A storage device configured to store electrical energy, includes at least one storage element having an element housing which has at least one accommodating chamber and at least one element base which at least partially downwardly delimits the accommodating chamber in an installation position of the storage device. The storage device includes at least one storage means, accommodated in the accommodating chamber, configured to store electrical energy, wherein the at least one storage means comprises at least one degassing unit configured to discharge fluid, which is released in the accommodating chamber, from the accommodating chamber. The degassing unit is provided on the element base and is configured to downwardly discharge fluid from the accommodating chamber with respect to the installation position of the storage device.

The invention relates to a storage device for storing electrical energy, in particular for a motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one storage device of this kind.
A storage device of this kind for storing electrical energy, in particular for a motor vehicle, is already known from DE 10 2013 223 361 A1 for example. The storage device comprises at least one storage element which is designed as a storage cell for example. In particular, the storage element is designed as a battery cell for example, so that the storage device is designed as a battery, in particular as a high-voltage battery (HV battery), for example. The storage element has an element housing comprising at least one accommodating chamber. In this case, the element housing comprises at least one element base by way of which the accommodating chamber is at least partially downwardly delimited in the installation position of the storage device. In this case, the storage device assumes its installation position in the fully manufactured and mounted state of the storage device which is mounted, for example, in its fully manufactured and mounted state in the fully manufactured motor vehicle. In other words, the storage device assumes its installation position in the fully manufactured state of the motor vehicle for example. In this case, in particular, the accommodating chamber is at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, downwardly delimited by the element base in the vertical direction, in particular in the height direction of the vehicle (z-direction).
The storage device, in particular the storage element, further has at least one storage means, which is accommodated in the accommodating chamber, for storing electrical energy. In this case, the storage means comprises, for example, an electrolyte and/or at least one electrode. In addition, at least one degassing unit is provided, by means of which a fluid which is released in the accommodating chamber, such as a gas stream for example, can be discharged from the accommodating chamber. The fluid, which is in particular in the form of gas or a gas stream, can be released, for example, as a result of an accident-related application of force to the storage device, wherein the fluid can emerge from the electrolyte for example. As the quantity of fluid which is released in the accommodating chamber increases, a pressure prevailing in the accommodating chamber for example increases. If, for example, the pressure exceeds a pre-specifiable threshold value, the degassing unit opens, for example, at least one discharge opening via which the fluid can flow out of the accommodating chamber, in particular to the area surrounding the storage element. An excessive value for the pressure can be avoided in this way.
Furthermore, DE 10 2014 200 193 A1 discloses a degassing device for a battery system, comprising at least one degassing pipe with an outlet opening for discharging a fluid which is released by a battery cell of the battery system.
In addition, DE 10 2014 200 194 A1 discloses, as known, a battery system comprising at least one battery cell with a degassing opening. Furthermore, a degassing device with at least one gas inlet opening is provided.
The object of the present invention is to provide a storage device and a motor vehicle of the kind mentioned at the outset, so that particularly safe operation can be realized.
A first aspect of the invention relates to a storage device for storing electrical energy or electric current, in particular for a motor vehicle. The storage device comprises at least one storage element which is designed as a storage cell for example. In particular, the storage element is designed as a battery cell for example, so that the storage device is designed as a battery, in particular as a high-voltage battery (HV battery), for example. Therefore, the storage device has, for example, an electrical voltage, in particular an electrical operating voltage, which has a value of more than 50 volts, in particular more than 60 volts. In particular, the storage device can provide an electrical voltage of more than 50 volts, in particular of more than 60 volts and in particular of several 100 volts, so that, for example, particularly high electrical powers for driving said motor vehicle can be realized in this way.
The storage element has an element housing with at least one accommodating chamber. In this case, the element housing comprises at least one element base by way of which the accommodating chamber is at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, downwardly delimited in the installation position of the storage device. The storage device assumes its installation position in the fully manufactured and mounted state of the storage device which is mounted, for example, in its fully manufactured and mounted state in said motor vehicle. Therefore, the storage device assumes its installation position in the fully manufactured state of the motor vehicle for example. In this case, the accommodating chamber is at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, downwardly delimited by the element base for example with respect to the installation position of the storage device in the vertical direction, in particular in the height direction of the vehicle (z-direction). Therefore, the vertical direction coincides with the height direction of the vehicle in the installation position of the storage device for example.
The storage device, in particular the storage element, has at least one storage means, which is accommodated in the accommodating chamber, for storing electrical energy or electric current. To this end, the storage means comprises, for example, an electrolyte and/or at least one or more electrodes.
In addition, the storage device comprises at least one degassing unit by means of which a fluid, which is released in the accommodating chamber, can be discharged from the accommodating chamber and therefore, for example, to an area surrounding the accommodating chamber or an area surrounding the storage element. The fluid is, for example, a gas or a gas stream which can be discharged from the accommodating chamber via the degassing unit. The fluid is released, for example, as a result of an accident or an accident-related application of force to the storage device, wherein the fluid emerges from said electrolyte for example.
As the quantity of fluid which is released in the accommodating chamber, in particular gas, increases, a pressure prevailing in the accommodating chamber for example increases, said pressure also being referred to as the internal pressure. If, for example, the pressure prevailing in the accommodating chamber exceeds a pre-specifiable threshold value or limit value, the degassing unit opens, for example, at least one outflow opening or outlet opening. At least a portion of the fluid which is initially accommodated in the accommodating chamber can flow out of the accommodating chamber via the outlet opening, as a result of which at least a portion of the fluid is discharged from the accommodating chamber. An excessive value for the pressure prevailing in the accommodating chamber can be avoided in this way. In particular, the fluid may be a hot gas or a hot gas stream.
In order to now be able to realize particularly safe operation, in particular of the storage device and therefore of the motor vehicle overall, the invention makes provision for the degassing unit to be provided on the element base and to be designed to downwardly discharge the fluid from the accommodating chamber, in particular in the height direction of the vehicle or in the vertical direction, with respect to the installation position of the storage device. It has been found that particularly safe operation can be realized by discharging the fluid downward, that is to say in the negative z-direction for example, since particularly stringent safety requirements can also be met as a result. Usually, a structure which can, for example, particularly advantageously influence, in particular hold up or retain, the fluid is provided—with respect to the installation position—below the storage element, in particular below the element base or in the region of the element base, so that, for example, an excess quantity of the fluid can be prevented from undesirably escaping to the area surrounding the storage device overall at least over a particularly long period of time.
Here, the invention is based on the finding that the degassing unit is usually oriented in the positive z-direction, that is to say upwardly in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle, so that the fluid is usually discharged—with respect to the installation position—upwardly from the accommodating chamber and therefore from the storage element. According to the invention, a new orientation of the degassing unit, which is designed as a cell degassing unit for example, in comparison to conventional storage devices is now provided in order to be able to realize a particularly high degree of safety of the storage device, also referred to as a store. As part of this new orientation of the degassing unit, said degassing unit is oriented downwardly in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle and therefore in the negative z-direction, so that the, for example, hot fluid is not discharged upwardly, but rather downwardly, from the accommodating chamber.
In order to realize particularly safe operation, an advantageous refinement of the invention makes provision for at least one cooling line, through which a cooling medium, in particular a cooling fluid, can flow, for cooling at least one subregion of the storage device. For example, during operation of the storage device, the cooling medium, which is in the form of liquid or gas for example, flows through the cooling line, as a result of which at least said subregion of the storage device is cooled. This cooling of the subregion is performed, for example, by a transfer of heat from the subregion to the cooling medium. As a result, for example, excessive heating of the storage device can be avoided.
In this case, it has proven to be particularly advantageous when the degassing unit is aligned with the cooling line and in this way is designed to conduct the fluid, which flows out of the accommodating chamber via the degassing unit, to the cooling line and to melt the cooling line in this way by means of the fluid in order to in this way cause the cooling medium to escape from the cooling line. The cooling medium, which is also referred to as cooling means or refrigerant, can flow out of the cooling line as a result of said cooling line melting and as a result flow at least into regions of the storage device and in this way cool the regions, as a result of which, for example, the storage element and/or at least one adjacent, further storage element of the storage device can be cooled. By way of example, a fire in the storage device can be extinguished or avoided in this way.
If the fluid is, for example, a gas, the discharge of the fluid from the accommodating chamber is, for example, hot degassing by means of which the cooling line can be melted. By way of example, undesired effects which result from the hot degassing, such as fires for example, can be avoided owing to the cooling medium which can flow out of the cooling line due to said cooling line melting.
In this case, it has proven to be particularly advantageous when the cooling line is provided on, in particular in, the element base. As a result, the fluid can act, for example, at least substantially directly on the cooling line and said cooling line can be melted particularly quickly in this way.
A further embodiment is distinguished in that the storage device has a storage housing, in particular a module housing. The storage housing has at least one accommodating region, at least one storage base which at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, downwardly delimits the accommodating region, in particular in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle, in the installation position of the storage device, and at least one storage cover which at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, upwardly delimits the accommodating region, in particular in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle, in the installation position of the storage device, wherein the storage element, which is designed as a storage cell, in particular as a battery cell, for example, is arranged in the accommodating region. Therefore, the storage housing at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, surrounds the storage element, so that the storage element can advantageously be protected by means of the storage housing. In particular, it is possible to collect and to retain the fluid, which flows out of the accommodating chamber and therefore out of the storage element, by means of the storage housing at least over a particularly long period of time, so that, for example, the fluid can be prevented from undesirably escaping to the area surrounding the storage housing at least temporarily and, in this case, in particular over a particularly long period of time. Particularly safe operation can be realized in this way.
A further embodiment is distinguished in that the cooling line is provided on, in particular in, the storage base. A multistage safety concept can be realized in this way. A first stage makes provision for the fluid which flows out of the storage element to initially be collected and retained by means of the storage housing. However, if, for example, a particularly large quantity of the fluid is released and/or the fluid is at a particularly high temperature, the cooling line which is provided on or in the storage base is melted for example, as a result of which a second stage of said safety concept is activated. As a result of the cooling line melting, the cooling medium can flow out of the cooling line and in this way cool, for example, at least respective regions of the storage device and also, for example, prevent the fluid catching fire or extinguish fires in the storage housing.
In order to realize a particularly high degree of safety, a further refinement of the invention makes provision for the storage base to have a larger wall thickness than the storage cover.
Here, the invention is based, in particular, on the following finding: if a thermal event in which a hot gas stream at a temperature of, for example, up to 1000 degrees Celsius subjects the upper storage cover to extreme thermal loading for several seconds occurs in a conventional storage device, which is designed as a battery in particular, for example, no fire and, respectively, no flames should be produced outside the storage housing for at least five minutes in order to realize particularly safe operation. However, the upper storage cover usually makes no contribution or hardly any contribution to the mechanical stability of the storage housing, and therefore the storage cover is usually manufactured from a lightweight and thin material, in particular sheet metal. As a result, it is very difficult to meet the abovementioned safety requirement.
