There is disclosed an angle positioning platform for positioning objects around first and second axes and a gearbox for same. The platform comprises a base, an intermediate stage, and an upper stage. The platform may have motors and first and second output gearboxes connected to the motors for driving the platform. The orientation of the stages of the platform permits the platform to be relatively compact in a stowed position and to have high angular rotation from the stowed position to a maximum travel position. The gearboxes may have a mechanism for isolating worm shafts and wormgears from heavy loads when the platform is in the stowed position. Another aspect of the invention is an output gearbox with a wormgear having stops for stopping rotation of a matingly engaged worm. Another aspect of the invention is a gearbox having torsion springs to counter backlash in the gearbox. Such a gearbox has a wormgear and a torsion spring retainer plate, one or both of which have a plurality of holes to permit adjusting the torque of a torsion spring in the gearbox by providing a plurality of positions for the ends of a spring to be placed with respect to one another. A suitable fuel line assembly is disclosed to connect an ion thruster that is mounted in the platform to a fuel tank, the fuel line assembly comprising two bellows tubes and an elbow joint.

The present invention is directed generally to angle positioning platforms. More particularly, the present invention is directed to angle positioning platforms or gimbals for positioning payload such as a spacecraft engine around first and second axes.
Positioning platforms are commonly used to move an object on first and second axes. Typically, the first and second axes are perpendicular to one another. Conventional angle positioning platforms have a number of limitations. When positioning some objects, a large range of rotational motion is necessary. For example, in some spacecraft an engine must be moved from a stowed position during launch, to a working position during transfer orbit, and finally to a new working position once on station. In the working positions the engine may require bidirectional angular adjustments. Movement from the stowed position to the transfer orbit working position, or from this position to the on station working position may require large angular rotation (e.g., 25 to 35 degrees). In the working positions the engines periodically need small angular adjustments (e.g., 0 to 5 degrees).
Some conventional angle positioning platforms lack a rotational range wide enough to carry a payload (e.g., engine) from the stowed position to a working position (e.g., transfer orbit position) and from one working position to another (e.g., on station position). These applications generally require two devices: a deployment actuator for large angle motion from the stowed position to the working position and a positioning device for the small angular adjustment required in the working position. Such a system usually cannot accommodate two working positions.
Another shortcoming of some conventional angle positioners, particularly those positioners having two output gearboxes, is the large amount of space and weight required for such positioners.
Another shortcoming of some conventional angle positioning platforms is the vulnerability to damage during heavy loads such as may be experienced in spacecraft during launch. Angle positioning platforms typically include precise gears and bearing assemblies. During launch, the gears and bearing assemblies undergo stresses that may impair the later performance of the positioning platform. These stresses experienced by the gears and bearing assemblies are greater when the positioning platform is supporting a heavy object. Thus, many conventional positioning platforms are not capable of supporting large loads such as heavy engines (e.g., ion engines). In some conventional platforms, heavy components must be used in order to have enough strength to withstand the stresses encountered during launch. Yet those heavy components are stronger than necessary to perform during on station use.
Thus, there is a need for 2-axis positioning platforms that have high angular ranges and that are also compact, lightweight, and capable of withstanding high stresses, such as stresses encountered during launch. There is also a need for a 2-axis positioning platform that reduces the load experienced by delicate components of the platform during launch.
Some drive mechanisms for motor-driven positioning platforms include wormgear assemblies or gearboxes to convert rotation of a motor into rotation of a member about a particular axis. Wormgear assemblies typically have a worm shaft having a worm, a wormgear with teeth in mating engagement with the worm, and a main shaft connected to the wormgear. Backlash between the wormgear and the worm shaft is minimized in some conventional wormgear assemblies by torsion springs disposed around the main shaft. However, the torque provided by torsion springs varies within manufacturing tolerances and, consequently, requires some conventional assemblies to use larger, heavier springs than would otherwise be necessary in order to tolerate the variation and provide torque in the required range. Alternatively, more expensive torsion springs may be required which are made to tighter tolerances.
Further, torsion springs often come into contact with the main shaft, creating friction that effectively lessens the torque provided by the springs and possibly generating debris. To compensate for the decrease in torque from friction, heavier, stronger springs are sometimes required. Thus, there is a need for an antibacklash mechanism that reduces friction between the springs and the main shaft.
In some typical devices having wormgear assemblies, a member is connected to the main shaft of the wormgear assembly for rotation with the main shaft. In some of these devices, rotation of the worm shaft is stopped, when desired, by impeding movement of the member. The impeding of the member stops the rotation of the main shaft which, in turn, stops the rotation of the wormgear. In these conventional wormgear assemblies, the worm stops rotating when the friction and other forces between the worm and the wormgear teeth prevent further worm rotation.
When the worm is stopped as described above, a number of undesirable consequences arise. The components in the drive train between the wormgear and the member attached to the main shaft are placed under stress. Also, the worm becomes wedged against the wormgear teeth. This wedging of the worm creates wear on the wormgear assembly and may, if the rotational force of the worm is high enough, permanently deform either the worm or the wormgear teeth. Furthermore, the worm might become wedged so forcefully against the wormgear teeth that the worm becomes jammed in the wormgear and cannot be rotated in the opposite direction. Such a circumstance would prevent subsequent repositioning of the platform.
Thus, there is a need for a wormgear assembly having an antibacklash system without the aforementioned problems. There is also a need for a mechanism for stopping rotation of the wormgear without the aforementioned problems.
When an engine is mounted on a positioning platform, the engine may undergo a large angular rotation. The fuel line has an end connected to the engine and thus the fuel line must be able to withstand and not inhibit the rotation of the engine. Ion engines are particularly sensitive to impurities and water vapor. Conventional flexible materials, such as plastic, often are not suitable for use with ion engines because of evolving impurities and the tendency of conventional flexible materials to trap water vapor.
Metallic fuel lines may be used to avoid the problems of water vapor and other impurities. However, solid metallic fuel lines are limited in angular flexibility and are susceptible to fatigue failure, therefore limiting their life in cyclic flexing applications. Corrugated or bellows tubing has much greater elastic angular flexibility and may be used effectively about a single axis. In a two axis application, a single bellows tube would experience axial torsion in addition to bending. The bellows tube does not have elastic flexibility in torsion and therefore resists this motion and will prematurely fail due to fatigue. A separate bellows tube could be used for each axis, however, this would require additional plumbing and mounting hardware, thus requiring greater space and weight.
Also, some conventional fuel lines are made from materials that require the fuel lines to be relatively long in order to have sufficient flexibility. Such long fuel lines require loops and guides which add weight to the spacecraft. Thus, there is a need for a fuel line assembly that is composed of materials suitable for use with spacecraft ion engines, that is compact, that can accommodate the rotation of the engine on two axes and that is not susceptible to premature fatigue failure.


A rolling bearing assembly including a radially inner ring defining an inner race, a radially outer ring defining an outer race, and rolling elements supported between the inner ring and the outer ring is provided. At least one filter seal is arranged between the radially inner ring and the radially outer ring. The at least one filter seal includes a first washer having a first plurality of openings, a second washer having a second plurality of openings, and a filter washer arranged axially between the first and second washers, and the first washer, second washer, and filter washer are laminated together.

Bearing assemblies are used in a wide range of applications, including some applications that require the bearing assembly to be submerged in media. In these known submerged bearing assemblies, the media can as a lubricant; however, solid contaminants from the surrounding media can infiltrate the bearing assembly. These solid contaminates damage the races of the bearing assembly. The damage caused by these solid contaminants reduces the efficiency of the bearing by increasing the friction coefficient of the contact surfaces, reducing bearing life and causing premature failure. Known solutions to preventing the ingress of solid contaminants to a bearing assembly include providing a seal. However, known seals for submerged bearing assemblies completely prevent any media from traveling through the assembly, including lubrication which is necessary to ensure reliable operation of the bearing assembly.


An adjustable training golf tee is provided. The adjustable training golf tee may include a top body, a stem and a base. The top body may have a first side and a second side, wherein the second side forms a concentric threaded recess, wherein the first side forms a concentric stem aperture communicating the first side to the threaded recess. The stem may have a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is dimensioned and adapted to rest a golf ball thereon. The base may include a threaded flange and a spike perpendicularly joined thereto, wherein the threaded recess is dimensioned and adapted to rotatably mate with the threaded flange, and wherein the stem aperture is dimensioned and adapted to be slidably receive the stem secured to the base.

