A method for continuously preparing nanoparticles including a noble metal or an alloy thereof belongs to the technical field of preparation of inorganic nanomaterials. A three-way quartz tube microreactor is designed; noble metal solutions used as raw materials are continuously inputted into the microreactor by injection pumps; and a plasma technology is coupled to form discharge in the microreactor to directly prepare nanoparticles including a noble metal or an alloy thereof. The device and the method have low energy consumption, wide operation range, safety, high efficiency, green and environmental protection. The synthesized nanoparticles have high purity, small size, narrow particle size distribution and adjustable components.

Nanoparticles are particles with a particle size of 1-100 nm, and have been widely used in the fields of low temperature thermal conductive materials, fluorescent materials and photoelectric devices due to high surface activity and electrical and catalytic performance. Particularly, the unique surface plasma resonance phenomenon of noble metal nanomaterials shows excellent optical performance. In recent years, gas-liquid plasma has gradually become a novel strengthening technology for green synthesis of nanoparticles comprising a noble metal or an alloy thereof. In the technology, with a precursor solution containing noble metal as raw material, high energy electrons and active particles in plasma (such as ions, free radicals, metastable atoms and radiation photons) act with reactants to directly obtain nanoparticles comprising a noble metal or an alloy thereof. The electrons are used as reducing agents in the process so that the reaction is completed in microseconds and chemical reducing agents and stabilizing agents are avoided. In addition, because of low liquid phase temperature and rapid heat dissipation, the agglomeration among the nanoparticles can be effectively reduced and inhibited to obtain a product with high purity and small particle size. In recent years, the microchannel technology has been gradually found as a method for preparing nanomaterials in addition to the gas-liquid plasma. The microchannel technology replaces intermittent operation with continuous flow, realizes continuous preparation of the nanoparticles in a microreactor with a feature size of 1 μm to 1 mm, and has the advantages of narrow residence time distribution, high heat and mass transfer rate, stable product quality and good uniformity. In addition, the flow rate of each reactant can be accurately controlled to synthesize multielement alloy nanomaterial with specific composition. If the two technologies are coupled, it is expected to prepare high-quality nanoparticles in a green, efficient and continuously controllable manner.
The patent CN102909388A discloses a method for preparing gold and silver alloy nanoparticles by using a hybrid reaction solution of silver nitrate and chloroauric acid treated by microplasma. The method can only intermittently reduce the noble metal salt solution to obtain the corresponding nanoalloy materials, and is not conducive to large-scale application. The present invention can realize continuous preparation of the nanoparticles by coupling the microchannel technology and the plasma technology, regulate the flow speed of the solution through a microchannel, control the residence time of a precursor under the plasma to avoid heat accumulation, and obtain the nanoparticles with good uniformity and high purity.
The patent CN101342600A discloses a method for continuously preparing silver nanoparticles by reducing silver ions with plant water extract in a tubular reactor. The plant water extract of the invention has complicated preparation steps and weak reducing ability. In addition, the device involves a heating device, which increases the energy consumption. The present invention only needs a metal salt solution as the precursor and high-energy electrons as the reducing agents, which is convenient and efficient; and a series of binary (multielement) alloy nanoparticles can be prepared by regulating the type of the reactants. In addition, the reactor has simple structure and is easy to realize the regulation of the nanomaterial.
As a new method for preparing functional nanomaterial, the plasma has attracted more and more attention due to the advantages of normal pressure operation, high activity and nonequilibrium chemistry. At present, various metals, carbon materials, silicon materials and composite nanomaterials have been prepared by adjusting the structure of the plasma, a power supply, the precursor and the like. However, most of the existing plasma devices conduct intermittent operation, and cannot flexibly control the composition and the particle size of products; and the reactor is generally complicated and expensive.

Method for continuously preparing nanoparticles comprising a noble metal or an alloy thereof


A pipe coupling device that secures a first pipe to a second pipe. The pipe coupling device includes a collet disposed within a collar having a fastening mechanism. The collet includes a first collet portion that interlocks with a second collet portion to form a seal that fastens the first pipe securely to the second pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a pipe coupling device that secures a first pipe to a second pipe, and in particular to providing an evenly distributed circumferential fastening force to seal and secure the two pipes to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous pipe coupling devices are currently available on the market today. This art has shown that many of the commercially available pipe coupling devices are devised from a plethora of various coupling mechanisms, including using straps to brace two pipes adjacent to each other.
The disadvantage with these conventional pipe coupling devices is that the pipes being linked together are oftentimes deformed as a consequence of the non-uniform clamping force applied by conventional devices. Thus, it was not always possible to reuse these coupling devices and/or the pipes that were being joined together. Attempts have been made in the past to effectively fasten two pipes together without causing deformation to the pipes, however, there has been little success. Furthermore, the conventional pipe coupling devices fail to secure the two pipes in a manner in which a securing force is evenly distributed circumferentially onto the pipes.

Device and method for making and using a pipe coupling device


The balance comprising a felloe (3), arms (4) connecting the felloe (3) to the balance staff and inertia blocks (11) is characterized in that the felloe (3) includes studs (7) in its inner surface, a threaded hole (9) into which said inertia blocks (11) are screwed from the inside, without passing beyond the external surface of the felloe (3), passing through said felloe (3) and said studs (7).

Currently, a balance for a watch movement comprises a wheel-shaped part including the felloe (or rim), the arms and a certain arrangement of inertia blocks, which are secured to the felloe of the balance and which, by adjusting their positions, allow the unbalance and moment of inertia of the balance to be altered.
The oscillation frequency f of a sprung balance oscillator is given by the relation:1/f=2π(I/M)0,5 where I is the moment of inertia of the balance about its axis of rotation and M is the resilient couple of the balance spring, expressed in Nm/rad. The usual frequencies of watch oscillators range from 2.5 Hz to 5 Hz, by steps of 0.5 Hz so that a duration of one second corresponds to an integer number of oscillator vibrations. A movement is thus designed for a given frequency and the sprung balance assembly must have that frequency. In the above formula, it can be seen that the pertinent parameter of the balance is the moment of inertia. Since the role of the arms is very limited in the moment of inertia, the latter depends foremost upon the dimensions (diameter and cross section) and density of the felloe and the elements connected thereto.
In some cases, the designer of a timepiece movement may wish to use a balance of relatively large diameters, for example for aesthetic reasons. Increasing the diameter without changing the moment of inertia can be achieved either by decreasing the cross section of the felloe or by using a less dense material. In both cases, the balance will have less mass, which reduces friction in the bearings, and thus interference with the isochronism of the balance depending upon the positions (vertical and horizontal) of the movement. However, a felloe of reduced cross section becomes too weak, especially if it has to carry the adjusting inertia blocks.


With a camera, a photographing prohibition state can surely be recognized only by viewing a liquid crystal display. In the camera, an LCD with a variable transmissivity is disposed within a finder. A film is fed by a film feed section. When a film rewinding operation by the film feed section is completed, a CPU instructs an LCD drive section to lower the transmissivity of the LCD.

