The present bearing assembly is for use with a wastewater treatment apparatus which is driven by a drive shaft, e.g., cog rake bar screens, or water treatment apparatus, e.g., paddle wheels in flocculation mixing tanks, and submerged, partially submerged or intermittently submerged in a fluid environment. The bearing assembly includes a tubular member keyed against rotation in a bearing housing with the tubular member bore surfaces engaged against the drive shaft surfaces without rolling elements disposed therebetween thus eliminating the need for lubricators to supply the bearings with grease. Accordingly, the present dry bearing assembly is not subject to failures caused by having the grease in the bearings flushed out by wastewater flows or by submerging of the lubricator. In addition, the keyed connection provided between the housing and bearing member allows the bearing member to be slid out from the housing and rotated so as to present a different section of the load bearing surface below the slowly rotating horizontal shaft for taking the downward loads thereof providing an easy method of performing maintenance on the bearing assembly. Clearances provided between the housing and bearing member facilitate this sliding of the bearing member out from the housing, provide flow paths to allow wastewater to flow out from the bearing assembly, and allow for the bearing member when made from a plastic material to expand radially when exposed to varying temperature wastewater environments. An alternative split construction pillow block bearing assembly is disclosed which allows the bearing member inner surfaces to be observed for any wear and to provide an indication of the level of wear on the primary load bearing surface of the lower half of the bearing member.

Municipal wastewater, or domestic sewage, is composed of water borne waste derived from household uses and light industry. This includes human waste and wash waters as well as oils, greases, and animal and vegetable matter. Heavier industrial sources, such as breweries and pulp mills, typically have their own treatment or pretreatment plants because their waste generally would overload the usual municipal facility. Domestic sewage can contain 1000 to 2000 parts per million of solid materials with about half of the material being in solution and half in suspension or floating. The contents of industrial waste vary for different processes of manufacture, and the percentage of solid material in sewage from an industrial plant may be very small or inordinantly large. Where storm rain water is to be led away through sewers, openings in the street gutters afford entrance to the sewers. The same sewer may carry all three types of sewage, i.e., domestic, industrial and storm, in a combined system.
Raw sewage from the sewer mains may contain sticks, leaves, rags, paper, glass, sand, grit, cinders and other objects, all of which are liable to clog or injure pumps. In order to ensure satisfactory operation of the pumps, such materials must be removed before the sewage is admitted to the pumps. Large floating objects are usually removed by means of racks or screens that consist of flat bars of iron or steel set a short distance apart and with the wide faces of the bars parallel. Since the purpose of installing the screen or rack is to remove the larger solids, the bars of the screen are placed 1/2" to 3" apart. As stated above, these bar screens are used primarily to remove from the sewage sticks, rags, or other materials that may clog pumps or may interfere with the operation of devices for treatment. They are often used in conjunction with a grit chamber placed at either end of the chamber, but generally is at the inlet end. The width and length of the screen are such as may be necessary to provide for the expected maximum flow of sewage with the screen usually set with the bars sloping in the direction of the flow of sewage.
Typically, bar screens must be cleaned on a frequent basis. Bar screens that are not equipped with an automatic cleaning device require an attendant to rake off the screen whenever enough material has accumulated on the screen to interfere with the flow. Hand raking of the screens is an inefficient use of time and manpower. Accordingly, automatic raking mechanisms have been developed for use with bar screens which can be controlled by a timing device for executing cleaning cycles at predetermined periods and/or based on predetermined operating conditions and thus do not depend on the presence or effort of an attendant. An automatic raking mechanism in a cog rake bar screen apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,573 commonly assigned to the assignee herein. Cog rake bar screens have a rake and drive assembly with rakes connected to a torque tube in which a main transmission shaft is rotatably mounted by bearings. The drive shaft has cog wheels on either end thereof for cooperating with cog pins disposed in substantially vertical side frame members mounted over the screen upstream therefrom. The entire rake and drive assembly moves up and down the side frame members as the drive shaft rotates during a cleaning cycle for raking of the bar screen.
While cog rake bar screens provide substantial advantages in terms of manpower efficiency over the manual cleaning methods previously employed, they can also encounter maintenance problems. One particular problem faced with cog rake bar screens is the failure of the bearings utilized with the main drive shaft. For supporting the drive shaft for rotation, conventional metal contacting roller element bearing units are provided on either end of the shaft. One of the primary benefits and features of the cog rake bar screen enabling significant commercial success in recent years is that there are typically no moving parts located below the water surface, and the main drive and rake support assembly including the drive shaft and torque tube with the conventional bearings were always located above the operating floor so that these parts were readily accessible for maintenance purposes. However, many recent applications require that cog rake bar screens be installed in multiple story installations or remote pumping stations, such as near rivers which tend to flood. When utilized in these types of installations, the cog rake bar screen drive carriage has the potential to be submerged during its cleaning cycle such as when the rakes travel towards the bottom of the screen. As the bearings require grease lubrication and thus the use of springloaded automatic lubricators which can be mounted to the drive assembly, they experience significant problems when submerged in wastewater flows. The harsh wastewater environment includes exposure to wide ranging water temperatures from approximately 25.degree. C. to -5.degree. C. and exposure to a variety of different corrosive chemicals that can be found in and added to wastewater. It has been found that when the bearings are submerged, the flow of water or sewage tends to flush the grease from the bearings, leading to rapid surface wear and corrosion and additional maintenance requirements. In addition, no current commercially available lubricators are made for fully submerged service. All these factors lead to repeated failures when the cog rake bar screen drive carriage is utilized in applications where the drive assembly is likely to be submerged in wastewater exposing the bearings and lubricators therefor to the harsh wastewater environment. When the bearings fail, the entire drive carriage must be removed from the frame of the cog rake bar screen and disassembled in order to replace the drive shaft support bearings.
Other places where conventional metal-to-metal contacting roller element bearings are not acceptable for use because of exposure to water requiring frequent maintenance is in flocculation mixing tanks. Chemicals are added to the sewage as coagulants to improve sedimentation with thorough mixing of the coagulant chemical with the sewage being desirable in order to obtain economy in chemical dosage. Gentle mixing is also generally necessary in order to obtain a floc, or coagulant, that is large enough to settle. After the floc has been formed, provision must be made for a quiescent period, during which the floc can settle and carry down with it the suspended and colloidal matter in the sewage. These conflicting requirements are best met by providing a separate mixing tank which is apart from the sedimentation basins. The agitating and stirring devices are installed in this mixing tank, the effluent from which is discharged into the settling tanks. Mixing tanks can include both a flash mixer in which a turbulent motion is produced for a comparatively short time by a high speed impeller with flocculation taking place in flocculation tanks having slowly turning sets of paddle wheels which give the chemically treated sewage a slow rolling motion causing the wellflocculated flocculated sewage to return periodically to the part of the chamber in which the sewage is not so completely flocculated to keep it in the mix. Typically, several such paddle wheels are axially aligned and are driven by a common drive shaft, and a mixing tank can include several sets of axially aligned paddle wheels. As the shaft bearings are submerged and continually exposed to wastewater and the coagulating chemicals added to the tank, conventional rolling element bearings are subject to failure and require frequent maintenance and repair when used in this setting. Rigid sleeve bearings, bronzed bushed or babbitted, have also been utilized in this service; however, they require constant greasing via grease lines extended to the top of the basin walls along with grease grooves in the bearing assembly inside diameter. Accordingly, there is a need for a bearing assembly for use with a water treatment apparatus which is not subject to the high maintenance and failures conventional bearings experience when submerged and exposed to the harsh wastewater environment. An easy, less burdensome method of performing maintenance on such a bearing assembly would likewise be desirable.

Bearing assembly for use with a submerged apparatus and method for performing maintenance thereon


By encoding references to teletext pages as an offset to a referenced teletext page, significant gains in transmission efficiency can be realized. The current teletext standard provides a mechanism for linking teletext pages, but the maximum number of different links supported by the teletext standard is insufficient to cover the need for more links for novel media services such as the transmission of Electronic Program Guides (EPG). An efficient extension of the number of links which can be supported is provided by coding further links as an offset with respect to the existing links in a conventional teletext link packet.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and device (transmitter and receiver) for transmitting and receiving teletext data. The invention also relates to a teletext signal and to a storage medium on which such a signal is stored.
2. Description of Related Art
A known method of transmitting teletext data is described in "World System Teletext", Technical Specification, revised March 1985, herein referred to as WST specification. Section 12 of this specification describes a data format of packets X/27. These are teletext packets having magazine number X and row number 27. Such packets having a row number greater than 24 are also referred to as "ghost rows " because they are ignored by the first-generation ("Level 1") teletext decoders.
Packets X/27 provide a mechanism for accommodating references ("links") to given teletext pages in a teletext data signal. As described in the WST specification, a teletext packet X/27 comprises a maximum number of 6 references in the form of a teletext page number and sub-code. Moreover, the packet comprises a 4-bit designation code with which a maximum number of 16 different packets X/27 can be distinguished. If the designation code has one of the values 0-3, then the references are referred to as "navigational links". With these references, the editor of a teletext page can indicate which other pages the user will most likely choose as the next pages. A multipage teletext decoder may acquire the relevant pages already at an early stage so that the waiting time for linked pages can be reduced considerably. If the designation code has one of the values 4-7, then the references are referred to as "editorial links" or "compositional links". The linked pages then comprise data for enhancing the basic page. The function of packets X/27 with designation codes 8-15 has not been laid down yet. With the packets X/27 hitherto laid down, 8*6=48 different linked pages may thus be referred to within a teletext magazine.