However, since the invention now makes provision for the fluid to be downwardly discharged from the accommodating chamber, that is to say for the accommodating chamber to be downwardly degassed, the fluid which flows out of the accommodating chamber acts particularly strongly and, in particular, directly on the storage base, and not the storage cover, in comparison to conventional storage devices. Since the storage base has a considerably larger wall thickness than the storage cover, the storage base exhibits greater thermal stability than the storage cover since the storage base has a higher thermal mass than the storage cover. As a result, for example, the fluid can be retained in a particularly advantageous manner, so that, for example, escape of fire and/or flames from the storage housing can be considerably delayed more easily and more cost-effectively in comparison to the fluid acting directly on the storage cover. As a result, said safety requirement can be met in a simple and cost-effective manner at a low weight. Therefore, an expensive, thermally loadable design of the usually thin, lightweight storage cover can be avoided, so that the costs, the weight and the installation space requirement of the storage device can be kept particularly low while realizing particularly safe operation at the same time.
In order to realize particularly safe operation, a further refinement of the invention makes provision for the storage element to have at least one connection, in particular a plurality of connections, for providing the electrical energy which is stored by means of the storage means. In this case, the at least one connection is arranged on a first side, wherein the degassing unit is arranged on a second side of the storage element, which second side is averted from the first side. Therefore, degassing of the accommodating chamber takes place on the second side, which is averted from the first side and therefore from the at least one connection, and in particular downwardly, as a result of which a particularly high degree of safety can be ensured.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the storage device comprises at least one second storage element, the second element housing of which has at least one second accommodating chamber and at least one second element base which at least partially, in particular at least predominantly or completely, downwardly delimits the second accommodating chamber, in particular in the height direction of the vehicle or in the vertical direction, in the installation position of the storage device. The storage device, in particular the second storage element, has at least one second storage means, which is accommodated in the second accommodating chamber, for storing electrical energy or electric current. In addition, at least one second degassing unit is provided for discharging a fluid, which is released in the second accommodating chamber, from the second accommodating chamber. Here, the above and following embodiments relating to the first storage element can be readily transferred to the second storage element too, and vice versa.
For example, a particularly large amount of electric current can be stored by means of the storage device owing to the use of the plurality of storage elements. Furthermore, it is possible to be able to provide a particularly high electrical voltage by means of the storage device in order to be able to realize, for example, particularly high electrical powers for driving said motor vehicle.
Here, it has proven to be particularly advantageous when the degassing units have different orientations from one another and in this way are designed to discharge the respective fluids from the respective accommodating chambers in different directions from one another. In other words, the orientations of the respective degassing units of the respective storage elements, in particular within the accommodating region or the storage housing, are designed with alternating orientations. As a result, a thermal loading which is caused by the respective fluids which flow out of the respective accommodating chambers is distributed between different planes or different regions for example, as a result of which fire and flames can be prevented from escaping from the storage housing over a particularly long period of time or in principle. Owing to the advantageous distribution of the thermal loading between the different planes or into the different regions, a thermal requirement of the storage housing can, for example, be reduced in comparison to conventional storage devices in which, for example, the fluids are discharged from the accommodating chambers in the same direction, and therefore the costs, the installation space requirement and the weight of the storage device can be kept particularly low.
As part of the different orientations of the degassing units, provision is made, for example, for the first degassing unit to be provided on the first element base and to be designed to downwardly discharge the fluid, which flows out of the first accommodating chamber, from the first accommodating chamber, and as a result in a first direction, in particular in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle, with respect to the installation position of the storage device. In this case, the second degassing unit is designed, for example, to discharge the fluid from the second accommodating chamber in a second direction which is different from the first direction. The first direction and the second direction run, for example, obliquely or perpendicularly in relation to one another. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the first direction and the second direction to run at least substantially parallel in relation to one another, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction for example.
It has proven particularly advantageous here when the degassing units are provided on different sides of the storage elements. For example, the first degassing unit is arranged on a bottom side of the first storage element, which bottom side faces downward, in particular in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle, whereas, for example, the second degassing unit is arranged on a top side which faces upward, in particular in the vertical direction or in the height direction of the vehicle, or else is arranged on a side which faces in the transverse direction of the vehicle or in the vertical direction.
A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a motor car, such as a passenger car for example. Here, the motor vehicle comprises at least one storage device according to the invention. Advantages and advantageous refinements of the first aspect of the invention are considered to be advantages and advantageous refinements of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Storage device for storing electrical energy, in particular for a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A memory element for a magnetic RAM, having a first magnetic portion in a first recess of a first insulating layer; and a non-magnetic portion and a second magnetic portion in a second recess of a second insulating layer covering the first insulating layer, the second recess exposing the first magnetic portion and a portion of the first insulating layer around the first magnetic portion, the non-magnetic portion being interposed between the first and second magnetic portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic random access memory or MRAM and a method for manufacturing such a memory.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates the operation of a magnetic RAM. Such a memory comprises an array of memory elements arranged in rows and in columns, a single memory element 10 being shown in FIG. 1. Each memory element 10 is formed of the stacking of three layers: a first layer 12 formed of a magnetic material, for example, cobalt, having a fixed magnetic orientation, a second layer 14 formed of an insulator, and a third layer 16 formed of a ferromagnetic material, for example, cobalt and iron alloy or a nickel and iron alloy, the magnetic orientation of which can vary. Insulating layer 14 behaves as a barrier to prevent the alloying between magnetic layer 12 and ferromagnetic layer 16 and enable the passing of electrons, the spin of which must be kept. Generally, each layer of the memory element may itself be formed of several layers. All the memory elements 10 of a same array column are connected to a conductive track 18, behaving as a bit line. A conductive track 20 is arranged above the memory elements 10 of a same array row but is not in electric contact with the memory elements of the row.
For each memory element 10 in the array, first layer 12 is connected via a portion 22 of connection to the drain (or to the source) of an N- or P-channel MOS transistor 24 having its source (or its drain) connected to a reference voltage, for example, ground GND. The gate of MOS transistor 24 is controlled by a gate control signal SG. The MOS transistor associated with each memory element may be replaced with a diode circuit. MOS transistor 24 has the function of selecting in read mode the memory element 10 to be addressed.
As an example, magnetic layer 12 of memory element 10 has a magnetic moment vector with a fixed orientation, whatever the amplitude of the magnetic field in which the memory element is bathed. Ferromagnetic layer 16 then has a magnetic moment vector with an orientation that can be modified by applying a magnetic field. As an example, binary data may be stored in the memory element by orienting the magnetic moment vector of ferromagnetic layer 16 in parallel or in antiparallel with respect to the magnetic moment vector of magnetic layer 12.
A data write operation into memory element 10 is performed by flowing a current through bit line 18 and bit line 20 associated with the memory element. The flowing of a current in bit line 18 causes the forming of a magnetic field having the general orientation of the field lines represented by arrow 26. Similarly, the flowing of a current in word line 20 causes the forming of a magnetic field having the general orientation of its field lines represented by arrow 28. According to the flow direction of the current in bit line 18 and word line 20, the magnetic moment vector of ferromagnetic layer 16 is oriented in parallel or in antiparallel with respect to the magnetic moment vector of magnetic layer 12. In a write operation, MOS transistor 24 is on.
An operation of reading of the binary data stored in memory element 10 is performed by turning off transistor 24 associated with memory element 10 and by flowing a current therein via bit line 18. The determination of the data stored in the memory element is based on the difference of the resistance of memory element 10 according to the orientation difference of the magnetic moment vectors of ferromagnetic layer 16 and of magnetic layer 12.
FIGS. 2A to 2G show successive steps of a conventional example of a method for manufacturing such a memory element 10 in integrated form. Such a method is especially described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,673,675, which is incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIG. 2A, the magnetic memory is formed on a substrate 30, for example, polysilicon, comprising insulation trenches 32 insulating the memory elements from one another. Two N-type doped regions 34, 36 form the source and drain regions of MOS transistor 24. The gate of MOS transistor 24 is formed of the stacking of a gate oxide layer 38, for example, silicon oxide, and of a gate layer 40, for example, polysilicon. Substrate 30 and the gate of MOS transistor 24 are covered with an insulating layer 42. A connection portion 44, for example, metallic, is buried at the surface of insulating layer 42 and is connected to doped region 36 via a contact 46. A connection portion 48, for example, metal, is buried at the surface of insulating layer 42 and is connected to doped region 34 via a via 50. Connection portion 48 is intended to be grounded. A conductive track 52, for example, metal, is buried at the surface of insulating layer 42 and forms word line 20.
FIG. 2B shows the structure obtained after having covered insulating layer 42 with an insulating layer 54, and having formed, in insulating layer 54, a connection portion 56, for example, metal, in contact with connection portion 44.
FIG. 2C shows the structure obtained after having covered insulating layer 54 with an insulating layer 58 and formed, in insulating layer 58, a connection portion 60, for example, metal, in contact with connection portion 56 and which extends substantially above word line 52.
FIG. 2D shows the structure obtained after having covered insulating layer 54 with an insulating layer 62 and etched a recess 64 with substantially straight sides in insulating layer 54, exposing a portion of connection portion 60.
FIG. 2E shows the structure obtained after having deposited, for example, by vapor phase deposition or cathode sputtering, on insulating layer 62, a magnetic layer 66, an insulating layer 68, a ferromagnetic layer 70, and a conductive layer 72, for example, metal. The deposited layers penetrate into recess 64 so that magnetic layer 66 is in contact with connection portion 60. Generally, magnetic layer 66 has a thickness of approximately some ten nanometers, insulating layer 68 has a thickness of a few nanometers, and ferromagnetic layer 70 has a thickness of from some ten nanometers to a few tens of nanometers.
FIG. 2F shows the structure obtained after a chem./mech polishing (CMP) of layers 66, 68, 70, 72 down to insulating layer 62. A memory element 73 formed of the stacking of magnetic, insulating, and ferromagnetic portions 74, 75, and 76 is thus insulated. Portions 74, 75, 76 thus defined comprise corner areas 77, 78, 79. In other words, the resulting structure of memory element 73 after the planarization step has a "U"-shaped cross-section. Such corner areas 77, 78, 79 are undesirable since it is difficult to control the thickness of insulating portion 75 at the level of corner area 77. In particular, there is a risk for the thickness of insulating portion 75 to be locally decreased at the level of corner area 77. This may cause the occurrence of leakage currents between magnetic portion 74 and ferromagnetic portion 76, altering the operation of memory element 73. It is thus desirable to eliminate corner areas 77, 78, 79.
FIG. 2G shows the structure obtained after etching of corner areas 77, 78, 79 of memory element 73. A memory element 73 in which magnetic, insulating, and ferromagnetic portions 74, 75, and 76 are substantially planar is then obtained.
A disadvantage is that the materials generally used to form the memory elements are little reactive with the chemical etches conventionally used in integrated circuit manufacturing processes, since there is no forming of volatile compounds. It is thus necessary to use RIE-type etches (reactive ion etching) to eliminate corner areas 77, 78, 79 from memory element 73. A disadvantage of such etchings is that the materials etched by an RIE-type etch tend to deposit back on the walls of the etch chamber and/or on other portions of the integrated circuit. This may result in a soiling of the etch chamber, and/or, which is much more disturbing, the occurrence of defects at the integrated circuit level.