The present invention relates to a camera having a liquid crystal display (LCD) in a finder.
There are known various prior-art techniques wherein an LCD is used for display in a finder of a camera.
The LCD displays, for example, an AF (auto-focus) target mark, various photographing modes, and switching of the angle of view for, e.g. a panorama picture or a normal picture. The types of conventionally used LCDs are, for example, so-called Guest Host type LCDs and TN (Twisted Nematic) type LCDs.
It has recently been proposed, as described in Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 5-165017, to use a high-molecular dispersion type liquid crystal for an LCD in the finder of the camera. The high-molecular dispersion type liquid crystal described in this prior-art publication is a so-called positive type liquid crystal which takes a non-transmissive state when a voltage is applied, and takes a transmissive state when a voltage is not.
On the other hand, there is known a so-called negative-type high-molecular dispersion type liquid crystal which takes a transmissive state when a voltage is applied, and takes a non-transmissive state when a voltage is not.
The LCD using the high-molecular dispersion type liquid crystal has a high degree of dispersion and, where it is used in the finder of the camera, the intensity of light arriving at the eye is very weak. Accordingly, compared to the Guest Host type or TN type, a finder with high contrast can be fabricated.
Even in conventional Guest Host type LCDs, there are negative-type ones. In these years, various kinds of liquid crystals have become applicable to the finder of the camera.
In the meantime, a vigorous developmental effort is in progress to achieve full automatic operations of cameras, and in some types of cameras a photographing operation is automatically prohibited in situations which do not permit photographing.
Such cameras, however, have problems. In particular, the user may inadvertently attempt a photographing operation in such situations requiring a prohibition of photographing, which may easily occur to any users, that a film has been rewound but not yet been removed or a new film has been set but an auto-load operation for preparation of photographing has failed.
The object of the present invention is to provide a camera which enables a user to exactly determine whether a photographing-prohibition state has occurred or not, only by viewing a liquid crystal display (LCD).
In order to achieve this object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display with a variable transmissivity, disposed within a finder; camera operation means for executing predetermined camera operations; determination means for determining whether the camera operation means is normal or whether the predetermined camera operations have normally been executed; and liquid crystal control means for varying the transmissivity of the liquid crystal display on the basis of a determination result of the determination means.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display with a variable transmissivity, disposed within a finder; film feed means for feeding a film; and liquid crystal control means for temporarily lowering a transmissivity of the liquid crystal display after a film rewinding operation by the film feed means is completed.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display disposed within a finder; film feed means for feeding a film; and liquid crystal control means for controlling the liquid crystal display such that a transmissivity of the finder varies, when a film rewinding operation by the film feed means is completed.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display device disposed within a finder; a liquid crystal drive circuit for driving the liquid crystal display device; a film feed mechanism for feeding a film loaded in the camera; and a CPU for controlling the film feed mechanism to execute a rewinding operation for rewinding the film and, after completion of the rewinding operation, varies a transmissivity of the liquid crystal display device through the liquid crystal drive circuit.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a film loading chamber in which a film is to be loaded; a film loading chamber cover for opening and closing the film loading chamber; a liquid crystal display disposed within a finder; film feed means for executing an auto-loading windup operation for the film when the film is put in the film loading chamber and the film loading chamber cover is closed; and liquid crystal control means for lowering a transmissivity of the finder when the auto-loading windup operation by the film feed means has failed.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display disposed within a finder; film feed means for executing an auto-load windup feeding operation for a film; determination means for determining whether the auto-load windup feeding operation by the film feed means has normally been executed; and liquid crystal control means for controlling a transmissivity of the liquid crystal display on the basis of a determination result of the determination means.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display disposed within a finder; release signal output means for outputting a release signal; exposure means for performing an exposure operation in accordance with the release signal output from the release signal output means; determination means for determining whether an exposure operation of the exposure means is normal; and liquid crystal control means for controlling a transmissivity of the liquid crystal display on the basis of a determination result of the determination means.
According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display disposed within a finder; release signal output means for outputting a release signal; exposure means for performing an exposure operation in accordance with the release signal output from the release signal output means; determination means for determining a fault of the exposure means; and liquid crystal control means for temporarily lowering a transmissivity of the liquid crystal display in response to the operation of the exposure means, where no fault of the exposure means is determined by the determination means.
According to a ninth aspect of the invention, there is provided a camera comprising: a liquid crystal display device disposed within a finder; a liquid crystal drive circuit for driving the liquid crystal display device; a release switch for outputting a release signal; a shutter for controlling an exposure amount for a film; a shutter drive mechanism for driving the shutter; a photo-interrupter for outputting a signal when the shutter is set in an open state; and a CPU for outputting a control signal to the liquid crystal drive circuit such that the liquid crystal display device is set in a light-non-transmissive state, where the signal from the photo-interrupter is detected within a predetermined time period after the shutter drive mechanism is operated in response to the release signal from the release switch.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

Camera enabling confirmation of normal completion of film rewind within the finder


Methods and systems for controlling a transmission coupled to an engine during an engine start are presented. In one example, a method adjusts a transmission tie-up force in response to an indication of transmission slip. The method may improve vehicle launch for stop/start vehicles.

An input shaft of a transmission may be tied to a case of a transmission during engine starting. Tying the transmission input shaft to the transmission case allows the transmission to supply an increased load to the engine as compared to when the engine is in neutral so that engine speed may be controlled during an engine start. Additionally, less engine torque may be transmitted to vehicle wheels when the input shaft is coupled to the transmission case instead of vehicle wheels. In this way, a load may be applied to an engine to control engine speed during starting while at the same time limiting torque to accelerate the vehicle to which the engine is coupled. However, if one or more clutches tying up the transmission is supplied oil at a low pressure, the clutch may slip and cause a torque disturbance in the vehicle driveline. Alternatively, if the clutch is supplied oil at a higher pressure, it may take a longer amount of time to release the clutch so that vehicle launch may be delayed. Further, transmission temperatures as well as changes in road grade can affect whether or not a transmission tie-up clutch holds the transmission input shaft in a desired manner. Therefore, a single transmission clutch tie-up oil pressure command may not provide desirable tie-up characteristics during varying vehicle operating conditions.
The inventors herein have recognized the above-mentioned disadvantages and have developed a method for controlling a transmission coupled to an engine during an engine start, comprising: applying a first pressure to a clutch tying a transmission input shaft to a transmission case during a first engine start; and applying a second pressure to the clutch tying the transmission input shaft to the transmission case during a second engine start.
By supplying different pressures to one or more clutches tying up a transmission input shaft to a transmission case, it may be possible to provide desirable tie-up forces to couple a transmission input shaft to a transmission case during a variety of operating conditions. For example, for a transmission that includes an over-running clutch, oil pressure supplying force to a tie-up clutch (e.g., a gear clutch other than first gear clutch) can be adjusted such that the tie-up clutch force coupling the transmission input shaft to the transmission case is different for different engine and/or transmission operating conditions. During some operating conditions, oil pressure supplied to the tie-up clutch may be held at a higher pressure than during other operating conditions. For example, when a vehicle to which the transmission is coupled is stopped on a road with a grade, the road grade may be compensated for by increasing oil pressure supplied to the tie-up clutch. Similarly, during some operating conditions, oil pressure supplied to a tie-up clutch may be reduced during conditions where it takes more time than is desired to relieve the oil pressure and release the tie-up clutch. Further, the oil pressure supplied to a tie-up clutch may be adaptively changed so that different transmissions of different vehicles may tie-up and release in a similar manner even though there may be differences between transmission components.
The present description may provide several advantages. For example, the approach may reduce vehicle launch variability for engines that are automatically stopped and started. Further, the method may reduce transmission clutch wear since transmission tie-up application and release can be adjusted for operating conditions. Further still, engine emissions may be reduced as compared to systems where engine speed varies due to slipping of the transmission during transmission tie-up.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method for controlling a transmission coupled to an engine that may be automatically stopped


A spinal interbody device includes a compliant inner dampener in combination with outer shells. An inner dampener includes a rim with pillars and heads coupled to a complementary structure of the outer shells.

The present invention relates to fusion and non-fusion spinal interbody devices.
Spinal interbody devices such as the Fernstrom ball developed by Dr. Ulf Fernstrom, the Harmon Spinal Sphere of the Austenal Company (New York, N.Y.) and the more recent Satellite Spinal System of Medtronic Sofamar Danek (Memphis, Tenn.) have attempted stabilization in a disc interspace with an insertable solid sphere. Because of the rigidity and lack of compression of such solid spheres, undesirable subsidence of the device may result leading to possible nerve agitation and further corrective surgery.
Nucleus propulsus replacement has also been attempted with non-rigid hydrogels, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,214,245 to Marcolongo et al. Such hydrogels, however, are prone to migration and escape from the interbody space.
Accordingly, a need exists for a compressible spinal interbody device that avoids the problems of interbody devices that are either too rigid or too yielding.


A method of preparing a polymeric aryl sulfonamide is described which consists of reacting aryl sulfonyl with a polymeric amine in the presence of an acid acceptor. Also, another method of preparing a polymeric aryl sulfonamide is disclosed and consists of: reacting an aryl sulfonyl with a polymeric diamine in the presence of an acid acceptor to result in a linear oligomeric molecule; and reacting the linear oligomeric molecule with a monoamine or an aryl monosulfonyl in the presence of an acid acceptor. The use of polymeric aryl sulfonamides as pigment dipersants and wetting agents is also disclosed.

The dispersion of pigments in liquid ink systems is commonly achieved in an initial grinding step in the presence of a dispersing resin, such as nitrocellulose. The pigment dispersion is then added to a "let-down" resin, such as a polyamide, polyester, vinyl, acrylic, or polyurethane resin, depending on the requirement of a given substance.
Not all dispersants are compatible with all common let-down resins, e.g., nitrocellulose in polyamides of high molecular weight and vinyl resins. This requires the preparation and storage of several pigment dispersions, each specific for one or more let-down resins. A "universal" pigment dispersant would obviate this requirement.
In addition, adhesion promoting substances also called wetting agents generally consist of surface-active agents that function primarily by reducing the surface tension of liquids, i.e., let-down resins to facilitate the wetting of that function primarily by reducing the surface tension of liquids, i.e., let-down resins to facilitate the wetting of solids, i.e., pigments. In the past, their use had to be carefully controlled as each pigment/vehicle combination would behave differently and require changes in formulations to give stable systems (Printing Ink Handbook, 1988, p. 22).
The use of aryl sulfonamides in the prior art has been primarily as plasticizers, i.e., as liquid or solid additives to resin systems to impart flexibility in coatings (D. Aelony, Ind. Eng. Chem. 46:587 (1954)). Polymers derived from diamines and aryl disulfonyl chlorides have been prepared, generally via interfacial polymerization, for use in heat-resistant coatings and as blowing agents. Their use as adhesion promoting and/or pigment dispersing agents has not been reported.