The present invention relates to the sport of golf and, more particularly, to a practice golf tee that is adjustable in height for supporting a golf ball at a desired, consistent elevation.
In order to develop a consistent golf club swing, one needs to maintain consistent ball tee level. When first learning the game of golf or a seasoned player, not establishing correct tee height in relationship to the club being used, prolongs the development of a consistent swing.
Current training tees are made of wood or other material that typically limits them to being securely placed in the natural earth. As a result, such tees are easily broken and/or become dislodged and thrown out of their original placement. These broken and/or damaged golf tees can cause damage to maintenance equipment that is used to maintain said practice areas.
As can be seen, there is a need for a resilient practice golf tee that is adjustable in height for supporting a golf ball at a desired, consistent elevation. Said practice golf tee is adapted to be used on various natural earth surfaces (sand, high grass, snow, etc.) because of its resiliency, as well as that it eliminates the need to buy replacements and aids in preventing damage to maintenance equipment by keeping the surrounding placement surface free of broken golf tees.


An imaging member includes a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer. The charge transport layer includes a first surface in contact with the charge generating layer and a second surface. The charge transport layer includes a film forming polymer binder and a charge transport component dispersed therein. The concentration of the charge transport component in the charge transport layer is at a peak in a region of the charge transport intermediate the first and second surfaces of the charge transport layer.

There is disclosed herein an imaging member used in electrophotography having a charge transport layer with multiple concentrations of charge transport components. More particularly disclosed herein is an imaging member that has a photogenerating layer and a charge transport layer with one or more regions or layers. In each region or layer, the charge transport components are molecularly dispersed or dissolved in a polymer binder to form a solid solution. In the resulting charge transport layer, the region or layer closest in proximity to the photogenerating layer is in contiguous contact therewith and comprises a lower concentration of charge transport components than a layer spaced from the photogenerating layer.
A typical electrophotographic imaging member is imaged by uniformly depositing an electrostatic charge on an imaging surface of the electrophotographic imaging member and then exposing the imaging member to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as light, which selectively dissipates the charge in the illuminated areas of the imaging member while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in the non-illuminated areas, This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking toner particles on the imaging member surface. The resulting visible toner image can then be transferred to a suitable receiving member, such as paper.
A number of current electrophotographic imaging members are multilayered photoreceptors that, in a negative charging system, comprise a substrate support, an electrically conductive layer, an optional charge blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer, and optional protective or overcoating layer(s). The multilayered photoreceptors can take several forms, for example, flexible belts, rigid drums, flexible scrolls, and the like. Flexible photoreceptor belts may either be seamed or seamless belts. An anti-curl layer may be employed on the back side of the flexible substrate support, the side opposite to the electrically active layers, to achieve a desired photoreceptor belt flatness.
Although excellent toner images may be obtained with multilayered belt photoreceptors, a delicate balance in charging image and bias potentials, and characteristics of toner/developer must be maintained. This places additional constraints on photoreceptor manufacturing, and thus, on the manufacturing yield. Localized microdefect sites, varying in size of from about 5 to about 200 microns, can sometimes occur in manufacture, which appear as print defects (microdefects) in the final imaged copy. In charged area development, where the charged areas are printed as dark areas, the sites print out as white spots. These microdefects are called microwhite spots. In discharged area development systems, where the exposed area (discharged area) is printed as dark areas, these sites print out as dark spots on a white background. All of these microdefects, which exhibit inordinately large dark decay, are called charge deficient spots (CDS). Since the microdefect sites are fixed in the photoreceptor, the spots are registered from one cycle of belt revolution to next. Charge deficient spots have been a serious problem for a very long time in many organic photoreceptors, such as multi-layered benzimidazole perylene photoreceptors where the perylene pigment is dispersed in a matrix of a bisphenol Z type polycarbonate film forming binder.
Whether these localized microdefect or charge deficient spot sites will show up as print defects in the final document depends, to some degree, on the development system utilized and, thus, on the machine design selected. For example, some of the variables governing the final print quality include the surface potential of photoreceptor, the image potential of the photoreceptor, photoreceptor to development roller spacing, toner characteristics (such as size, charge, and the like), the bias applied to the development rollers and the like. The image potential depends on the light level selected for exposure. The defect sites are discharged, however, by the dark discharge rather than by the light. The copy quality from generation to generation is maintained in a machine by continuously adjusting some of the parameters with cycling. Thus, defect levels may also change with cycling.
Techniques have been developed for the detection of CDS's. These have largely involved destructive testing, although some contactless methods have been developed. Additionally, multilayer imaging members have been developed to block charge injection from the substrate which can give rise to CDS's.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Selected nickel complexes of the anions of certain 2-aminotropones are olefin polymerization catalysts. Novel 2-aminotropones and their nickel complexes are also disclosed together with methods of making these 2-aminotropones.

Polymers of ethylene and other olefins are important items of commerce, and these polymers are used in a myriad of ways, from low molecular weight polyolefins being used as a lubricant and in waxes, to higher molecular weight grades being used for fiber, films, molding resins, elastomers, etc. In most cases, olefins are polymerized using a catalyst, often a transition metal compound or complex. These catalysts vary in cost per unit weight of polymer produced, the structure of the polymer produced, the possible need to remove the catalyst from the polyolefin, the toxicity of the catalyst, etc. Due to the commercial importance of polymerizing olefins, new polymerization catalysts are constantly being sought.
Arylaminotropones are useful as chemical intermediates, for instance in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and pesticides.
Nickel complexes of various neutral ligands and monoanionic ligands are known as catalysts for the polymerization of ethylene and other olefins, see for instance (for monoanionic ligands) U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,569, WO9830609 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/006536, filed Jan. 13, 1998) and WO9842664, which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes as if fully set forth. None of these references describe the use of aminotropones as ligands for nickel containing olefin polymerization catalysts.
Anilinotropones, especially 2-anilinotropones, have been made by a variety of methods, see for instance K. Kikuchi, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., vol. 51, p. 2338 (1978); T. Nozoe, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., vol. 51, p. 2185 (1978); and W. R. Brasen, J. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 83, p. 3125 (1961). The methods described in these references are different from the methods described herein. In addition, yields of the desired 2-anilinotropones are generally lower than reported herein, and/or sterically hindered less basic arylamines are not used in the synthesis thereof.


An electrode of nickel oxide intercalated with lithium ions, is obtained by:. thermally evaporating, under vacuum, nickel oxide (Ni.sub.2 O.sub.3) and depositing on a conductive glass substrate a film of nickel oxide in which the atomic ratio of nickel to oxygen is comprised within the range of from 0.7:1 to 0.9:1, up to a thickness of the order of 100 nm; and PA1 activating the thin film of nickel oxide by electrochemical intercalation of an amount of lithium ions, which corresponds to a charge level of from 100 to 1,000 C/m.sup.2. An electrochromic window is disclosed, which comprises:. (a) an electrode of tungsten oxide (WO.sub.3) on a transparent, conductive glass sheet; and PA2 (b) an electrode of nickel oxide activated by electrochemical intercalation of lithium metal, on a transparent, conductive glass sheet; PA2 (c) an electrolyte interposed between the (a) electrode and the (b) electrode;. wherein the nickel oxide electrode was obtained as said hereinabove.

The present invention relates to an electrode of nickel oxide intercalated with lithium, and to the electrochromic devices which incorporate such an electrode, in particular an electrochromic window.
Optical devices which, following the application of an electric signal, are capable of switching from a condition of maximum transparency into the opposite condition of minimal transmittance, and vice-versa, are known in the art. These devices are considerably interesting from the viewpoint of energy saving, in the field of building industry (smart window) and in automobile industry.
In these devices, the optical modulation can be suitably induced by electrochemical way by means of the use of electrochromic materials. By "electrochromic materials", those compounds are meant which are capable of undergoing reversible changes in colour following suitable electrochemical processes. A typical example for such materials is tungsten oxide, WO.sub.3, which turns from transparent into blue-coloured owing to an electrochemical intercalation process of the type: ##STR1## which is carried out in a cell containing a transparent electrolyte capable of supplying the intercalating ion M.sup.+ (normally, an alkali metal ion). If the cell contains another, optically passive, material (i.e., a material which is transparent irrespective of whether the signal applied to it is an anodic or a cathodic one), or a material which is electrochromic with complementary characteristics to WO.sub.3, a device is obtained which, when a signal (e.g. a cathodic signal) is applied to it, becomes of dark colour (owing to the formation of blue-coloured M.sub.x WO.sub.3), whilst, when the opposite signal (i.e., an anodic signal) is applied to it, turns back into transparent (owing to the restoration of light-coloured WO.sub.3). Therefore, by the application of a square-wave signal, the optical transparency of the device can be modulated, with said device being hence given the characteristics of an electrochromic window, with such important technological implications as briefly mentioned hereinabove. For this prior art, reference is made in particular to the paper by B. Scrosati in Chimicaoggi, June 1989, pages 41-45.
In European Patent Application Publication No. 0 454 240 published Oct. 30, 1991, which claims priority to Italian application No. 20.127 A/90 filed Apr. 24, 1990, to the same Applicant's name, an electrochromic window is disclosed, which contains a solid electrolyte consisting of a lithium salt in a crosslinked polyether. Said electrochromic window is endowed with improved values of low-temperature conductivity and transparency.
In European Patent Application Publication No. 0 461 685 published Dec. 18, 1991, which claims priority to Italian application No. 20.632 A/90 filed Jun. 13, 1990, to the same Applicant's name, an electrochromic window is disclosed, which contains a solid electrolyte formed by a lithium salt in a polyepoxide. Such a window is endowed with improved values of transmittance change rate.

