exist. These two levels are controlled by the amount of charge that is programmed or stored on the floating gate; if the amount of charge on the floating gate is above a certain reference level, the cell is considered to be in a different state (e.g., programmed or erased).
Multilevel cells have recently been introduced to greatly increase the density of a flash memory device. This technology enables storage of multiple bits per memory cell by charging the floating gate of the transistor to different levels. This technology takes advantage of the analog nature of a traditional flash cell by assigning a bit pattern to a specific voltage range stored on the cell. This technology permits the storage of two or more bits per cell, depending on the quantity of voltage ranges assigned to the cell.
For example, a cell may be assigned four different voltage ranges of 200 mV for each range. Typically, a dead space or guard band of 0.2V to 0.4V is between each range. If the voltage stored on the cell is within the first range, the cell is storing a 00. If the voltage is within the second range, the cell is storing a 01. This continues for as many ranges are used for the cell.
The precision at which the voltages in multilevel cells on the device are sensed must greatly increase from a normal two state cell. The multiple thresholds assigned to a cell require the cells to be more uniform in their threshold and Vt distribution as well as the uniformity in the cell currents.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a flash memory having uniform threshold voltage and Vt distribution.

NAND flash memory with improved read and verification threshold uniformity


Room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber compositions comprising: hydroxyl endblocked polyorganosiloxane, at least one phenyl-substituted tris-functional ketoximino silane and an aminofunctional silane adhesion promoter characterized as having less than three hydrolyzable alkoxy groups attached to the silicon are provided.

