A process for rendering usable disposal products is described, in which unsorted pollutant-containing industrial, domestic and/or special refuse undergoes a high temperature treatment. Accompanied by the entraining of existing liquid fractions and while maintaining its mixed and combined structure, the disposal product is compressed batchwise to compact packs. While maintaining the pressure action it is subsequently positively introduced into a channel heated to over 100.degree. C. and is kept in sliding, non-positive contact with the channel walls until the initially present liquids are evaporated and mechanical restoring forces of individual disposal product components are eliminated. The entrained organic constituents at least partly assume a binder function. The shape and structurally stable, lumpy solid conglomerate forced out of the channel in this state is introduced into a high temperature reactor maintained at at least 1000.degree. C. and forms therein a gas-permeable bed.

The known waste disposal processes such as land fills, recycling, refuse incineration, and pyrolytic reaction do not provide a satisfactory solution to the growing refuse problems. The processes often contribute to and are an essential factor in destroying the environment.
Industrial product wrecks of composites, such as vehicles and household appliances, as well as oils, batteries, paints, varnishes, toxic slurries, medicaments and hospital waste are subject to strict, legally prescribed disposal regulations. However, domestic refuse is an uncontrolled, heterogenous mixture, which can contain virtually all types of special refuse fractions and organic constituents, whose disposal is in no way related to its harm to the environment.
Domestic refuse typically is stored inadequately in dumps from which digester gases and carbon dioxide escape in an uncontrolled manner into the atmosphere, and pollutant-containing liquids and eluates of the dumped waste pollute the ground water.
In order to reduce the treated refuse quantity it has already been proposed that the organic constituents of domestic refuse and sewage sludges be composted. However, this ignores the fact that these organic substances are heterogeneous and contain a large number of non-degradable toxic constituents such as chemicals, medicament and heavy metal residues, which remain in the compost and are returned to the biological cycle via plants and animals.
By recycling so-called valuable products an attempt is once again made to reduce the refuse quantity. However, this ignores the high costs involved in the separate collection and treatment of such waste and with repeated recycling the costs and prejudice to the environment increase, accompanied by a reduction in the usability of the products obtained.
In known refuse incineration plants the products for disposal pass through a broad temperature range up to approximately 1000.degree. C., at which mineral and metallic residual substances are not melted. The energy inherent in the remaining solids is not utilized. The short residence time of the refuse at higher temperatures and the large amount of dust produced by blowing in large quantities of nitrogen-rich combustion air into the uncompressed disposal products favor the dangerous formation of chlorinated hydrocarbons. Therefore the waste gases from refuse incineration plants undergo afterburning at higher temperature. In order to justify the high costs involved in such plants, the abrasive and corrosive hot gases with their high dust quantities are passed through heat exchangers. During the relatively long residence time in the heat exchanger chlorinated hydrocarbons are once again produced through denovo synthesis, which chlorinated hydrocarbons combine with the entrained dust and lead to highly toxic filtrates. It is scarcely possible to estimate the resulting damage and the costs involved in their elimination.
Despite the high technical expenditure of the prior art, after combusion approximately 40% of the refuse to be disposed of is left behind in the form of ash, slag and highly toxic filtrates, whose dangerousness level can be compared with that of radioactive waste and which must be disposed of in cost-intensive manner. In order to reduce the volume to be dumped, it is known to separate the metallic components from the residual substances and supply them for separate use. The remaining ash and slag undergo a high temperature melting process which involves high energy costs. As a result of the heterogeneous starting substances to be melted, the slag is inhomogeneous and contains considerable proportions of organic residual substance particles which, surrounded by the liquid melt, are not oxidized.
As a result of shock-like cooling of the melt in a water bath a heterogeneous melt granular material is obtained, which shatters in uncontrolled manner at its thermal breakage points, so that the enclosed pollutants can be eluted again. A high energy expenditure of hitherto approximately 200 litres of fuel oil per tonne of melt remains unused, because the thus obtained melt granular material can only be employed as a filler in road building and the like.
In conventional reactors the hitherto used pyrolysis processes have a wide temperature spectrum similar to refuse incineration. High temperatures prevail in the gasification zone. The hot gases which form are used for preheating the not yet pyrolyzed disposal material, cool and pass through the temperature range relevant for the formation of chlorinated hydrocarbons and which therefore represents a hazard.
All known pyrolysis processes for unsorted, unbound and drained disposal products do not provide an adequately gas-permeable bed, require excessive energy costs in the case of inadequate gas production and also long residence times in the reactor. As a result of the heat flow and the internal gas pressure there are large amounts of dust produced which consequently require large filter capacities. If water gas is to be produced, then it is necessary to add separately produced superheated steam, i.e. extraneous steam to the gasification zone. The remaining solids are generally not melted and must instead be supplied to separate disposal and can therefore be compared with a conventional refuse incineration plant.
In order to produce ecologically unobjectionable, usable pure gas, the pyrolysis gases generally pass through a cracker prior to purification. By using a heat exchanger, it is also known to utilize the thermal energy inherent in the hot gases. However, as a result of the residence time of the gases in the heat exchanger chlorinated hydrocarbons form, which are released during the thermal utilization of the gas obtained.
When using shaft furnaces for refuse incineration, inter alia the important disadvantage of sticking together and bridge formation of the disposal products to be pyrolyzed in the furnace occurs, so that it is necessary to equip such reactors with mechanical aids, such as poking bars, vibrators and the like, without providing a satisfactory solution for the problem.
Revolving tube and fluid bed gasifiers, due to the mechanical abrasion on the furnace wall as a result of the in part sharp-edged disposal products, lead to long shutdown times, extremely high dust formation and require technically complicated, gas-tight locks. This leads to a large amount of maintenance with the correspondingly high costs.
To avoid the disadvantages of the above-described refuse incineration and pyrolysis processes, it is also known to decompose waste and toxic substances by means of a mineral or metallic high temperature melting or molten bath, or to feed the waste into the latter, so as in this way to ensure a rapid Pyrolytic decomposition of the disposal products at high temperatures. The essential disadvantage of such a procedure is that a utilization of the liquid and/or wet waste is impossible due to the explosion-like deflagration risk and as a result of the high pressures which occur from the gases which form which do not have an adequately long residence time in the melt in order to reliably destroy organic pollutants. In the case of dried, non-degassed organic waste the gas pressure through the decomposing organic products is too high to ensure an adequately long residence time. After a short time the melt products are saturated with non-oxidizable carbon particles enveloped by melt liquid, so that it is not appropriate to supply further disposal products.
In another known thermal process for refuse disposal initially mineral and metallic products are separated from organic constituents, the separated organic constituents are dried and then pulverized. The powder obtained is introduced into a high temperature molten bath or a combusion chamber having an appropriate temperature and by blowing in oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is immediately decomposed and the pollutants are destroyed.
Although from the ecological standpoint this process leads to satisfactory results, it still has significant disadvantages. Thus, e.g. no liquid waste and disposal products can be disposed of in combined structures and the resulting costs are un-acceptable.
The previously described combusion and pyrolysis processes jointly suffer from the disadvantage that the liquids or solids evaporated during combusion or pyrolytic decomposition are mixed and led off with combusion or pyrolysis gases before they have reached the temperature and residence time in the reactor necessary for destroying all pollutants. The evaporated water is not made usable for water gas formation. Thus, generally, after-burning chambers are provided in refuse incineration plants, and crackers are provided in pyrolysis plants.
The present invention aims at providing a process of the aforementioned type, which the aforementioned disadvantages are obviated in the case of random disposal products, so that there is no harm to the environment and simultaneously it is possible to obtain high-grade, widely usable and semifinished or finished industrial products from the residual materials, while minimizing the technical expenditure and process costs necessary for this.