Electrode of nickel oxide intercalated with lithium ions and electrochromic devices which incorporate such an electrode


Blowable fuses on an integrated circuit are programmed in software, responsive to the control of an addressable memory which communicates with the peripheral data bus of a digital processor to allow increased flexibility of the programming operation, and to allow for correction both during the manufacturing process and after packaging of the manufactured integrated circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the fuses are operated (i.e., blown) responsive to transistor switching elements present on the integrated circuit and which are controlled by the addressable memory. The switching elements, and the associated fuses, can be accessed through software in similar fashion to any other peripheral device. The preferred addressable memory includes an instruction register and a data register, which are loaded from and write to the peripheral data bus. Internally, the data register includes an array of registers corresponding to the fuse links with which the system is associated. Data words in the registers are written from or read to the data register tinder the control of instructions in the instruction register, and the fuses are then blown serially, by reference to the data in the registers.

Blowable fuses have been used in a variety of applications to control the operative features of an integrated circuit. For example, such fuses have been used for the correction of bandgap references and data converters. Usually, this is done at the wafer probe stage and requires the use of substantial off-chip equipment.
In practice, such techniques have been found to be subject to certain limitations. One such limitation is that it is often desirable to operate upon the fuses not only at the wafer probe stage, but also later, following packaging. Other limitations result from the amount of power which is required to operate (blow) such fuses. For example, the switching clement provided on the integrated circuit for blowing the fuse must in practice occupy on the order of one-half of the total area of the blowable fuse circuit. Primarily, this is because the size of the switching element which is used to blow the fuse is responsive to the amount of current required to open the fuse, which continues to present a significant limitation. In addition, the amount of power required to blow the fuse has in practice been found to be potentially damaging to the passivation layer of the integrated circuit, which can permit the passage of moisture and the corrosion which can result from such moisture.
Efforts have been made to overcome these limitations. For example, De Wit et al., "A Low-Power 12-b Analog-to-Digital Converter with On-Chip Precision Trimming", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 28, No. 4 (April, 1993), discloses the use of blowable fuses to reduce the capacitor ratio error in a data converter circuit. Circuits for accomplishing this are further described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,353,028 and 5,235,335. In an effort to allow programmable, on-chip adjustments to be performed after packaging, and at a lower voltage (power) level, De Wit et al. suggest the use of poly-silicon fuses.
In addition to the need to improve upon the blowable fuses, there is a corresponding need to improve upon the operations which are used to program such fuses, while ensuring that the fuses are both safely and reliably blown. For example, De Wit et al. suggest the programming of their disclosed poly-silicon fuses using a corresponding series of switching elements (e.g., transistor switching elements). The switching elements are coupled with the fuses in pairs, and are operated responsive to data loaded into a shift register.
The state of each fuse pair (i.e., "opened" or "closed") is serially established (one at a time) responsive to operation of the associated switching elements, and the state to be established for each fulse pair is determined by the data stored in the shift register (all "ones" except for any fuses to be opened). While this results in fuses that are logic programmable, such programming is limited in operation and a more flexible means of programming the fuses therefore remains desirable.

Software programmable write-once fuse memory


A noise suppressor for a displacement-type compressor, in particular in an engine installation with such a compressor connected in series with a turbocharger. The noise suppressor comprises a nozzle (31). The inlet of the nozzle is connected to the outlet of the compressor. The compressor's outlet merges into an expansion chamber (32) with a largest diameter ("d") greater than the largest inlet diameter ("e") of the nozzle. The chamber has an outlet formed by a second nozzle (33) identical to the first nozzle.

It is a known fact that displacement-type compressors, for example, screw compressors, generate a low-frequency noise with large amplitudes which is particularly propagated in the outlet conduit of the compressor. It is known from SE-A-463 223 to suppress such noise from a screw compressor in, for example, a cooling plant by using a Laval nozzle connected to the outlet of the compressor.

Noise suppressor for displacement compressors


The present invention provides a copolymer comprising polybutadiene and other olefinic saturated or unsaturated thermoplastics. The mixing ratio between the polybutadiene and the thermoplastics is 30:70 to 95:5 weight percent. Surface improving additives, such as polysiloxane, may be added in quantities from 0.5 to 6 weight percent. The copolymer may be used to produce medical and food compatible semi-finished or finished products.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer alloy of polybutadiene and other olefinic saturated or unsaturated thermoplastics.
2. Technology Review
U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,179 discloses block copolymers of the styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) type or the styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) type which are mixed with silicone oil and mineral oil. These mixtures provide an easily workable starting material for the production of, for example, medical articles such as balloon or endotrachial catheters. The end product is highly elastic. The mixtures have the drawback in that their intended use is limited to certain fields. The mixtures cannot be used to produce tubes that conduct liquids such as medicinal fluids, blood, and fat-containing liquid foods because the liquids leach components such as mineral oil out of the tubes' starting materials and the conducted liquids are contaminated.
Mixtures of polybutadiene with block copolymers and wetting agents based on sulfur improve the mixtures' processibility in subsequent vulcanization. Additives of 5 to 30 weight percent polybutadiene are added to the block copolymers. A major drawback of these mixtures is that they can be used in neither medical applications nor in the food industry because of the wetting agents.
One known advantage of using polybutadiene instead of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is that polybutadiene is free of softener and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) components, which avoids the problems of the decontamination of objects made of polybutadiene. Polybutadiene does not have any migrating components which could contaminate the material flowing through it. Also, polybutadiene products do not absorb active materials from medical preparations, and components of polybutadiene products are not leached out by fat containing media, such as blood, milk, and fat containing nutrient solutions. Polybutadiene products have a low specific weight with high inherent elasticity, so in this respect they are ideal for medical and food industry applications.
Polybutadiene products have the drawback of not being easily connected using adhesive and not being easily produced in special configurations. Polybutadiene products have low heat resistance which preclude their sterilization in hot steam, and have a poor capability to return to their original shape as compared to PVC products. Further, the surfaces of polybutadiene products are rough and unsuitable in medical and food industry applications.