Preparation of polymeric aryl sulfonamide


The rig (10) is provided for electively inserting either coiled tubing or a threaded tubular through a rig floor and into a well. The rig includes a coiled tubing injector (16) supported on a mast (14) when in an operative position to insert coiled tubing into the well, and a top drive (18) movable along an axis of the mast when in an operative position to insert the threaded tubular into the well. The rack or support (20) is secured to the mast for receiving a plurality of substantially vertical threaded tubular joints therein when the mast is in an operative position. Tubular joints may be moved between the top drive and the tubular support when running threaded tubulars into or out of the well.

Various styles of rigs have been proposed for utilizing both coiled tubing and threaded tubulars to be selectively inserted through the rig floor and into the well. Rigs conventionally include a mast extending upward from a rig base when in an operative position. Rigs sometimes referred to as universal rigs include both a coiled tubing injector supported on the mast to insert coiled tubing into the well, and a top drive movable along an axis of the mast when in the operative position to insert a threaded tubular into the well.
Rigs with coiled tubing injectors have traditionally relied primarily upon the use of the coiled tubing to conduct downhole operations. Coiled tubing is thus conventionally used to suspend a downhole motor in the well, with fluid pumped through the coiled tubing to drive the downhole motor and drill the well. Other operations may also be conducted with coiled tubing in a manner more efficient than if conducted with threaded tubulars. Top drives have also been provided on the mast of universal rigs for inserting a threaded tubular into a well, although typically top drives have been used to threadably connect sections of a bottom hole assembly or to run surface casing in the well, and generally have not been used to drill substantial portions of the well. Accordingly, when a plurality of tubular joints are run in or out of the well utilizing the top drive, the tubular joints are threadably connected or disconnected, and are pulled up or laid down on the rig floor through the V-door of the rig. This operation takes a considerable amount of time and is thus costly.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved rig is hereinafter disclosed for selectively inserting coiled tubing or threaded tubulars into a well.

Universal rig with vertical stand for tubulars


An array of multicolor CMOS pixel sensors has a plurality of photosensors per pixel, each photosensor coupled to a single sense node through a select transistor having a select input, each pixel sensor including a reset transistor coupled to the sense node and having a reset input, an amplifier coupled to the sense node and a row-select transistor coupled to the amplifier. The select inputs and the reset inputs for pixel sensors in a pair of adjacent rows are coupled to select signal lines and reset signal lines associated with the pair of rows. The amplifier transistors in individual columns of each row are coupled to a column output line through a row-select transistor having a row-select input. The row-select inputs for pixel sensors in each row of the array are coupled to a row-select line associated with the row.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multi-color CMOS pixel sensors. More particularly, the present invention relates to multi-color CMOS pixel sensors with shared row wiring and dual output lines.
2. The Prior Art
Multi-color CMOS pixel sensors are known in the art. Such pixel sensors are often configured with more than one photodiode per color. This type of pixel sensor has a unique challenge that the pixel needs lots of wires compared to a conventional CMOS pixel sensor because photodiodes are stacked increasing the number of photodiodes per unit area. The number of wires are a problem because as the pixel sizes shrink there is less room for a large number of signal routing through the pixel array. There also is a trend to using fewer layers of metal as the pixels get smaller to improve the optical stack between the microlens to the photodiodes. This problem is further complicated by the fact that certain wires need to move through the array in different directions and each metal layer is only useful for moving in one direction through the array unless the layer the wire is running on changes to other layers to avoid congestion. The output wires are usually considered column wires in the art and run in one direction through the array. The row enable and color enable lines have to run through the array perpendicular to the output lines and this is considered the row direction through the array. The row and color enable signals are usually different for each row of the sensor to enable proper sharing of the column output signal and the photocharge collection node. The reset signal also has to run in the row direction through the array to enable rolling shutter readout and reset and is also unique for each row of the sensor.
The power signals Vpix and SFD can usually run in either direction through the array since they global signals and the same for the complete array. These power signals are usually run in the column direction since only the column output signal runs in that direction. For pixel architectures that have multiple photodiodes sharing a common photocharge collection node, amplifier and row enable transistor, like those described here, there can be a lot more signals that need to be routed through the array in the row direction than in the column direction.

Multi-color CMOS pixel sensor with shared row wiring and dual output lines


To easily decide parameters of a model structure of a controlled object suitable for non-interference control.

There is the non-interference PID control shown in FIG. 20 (for example, see the Non-Patent Document 1) as an example of the conventional technology for realizing non-interference control with respect to, for example, a controlled object comprising a plurality of inputs and outputs where an interference exists between them, in other words, a controlled object comprising a plurality of operation amounts to be inputted to the object and a plurality of control amounts from the object where there is a mutual interference between the operation amounts and the control amounts.
A controlled object 30 in this example is a controlled object where there is interference between 2ch of two inputs (u1, u2) and two outputs (y1, y2). P11, P21 P12 and P22 are transfer functions. C11 and C22 are main compensators which respectively output operation amounts u1 and u2, based on differences between control amounts y1 and y2 from the controlled object 30 and targeted values r1 and r2. C12 and C2, are cross controllers for realizing non-interference.
In the foregoing conventional example, the interferential relationship of the controlled object 30 is regarded as matrix, and dimensions of the cross controllers C12 and C21 for realizing the non-interference in an adjuster 31 are decided so that any interference can be eliminated.
When the cross controllers C12 and C21 are designed in such a manner that the control amount y1 is not affected by the operation amount u2′ and the control amount y2 is not affected by the operation amount u1′, any possible interference can be avoided. As a possible method for eliminating such an influence, inverse matrix may be used.
However, the interferential relationship of the controlled object 30 that is a predetermined condition of the example is not a simple and low-level matrix. Therefore, a first model in this conventional example cannot realize an ideal non-interference.
This is due to a reason because the interferential relationship of the controlled object 30 is not such a simple one-way relationship from the operation amounts u to the control amounts y.
The transfer of a heat quantity due to the interference results from a temperature difference. The transfer of the heat quantity due to the interference is large when the temperature difference between a plurality of points of the controlled object is large, while the transfer of the heat quantity due to the interference is small when the temperature difference between the plurality of points of the controlled object is small. Because such a relationship is not taken into account, the assumed model to be controlled generates a significant error, which gives a limit to a factor that can be eliminated through the inverse matrix of the non-interference control.
Therefore, the non-interference control in the conventional manner was often not applicable to practical use.
The Applicant of the present invention has already proposed a model structure suitable for the non-interference control, prediction control and the like as recited in the Patent Document 1.
FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a model structure 1′ thus proposed. The example corresponds to the controlled object 30 in the conventional example shown in FIG. 20.
The model structure 1′ is a thermal model of a controlled object of the thermal interference system provided with two inputs (u1, u2) and two outputs (y1, y2) and also a model of a controlled object comprising two channels.
As the inputs (u1, u2), it is possible to assume operation amounts corresponding to outputs of two heaters for respectively heating the controlled object such as the heat treatment board or the thermal treatment furnace. As the outputs (y1, y2), it is possible to assume control amounts which are temperatures detected from two temperature sensors for respectively detecting a temperature of the controlled object.
The model structure 1′ is a model having a feedback structure which calculates a difference between the two outputs (y1, y2) in a subtracter 2 and feeds back the calculated difference to the two inputs (u1, u2) via a feedback element Pf, and feed back it after changing polarities so as to reverse in positive or negative to each other via a subtracter 3 and an adder 4.
A11, A22 are transfer functions from each of the inputs u1 and u2 to each of the outputs y1 and y2. In the present example, the part allocated to the two heaters of the controlled object such as the heat treatment board or the heat treatment furnace, in other words, the controlled object corresponding to each channel ch, can be grasped as the model element. The respective model elements are shown as the transfer functions A11 and A22.
The model structure 1′ is, for example, the thermal model of the thermal interference system, wherein the heat quantity is transferred when there is any temperature difference. This is equivalent to what the Fourier's law represents, that is, the transfer of the heat quantity is in proportion to the temperature difference.
The Fourier's law is described below. For example, according to Page 6 of "Heat Transfer Engineering" by Hideaki Tasaka, published by Morikita Publishing Co., Ltd., an important factor for deciding a heat transfer amount is a spatial temperature gradient. Provided that a distance between two points is Δx, and a temperature difference between the two points is ΔT, a thermal flow velocity q (heat transfer amount per unit area) is q=−λ(dT/dx) with λ as a thermal conductivity provided that ΔT/Δx is regarded dT/dx.
The feedback element Pf shown in FIG. 21 corresponds to the thermal conductivity λ in the Fourier's law.
According to the model structure 1′, the difference between the two outputs y1 and y2 which are the outputs of the before-mentioned respective model elements, that is, the temperature difference, is fed back to the two inputs u1 and u2 which are the inputs of the respective model elements, that is, the operation amounts corresponding to the heat quantity, after changing the polarities so as to reverse in positive or negative to each other via the feedback element Pf corresponding to a degree of the interference or the like. The drawing is a block diagram which shows such a thermal-interference phenomenon that the heat quantity transfers from one of the channels ch to the other channel ch, and one of the channels ch loses the heat quantity (negative), while the other channel ch gains the heat quantity (positive).
The model structure 1′ represents the Fourier's law that the interference of the thermal object to be controlled means that the heat quantity transfers in proportion to the temperature difference in the case where temperature difference is generated between two temperatures.
The feedback element Pf denotes a ratio of how much heat quantity is transferred depending on the temperature difference, and may be a coefficient value or a first order lag element.    Patent Document 1: No. 2004-94939 of the Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open    Non-Patent document 1: Page 62 of "PID Control" by Nobuhide Suda and others, published by Asakura Publishing Co., Ltd. on Mar. 10, 2000 (edited by the Institute of Systems, Control and Information Engineers)