The present invention relates to one component silicone compositions which cure at room temperature to form elastomeric type products. More particularly the present invention relates to room temperature vulcanizable. (RTV) silicone rubber compositions with improved adhesion to acrylic substrates.
The composition of the present invention is a one component RTV silicone composition comprising: (A) hydroxyl endblocked polyorganosiloxane, (B) at least one phenyl substituted tris-functional ketoximino silane and (C) an aminofunctional silane adhesion promoter which is characterized as having less than three hydrolyzable alkoxy groups attached to silicon or Si.
The sealant composition of the present invention contains (A) hydroxyl endblocked diorganosiloxane as a basic ingredient which may have a viscosity generally between about 100 to about 500,000 centipoise at 25xc2x0 C., preferably from about 2000 to about 350,000 centipoise, and most preferably between about 2000 and about 150,000 centipoise. These diorganosiloxane polymers are well-known in the art. The polymer may have the following general formula:
where n varies such that the viscosity of the polymer varies from 100 to 500,000 centipoise. The organo groups can be monovalent hydrocarbon radicals or monovalent halogenated carbon radicals. Examples of such monovalent hydrocarbon radicals are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl, methylphenyl, ethylphenyl, vinyl, allyl, cyclohexyl, tolyl, and isopropyl. Examples of monovalent halogenated hydrocarbon radicals are chloropropyl, 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl, chlorophenyl, beta- (perfluorobutyl)ethyl, and chlorocyclohexyl. Preferably the organic radicals are methyl, ethyl, phenyl, vinyl, and 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl. The polydiorganosiloxane can have in addition to the diorganosiloxane units, mono-organosilsesquioxane units, triorganosiloxy units, and Si02 units. Polydiorganosiloxanes which have both hydroxyl endblocking and triorganosiloxy endblocking may also be used and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,145 by Dupree, which is incorporated herein by reference. Component (A) can be a mixture of two or more polyorganodisiloxanes as long as the average viscosity of the mixture falls within the viscosities stated above. The preferred hydroxy terminated polydiorganosiloxane polymer has methyl as the organic substituent on the polymer backbone and is available from a number of sources such as General Electric, blacker Silicones, Shin-Etsu Silicones and Dow Corning.
The amount of polymer (A) to be used in this invention ranges from about 15 to about 95 percent by weight of the total composition, preferably, from about 30 to about 85 percent by weight of the total composition and most preferably about 30 to about 75 percent by weight of the composition.
The trifunctional crosslinking agent (B) has the formula: Rxe2x80x94Si(ONxe2x95x90CRxe2x80x22)3 where R is phenyl. Rxe2x80x2 may be any saturated straight chain or branched alkyl radical of from about 1 to about 8 carbon atoms. Methods for the preparation of such ketoximino silanes are known in the art. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,660 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,527 to Matthew. These patents as well as U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,576 to Sweet disclose the various ketoximes which can be used in this invention. The above patents are incorporated herein by reference. Illustrative of some of these ketoximes are methyl ethyl ketoxime, diethylketone oxime, acetone oxime, methyl isobutyl ketoxime, methyl amyl ketoxime, and cyclohexanone oxime. Because of the relative availability of methyl ethyl ketoxime and methyl isobutylketoxime, the preferred silane crosslinking agents (B) in this invention are phenyl tris-(methyl ethyl ketoximino) silane or phenyl tris-(methyl isobutylketoximino) silane. Phenyl tris-(methyl ethyl ketoximino) silane is commercially available from Honeywell International Inc. of Morristown, N.J. Crosslinker (B) is generally present in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of the total composition, and preferably from about 2 to about 7 percent by weight of the total composition, and most preferably from about 3 to about 6 percent by weight of the total composition.
Although it is preferred that crosslinker (B) is the sole crosslinker used in this invention, in another embodiment of the invention mixtures of phenyl substituted tris functional silanes are employed. In still another embodiment, at least one phenyl substituted tris functional silane is used with small amounts of other crosslinkers. These other crosslinkers are well known in the art and include methyltrimethoxysilane, vinyl trimethoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, methyltriacetoxysilane, ethyltriacetoxysilane, methyl tris-(N-methylbenzamido) silane, methyl tris(isopropenoxy) silane, and methyl tris-(cyclohexylamino) silane, methyl tris(methyl ethyl ketoxirino) silane, vinyl tris-(methyl ethyl ketoximino) silane, methyl tris-(methyl isobutyl ketoximino) silane, vinyl tris-(methyl isobutyl ketoximino) silane, tetrakis-(methyl ethyl ketoxirino) silane, tetrakis(methyl isobutyl ketoximino) silane, and tetrakis-(methyl amyl ketoximino) silane. Difunctional ketoximino silanes may also be used such as dimethyl di(methyl ethyl ketoximino) silane, methyl vinyl di-(methyl ethyl ketoximino) silane, methyl vinyl di-(methyl isobutyl ketoximino) silane, and methyl vinyl di-(methyl amyl ketoximino) silane.
Tetrafunctional alkoxy-ketoxime silanes as disclosed by Klosowski U.S. Pat. No. 15 4,657,967 and Haugsby U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,623 can also be used to modulate cure speed of the present invention. Similarly other tetrafunctional alkoxy-ketoximino silanes as described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 947,015 filed Sep. 17, 1992; 143,777 filed Nov. 1, 1993 and 158,660 filed Nov. 29,1993 can be used. All of the above crosslinkers may be added as mixtures with crosslinker (B) or added separately to the composition of this invention. It is preferable that any auxiliary crosslinkers used not exceed about 25 percent by weight of the total crosslinker level. Using crosslinkers other than (B) in increasing amounts, in conjunction with (B) generally increases the modulus and decreases the elongation of the cured composition of the invention and decreases the adhesion of the sealant or coating to acrylic substrates. Crosslinker (B) as well as other crosslinkers used can be added to (A) before the addition of other ingredients under.anhydrous conditions.
The composition of the present invention contains an adhesion promoter (C) which is characterized as having an amino functional group and less than three hydrolyzable alkoxy groups attached to silicon or Si. N-(2-aminoethyl)3-aminopropylmethyldimethoxy silane, gamma-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, gamma-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3aminopropylmethyldiethoxy and mixtures thereof are examples of aminofunctional silanes with two hydrolyzable alkoxy groups which provide adhesion to acrylic. These promoters are generally used in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 3 percent by weight of the total composition. Preferably from about 0.2 to about 2.5 percent by weight of the total composition and most preferably from about 0.5 to about 1.5 percent by weight of the total composition. N-(2-aminoethyl)3-aminopropylmethyldimethoxy silane is available from Witco, Huls/Degussa, and Shin-Etsu while gamma-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane is available from Huls and gamma-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane is available from Silar Industries. Although it is contemplated that N-(2-aminoethyl)-3aminopropylmethyldiethoxy provides good adhesion, there is no commercial source for this material today. However, it can be prepared by adapting the method disclosed in Japanese application, JP 92-7593, to Shinetsu Chemical Ind. for the production of N-(aminoethyl)-3-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane Essentially,, one would react 1 equivalent of 3-chloropropylmethyldiethoxysilane is reacted with 3-5 equivalents of ethylenediamine. This material may also be prepared by using methyldichlorosilane hydrosilylation with 3-chloropropene, then reacting the product with ethanol and ethylenediamine per the publication by Jiangxi Normal University Department of Chemistry (Peng, Yiyuan; Mao, Xuechan et al.) 1998.
While the basic embodiment of the invention utilizes one adhesion promoter of the invention in the composition, in another embodiment, mixtures of adhesion promotors of the invention (i.e., containing an amino functional group and less than three hydrolyzable alkoxy groups attached to silicon) can be used to obtain optimal adhesion to acrylic. In still another embodiment of the invention, at least one adhesion promoter of the invention is used with still other adhesion promoters to obtain an improvement in various other properties of the composition such as improved resistance to hydrolysis or improved adhesion to other surfaces. Typically these adhesion promoters can be chosen from many organofunctional silanes known in the art. A nonexhaustive list of such silanes include gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, trimethoxysilylpropyldiethylene triamine, bis-(gammatrimethoxysilylpropyl)amine, gamma-ureidopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane, beta-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) ethyltrimethoxysilane, tris-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] isocyanurate, gammaglycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, N-phenyl-gamma-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane, gamma-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, and gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane.
Preferably the optional adhesion promotors are present in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 1.0 percent by weight of the total composition. However as the presence or level of the optional adhesion promoters,increases, the adhesion to acrylic is usually decreased. Thus only a minimum level of the optional adhesion promoters is desired to achieve the overall balance of desired properties. These adhesion promoters can be obtained from a number of sources such as Huls/Degussa, Witco, Shin-Etsu and Dow Corning Corp.

Room temperature vulcanizable silicone compositions with improved adhesion to acrylic