Polymer alloy of polybutadiene and olefinic thermoplastics


A method for adjusting a tilt of an optical pick-up head includes the steps of: moving the optical pick-up head to a first location and focusing on; obtaining a first focus control power and a first optimum tilt angle at the first location; moving the optical pick-up head to a second location and focusing on; obtaining a second focus control power and a second optimum tilt angle at the second location; calculating an optical sensitivity according to the first and second optimum tilt angles, and the first and second focus control powers; and when the head is moved to a specific location where the tilt of the head is to be adjusted, storing a focus control power corresponding to the specific location, and calculating a tilt angle corresponding to the specific location according to the focus control power and the optical sensitivity so that the tilt of the optical pick-up head can be appropriately adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technology of an optical storage medium, and more particularly to a method for adjusting a tilt (or tilt angle) of an optical pick-up head.
2. Related Art
Typically, an optical pick-up head of an optical recording and reading device needs an actuator for adjusting an object lens so that this device can read information from the disk or record the information onto the disk at correct locations. This actuator can precisely move the optical pick-up head to the desired location and tilt the optical pick-up head by a correct angle. However, when the optical disk to be read or recorded is curved or the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head is incorrect, the read or recorded information deteriorates. In order to compensate for the information deterioration, the relative tilt angle between the optical pick-up head and the optical disk has to be measured and the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head has to be timely adjusted.
FIG. 1 shows the architecture of a conventional tilt adjusting device. Referring to FIG. 1, this architecture includes an optical pick-up head 10, a tilt angle detector and an object lens 16. The optical pick-up head 10 is pivotally mounted on a rotating shaft 18 and is controlled to rotate by the actuator (not shown in this drawing). The tilt angle detector has a light emitter 12 for emitting light rays, and light receivers 14a and 14b for receiving reflected light rays to detect the tilt angle, according to which the actuator may be controlled. This method has to utilize the tilt angle detector to detect the relative tilt angle between the optical pick-up head and the optical disk to serve as the basis for adjusting the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head.
FIG. 2 shows a method of adjusting a tilt angle of an optical pick-up head without the need of a tilt angle detector. Referring to FIG. 2, a tilt control module 20 includes a reproduction signal generating unit 22, a jitter detector 23, a tilt control unit 24, a tilt actuator 25 and a memory 26. The reproduction signal generating unit 22 converts a radio frequency (RF) signal, generated by the optical pick-up head, into an eight-to-fourteen modulation (EFM) signal, and utilizes a slicer to slice the signal into 0 and 1 signals. The jitter detector 23 receives the EFM signal and detects a jitter amount of the EFM signal. The typical jitter amount is obtained by calculating an extent of back and forth wandering of the EFM signal. The tilt control unit 24 outputs different tilt control values corresponding to different tilt angles of the optical pick-up head, records the corresponding jitter amounts, and screens the tilt control value, corresponding to a minimum jitter amount or a jitter amount smaller than a jitter threshold value, as the tilt control value for the track. The tilt actuator 25 outputs a driving signal to an optical module 21 according to the tilt control value of the tilt control unit 24 to change the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head. The tilt control value may be a digital signal stored in the memory 26, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the tilt control value and then outputs the converted tilt control value to the tilt actuator 25. The tilt actuator 25 converts a signal, such as a voltage signal ranging from 0 to 4V and corresponding to the tilt control value, into the driving signal for rotating the optical pick-up head.
Although this method can adjust the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head to a better location without the need of a displacement detector, only the optical disk with the written data can be used to adjust the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head according to the jitter amount of the EFM signal. A blank optical disk cannot be adopted to adjust the tilt control value because the EFM signal cannot be obtained therefrom.
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration showing a method of calibrating a tilt of an optical pick-up head disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0117473. As shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that a surface of an optical disk 31 is an inclined plane in this method. That is, the portion of the optical disk 31 between locations P1 and P2 is regarded as a straight line. After an optical pick-up head 32 is focus-controlled, a fixed distance is kept between the optical pick-up head 32 and the optical disk 31. That is, after the focus control mechanism is enabled, the optical drive outputs a focus control signal (FCS) for controlling up and down movements of a lens of the optical pick-up head according to a focus error (FE) signal such that a fixed distance is kept between the lens of the optical pick-up head and the optical disk 31. So, as shown in FIG. 3, when the optical pick-up head 32 is located at the locations P1 and P2, the relative distances between the lens of the optical pick-up head and the optical disk 31 are constant. Therefore, the tilt angle can be calculated only according to the distance λ between the locations P1 and P2 and the corresponding height difference (lens motion distance β) between the locations P1 and P2. The tilt angle is calculated according to the following equation:
  θ  =            tan              -        1                        (              β        λ            )
In fact, however, the surface of the optical disk is not an inclined plane but approximates a curved surface. So, the assumptions mentioned hereinabove only can be made when the distance between the locations P1 and P2 is very small and when the optical disk is not seriously curved. If the optical disk is seriously curved, various locations on the optical disk have to be measured so that the above-mentioned method can precisely calibrate the tilt angle of the optical pick-up head. However, the spent time becomes longer with the increase of the number of the locations. In addition, the above-mentioned method is to approach a curve with straight lines.

Method for adjusting tilt of optical pick-up head


A display device includes a plurality of pixel circuits each including: a light-emitting element; a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller configured to control whether to supply current to the light-emitting element; and a constant current controller configured to supply the current to the light-emitting element, wherein the constant current controller, the PWM controller, and the light-emitting element are connected in series between a first power line and a second power line to supply the current to the light-emitting element; and a transistor configured to turn off the light-emitting element during a constant current setting period is provided between the first power line and the constant current controller.

Display devices, such as an active matrix organic electro luminescence (EL) display or a light-emitting diode (LED) display, which are self-emitting devices, are known.
For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-109703) discloses a display device that performs Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) emission control, constant current driving, i.e., constant current PWM driving, and performs panel gradation control through time division.
Micro LED displays capable of realizing a high dynamic range (HDR) and high color gamut are emerging as a form of next-generation TVs. In addition, there is a demand for a high-definition 8K-resolution TV that can realize realism and an immersion sensation.

Display device having configuration for constant current setting to improve contrast and driving method therefor


A laterally- and longitudinally-elongated sheetform of optical material has a core and spaced broad surfaces provided with superficial light-confining measures flanking the core. At least one broad surface has an array of converging lenses, each adapted for collecting and introducing incident light rays into the core unimpeded by the superficial light-confining measures, and converging the rays onto focal points within the web. A counterpart array of reflective elements are embedded in the web at the focal points, and arranged to deflect the collected, converged rays onto transmission paths through the web generally intermediate the broad surfaces. A light-emission port provided in or by the web which is also rendered substantially free of impedance by the superficial light-confining measures. That way, collected light is generally confined between the broad surfaces, except for emissions out the emission port.

The invention generally relates to passive optical apparatus and, more particularly, to a sheetform optical apparatus providing an expansive surface for collecting external light, deflecting and propagating such through its core for delivery to one or more emission ports, which might be relatively diminutive and hence deliver the collected input in concentrated form.
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of the preferred embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings.


For increasing the electric strength of a semiconductor component that comprises a sequence of semiconductor layers of alternating conductivity type and which is adapted to be charged with a voltage that biases at least one of the p-n junctions that separate the layers from one another in the non-conducting direction, the carrier life is reduced only in the lateral region of the edge termination of this p-n junction. The carrier life is reduced by irradiation with electrons or protons or by introducing atoms having recombination properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for increasing the electric strength of a multi-layer semiconductor component.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some methods for increasing the electric strength of a semiconductor component are described in the book by W. Gerlach, Thyristoren, which appeared as Vol. 12 in the series "Halbleiter-Elektronik", edited by W. Heywang and R. Mueller, Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1979, Pages 151-159. In particular, FIGS. 4.22 and 4.23 show wafer-shaped thyristors whose edges are respectively positively or negatively beveled in the regions of the p-n junctions, the p-n junctions being biased in the non-conducting direction. Pages 158 and 159 of this publication recite a method wherein the p-n junction biased in the non-conducting direction is executed as a planar structure. One or more concentric field limiting rings are provided which act like a voltage divider at the surface of the thyristor and reduce the surface field strength to such an extent that a surface puncture is avoided even under extremely high blocking voltage biases of the p-n junction.

Method for increasing the electric strength of a multi-layer semiconductor component


A moving image reencoding device, includes a processor; and a memory which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute, decoding encoded moving image data that is encoded by a first encoding method that enables switching for a frame encoding mode in which encoding is performed on the basis of a frame or a field encoding mode in which encoding is performed on the basis of a field, in a block unit that is obtained by dividing a picture, and acquiring importance degree information related to an importance degree of an encoding mode that is switched in the block unit, when decoding the encoded moving image data; acquiring an encoding parameter that is set as a second encoding method, the second encoding method enabling switching for the frame encoding mode or the field encoding mode in a picture unit, or statistical information.

As a method for encoding a moving image, moving picture experts group-2 (MPEG-2) which is developed in International Standardization Organization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) is widely used. Further, H.264/MPEG-4 advanced video coding (H.264/AVC) which is developed in International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) which establishes international standards for communication is also widely used.
These encoding methods correspond to progressive video pictures which are obtained by progressive scanning and depicted in FIG. 19 and interlaced video pictures which are obtained by interlaced scanning by every other line and depicted in FIG. 19, as video picture materials. Encoding of a moving image includes frame encoding (progressive encoding) and field encoding depicted in FIG. 20. Encoding is performed by using a video picture which is obtained by taking out all vertical lines of one frame without any gaps in the frame encoding, and encoding is performed by using a video picture which is obtained by taking out every other line of one frame in the field encoding. In the field encoding, there are top field encoding and bottom field encoding depending on a taking position of a video picture.
Here, individual encoding methods support different encoding techniques, so that encoding efficiency differs and calculation amounts of encoding processing and decoding processing differ as well. Accordingly, there is a case where only an encoding method of which a calculation amount is relatively small is supported in a device of which a hardware resource is limited, such as a portable telephone and a portable information terminal. Therefore, a moving image reencoding device (referred to also as a transcoder) which decodes moving image data which has been once encoded by a first encoding method and reencodes the decoded moving image data in accordance with a second encoding method has been developed. For example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-212608, a transcoder that is capable of switching a field encoding mode and a frame encoding mode when reencoding moving image data, which has been encoded in accordance with MPEG-2, in accordance with H.264 MPEG-4 AVC is proposed.