A seal for an electrical connector in a connector block having a connector channel with a keyway is provided. The seal includes a tubular body that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. The body includes a forward portion defining a forward end and a rearward portion defining a rearward end. The body is configured to be received in a connector channel in the connector block. A key portion extends longitudinally along an outer surface of the body. The key portion is configured to be received in the keyway in the connector channel. The body and the key portion seal the connector channel in the connector block when the connector is loaded into the connector block.

This invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to sealed electrical connectors having axially keyed components for positioning and retaining wires and contacts in a fixed position.
Connectors exist today that are mountable to the ends of various types of coaxial cables. In certain applications, the cables carry one or more differential signals. For instance, quad cables are used for conveying high-speed data communications. The quad cables include one pair of transmit lines and one pair of receive lines, all of which are twisted in a helix to maintain a desired orientation with respect to one another. When a connector is attached to a quad cable, it is preferable to maintain the transmit and receive lines in a fixed geometry. The transmit and receive lines are connected to transmit and receive contacts which are located in a particular relation to one another within the connector. In the event that the spacing between, or overall geometry of, the transmit and receive lines and/or contacts is disturbed from a preferred configuration, particular receive and/or transmit lines begin to interact electromagnetically with one another in a detrimental manner. For example, such detrimental electromagnetic interaction may cause degradation in the signal-to-noise ratio, impedance and the like, such as cross talk and/or electromagnetic interference.
One conventional quad connector includes a tubular shell having a hollow core configured to receive a one-piece or two-piece dielectric material that hold contacts connected to conductors of the quad cable. The contacts, the dielectrics, and the shell, have keying features which interlock with one another such that the contacts resist longitudinal movement along the length of the dielectric, and to prevent movement of the dielectric within the connector shell.
In certain applications, ingress of moisture, contaminants, and corrosive elements into the shell can undesirably influence the operation and reliability of the connector. It is therefore desirable to provide a sealed connector for these applications. The keying features of the connectors, however, can be an impediment to the use of conventional sealing elements. Known sealing elements are generally ineffective because moisture, contaminants, and corrosive elements may enter the connector assembly through the keyways and circumvent the seals of the connector.
Connectors are known which are permanently sealed to prevent moisture, contaminants, and corrosive elements from reaching the internal contacts of the connector. Such connectors are disadvantaged, however, in that they are not serviceable for repair. It would be desirable to provide a sealed connector in which, for example, damaged contacts could be accessed and replaced to repair the connector, rather than replacing the entire connector assembly. Sealing a connector which is intended to be disassembled and reassembled in such a manner has proven challenging.