Model structure parameter decision method, parameter decision device, control device, and temperature adjustment device

Abstract: Parameters K and T of a model structure (A structure) comprising a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, wherein a difference on the output side is fed back to the input side, are calculated based on parameters a and b of a black box model (P structure) calculated through system identification or the like in accordance with predetermined conversion expressions K=f(a,b) and T=f(a,b).


A cover restricting mechanism is adapted for use in a foldable electronic device. The cover (10) has a first barrel portion (13) at one end thereof. The cover restricting mechanism includes a blocking element and a cushion device (20). The blocking element is secured to and protrudes out of the first barrel portion of the cover. The cushion device includes a sleeve (21) and an elastic element (22). The sleeve includes an extending portion (216) extending axially thereof. One end of the elastic element is secured on the sleeve. The other end of the elastic element protrudes out of the extending portion of the sleeve and abuts the blocking element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cover restricting mechanisms and, particularly, to a cover restricting mechanism for a foldable electronic device such as a mobile telephone, an electronic notebook, and so on.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the development of the technologies of wireless communication and information processing, portable electronic devices such as mobile telephones and electronic notebooks are now in widespread use. These electronic devices enable consumers to enjoy the convenience of high technology services anytime and anywhere. Foldable electronic devices are particularly welcome by consumers for their convenience.
Generally, foldable electronic devices have most of the electronics in one housing, called the main body. The other housing, called the flip cover, normally contains fewer electronic components than the main body. Other foldable electronic devices have all the electronics in the main body, with the flip cover containing no electronics. Various types of hinge assemblies are used to join a main body and a flip cover of a foldable electronic device, so that the flip cover can unfold and fold relative to the body. Manufacturers are constantly seeking to reduce the volume, size and weight of such foldable electronic devices. Also, it is desirable for the hinge assembly coupling the main body with the flip cover to have a long working lifetime.
A modularized hinge assembly generally has moving parts such as a cam member having a cam surface, a cam follower having a cam follower surface, a spring, a shaft, and a housing. The cam member, the cam follower, and the spring are placed around the shaft, and then received in the housing, thereby being held together in a unified structure. The housing is secured to the main body of the foldable electronic device, and the cam member engages with the flip cover of the foldable electronic device. The cam member and the cam follower always contact each other by engagement of the cam and follower surfaces, these surfaces being forced together due to the action of the spring. When opening the flip cover, the flip cover is opened by hand, which makes the cam member rotate along with the flip cover. At the same time, the cam member urges against the cam follower, making the cam follower movable along the shaft and compressing the spring. When the cam member rides over a convex portion of the cam follower, the flip cover is opened to a predetermined angle. Releasing the flip cover, the cam follower urges against the cam member, under the force of the spring, and makes the cam member rotate, thus making the flip cover open fully.
In the above-described hinge assembly, when the flip cover is opened to a predetermined angle, the flip cover rotates to a predetermined position. This rotation occurs due to the engaging relationship of the cam follower and the cam member, such engagement being maintained under the force of the spring. However, the abrupt force of the spring of the hinge assembly has a large impact on the flip cover, which may damage the flip cover and/or decrease the working lifetime of the flip cover. Such a negative influence on the operation of the flip cover would expectedly reduce the working lifetime of the foldable electronic device, overall. In addition, many foldable electronic devices need to be opened to other positions such as 150° or 160° positions. This angle requirement means that the main body of the foldable electronic device itself needs to be specially designed in order to limit the maximum opening angle of the flip cover. This designing takes up valuable "real estate" on the main body, increases the complexity of the manufacture of the main body, and increases the overall volume and weight of the mobile phone. Furthermore, each time the flip cover is opened, it impacts the main body. The main body is liable to become worn or damaged due to such impact, thereby shortening the working lifetime of the mobile phone.
What is needed, therefore is to provide a cover restricting mechanism that overcomes the above-described problems.

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


An electronic time switch control circuit includes a power supply, an oscillation period control module, an oscillator, and a switch control module. The power supply supplies power to the oscillation period module, the oscillator, and the switch control module. The oscillation period module supplies periodic signals to the oscillator. The oscillator alternately outputs two kinds of control signals to the switch control module according to the periodic signals. The switch control module receives the two kinds of control signals, and correspondingly controls an electronic product to be turned on and off repeatedly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to control circuits, and particularly to an electronic time switch control circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Nowadays, consumers have high expectations for the electronic products they buy, so the makers of these products have to test the electronic products after they make them. And the testing includes switch testing.
At present, the makers usually test the electronic products manually or using a machine which includes many costly chips. But it costs much time to test the electronic products manually, and the testing results are not exact, and using the machine is expensive.
What is needed, therefore, is an electronic time switch control circuit which can solve the above the problems.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A refillable sheet dispenser includes: a supporting base having two opposite first lateral sides and two opposite second lateral sides, each of which extends from one of the first lateral sides to the other of the first lateral sides; at least one stack of note sheets supported on the supporting base within the first and second lateral sides of the supporting base, each of the note sheets having two opposite lateral edges, each of which is disposed adjacent to a respective one of the second lateral sides of the supporting base and each of which extends between the first lateral sides of the supporting base; and a binding unit having a pair of elastically stretchable strips held tensely on the supporting base and extending from one of the second lateral sides to the other of the second lateral sides of the supporting base in such a manner to traverse the stack of the note sheets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a refillable sheet dispenser with flexibility in accommodating stacked note sheets, more particularly to a refillable sheet dispenser having a stack of note sheets bound to a supporting base using two elastically stretchable strips.
2. Description of the Related Art
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,356 discloses a conventional sheet dispenser that includes a housing 12 having walls defining a chamber 124 in which at least one stack of note sheets 11 is positioned. The walls of the housing 12 include a bottom wall 121 and two opposite side walls 122, each of which has an extension 123 bent therefrom toward the stack of the note sheets 11. The extensions 123 of the side walls 122 define a sheet-access slot 125 therebetween for removal of an uppermost one of the note sheets 11.
The conventional sheet dispenser is disadvantageous in that since the size of the sheet-access slot 125 is not adjustable, different sizes of the sheet-access slot 125 are required for different sizes of the stack of the note sheets 11, and that since the height of the housing 12 is fixed, the stack of the note sheets 11 to be accommodated in the chamber 124 is limited to one having a particular thickness and size corresponding to the height and the shape of the housing 12.

Refillable sheet dispenser with flexibility in accommodating stacked note sheets


A pneumatic tire having an improved off-road traveling performance, which has a block pattern that a plurality of blocks 7 are provided in a tread portion, in which each of the blocks 7 includes a tread surface 9 facing radially outward and a wall surface 10 extending radially inwardly from the edge “e” of the tread surface 9, and at least one of the blocks 7 is provided with at least one recess portion 11 which extends on the wall surface 10 in the radial direction, and whose radially outer end opens at the tread surface 9 and whose length L along the wall surface 10 is from 10 to 70% of the height BL of the blocks 7.