Moving image reencoding device and moving image reencoding method


A battery cable terminal for electrical connection with a terminal post of an electrical storage battery has an internally threaded, apertured platform electrically attached to and overlying a ring of preferably usual clamping formation so that a screw received by the aperture can be turned to bear against the exposed face of a battery terminal to which the ring is attached. The screw is provided with a cutting face at its terminal end for cutting into the exposed face of the battery terminal and making fresh electrical contact surface when turned to re-establish electrical contact between cable terminal and battery terminal.

1. Field
The invention is in the field of connector terminals for electrical storage battery cables.
2. State of the Art
As ordinarily constructed, a connector terminal at the battery connecting end of a cable for electrical connection with a terminal post of a storage battery in an automotive vehicle, or in other equipment utilizing an electrical storage battery as a source of power, is a split ring for clamping onto the post of the storage battery. As corrosion takes place over a period of use, the electrical connection is impaired and often results in power failure, requiring removal of the split ring terminal from the battery post for cleaning before being reinstalled.
To avoid the time and work required to re-establish power transmission from the battery, various expedients have been proposed heretofore. Thus, Von Hagel U.S. Pat. No. 2,034,843 of Mar. 24, 1936 provides an auxiliary electrical conductor extending from electrical connection with the split ring and having at its end an electrically conductive spike for driving into the exposed face of the battery terminal post after installation of the split ring on such post, while a later U.S. Pat. No. 3,048,646 issued on Aug. 7, 1962 to a Canadian, H. O. England, provides a thumb screw at the end of an auxiliary electrical conductor for somewhat similarly re-establishing power transmission by a turn of such screw to force it between the terminal connector ring and the battery post for bringing such ring into tighter electrical contact with the battery post.


A grenade container includes a box having a bottom and four sides; a first foam layer disposed on the bottom of the box; a second foam layer disposed on the first foam layer and having a plurality of openings formed therein for receiving grenades; a plurality of grenades placed in the openings in the second foam layer; a first partition disposed on the grenades placed in the openings in the second foam layer; a third foam layer disposed above the first partition and having a plurality of openings formed therein for receiving grenades; a plurality of grenades placed in the openings in the third foam layer; a second partition disposed on the grenades placed in the openings in the third foam layer; a fourth foam layer disposed above the second partition; and a lid and a latch for closing the box.

The invention relates in general to grenades and in particular to packaging for grenades.
The known packaging system for grenades, in particular smoke grenades, comprises 16 spiral-bound fiber containers packed into a wire-bound wood ammunition crate. Each of the 16 spiral-bound fiber containers contains a single grenade. Several of the wood ammunition crates are stacked on a pallet and secured thereto. To access a grenade, a soldier has to unpalletize the wood crate, open the wood crate, remove the spiral-bound fiber containers, remove the grenades from the spiral bound containers and then load the grenades into individual metal cans or cargo pockets. The total weight of the packaging materials (spiral-bound fiber containers and wood ammunition crate) is about 35 pounds. The known packaging system is heavy and does not meet all performance requirements.
The wood crate does not have any carrying handles or a lid that can be easily opened and shut. The crate is opened by removing some of the wood slats that form the crate. Removing the wood slats often damages them. To close the crate, the wood slats, if still intact, must be fastened to the rest of the crate with nails or similar fasteners. After removal from the pallet, the crate is not easily transportable because it has no carrying handles. Often, the crate is opened and some but not all the grenades are removed, and then the crate is left open. Even if stored in a building, the open crates may allow undesired substances to contact the spiral bound containers.
In particular, the current spiral-bound containers absorb water vapor and cause rust at the metal sealing at the top of the grenade. This rusting can cause the grenades to become "duds." The known packaging is very heavy, bulky and has two layers, i.e., the wood ammunition crate and the spiral-bound fiber containers. The two-layer packaging system is prohibitive in terms of weight and ease of handling.

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


A tapered cup having an outwardly rolled lip includes a cup wall having an upper portion that is outwardly flared more than an adjacent lower wall portion. The cup can include a groove below the outwardly rolled lip in the inner face of the cup wall. The cup can be provided with stacking ribs within the cup to aid in stacking of two or more cups. The cup can include a tapered lid with an outwardly flared lip that seats against the inner wall of the cup and that does not extend over the lip of the cup. The lid can include a locking ring below the outwardly flared lip of the lid that is adapted for insertion into the groove in the cup. The lid further includes a fluid port.

Paper cups, plastic cups, insulated cups, and the like, with and without covers, are not new. However, cups configured to meet the particular demands of a high-volume, rapid-response service establishment, fast-food restaurant, or coffee shop are unknown. These establishments have very specific requirements related to cups and lids with respect to lid storage and inventory control; beverage preparation and distribution; consumer safety and satisfaction; and cost containment. The following examples illustrate some of the deficiencies of presently known cups and lids.
A typical establishment stores thousands of cups. The cups are typically packaged and stored in nested stacks which are easily compressed even when properly stored and handled. Thus, one or more cups in each stack bind to adjacent cups and become difficult to separate. Sometimes a stack of cups becomes so severely compressed that cups are damaged. A stack of bound cups is usually provided to a beverage server for use. When the stack is depleted it is augmented by another stack of cups. The beverage server not uncommonly has to use two hands to remove a cup from the stack. Frequently, more than one cup is removed from the stack and must be replaced. This is not only inconvenient, but it can also severely slow down service, thereby frustrating queued patrons. Known cups do not provide features that protect cups from stacking related damage nor facilitate easy and sure removal of a single cup from a stack. Similarly, known lids can be difficult to store and access. For example, like cups, stacked lids can compress, rendering it difficult to extract a single lid from a stack.
Having a single cup in hand, the beverage server must accurately fill the cup with a predetermined volume of liquid, cover the cup with a lid, and render the covered cup to a patron. The speed and accuracy with which this operation is performed has a significant impact on profitability and customer satisfaction. Known lids are commonly difficult to properly position, snap, and seal on a cup.
Significant problems related to cups are also attendant to the service of hot beverages such as coffee, especially in a "drive-thru" setting. For example, it is difficult for a vehicle operator to tear off or tear back and secure a tab on the lid of the cup, while driving, to be able to drink the coffee. Furthermore, once an opening has been made in the lid, coffee from a filled cup can slosh out of the opening. In this context it would be desirable to provide a disposable coffee cup that is easy to drink from without making a mess. Known disposable cups do not meet these needs.
Additionally, as known thin-walled paper and plastic cups can be too hot to handle for a while after being filled, customers and beverage servers commonly nest two or more cups together to provide insulation. This is undesirable as it decreases profit margin and increases trash volume; but it also makes a filled cup increasingly unstable or tipsy as each additional cup is added for insulation. On the other hand, well-insulated styrofoam cups are also known. These foam cups, however, are so radially unstable that they easily deform when held. Therefore, when a foam coffee cup is full, simply grasping the cup can cause coffee to squirt out of the lid. Although it is possible to fabricate a very thick and therefore stable cup, such a thick cup is not only awkwardly sized, shaped, expensive, and wasteful, but it is also not pleasant to drink from and it does not let enough heat pass through the wall of the cup to provide an indication that the contents of the cup are hot.
Known disposable cups are typically mated with a lid that snaps over the top rim of the cup. In addition the difficulties recited above with respect to the pull-back and lock type tabs, these lids are undesirable for other reasons. For example, known lids cover the lip of the cup and often include a radially projecting annular flange of thin, sharp plastic that does not provide a pleasant lip feel. Additionally, known lids are not easily seated on the lip of the cup and readily pop-off when the walls of the cup are flexed. This is particularly problematic with respect to easily deformed foam cups. Furthermore, as one attempts to suck hot liquid through the hole in the lid, the nose is firmly pressed against the lid and into puddles of coffee retained in pockets on the lid. Although this discomfort could be eliminated by removing the lid from the cup, so that it is possible to drink naturally, it is well recognized that one almost never removes the lid from a cup of hot coffee in a moving vehicle. Finally, until the first inch or so of not coffee is slurped out of the cup, there is a risk of getting splashed with coffee even from a cup with a lid after the pull-tab is removed from the lid.
In sum, none of the known lid and cup combinations provide the pleasant sensation of drinking from a comfortably warm, smooth-lipped ceramic mug with the convenience and disposability of foam cup and plastic lid combinations; nor do the known cup and lid combinations address the service and safety requirements of the fast-food world. Thus, there is still room for improvement of the venerable cup.

