A tubular light comprises an elongate light source (10) and a tubular housing (18) around the light source. An optical beam shaping arrangement (20) is provided within the housing. It has an effective focal distance, in the plane perpendicular to the length axis, which varies in dependence on the angular position around the optical beam shaping arrangement. The effective focal distance is longer for light in a light output optical axis direction than for light output laterally to the sides of the light output optical axis. This means the beam shaping, e.g. collimation, is greater at the edges of the light output beam than in the middle, so there is light mixing within the output beam.

Standard i.e. halogen tubular lighting ("TL") tubes, as well as typical LED retrofit solutions, provide light in all directions. To create a beam-shape, they are placed in a fixture which comprises a reflector and/or other optical elements to redirect the light from the tube into a desired beam shape.
LED technology allows for the integration of the light generation elements (the LEDs) and the beam shaping optics into the tubular lighting housing, thereby eliminating the need for expensive external housings and optics. Current tubular LED (known as "TLED") solutions are known which integrate optics into the tubular housing to optimize efficiency and to create a desired beam shape. For example, lenses or total internal reflection collimators may be mounted over on the LEDs in the tubular housing.
Although this does allow for the creation of a beam shape, this also lead to a very spotty appearance of the tube (due to the close proximity of the optics and the LEDs), which in some situations is disliked for aesthetic reasons, and may even be uncomfortable due to the high peak brightness.
Another disadvantage of typical lenses used for beam shaping is that for white light lighting devices they generally cause color differences as a function of angle of the exiting light. This is caused by color non-uniformities of the exit window of a typical white LED, which are typically based on the use of blue emitting LED die covered by a phosphor which partially converts this blue light into larger wavelengths (e.g. yellow), to form white light (based on the combination of the original blue light and the phosphor-converted yellow light). Typically, this means a more bluish light from the center of the LED, while more yellowish light is emitted from the edges of the LED.
Typically, when beam shaping this light with lenses or collimators, these spatial color differences are converted to angular color differences causing the center of the beam to be bluish and the edges yellowish (or vice versa, depending on the type of optics used). In certain applications this is highly disliked, especially in applications where the light is used to illuminate white objects.


The present invention provides system and methods for detecting an analyte indicative of an influenza viral infection in a sample of bodily fluid. The present invention also provides for systems and method for detection a plurality of analytes, at least two of which are indicative of an influenza viral infection in a sample of bodily fluid.

Influenza ("flu") is an infectious disease capable of inflicting upon a wide variety of hosts, including birds and mammals. Flu is caused by an RNA virus of the orthomyxoviridae family (that generally comprises the type A, B, and C influenza viruses). Avian flu is caused by a virus of this family adapted to birds, thus it is also named bird flu, avian influenza, or bird influenza. A current pandemic threat stems from an unprecedented outbreak of the H5N1 strain of the influenza A virus in Asia and Europe. This strain has an ability to mutate and adapt itself to a wide range of hosts, including birds and humans. The Homeland Security Council issued the "National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza" ("The Strategy") in November of 2005 in response to the current pandemic threat. A critical part of that initiative focuses on the rapid identification of Avian Flu in patients and birds. The strategy seeks to improve the surveillance and detection of the Avian Flu.
As of November 2005, the virus causing the Avian Flu pandemic threat was known to have infected 121 people in four countries, resulting in 62 deaths over the past two years. Those infected with H5N1 had, in almost all cases, extensive physical contact with infected birds. Although the virus has not yet shown an ability to transmit efficiently between humans, as is seen with the annual human influenza virus epidemic, it raises a serious concern that it will acquire this capability through genetic mutation or exchange of genetic material with a human influenza virus.
Influenza causes approximately 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the U.S. alone, and costs the U.S. over $10 billion annually. In addition, the last three pandemics, in 1918, 1957, and 1968, killed approximately 40 million, 2 million, and 1 million people worldwide, respectively.
There remains a pressing need for devices and methods that can accurately and rapidly detect the presence of Avian Flu to provide an early warning of a pandemic in order to contain the spread of the disease. An ideal system would (1) allow for retrieval, transmission, and analysis of data from such devices; and (2) provide a real-time warning system to health and government officials. The present invention satisfies this need and provides related advantages.


This invention relates to a modular insulating article for insulating the interior of a high temperature furnace. The article comprises an outer shell-like form made of a ceramic fiber blanket, and interior layers made of ceramic fiber blanket material. The interior layers are disposed in planes which are parallel to the walls of the furnace. The layers are joined to each other and to the outer shell by means of an anchor pin and/or cement. The module is attached to the furnace wall by a mechanical anchor, preferably a "T" shaped stud, or refractory cement. The module has improved insulating value because of the disposition of the blankets and provides for the use of a high heat resistant blanket near the hot face and of lower cost high insulation blankets adjacent to the furnace wall.

The present invention relates to ceramic fiber modules for insulating the interior of a high temperature furnace. In particular, this invention describes a module and method of using the same in which the module comprises a ceramic fiber shell-like form, a plurality of ceramic fiber blankets situated within the shell-like form and means for joining the shell and contents to a furnace housing which generally is of steel.
For many years heat treating furnaces, ceramic kilns, brick kilns, and the like, were lined with dense fireclay brick. Later insulating firebrick replaced the dense fireclay brick because of its lighter weight and better insulating properties. Recently ceramic fiber material made of alumina-silica fibers made into blankets has replaced the insulating firebrick as lining for such furnaces and kilns. The latest advances in this art is the use of module units in which the ceramic fiber blankets are positioned on end, or edge grain, and retained in a blanket which is designed to be attached to the steel frame defining the furnace or kiln.
The rolls of ceramic fibers typically are impaled upon metal studs welded to the furnace walls. This arrangement has several drawbacks, namely that the temperature limit of the construction is dependent on the temperature that the metal studs can stand. Another drawback is that the ceramic fiber blankets are easily damaged, torn and also tend to shrink lengthwise with high temperature use so that gaps are formed between the ends of the blankets.
For economic reasons, it is undesirable to replace a large layered blanket module, which has only a relatively small damaged area. However, unless the blanket is replaced, the damaged area will grow in size.
In order to facilitate replacement of damaged insulation, numerous modular insulation articles have been developed.
The modules eliminate much of the temperature limitation, but there is a possibility that heat can flow between the modules and between the strips of ceramic fibers mounted in the modules. In all of these modules, the blankets are perpendicular to the furnace wall and therefore the thermal conductivity and refractoriness of the module is uniform from hot face to cold face.
Typical of such construction are the Sauder U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,468 and 3,993,237. These devices still require a welded stud on the furnace frame and time consuming application. Other patents exemplifying this type construction including Balaz et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,815 in which a series of strips of ceramic fibers are clamped together into a module for installation on furnace walls. Still other such devices are shown in Byrd U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,001,996 and 4,123,886.
As mentioned, in all of the foregoing listed patents the fibers in the blanket lie in planes generally perpendicular to the furnace wall. In addition many of these devices require a welded stud on the furnace wall and several of the patents disclose impaling or spearing the ceramic blanket on a pin or stud mounted on the furnace wall with a washter mounted on the end of the stud to hold the blanket in place. These arrangements tend to allow the blanket to sag or tear away from the furnace wall and the stud serves as a conduit for heat from the blanket to the furnace wall.
Accordingly it is a principle object of the present invention to provide a ceramic fiber module in which layers of ceramic fiber blankets are all positioned in a plane parallel to the surface of the furnace wall inside a shell-like form. It is a further object to provide a simple effective means for attaching such ceramic fiber modules to a furnace wall in an efficient and safe manner. It is a further object to provide a method for fastening such ceramic fiber modules to a furnace wall without providing a direct conduit for heat to pass from the furnace to the outside shell.
Still another object is to provide a module of ceramic fiber blankets in which the end of the module closest to the heat of the furnace has a high temperature resistant fiber blanket positioned therein. Closer to the furnace wall are high heat transfer resistance materials.
A still further object is to provide a "T" shaped anchor which is fastened to a furnace frame and retains modules in side-by-side arrangement on the wall while the anchor is protected from direct furnace heat.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