Keyed electrical connector with sealing boot


An apparatus for supporting an operator's foot riding a straddle-type vehicle. The apparatus includes a foot peg having a first portion connected to the vehicle and arranged for engaging a forward portion of the operator's foot adjacent to or including the ball of the foot. The apparatus also includes a second portion extending rearwardly of the first portion and arranged for engaging a rearward portion of the operator's foot adjacent to or including the heel during flexion of an ankle of the operator.

Straddle-type vehicles used for racing and riding, such as motorcross, supercross and off-road motorcycles or bicycles, ATVs or the like often include traditional one-dimensional foot pegs for engaging an operator's or rider's feet and boots. Typically, these traditional foot pegs are fixed transversely to the frame of the vehicle and designed to allow the operator to rest the ball of his foot (or front portion of the foot, but not the heel) on the peg and help the operator maintain his or her balance. However, these traditional foot pegs fail to prevent extreme flexion to reduce the possibility of ankle injury to the operator during racing and off-road riding conditions.
In motorcycle racing and off-road riding, the operator is often forced to maneuver the vehicle at high speeds over jumps, berms and around turns over a track that may be composed of dirt, mud, sand and other components. The high speed and jumps lead to very hard and awkward landings due to the magnitude of the force and impact, which can cause injuries to the operator's feet and ankles, such as bruises, sprains and fractures. Moreover, in some instances, the operator may not have his or her feet placed properly on the foot peg causing extreme flexion of the ankle. Therefore, a need exists for a foot peg that prevents extreme flexion to reduce the possibility of ankle injury to the operator. A need also exists for a foot peg that provides additional support to allow superior performance and execution of riding dynamics.
As discussed above, motorcycle racing involves high rates of speed over rough terrain and numerous jumps, so a primary goal of the operator is to maintain his or her balance. Indeed, the operator often finds himself or herself, inadvertently, off balance and falling backward due to the high rates of speed and uneven terrain. As a result, the operator falls backward and his or her hand often twists the throttle applying power to the vehicle and exacerbating the off-balance situation. This sequence of events usually results in the operator becoming separated from the vehicle, which is dangerous for obvious reasons. In addition, the operator's boot may slide off of the foot peg, resulting in even more application to the throttle and, ultimately, resulting in separation of the operator from the motorcycle. Accordingly, a need also exists for an improved foot peg that allows the operator to better regain his or her balance.
Furthermore, racing or riding conditions are often arduous and sometimes include a repeated section of randomly spaced elevated bumps known as "whoops." Under these conditions, operators typically use the technique of extending their arms and getting their buttocks over the back of the vehicles to allow the vehicles to articulate beneath them as they ride and bounce over the whoops at high rates of speed. In doing this, the operator's ankles tend to rotate downward and to the rear where no support is provided by the foot peg. Moreover, an operator's boots often come off of the foot pegs and regain contact with the pegs over and over again during this sequence, making it very difficult to get their boots back into the proper position. Therefore, a need also exists for an improved foot peg that provides additional ankle support at flexion under arduous racing conditions.
Finally, motorcycle racing involves a great deal of contact between an operator's foot and the foot peg. Accordingly, durability of the foot peg is desirable under such conditions to avoid breakage of foot pegs in order to avoid continual foot peg replacement or more-than-routine maintenance, which is expensive and time-consuming. Naturally, any improvements along such lines should further contemplate good engineering practices, such as relative inexpensiveness, stability, flexibility and ease of manufacturing.


Provided is a method for producing a foamed synthetic resin molded body. In this method, in the case where a hole-like portion is a through hole, when foam molding is performed, the occurrence of molding defects such as voids at the periphery of the hole-like portion can be sufficiently prevented or suppressed without forming a burr portion that closes the hole-like portion. Also in this method, in the case where the hole-like portion is a non-through hole, the occurrence of molding defects such as voids at a bottom portion of the hole-like portion can be sufficiently prevented or suppressed.

Seats such as vehicle seats and sofas placed in a house have a seat pad and a skin material. The seat pad is formed of a foamed synthetic resin such as a flexible polyurethane foam or a semirigid polyurethane foam. The skin material is disposed on the surface of the seat pad.
Nowadays, in some case, an airbag device is installed in a vehicle seat so as to inflate an airbag between the occupant and the side surface of a vehicle cabin when, for example, a vehicle is involved in a side crash or a vehicle is overturned. In this case, a through hole or a recess in which the airbag device is housed may be formed in a seat pad. In addition to the above-described case, a variety of hole-like portions may be formed in the seat pad. Examples of the hole-like portions include a recess with which a seat frame is engaged and through holes into which support legs of a head rest, speakers, and so forth are inserted.
In order to form a seat pad having a hole-like portion with a mold, a projection for forming the hole-like portion is provided on the inner surface of the mold. The outer shape of the projection is the same as the inner shape of the hole-like portion. When a seat pad main body is formed by foaming the material of a foamed synthetic resin in the mold, the hole-like portion is formed at a portion where the projection was present after the seat pad has been demolded.
FIG. 15a is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an outline of a typical related-art mold for forming a seat pad having a through hole. FIG. 15b is a longitudinal sectional view of the seat pad formed with this mold. As illustrated in FIG. 15a, a mold 110 includes an upper die 111 and a lower die 112 (and a core according to need). A seat pad 100 is formed by supplying a raw material of a foamed material such as urethane into the lower die 112, clamping together the upper and lower dies 111 and 112, and foaming the raw material. In general, in the mold 110, the seat pad 100 is formed in a position in which a surface thereof opposing an occupant seated in the seat facing downward. In this related-art example, a reinforcing member 101 is integrally formed with a surface of the seat pad 100 opposite to the surface opposing an occupant seated in the seat (hereafter, this opposite surface may be referred to as a rear surface).
In this related-art example, a projection 113 for forming a hole projects from a cavity bottom surface of the lower die 112. By using the projection 113, a hole 102 is formed from the surface opposing an occupant seated in the seat toward the rear surface in the seat pad 100. That is, the hole 102 is formed at a portion where the projection 113 was present during foam molding.
I a state in which the upper and lower dies 111 and 112 are clamped together, a tip end surface (upper end surface) of the projection 113 is slightly separated from a cavity top surface of the upper die 111. The separation is intended to ensure that the upper and lower dies 111 and 112 are in tight contact with each other at a surface where the upper and lower dies 111 and 112 are in contact with each other. The separation is also intended to prevent air from accumulating around the hole 102 during foam molding. That is, by separating the tip end surface of the projection 113 from the cavity top surface of the upper die 111 as described above, even when, during foam molding, air remains in a corner portion where an outer peripheral surface of the projection 113 and the cavity top surface of the upper die 111 intersect each other, the air together with foamed resin enters the gap between the projection 113 and the upper die 111. Accordingly, in the seat pad 100 formed with this mold 110 by foam molding, a burr portion 103 that closes the hole 102 is formed as illustrated in FIG. 15b because the foamed resin enters the gap between the projection 113 and the upper die 111 during foam molding. Thus, the burr portion 103 needs to be removed after the seat pad 100 is demolded.
Japanese Utility Model Publication S55-166622A describes a mold for forming a seat pad. With this mold, removal of the burr portion 103 can be facilitated. FIG. 16a is a longitudinal sectional view of the mold described in the above-described document. FIG. 16b is a longitudinal sectional view of a seat pad formed with this mold. As illustrated in FIG. 16a, in this mold 110′, a recess 114 recessed toward the outside of the mold 110′ is provided in a region of the cavity top surface of the upper die 111, the region opposing the tip end surface of the projection 113. During foam molding, the foamed resin enters the recess 114 through the gap between the tip end surface of the projection 113 and the cavity top surface of the upper die 111. Accordingly, in a seat pad 100′ formed with this mold 110′, a burr block 104 is formed of the foamed resin having entered the recess 114 so as to protrude from the outer surface of the seat pad 100′ as illustrated in FIG. 16b. Thus, when removing the burr portion 103 that closes the hole 102 after the seat pad 100′ has been demolded, the burr portion 103 can be easily removed by picking up the burr block 104.
Japanese Patent Publication 2008-154839A describes a groove (not shown) provided in the surface of the seat pad 100. The groove indicates an area (contour) of the hole 102. In order to remove the burr portion 103 that closes the hole 102 with a cutting means (not shown) such as a cutter, the groove facilitates the removal of the burr portion 103. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-154839 also describes that a cutting recess (not shown) is provided inside this area so as to be in contact with the groove. In order to remove the burr portion 103, the cutting means is inserted into the cutting recess, and the foam is cut from this position along the groove. This allows the burr portion 103 to be comparatively easily removed. According to the above-described document, a housing portion, in which a side airbag device is housed, is defined by the hole 102 after the burr portion 103 has been removed.
In the case where the hole 102 is a non-through hole, in a state in which the mold 110 is clamped, a gap having a predetermined size is formed between the tip end surface of the projection 113 and the cavity top surface of the upper die 111. When the foamed resin enters the gap between the projection 113 and the upper die 111 during foam molding, a bottom portion of a non-through hole 102 is formed.