Frustroconical beverage cup and fitted lid


An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to provide a dielectric film material with a controllable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). A first compound containing a first liquid crystalline component is formed. The first compound is cast into a first film. The first film is oriented in an magnetic or electromagnetic field in a first direction. The first film is cured at a first temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of semiconductor, and more specifically, to semiconductor materials.
2. Description of Related Art
The next generation die interlayer dielectric (ILD) materials are porous and have poor mechanical strength. To reduce the stresses on the ILD due to coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatches between materials in the package, low CTE materials are needed. In addition, due to the need for materials to flow over greater distances through narrower gaps, it is desirable to eliminate, or to minimize the filler concentration typically used to reduce the CTE.
Existing techniques to reduce the CTE and at the same time to reduce or eliminate the concentration of the filler has a number of disadvantages. One technique increases the cross-link density and/or the filler loading of the dielectric material. This technique leads to high modulus and high viscosity, resulting in cohesive and adhesive failure modes.

Dielectric film with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) using liquid crystalline resin


A toner for developing electrostatic images contains a binder resin and a colorant or a magnetic material. The binder is prepared by polymerizing ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s) in the presence of less than 0.1% by weight of the monomer(s) of a radical polymerization initiator. The resulting polymer or copolymer is dissolved in a polymerizable monomer and solution or suspension polymerized with a radical polymerization initiator. The resulting binder resin is substantially free of fragments of radical polymerization initiator which tend to bond to molecular chain terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a binder resin used in a toner which is used in a dry developer used for an image forming process such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording or magnetic recording.
2. Related Background Art
A large number of methods have been conventionally known as electrophotography, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2.297,691, Japanese Patent Publications No. 42-23910 and No. 43-24748 and so forth. In general, copies are obtained by forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member, utilizing a photoconductive material and according to various means, subsequently developing the latent image by the use of a toner, and transferring the toner image to a transfer medium such as paper if necessary, followed by fixing by the action of heat, pressure, heat-and-pressure, or solvent vapor. In the case when the process comprises a toner-image transfer step, the process is usually provided with the step of removing the toner remaining on a photosensitive member.
As developing processes in which an electrostatic latent image is formed into a visible image by the use of a toner, known methods include the magnetic brush development as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,063, the cascade development as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,552, the powder cloud development as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,221,776, and the method in which a conductive magnetic toner is used, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,909,258.
As toners used in these development processes, fine powder obtained by dispersing a dye and/or pigment in a natural or synthetic resin has been hitherto used. For example, particles formed by finely grinding a binder resin such as polystyrene comprising a colorant dispersed therein, to have a size of about 1 to 30.mu. are used as the toner. A toner incorporated with magnetic material particles such as magnetite is also used as the magnetic toner. On the other hand, in a system in which a two-component type developer is used, the toner is usually used by mixture with carrier particles such as glass beads, ion powder and ferrite particles.
Nowadays, such recording processes have been widely utilized not only in commonly available copying machines, but also in printers that output information from a computer, or for the printing of microfilms. Accordingly, a higher performance has become required, and the above recording processes have now been required to simultaneously achieve the improvements in performance such that an apparatus is made more small-sized, more lightweight, more low energy, more high-speed, more maintenance-free, and more personal. In order to meet these requirements, the needs on toners have become severer in various aspects. For example, when the copying machines or printers are made small-sized, heat sources such as heat-fixing units and exposure lamps are squeezed into a narrow space, so that the temperature inside the machine tends to be higher. Hence, toners must be made to have an improved blocking resistance. In order to make the copying machines or printers lightweight, a fixing roller is so designed as to be more thin-walled and slender, and a cleaning mechanism of the fixing roller or a cleaning mechanism of a photosensitive member ends to be more simple and lightweight. Thus, there is a tendency that the machine is provided with no applicator used for applying an anti-offset oil to a fixing unit. This makes it necessary to improve fixing properties of toners, offset resistance thereof, and cleaning resistance of photosensitive members. In order to make the copying machines or printers more energy efficient (specifically stated, to make them consume less power) or to make them more high-speed, the fixing properties of toners must be improved. In addition, in order to make the copying machines or printers more personal, the reliability must be improved, and it becomes important to eliminate paper jam. The paper jam may commonly often occur when a transfer sheet e.g., copy paper) winds around a roller, and thus it becomes necessary for toners to be capable of suppressing the winding of paper around a fixing roller. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the performance required when a toner is prepared and the properties of a toner itself often conflict with each other.
The needs on toners are severe as will be seen from the above examples, and it is difficult to meet the requirements unless these performance features and properties are simultaneously improved. However, it would be ridiculous if the achievement of these improvements results in lowering of development performance such as image quality and durability of toners, and production efficiency of toners.
These greatly depend on the performance of the binder resin used in toners. It has been proposed to improve the characteristics of a toner by the use of a release agent, a plasticizer or other additives. Use of these, however, is a supplementary means.
Various methods have been proposed for the improvement of binder resins used in toners.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-158340 (corresponding to British Patent No. 2,078,385) proposes a toner containing a binder resin comprised of a low-molecular polymer and a high-molecular polymer. In order to improve the offset resistance of toners, it is necessary to make larger the molecular weight of the high-molecular polymer or to increase the proportion of the high-molecular polymer. In such an instance, the grindability of a toner is so extremely lowered that it is difficult to obtain a product satisfactory from a practical viewpoint.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 58-86558 proposes a toner blended with a polymer cross-linked with a low-molecular polymer, which is a toner comprising a low-molecular polymer and an insoluble infusible high-molecular polymer as main resin components. In this toner, the fixing properties and grindability are presumed to be improved. However, it is difficult to satisfy both the offset resistance and grindability in a high performance, because the weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight (Mw/Mn) of the low-molecular polymer is as small as not more than 3.5 and the proportion of the insoluble infusible high-molecular polymer is as large as from 40 to 90 wt.%. Thus, it is difficult from a practical viewpoint to give a toner satisfactory the fixing properties, offset resistance and grindability unless a fixing machine is provided with an apparatus for feeding an anti-offset liquid. Moreover, the toner must be heat-kneaded at a temperature far higher than that in usual instances or heat-kneaded at a high shear, because the insoluble infusible high-molecular polymer used in a larger amount turns out to have a very high melt viscosity as a result of the heat-kneading carried out when the toner is prepared. In the instance where it is kneaded at a high temperature, the toner characteristics tend to be lowered because of thermal decomposition of other additives. In the instance where it is kneaded at a high shear, the molecules of the binder resin may be excessively cut. Thus, there is the problem that the desired offset resistance can be achieved with difficulty.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-66958 proposes a toner comprising a resin composition obtained by polymerizing monomers in the presence of a low-molecular eight poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene) having a number average molecular weight of from 500 to 1,500. In particular, this publication discloses that the number average molecular weight Mn may preferably range from 9,000 to 30,000. With an increase in Mn for the purpose of improving offset resistance, the fixing properties of the toner and the grindability at the time the toner is prepared may become more questionable from a practical viewpoint, so that it is difficult to satisfy a good offset resistance of the toner and the grindability at the time the toner is prepared. Thus, the toner having a poor grindability at the time the toner is prepared brings about a lowering of production efficiency, and also coarse toner particles tend to be mixed into the toner, undesirably resulting in black spots around a toner image.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 56-16144 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,168) proposes a toner containing a binder resin component having at least one maximum value in each region of a molecular weight of from 10.sup.3 to 8.times.10.sup.4 and a molecular weight of from 10.sup.5 to 2.times.10.sup.6, in the molecular weight distribution measured by GPC. This toner can give a superiority in the grindability at the time the toner is prepared, offset resistance of the toner, fixing properties, anti-filming or -fusing to a photosensitive member, image quality, etc. The toner, however, is sought to be further improved in the offset resistance and fixing properties.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-223014 (corresponding to European Patent Publication No. 259,819) proposes a binder resin used in a toner, capable of improving the fixing properties of the toner, and also answering the recent severe needs while retaining or improving other various performances. This binder resin contains from 10 to 70% by weight of a THF-insoluble matter, has at least one peak in the region of a molecular weight of from 2,000 to 10,000 and at least one peak or shoulder in the region of a molecular weight of from 15,000 to 100,000, in the molecular eight distribution measured by GPC of a THF-soluble matter, and contains a component with a molecular weight of not more than 10,000, in an amount of from 10 to 50% by weight based on the resin.
However, it is strongly sought to improve the binder resin to improve the development performance of the toner, in particular, the environmental stability, duration stability and so forth so that additional various demands can be met.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 56-8416 proposes a process for preparing a resin composition comprised of a high-molecular polymer and a low-molecular polymer, comprising the steps of producing a high-molecular polymer by polymerizing monomers without use of any polymerization initiator, dissolving the resulting high-molecular polymer in monomers, and producing a low-molecular polymer by polymerizing monomers in the presence of a polymerization initiator. The toner in which the above resin composition is used does not exhibit preferred environment stability because of the presence of polymerization initiator fragments at many terminals of the low-molecular polymer.