Insulated ceramic fiber refractory module


In case of forming films in plural positions with an ink jet head having plural nozzles, to provide a method of efficiently correcting an aberration in the liquid droplet applying position resulting for example from a distortion of a substrate, thereby producing an electron source with a high production yield. Positions of device electrodes 2, 3 on the electron source substrate 1 are detected by fetching in advance a surface image of the substrate 1, then a position of an electroconductive film 4 is calculated as a liquid droplet applying position, and an inclination angle θ of the ink jet head 11 is so regulated that a pitch of the nozzles 12 matches a pitch d of the obtained liquid droplet applying positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film forming method suitable for forming a conductive film constituting a component of an electron emitting device etc., a method for forming such conductive film, and a producing method for an electron source substrate utilizing the same.
2. Related Background Art
The present applicant has proposed, as an easy and inexpensive producing method for a surface conduction electron emitting device, a method of applying a metal-containing solution in a liquid droplet state onto a substrate by an ink jet equipment thereby forming a pair of element electrodes and a conductive film positioned therebetween (see following document 1). Also the present applicant has proposed, applying the above-mentioned method, a producing method for an electron source substrate including plural electron emitting devices arranged in a matrix on a same substrate (see following document 2).
FIG. 10 shows an example of a producing process for an electron emitting device by an ink jet equipment, wherein shown are a substrate 1, device electrodes 2, 3, a conductive film 4, an electron emitting portion 8, an ink jet nozzle 12, and a liquid droplet 13. At first device electrodes 2, 3 are formed on a substrate 1 (FIG. 10A). Then a metal-containing solution is applied as a liquid droplet 13, from a nozzle 12 of an ink jet equipment, between the device electrodes 2 and 3 (FIG. 10B). Then the film of the metal-containing solution is calcined to form a conductive film 4 (FIG. 10C), which is subjected to an energizing process to form an electron emitting portion 8. Further, there is a proposal of a technique that, in a manufacturing of a color filter for use in an image display apparatus, corresponding to an interval between adjacent color filters, an ink jet head having a plurality of nozzles is inclined in applying a filter material therefrom (See following document 3).
Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-171850
Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-251665 (corresponding to EP 936652A)
Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-273868 (corresponding to EP 1225472A)
In the method described in the Patent Reference 2, an applying position of the liquid droplet is regulated by a relative displacement of the ink jet head with respect to the substrate, thereby avoiding a loss in the production yield. However, when the liquid droplets are simultaneously applied in plural positions utilizing an ink jet head constituted of a linear array of plural nozzles for the purpose of shortening a tact time, such method is unable to avoid a loss in the production yield in case the substrate is distorted in shape from a design value.

Film forming method and producing method for electron source substrate


Agile microwave filter having at least two two-mode cavities with parallel axes and coupled by an iris. The input and output ports are irises in the back plate of the filter. The frequency response of the filter is therefore symmetrical. The plate and therefore the irises are interchangeable to increase the agility of the filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an agile microwave bandpass filter having two-mode cavities that are parallel coupled, i.e. coupled through iris and screws, as opposed to line-structured filters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are two types of prior art agile microwave filters using parallel coupled cylindrical cavities, i.e. cylindrical cavities with parallel axes coupled together via an iris:
Single-mode cavity filters having the drawbacks of being relatively bulky, relatively costly and relatively long time to set up, because of the plurality of cavities.
Two-mode cavity agile filters in which two coupled orthogonal modes are generated in each cavity and which represent an improvement over the first type from the cost and setting up time points of view.
The accompanying FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively views in perspective and diagrammatic transverse cross-section of a prior art four-pole agile filter which has two two-mode cavities of the TE11n type.
This filter thus comprises two cylindrical resonant cavities 1, 2 which are identical and which have parallel axes.
The internal volume of these cavities is adjustable by means of mobile pistons 3, 4 which enable adjustment of the resonant frequency of each of the cavities so that the tuning frequency of the filter can be shifted, i.e. to provide the required frequency agility of the filter.
As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 2, the filter input cavity 1 is fed by a rectangular waveguide 5 coupled to the cavity 1 by a coupling iris 6.
The cavity 1 thus resonates in the TE11n mode, for example, and provides the orientation of the electric field vector E1.
A 45.degree. coupling screw 7 enables another mode to be generated in the cavity 1, through disturbance of this cavity, at the same frequency but with an electric field vector E2 orthogonal to the first. A tuning screw 8 is used to adjust precisely the volume of the cavity 1 in order to compensate for the small disturbance in particular due to the coupling screw 7 and of the input iris 6.
Finally, the cavity 1 resonates in two TE11n modes, whence the name two-mode cavity.
The cavity 1 is coupled to the other cavity 2 by a coupling iris 19. By coupling of the magnetic field the latter allows the cavity 2 to resonate at the same frequency as the cavity 1, in a mode T11n with electric field E3.
As previously, a 45.degree. coupling screw 9 generates in the cavity 2 a second mode with electric field E4 orthogonal to the electric field E3. The mode E4 is magnetically coupled to the output waveguide 10 by a coupling iris 11. A tuning screw 18 is provided as previously.
The end result is a four-pole agile bandpass filter using only two "parallel" coupled cavities 1, 2, i.e. with a coupling parallel to the axis of cavities 1 and 2.
Of course, a six-pole agile bandpass filter may be obtained in the same manner by using three two-mode cylindrical cavities with parallel coupling, or more generally, an agile bandpass filter with 2 n poles (where n is an integer) may be obtained using n parallel two-mode cavities each coupled to the next by an iris, in the manner that the cavities 1 and 2 are coupled as shown in the drawing.
The above two-mode cavity agile filters have the following advantages:
they are simple to control, because of the double resonance per cavity, which greatly simplifies the mechanical construction of the filter; PA1 the total travel of the adjuster pistons 3, 4 is relatively long (around 10 mm), and enables a great accuracy in the frequency tuning with frequency agility.
However, they have the major disadvantage of an asymmetric frequency response resulting of the disturbances brought by the input and output irises, which is not the case with single-mode cavity filters.
The invention is directed to remedying these disadvantages.

Dual-mode cavity filter having input and output coupling irises


The problem of detecting when a traumatic force has been sustained by the brain of an individual is solved by a shock detection device that can be installed in wearable equipment. The shock detection device can include one or more deformable supports that maintain at least one suspended weight at a specific location within a housing. When a shock of a pre-determined force is sustained by the equipment, the suspended weight and/or the one or more deformable supports will provide an indication that such a shock has occurred. Such indication can be a change in the position or state of the at least one suspended weight and/or the one or more deformable supports. Visual indicators can also be utilized to better signify when a sufficiently forceful shock has occurred.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative brain disease that has been observed in individuals who have experienced repetitive head trauma or brain concussions, such as professional athletes, military personnel, and competitive race car drivers. It has also been observed in individuals who play non-professional or recreational sports, accident victims, and those who participate in certain types of work-related activities. Repetitive trauma to the brain can cause a progressive degeneration of the brain tissue and an increase in an abnormal tau protein in brain tissue. These effects can begin months, years, and even decades after a last concussive event to the brain. Some evidence has shown that it can take up to 3-4 weeks to fully recover from the symptoms of a concussion. Recovery may not preclude the later development of CTE, particularly if there are repeated concussive events.
There has been a significant increase is efforts to diagnose brain concussions early, so that steps can be taken to ameliorate the effects. Different types of athletic, work, and military gear have been modified and tested with various types of sensors and electronic devices to detect rapid changes in direction and impact of the head or other parts of the body. While shown to be effective, most of these devices require some type of electrical connection or secondary remote device for detection or operation of the sensors. Football, baseball, lacrosse, and military helmets have all been tested with various sensors implanted into the helmets that transmit information to another device about the types and amounts of forces exerted on the helmet, which can translate to the wearer. While effective for detecting traumatic head impact, these devices require sensors to be connected to a secondary device and some systems require multiple sensors to be implanted into the helmet or other equipment for detection of different axial forces in order to determine the force of an impact.
Unfortunately, the cost of most of these sensor devices and the complexity of implementation deter their use by anyone other than professionals. Thus, it may not be possible or cost effective for elementary, high school, recreational, or non-professional athletes to obtain and use this type of advanced equipment. There is a need for a shock sensing device, shock sensor, or shock detector, that can be easily and cost-effectively integrated into a variety of types of wearable devices and equipment. It would be further advantageous if such shock sensors could be easily monitored by the wearer or other individuals without the need for additional or secondary devices.

Method and apparatus for detecting shock


In a system for carrying out financial transactions via facsimile machines, account customized transaction vouchers are completed by the parties to a transaction, each filling in the amount of the transactions, whether he or she is a sender or receiver of fund, the accound number of the other party and signature. The voucher optionally contains a transparent pocket for receiving an identification card of an authorized user of the system, and each party transmits by facsimile an image of the completed voucher together with identification card to a facsimile machine at a central facility, such as an automated clearing house ACH). A character reader at the central facility reads the incoming data and authorizes the requested transaction based on personal identification numbers correctly transmitted to the central facility via telephone pushbotton switches and an adequate account balance. Upon audible confirmation of the transaction information by the central facility using a synthesized voice message over the telephones, and confirmation by the parties, the central facility clears the transaction and sends transaction reports to the parties by facsimile.