Foamed synthetic resin molded body and method for producing same


An electronic device includes a frequency analyzing circuit and a color difference calculating circuit. The frequency analyzing circuit receives an image signal including information about a subject, may convert the image signal into first color data which are based on a first color domain, converts the first color data into frequency data which are based on a frequency domain, and applies frequency weights corresponding to the frequency data to the first color data to generate processed color data. The color difference calculating circuit calculates color difference values for evaluating a color stain generated by the image signal, based on the processed color data. The frequency weights are selected based on sensitivity information of an observer according to a frequency change of the frequency data.

Embodiments of the inventive concept described herein relate to an electronic device having a photographing function, and more particularly, relate to an electronic device for analyzing a color stain of a captured image.
An image sensor has been mounted in various types of electronic devices. For example, an electronic device that includes the image sensor may be implemented with one of various types of electronic devices such as a smartphone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a laptop PC, and a wearable device.
The image sensor converts information about a light incoming through a camera lens into a digital signal. An electronic device displays an image in a display panel by using the digital signal.
In the case where the amount of light incoming through the camera lens is insufficient, color stains may appear at an image. In the case where color stains appear, a user typically perceives an image displayed in the display panel as a low-quality image. Accordingly, there is desired a technology for reducing color stains appearing at an image, particularly for images captured in a dark place.

Color stain analyzing method and electronic device using the method


A computing system (118) includes a computer readable storage medium (122) with computer executable instructions (124), including a biophysical simulator (126), and a reference location (128), and a processor (120) configured to the biophysical simulator and simulate a reference FFR value at a predetermined location along a segmented coronary vessel indicated by the reference location. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer readable instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a computing system, causes the processor to simulate a reference FFR value at a predetermined location along a segmented coronary vessel indicated by a predetermined reference location. A method including simulating a reference FFR value at a predetermined location along a segmented coronary vessel indicated by a predetermined reference location.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is an invasive measure in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (Cath Lab) to quantify, via an FFR index, the hemodynamic significance of a coronary lesion due to calcified or soft plaque. The index indicates the functional severity of a coronary stenosis that is calculated from pressure measurements made during coronary arteriography and is defined as the distal blood pressure (behind a stenosis) relative to the proximal pressure (close to the ostium) under hyperemic conditions. As such, the FFR index expresses the maximal flow down a vessel in the presence of a stenosis compared to the maximal flow in the hypothetical absence of the stenosis. The FFR value is a number between 0 and 1, where a value 0.50 indicates that a given stenosis causes a 50% drop in blood pressure. The established clinical threshold for functionally significance is 0.8 i.e. lesions with smaller FFR value should be treated.
An invasive FFR procedure requires insertion of a catheter into the femoral or radial arteries and advancement of the catheter to the stenosis where a sensor at the tip of the catheter senses pressure, temperature, and flow across the stenosis, during conditions promoted by various agents that affect vessel geometry, compliance and resistance, and/or other characteristics. A non-invasive approach (FFR-CT) estimates an FFR index from CT image data of the heart (e.g., from contrast enhanced coronary computed tomography angiography, CCTA) through computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations in which blood flow and pressure through the coronaries are simulated. This includes using CCTA image data to derive a geometrical model of the coronary tree and determine boundary conditions therefrom for the simulation.
In general, the blood pressure behind a stenosis (the distal blood pressure) drops with increased distance from the end of the stenosis. For example, due to friction laws, pressure measurements at more distal locations will yield smaller values as compared to pressure measurements at less distal locations, and this effect is more severe with smaller vessels than with larger vessels. As a consequence, an FFR value will depend on the location along the coronary artery where the FFR value is computed. As such, FFR values are not readily comparable across patients, clinicians, healthcare facilities, etc., e.g., due to differences/inconsistencies with regards to the locations selected by the clinicians for performing the FFR measurement.

Standardized coronary artery disease metric


A polypropylene composition comprising 20 to 95% by weight of a stereoregular polypropylene characterized by the specified physical properties determined from .sup.13 C NMR spectra and 5 to 80% by weight of an .alpha.-olefin copolymer comprising 10 to 90% by weight of an .alpha.-olefin and 10 to 90% by weight of at least one of other .alpha.-olefins. The polypropylene composition demonstrates good balance of rigidity and impact resistance, high heat resistance and high toughness, when used as molding materials.

A crystalline polypropylene has been extensively used in the field of various moldings, because of good mechanical properties, good chemical resistance or the like, very useful balance with economy. However, the use of a propylene homopolymer as the crystalline polypropylene brings about an increase in rigidity, but lack of impact resistance. Therefore, an improvement in impact resistance has been made by a method of adding an ethylene/propylene rubber, an ethylene/propylene/diene rubber or the like to the propylene homopolymer and a method for the polymerization of propylene alone, followed by the copolymerization of ethylene and propylene to produce a so-called block copolymer. However, more improvement in balance of rigidity and impact resistance has been desired. Further, there is a strong desire for the improvement in performance of polypropylene, in particular its heat resistance and toughness with the aim of expanding the use limited in prior polypropylene.
It is known that an isotactic polypropylene is produced by the polymerization of propylene, using a catalyst consisiting of a combination of a metallocene and an aluminoxane which is different from the prior catalyst systems. It is also known that the so-called block copolymer is produced by the polymerizatiuon of propylene alone using a similar catalyst, followed by the copolymerization of ethylene and propylene.
For example, Japanese Patent Kokai Hei 4-337308 discloses an example using as the metallocene dimethylsilyl bis(2,4-dimethylcyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride, Japanese Patent Kokai Hei 6-287257 discloses an example using dimethylsilyl bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)hafnium dichloride, Japanese Patent Kokai Hei 5-202152 and Hei 6-206921 disclose an example using rac-ethylene bis(indenyl)hafnium dichloride, rac-dimethylsilyl bis(indenyl)hafnium dichloride and rac-phenylmethylsilyl bis(indenyl)hafnium dichloride and Japanese Patent Kokai Hei 6-172414 discloses an example using dimethylsilylene bis(2-methylindenyl)zirconium dichloride and dimethylsilylene bis(tetrahydroindenyl)zirconium dichloride.
The propylene/ethylene block copolymers produced by use of those metallocenes have achieved to some extent an improvement in impact resistance, but there is room for improvement in rigidity and heat resistance.
Thus, a problem involved in the polypropylene composition produced by known processes is more improvement in the balance of rigidity and impact resistance, heat resistance and toughness.


The present invention makes beneficial use of, rather than replacing, a vehicle's snowplow headgear by combining the headgear with a tire/wheel mounting assembly. A headgear includes a lower horizontal support member parallel to the ground at about frame level, and a pair of substantially vertical uprights connected to the ends of the horizontal support member to form, when viewed from the front, a U or O-shaped support headgear structure. A power ram with a base is normally removably secured in a receiving socket on horizontal support member that forms the bottom of the "U/O" of the headgear. That ram is removed and the tire/wheel assembly is securely mounted in its place.

2. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to a method and apparatus for front-mounted spare tire/wheel assemblies. It pertains more particularly to a method and rack for mounting a spare tire/wheel assembly on a snowplow headgear located at the front of a pickup truck or similar type utility vehicle.
2. Description of Prior Art
The use of a front-mounted tire rack is known in the prior art. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,482,749 to Cooper and 4,989,765 to Huebner are fairly representative of the art illustrating a front-mounted rack. Such front-mounted carriers and/or racks often suffer numerous drawbacks associated with their design and their various methods of attachment. Heretofore, the racks required that the tire/wheel assembly support structures be attached to the vehicle bumper, frame and/or grill support structures.
While the frame is a secure mounting location, it is often awkward to implement. Grill and bumper attachments, while much more convenient for installation/removal purposes, are not at all secure. Over the long haul, such front mount-approaches suffer from rattles, instability, metal fatigue and serious attachment deficiencies.
Additional problems are faced if one seeks to use a front-mounted tire/wheel assembly on vehicles equipped with a snowplow unit. This invention represents a solution to such problems by putting the snowplow headgear to work as a solid and reliable support base.
To fully understand the present invention it is necessary to, at least casually, be familiar with the actual structure and operation of a snowplow's headgear. A snowplow headgear is a bulky steel structure that requires several large bolts to securely fasten the front-mounted headgear proper to several frame mounted supports under the vehicle. The headgear is in line with the frame and is equipped at its forward end with a snowplow blade. The headgear under the vehicle is adapted with pushplates that absorb and handle the large snow load forces against the blade.
Several different popular types of snowplow units are currently available. In all of them, however, the headgear has essentially vertical "U" or "O"-shaped uprights and horizontal structural member(s) in front of the vehicle's grill in order to provide a secure mounting location for a snowplow blade and a power blade lifting mechanism. The lifting of the blade is commonly done by a hydraulically or electrically operated ram or motor.
A ram's function is to lift the blade, hold it at a desired height and then, using gravity and the weight of the blade, lower the blade. An operator within the vehicle controls the lifting and releasing of a hydraulic lock created in the ram. In the art, the ram is often called a "lift cylinder" and it will sometimes be referred to in that manner in this application.
Several well known ram driving systems of the hydraulic type are in common use. Such systems require connections to the vehicle's engine and dashboard control levers by a series of mechanical and/or electrical cables. Either engine driven or electric driven hydraulic pumps are mounted in the engine compartment or sometimes on the headgear itself.
In any event, electrical cables also run between the vehicle and the snowplow lights. Additional headlight control switches are also installed within the cab. The operator manipulates these various controls, in a well known manner, to control the snowplow blade and lights during snow removing operations.
Headgear, regardless of type of manufacture, is awkward to install and remove. Furthermore, if removed it must also be stored. Thus, as a practical matter, for a large majority of instances, the headgear, once installed, is left in place on the vehicle throughout the summer months. In distinction, however, the snowplow blade is relatively easy to remove and re-install.
One typical popular model of a snowplow unit is manufactured by Fisher Engineering P.O. Box 529, Rockland Me. A copy of the owner's manual for such a Fisher snowplow is submitted herewith since it covers in detail the description and operation of a snowplow headgear which is useful for receiving the tire mount tire/wheel assembly of this invention. Applicant herewith incorporates by reference pages 3 through 10 of the attached owner's manual, as though those designated pages were set forth in full at this point in this application.
Having briefly reviewed the structure and operation of a typical snowplow unit, it now can be seen that several obstacles stand in the path of successfully employing a front-mounted tire rack on a vehicle equipped with a snowplow headgear. First, the headgear must be removed to clear a location for the front-mounted rack. As seen, such removal is both complex and time-consuming.
Next, removal of snowplow headgear involves cutting and/or disconnecting several mechanical and/or electrical connections, hydraulic lines and removing various pins, bolts and nuts. Generally speaking it normally takes an one hour or longer to accomplish this removal. More time is involved if, as is sometimes the case, electrical lines must be cut, spliced and fitted with suitable connectors.
Moreover, each time a conversion from snowplow to spare tire rack (or vice-a-versa) is required, the numerous connection/removal problems reappear. Additionally, it is always necessary to store the removed structure. In summary then, the time lost and inconvenience involved with these conversions largely offsets whatever usefulness the front-mounted tire racks of the prior art may have offered.
The invention, however, allows simple and easy installation and removal of a front-mounted tire/wheel assembly on a snowplow headgear. Moreover, the front-mounted tire rack of this invention has a unity mounting post and tire/wheel bracket that allows the entire spare tire rack (with spare tire still mounted) to be removed as a single unit. In summary, therefore, this invention teaches and claims, for the first time, a new and novel method and apparatus for a front-mounted tire rack on a snowplow headgear.

Front-mounted spare tire rack for snowplow headgear


Method to obtain simultaneously in the cold state a plurality of sections and/or bars (14), starting with a hot-rolled single multiple-section element (10) which is then cooled (12), the sections and/or bars (14) being deemed to be small sections and/or bars (14) in relation to the typical dimensional category of the specific rolling mill (11), the single multiple-section element (10) comprising a plurality of sections and/or bars (14) which have a symmetrical, asymmetric or special cross-section, a web (23) possibly being included between one section and/or bar (14) and another, the hot-rolled single multiple-section element (10) being cooled (12) in line with the rolling mill (11) and then undergoing, without a break of continuity, an operation in the cold state of simultaneous lengthwise splitting (13) to separate the individual small sections and/or bars (14). The single multiple-section element and the resulting individual sections are also protected.

This invention concerns a method to obtain a plurality of sections and/or bars (long products) in the cold state at one and the same time; the invention concerns also the sections and/or bars thus obtained.
The method consists in obtaining from a hot rolled product a multiple-section element including a finished plurality of sections and/or bars, in cooling this multiple profile in a production line and in arranging to split the various sections and/or bars in the cold state at one and the same time without interrupting continuous production.
To be more exact, this invention concerns a method for obtaining simultaneously in the cold state a plurality of sections and/or bars of long products from one single multiple-section element having a special multiple profile produced in a hot rolling mill, with the plurality of sections or bars joined together lengthwise by webs.
Nowadays, the hot rolling mills to obtain long products in particular, and not only those which serve to obtain sections, are sized on the basis of the hourly capacity of the heating furnaces, the power of the drive motors, the rolling mill stands, the transmission means and the lubrication and cooling services; moreover, they have to take account of the desired output and the rolling stresses generated by the thicker sections.
It follows that, when a given rolling mill is producing smaller sections or the smallest sections, the conversion costs increase appreciably because the plant is not employed correctly with the technology of the state of the art.
For this reason rolling plants are dimensioned in relation to a limited dimensional range of products so that the rolling mill will provide an acceptable average efficiency in relation to the sizes processed.
The plants therefore are designed, in fact, specially and are classified according to the four dimensional categories of sections and/or bars; these dimensional categories are defined as small, medium, heavy and extra-heavy sections and/or bars.
This means that, to cover a broad slice of the market in a reasonable and adequate manner, a producer is compelled to have a plurality of hot rolling plants so as to be able to produce economically more than one dimensional category of sections and/or bars.
A producer who has one given rolling plant will have to be content with producing only that specific dimensional category of sections and/or bars.
The state of the art includes the hot rolling of two or more small sections at the same time; these small sections are hot rolled at the same time while forming one single element which comprises these sections joined together lengthwise.
Immediately after the hot rolling these small sections are split from each other lengthwise in the hot state in the rolling mill itself.
These small sections and/or bars thus split in the hot state create great handling problems because they cannot be controlled adequately in the three-dimensional positioning they take up. These problems occur mainly in the braking services, in the cooling, in the measuring, in the separation, in the preparation of layers of the sections and/or bars, in the feed to the straightening process and generally in all the other processes downstream of the hot rolling and splitting.
The reason for this is that the automatic handling of a plurality of bars and/or sections in the hot state arriving at the same time in the services downstream of the hot rolling and splitting leads to piling up, twisting, uneven cooling, misalignments, bending, etc.
This entails severe problems as regards production, design, construction, use and running and also safety. The state of the art requires also a great number of persons employed in the services downstream of the hot rolling and splitting since the automation of the operations of finishing, packaging and possible quality control in-line in the plant manufacturing long finished products becomes complex, complicated and not always capable of being resolved satisfactorily.