Consistent with the present disclosure, an AWG is provided that has grating waveguide groupings that extend between a first free space region and a second free space region. The difference in length (ΔL) between successive grating waveguides differs for each grouping of grating waveguides, such that, for example, the ΔL associated with a given grating waveguide grouping is not an integer multiple of any of the other grating waveguide groupings. The grating waveguide groupings direct images having relatively small wavelength differences to a given output waveguide, and each grating waveguide grouping has an associated passband, which is similar to that of the conventional AWG. Unlike the conventional AWG, however, multiple grating waveguide groupings are included in the same AWG, such that the spectra associated with the grating waveguide groupings combine to provide a transmission characteristic having a passband that is greater than any individual passband. Accordingly, even if the optical signal wavelengths vary or are offset from the center wavelength of the passband, such wavelengths may still be transmitted with less loss.

An Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) is a device commonly used as a frequency or wavelength optical demultiplexer and can be considered as a spatially dispersive lens. For example, an image received at an input of the AWG will be projected onto an output plane similar to a conventional lens, but the position of the output image on the output plane is wavelength dependent. Accordingly, the position of the output image may change as the wavelength of the input image changes, or as the input position of the input image changes.
FIG. 10 illustrates components of a conventional AWG 1100. As shown in FIG. 10, an input image 1114 may be projected from an input waveguide 1102 into an input free-space propagation region 1104, and the image may expand, or diffract, within the input free-space propagation region 1104. A waveguide array 1106 may be disposed at an opposite end of the input free-space propagation region 1104 to collect the expanded image. Waveguide array 1106 comprises a series of quasi-parallel waveguides where the length of each waveguide increases by a constant and specified amount from an adjacent waveguide. That is, starting from the innermost shortest waveguide, each subsequent waveguide increases in length by a specified amount.
The collected image is received by the waveguide array 1106 and projected into an output free-space propagation region 1108. The image output from waveguide array 1106 propagates through the output free-space propagation region 1108 onto the output image plane 1110 containing output waveguide 1112. As generally understood, due to phase curvature and phase tilt of light propagating through waveguide array 1106, the image may be refocused on to an output image plane 1110. The output image 1116 is initially received at the right side 1110a in FIG. 10 of the output image plane 1110 and scans from the right side 1110a to the left side 1110b as indicated by arrow 1118, as the wavelength changes. Put another way, the position of the output image 1116 on the output image plane 1110 may change as a function of wavelength, and the change in the location of the image 1116 across the output image plane 1110 of the AWG 1100 is generally referred to as the scanning property of the AWG.
The output waveguide 1112 collects the image as it scans across the output image plane 1110. Typically, the input waveguide 1102 and the output waveguide 1112 have the same dimensions such that, in an ideal AWG, the output image will substantially match a mode profile of the output waveguide. Accordingly, when the output image 1116 is centered on an output waveguide, the transmission response from input to output is nearly 100% (i.e. unity). Because the position of the output image 1116 changes with frequency, multiple output waveguides 1112 may be provided to collect light at different frequencies, such that, in one example, AWG 1100 may function as an optical demultiplexer. Output waveguide 1112 collects the maximum amount of energy at a predetermined frequency or wavelength, whereby the output image 1116 is centered on output waveguide 1112. The amount of energy collected by an output waveguide 1112 is reduced as the frequency of the output image 1116 varies from the center frequency of the output waveguide 1112. That is, a passband associated with output waveguide 1112 is relatively narrow such that optical signals at wavelengths that are shifted from a peak transmission wavelength or center wavelength of the passband may incur substantial loss.
Optical signals supplied to the AWG may have varying wavelengths or wavelengths that are offset from the predetermined wavelength at which the output image 1116 would be centered on output waveguide 1112 due to system tolerances and non-idealities. Accordingly, such signal my incur loss during propagation through the AWG. Moreover, the passband or full-width half maximum (FWHM) associated with output waveguide 1112 is typically 40%-50% of a wavelength spacing separating the optical signal wavelengths. Thus, in systems in which the optical signal wavelengths are narrowly spaced, minor deviations in optical signal wavelengths can result in loss, as the optical signals pass through the AWG.
Accordingly, there is a need for an AWG that can multiplex/demultiplex optical signals with reduced loss, even when the optical signal wavelengths are offset from a center wavelength of an AWG passband.


A method for manufacturing integrated circuits (xe2x80x9cICxe2x80x9d) on wafers to manage crack damage in the ICs such that crack propagation into the IC active array is reduced or eliminated. The method provides for a defined separation or divide of the IC gate conductor from the IC crack stop or IC edge. The method is especially useful in managing crack damage induced through the delamination of one or more of the gate conductor surface interfaces as a result of the IC wafer dicing process. Circuits or chips manufactured according to the methods disclosed are also taught.