Spurred by the pressures of paper-based checking which is costly and time consuming for financial institutions and further in light of the inconvenience of maintaining accurate accounting in cash transactions, institutions have sought out and experimented with various electronic means of extending and speeding up account accessibility. To this end and to improve record keeping as well as to reduce flow of actual cash, computer technology has been applied to develop electronic funds transfer, which essentially is a process of value exchange achieved through electronic devices. Examples of electronic funds transfer equipment that have become used on a substantial basis in recent years are the Automated Clearing House (ACH), the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and the point of sale system (POS).
To eliminate the presence of a central computer in every transaction, there has been a trend toward off-line electronic funds transfer, that is, transfer of data between portable and resident units, with only periodic downloading of data to a central computer. In Mareno U.S. Pat No. 4,007,355, for example, cashless transactions are made between credit cards through a special interface located at each vendor station. Stuckert U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,837 is directed toward a cashless, off-line transaction system involving portable units that are carried by customers and adapted for use with data storage and transfer cards.
The Mareno and Stuckert systems have particular problems that have limited their widespread use in off-line electric funds transfer. In Mareno, no exchange of funds may be made arbitrarily because the cards carried by each user, although having funds data storage capability, have no keyboards and require a special interface apparatus to be present at each transaction. In Stuckert, cards used with the portable terminals have no display; a separate portable terminal must be involved during each transaction. The user cannot continuously monitor his account, limiting the versatility of the system.
These problems and others were solved by Benton in U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,059 issued on Dec. 8, 1981, disclosing a modular funds transfer system wherein each user as well as vendor carries an identical portable module having a keyboard and a display Funds are transferred between modules using a hard wire interface, and the account status stored in each module is updated following each transaction. In another patent to Benton U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,951, printed vouchers are issued by the portable module following each transaction.
The Benton approach was further refined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,414 to provide bidirectional optical coupling between portable funds data transfer modules, including a "hand-shaking" protocol that enables funds transfer to be completed only if a number of criteria are satisfied. These criteria include an identification check following keyboard entry by the user of a secret number and examination of the transaction amount to ensure that it falls within.
Finally, in Benton et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,276, electronic funds data are transferred between portable modules either directly in a local mode of operation or indirectly, via telephone lines, in a remote mode of operation Transaction records are printed by an outboard printer or downloaded to a central computer.
The systems described in the aforementioned Benton et al. patents are capable of having a substantial impact on the manner by which financial transactions are carried out, securely transferring funds between buyers and sellers while simultaneously printing supporting documents. However, considerable dedicated apparatus including a modem and printer as well as portable modules are required to implement these systems The present invention provides on-line electronic funds transfer in a manner to reduce the cost of implementation, and to improve availability, of the system to the parties of a transaction.
There currently are more than two million facsimile machines throughout the world, used exclusively for the transfer of documentary information between individual stations connected to any dial up telephone line. Such machines, with printer and keypad as well as a modem, are capable of transmitting and receiving graphical data, e.g., bit mapped images as well as textual data In copending application Ser. No. 236,614 to Benton et al., filed Aug. 23, 1988, there is described a modification to and implementation of a conventional facsimile machine to be operative in a transaction mode of operation for carrying out transactions between buyers and sellers. The Benton et al. system in '614 incorporates a keyboard in the facsimile machine together with special identification modules each containing an integrated circuit memory storing account data, and, in graphical form, the signature of an authorized user During transactions, the facsimile machine transmits ASCII characters corresponding to keyboard entered transaction data such as the amount of the transaction together with account and signature data to another facsimile machine similarly configured and containing the identification module of the other party to the transaction. Following agreement between the parties, funds are exchanged, the integrated circuit memories in the identification modules are updated by the amount of the transaction, and the facsimile machines print transaction records including the signatures of the parties Occasionally, the contents of the identification cards are downloaded to a central computer at an automated clearing house (ACH) for account updating.
While generally satisfactory, the Benton et al system just described requires modification of existing facsimile machines to interface with the integrated circuit memory modules carried by authorized users. System implementation would be substantially simplified if electronic funds transfer could be carried out through conventional, unmodified facsimile machines It would also be preferable to clear transactions at the ACH in real time, on line, in a manner consistent with existing funds transfer protocols.

Method of and system for electronic funds transfer via facsimile machines


Antennae located in the doors of an elevator car are in circuit with a balanced bridge detector coupled to an oscillator. Increased capacitance to ground produced by a person or object between the doors creates a bridge disbalance, which gives rise to the production of a bridge output signal whose level is proportional to the change in capacitance. Each time the car door opens at a floor, the signal level from the bridge obtained at an intermediate door position is stored as a reference indicative of the capacitance change resulting from dynamic environmental and structural factors. When the doors are fully open, the output from the bridge is compared with the stored signal level for detecting the additional capacitance created by a person or object between the doors and controlling door movement accordingly.

This invention relates to apparatus for detecting the presence of objects within a boundary area, for example, passengers or objects between the doors of an elevator car.
In typical elevator installations where the cars are operated automatically, it is common practice to provide apparatus to protect passengers against injury from the automatically closing doors. Such apparatus frequently include arrangements employing antennae located along the door edges in order to detect the presence of a person or object. Detection is accomplished by sensing the change in capacity brought about between the antenna and ground caused by the proximity of the person or object to the antenna. Such apparatus may be utilized to halt the door movement or cause continuous door retraction until the path is clear. Apparatus of this type are disclosed in the following patents which are commonly owned herewith: U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,250 to Bruns et al for a SAFETY SYSTEM FOR DOORS, which issued on June 24, 1952; U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,284 to Gallanty for ELEVATOR DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM, which issued on Oct. 11, 1955 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,018,851 to Diamond et al for CONTROL MECHANISM FOR DOORS, which issued Jan. 30, 1962, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,058, also to Diamond, which issued on July 3, 1972.
As disclosed in the patent to Bruns, each antenna is coupled to an electronic gas tube which fires as a result of increased capacitance between the antenna and ground. When the tube fires, the door may be stopped or reversed by suitable door motion controls until the path is clear.
In the patent to Gallanty, antennae are arranged in a pattern along the door edges to minimize erroneous door movement by compensating for some of the field disturbances arising from external elements, such as the hoistway doors and door jams.
In the first identified patent to Diamond, an arrangement is disclosed for improving the operation of the Gallanty system, by improving its immunity to disturbances from external elements. Each antennae forms one arm of a balanced bridge detector that includes variable capacitors which are adjusted so that the bridge is balanced when there is no object in the detection area of the antennae. An object entering the detection area produces increased capacitance, which causes a bridge unbalance and the consequent generation of a bridge output signal whose level is proportional to the change in capacitance. The output signal, which thus indicates the presence of an object between the doors, may be coupled to the door motion control apparatus to control door movement accordingly. The antennae may be arranged in a selected pattern around the door to minimize blind spots.
Environmental or ambient factors, such as humidity and temperature, frequently produce day to day and floor to floor changes in capacitance in elevator systems. As a result of this, balanced bridge systems may generate erroneous door motion control signals, causing the doors to move randomly or hang up on certain floors. Since car motion is typically geared to door position, the car will be immobilized, causing service interruption. Such effects may be prevented, in some instances, by bridge recalibration to null out any unbalance due to such factors. But where these factors change frequently, recalibration is not feasible. One example of this are the summer months, which typically are characterized by wide variations in humidity and temperature. Moreover, in air-conditioned buildings the temperature and humidity may vary dramatically at different times of the day as a result of controlled air-conditioning use. Where the humidity varies considerably, the capacitance sensed by the antennae similarly varies, and, thus, under those circumstances it is virtually impossible to achieve reliable bridge balancing. Consequently, when such conditions are encountered, the elevator system is especially susceptible to erroneous door movement and the deteriorated system speed, which results when the cars are unpredictably immobilized at certain floors.
The later patent to Diamond describes a self-adjusting proximity detecting apparatus which focuses on improving the operation of the system shown in the first Diamond patent principally by nulling out the balance bridge output signal caused by humidity and external elements--other than people and objects in the vicinity of the antennae. While this system offers significant improvement, it may be adversely effected by environmental and structural effects which may saturate the detector output, causing the detector to be blinded to the presence of an object, and thus rendering the detector ineffective. The bridge detector gain may be lowered to remedy this, but lowering the gain reduces detector sensitivity. With reduced sensitivity only objects which are very close to the doors are detectable; consequently, the doors may have to close on an object before it can be detected; the doors are then retracted, since this increases amount of door motion at each stop and it decreases overall system speed. Conversely, high sensitivity increases system speed because there is less unnecessary door motion.

Automatically compensating object detection circuit


A heat exchanger design is described which includes header plates, apertures, seals and flow tubes. A plurality of apertures in at least one header plate are configured to allow a flow tube to be inserted into or removed from the aperture as a whole at an angle. A seal is included within the aperture and is supported by differing diameters of the aperture wall. The seal engages the flow tube in a manner to allow high pressure operation of the heat exchanger when the flow tube is perpendicular to the header plate.