Method and device for transmitting and receiving teletext data


One embodiment provides a semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate; a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer; a third semiconductor layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer; and a reflective layer disposed on the third semiconductor layer, wherein the part between the first and second semiconductor layers, the part between the third and second semiconductor layers, and the second semiconductor layer comprise a depletion region, and the conductivity of the first semiconductor layer and the conductivity of the third semiconductor layer are different from each other, and the second semiconductor layer comprises an intrinsic semiconductor layer.

Semiconductor devices including compounds, such as GaN, AlGaN, etc., have many advantages, such as wide and easily adjustable bandgap energy, and are thus widely used in light emitting devices, light receiving devices, etc.
As light emitting devices, there are light emitting diodes or laser diodes which use group -IV or -V compound semiconductor materials. These light emitting devices are capable of emitting visible light of various colors, such as red, green and blue, and ultraviolet light owing to development of device materials and thin film growth techniques, are also capable of emitting white light with high luminous efficacy through use of phosphors or by combining colors, and have several advantages, namely low power consumption, semi-permanent lifespan, fast response speed, safety, and environmental friendliness, as compared to conventional light sources, such as fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamps. Accordingly, application of light emitting devices has been extended to transmission modules of optical communication means, light emitting diode backlights to replace Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFLs) which constitute backlights of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) apparatuses, white light emitting diode lighting apparatuses to replace fluorescent lamps or incandescent lamps, vehicle head lamps, and traffic lights.
As one example of light receiving devices, a photodetector is a kind of transducer which detects light and converts an intensity thereof into an electrical signal. Light receiving devices using a semiconductor convert electromagnetic energy into electrical energy using the photoelectric effect generated by the semiconductor. Such light receiving devices may be implemented as various types.
Photons of light incident upon a light receiving device are absorbed by a depletion region and are then converted into an electrical signal, but photons of light which are not absorbed by the depletion region are transmitted through the depletion region and, thus, light conversion efficiency of the light receiving device may be lowered.


Clock and data recovery (CDR) circuits that are fully digital. A data stream encoded with clocking information is passed through a tapped digital delay line. A phase and frequency detector coupled to the registered outputs of the tapped digital delay line determines the phase and frequency relationship between the recovered clock (DCO clock) and the transmit clock. A filter and control circuit then uses this information to generate a “servo” control signal, which is passed through a dither circuit and fed back to a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO). The circuit adjusts the DCO clock signal to match the transmit clock based on the value of this control signal.

Serial data streams are frequently utilized in communication between and within electronic systems. A serial data stream often includes both digitized data and a clock signal (the "transmit clock"), combined to form a single, easily transmitted stream of data bits. At the destination, the data is extracted from the data stream. However, the transmit clock is also extracted from the data stream, and is used to operate at least a portion of the destination system or device. The circuit that performs this clock and data recovery is called a "clock and data recovery circuit", or a CDR circuit.
The clock recovery process includes determining both the frequency of the transmit clock, and the phase of the transmit clock relative to a reference clock signal. Most CDR circuits use analog techniques to perform the phase and frequency detection, and these analog techniques require that signals be integrated. Design and integration of this CDR circuitry can be a time-consuming process requiring much fine-tuning and extensive circuitry.
Therefore, it is desirable to find simpler circuits for performing clock and data recovery, preferably not involving analog circuitry.

Clock and data recovery circuits utilizing digital delay lines and digitally controlled oscillators


A pixel for compensating for the threshold voltage of a drive transistor and the voltage drop of a first power source is provided. The pixel includes an organic light emitting diode; a driving transistor coupled between a first power source and the organic light emitting diode for controlling the current supplied to the organic light emitting diode; an emission control transistor coupled between a first electrode of the driving transistor and the first power source and configured to be turned off when a high light emission control signal is applied; a switching transistor coupled between a gate electrode of the driving transistor and a data line and configured to be turned on when a low scan signal is applied; a first capacitor coupled between the gate electrode of the driving transistor and the first electrode of the driving transistor; and a second capacitor coupled between the first electrode of the driving transistor and the first power source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pixel and an organic light emitting display device using the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In recent years, various flat panel display devices have been developed with reduced weight and volume as compared to cathode ray tubes. Types of flat panel display devices include liquid crystal display devices, field emission display devices, plasma display devices, and organic light emitting display devices, among others.
Of these flat panel display devices, the organic light emitting display device displays an image by using organic light emitting diodes, which generate light by recombining electrons and holes. Organic light emitting display devices are advantageous in that they have rapid response times and may be driven with relatively low power consumption.
FIG. 1 is a circuit illustrating a pixel of a conventional organic light emitting display device.
Referring to FIG. 1, the pixel 4 of the conventional organic light emitting display device includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED), and a pixel circuit 2 coupled to a data line (Dm) and a scan line (Sn) to control the organic light emitting diode (OLED).
An anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) is coupled to the pixel circuit 2, and a cathode electrode of the organic light emitting diode (OLED) is coupled to a second power source (ELVSS). The organic light emitting diode (OLED) generates light with a luminance corresponding to an electric current supplied from the pixel circuit 2.
The pixel circuit 2 controls an amount of current supplied to the organic light emitting diode (OLED) in accordance with a data signal supplied to the data line (Dm) when a scan signal is supplied to the scan line (Sn). For this purpose, the pixel circuit 2 includes a second transistor (M2′) (e.g., a driving transistor) coupled between a first power source (ELVDD) and the organic light emitting diode (OLED); a first transistor (M1′) (e.g., a switching transistor) coupled between the gate electrode of the second transistor (M2′) and the data line (Dm), and having a gate electrode coupled to the scan line (Sn); and a storage capacitor (Cst) coupled between a gate electrode and a first electrode of the second transistor (M2′).
A gate electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is coupled to the scan line (Sn), and a first electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is coupled to the data line (Dm). A second electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is coupled to one terminal of the storage capacitor (Cst). Here, the first electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is either a source electrode or a drain electrode, and the second electrode of the first transistor (M1′) is the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode. For example, when the first electrode is the source electrode, the second electrode is the drain electrode. The first transistor (M1′) is turned on when a scan signal is supplied from the scan line (Sn), and supplies a data signal from the data line (Dm) to the storage capacitor (Cst). In this case, the storage capacitor (Cst) is charged with a voltage corresponding to the data signal.
A gate electrode of the second transistor (M2′) is coupled to one terminal of the storage capacitor (Cst), and a first electrode of the second transistor (M2′) is coupled to the other terminal of the storage capacitor (Cst) and the first power source (ELVDD). A second electrode of the second transistor (M2′) is coupled to an anode electrode of the organic light emitting diode (OLED). The second transistor (M2′) controls the amount of current in accordance with a voltage value stored in the storage capacitor (Cst), the current flowing from the first power source (ELVDD) to the second power source (ELVSS) via the organic light emitting diode (OLED). In this case, the organic light emitting diode (OLED) generates light in accordance with the amount of current supplied from the second transistor (M2′).
However, the pixel 4 of the conventional organic light emitting display device has difficulties displaying images with uniform luminance. More particularly, a threshold voltage of the second transistor (M2′) in each of the plurality of the pixels 4 may have different threshold voltage levels due to manufacturing process variances. When the threshold voltages of the drive transistors have different threshold voltage levels as described above, different luminances may be generated in the organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), even though data signals corresponding to a same gray level are supplied to the plurality of the pixels 4.
Also, in a conventional organic light emitting display device, a voltage from the first power source (ELVDD) may be inconsistently applied due to voltage drops of the voltage from the first power source (ELVDD), depending on the positions of the pixels 4 in the display device. When the voltage from the first power source (ELVDD) varies according to the positions of the pixels 4 as described above, it is very difficult to display an image with a uniform or desired luminance.

Pixel and organic light emitting display device using the same


A display apparatus includes: a thin plate display device having an image display surface and a back surface; a front cover that covers an outer area and end surfaces of the display surface of the display device; and a back surface cover mounted so as to cover the back surface, the cover being divided into a plurality of parts, wherein a projecting or recessed part is provided at a plurality of places on the front cover facing the end surfaces, a recessed or projecting part is provided that is fit into the projecting or recessed part facing thereto, on the back surface cover, and a slide mechanism part is provided in which the back surface cover is formed to move in parallel along the back surface of the display device and the fitting is achieved by the parallel motion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus using a slim display device such as an organic electroluminescent (EL) display, particularly to the configuration of a cabinet assembled as a display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a display apparatus having a thin plate display device such as an organic EL display, a plasma display or a liquid crystal display, there is a display apparatus having a front cover that covers the display surface of a display device and a rear cover that covers the opposite side of the display surface (see JP-A-H05-103284 (Patent Reference 1)).
In the display apparatus like this, for example, a rectangular window (opening) is provided on the front cover, and the display surface of the display device is exposed to the front side from the inside of the window.