The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having an improved off-road traveling performance, and more particularly to an off-road tire capable of cornering at a high speed to shorten a lap time in races such as motocross.
For vehicles traveling on unpaved roads or rough terrain such as motocross motorcycles and rally cars are usually employed pneumatic tires having a block type tread pattern in which a plurality of blocks are provided in a tread portion, as disclosed for example in JP-A-11-078427. These tires having a block pattern can secure a driving force on a soft ground such as mud or sand by blocks biting into the ground.
In recent years, increase in cornering speed on rough terrain is strongly desired in order to shorten the lap time in auto or motorcycle races. In general, for increasing the cornering speed, it is required to reduce a skid between a tire and a ground surface during steering, in other words, to increase a friction force between them.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an off-road pneumatic tire capable of increasing the cornering speed.
This and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.

Pneumatic tire for off-road traveling with tread including blocks having recess portions


To achieve high modulation frequencies when modulating an LED, a circuit-arrangement for modulating at least one LED comprises a modulation-circuit (3) parallel to the LED, wherein the modulation-circuit (3) comprises in a series connection a switching device and a threshold device. In a method for operating an LED, the LED is modulated by alternating the switching device between a closed state and an open state.

For some applications, it is necessary to enable a modulation of the LED. A solution to this problem is shown in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,413 discloses in FIG. 8 a series arrangement of three LEDs, driven by a single current source 192. Switches 186, 188, 190 are arranged parallel to the respective LED, which enable an alternate current path, so that the respective LED can be short-circuited and thus can be switched off and on.
Although the shown approach ensures a constant current through each LED, a disadvantage of this circuit is that a high frequency modulation of the LEDs may cause problems with current spikes. Further, when a switch across the respective LED is closed, the intrinsic capacitance of the LED is short circuited. Upon opening of the switch, the intrinsic capacitance is charged again, before the LED is illuminated. Therefore, it may be difficult to achieve high modulation frequencies.

Circuit-arrangement for modulating an LED and method for operating same


An MRI apparatus is presented that includes a computer programmed to sample a single volume element (voxel) for MR spectroscopy and automatically determine respective metabolite concentrations for multiple compartment contained in the single voxel. The invention is effective in assigning metabolite concentrations to specific tissue types on a per-voxel basis for a VOI. Moreover, the invention is effective in providing metabolite concentrations for a voxel independent of that voxel's vicinity relative to the coils of the phased array. The present invention provides an effective tool in assigning metabolite concentrations from mixed pathological and normal tissues.

The present invention relates generally to magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for single volume element (voxel) MRS that provides metabolite concentration values for identified tissues within a single voxel.
When a substance such as human tissue is subjected to a uniform magnetic field (polarizing field B0), the individual magnetic moments of the spins in the tissue attempt to align with this polarizing field, but precess about it in random order at their characteristic Larmor frequency. If the substance, or tissue, is subjected to a magnetic field (excitation field B1) which is in the x-y plane and which is near the Larmor frequency, the net aligned moment, or "longitudinal magnetization", MZ, may be rotated, or "tipped", into the x-y plane to produce a net transverse magnetic moment Mt. A signal is emitted by the excited spins after the excitation signal B1 is terminated and this signal may be received and processed to form an image.
When utilizing these signals to produce images, magnetic field gradients (Gx, Gy, and Gz) are employed. Typically, the region to be imaged is scanned by a sequence of measurement cycles in which these gradients vary according to the particular localization method being used. The resulting set of received NMR signals are digitized and processed to reconstruct the image using one of many well known reconstruction techniques.
MR spectroscopy is a common MR technique used for the determination of individual chemical compounds or metabolites located within a volume-of-interest (VOI). Single voxel MRS determines those metabolites on a per-voxel basis. The underlying principle of MRS is that atomic nuclei are surrounded by a cloud of electrons which slightly shield the nucleus from any external magnetic field. As the structure of the electron cloud is specific to an individual molecule or compound, the magnitude of this screening effect is then also a characteristic of the chemical environment of individual nuclei. Since the resonance frequency of the nuclei is proportional to the magnetic field it experiences, the resonance frequency can be determined not only by the external applied field, but also by the small field shift generated by the electron cloud. Detection of this chemical shift is usually expressed as "parts per million" (ppm) of the main frequency.
A drawback of conventional MRS techniques is the inability to segment or compartmentalize the tissues within a single voxel and, thus, provide a per-tissue type per-voxel metabolite concentration. Usually, a voxel is defined as cubic region of interest. As tissue types rarely have rectangular or cubic shapes, it is common for a single voxel to contain multiple tissue types. Different tissue types, however, have different metabolite concentrations contributing to the final spectrum. For example, for brain imaging, it is not uncommon for a given voxel to contain white matter, gray matter, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Since conventional single voxel MRS generates a spectrum from all the metabolites in the voxel, it is not feasibly possible to ascertain what tissue is contributing to the overall spectrum for a given voxel. That is, the resulting spectrum is defined as the sum of all signals from all contributing tissue types in the voxel. Thus, it is possible for the metabolite contribution of one tissue in the voxel to mask or hide the metabolite contribution from another tissue or abnormality in the voxel. This can be particularly problematic for diagnosing and treating abnormalities such as lesions, tumors, and the like. For example, the metabolite contribution by a cancerous tissue may be masked in conventional MRS by the metabolite contribution of a healthy, non-cancerous tissue also contained in the voxel.
Increasingly, phased array coil architectures are being used for MRS studies. MR imaging with phased array coils is an effective tool for reducing scan time by reducing the number of phase encoding steps during sampling of an MR echo. As is well-known, coil sensitivity information is typically used to supplement phase encode locations in k-space that were not conventionally acquired. In MRS studies, however, phased array acquisitions, albeit providing a scan time reduction, can lead to amplified metabolite signals for a given coil of the array based on that coil's proximity to the voxel in the VOI. In other words, due to the spatially inhomogeneous B1 fields of the individual coils, metabolite signals of tissue closer to the individual coils will be amplified compared to signals of tissue with a large distance from the coils.
It would therefore be desirable to have a system and method capable of single voxel MRS that provides metabolite concentration for a particular tissue of interest contained within the voxel and that is independent of the location of the voxel relative to coils of a phased array configuration.

Method and system of magnetic resonance spectroscopy with volume element dissection


An insulative cap for an induction furnace comprising a carbon foam having a pore distribution such that at least about 90% of the pore volume of the pores have a diameter of between about 10 and about 150 microns and at least about 1% of the pores have a diameter of between about 0.8 and about 3.5 microns.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an induction furnace suited to operation at temperatures of around 3000° C. and above, and employing a unique carbon foam insulation material. The induction furnace finds particular application in conjunction with the graphitization of pitch fibers and other carbon-containing fibers and will be described with particular reference thereto. It should be appreciated, however, that the furnace is also suited to other high temperature processes, such as halogen purification of graphitic materials to remove metal impurities.
2. Discussion of the Art
Batch induction furnaces have been used for many years for fiber graphitization and other high temperature operations. A typical induction furnace includes an electrically conductive vessel, known as a susceptor. A time-varying electromagnetic field is generated by an alternating current (ac) flowing in an induction heating coil. The magnetic field generated by the coil passes through the susceptor. The magnetic field induces currents in the susceptor, which generate heat. The material to be heated is contained within the susceptor in what is commonly referred to as the "hot zone," or hottest part of the furnace.
For operations which require high temperatures, of up to about 3000° C., graphite is a preferred material for forming the susceptor, since it is both electrically conductive and able to withstand very high temperatures. There is a tendency, however, for the graphite to sublime, turning to vapor. Sublimation increases markedly as the temperature rises above about 3100° C. Because of variations in temperature throughout the susceptor, furnace life, at a nominal operating temperature of about 3100° C. is typically measured in weeks. Life at 3400° C. is often only a matter of hours. Thus, furnaces which are operated at temperatures of over 3000° C. tend to suffer considerable downtime for replacement of components.
Graphitization of carbon-containing fibers, in particular, benefits from treatment temperatures of over 3000° C. For example, in the formation of lithium batteries, uptake of lithium is dependent on the temperature of graphitization, improving as the graphitization temperature increases. Some improvements in the heat distribution throughout the susceptor have been accomplished by measuring the temperature at different points within the furnace during heating using pyrometers. Different densities of induction power are then delivered to multiple sections of the susceptor along its length, according to the measured temperatures. However, pyrometers are prone to failure and need recalibration over time.
To increase the lifetime of the susceptor, it is desirable to cool the furnace rapidly once the high temperature heating operation is complete. Typically, cooling coils carry water around the furnace. However, because the furnace is generally well insulated, it often takes about a week to cool the furnace down from its operating temperature. In some applications, heat exchangers are employed to speed cooling. In such designs, the furnace is cooled to a temperature of about 1500° C. by heat loss through the furnace insulation. Then, valves above and below the hot zone are opened and forced circulation through an external heat exchanger is begun. This system works well for furnaces that are rarely operated above 2800° C. In furnaces that are routinely operated above 3000° C., the frequent replacement of hot zone components renders these designs expensive to operate. In other designs, the loose insulation material above the furnace is knocked off the furnace to speed cooling. As a result, the insulation needs to be replaced after each furnace run.
The present invention provides a new and improved induction furnace and method of use, which overcome the above-referenced problems, and others.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Induction furnace with unique carbon foam insulation