This invention generally relates to methods of manufacturing integrated circuits (xe2x80x9cICxe2x80x9d), memory circuits or memory chips. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for manufacturing ICs to manage crack damage and propagation especially where the crack damage is induced by the delamination of the gate conductor surface interfaces during the IC wafer dicing process.
The full-scale production of ICs or other types of chips that are fabricated on wafers involves the forming of many individual ICs on the wafer and then separating the ICs by a dicing or cutting process. The fabrication of ICs may be completed through different methods and steps, but generally involves depositing layers of conducting, semiconducting and insulating materials in precise patterns on a substrate or wafer to form the desired circuit or array patterns. The dicing process is required to separate the individual ICs from the wafer.
It is during this dicing step that delamination, scalloping or cracking of some of the layers deposited on the wafer may occur as a result of the vibration and impact forces imparted to the wafer. Even if cracks are not directly produced in the wafer by the dicing process, the delamination or scalloping of the wafer layers may later lead to the development of cracks in the, or in between the, wafer layers. In particular, cracks may be produced in the wafer substrate or the conductive layer deposited in the dicing channel formed between the individual ICs.
If cracks develop in the IC during the dicing process, or propagate into the IC after the dicing process, the functional performance of the chip may be affected. More particularly, if a crack formed in the wafer or conductive layer propagates into the active array or circuit, functional performance will likely be adversely affected. For example, if a crack propagates into the IC, the active array or the circuit, fatigue failures or separation failures of the IC layers may result. Separation failures may in fact include a layer or layers of the IC breaking off. Obviously, such failures may compromise the electrical performance of the chip and are unacceptable.
While propagation of a crack within the IC during the dicing process is an issue, crack propagation after the completion of the dicing process can also occur as a result of testing of the IC. For example, thermal cycling tests, which are standard reliability tests conducted on ICs, may induce crack propagation. Similarly, crack propagation can occur as a result of packaging of the ICs. These later failures are problematic because while the chip may appear functional after initial separation from the wafer, it may later fail due to propagation of the crack into the chip active circuit.
Several mechanisms to stop or control the propagation of cracks within ICs are available and used in the manufacturing of ICs. The traditional method to control cracks is through the use of crack stops in the form of air gaps or filled gaps specifically designed into the IC layered structure. Air gaps are simply the creation of perimeter voids or air channels in the IC, which serve as natural termination points for edge cracks propagating within the solid dielectric material or between the metal wiring and the dielectric material. Air gaps, if deep enough, can prevent the horizontal propagation of any edge crack in the IC device, including cracks arising from delamination of the gate dielectric. However, typical dry etch process integration requires or may require the air gap to be terminated on top of the gate conductor. The resulting air gap is then ineffective in stopping cracks caused by delamination in the upper films of the gate conductor.
Filled gaps are perimeter walls of metal wiring material, which also serve as blocking or termination points for edge cracks. In order to make a metal-filled gap, the IC wiring on both the active and kerf side must, by design, not extend up to the gap. The resulting metal wall may then be effective in stopping edge cracks which propagate in the intervening dielectric materials. However, if the metal-filled gap is built on top of the gate conductor, as typical IC processing requires, it will be ineffective in stopping horizontal cracks which develop within the gate conductor, for example by delamination of the surface films. Moreover, it has been found that even if the gate conductor is pulled back by design, if it is not pulled back far enough, a crack propagating from the end of the gate conductor may still pull apart the metal, enter the active array of the chip, and cause failure. This is particularly the case when the metal wall is comprised of dissimilar metal wiring elements stacked on top of each other, such as aluminum and tungsten.
Two examples of processes and designs for controlling cracks in ICs are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,280 and 5,665,655, both disclosing a Process For Producing Crackstops On Semiconductor Devices And Devices Containing The Crackstops, both being issued to White and assigned to the Applicant. Both White patents disclose processes for producing metal-filled gaps and, by subsequent etch removal of the metal, air gaps. FIG. 20 in the ""655 White patent shows a typical metal-filled crackstop, which is built on top of the silicon substrate. The active device area typically contains a gate conductor, but there is no teaching about whether that gate conductor may extend under the crackstop, if the gate conductor must be removed from below the crackstop prior to building the crackstop, or if removed, how far away it must be from the crackstop. Indeed, because the entire scope of the two White patents is how to form metal-filled crackstops, the gate conductor layer is not even shown in any of the White patents figures. FIG. 24 shown in the ""655 White patent shows an air gap or air channel crackstop produced by etch removal of the previously described metal wall. As noted, there is no teaching in the ""655 White patent about the gate conductor layer on the substrate.
Similarly, FIG. 25 in the ""655 White patent shows an air gap plus metal wall embodiment which would be effective in stopping horizontal cracks in the gate conductor if the gate conductor layer were present on the substrate in the kerf area. However this example, and indeed all air gap examples of the two White patents, are impractical because they require a complex sequence of etch steps to remove the different metals, including typically aluminum and tungsten, which comprise the outer or kerf-side metal wall, and which becomes an air gap. It is further impractical because, as more and more wiring levels are added to IC technologies, it becomes less and less feasible to etch out a high aspect ratio metal wall.
Another method for controlling crack propagation in ICs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,302, entitled Crack Stops, issued to Mitwalsky et al., and also assigned to the Applicant. The Mitwalsky et al. invention teaches a method of forming crack stops in ICs for substantially preventing cracks produced along the dicing channel from spreading into the IC active area. The crack stops described are formed by creating discontinuities in the thickness of the dielectric layer in the dicing channel near the IC edges. According to Mitwalsky et al., the discontinuities can be formed by increasing and/or decreasing the thickness of the dielectric layer.
While Mitwalsky et al. do disclose a method of controlling crack propagation originating from within the dicing channel, the method does not appear to specifically address the problem of cracks that develop from delamination of wafer layers within the dicing channel. More significant, while Mitwalsky et al. disclose the use of discontinuities formed in the dicing channel near the edge of the IC active array, there is no teaching about the dimensions or geometry of the discontinuity, especially as related to the IC height. It has been discovered, for example that the formation of a discontinuity very close to the edge of the IC active array may not prevent the propagation of a crack from entering the active array. Moreover, the Mitwalsky et al. disclosures appear to be limited to forming discontinuities in the dielectric layer as a means of controlling cracks. If the crack does not form in or extend into the dielectric layer, for example if the crack begins as a delamination of an interface of the gate conductor, then the Mitwalsky et al. invention may have no effect on controlling propagation of the crack.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a method of fabricating ICs to manage crack damage in the IC wafer and to prevent propagation of cracks into the IC active array. The method of fabricating ICs should prevent crack propagation and damage especially where the crack damage is induced by the delamination of the IC gate conductor surface interfaces during the IC wafer dicing process. Moreover, the method should provide dimensional and geometry ground rules for defining preferred separations or divides of the IC gate conductor layer from the IC crack stop or IC edge.
To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating an integrated circuit wafer with a plurality of integrated circuits on the wafer, such that the propagation of cracks and crack damage induced by the wafer dicing process is controlled or managed.
To achieve this and other objects, and in view of its purposes, the present invention provides a method of fabricating an integrated circuit wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits on the wafer, said method to manage propagation of cracks in the integrated circuit wafer, comprising the step of forming a gate conductor between and encircling each of the plurality of integrated circuits wherein the gate conductor is separated from each of the plurality of integrated circuits.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating an integrated circuit wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits on the wafer, where the integrated circuits are each separated by a channel, said channel having a gate conductor layer formed therein, said method to manage propagation of cracks in the integrated circuit wafer, comprising the step of forming the gate conductor layer between each of the plurality of integrated circuits wherein the gate conductor layer is separated from each of the plurality of integrated circuits by a minimum effective distance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating an integrated circuit wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits on the wafer, where the integrated circuits are each separated by a channel, said channel having a gate conductor layer formed therein, said method to manage propagation of cracks in the integrated circuit wafer, comprising the step of forming the gate conductor layer between each of the plurality of integrated circuits wherein the integrated circuit has a critical height and further wherein the gate conductor layer is separated from each of the plurality of integrated circuits by a minimum effective distance, and the minimum effective distance is greater than approximately 10% of the integrated circuit critical height.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating an integrated circuit wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits on the wafer, where the integrated circuits are each separated by a gate conductor, said method to manage propagation of cracks in the integrated circuit wafer, comprising the step of forming the gate conductor between and encircling each of the plurality of integrated circuits wherein the gate conductor has a divide that separates the gate conductor from each of the plurality of integrated circuits by a minimum effective distance.
A further aspect of the present invention, is an integrated circuit wafer resistant to crack propagation, comprising a wafer substrate; a plurality of integrated circuits formed on the wafer substrate; a plurality of crack stops formed in the integrated circuit wafer and encircling each of the plurality of integrated circuits, a gate conductor formed between each of the plurality of integrated circuits, each said gate conductor being separated from the respective integrated circuit by a minimum effective distance; and a dielectric layer formed on the wafer substrate and surrounding each of the plurality of crack stops.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are not intended to be or should be considered restrictive of the invention.

Method for eliminating crack damage induced by delaminating gate conductor interfaces in integrated circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


A touchless keyboard system for operating an elevator through an existing touch-sensitive keyboard of the elevator, the touchless keyboard system including a touchless detection device comprising at least one sensor for detecting non-touch indications from users for opted floors, an actuation device comprising at least one actuator for physical engaging buttons of the existing touch-sensitive keyboard of the elevator corresponding to the opted floors, and a controller in communication with the detection device and with the actuation device for receiving and processing output signals from the at least one sensor and controlling movement of the at least one actuator based on the processed output signals. The touchless keyboard system further comprises a touchless keyboard housing for receiving the touchless detection device and the actuation device, where the touchless keyboard housing is operatively mountable to the touch-sensitive keyboard of the elevator. There is also provided a device unit, and a method of operating an elevator through an existing touch-sensitive keyboard of the elevator.

Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Public surfaces are hotspots for bacteria and germs, and a lot of such surfaces retain more bacteria than public washrooms do. Bacteria present on an elevator button is almost 40 times higher than on a public toilet seat, according to new findings. Research carried out in hotels, restaurants, banks, offices and airports, showed that the level of bacteria on elevator buttons averaged 313 colony forming units (CFUs) per square centimeter, compared to 8 CFUs on an average public toilet seat. Among the common bacteria likely to be found are E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Moreover, since the outbreak of COVID-19, it is well known that such viruses spread primarily through droplets people emit when they cough, sneeze, talk, sing, or exhale. Those droplets can land on anyone or anything nearby, which is why social distancing is so important. Prominently, such droplets tend to land on surfaces or be transferred there when an infected individual uses his hands to touch a public surface or object.
Therefore, a touchless system is critical for eliminating contamination and infection, to fight virus outbreaks and avoid cross-infections considering that public surfaces such as elevator buttons, as per health experts, have the potential for spreading high-risk infections.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a touchless keyboard, which protects users from being susceptible to contaminated public surfaces and prevent spread of infections.


A non-destructive test structure for printed circuit board characterization and method of testing the same are disclosed. In one form, a method for testing a printed circuit board can include applying a test signal to a first test location of a first test structure associated with a first inner bus layer of a printed circuit board. The method can also include measuring a crosstalk voltage at a second test location operably associated with the first test structure. The method can further include comparing the crosstalk voltage to a crosstalk specification of the printed circuit, board.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Each of the hardware components within an information handling system may include a printed circuit board (PCB). Some conventional PCBs used within information handling systems can include impedance coupons to check the fabrication quality of PCBs. For high performance PCBs, it is desirable for the electrical impedance of the PCB to be controlled such that all data buses function within a desired design specification. To monitor impedance, some conventional PCBs provide impedance coupons having specific lengths, e.g. four (4) inches, six (6) inches, etc., and trace widths resulting in expected measurable impedances. As a quality control inspection tool, the impedance coupons are tested using a Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) to determine the impedance of the PCB.
Testing impedance coupons is sufficient for predicting performance of some end systems. However, conventional impedance coupons and testing methods fail to monitor application specific performance parameters as quality control metrics for testing PCBs for specific end use systems such as high performance servers, storage devices, etc. Additionally, conventional test methods fail to provide quality control monitors and test methodologies that may be easily implemented within HVM environments.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

Information handling system and printed circuit board having test structure for measuring a crosstalk voltage