Dynamic provisioning of computing resources may be implemented to provision computing resources for a data center or other collection of computing resources. Computing resources for provisioning may be detected. A build manifest describing configuration operations to provision the computing resources to perform respective tasks may be identified. The build manifest may be evaluated to direct the computing resources to perform the configuration operations according to the build manifest. In some embodiments, the provisioning of the computing resources may be paused or undone according to the build manifest. Upon completion of the configuration operations, the computing resources may be made available to perform the respective tasks.

Data centers, and other collections of computers that undergird many different systems, services, or applications are growing in number and complexity. In order to keep up with increased demand for these services, additional resources may need to be integrated into new or existing infrastructures in order to begin providing extra capacity for performing different tasks. Provisioning computing resources to add capacity to these services has grown increasingly challenging. Large numbers of computers, servers, and other equipment are networked together creating a complex environment into which new resources are introduced. While some automated provisioning techniques have been achieved to increase the speed at which new resources may be added, constant changes to this environment make it increasingly difficult to adapt automated provisioning techniques to new circumstances.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include", "including", and "includes" mean including, but not limited to.


The present invention provides for an NOx adsorber aftertreatment system for internal combustion engines which utilizes a parallel arrangement of an adsorber catalyst and a bypass. The exhaust flow from the engine is routed through the adsorber during lean operation. At a predetermined regeneration time (for example, when the adsorber catalyst is 20% full), the exhaust gas flow is reduced through the parallel leg that contains the adsorber catalyst to be regenerated (e.g., 20% through the catalyst leg, 80% of the flow to the bypass leg). A quantity of hydrocarbon is injected into the reduced-flow catalyst leg in order to make the mixture rich. Since the flow has been reduced in this leg, only a small fraction of the amount of hydrocarbon that would have been required to make the mixture rich during full flow is required. This will result in a substantial reduction in the fuel penalty incurred for regeneration of the adsorber catalyst. Once the leg has been regenerated, the exhaust flow is switched to flow 100% through the adsorber leg.

As environmental concerns have led to increasingly strict regulation of engine emissions by governmental agencies, reduction of nitrogen-oxygen compounds (NOx) in exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines has become increasingly important. Current indications are that this trend will continue.
Future emission levels of diesel engines will have to be reduced in order to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulated levels. In the past, the emission levels of U.S. diesel engines have been regulated according to the EPA using the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) cycle, with a subset of more restrictive emission standards for California via the California Air Resources Board (CARB). For example, the Tier II emission standards, which are being considered for 2004, are 50% lower than the Tier I standards. Car and light truck emissions are measured over the FTP 75 test and expressed in gm/ml. Proposed Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) emission levels for light-duty vehicles up to model year 2004 are 0.2 gm/ml NOx and 0.08 gm/ml particulate matter (PM). Beginning with the 2004 model year, all light-duty Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs) and ULEVs in California would have to meet a 0.05 gm/ml NOx standard to be phased in over a three year period. In addition to the NOx standard, a full useful life PM standard of 0.01 gm/ml would also have to be met.
Traditional methods of in-cylinder emission reduction techniques such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and injection rate shaping by themselves will not be able to achieve these low emission levels required by the standard. Aftertreatment technologies will have to be used, and will have to be further developed in order to meet the future low emission requirements of the diesel engine.
Some promising aftertreatment technologies to meet future NOx emission standards include lean NOx catalysts, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalysts, and Plasma Assisted Catalytic Reduction (PACR). Current lean NOx catalyst technologies will result in the reduction of engine out NOx emissions in the range of 10 to 30 percent for typical conditions. Although a promising technology, SCR catalyst systems require an additional reducing agent (aqueous urea) that must be stored in a separate tank, which opens issues of effective temperature range of storage (to eliminate freezing) as well as distribution systems that must be constructed for practical use of this technology. PACR is similar to lean NOx in terms of reduction efficiency but is more expensive due to plasma generator. These technologies, therefore, have limitations which may prevent their use in achieving the new emissions requirements.
NOx adsorber catalysts have the potential for great NOx emission reduction (60–90%). The NOx adsorber is one of the most promising NOx reduction technologies. During lean-burn operation of the engine, the trap adsorbs nitrogen oxide in the form of stable nitrates. Under stoiciometric or rich conditions, the nitrate is thermodynamically unstable and the stored nitrogen oxides are released and subsequently catalytically reduced. Therefore, the operation cycle alternates between lean and rich conditions around the catalyst. During lean operation the catalyst stores the NOx and during rich operation the NOx is released and reduced to N2. However, to make the conditions around the catalyst rich, a significant amount of hydrocarbon (HC) needs to be injected. The amount of HC required for reduction is only a small fraction of the total hydrocarbon injected, resulting in a significant fuel penalty. If the HC required to make conditions rich can be reduced, the fuel penalty can be brought down substantially.
An additional problem is the need for a diesel oxidation catalyst downstream from the NOx adsorber. The diesel oxidation catalyst oxidizes any unburned hydrocarbon that slips through the adsorber before the exhaust gases are released to the atmosphere. The need for a diesel oxidation catalyst negatively affects system cost and system package size.
Furthermore, some diesel engines include a catalytic soot filter to trap the soot generated by the engine. This soot is carcinogenic to living beings. Such catalytic soot filters often become clogged with the trapped particulate matter owing to the fact that they require high temperatures to regenerate. It is difficult to attain these high temperatures in the engine exhaust stream at low loads.
There is therefore a need for an engine aftertreatment system employing an NOx adsorber which reduces the fuel penalty associated with these devices, allows for regeneration of the soot filter, even at low loads, and reduces the system cost and package size. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel having a composition comprising, by mass, 0.08-0.18% of C, 1.5% or less of Si, 2.0% or less of Mn, 0.005-0.4% of S, 13.5-16.5% of Cr, 3.0-5.5% of Ni, 0.5-2.8% of Cu, 1.0-2.0% of Nb, and 0.12% or less of N, the amounts of C, N and Nb meeting the condition of −0.2≦9 (C %+0.86N %)−Nb %≦1.0, the rest being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having a structure in which Cu precipitates having an average particle size of 0.1-0.4 μm are dispersed in a tempered-martensite-based matrix.

As cast stainless steel suitable for machine parts and structure parts requiring high strength, SCS, SCH, etc. have been known conventionally. SCS is precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel containing Cu, Al, etc., which is provided with desired strength, hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, etc. by turning a main phase in a matrix to martensite by a quenching or solution treatment (called "quenching treatment" summarily), and then forming precipitates of Cu, Al, etc. in the martensite matrix by a tempering or aging treatment (called "tempering treatment" summarily). Among them, SCS24 of JIS G5121 is a typical precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel containing Cu as a precipitation-hardening element, which is widely used for machine parts and structure parts for automobiles, vessels, construction machines, chemical plants, industrial machines, etc. However, the precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel tends to have poor cuttability (machinability), when provided with high hardness and strength.
As precipitation-hardened, martensitic, stainless steel having strength, hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance and wear resistance like SCS24, SUS630 is also known, but it has poor plastic workability (cold workability and warm workability) such as forging, rolling, extrusion, etc. and machinability in a tempered (aged) state, because of a structure having precipitates dispersed in a martensite matrix, and high hardness and strength. Accordingly, large plastic working or machining is conducted on the hardened SUS-type steel before tempering.
Proposed to improve the workability of the precipitation-hardened, SUS-type steel are, for instance, (a) to reduce C to 0.03-0.05% and N to 0.025-0.035% to lower hardness after a quenching treatment, thereby improving workability, (b) to add a small amount of S or Se to precipitate sulfides or selenides, thereby improving machinability, and (c) to optimize a composition range or quenching conditions, or conduct an annealing treatment during rolling to lower hardness after a quenching treatment, thereby improving workability.
However, the above methods for SUS-type steel are not suitable for improving the machinability of SCS-type cast steel. Decrease in C and N as interstitial solid solution elements in a martensite matrix extremely reduces castability, though it lowers the hardness of martensite. Particularly in cast steel with a complicated or thin shape, too little C fails to provide good melt fluidity, resulting in melt flow defects such as cold shuts, misrun, etc. Also, only the addition of S or Se fails to improve machinability sufficiently. Although any of the above methods improves workability after quenching, it does not consider workability after tempering.
Precipitation-hardened, martensitic stainless steel cast in a shape close to a final product (near-net shape) is usually roughly worked after quenching, tempered to have high hardness, strength, wear resistance, etc., and then finish-worked to remove scale and strain generated by the tempering treatment and to have desired surface roughness and dimensional accuracy. Thus important for the precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel are not only machinability after quenching but also machinability after tempering.
JP 2004-332020 A proposes SUS-type, precipitation-hardened, martensitic, stainless steel having a composition comprising by mass 0.005-0.030% of C, 0.1-0.5% of Si, 0.1-0.7% of Mn, 5-6% of Ni, 15-17% of Cr, 0.5-1.5% of Mo, 2-5% of Cu, 0.10-0.40% of Nb, and 0.005-0.030% of N, the rest being Fe and inevitable impurities, which is subjected to (1) quenching at a relatively low temperature to have a low-strain martensitic structure in which small amounts of C and N are dissolved, (2) a first aging treatment comprising keeping the cast stainless steel at a high temperature of 700-800° C. for 15 minutes to 20 hours, and then cooling it to room temperature, thereby making Cu, a precipitation-hardening element, coarser to lose hardenability, and then (3) a second aging treatment comprising keeping the cast stainless steel at a temperature of 600-680° C., at which the maximum amount of reverse-transformed austenite is formed from a martensite phase, for 15 minutes to 20 hours, and then cooling it to room temperature, thereby precipitating 30% or more by volume of low-hardness, reverse-transformed austenite for its interconnection to improve machinability after tempering. This precipitation-hardened, martensitic, stainless steel is provided with reduced hardness after a solution treatment with the amounts of C and N reduced, and has excellent machinability by the structure control steps (1)-(3).
However, this precipitation-hardened, martensitic, stainless steel has poor castability, because the C content is 0.03% or less by mass to reduce hardness. Also, because as much reverse-transformed austenite as 30% or more by volume is precipitated to improve machinability, the machinability is extremely deteriorated by deformation-induced, martensitic transformation, when used for cutting. In addition, because the first and second aging treatments (corresponding to tempering treatment) are conducted at higher temperatures than usual after a solution treatment (corresponding to quenching treatment), it needs a larger number of heat treatments with larger energy consumption, so that the steel is likely to have heat treatment strain that cannot be removed easily, resulting in a higher production cost.
There are thus various proposals to improve workability in a quenched state in the SUS-type, precipitation-hardened, martensitic, stainless steel, and a proposal to improve machinability in a tempered state (JP 2004-332020 A). However, with respect to the SCS-type, precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel, there is no proposal to improve machinability in a tempered state.