The present invention provides a vacuum cleaner having an inlet (26) for dirty air, an outlet (24) for clean air, and a filter (44) located in fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. A motor drives a fan for moving air into the inlet and through the filter to the outlet. A filter cleaning mechanism for removing dirt from the filter is provided and is operatively associated with an on/off switch for the fan motor or alternatively a separate user-operated switch, whereby operation of the switch results in operation of the filler cleaning mechanism.

Regardless of the type of vacuum cleaner involved, however, any vacuum cleaner which includes a filter presents the problem that the filter will become progressively blocked with dust and dirt as the vacuum cleaner is used. This has the disadvantage of lowering the rate of air movement (i.e. volume of air moved per unit time) through the vacuum cleaner by obstructing the airflow during operation of the vacuum cleaner, thereby also reducing the overall cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner. Accordingly, in order to ensure the continuing efficient operation of the vacuum cleaner, it is necessary for a user to clean the filter from time to time. In its most basic form, this means that the user manually removes the filter from the vacuum cleaner, washes or otherwise cleans it, and then replaces it back in the vacuum cleaner. However, this has the disadvantage that it requires the user to handle the dirty filter in order to clean it. A filter cleaning mechanism which, avoids this problem is therefore preferred to such manual cleaning.

Vacuum cleaner filter cleaning mechanisms


A device for tying down vehicles on a transport loading surface includes a tie-down strap that acts on a vehicle wheel via a guide disposed between the strap and the wheel, wherein the tie-down strap is prestressed.

The present invention relates to a device for tying down vehicles on loading surfaces of transport vehicles. The invention particularly relates to securing vehicles to truck loading surfaces for transport by truck.
It is known to use a tie-down system comprising a tie-down band, bracing parts and spacing elements for this purpose. The tie-down system is embodied by wrapping or looping the lashing strap around one of the vehicle wheels so that the strap assumes a position between spacing elements. To this end, spacing elements are distributed along the wheel circumference that forms the running surface of the wheel. The tie-down strap is tensed by the spacing elements, and thus directly by the running surface. The tie-down force is initiated by means of a known tension element, for example a tightening ratchet.
The spacing elements serve to keep the tire disposed on the wheel free from tie-down forces or tie-down tensions. These tie-down forces or tie-down tensions would only propagate insufficiently due to the high frictional resistance between the surface of the belt band of the tie-down strap and the rubberized running surface of the tire. Moreover, tie-down tensions of different intensities would build up at the different wheels of a vehicle to be transported, which would be undesirable. It is desirable to apply approximately the same tie-down tension to all of the tied-down wheels. Finally, it has been seen that the belt band becomes worn undesirably quickly without the use of spacing elements.
A disadvantage with use of known spacing elements is that it is necessary for the operator to use both hands to mount the spacing elements and the belt band. Specifically, the operator must simultaneously secure the flexible, loose belt band and the spacing elements to the wheel. Because the loading surfaces of trucks are not usually located at ground level and, in addition, two loading levels are typically provided on automobile transporters, the operator cannot use one hand to hold on to the transporter, which can lead to falls from great heights in extreme cases. The risk of falls and subsequent injuries has already been cause for harsh criticism from associated trade organizations.


An optical link device is provided that is capable of avoiding deterioration of a signal by preventing stray light from coming into a light receiving element and is capable of miniaturizing the device itself. There are provided a light emitting element which outputs an optical signal toward one optical fiber, a light receiving element which receives an optical signal inputted from another optical fiber, an element mounting unit on which the light emitting element and the light receiving element are mounted, a lens body having a transmission side lens unit for guiding the optical signal outputted from the light emitting element to the one optical fiber, and a reception side lens unit for guiding the optical signal outputted from the other optical fiber to the light receiving element. The transmission side lens unit and the reception side lens unit are integrally formed, and a light shield is formed integrally with the lens body between the transmission side lens unit and the reception side lens unit thereof, which is made of a material different from the transmission side lens unit and the reception side lens unit.

There is an optical link device to which a pair of optical fibers through which an optical signal is transmitted are connected and which transmits and receives data through the optical fibers.
Hereinbelow, an example of a conventional optical link device will be conceptually shown (see FIG. 7).
An optical link device a has an element mounting unit b and a lens body c disposed inside a not-shown housing.
The element mounting unit b has a light emitting element d and a light receiving element e respectively mounted thereon.
The lens body c comprises a transmission side lens unit f and a reception side lens unit g formed integrally.
A pair of optical fibers h, h are respectively connected to the housing of the optical link device a.
In a condition that the pair of optical fibers h, h are connected to the optical link device, when an electrical signal is inputted from an external device, for example, a personal computer, the electrical signal is photoelectrically converted in the light emitting element d and outputted from the light emitting element d to one of the optical fibers h as an optical signal (laser beam).
The optical signal outputted from the light emitting element d is inputted to the transmission side lens unit f of the lens body c, converged by the transmission side lens unit f and inputted to the other of the optical fibers h so that data transmission and reception is carried out.
On the other hand, when an optical signal is transmitted through the other of the optical fibers h, the transmitted optical signal is outputted from the optical fiber h toward the light receiving element e.
The optical signal outputted from the other optical fiber h is inputted to the reception side lens unit g of the lens body c and photoelectrically converted so that an electrical signal is generated. The electrical signal is inputted to the external device so that data transmission and reception is carried out.
However, in the conventional optical link device a, when the optical signal outputted from the light emitting element d is inputted to the lens body c, the optical signal may be possibly inputted from the transmission side lens unit f to the light receiving element e as a stray light owing to reflection and double refraction generated in the lens body c, as shown with an arrow P in FIG. 7, which may result in deterioration of the optical signal inputted from the optical fiber h to the light receiving element e.
In addition, the optical signal outputted from the light emitting element d toward the optical fiber h through the transmission side lens unit f may also reflect on a tip surface of the optical fiber h so that a stray light comes into the light receiving element e transmitting through the reception side lens unit g.
Therefore, in order to solve such problems, there is an optical link device 1 having a light shielding plate k provided between a transmission side lens i and a reception side lens j, which are separately formed (see FIG. 8).
In such an optical link device 1, the optical signal outputted from the light emitting element d to be a stray light is shielded by the light shielding plate k, and the stray light is prevented from coming into the light emitting element e.
However, in the optical link device 1, since a certain space for positioning the light shielding plate k is needed between the transmission side lens i and the reception side lens j, an interval between the lenses is required to be wide, which results in another problem that the optical link device becomes large.
Furthermore, because the transmission side lens i, the reception side lens j and the light shielding plate k are separately formed, there will be another problem that the number of parts required is increased and manufacturing cost will rise.
In view of this, the optical link device of the present invention has an object to avoid deterioration of a signal due to a stray light coming into a light receiving element and to have a device smaller in size.


A cleaning composition for a hard surface is disclosed which provides for initial cleaning of the hard surface and provision of a hydrophilic coating or barrier layer on the surface which provides residual cleaning to the hard surface for an extended number of rinsings. The composition includes a hydrophilic polymer, at least one nonionic surfactant, at least one solvent, an acid and water, wherein the acid provides the composition with a pH of about 2 to 3.5 and the composition is provided in the absence of any anionic, cationic or amphoteric surfactant.