Process for rendering usable disposal products


A gain element and a variable wavelength reflector form a resonator. A wavelength selective element selects a resonance wavelength in the resonator. A beam splitter is provided for monitoring an incident light from the gain element and a reflected light from the variable wavelength reflector. A phase adjustment element is arranged in the resonator. A wavelength-lock control unit locks the resonance wavelength to a desired resonance wavelength by adjusting the phase of the resonance wavelength based on the monitored incident light and by adjusting the variable wavelength reflector based on a ratio between the incident light and the reflected light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable wavelength light source capable of locking a variable resonance wavelength.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various variable wavelength light sources that output variable-wavelength laser lights have been known. Specifically, there is provided a variable wavelength light source configured to output a laser light with a desired resonance wavelength by using only a single gain element and elements arranged outside the gain element to provide a function of locking a variable wavelength (see Patent Document 1 (WO/2005/041372), Patent Document 2 (US Patent 2002/0172239)). The Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for locking a wavelength at a desired resonance wavelength by selecting a wavelength using a variable wavelength mirror and performing a phase adjustment by controlling an electric current applied to the gain element. The Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for locking a wavelength at a desired resonance wavelength without using a wavelength selective element such as an etalon in a resonator. Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-191729) discloses a technology for suppressing a liquid-crystal driving voltage to below 10 volts by arranging a transparent electrode in an etalon cavity of a tunable liquid-crystal etalon filter.
However, the variable wavelength light sources described above are configured to perform both a power control of the gain element and a phase adjustment of the resonance wavelength by a current control. Therefore, the power control and the phase adjustment cannot be performed separately, resulting in making it difficult to perform wavelength-lock control in a precise manner. It is necessary to enhance the wavelength accuracy of a target wavelength by a wavelength selective element such as an etalon for selecting an exact wavelength in the variable wavelength light source.