Precipitation-hardened, martensitic, cast stainless steel having excellent machinability and its production method


A pulling tool includes a housing and a tube disposed within the housing, the tube configured to supply hydraulic fluid. The spike puller further includes a piston rod connected to a piston. The piston rod has a hollow axial bore, and the piston and the piston rod are axially moveable relative to the tube. The spike puller has a passage communicating fluid from the tube to the piston. The passage is contained within the housing. The passage is variable between a first configuration in which hydraulic fluid flows at a first restricted flow so as to provide a slower retraction of the piston rod and a second configuration in which hydraulic fluid flows at a second less restricted flow so as to provide a faster retraction of the piston rod.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to hydraulic spike pullers or pulling tools.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Spike pullers are devices used to remove rail fasteners commonly called rail spikes. Currently, there exist numerous spike pullers in the market. In the present description, the term "spike puller" refers to a device that is capable of removing, extracting or pulling a rail spike.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional hydraulic spike puller 10 manufactured by Stanley Black and Decker, commonly referred to as Stanley Hydraulic Tool (SHT). SHT 10 has an upper body portion 11A and a lower body portion 11B. The upper portion 11A includes a housing (e.g., cylinder) 12. The cylinder 12 includes a tubular portion 13 capped by head portion 12A and bottom portion 12B. SHT 10 also includes piston 14 configured to axially move within the cylinder 12. Fixed to the underside of piston 14 is piston rod 16. A first end 16A of piston rod 16 is connected to piston 14. A second end 16B of piston rod 16 is connected to spike puller jaw assembly 18 which includes articulated jaws 18A and 18B. Piston rod 16 has a hollow axial bore 17 extending along most of a length of piston rod 16. Piston rod 16 is axially slideable within lower body portion 11B.
SHT 10 further includes fixed hollow tube 20. Fixed hollow tube 20 is connected to cylinder head 12A and extends axially from the cylinder head 12A through piston 14 into piston rod 16. Fixed hollow tube 20 extends the length of cylinder 13 into hollow axial bore 17 of piston rod 16. The external diameter of fixed hollow tube 20 is smaller than the internal diameter of hollow axial bore 17.
SHT 10 further includes hydraulic valve assembly 22 disposed adjacent cylinder head 12A. Hydraulic valve assembly 22 is configured to be manually operated by trigger 24 to direct hydraulic fluid pressure either to the top 14A of the piston 14 so as to extend the piston rod 16 or to the underside 14B of piston 14 so as to retract the piston rod 16 and pull the spike (not shown) using spike puller jaw assembly 18.
In operation, when raising the piston to pull a spike, the valve assembly 22 directs hydraulic fluid down through the axial fixed hollow tube 20 so as to direct hydraulic fluid to the underside 14B of the piston 14. The hydraulic fluid exits the open end of the fixed hollow tube 20, and fills and pressurizes bore 17 of piston rod 16. The hydraulic fluid moves axially upward through a space between an external surface (external diameter) of the fixed hollow tube 20 and an internal surface (internal diameter) of the bore 17.
At a position proximate to the underside 14B of piston 14, the piston rod 16 includes a number of radial ports 26 extending through a wall of the piston rod 16. The oil moves radially outward through the ports 26 and underneath the piston 14, causing the piston 14 to rise upward within cylinder 12.
As will be explained in the following paragraphs, it is desirable to raise piston 14, i.e., raise or retract piston rod 16, at a first slower speed and then, after it has moved a first axial distance, to continue raising or retracting piston 14 and piston rod 16 at a second faster speed. In SHT 10, this is performed manually, by manually actuating trigger 24 to actuate hydraulic valve assembly 22 to a first position and then to a second position.
In the first position, only part of the hydraulic fluid and pressure is directed axially down the fixed tube 20, while another part of the hydraulic fluid pressure is bled off via a relief valve 28 back to the hydraulic return line (not shown). The reduced flow or partial pressure of the hydraulic fluid, generated when the valve assembly 22 is at the first position, yields the first slower rise or retraction speed of piston 14 or piston rod 16.
In the second position, the relief valve 28 is blocked and no bleeding of hydraulic fluid flow or hydraulic fluid pressure occurs. As a result, full hydraulic pressure and hydraulic flow are directed down the fixed tube 20 to the underside of piston 14B which yields the second faster rise or retraction speed of piston 14 and piston rod 16.
Hence, the rise or retraction of piston 14 or piston rod 16 is performed in two stages, a first slower speed stage and a second faster speed stage. As the piston rod 16 retracts, the jaws 18A and 18B in jaw assembly 18 pivot and grip or clamp the head of the spike or workpiece (not shown) to be pulled. This clamping or gripping clamping action tends to seat or pull the SHT 10 into axially alignment with the spike (not shown). In some instances, it may be desired to have an initial movement of clamping and aligning of the SHT 10 at a slower speed. Once the spike is clamped by the jaws 18A and 18B of jaw assembly 18 and SHT 10 has self-aligned, the user may then be able to pull the spike quickly with a second faster raising of piston 14 and piston rod 16.
Even though conventional SHT 10 provides dual stage or dual retraction speed of the piston 14 and piston rod 16, the operation of controlling the speed of retraction of piston 14 and piston rod 16 to achieve the dual retraction speed is performed manually by controlling the operation of the head valve 22 using trigger 24. Hence, it is desirable to provide for automatic two step or dual speed operation of the pulling or retracting process.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional spike puller 30. Spike puller 30 is manufactured by Geismar Corporation, France. Spike puller 30 also operates in a dual retraction speed mode. Spike puller 30 achieves the dual retraction speed automatically. Spike puller 30 includes a piston rod 32, a piston 34 connected to the piston rod 32, and a cylinder 36 housing both the piston rod 32 and piston 34. Hydraulic fluid (oil) is directed to underside 34A of piston 34 via oil line 38 located external to the cylinder 36. External oil line 38 has two branches 38A and 38B that enter the cylinder 36 via an upper radial port 36A and a lower radial port 36B, respectively. Lower radial port 36B is located below the piston 34 when the piston is in its start position. Upper radial port 36A is located at a height corresponding to the predetermined height at which it is desired to transition to high speed retraction.
Until the piston 34 rises above the level of port 36A, radial port 36A which is connected oil line 38A is blocked and oil flows to the underside 34A of piston 34 only via lower port 36B which is connected to oil line 38B. Lower port 36B has a check valve 39. Check valve 39 admits oil at restricted speed and pressure via its orifice 39A during retraction of piston 34. However, when the piston 34 rises above the position of port 36A, full oil flow and pressure is provided via oil line 38A to the underside 34A of piston 34. As a result, piston 34 continues to rise, but at a second faster speed. Thus, the spike puller 30 provides automatic transition from slow initial or first retraction to faster later or second retraction after a predetermined movement of the piston 34.
Similarly, during lowering or resetting of the spike puller 30, the underside of the piston 34A is initially vented via port 36A connected to oil line 38A, and descent of the piston 34 is relatively fast. However, when the descending piston 34 reaches the position of port 36B, piston 34 blocks port 36B. As a result, the pressure for evacuating oil through port 36B, oil line 38B and through check valve 39 increases. The increased oil pressure unseats check valve 39 and moves check valve 39 away from the external oil line 38. Hence, the speed of descent is maintained relatively fast during the lowering or resetting of piston 34.
Although spike puller 30 achieves the dual retraction speed automatically, the dual retraction speed is achieved by the use of external line 38 and check valve 39 which adds complexity to the overall spike puller 30. In addition, the use of external line 38 and check valve 39 may render the spike puller 30 vulnerable to damage.
As it can be appreciated from the above paragraphs, conventional spike pullers have certain drawbacks and limitations. A spike puller according to various embodiments of the invention, as described in the following paragraphs, circumvents the drawbacks of conventional spike pullers.