Heat exchangers typically are formed of a plurality of tube and fin assemblies, the ends of which extend through apertures in opposed header plates. A heating or cooling fluid, e.g., oil, air, etc. flows through the tubes. The tube and fin assemblies must be able to withstand system operating pressures without leaking. Elastomeric seals are sometimes used within the apertures in the header plates to seal the tube within the header plate thus forming a tube to header plate joint. Some heat exchanger designs allow the tube and fin assemblies to be removable such that a damaged tube can be replaced without dismantling an entire heat exchanger. According to prior art heat exchangers, the tubes are removed by raising a first end of a tube into the first of two header plates via a first aperture having a cylindrical seal along the entire length of the header plate opening until the second end of the tube clears the second of two header plates. The second end of the tube is swung outwardly to clear the edge of the second header plate and the tube, which is now angled relative to the first header plate, is then pulled from the first header plate, freeing it from the heat exchanger. Prior art aperture and seal designs allow an elastomeric seal to seat within the first header plate in order to seal the tube during heat exchanger operation, and also allow angular movement of a tube for removal and installation from the header plates. See, U.S. Pat. No. 3,391,732, U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,478, U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,824, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,930,568, 5,433,268 each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. However, prior art aperture and seal designs do not optimize the ability of the heat exchangers to withstand high operating pressures while also allowing easy removal and installation of individual heat exchanger tubes. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aperture and seal configuration to improve the ability of a heat exchanger to withstand high operating pressures while also allowing easy removal and installation of individual heat exchanger tubes. It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger header plate which reduces or wholly overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known heat exchangers having field removable heat exchanger tubes such as pressure capabilities, seal integrity, and overall heat exchanger life expectancy. Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments.

Removable tube heat exchanger and header plate


A prosthetic foot which has an ankle member adapted for mounting on the leg of a user and provided with a forwardly disposed wedging surface; a toe member provided with a wedging surface facing the wedging surface of the ankle member; a resilient sheet extended longitudinally of the foot beneath the members, connecting them for relative pivotal movement as the sheet flexes; a wedge disposed between the surfaces; and a screw mounted on the sheet and engaging the wedge so that rotation of the screw adjustably positions the wedge between the surfaces pivoting the members selectively to arch and to flatten the interconnected members to adapt the foot for use with shoes having heels of different heights.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prosthetic foot and more particularly to a prosthetic foot adjustable for use with shoes having heels of different heights.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes prosthetic foot structures of a variety of types. One well-known type has a ball and socket ankle joint while another well-known type has a solid ankle. Both of these types utilize a cushioned heel and a flexible toe to simulate the action of a natural foot in walking.
An individual foot of these and all other prior art structures is proportioned and dimensioned for use only with a shoe heel of a predetermined height unlike natural feet which can, of course, adjust to heels of different heights. However, prior art prosthetic feet, lacking the elaborate and flexible structure of natural feet, cannot accommodate shoe heels varying substantially from the predetermined height to which they are individually adapted. When used with a different height of heel, prosthetic feet cause discomfort, require increased exertion by the user, and result in a clumsy and uneven gait.
Since each prosthetic foot is individually fitted to a prosthetic leg, it is necessary to provide a prosthetic leg and prosthetic foot for every height of shoe heel which will be worn by the user of such a device. This is inconvenient at best and is prohibitively expensive for most users of a prosthetic foot.
It has, therefore, long been recognized that it would be highly advantageous to provide a prosthetic foot which is adapted for use with shoe heels of varying heights and yet is relatively lightweight and sturdy.


Protein-based photovoltaic cells and the manufacture and use of protein-based photovoltaic cells are described. In one embodiment, bacteriorhodopsin from Halobacterium salinarum, which undergoes structural transitions when irradiated with a given wavelength of light, is used as the protein in the protein-based photovoltaic cells. In another embodiment, mutant bacteriorhodopsin from H. salinarum is used. Exposure of the protein to sunlight causes proton transfer across a membrane resulting in the generation of an electrical charge. The protein can be oriented and/or layered on a substrate and modified by mutation to enhance transmembrane proton transfer, covalent binding to a substrate and layering. The protein-based photovoltaic cells sequentially or simultaneously generate hydrogen gas from water or salt, which also can be harnessed to produce electricity.

Solar power technology, or photovoltaics, is a technology that uses solar cells or solar arrays to convert light from the sun into solar-generated electricity. The manufacture and use of photovoltaic cells has expanded significantly in recent years in several countries, including the United States, due to economic incentives and advantages such as the absence of pollution during use, low operating costs, and minimal maintenance.
Solar-generated electricity is particularly useful in locations where grid connection or fuel transport is difficult, costly or impossible such as on satellites, islands, remote locations, and ocean vessels. Photovoltaics can provide a supplemental source of electricity during times of peak demand to reduce grid loading and eliminate the need for local battery power.
Virtually all commercial photovoltaic cells are based on silicon. The most efficient cells use crystalline or polycrystalline silicon as the photoactive medium. These cells are expensive to make. Cells that are made using amorphous silicon are cheaper but less efficient. Although silicon solar cells do not create pollution under operation, their manufacture is a serious source of pollution such that some environmentalists no longer consider photovoltaic energy conversion to be a "green" technology. Some photovoltaic cells include cadmium, which is a highly toxic metal that is harmful to animal life and difficult to remove from the environment. Moreover, its disposal also presents problems due to its toxicity.
Others have developed other types of photovoltaic cells using other types of compounds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,109,136 to Senecal discloses electrospun conducting polymer membranes and composites that have high surface areas and are lightweight, tunable and active (electrically, chemically and optically). Senecal's electrospun conducting polymer membranes and composites are used for applications relating to ionic and electrical conductivity, photovoltaic devices, electrostatic dissipation, chemical sensing, corrosion protection, electromagnetic interference shielding and radar attenuation. Senecal further discloses an electrospinning process wherein a small amount of soluble conducting polymer is added to the polymer solutions used for spinning (known in the art as "spin dopes"). The conducting polymers of Senecal (from organic or aqueous solution or as solid dispersions) are added directly into a spin dope mixture and applied to various surfaces, such as metals, semiconductors, glass and textiles, or processed as stand alone membranes, using electro spinning technologies. U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,261 to Yamazaki discloses a multi-layered organic electrophotographic photoconductor that shows stability in mass production and adhesion ability with two layers contacting the charge generation layer. The photoconducter is free of contamination of the coating liquid for a charge transport layer during a dip-coating process due to dissolution of the charge generation layer. The multi-layered organic electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive substrate and an undercoat layer containing a thermosetting resin, a charge generation layer containing a charge generation material and an organic binder resin, and a charge transport layer laminated sequentially on the substrate. A disadvantage of the Yamazaki design is that its efficiency is insufficient for practical use in a photovoltaic system.
In light of the drawbacks discussed above, what is needed is a non-toxic photovoltaic technology that converts solar energy effectively and efficiently to electricity without causing pollution during or after manufacture.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Protein-based photovoltaics and methods of use


A DCF adapted to compensate for dispersion and slope of a length of SMF in the C-band window that includes a core surrounded by a cladding layer of refractive index Δc. The core includes at least three radially adjacent segments, a central core segment having a positive Δ1, a moat segment having a negative refractive index Δ2, and a ring segment having a positive refractive index Δ3, wherein Δ1>Δ3>Δc>Δ2. The DCF exhibits a negative Dispersion Slope (DS), where −0.29 (ps/nm2·km) at 1546 nm, a dispersion (D), where −100<D<−120 (ps.nm·km) at 1546 nm, and a κ value (D/DS) at 1546 nm that is preferably between 250 and 387 nm. The DCF preferably has a cutoff wavelength (λc) less than 1500 nm, attenuation at 1550 nm of less than 0.6 dB/km, and a bend loss of less than 0.01 dB/m on a 40 mm mandrel at 1550 nm. A transmission link including the combination of a SMF and a DCF having a dispersion (D), where −100<D<−120, is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dispersion and slope compensating optical fibers and transmission links for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems, and more particularly to optical fibers and transmission links including such fibers that are particularly well suited for compensating dispersion and slope of Single Mode Fiber (SMF) operating in the C-band.
2. Technical Background
To meet the ongoing drive for more bandwidth at lower costs, telecommunications system designers are turning to high channel count dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) architectures, longer reach systems and higher transmission bit rates. This evolution makes chromatic dispersion management critical to system performance, as system designers now desire the ability to accurately compensate dispersion across entire channel plans. Today, the only viable broadband commercial technology to battle dispersion has been Dispersion Compensating Modules (DCMs), i.e., spools having a suitable length of Dispersion Compensating Fiber (DCF) wound thereon. As DWDM deployments increase to 16, 32, 40 and more channels, broadband dispersion compensating products are even more desirable. Many current telecommunications systems have SMFs that, although they are optimized for zero dispersion at about 1310 nm, can also be utilized effectively to transmit signals at wavelengths around 1550 nm. This enables erbium-doped fiber amplifiers to be employed. An example of such a SMF is SMF-28™ manufactured by Corning Incorporated. Prior Art FIG. 2 illustrates the refractive index profile for such a SMF. Typically, such fibers exhibit a dispersion of about 17 ps/(nm·km) and a dispersion slope of about 0.058 ps/(nm2·km) at 1550 nm.
With continuing interest in higher bit rate systems (>10 Gbs), long reach systems (e.g., >500 km) and optical networking, it is imperative to use DCFs in networks that carry data on SMF as well. High bit rates, longer reaches and wider bandwidths require dispersion, but also dispersion slope to be compensated for more exactly.
Consequently, it is desirable for the DCF to have dispersion characteristics such that its dispersion and dispersion slope are matched to that of the SMF transmission fiber it is required to compensate. The ratio of dispersion to dispersion slope at a given wavelength is referred to as "kappa (κ)." Kappa changes as a function of wavelength for a given transmission fiber. Hence, it is equally important that the kappa value of the DCF is matched to that of the transmission fiber in the operating window.
It would be desirable to develop alternative DCFs, in particular, ones having the ability to compensate for dispersion of SMF over a wide wavelength band around 1550 nm.