Method to obtain sections and/or bars in the cold state, and sections and/or bars thus obtained


A novel compound of the following formulas useful in treating immune-related diseases, inflammation, stoke, epilepsy, dystonias, psychoses, anxiety, and depression: ##STR1##

The classification and nomenclature of phencyclidine and sigma receptor sites have been reviewed (Trends Neuroscience 1987; 10:444-446 and Clin. Neuropharmacol. 1988; 11:105). The structural determinants of sigma receptor affinity have been described (Mol. Pharmacol. 1987; 32:772-784 ). The compounds of the present invention have been found to have high affinity for the sigma site.
Sigma binding sites are found in the brain (J. M. Walker, et al, Pharmacol. Rev. 1990; 42:355) and have been implicated in a number of disease states such as psychosis and various motor disorders (dystonias and dyskinesia). For example, the mode of action of the potential antipsychotic rimcazole and BMY 14802 is believed to be related in part to an interaction through sigma sites (D. P. Taylor, et al, J. Drug Der. Res. 1987; 11:65). However, controversy exists as to the actual role of sigma sites in antipsychotic drug action (K. L. R. Jansen, Clin. Neuropharm. 1988; 11:565). High concentrations of sigma receptors are found in the red nucleus (RN), an area involved in posture and movement. It is reported that microinjection of sigma ligands to the RN of rats causes abnormal postural changes (dystonias) (J. M. Walker, et al, Neurology 1988; 8:961). Abnormal sigma binding patterns have been observed in brain from genetically dystonic rats (W. D. Bowen, et al, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 1988; 147:153). Also, certain steroids are naturally occurring ligands for the sigma binding site (T. Su, et al, Science 1988; 148:467), which raises the possibility that the sigma site may mediate some aspects of steroid-induced mental disturbances and alterations in immune functions. Further, sigma binding sites are found in spleen and lymphocytes (T. Su, et al, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 1988; 148:467 and S. A. Wolfe, et al, Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 1987; 13: 1437 ), suggesting that sigma binding sites may play an important role in the immune system.
Since the sigma binding site was first postulated in 1976 (W. R. Martin, et al, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 1976; 197:517), a great number of studies have been carried out to discover its nature and function ( J. M. Walker, Pharmacol. Rev. 1990; 42:355). Despite the considerable amount of work, there are no known commercially available agonists or antagonists for the sigma binding sites. DuP 734 [1-(cyclopropylmethyl)-4-(2',4"-fluoroethyl)-2'-oxoethyl ) piperidine HBr] which has antipsychotic properties, is believed to be a sigma binding site antagonist (L. Cook, et al, Abstract 133.8, p. 333, Society for Neuroscience, 21st Annual Meeting, New Orleans, La., Nov. 10-15, 1991). The availability of selective sigma ligands is highly desirable as tools to further unravel the biological and pharmacological role played by sigma sites.


An apparatus for continuously winding a length of material into a helical form includes a frame structure and a plurality of rollers mounted on the frame structure. Each roller has a non-grooved surface with portions of a different diameter, a longitudinal axis and oppositely positioned first and second ends, and the plurality of rollers are arranged about a winder axis in a substantially circular fashion. The rollers are individually rotatably driven and the first and second ends of each roller are offset with respect to one another as viewed from one end of the respective roller along a line parallel to the winder axis and passing through the longitudinal axis of the respective roller at the one end of the respective roller. The method includes continuously feeding a length material onto a plurality of rollers that are arranged in a substantially cylindrical manner about a winder axis so that the outer surfaces of the rollers define a cylindrical winder surface about which the material is to be wound. The individual rollers are individually driven about respective axes that are non-parallel to the winder axis to thereby cause the material to be automatically wound in a helical manner about the winder surface and to continuously move along the length of the rollers.

It is oftentimes useful and desirable to form tubing, such as plastic tubing, into a helical form. One type of apparatus known for winding the tubing into a helical form involves the use of a rotating and translating drum. The rotating and translating drum is operated by placing the hot extruded PVC tubing on the drum and then rotating and simultaneously axially translating the drum to cause the tubing to form a helical pattern around the drum. After the drum is filled, the tubing is cut and the drum is removed and replaced with an empty drum. The full drums are set aside for a period of time to cool and form the material in the helical form.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages that accompany the use of such a rotating and translating drum. For example, the apparatus does not permit the tubing to be continuously wound into a helical form. Quite the contrary, the winding operation must be interrupted rather frequently. The apparatus also does not include a suitable cooling arrangement that allows the tubing to be cooled. Also, the apparatus does not lend itself to the automated chopping or cutting of the tubing. Additionally, an operator is required for the drum changeover. Further, there is a significant amount of material waste between drums and at each end of the drum where the orientation of the tubing is not maintained. The net result, therefore, is that the use of such an apparatus causes a significant amount of waste as well as a sizable decrease in productivity.

Apparatus and method for continuously winding a length of material into a helical form


There is provided a network device comprising a physical queue management processor configured to manage attributes of physical queues of data packets. The network device further comprises a scheduling processor which is configured to manage scheduling nodes that establish a scheduling hierarchy among the physical queues in a network, utilizing a bi-directional mapping of the physical queues to logical queues. The network device further comprises a traffic management processor which is configured to modify the bi-directional mapping mentioned above.

1. Field
The current disclosure relates to traffic management and queuing solutions which include hierarchical packet schedulers.
2. Background
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Traffic management and queuing solutions include packet (or cell) schedulers which have hierarchies; these hierarchies organize queues and traffic aggregations in the form of trees according to the network structure, and scheduling is performed on a contiguous range of queues or scheduling nodes and at each hierarchical level of the trees. The need for scheduling using queues may arise for example in a network in which allocation of resources to many competing independent entities must be performed. In such a case, the entities are arranged in queues awaiting allocation of the resources. Another scenario in which scheduling using queues is used is in managing the egress of messages in a network to ensure that a traffic volume remains within limitations imposed by service agreements even when new users are added, removed or migrated. In both cases, the queues may be arranged in queue ranges and the ranges may be associated with one or more scheduling nodes. A scheduling hierarchy of a scheduling node is thus an order with which specified queue ranges are serviced.

Dynamic reshuffling of traffic management scheduler hierarchy


A CDMA cellular/PCS telecommunications cell of increased capacity includes a plurality of sectors controlled by a base station unit using a defined set of CDMA codes for each sector. Capacity is increased by adding a second base station unit operating at a different, non-interfering frequency.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of digital cellular wireless telecommunications. In particular, the present invention is concerned with a cell for CDMA, wireless telecommunications in which capacity is increased by reconfiguring sector operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of CDMA cellular/PCS telecommunications, a typical cell includes a base station unit controlling wireless communications using three sector antennas, each covering 120xc2x0. The base station unit uses a predefined set of sixty-four CDMA Walsh codes for each sector, with one of the codes used for pilot channel, another for synchronization, one commonly used for paging, and the remainder available for ordinary traffic.
In actual usage, however, all of the remaining channels cannot be used for traffic because of noise accumulated in the band due to a variety of reasons such as interference from adjacent cells and unused multi-path signals. With the distinct advantages of PCS/cellular communications, demand for service is substantial and in some cases, may exceed cell capacity. In the prior art, one of the solutions has been to add more base stations at the same cells to provide increased capacity. This is an expensive solution because it requires additional base stations and equipment.
The present invention solves the prior art problems discussed above and provides a distinct advance in the state of the art. In particular, the system hereof provides an economical and time effective way in which to increase the capacity of a cell in a cellular/PCS telecommunications network.
The preferred cell includes a cell site configured into a plurality of sectors having a plurality of antennas coupled with a base station unit for controlling transmission and reception over-the antennas using selected ones of a defined set of CDMA codes for each of the sectors. The preferred cell includes a plurality of antennas configuring the cell into a plurality of sectors with one base station unit operating at two different frequencies. Each sector includes two antennas coupled with one base station unit which provides two frequencies thereby increasing cell capacity.