All or necessary minimum objects are copied in an image drawing apparatus and sent to a print queue. The objects are deleted in response to a deletion command from a higher level apparatus, whereas the copied objects are deleted after a print operation. Alternatively, the objects are deleted after the print operation in response to a deletion command entered from the higher level apparatus and temporarily held. In this manner, a deletion command from the higher level apparatus is not rejected and the higher level apparatus can be released as soon as possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image drawing apparatus and method.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, images in medical fields are often taken on X-ray films via high speed digital interface in place of video interface. Such images include CT (computer tomograph) images, NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) images, and DSA (digital subtraction angiography) images. Image drawing apparatuses (imagers) for such purposes are typically laser imagers.
The reason why laser imagers are widely used is as follows. Conventional video interface is convenient on one hand in that CRT monitor display video signals for medical CT, NMR, DSA, and the like are directly supplied to a medical purpose laser imager. On the other hand, there is a disadvantage that noises may enter while digital data generated by medical CT, NMR, DSA, and the like is once converted into analog video signals and then again converted into digital signals by a medical purpose laser imager. Particularly for DSA, its image size is large and its video signal clock rate is as very fast as 50 MHz or so, so that it is difficult to design an interface circuit.
From the above reason, without using conventional video interface, various types of recent modalities (medical image generating apparatus) directly output digital images.
Also in the field of OA machines, imagers capable of printing digital images on printing sheets of various sizes such as A4 and B4 are used, which are generally called laser printers.
From the viewpoint of computer interconnections, digital interconnections via networks have been established. In the medical fields, a communication protocol called DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) which is an object-oriented protocol, and other protocols have also been established. Images having different attributes are now printed on various types of films which users desire.
To meet such various needs, object-oriented laser imagers are now gradually prevailing because communication control is easy and integrity is good.
Conventional printing by using a conventional object-oriented laser imager will be described.
As shown in FIG. 19, in object-oriented printing, each client of modalities such as CT 501, NMR 502, and DSA 503, and work stations on a network 506 requests a laser imager 504 to construct an object of a film session which is a set of a plurality of films, objects of a plurality of films, and objects of a plurality of images.
The laser imager executes printing through assignment of an object ID, transfer of image of an object, and issuance of a print method (print command) and an object deletion method (indicated at 505).
For example, objects include an image object constituted of image data and its attributes, a film object constituted of a set of images and some film information, a session object constituted of a set of films and some session information, an LUT (look-up table) object, an overlay object, and other objects. The client requests the laser imager to construct each object and issues a method (command) for the object with a specific ID assigned thereto. In this manner, printing is executed.
After printing, unnecessary objects in the laser imager are deleted upon reception of a destruct method.
Thereafter, the laser imager notifies the client of a completion of destruction of objects. Upon reception of this notice, the client is released from the printing work.
As shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B during the operation by the laser imager 504, the client (e.g., CT 501) executes a series of sequences including requesting (513, 515, 516) the laser imager to construct one film object and two image objects for the film object, setting (514, 517, 518) information to the objects, issuing a print method 519, and thereafter issuing destruct methods 522, 523, and 524.
The print operation requires a relatively long time. Therefore, if a destruct command is issued before the print operation is not completed, the laser imager 504 rejects the destruct command (520, 521). In this case, the client 501 waits until the laser imager 504 completes the print operation, and there after issues the destruct commands 522, 523, and 524 to delete the objects (this is called hereinafter a first scheme). Alternatively, the laser imager loads a set of objects to be used for the print operation into a print queue (a first-in first-out unit for use with the print operation), and destructs the set of objects after the print operation to thereby neglect the destruct commands from the client 501 (this is called hereinafter a second scheme).
However, in the print operation at the object-oriented image drawing apparatus, typically a laser imager, the wait time of the client becomes long in the case of the first scheme, because the print operation takes a relatively long time and so the destruct command is rejected by the image drawing apparatus. The work efficiency of the client is therefore lowered greatly.
With the second scheme, if the client requests an additional print operation for the image objects, this print operation cannot be executed because the image drawing apparatus has deleted the image objects.

Informing higher level apparatus of successful deletion of image information designated for deletion by the higher level apparatus


The selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (especially NO and NO2) in exhaust from diesel and other lean burn engines is improved by use of a compact hyperplasma reactor for generating ozone and other highly oxidizing species in a stream of air. A portion of the ozone containing air stream is blown directly into the exhaust for oxidizing NO to NO2. The other portion of plasma treated air is used to fractionate and reform a volume of diesel fuel to produce low molecular weight hydrocarbons and oxidized hydrocarbons to be added to the exhaust as NO2 reductants in the catalytic reduction.

Diesel engines and other lean-burn engines or power plants are operated at higher than stoichiometric air to fuel mass ratios for improved fuel economy. Such lean-burning engines produce a hot exhaust with a relatively high content of oxygen and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The temperature of the exhaust from a warmed-up diesel engine is typically in the range of 200° C. to 400° C. and has a representative composition, by volume, of about 10–17% oxygen, 3% carbon dioxide, 0.1% carbon monoxide, 180 ppm hydrocarbons, 235 ppm NOx and the balance nitrogen and water. These NOx gases, typically comprising nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), are difficult to reduce to nitrogen (N2) because of the high oxygen (O2) content in the hot exhaust stream.
One approach for NOx reduction in lean-burn engine exhausts is by injecting urea into the exhaust and passing the stream over a suitable reduction catalyst. Urea decomposes in the hot exhaust producing NH3 that reacts with NOx to produce N2 and H2O. The practice is called selective catalytic reduction by urea (urea/SCR). But a drawback of the approach is that urea must be carried onboard the lean-burn engine powered vehicle.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/864,717, assigned to the same assignee as this invention, discloses a method of separately adding ozone and nonthermal plasma-reformed diesel fuel constituents to the exhaust stream flowing from the engine or power plant preparatory to selective catalytic reduction of NOx. Ozone is added to the exhaust stream for oxidation of NO to NO2. And plasma-generated, low molecular weight oxygenated hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons from a fractionated portion of the diesel fuel hydrocarbon mixture are added to the exhaust as reactants for conversion of NO2 to N2 over the reduction catalyst. This process can be called diesel fuel/SCR.
The present specification describes a further and related improvement in non-thermal plasma processing of diesel fuel for reduction of NO and NO2 in exhaust streams from lean-burn engines and power plants.


HPTPbeta is useful as a target in screening agents effective for the treatment of angiogenesis mediated disorders.