Dispersion and slope compensating optical fiber and transmission link including same


There is described an integrating circuit for converting light energy produced by a photodetector into a voltage signal, this integrating circuit comprising an amplifier having an input coupled to a terminal of the photodetector and an output for outputting the voltage signal, and an integration capacitor having a first electrode connected to the amplifier input and a second electrode connected to the amplifier output. The first electrode of the capacitor is formed by the terminal of the photodetector connected to the amplifier input and the second electrode is formed by a layer of conductive material deposited on top of the photodetector and separated from this photodetector by a layer of insulating material, these layers of conductive material and of insulating material being transparent or nearly transparent at least for a given range of wavelengths of light. There is also described a method of forming the integration capacitor as well as a photodetector including the integration capacitor.

Integrating circuits are well-known in the art and are used in various types of applications where conversion of light energy into electrical signals is required. Such applications for instance include image sensing in digital cameras or other imaging systems, motion sensing in optical pointing or scanning devices, signal detection in optical pickup devices such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drives, etc.
FIG. 1 schematically shows the known configuration of an integrating circuit where reference numeral 10 designates the photodetector PD which, when subjected to illumination, produces a current (or photo-generated current) IPD which is proportional to light intensity on photodetector 10. This current IPD is converted to a voltage signal VOUT by means of an amplifier circuit 30 and a capacitor 20 (commonly referred to as "integration capacitor") of capacitance value CINT which is connected between an input 31 and an output 32 of amplifier 30. Amplifier 30 may include another input (not represented) connected to a reference potential such as ground.
FIG. 2 schematically shows a known configuration of photodetector 10 which consists of a photodiode comprising a well 11 of a first conductivity type (in this illustration an n-type well) diffused in a semiconductor substrate (or well) 12 of a second conductivity type (here a p-type semiconductor substrate). The well 11 forms the photosensitive region of the photodetector 10 and is coupled to the amplifier's input 31 as shown in FIG. 1 (typically through an n+ diffusion region in n-well 11 which is not represented in FIG. 2).
Integration capacitor 20 is typically formed as a distinct component requiring additional surface area on the chip. This integration capacitor 20 can typically be built as a stack of two layers of polysilicon or of metal and polysilicon layer with an intermediate insulating layer or as a capacitor-connected MOS device (for instance a MOS transistor having source and drain terminals connected together). All these solutions require area to implement.
In the above-mentioned applications, the optical sensing device typically comprises an array of a plurality of photodetector-integrator pairs. Layout space is usually at a premium and both the photodetector and the integration capacitor can take a lot of area. Tradeoffs must be made between the sizes of them. Typically the photodetector and integration capacitor are large and thus form a difficult constraint to any optimisation plan. One aim of the present invention is thus to find a solution to this problem, i.e. provide a solution which helps optimising the surface area of light conversion integrating circuits.

Integration capacitor using a photodetector as the bottom plate of the capacitor


A cycloolefin copolymer resin having a Hunter b color value of less than 1.0, which resin comprises:                (a) a first cycloolefin copolymer having a glass transition temperature of from about 100° C. to about 220° C. and an intrinsic viscosity of from about 5 to about 1000 ml/g as measured in decalin at 135° C.,        (b) up to about 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the resin, of a second cycloolefin copolymer, said second copolymer having a glass transition temperature of greater than about 50° C. and an intrinsic viscosity of from about 1 to about 500 ml/g as measured in decalin at 135° C., and        (c) from about 0.01% to about 3%, based on the total weight of the resin, of at least one lubricant selected from the group consisting of fatty acid esters of aliphatic polyhydric alcohols,with the proviso that the glass temperature of the second cycloolefin copolymer is at least 25° C. lower than the glass transition temperature of the first cycloolefin copolymer, said resin being suitable for use in precision optical applications.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of art to which this invention relates is cycloolefin copolymer (COC) resins for use in precision optical applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Resins comprising one or more cycloolefin copolymers have been disclosed for use in a variety of optical applications, including, for example, optical or compact disks, information recording films and base boards, optical fibers, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,722, for example, discloses a cycloolefin copolymer comprising at least one cycloolefin copolymer for recording media, wherein the cycloolefin copolymer has a molar-mass distribution Mw/Mn<about 2, a molecular weight of less than/equal to about 30,000 g/mole and a glass transition temperature of from about 100° C. to 200° C. Also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,722 are blends of two or more COCs.
COC compositions for use in information recording films and information recording baseboards are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,808. More particularly, the patent discloses compositions comprising (A) a cycloolefin type random copolymer containing an ethylene component and a cycloolefin component represented by the general formula wherein n and m are each 0 or a positive integer, I is an integer of at least 3, R1 to R10 each represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom or hydrocarbon group, wherein said cycloolefin type random copolymer (A) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.05-10 dl/g as measured at 135° C. in decalin and a softening temperature of not lower than 70° C. and (B) a cycloolefin type random copolymer containing an ethylene component and a cycloolefin component represented by either of the aforesaid general formulas, wherein said cycloolefin type random copolymer (B) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.01-5 dl/g as measured at 135° C. in decalin and a softening temperature of below 70° C., wherein the weight ratio of component (A) to component (B) ranges from 100/0.1 to 100/10. The combination of component (A) and component (B) is disclosed as providing compositions having improved adhesion. The patent also discloses that, in addition to the cycloolefin type random copolymer (A) and the cycloolefin type random copolymer (B), the composition may contain stabilizers such as phenolic antioxidants, metallic salts of fatty acids, and fatty esters of polyhydric alcohols. At column 15, lines 3 to 19, it is stated that " . . . phenolic antioxidants as illustrated above are used in an amount of 0.01-10 parts by weight, preferably 0.05-3 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the cycloolefin type random copolymer composition. Similarly, the fatty esters of polyhydric alcohol are used in an amount of 0.01-10 parts by weight, preferably 0.05-3 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the said compositions."
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,808 specifically exemplifies compositions containing a cycloolefin copolymer (A) having a softening temperature ranging from 153° C. to 155° C., a cycloolefin copolymer (B) having a softening temperature ranging from 39° C. to 45° C.), 0.5% of tetrakis[methylene-3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate]methane (a phenolic antioxidant), 0.05% of zinc stearate and 0.5% of glycerin monostearate, said amounts of phenolic antioxidant, zinc stearate, and glycerin monostearate being based on the total weight of the COC components (A) and (B). The patent reported adhesion and transparency data, but not silver streaking and color hue data for these compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,808 further exemplifies compositions containing a single cycloolefin type random copolymer, 0.05% by weight of zinc stearate, 0.6% by weight of a phenolic antioxidant, and 0.6 to 9.6% by weight of a fatty ester of a polyhydric alcohol, which was either partially esterified, as in the case of Examples 16 to 18, or completely esterified, as in the case of Example 21. Example 19 of the patent exemplifies a composition containing a single cycloolefin type random copolymer, 0.6% by weight of a phenolic antioxidant and 0.05% by weight of zinc stearate; Example 22 exemplifies a composition containing a single cycloolefin type random copolymer, a partially esterified fatty ester of a polyhydric alcohol and zinc stearate. Molded specimens made from the compositions containing the single cycloolefin type random copolymer were evaluated for properties that included color hue (b value) and the formation of silver streaks. Specimens made from the compositions that contained the phenolic antioxidant, a partially esterified fatty ester of a polyhydric alcohol and zinc stearate (i.e., the compositions of Examples 16 to 18) exhibited less silver streaking and yellowing, as a function of the color hue value "b", than specimens made from the compositions which lacked the antioxidant (i.e., the composition of Example 22) or specimens made from the compositions which lacked the fatty acid ester of the polyhydric alcohol (i.e., the composition of Example 19) or specimens that contained a completely esterified fatty acid ester of a polyhydric alcohol (i.e., the composition of Example 21). In particular, specimens made from the compositions of Examples 16 to 18 had color hue (b values) ranging from 1.0 to 1.2; in contrast, specimens made from the compositions of Examples 19, 21 and 22 had b values ranging from 3.0 to 5.0.
For optical applications requiring extreme clarity it is desirable to minimize silver streaking, and yellowing. On the Hunter color scale, yellowing is represented by the Hunter b color value. For precision optical applications, such as for example, optical display base boards, light enhancing plates, precision lenses light emitting diodes, light guides, and the like, cycloolefin copolymer resins having Hunter b color values of less than 1.0 are desired. Throughout the remainder of the specification and claims, "Hunter b color value" refers to the b value of a material tested in accordance with the "Hunter Color Test Procedure" set forth below.