Hard surface cleaners, especially in the form of trigger sprays and aerosol sprays, are useful on a variety of surfaces, including most notably household surfaces such as bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Bathroom and kitchen surfaces include a variety of smooth surfaces which when clean have a glossy or shiny surface, e.g. glass, ceramic, chrome, stainless steel and the like. During use between cleanings, build-up occurs on these surfaces from soils, such as dirt, soap scum, limescale and the like. This build-up can occur quickly and result in a dull look and roughened surface texture or feel. A consumer therefore experiences frustration over how quickly a surface, such as a household sink or tiling can get dirty after investing time and effort in cleaning. A consumer desires to have and experience the cleaning benefit over an extended period of time with no or minimal additional action being necessary.
The composition of the invention meets such consumer need by initially cleaning a hard surface and, thereafter, leaving a protective and hydrophilic coating on the hard surface that allows for easier removal of soils from the treated surface through simple rinsing with water. This hydrophilic coating remains on a treated surface for an extended period of time through numerous rinsings.

Hard surface cleaner with extended residual cleaning benefit


When a gettering sink is removed by using alkaline solution of etchant having a high selectivity to the gettering sink and a barrier film functioning as an etching stopper, residue of gettering is left. However, according to the present invention, a semiconductor film that serves as a gettering sink contains nitrogen at concentration of 1×1018 atoms/cm3 or lower, oxygen at concentration of 8×1019 atoms/cm3 or lower, and noble gas at concentration is of 1×1020 atoms/cm3 or higher. In order to achieve the above-described impurity concentrations, a concentration of oxygen that is an impurity element in a chamber is reduced by using a flammable gas for heating and exhausting oxygen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and fabricating method thereof, further, a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In recent years, researches on high performance semiconductor devices (specifically, liquid crystal display devices, EL display devices and other display devices) using a thin film transistor have been promoted. A thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as a TFT) having high mobility needs to be realized particularly for a semiconductor device which is required to have high-speed performance and increased functionality. As a method for improving the crystallinity of the semiconductor film, a metal element, as typified by Ni, which promotes crystallization of an amorphous silicon film is doped, formed into a film, or applied on the semiconductor film (all of which are referred to as forming a substance having a metal element), and then, the semiconductor film is heated and a crystallization process for forming a crystalline semiconductor film is performed on the semiconductor film.
In the crystallization process described above, a crystalline semiconductor film with large-size particles is obtained by using a metal element typified by Ni to promote crystallization. In addition, the crystalline semiconductor film that grain boundaries are connected with each other at high ratio and grain defects are less is obtained.
However, a metal element such as Ni has an adverse effect on device properties (electric properties) of a TFT, and therefore, a step for removing the elements (hereinafter referred to as a gettering) is carried out. A gettering is known as a technique for segregating metal impurities brought in a semiconductor to a gettering sink (or it is also called a gettering site) with some kind of energy, thereby reducing impurity density in an active device region.
Gettering processes are divided broadly into two categories, an extrinsic gettering and an intrinsic gettering. The extrinsic gettering provides a gettering effect by applying a strain field or chemical action from the exterior. Meanwhile, the intrinsic gettering utilizes a strain field of a lattice defect caused by oxygen that is generated inside a single crystal silicon wafer.
As a specific example of gettering processes, a gettering is performed by forming a region added with a noble gas element (noble gas) or a semiconductor film added with a noble gas element and moving a metal element thereinto by heat treatment. Thereafter is removed the region doped with a noble gas element (noble gas) or the semiconductor film doped with a noble gas element (Reference: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-313811).
However, when a gettering sink is removed by gettering according to the above-described method, the gettering sink could not be etched rightly in some cases. That is, even when a gettering sink is removed by using alkaline solution of etchant having a high selectivity to the gettering sink and a barrier film functioning as an etching stopper, residue of the gettering sink is left.
A TFT having such residue of gettering sink has a negative characteristic such as bad leakage of off-current (Ioff) and low reliability. Further, defects generate in a mass-production line due to the gettering residue, and thus, the yield ratio decreases.

Method for fabricating thin film transistor

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method for forming a selective emitter of a solar cell and a diffusion apparatus for forming the same are provided. The method includes texturing a surface of a silicon substrate by etching the silicon substrate, coating an impurity solution on the surface of the silicon substrate, injecting a first thermal energy into the whole surface of the silicon substrate, and, while the first thermal energy is injected into the whole surface of the silicon substrate, injecting a second thermal energy by irradiating a laser beam into a partial region of the surface of the silicon substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a solar cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for forming a selective emitter of a solar cell and a diffusion apparatus for forming the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as an environmental pollution problem gets serious, an active research on new and renewable energy for decreasing environmental pollution is conducted. Attention is paid to a solar cell for producing electric energy, particularly, using solar energy among the new and renewable energy. However, in order for the solar cell to be actually applied to industry, a photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell should be high and its manufacturing price should be low.
A description is made in view of the photoelectric conversion efficiency. Because a theoretical limit efficiency of a silicon solar cell is not so high, there is actually a limitation in increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell. At present, it is reported by a global study group that the silicon solar cell has a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 24% or more.
However, in the case of mass producing the solar cell, it is actually difficult that an average photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell exceeds 17%. Thus, there is a demand for a high efficiency production method applicable to an automation mass production line of a scale of 30 MW or more per year.
In a manufacturing process of a solar cell, an electrode of the solar cell is formed generally by screen printing a metal paste on a substrate. Because of a high contact resistance between a surface of the substrate and the electrode, a photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell may decrease. Thus, in order to reduce the contact resistance, there is a need to form a highly doped region highly doped with impurities in the substrate.
However, if the highly doped region is formed in the whole substrate surface, a cohesion phenomenon occurs because of the existence of excessive impurities. Resultantly, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell decreases. Because of this, it is desirable that the highly doped region is selectively formed only in a specific portion of the substrate.
There are a few of conventional methods for forming a selective emitter. The first method includes forming an oxide film pattern on a surface of a substrate by a photolithography process, diffusing impurities in the substrate at a high temperature, and removing the oxide film and diffusing the impurities in the substrate. By twice impurity diffusion, a lowly doped region is formed in a substrate portion covered with the oxide film pattern, and a highly doped region is formed in a substrate portion corresponding to an opening region of the oxide film pattern.
The second method includes forming a silicon oxide film pattern having a partial transmittance on a surface of a substrate, and diffusing impurities in a substrate at a high temperature. In this case, the impurities can partially transmit the silicon oxide film. Thus, a highly doped region is formed in a substrate portion corresponding to an opening region of the silicon oxide film pattern, and a lowly doped region is formed in a substrate portion covered with the silicon oxide film pattern.
However, the above conventional methods have the following problems. In the first method, a manufacturing process of a solar cell is complex and a manufacturing cost of the solar cell increases because a photolithography process, an etching process, a deposition process, etc. are added to form an oxide film pattern on a substrate surface. In addition to this, a photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell manufactured using the first method is not uniform.
In the second method, it is not easy to accurately adjust a transmittance of a silicon oxide film to a desired target value and thus, it is difficult to form a uniform emitter layer in a substrate. A solar cell with the emitter layer having a non-uniform concentration of impurities decreases in its photoelectric conversion efficiency. Also, in the second method, because there is a need for a process of removing an oxide film, etc. after forming a selective emitter, a process time increases. In addition, because the substrate is exposed to an environment of the oxide film removal process, an error rate of the solar cell increases.

Method for forming selective emitter of solar cell and diffusion apparatus for forming the same


This invention provides a process for effecting desulfurization and decarbonation in two stages. A gas containing sulfur oxides and carbon dioxide is first treated in a desulfurization step so as to cause sulfur oxides to be absorbed in the form of calcium-sulfur oxide compounds; the gas is then treated in a decarbonation step so as to cause carbon dioxide and any sulfur oxides escaping from the desulfurization step to be absorbed in the form of amine salts; the absorbing solution containing the amine salts is regenerated by liberating carbon dioxide therefrom; a part of the regenerated absorbing solution is recycled to the decarbonation step while the remainder of the absorbing solution is fed to a secondary regeneration step where it is treated with a basic calcium substance to regenerate basic amine compound for recycle and to form a solid containing calcium-sulfur oxide compounds and calcium carbonate.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a desulfurization and decarbonation process in which a gas containing sulfur oxides and carbon dioxide is treated with a basic calcium substance and a basic amine compound absorbent.
2. Description of the related art
In recent years, a variety of exhaust gas treating processes for use in facilities discharging large quantities of exhaust gas have been proposed from the viewpoint of air pollution prevention and global environment cleaning. For example, thermal electric power plants and boiler equipment use large quantities of coal, heavy oil and superheavy oil as fuels, and involve problems concerning volume and concentration control of the emission of sulfur oxides (typically sulfur dioxide), nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and the like.
In particular, sulfur oxides may produce sulfuric acid mist and acid rain in the presence of atmospheric moisture and thereby cause damage to human bodies, crops, forest and the like. Consequently, dry and wet treating processes have conventionally been proposed and practiced. For example, in such facilities, processes using lime as absorbent to form gypsum are being predominantly employed from an economic point of view.
Moreover, from the viewpoint of global warming, the control of the emission of carbon dioxide, together with Freon gases and methane gas, is recently examined. To this end, various methods such as PSA (pressure swing method), membrane separation/concentration, fixation by reaction with basic compounds, fixation by the anabolic action of plants, liquefaction or solidification of separated and purified carbon dioxide, and fuel regeneration by hydrogenation are investigated.
As an example of the prior art, a process for effecting desulfurization and decarbonation at the same time is proposed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 6-86911/'94. This process permits simplification of the equipment, but is not satisfactory in that a large amount of an amine absorbent is required for the purpose of absorbing carbon dioxide present in large quantities in addition to sulfur oxides, and the complete liberation of carbon dioxide alone is not necessarily advisable from the viewpoint of equipment and energy requirements. Moreover, in some cases, carbon dioxide may not be completely removed, thus affecting the quality of gypsum recovered.
Furthermore, in this process, the amine sulfate formed in the absorption tower is decomposed with the aid of sodium hydroxide or the like to regenerate the amine. However, since a considerable amount of sodium sulfate formed as a by-product is dissolved in the liquid phase, it is necessary to evaporate the amine and thereby separate it from sodium sulfate. This is disadvantageous in view of the amount of heating energy required and the possible deterioration of the amine.