Angiogenesis, the sprouting of new blood vessels from the pre-existing vasculature, plays a crucial role in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes (Nguyen, L. L. et al, Int. Rev. Cytol. 204, 1–48, (2001). It is a complex process that is mediated by communication between the endothelial cells that line blood vessels and their surrounding environment. In the early stages of angiogenesis, tissue or tumor cells produce and secrete pro-angiogenic growth factors in response to environmental stimuli. These factors diffuse to nearby endothelial cells and stimulate receptors that lead to the production and secretion of proteases that degrade the surrounding extracellular matrix (Stetler-Stevenson, W. G., Surg. Oncol. Clin. N. Am. 10, 383–392, (2001). These activated endothelial cells begin to migrate and proliferate into the surrounding tissue toward the source of these factors. Endothelial cells then stop proliferating and differentiate into tubular structures, which is the first step in the formation of stable, mature blood vessels. Subsequently, periendothelial cells, such as pericytes and smooth muscle cells, are recruited to the newly formed vessel in a further step toward vessel maturation.
There are many disease states driven by unregulated angiogenesis that can either cause a particular disease directly or exacerbate an existing pathological condition. For example, ocular neovascularization has been implicated as the most common cause of blindness and underlies the pathology of approximately 20 eye diseases. In certain previously existing conditions such as arthritis, newly formed capillary blood vessels invade the joints and destroy cartilage. In diabetes, new capillaries formed in the retina invade the vitreous humor, causing bleeding and blindness.
On the other hand, tissue growth and repair are biologic systems wherein cellular proliferation and angiogenesis occur. Thus an important aspect of wound repair is the revascularization of damaged tissue by angiogenesis. Atherosclerotic lesions in large vessels can cause tissue ischemia that could be ameliorated by modulating blood vessel growth to the affected tissue. For example, atherosclerotic lesions in the coronary arteries cause angina and myocardial infarction that could be prevented if one could restore blood flow bY stimulating the growth of collateral arteries. Similarly, atherosclerotic lesions in the large arteries that supply the legs cause ischemia in the skeletal muscle that limits mobility that could also be prevented by improving blood flow with angiogenic therapy.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to identify biochemical targets in the treatment of angiogenesis mediated disorders. However, angiogenesis involves the action of multiple growth factors and their cognate receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Yancopoulos et al., Nature, 407, 242–248, 2000). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), for example, is critical for the differentiation of endothelial cells into nascent blood vessels in the embryonic vasculature. Further, VEGF enhances blood vessel development in the adult vasculature. Administration of exogenous VEGF enhances the development of the collateral vasculature and improves blood flow to ischemic tissues.
To date, three VEGF RTKs have been identified. VEGFR1 (FLT-1), VEGFR2 (KDR), and VEGFR3 (FLT-4). Although these receptors are highly conserved, based on biochemical characterization and biological activity, each has specific and non-overlapping functions. Of the three receptors, VEGFR2 plays the predominant role in mediating VEGF actions in the developing vasculature and during angiogenesis in adults. However, both VEGFR1 and VEGFR3 are required for normal development of the embryonic vasculature and may also be important for angiogenesis in adult tissues. Upon VEGF binding and dimerization, a conformational change in the VEGFR2 kinase domain enhances its kinase activity resulting in "autophosphorylation" of the other member of the pair on specific tyrosine residues. These autophosphorylation events serve to further enhance the kinase activity and provide anchor points for the association of intracellular signaling molecules.
However, activation of a single angiogenic pathway may not be sufficient to produce persistent and functional vessels that provide adequate perfusion to ischemic tissue. These findings, together with fact that multiple RTKs are involved in the assembly of embryonic vasculature, indicate that biochemical targets that modulate multiple angiogenic pathways will have advantages over administration of a single growth factor.
Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) comprise a large family of closely related enzymes that dephosphorylate proteins that contain phosphotyrosine residues. Recent evidence suggests that one function of PTPs is to limit the phosphorylation and activation of RTKs. For example, HCPTPA, a low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase, was shown to associate with VEGFR2 and negatively regulate its activation in cultured endothelial cells and its biological activity in angiogenesis assays. (Huang et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry, 274, 38183–38185, 1999). Whether or not other PTPs might regulate VEGFR2 activation is not known.
In addition to VEGFR2, signaling input from another RTK Tie-2, the receptor for the angiopoietins (Ang1 and Ang2), is also essential. Deletion of either Ang1 or Tie-2 gene in mice results in embryonic lethality secondary to abnormalities in the developing vasculature (Yancopoulos et al., Nature, 407, 242–248, 2000). In addition, overexpression of Ang1 in the skin increases skin vascularity and administration of exogenous Ang1 increases blood flow to ischemic skeletal muscle (Suri et al., Science, 282, 468–471, 1998). Moreover, inhibiting the activation of Tie-2 inhibits angiogenesis and limits tumor progression in animal models of cancer, (Lin et al., JCI, 100, 2072–2078, 1997). In addition to its angiogenic activities, activation of Tie-2 by exogenous administration of Ang1 blocks VEGF mediated vascular leak and pro-inflammatory effects, but enhances its angiogenic effects (Thurston et al., Nature Medicine, 6, 460–463, 2000). Therefore, biological targets that modulate both VEGFR2 and Tie-2 signaling may yield superior proangiogenic or antiangiogenic therapies.

HPTPbeta as a target in treatment of angiogenesis mediated disorders


A dielectric nonreciprocal circuit device, which has satisfactory nonreciprocal characteristics obtained by improving the structure of a part supporting magnetic members, is incorporated in a radio device. The dielectric nonreciprocal circuit device has an arrangement such that supporting members for supporting the magnetic members are not located where the magnetic members are abutted against dielectric strips or where the magnetic members are disposed in close proximity to the dielectric strips.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit devices and radio devices using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional circulators using nonradiative dielectric waveguides (hereinafter referred to as NRD waveguides) have been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-181509, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-181506, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-186507.
FIG. 11 shows the basic structure of a circulator using the above NRD waveguide. In FIG. 11, reference numerals 1 and 2 show an upper conductive plate and a lower conductive plate, respectively. Three dielectric strips indicated by reference numerals 3, 4, and 5 are disposed between the two conductive plates 1 and 2 to form NRD waveguide. Magnetic members 6 and 7 are disposed at positions where the three dielectric strips 3, 4, and 5 approach each other. Magnets 8 and 9 are disposed at positions on approach sides of the magnetic members 6 and 7. The upper and lower conductive plates 1 and 2 are disposed between the magnetic member 6 and the magnet 8 and between the magnetic member 7 and the magnet 9, respectively. With this arrangement, a DC bias magnetic field is applied. The DC magnetic field is applied to the magnetic members 6 and 7 in directions vertical to the surfaces of the magnetic members 6 and 7, and a magnetic field component of a high frequency parallel to the DC magnetic field is applied. In this situation, due to the ferrimagnetic characteristics of the magnetic members 6 and 7, the planes of polarization rotate and the circulator functions.
In a dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit device such as the above circulator, it is important to make a structure in which magnetic members are supported while being disposed in specified positional relationships with a plurality of dielectric strips extending in different directions.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-181509 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-181506 each describe a circulator having a supporting member of a ring configuration or a cylindrical configuration. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-186507 describes a circulator in which the structure for supporting magnetic members is arranged on the dielectric strips by providing stepped portions at the edges of the dielectric strips.
The example shown in FIG. 11 uses the dielectric strips 3, 4, and 5, which are discrete components. However, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, it is also possible to use a structure in which three dielectric strips 3, 4, and 5 are integrated with a supporting member for supporting magnetic members 6 and 7. In each of FIGS. 12A and 12B, reference numeral 10 denotes the supporting member, which is integrated with the dielectric strips 3, 4, and 5, for supporting the magnetic members 6 and 7.
However, the inventors of the present invention have investigated and discovered that, with the supporting member having a ring or cylindrical configuration, due to an influence of the dielectric constant of the supporting member, the insertion loss and reflection loss characteristics deteriorate, which causes a problem of degrading the nonreciprocal characteristics of the device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dielectric nonreciprocal circuit device capable of obtaining excellent nonreciprocal characteristics by improving the structure of a portion supporting a magnetic member, and to provide a radio device, incorporating the same.
As will be described below, in embodiments of this invention a supporting member for supporting the magnetic member has almost no influence on the nonreciprocal characteristics of the device, based on an analytical result which has determined that the electromagnetic field distribution is concentrated in a portion where the magnetic member is in contact with the dielectric strips and in portions near an upper conductive plate and a lower conductive plate.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit device including a magnetic member, a supporting member for supporting the magnetic member, an upper conductive plate and a lower conductive plate, and dielectric strips disposed in radial directions with respect to the magnetic member at the center of the arrangement, the dielectric strips disposed between the upper and lower conductive plates. In this structure, the supporting member is formed in such a way that the supporting member supports the magnetic member at locations other than where the magnetic member is abutted against the dielectric strips and where the magnetic member is disposed in close proximity to the dielectric strips.
With this arrangement, since no parts of the supporting member for supporting the magnetic member are provided where the magnetic member is in contact with the dielectric strips, which is a place where an electromagnetic field distribution is concentrated, the influence of the supporting member is reduced.
In addition, in the above dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit device, edges or corners of the adjacent dielectric strips are connected to each other by the supporting member.
In addition, in the dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit device described in the first aspect of the present invention, the magnetic member may be supported by the adjacent edges or corners of the dielectric strips, and the side walls of the dielectric strips may be connected to each other by a connecting member made of a dielectric material.
Furthermore, the magnetic member may be supported by the connecting member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio device incorporating one of the above-described dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit devices as a circulator formed by the dielectric transmission lines comprising dielectric strips. The circulator propagates a transmission signal and a reception signal, and performs branching of the transmission and reception signals.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio device incorporating an isolator formed by providing a terminating member on a predetermined dielectric transmission line comprising one of the dielectric strips in one of the above dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit devices. The isolator blocks a reverse-propagation signal.

Dielectric waveguide nonreciprocal circuit device with a non-interfering magnetic member support


The present invention provides methods and systems determining the behavioural index of a user. The present invention involves analyzing the user's behaviour and linguistic parameters using a smart wearable device. Basis the analysis, user's behavioural index is suitably determined, modified and informed to the user.

Behaviour is a large component of how individuals communicate with each other. The behaviour varies from individual to individual. Thus, each individual communicates and reacts based on its respective behavioural nature. The behaviour nature of a person does not always remain the same and may change with the changing circumstances. For instance, an individual in stress may behave differently when not in stress. As a result of stressed circumstances, an individual may not behave properly and may reach differently to other individuals. The consequences of such improper or misbehaviour may have serious repercussions such as for example, social breakdown or even conflict with other individuals. In the past, many solutions have attempted to collect and gather information to aid individuals in understanding health, behaviour and various surrounding conditions. These systems have been limited in scope and capabilities, as they have not, among other things, adequately addressed the need to provide recommendations to change or improve the behaviour on a real time basis.
Accordingly, there exists a need to develop methods and systems that can analyze an individual's behaviour and assist them in improving their behavioural index.

Method and system for determining and improving behavioral index


A portable lamp comprising:    Communication means for exchanging identification data, configuration settings or control instructions with another portable lamp.    More specifically, the communication means are used for avoiding exposition to glare.