Cycloolefin copolymer resins having improved optical properties


At a fabric take-off apparatus the deflection rod arranged forwardly of the cloth take-off roll, is provided at both halves thereof with opposite pitch threaded grooves and, if desired, at the ends thereof with spreader-needle rolls. The fabric, directly after travelling on to the take-off roll, is stretched in its width. Upon departing from the take-off roll the fabric or cloth, at the region where it leaves the take-off roll and arrives at a deflection roll, therefore does not tend to become wider due to the appreciably lower tension of the cloth beam. In this way the formation of creases or folds in the fabric cloth is avoided, which otherwise could be permanently formed at the contact location or nip between the cloth take-off roll and the subsequently arranged deflection beam or roll.

The present invention broadly relates to the field of textile machines, and, more specifically, relates to a new and improved construction of a take-off apparatus for the cloth or fabric web of a textile machine, especially a loom.
In its more particular aspects the take-off apparatus of the present development is of the type comprising a driven cloth or fabric take-off roll and a respective substantially rod-shaped deflection element for the fabric or cloth. One such rod-shaped deflection element is arranged forwardly and the other rearwardly of the cloth take-off roll, these deflection elements bearing against such take-off roll while there is interposed therebetween the cloth or fabric. Both of the deflection elements are stationarily arranged and the cloth take-off roll is arranged to be moveable transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis of the cloth take-off roll. The inner spacing of the deflection elements from one another, meaning the spacing between the confronting surfaces of the deflection elements, is smaller than the diameter of the cloth take-off roll.
With a heretofore known cloth take-off apparatus of this type the deflection element, arranged forwardly of the cloth take-off roll and constructed as a roll, has a smooth surface and is entrained, in other words rotated, by the cloth or fabric which passes thereover and arrives at the cloth take-off roll.
Under the influence of the pronounced take-off tension exerted by the take-off apparatus it is possible for there to occur a pronounced contraction of the cloth or fabric at the region between the beat-up of the reed or spreader on the one hand and the cloth take-off roll on the other hand, i.e. the fabric web can become appreciably narrower before it travels onto the cloth take-off roll.
Upon departure of the cloth from the cloth take-off roll there is exerted upon the cloth, by the action of the cloth beam, the cloth beam-take-off tension which as a general rule is appreciably less. If desired, the cloth even can be deposited completely without any tension into a container or the like. Consequently, the cloth or fabric can again spread at this region due to the action of the weft thread tension, so that there are formed folds. These folds can be permanently pressed into the cloth at the nip between the cloth take-off roll and the subsequently arranged deflection roll.

Take-off apparatus for the fabric web of a textile machine, especially a loom


In a drive circuit for a vibratory-wave motor, there is provided a changeover circuit for alternately changing over a direction in which a current is supplied to a primary coil of a transformer in response to a frequency signal, a low-voltage power source is used as a power source of the changeover circuit, and a low voltage is boosted by the switching operation of the changeover circuit to obtain a frequency high voltage for driving the vibratory-wave motor.

1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a drive circuit for a vibratory-wave motor.
2. Description of the Related Art:
To drive the vibratory-wave motor, two AC high-frequency voltages of high level (about 100 V.sub.p-p) with the phase difference of .pi./2 are necessary. In the case of driving the vibratory-wave motor by a low-voltage power source (battery, etc.), therefore, it is required that a high-voltage DC power source is made up by using a DC/DC converter, which is operated by switching to obtain an AC high voltage for driving. The DC/DC converter, however, has many constituent parts and is poor in conversion efficiency.


A DC analog circuit which monitors a DRAM sample cell access device and outputs a DC reference voltage to the word line voltage regulation system. The resulting output voltage Vpp from the word line voltage regulation system will then vary in accordance with the cell access device parametrics so as to guarantee a full high level will always be written into the DRAM cell.

1. Technical Field
A DC analog circuit is disclosed which monitors a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) sample cell access device, and outputs a DC reference voltage to a word line voltage regulation system. The resulting output voltage, Vpp, from the word line voltage regulation system, will then vary in accordance with the cell access device parametrics to guarantee that a full high-level voltage will always be written into the DRAM cell.
2. Related Art
A typical DRAM must operate within the framework of the overall system timing and global bus scheduling. Therefore, the DRAM architecture as well as individual memory cell designs are closely tied to timing issues.
The global bus serves as both the address bus and the data bus. One consequence of this arrangement is that a read or write operation to the DRAM memory core takes exactly two system clock cycles. In the first, or address, cycle, the read/write memory address is presented on the global bus and is latched in by the address register on the DRAM chip. In the second, or data, cycle, the DRAM receives the write enable control bit and the write data (if any). During this second cycle, data is either written to, or read from, the memory core and subsequently presented on the global bus.
A refresh cycle, however, operates somewhat differently. During a refresh cycle, an internally generated row address selects a row in the memory to be refreshed. In column-wise parallel fashion, the (inverted) row data is read out, inverted by the refresh circuitry, and then written back into the same row. To ensure device reliability, the voltage level of this write back signal must be both of a sufficient amplitude and free of ripple or other induced noise. The column and row addresses may be either loaded separately, on sequential clock cycles, or they may be presented at the same time.
One problem faced by DRAM designers is to select a sample cell access device circuit 100 having a word line WL voltage, Vpp, (FIGS. 1A, 1B) that is adequately high to achieve a full writeback level in the cell when the cell access device is weak (i.e., there are a high threshold voltage (Vt), a long channel, a narrow width, and a thicker oxide), while at the same time not exceeding the breakdown voltage of the dielectric material in the cell structure. One common solution is to fix the word line voltage Vpp as high as possible near the reliability limits of the technology. In process cases where the cell access device is weak, this fixed voltage solution is inadequate. The cell writeback signal will fall short of its bitline xe2x80x9chighxe2x80x9d voltage (VBLH) goal, as illustrated in FIG. 1B by voltage curve 150.
An improvement sought by many designers involves monitoring a sample cell access device and automatically adjusting the word line voltage, Vpp, to a level which tracks the threshold fluctuations of the cell device, at a minimum, to insure that it is always conductive when the source is at bitline potential. Curve 160 in FIG. 1B illustrates this concept. The advantages of such an improved method would be a lower nominal word line voltage giving rise to better reliability and lower current consumption from the word line voltage regulation system.
Another approach that has been attempted in the related art is illustrated in FIG. 2. A diode-connected sample cell access device 280 is installed in the feedback path 270 of the Vpp word line voltage system monitor 250, as shown in FIG. 2. This approach, however, has several disadvantages. First, the drain and source voltages of the sample cell access device 280 do not correspond to the actual operating drain and source voltages of the cell device 280 near the end of writeback of a xe2x80x9chighxe2x80x9d level. Also, the resistive divider formed by resistors 240 and 260 attenuates the sample cell access device 280 process fluctuations, thereby reducing compensation effectiveness. Yet another disadvantage arises because the sample cell access device 280 must operate at low microampere (e.g., approximately 1 to 5 xcexcA) current levels in order to mimic the actual cell charging current. Microampere currents transform into an impedance level, of the combined device and resistive divider 240, 260, in the several hundred thousand ohms range. This high impedance, combined with unavoidable stray capacitance, slows the response time of the feedback loop 270, in turn causing excessive overshoot of the Vpp goal voltage before the charge pump 220 shuts off. This effect produces an unacceptably high ripple voltage on Vpp.
An improved prior art method taught by Foss et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,201, incorporated herein by reference) utilizes the sample cell access NFET device 350 in the feedback loop in a different manner, as shown in FIG. 3. PFET devices 360 and 370 comprise a current mirror connected between Vpp and the drain of sample cell access device 350 to sense its current. The current mirror drives the drain of NFET device 380 operating in the linear region as a resistive load and outputs a voltage to drive the inverters 410 and 420 to produce a logic level inhibit signal for switching the oscillator 440 on and off. The Foss circuit realizes two advantages over the approach embodied by the circuit of FIG. 2. First, the source of NFET device 350 is properly referenced to the bitline high voltage Vdd (same as VBLH) as desired, and secondly, Vpp must achieve a high enough voltage for current to flow in NFET device 350 before an inhibit signal can be generated.
Although Foss has taught improvements, the circuit (FIG. 3) still suffers drawbacks. One drawback is the sample device current variation with the drain voltage set by diode-connected PFET 360 which has its own parametric fluctuations unrelated to the memory cell device. Sensitivity to this effect will be significantly magnified in very short channel (i.e. approximately 0.15 microns) modern DRAM technologies compared to the technology of the Foss era. Also, current through NFET device 350 that triggers an inhibit signal compares to the strength of the linear region NFET device 380. Again, parametric variations of NFET device 380 will also influence the Vpp level unrelated to the cell device.
Increasing load current demand on the Vpp regulation system of modern day synchronous DRAMs (SDRAMs) presents a tougher design challenge especially if decoupling capacitance is limited. Stronger charge pumps combined with limited decoupling capacitance require faster transient response from the Vpp level monitor to suppress Vpp ripple. Foss""s approach still relies on a sample cell access device located in the feedback loop contrary to the fast transient response requirement.
The present invention discloses a circuit and method which overcome all of the related art disadvantages, while at the same time achieving more precise control of Vpp and guaranteeing a full cell writeback level. This circuit overcomes the major loop response problem of the related art by avoidance of the sample memory cell access device in the feedback loop of the Vpp regulation system. Instead the sample cell access device is operated in a circuit under steady state DC conditions and outputs a DC reference voltage that changes in accordance with the parametrics of the sample memory cell access transistor. This DC reference voltage then becomes the reference supplied to the Vpp level monitor in the Vpp voltage regulation system.
The present invention provides a method of biasing and monitoring a sample cell access device for regulating the word line selection voltage of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip, said method comprising: providing a sample cell access device wherein said sample cell access device substantially tracks the process parametric fluctuations of any one of a plurality of memory cell access devices within the DRAM chip; forcing a constant DC current through said sample cell access device; providing a DC voltage equal to the bitline selected voltage applied to a first terminal of said sample cell access device; and providing an amplifying circuit connected between the gate terminal and a second terminal of said sample cell access device for regulating the voltage at the second terminal of said sample access device at a predetermined voltage less than the bitline selected voltage wherein said amplifying circuit outputs a reference voltage.
The present invention also provides a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring a sample cell access device and regulating a word line voltage selection level of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, said word line voltage control circuit comprising: a sample cell access device; a circuit for forcing a fixed current through said sample cell access device; an amplifier circuit connected to the output of said sample cell access device; a feedback loop between said amplifier circuit and an input of said sample cell access device; and an output from said amplifier circuit to said word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell.
The present invention further provides a method of employing a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring a sample cell access device and regulating a word line voltage selection level of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), said method comprising: providing a word line voltage control circuit; providing a sample cell access device; forcing a fixed current through said sample cell access device; providing an amplifier circuit connected to the output of said sample cell access device; providing a feedback loop between said amplifier circuit and an input of said sample cell access device; and providing an output from said amplifier circuit to said word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell.
The present invention additionally provides a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring a sample cell access device and regulating a word line voltage selection level of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, said word line voltage control circuit comprising: a sample cell access device; a circuit for forcing a fixed current through said sample cell access device; an inverting amplifier connected to the output of said sample cell access device; a level monitor connected to the output of said inverting amplifier; a charge pump connected to the output of said level monitor; a feedback loop between said charge pump and an input of said sample cell access device; and an output from said feedback loop to said word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell.
The present invention further provides a method of employing a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring a sample cell access device and regulating a word line voltage selection level of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), said method comprising: providing a word line voltage control circuit; providing a sample cell access device; forcing a fixed current through said sample cell access device; providing an inverting amplifier connected to the output of said sample cell access device; providing a level monitor connected to the output of said inverting amplifier; providing a charge pump connected to the output of said level monitor; providing a feedback loop between said charge pump and an input of said level monitor; and providing an output from said feedback loop to said word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell.
The present invention still further provides a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) word line supply comprising: a voltage supply Vpp increasing from a voltage level insufficient to enable a memory cell access transistor for the word line toward a voltage level sufficient to enable said access transistor, for connection to the word line from time to time; the memory cell access transistor for connecting a memory cell capacitor to a bitline, having a gate connected to the word line; a sample transistor similar to the memory cell access transistor; a circuit for applying the increasing voltage supply to the sample transistor for causing the sample transistor to conduct, under voltage supply conditions similar to those required by the memory cell access transistor; a circuit for prohibiting increase of the voltage supply upon turn-on of the sample transistor; whereby the voltage supply having the voltage level sufficient to turn-on the memory cell access transistor is provided for connection to the word line.
The present invention also provides a semiconductor structure including a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring and regulating a voltage signal to a word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, said semiconductor structure comprising: a substrate; at least one access transistor on said substrate; at least one buried node electrically coupled to said access transistor; at least one monitor transistor electrically coupled to said buried node; and an access transistor bitline connection electrically coupled to said buried node.
The present invention provides a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring and regulating a voltage signal to a word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, said word line voltage control circuit comprising: a compensated reference voltage system; and a word line voltage regulation system.
The present invention additionally provides a word line voltage control circuit for monitoring a sample cell access device and regulating a word line voltage selection level of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell, said word line voltage control circuit comprising: a sample cell access device; a comparator circuit for comparing a reference voltage output of the sample cell access device with a fixed reference voltage; at least one charge pump connected to the output of said sample cell access device, said at least one charge pump receiving an input from said comparator circuit; a feedback loop between said charge pump and an input of said sample cell access device; and an output from said feedback loop to said word line of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell.