Cellular/PCS CDMA system with increased sector capacity by using two radio frequencies


Improved AC/DC conversion in power supplies having an isolation transformer located between rectified-AC input and DC output leads. The transformer is given a primary winding having one or more taps, and a positive input lead is connected thereto by a corresponding number of intermediate leads, each containing selected components. The improvement not only enables power factor correction (PFC) but also desired adjustment of or control over other operational variables, such as bulk capacitor voltage stress, output regulation, and overall efficiency, often at a reduction in circuit complexity and cost.

Conventional methods of adequate power factor correction (PFC), especially for consolidated (single-stage) AC/DC converters, include contributions described in U.S. patents and/or in technical reports.
Notable patented examples include the following: "Single Conversion Power Factor Correction Using SEPIC Converter" by Fraidlin, Slack and Wadlington in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,185 (1992)--good power factor but low-frequency ripple in output voltage and slow transient response; also "High Power Factor AC/DC Converter" by Teramoto, Sekine, and Saito in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,095 (1994)--a PFC corrective design with a sole high-frequency capacitor, but the primary diode undergoes hard switching unsuited to high-frequency operation, while input and load ranges are narrow in the absence of extensive frequency modulation; and, more recently, "Input Harmonic Current Corrected AC-to-DC Converter with Multiple-Coupled Primary Windings" by Ho and Lee in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,546 (1997)--a single-stage PFC AC/DC converter with one power switch and one magnetic component, its energy-storage capacitor so highly voltage-stressed as to limit power factor to about 0.8, and pulsating input with high switching AC ripple requiring optimal EMI filtration, and with the switching diode undergoing hard switching.
Notable examples of contributions to the technical literature include "Integrated High Quality Rectifier-Regulators" by Madigan, Erickson, and Ismail in their 1992 PESC Record article describing so-called BIFRED (and BIBRED)--designs of very good power factor and regulation, but not so good efficiency, and also nearly as bulky as earlier designs; also "A New Family of Single-Stage Power-Factor Correctors with Fast Regulation of the Output Voltage" by Redl, Balogh, and Sokal in their 1994 PESC Record article--teaching PFC correction with a sole diode, but imposing high switching stresses because of deep discontinuous conduction and requiring a large EMI filter, very bulky; and also, more recently, "Single-Stage Single-Switch Isolated Power Supply Technique with Input-Current Shaping and Fast Output-Voltage Regulation for Universal Input-Voltage-Range Operations" by Huber and Jovanovic in their 1997 APEC Proceedings IEEE article--describing a converter reasonably capable of 0.9 power factor and 400 V capacitors but requiring a complicated power transformer, with at least three primary windings, heavily dependent upon transformer leakage inductance, very resistant to adequate control.
My present invention relies heavily upon reduction in number of components via intermediate tapping of transformer primary windings.

Single-stage AC/DC conversion with PFC-tapped transformers


X-ray images are generated from a CCD image sensor having an image section and at least one storage section by performing a first X-ray exposure during a first time interval (T.sub.1) which is shorter than the read-out period (T.sub.r) of an image stored in the storage section of the CCD image sensor (7) to form a first image in the image section, transferring the first image from the image section to the storage section after expiration of the first time interval (T.sub.1), performing a second X-ray exposure directly after or a small interval in time after the first X-ray exposure during a second time interval (T.sub.2) which is short in comparison with the read-out period (T.sub.r) to form a second image in the image section, reading out the first image from the storage section and writing the first image into a further memory, transferring the second image from the image section to the storage section after reading out the first image, and reading out the second image and summing it with the first image written in the further memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of generating X-ray images by means of an X-ray image converter and a CCD image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a method and X-ray apparatus are known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,336. They are based on an image sensor which converts the output image of an X-ray image intensifier into electric signal and which is conceived for a given image frequency (30 frames per second). At the end of each image period, the image is transferred, using a transfer pulse, to the storage section of the CCD image sensor wherefrom it is read out during the generating of the next image. In order to enable the such an image sensor to form also X-ray images whose exposure time exceeds one image period the series of transfer pulses is interrupted during an X-ray exposure.
In the case of an angiographic examination, for example an examination of the coronary vessels by means of a contrast medium, however, the aim is to obtain an X-ray image in an as short as possible period of time. Such an examination first takes place in a fluoroscopy made during which the examination zone is continuously irradiated with a comparatively low dose rate. The fluoroscopic images have a small signal-to-noise ratio due to the low dose administered or the small dose per fluoroscopic image. The image quality thus obtained, however, is sufficient to trace the propagation of the contrast medium in the vessels.
In order to enable reproduction of given phases of propagation of the contrast medium, X-ray images are made. These X-ray exposures are repeated with a time interval which is long in comparison with the duration of an image period (in the fluoroscopy mode). In order to obtain a suitable signal-to-noise ratio, each X-ray exposure requires a dose which is substantially higher than these of a single image in the fluoroscopy mode, and the exposure duration should be shorter than the duration of one image period in the fluoroscopy mode in order to ensure that the motional unsharpness in the X-ray image remains limited.
However, it has been found that such CCD image sensor is not capable of achieving the image quality that can be achieved by means of a directly exposed X-ray-film intensifier foil system with such high doses and high spatial frequencies.
It is an object of the present invention to conceive a method of the kind set forth so that an improved image quality of the X-ray image is achieved, also in the case of fast physiological processes. This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the method comprises the following steps:
a) Performing a first X-ray image exposure during a first time interval which is shorter than the read-out period of an image stored in the storage section of the CCD image sensor,
b) transferring the first image generated in the image section of the CCD image sensor during the first X-ray exposure to the storage section thereof after expiration of the first time interval,
c) performing a second X-ray exposure directly after or at a short distance in time from the first X-ray exposure during a second time interval which is short in comparison with the read-out period,
d) reading out the first image from the storage section and writing the image into a further memory,
e) transferring the second image to the storage section after the reading out of the first image,
f) reading out the second image and summing it with the first image stored in the further memory so as to produce the X-ray image.
The invention is based on the following considerations:
In the case of a small X-ray dose per single image, the signal-to-noise ratio of this single image is determined essentially by the statistics of the X-ray quanta, because the noise caused by the transfer chain consisting of the X-ray image converter and the CCD sensor is negligibly small in comparison with the quantum noise.
In the case of a high X-ray dose per single image, however, the limited storage capacity of the CCD image sensor becomes manifest: customary CCD image sensors can only store a given number of electrons per CCD cell (a CCD cell stores a charge corresponding to the brightness at a pixel). For video sensors, this number amounts to from 50,000 to 100,000 electrons. In order to avoid overdriving of the CCD image sensor, the mean image brightness should correspond to a lower number, for example 20,000. This corresponds to a white noise (shot noise) of 141 electrons. This noise is independent of the spatial frequency.
However, because of the pronounced decrease of the modulation transfer function for high spatial frequencies, the brightness signal (and hence the associated noise determined by the statistics of the X-ray quanta) is reduced to such an extent that the noise is no longer determined by the statistics of the X-ray quanta, but rather by the statistics of the charge carriers that can be stored in a CCD cell. The spatial resolution of the detector is thus limited.
In accordance with the invention, the image quality is improved in that (at least) two images are added so as to form an X-ray image so that the number of electrons per pixel is increased accordingly by a factor 2. As a result, the signal-to-noise ratio determined by the statistic of the charge carriers that can be stored in a CCD cell is increased in conformity with the square root of this factor (3 dB).
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,336 it is known per se to add a plurality of single images generated during an image period so as to obtain an X-ray image. Therefore, the exposure time of such an X-ray image amounts to a multiple of a single image period (40 ms). Therefore, the known method is suitable only for slowly moving or even stationary structures. This known method is not suitable for the recording of fast motions, for example the propagation of a contrast medium in the coronary vessels.

Method of generating X-ray images, and X-ray apparatus for carrying out the method