The Applicant of the present application has marketed a portable lamp, of the type headlamp, with a so-called "reactive" or "dynamic" lighting which is described in patent application WO2009/133309. Briefly, in the prior art as illustrated in FIG. 1, there is a headlamp having at least one light emitting diode 11 and a LED type optical sensor 14 located in the vicinity and for sensing a signal representative of the light reflected by the surface of an object illuminated by the lamp 16. A control circuit 13 processes the signal for the purpose of automatically controlling the power of the LED according to a predetermined threshold. In this way, an automatic adjustment of the light beam emitted by the lamp can be achieved without any manual action to adapt the light to the environment, while managing energy consumption.
The principle of this light "dynamic" is clearly a significant improvement brought in field of headlamps, and more generally portable lighting, in particular since it allows to constantly adapt the lighting to the illumination needs.
However, this lamp does not eliminate the problem of glare exposure of an interlocutor facing the headlamp holder.
A solution to this problem is described in two patent applications PCT/EP2012/000982 and PCT/EP2012/000984, both filed Mar. 6, 2012 by the Applicant of this patent application and unpublished at the time of filing this application. This solution requires the use of an image sensor associated to a image processor which can process images so as to achieve the recognition of a human face, and in particular an eye, so as to automatically reduce the brightness when the lighting conditions expose a person to a dangerous glare.
Such a solution requires a sophisticated architecture, based on a microprocessor fitted with digital processing capabilities, and unfortunately remains reserved for the most expensive lamps.

Portable electric lamp having an anti glare system


A brake system (20) includes a differential carrier (22, 121) and output gear (26) operatively connected. At least one carrier rotary friction surface (43) is operatively connected to the differential carrier (22, 121). At least one side gear rotary friction surface (45) is operatively connected to one of the side gears (31, 33). At least one limited rotary friction surface is operatively connected to the case, whereby during a braking operation the carrier rotary friction surface and the side gear rotary friction surface are pressed together causing braking of the differential carrier and the first and second differential side gears (31, 33). The carrier (22, 121) is supported by the first and second differential side gears (31, 33).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a wet brake system and more particularly to a wet brake system wherein a series of plates are operatively connected to the differential carrier, housing and a differential side gear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is applicable to smaller vehicles, either electric or gas, and may be incorporated into either the front or the rear axles. Examples of such vehicles are ATV's, golf, turf and light utility vehicles. Drum brakes on such vehicles have a typical problem in that they wear out and make noise. The semi-metallic shoes and rotors wear from normal use and from being exposed to the elements. Additionally, they have a tendency to squawk as parts wear.
One example of a wet brake system that has been developed for such vehicles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,890 entitled "Brake System for Vehicles" and assigned to Kawasaki. This patent describes a brake system for use in vehicles wherein the brake system is tied to the differential carrier and axle. The present invention ties the brake system to the differential and a side gear and not to the axle. Still further, the present invention addresses the problems of bias and provides for a brake system which helps to eliminate bias between the two wheels driven by the differential.


A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body including internal electrodes and dielectric layers, and an electrode layer disposed on at least one surface of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the internal electrodes. A conductive resin layer containing metal particles and a base resin is disposed on the electrode layer. When a weight ratio of metal to carbon in a surface portion of the conductive resin layer is defined as A, and a weight ratio of metal to carbon in an internal portion of the conductive resin layer is defined as B, A is greater than B.

Among ceramic electronic components, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) include a plurality of stacked dielectric layers, internal electrodes disposed to face each other with one of the dielectric layers interposed therebetween, and external electrodes electrically connected to the internal electrodes.
MLCCs have been widely used as components in computers, mobile communications devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and the like, due to advantages such as a small size, high capacitance, ease of mounting, and the like.
Recently, as electronic products have been miniaturized and multi-functionalized, chip components have also tended to be miniaturized and multi-functionalized. Therefore, a small sized multilayer ceramic capacitor having a high degree of capacitance is in demand.
To this end, a multilayer ceramic capacitor in which an increased number of dielectric layers are stacked with decreased thicknesses of dielectric layers and internal electrode layers has been manufactured, and external electrode thicknesses have also been reduced.
In addition, as various functions of devices and apparatuses in fields requiring high degrees of reliability, such as those of vehicles or medical devices, have been digitalized and demands thereon have increased, high degrees of reliability are also required in multilayer ceramic capacitors.
Factors causing problems in terms of the implementation of high degrees of reliability, as described above, may include the infiltration of a plating solution occurring at the time of a plating process, crack generation due to external impacts, and the like.
Therefore, as a means for solving such problems, a resin composition containing a conductive material is applied between an electrode layer of the external electrode and a plating layer to absorb external impacts and prevent the infiltration of the plating solution, thereby improving product reliability.
However, in the case of providing a conductive resin layer between the electrode layer of the external electrode and the plating layer, an interface separation phenomenon may occur between the conductive resin layer and the plating layer, and a plating defect in which a non-plated region is formed at the time of forming the plating layer on the conductive resin layer may occur.
Therefore, a multilayer ceramic capacitor capable of decreasing the incidence of such an interface separation phenomenon between the conductive resin layer and the plating layer and a non-plating defect is required.

Multilayer ceramic electronic component and method of manufacturing the same


An air intake manifold assembly for use with an internal combustion engine includes a plenum portion and a runner assembly mounted to the plenum portion. The runner assembly has a flange disposed between an air intake portion and an air outlet portion.

The present invention relates in general to vehicle engines and in particular to an improved air intake manifold assembly for use in such a vehicle engine and method for producing the same.
An air intake manifold assembly of a multi-cylinder engine includes a plurality of branched air passageways or ducts. Each of the air passageways defines a generally tubular runner having an air intake port and an opposite air outlet port. The air intake port of the runner is connected to an associated plenum which supplies atmospheric, turbo, or supercharged air to the runner intake port, and the air outlet port is connected to a flange which is connected to an associated inlet port of each cylinder head of the engine to supply the air from the runner to each cylinder head. Conventional intake manifold assemblies are constructed of cast iron, magnesium, aluminum, and plastic.
A typical aluminum intake manifold assembly is produced entirely by conventional casting process. These manifolds typically include a plurality of tubes disposed having first ends connected with the outlet holes of an air intake plenum, and second opposite ends connected with the associated holes of a flange member which is adapted for mounting to a cylinder head of the engine.
A typical plastic multi-piece manifold assembly includes an upper half shell and a lower half shell which are joined together by a welding process. In some instances, the plastic multi-piece manifold assembly includes one or more inner shell pieces which are disposed within the upper and/or lower half shells. The inner shell can be lower partial inserts which are secured to lower half shell; upper partial inserts which are secured to the upper half shell, or both lower and upper partial inserts which are secured to the respective lower and upper half shells. The inserts are typically joined to the associated half shell by a conventional heat staking process or welding process. In some instances, a plurality of individual blow molded tubes is disposed within the upper and lower half shells and joined thereto by a conventional heat staking process. In both types of constructions, the inserts, or the inserts in cooperation with upper or lower half shells, define a corresponding number of runner paths through which air is supplied to the associated cylinder head of the engine.
One example of a two-piece intake manifold is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,120 to Butler. Butler discloses an upper shell section and a lower shell section with each section containing at least partial portions of the air runner ducts that lead to the individual engine intake valves. Both the upper and lower shell sections tend to be of the same material, typically a polymer or aluminum, but can be of different materials.
Another example of a multi-piece intake manifold is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,449 to Brassell et al. Brassell et al. disclose simplified upper and lower shell sections by transferring some of the runner complexity to an insert assembly mounted internal to the upper and lower shell sections. The insert assembly is most likely to be of a polymer material.

Intake manifold assembly having short compact runners and methods of making same


Use of soluble CD14 (sCD14) for the manufacture of a medicament for therapeutic or preventive treatment of a disease involving a chronic inflammation condition and a clinical disorder associated with insulin resistance in an animal or a human. Examples of diseases include type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, metabolic syndrome, arteriosclerotic disease, arterial hypertension and functional ovaric hyperandrogenism.