DRAM word line voltage control to insure full cell writeback level

International Business Machines Corporation


A drilling machine (10) for making an excavation in ground in a drilling direction that is substantially vertical, the drilling machine including: an anchor module (22) having at least one anchor element for preventing the anchor module from moving relative to the walls of the excavation in the drilling direction, the anchor module having a longitudinal direction that is substantially vertical; a drilling module (12) provided with cutter members, the drilling module being movable in translation relative to the anchor module in the drilling direction; and a movement device (50) arranged between the anchor module and the drilling module in order to move the drilling module in translation relative to the anchor module in the drilling direction. The machine is suspended from a lift cable (70) that is fastened to the drilling module (12).

The present invention relates to the field of drilling in the ground, in particular for the purpose of constructing foundations, such as for example continuous screens made up of juxtaposed concrete wall elements.
The invention relates more precisely to a drilling machine for excavating in the ground in a drilling direction that is substantially vertical, and more particularly in hard soil.
The invention relates more particularly to a machine comprising:
an anchor module having at least one anchor element for preventing the anchor module from moving relative to the walls of the excavation in the drilling direction, the anchor module having a substantially vertical longitudinal direction;
a drilling module provided with cutter members, the drilling module being movable relative to the anchor module in the drilling direction; and
a movement device arranged between the anchor module and the drilling module in order to move the drilling module relative to the anchor module in the drilling direction.
This type of drilling machine is generally used for drilling in hard ground, e.g. in granite. The movement device serves to exert additional thrust on the drilling tools, for the purpose of facilitating excavation.
Such a machine is described in particular in EP 0 811 724. It can be understood that the anchor module serves to hold the drilling machine stationary in the excavation.
In that machine, the movement device, constituted by jacks, supports the weight of the drilling module while the machine is suspended, i.e. while it is not in contact with the ground for drilling. This applies in particular while the drilling machine is being moved, e.g. in order to be taken to the zone for drilling, or indeed while it is being extracted from the excavation after the drilling operation.
The drilling module is particularly heavy when it has motor-driven cutter members, hydraulic circuits, and the pump member. It can thus be understood that the jacks need to support a weight that is very large when the drilling machine is suspended, which might damage them.


A split-band heater adapted to encompass a cylindrical object for heating the same. The heater has tensioning means at the split for drawing the heater against a transverse peripheral surface of the object. The heater comprises two or more arcuate-shaped metal-sheathed heater sections, each in the form of a strip heater, each section being adapted for positionment along a respective portion of the transverse peripheral surface of the object.. Each strip heater comprises an elongated metal channel having a planar base wall and a pair of coextensive side walls extending in the same direction from the edges of the base wall, the channel containing a resistance wire and electrical insulation means therefor, both disposed lengthwise within the channel, and an elongated metal strip fits transversely within the channel. The side walls of the channel are bent over adjoining longitudinal margins of the metal strip to lock it and the resistance wire and insulation means within the channel. Each strip heater is arcuately bent so that its base wall is located innermost of the arc and adapted to fit along the curved transverse outer surface of the cylindrical object. The strip heaters are arranged in spaced-apart, end-to-end relationship as longitudinal continuations. A juxtaposed pair of spaced strip heater ends defining the split have the tensioning means connected thereto, the remaining juxtaposed pair of spaced ends being connected together by the flexible metal band which may be fixed thereto to become a part thereof, or may be an integral continuation of the base walls of the heater sections.