Desulfurization and decarbonation process


A razor cartridge that includes a housing, at least one support, received by the housing, and having parallel first and second faces, the support having a lower portion, an upper portion, and a bent portion intermediate the lower and upper portions, a razor blade having a cutting edge and a fixation portion fixed on the second face of the upper portion of the support, where the second face of the support has a recess extending at least in the bent portion.

In particular, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a razor cartridge comprising:    a housing,    at least one support, received by the housing, and having parallel first and second faces, the support comprising a lower portion, an upper portion, and a bent portion intermediate the lower and upper portions,    a razor blade comprising a cutting edge and a fixation portion fixed on the second face of the upper portion of the support.
WO 2007/147,420 describes such a razor head which has proven satisfactory.
However, there is a need to improve the performance of such shavers.

Razor cartridge and mechanical razor comprising such a cartridge


According to an apparatus and method for detecting an obstacle through stereovision, an image capturing module comprises a plurality of cameras and is used for capturing a plurality of images; an image processing module edge-detecting the image to generate a plurality of edge objects and object information corresponding to each edge object; an object detection module matches a focus and a horizontal spacing interval of the camera according to the object information to generate a relative object distance corresponding to each edge object; a group module compares the relative object distance with a threshold distance and groups the edge objects with the relative object distance smaller than the threshold distance to be an obstacle and obtains a relative obstacle distance corresponding to the obstacle.

Accompanying the technology progressing of car industry, more and more intelligent vehicles are developed. A car is facilitated with a plurality of intelligent devices, for example, obstacle detecting device, distance detecting device and etc. A warning signal is emitted appropriately to bring the attention of a driver through these devices in a certain specific state such as being too close to an obstacle or deviating from a car lane and hence, car accidents and damages caused therefore can be reduced substantially. Therefore, more and more car factories stress on the research and development of an intelligent transportation system (ITS) and include it as a standard equipment in a new car.
A traditional obstacle detection apparatus comprises multiple forms, for example, radar type, monocular camera, infrared ray or infrared heat image. As a radar type, infrared line or infrared heat image facility is rather expensive, the required cost is also higher. The research of an image processing is progressing more and more such that adopting a camera to capture images and further assisting follow-up image processing, the obstacle detection can be done; this not only fills the bill on technology but also attains to the consideration of the cost reduction.
However, the current monocular camera image detection system developed up to now still has drawbacks expected to improve; that is the distance estimation error caused by shock or angle change cannot be broken through. For example, a general monocular camera image detection system can only be applied on a smooth road but not on an uphill road, downhill road, crooked road or bumpy road because the serious judgment error might be caused owing to the shock and the angle change.
Therefore, for improving the drawbacks generated from the monocular camera, a double-camera image detection system is proposed. Although, the double-camera image detection system allows a captured image to be more stereo to improve the insufficiency of the monocular camera system, new problems are also arisen. The processing time of the double-camera detection system is double the processing time of the monocular camera detection system such that the time spent on calculation is also double. Thus, when a car is practically driven on a road, because the real-time captured image data amount is too large, the relating information (distance or shape) of a preceding obstacle (person, car or electric pole) cannot be calculated immediately to provide a driver with a warning. Furthermore, the same exposure timings cannot be sure owing to the multiple camera sets of independent formation of image such that specific hardware, e.g. image capturing processing card, is always needed to include between the cameras to allow the exposure timings thereof to be set synchronous or a synchronous camera set is directly adopted. Here, a synchronous resolution is to adopt line segments detection between the same-level zone from a left image to a right image; this is a line to line detection. However, a general low-cost camera cannot attain to the synchronous image capturing such that the left and right image pairs captured by the left and right cameras will also be formed at different heights even if it is the same horizontal line segment. But, the cost of adopting the synchronous cameras or increasing the hardware is always more expansive than a general camera and hence, the whole cost is caused to increase.

Apparatus and method for detecting obstacle through stereovision


One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of determining an impulse noise protection parameter in a communication system. In the method, it is determined if a first set of received data elements are corrupted so as to exceed an initial corruption threshold. It is then determined if a second set of received data elements are corrupted so as to exceed an adjusted corruption threshold. Communication parameters are set as a function of whether the initial corruption threshold or adjusted corruption threshold is exceeded. Other methods and systems are also disclosed.

In today's business climate, industry fortunes rise and fall on whether information is exchanged in an efficient manner. Cell phones, pagers, and the Internet have thrived because each allows businesses to exchange critical market information at a moment's notice. In addition, such technologies allow individuals to keep abreast of recent developments with family and friends. In short, many segments of our modern society require instant access to accurate, up-to-the-minute information.
Digital subscriber line (DSL) technology is one technology that provides users with high-speed data. As networking technology has matured, data rates have increased from 20 kilobits per second in 1975, to 100 megabits per second with modern VDSL. In other words, DSL customers in today's "information age" can receive data approximately 5,000 times as fast as network customers of thirty years ago. To bring customers into this modern "information age", DSL developers have spent billions of dollars to develop the technology as we now know it. To continue to increase data rates at such a remarkable pace, DSL developers will likely be required to spend significant capital resources for many years to come. Thus, DSL technology showcases the premium that our society places on fast and accurate information.
A DSL communication system includes two modems which communicate over an ordinary telephone line (i.e., a twisted pair of copper wires in a conventional residential telephone system). One popular type of DSL technology uses discrete multi-tone, or DMT, to transmit data over a network. In DMT, the communicating modems divide data over a number of sub-carriers that span the frequency range assigned to DSL. For example, in one DSL implementation, 247 separate sub-carriers, each 4 KHz wide will span the DSL frequency range. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, one could think of DSL technology as the phone company or service provider dividing the frequency spectrum in a phone line 100 into numerous individual 4-KHz bands (or sub-carriers 102), and then transmitting data over each sub-carrier 102. Thus, by using a modem, a customer in the prior mentioned DSL implementation could receive data over 247 sub-carriers over one phone line, and thereby receive high-speed data.
In various types of DSL, the communicating modems monitor each sub-carrier, and if the noise on one sub-carrier becomes too high, then the communicating modems switch to transfer data on another sub-carrier. Thus, typical DSL systems continually switch data from one sub-carrier to another to provide users a high data rate that has relatively few data errors. Although monitoring the sub-carriers and encoding and decoding messages on each sub-carrier makes DMT computationally complex, it gives DMT the ability to provide users with high speed data connections with relatively few errors.
One specific area in which DSL and other communication systems are progressing is by limiting the number of errors as data is transmitted over the line. Impulse noise is one type of noise in communication systems that can occasionally erase an entire modulated signal for a period of time that is equal to one or more transmitted symbols. In DSL communication systems, this erasure can occur regardless of the number of bits allocated to the entire channel or to particular sub-carriers. Further, the specific time of the erasure is usually unpredictable, except the case of the periodic impulse noise, and frequency of erasures can change depending on the time of the day. Therefore, impulse noise parameters and the frequency of erasures are usually unknown at the time of system installation.
If a communication system uses proper noise protection parameters, it can likely correct data errors. However, prior art solutions do not provide for adequate methods or systems to accurately determine impulse noise protection parameters. Although various protocols have been proposed, none of these proposed protocols specify a monitoring process that provides for an unambiguous value of impulse noise monitoring.

Methods and systems for determining communication parameters