The protein, CD14, is a myeloid cell-surface glycoprotein which acts as a receptor for bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). It is well documented that monocyte/macrophage activation by lipopolysaccharides via membrane CD14 (mCD14) triggers the release of a variety of pro-inflammatory, immunoregulatory and cytotoxic molecules such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, oxygen radical products and nitric oxide. mCD14 is anchored to the cell membrane by a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linkage.
In addition to the membrane bound form, soluble CD14 (sCD14) has been identified in normal human blood serum, hereinafter referred to as sCD14. sCD14 exists in two forms, sCD14a (49 kDa) and sCD14p (55 kDa). It has been demonstrated that sCD14 binds LPS and mediates the LPS-induced activation of cells that lack mCD14, including epithelial and endothelial cells and astrocytes, as well as mCD14 expressing cells, such as monocytes and neutrophils. The main source of sCD14 in normal human plasma is the monocyte. A substantial concentration of sCD14 is found in normal human plasma, 2-4 μg/ml.
LPS is believed to be a primary cause of death in humans afflicted with gram-negative sepsis. Sepsis may be defined as a toxic condition resulting from the spread of bacteria or their products from a focus of infection.
Numerous documents in the art describe use of sCD14 or variants/fragments of sCD14 for treatment of sepsis, gram negative bacteria or other related diseases that may be characterized as diseases involving acute inflammation conditions. See e.g. WO9101639, WO92204908, WO9319772, U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,189, WO9620957 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,055.
According to the art acute condition may be defined as conditions that are severe and sudden in onset. Symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. A chronic condition, by contract, is continuous or persistent/maintained over an extended period of time. A chronic condition is one that is long-standing, not easily or quickly resolved.
With respect to involvement of sCD14 in diseases involving chronic inflammation, there have been published some studies.
A polymorphism of the CD14 gene, a C-to-T transition at bp-159 from the major transcription start site, seems to play a role in regulating serum sCD14 levels.
The article (Wolfgang K, et al, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, United States—3 Jul. 2002, Vol 40, Nr 1, page 34-42) investigated this polymorphism. They investigated the association of CD14 genotype and plasma levels of soluble sCD14 with risk of stable coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic infections and sensitive markers of systemic inflammation. They found that "sCD14-plasma levels were higher in subjects with TT genotype compared with those with CT or CC genotype (p=0.005)". Based on analysis of the found individual data the abstract concludes "These results do not confirm an independent relationship between CD14 genotypes or plasma levels of sCD14 and risk of stable CAD in this population".
Fernandez-Real J M et al published a poster 12 of September 2001 at RASD meeting in Glasgow. The title was "A polymorphism of the CD14 Monocyte Receptor Gene, involved in the inflammatory cascade, is associated with insulin sensitivity". The abstract reads "C/C type 2 [diabetic] homocygote patients also showed a significant lower insulin sensitivity index than carriers of the T allele".

Use of soluble CD14 for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus


A molding structure for a flyback transformer is disclosed and includes a basic bobbin member having a primary coil wound on an outer circumferential surface thereof, a film guide formed on both end portions of the basic bobbin member and having a gas exhaust holes, said film guide supporting more than one insulation film wound on an outer circumferential surface of the primary coil and more than one secondary coil, a bobbin including a ferrite core insertion member having a resin receiving space portion, and a casing receiving the bobbin therein and having a lead connection portion having a lead connection portion protrusion formed on an inner circumferential surface, wherein a high voltage lead is inserted into the upper portion of the casing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molding structure for a flyback transformer, and in particular to an improved molding structure for a flyback transformer which is capable of easily molding a bobbin having coils wound thereon in the interior of a casing using an epoxy resin, etc.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
As shown in FIG. 1, in the bobbin structure of a conventional flyback transformer, a plurality of ribs 3 are co-centrally protruded from an outer circumferential surface of a basic bobbin portion 1a at a predetermined interval.
A low voltage coil (hereinafter called a primary coil) 2 is wound on an outer surface of a basic bobbin portion la between the ribs 3.
In addition, a film guide 5 having a predetermined height which is higher than that of each rib 3 is formed at both ends of the basic bobbin portion 1a.
An insulation film 6 having a predetermined width corresponding to the longitudinal distance of the basic bobbin portion 1a is wound on the outer surfaces of the primary coil 2 and the ribs 3. A high voltage coil (hereinafter called a secondary coil) is wound on the upper surface of the insulation film 6.
At this time, more than one insulation film and secondary coil may be wound on the upper surface of the secondary coil 4, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 2, there are provided a ferrite core insertion member 13 having a core contact surface 14 formed in one side thereof and an insertion portion 11 formed in the center thereof. The ferrite core insertion member 13 is formed at an end portion of the bobbin 1, namely, on the upper end portion of the coil portion 10.
When a channel-shaped ferrite core 15, which is used for inducing a secondary voltage based on the primary voltage, is inserted into the ferrite core insertion portion 11 of the ferrite core insertion member 13, a recessed portion 15a of the core 15 contacts with the core contact surface 14.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the coils 2 and 4 and the bobbin 1 are inserted into the casing 20 in order to enable an insulation and to prevent a leakage and discharge of a high voltage, and the casing 20 and the portion between the coils and bobbin (namely, a casing space portion) are molded using an epoxy resin, etc. A lead connection portion 17b is formed at one end (namely, at the opposite portion of the portion in which the ferrite core insertion member 13 is formed) of the casing 20 into which the bobbin 1 is inserted.
A high voltage lead 17 is connected with a high voltage terminal 17a formed in the interior of the bobbin 1 and is inserted into the lead connection portion 17b for supplying a high voltage of an anode to the Braun tube.
At this time, when molding the casing space portion using the epoxy resin 19, a rubber bushing 18 tightly contacting with the high voltage lead 17 is engaged to the upper portion of the lead connection portion 17b, into which the high voltage lead 17 is inserted, in a shape that the upper portion of the lead connection portion 17b is surrounded so that the epoxy resin 19 is not leaked to the outside of the casing 20 in the interior of the lead connection portion 17b.
After the molding operation is completed, as shown in FIG. 2, the ferrite core 15 is engaged to the ferrite core insertion member 13 for thereby fabricating a flyback transformer.
In the drawings, reference numeral 16 denotes a resin which is leaked to the outside.
However, when fabricating the conventional flyback transformer, the casing space portion is molded using the epoxy resin, etc. Therefore, a predetermined gas and gas bubbles are generated due to a high temperature molding operation, so that the epoxy resin is not uniformly formed in the space portion of the casing due to the gas and bubbles.
Namely, since the casing is sealed, the epoxy resin which is provided into the interior of the casing receives a repulsive force of the air in the interior of the casing. The above operation will be explained in more detail. For example, when inserting a piston into a cylinder, since there are not any holes for exhausting the air in the cylinder to the outside, a predetermined force is generated with respect to the supply of the epoxy resin in the cylinder. Therefore, the epoxy resin is not uniformly formed between the coils and the insulation film. Due to the above-described problems, it is impossible to enable a desired insulation between coils.
In addition, when a molding operation is performed using the epoxy resin, since the epoxy resin, which is overflown, is formed on the upper surface of the core contact surface, when the core is inserted into the bobbin, the thusly overflown resin contacts with the recessed portion, so that the ferrite core may not be installed at the normal position due to the height of the overflown resin, and the electric characteristic of the product may be changed. In addition to that, a predetermined problem may occur when engaging the core.
Furthermore, in order to prevent the epoxy resin from being leaked to the outside of the casing, since a rubber bushing is additionally used, the number of fabrication processes is increased. The rubber bushing may be extended during a high temperature process and may be escaped from the lead connection portion, so that the resin may be leaked to the outside.

Molding structure for flyback transformer


In certain embodiments, a lamp is provided with an arc envelope including a ceramic, an end member including a material different from the ceramic, and a compliant seal disposed between the end member and the arc envelope. The compliant seal includes a plurality of layers having different thermal expansion characteristics in an order of gradual change between the arc envelope and the end member.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
High-intensity discharge (HID) lamps are often formed from a ceramic tubular body or arc tube that is sealed to one or more end structures. The end structures are often sealed to this ceramic tubular body using a single seal glass. Sealing usually involves heating the assembly of the ceramic tubular body, the end structures, and the seal glass to induce melting of the seal glass and reaction with the ceramic arc tube and the end structures to form a strong chemical and physical/mechanical bond. The ceramic tubular body and the end structures are often made of the same material, such as polycrystalline alumina (PCA). Thus, the single seal glass may have physical and mechanical properties matching those of all of the ceramic components, i.e., the ceramic arc tube and the ceramic end structures.
However, certain applications may require the use of different materials for the ceramic arc tube and the end structures. Unfortunately, various stresses may arise from the sealing process, the interface between the joined components, and the materials used for the different components. For example, the materials of the ceramic arc tube, the end structures, and the single seal glass may have different mechanical and physical properties. These properties generally include different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), which can lead to residual stresses and sealing cracks. These potential stresses and sealing cracks are particularly problematic for high-pressure lamps and operational conditions involving rapid cycling.
The geometry of the interface between the ceramic arc tube and the end structures also may attribute to the foregoing stresses. For example, the end structures are often shaped as a plug or a pocket, which interfaces both the flat and cylindrical surfaces of the ceramic arc tube. If the components have different coefficients of thermal expansion and elastic properties, then residual stresses arise because of the different strains that prevent relaxation of the materials to stress-free states. For example, in the case of the plug type end structure, if the plug has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the ceramic tubular body and seal glass, then compressive stresses arise in the plug region while tensile stresses arise in the ceramic arc tube.
In addition to the ceramic arc tube and end structures, high-intensity discharge lamps also include a variety of internal materials (e.g., gases) and electrode materials to create the desired high-intensity discharge for lighting. The particular internal materials disposed in the high-intensity discharge lamps can affect the sealing characteristics, the light characteristics, and the type of materials that may be workable for the lamp components and the seal glass. For example, certain internal materials, such as halides and metal halides, may be desirable for lighting characteristics, but they are corrosive to some of the ceramic and metallic components that comprise the tubular body and end structure.
Accordingly, a technique is needed to provide a lighting system, such as high-intensity discharge lamp, with improved sealing characteristics.

High intensity discharge lamp having compliant seal