Split-band heaters are well known in the prior art, and are used for many purposes, such as heating fluids within a tank, heating extruding nozzles of plastic injection apparatus, and many other uses. An early form of a split-band heater is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,614,330, issued to Edwin L. Wiegand, in which the heating resistor was embedded in compacted refractory material. The heater was manufactured as a rectilinear strip heater and subsequently formed to band shape. The split in this type of heater could be opened only a small amount because otherwise the compacted refractory material would develop cracks which result in hot spots in the heater and ultimate failure thereof. Therefore, this type of heater was largely confined to an assembly wherein the band could be slipped over an end of a cylindrical object.
Flexible strip heaters, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,742, issued to L. D. Drugmand were developed for the purpose of encircling a water tank, the rectilinear heater being insertable into a closed channel formed around the tank wall and the heater flexing to conform to the annular channel. In this case, mica was used as the insulating medium and this limited the heater to a relatively low heat. Further, because the design of the heater required flexibility, the channel in which the resistor and mica were disposed had a series of longitudinally-disposed slits through which moisture could enter.
A further development in the art is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,373, issued to L. S. Kozbelt wherein two strip heaters, each of arcuate formation, were held around the wall of a cylindrical object by means of a separate clamping band. Although satisfactory in use, the cost of the clamping band, usually of stainless steel, was a disadvantage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,566, issued to T. E. Finch, also discloses a development in the art. This patent eliminates the need for a separate clamping band, and enables the heater to be assembled transversely of a cylindrical object. The strip heaters in this patent had their opposite ends formed with hooks, the hooks at one pair of adjoining ends providing connection for a tensioning device and the hooks at the other pair of adjoining ends providing connection for an axially-slotted tubular spring member. However, reflexing the ends of the strip heaters is not an easy operation. Further, because the tensioning means, the two arcuate heaters and the tubular spring member are separate parts, it was difficult for one man to assemble the heater on a tubular object, especially the extruding barrel or nozzle of an injection molding machine.
My invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, as above noted, and provides a low-cost split-band heater that is easily assembled around a cylindrical object by only one workman. My improved heater comprises two or more arcuately-shaped metal-sheathed heater sections, and hinge means between the sections and fixed thereto to become a part thereof, the hinge means enabling the heater sections to be sprung apart enough so that the heater may be positioned around a cylindrical object by movement transversely of the latter.
Each strip heater comprises an elongated metal channel having a planar base wall and a pair of coextensive sidewalls extending in the same direction from the edges of the base wall, the channel containing a resistance wire and electrical insulation means therefor, both disposed lengthwise within the channel. Each strip heater is arcuately bent so that its base wall is located innermost of the arc and adapted to fit along the curved transverse outer surface of the cylindrical object. The strip heaters are arranged in end-to-end relationship as longitudinal continuations.
A juxtaposed pair of spaced strip heater ends defining the split have the tensioning means connected thereto, the remaining juxtaposed pair of spaced ends being connected together by the flexible metal band. In one aspect of the invention, the heater sections share a common channel, with the sections spaced along the channel whereby in completed form the base wall of the channel provides a flexible strip between the heater sections to provide the hinge means.


An aircraft heating system wherein the heater includes a haven (34) constructed from dielectric layers (40-50), conductive lanes (60), bus bars (70), and strips (80-150). Façade sections (41, 51, 61) of the dielectric layers (40-50) and the lanes (60) form the primary heating surface (31). The strips (80-150), along with sections (42, 52, 62) of the layers/lanes, form havens (34) for harbor sections (72) of the bus bars (70).

An aircraft heating system can comprise an electrothermal heater that converts electrical energy into thermal energy (i.e., heat). Graphite fabric has recently shown great promise for functioning as the heating element in aircraft applications. Graphite heaters are lightweight, robust, provide a well-distributed heat pattern, and have a stable temperature coefficient. Moreover, such material is usually easily conformable to the three-dimensional shapes so commonly found on aircraft.


An evironment which is protected from fire employs a nozzle arrangement having three discharge apertures for distributing a fire suppression fluid such as HALON. The environment is arranged in a predetermined area or space having an odd shape, such as an L-shape, and is adequately protected with a single nozzle arrangement. The nozzle arrangement is characterized by a chamber for receiving the fire suppression fluid at a rate of flow sufficient to supply the fire suppression fluid to the three apertures in conformance with applicable specifications, such as those established by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. The discharge apertures in the nozzle arrangement are in the form of through-holes arranged in the chamber wall. Preferably, the apertures are arranged at 90.degree. increments around the chamber wall, whereby the fire suppression fluid is discharged in diametrically opposed directions, and orthogonal thereto.

This invention relates generally to fire suppression systems and environments which are protected against fire. More particularly, this invention relates to a protected odd-shaped environment, which may be an L-shaped room, employing a single nozzle arrangement for directing a fire-combatting chemical, such as HALON, to a plurality of preselected locations therewithin.
In conventional fire extinguisher systems of the type which are installed in buildings and other structures it is highly desirable that maximum protective coverage be achieved using minimum plumbing and number of nozzles. In addition to the expense associated with the pipe and nozzles, reduction in pipe length and number of nozzles facilitates system maintenance, as well as ensures adequate fluid pressure during system operation at remote or distal portions of the fire suppression system.
It is a characteristic of the operation of conventional fire extinguisher systems that environments having odd shapes, such as L-shaped spaces, require multiple nozzles to distribute a chemical fire-combatting fluid throughout the space, within the time periods and at the chemical concentrations required by applicable specifications, such as those established by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. The use of such multiple chemical nozzles, however, results in significantly increased cost, not only upon initial installation, but also in maintenance. There is, therefore, a need for a simple and economical fire suppression system which requires installation of but a single chemical discharge nozzle.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement for reducing the amount of plumbing needed in a fire extinguisher installation in an odd-shaped space.
It is another object of this invention to provide a simple odd-shaped environment which is reliably fire-protected using a single nozzle for delivering a chemical fire-combatting fluid into the space.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a simple arrangement which permits fire protection coverage to an L-shaped premises using a single nozzle which can be adjusted to cover the various portions of the premises having different dimensions.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a fire suppression arrangement which can easily be reconfigured for variations in the dimensions of the premises to be protected, and in which nozzle placement is not critical.
It is additionally an object of this invention to provide a nozzle arrangement which can distribute HALON fire suppression material in an L-shaped room using a single nozzle.

Protected L-shaped environment using single chemical nozzle


A fixed-side ring plate rotation regulation section is provided at an outer circumferential edge of a fixed-side ring plate, and an outer cylinder rotation regulation section is provided at an outer circumferential edge of an outer cylinder at a position corresponding to the fixed-side ring plate rotation regulation section. The fixed-side ring plate and the outer cylinder formed of different members from each other are fit to each other such that the fixed-side ring plate rotation regulation section and the outer cylinder rotation regulation section are in contact with each other so as not to rotate about a rotation axis thereof.

Conventionally, various types of rotatable connector devices for electrically connecting a fixed side and a rotatable side rotatable with respect to the fixed side to each other are known. For example, one type of rotatable connector device electrically connects elements on the side of a vehicle body of an automobile and elements on the side of a steering wheel to each other.
In general, a steering wheel of an automobile includes an airbag or the like which is required to operate without fail in emergency. Therefore, a slidable electrode or the like having low dependability of connection is not used, and a rotatable connector device having built-in flat cables or the like for connecting elements on the side of the vehicle body and elements on the side of the steering wheel to each other is used.
The above-described rotatable connector device mounted on an automobile includes a cylindrical fixed case fixed to the vehicle body and a cylindrical rotatable case attached to the steering wheel. The fixed case and the rotatable case are engaged to each other so as to be rotatable with respect to each other. In a ring-shaped accommodation space defined by the fixed case and the rotatable case, flat cables are accommodated as being wound a plurality of times.
The flat cables are connected to fixed case-side connectors provided on the fixed case, and rotatable case-side connectors provided on the rotatable case. In the ring-shaped internal accommodation space, the flat cables are wound in one direction, then is turned around in a U shape to have the winding direction thereof reversed, and is wound in the opposite direction. Owing to such a structure, the rotatable connector device can rotate the rotatable case clockwise and counterclockwise in correspondence with the number of winds of the flat cables.
The fixed case of the above-described rotatable connector device is formed of a plastic material, and as shown in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1, is easy to mold. Therefore, the fixed case includes two members, namely, a ring-shaped flat fixed-side ring plate and an outer cylinder having a cylindrical shape and extending perpendicularly from an outer circumferential edge of the fixed-side ring plate. The fixed-side ring plate and the outer cylinder are fit to each other.
The fixed-side ring plate and the outer cylinder are coupled to each other as follows, for example. A plurality of engaging hole sections projecting from the outer circumferential edge of the fixed-side ring plate perpendicularly to the fixed-side ring plate and each having an engaging hole, and a plurality of engaging convexed sections located on an outer circumferential edge of the outer cylinder at positions corresponding to the engaging hole sections and projecting radially outward, are engaged with each other. Thus, the fixed case is formed.
In this case, since the engaging hole sections located at the plurality of positions along the outer circumferential edge, and the engaging convexed sections located at the plurality of positions along the outer circumferential edge, are engaged with each other, the fixed-side ring plate and the outer cylinder are fixed to each other strongly in a direction of a rotation axis. However, in order to facilitate a work of coupling the fixed-side ring plate and the outer cylinder, play is provided in the circumferential direction at engaging positions of the engaging hole sections and the engaging convexed sections.
Because of this, in the state where the fixed case of the rotatable connector device is assembled to the vehicle body, the outer cylinder becomes rickety easily in the circumferential direction with respect to the fixed-side ring plate, which is fixed strongly to the vehicle body by a crush rib and a snap-fit. Thus, squeaky noise is likely to be generated. Especially in the case where the rotatable connector device is attached to the vehicle body in an eccentric state, the outer cylinder becomes rickety easily in the circumferential direction, which causes a problem that the squeaky noise is likely to be generated.