Methods of fabricating interconnect structures in a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) are presented. A preferred embodiment comprises forming interconnect lines and vias through a dual-damascenes process. It includes forming a via dielectric layer, an etch stop layer directly over the via dielectric layer, and a trench dielectric layer over the etch stop layer. The etch stop layer is patterned through a first photolithography and etch process to form openings in the etch stop layer, prior to the formation of the trench dielectric layer. A second photolithography and etch process is performed after formation of the trench dielectric layer to create trench openings in the trench dielectric layer and via openings in the via dielectric layer, where the patterned etch stop layer acts as a hard-mask in forming vias in the via dielectric layer.

Dual damascene interconnect structures are a well known choice for interconnecting semiconductor devices in an integrated circuit (IC) for high speed and reliable signal transmission, particularly as device feature sizes in ICs continue to scale down. It involves formation of inlaid metal lines in trenches and vias formed in a dielectric layer. Forming dual damascene interconnect structures requires fewer processing steps than other methods and offers a higher yield and reliability. It is also particularly well-suited to metals such as copper (Cu) that provides a desired conductivity, but is difficult to be patterned by a plasma etching and prone to diffusing into inter-metal dielectric layers and silicon to degrade device performance. FIGS. 1A-1G are cross sectional views illustrating an exemplary dual damascene process for forming interconnect structures in a partially fabricated IC.
FIG. 1A illustrates a representative starting substrate 10 used for a dual damascene process. Substrate 10 includes a dielectric layer 13 (such as silicon dioxide or organic-containing low-k materials) with etched line patterns (trenches and vias). Dielectric layer 13 may be an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer on a semiconductor substrate, e.g., silicon, or an inter-metal dielectric layer (IMD) over another dielectric layer with an underlying interconnect level. Dielectric layer 13 has been inlaid with interconnect copper lines 17 that are generally formed to provide electrical coupling between conductive features in an underlying interconnect layer and in an overlying interconnect layer.
Shown in FIG. 1B, a diffusion barrier layer 19 is formed over the substrate, preventing underlying copper from diffusing into the dielectric and silicon. Next, a via dielectric layer 14 of bilayer dielectric structure 20 is deposited on diffusion barrier layer 19. This is followed by deposition of an etch-stop layer 21 on via dielectric layer 14. The process continues where trench dielectric layer 16 of bilayer dielectric structure 20 is deposited, in a similar manner to via dielectric layer 14, onto etch-stop layer 21. An antireflective layer 23 is subsequently deposited to the top of trench dielectric layer 16. Portions of trench dielectric layer 16 and via dielectric layer 14 are then etched away where the interconnect lines and vias are required, antireflective layer 23 facilitates the photolithographic process used to form the etch patterns.
Continuing in FIG. 1C, bilayer dielectric structure 20 is subjected to a photolithography and etching process to form openings for metal lines. In a well-known "Via-First" approach, first photolithography and etching processing is applied on the structure, a photoresist is coated on the structure and lithographically exposed to form a pattern of vias. The pattern of vias is then developed in the photoresist, an anisotropic etching process is then applied to form via openings 25 in the bilayer dielectrics. The etching etches through trench dielectric layer 16, etch-stop layer 21, via dielectric layer 14, diffusion barrier layer 19, and stops on substrate 10.
Shown in FIG. 1D, second photolithography and etching processing is subsequently applied on the structure; the structure is coated with a photoresist and lithographically exposed to form a pattern of trenches. The pattern of trenches is then developed in the photoresist, an anisotropic etching process is then applied to cut trench openings 27. The etching of trench openings 27 is controlled such that etch-stop layer 21 is not penetrated. As a result, trenches openings 27 are etched in trench dielectric layer 16, and are connected to the previously formed via openings 25 in via dielectric layer 14 where electrical couplings to underlying interconnect level are required.
Illustrated in FIG. 1E, via and trench openings 25 and 27 are then filled with copper 35 utilizing conventional deposition processes known to those skilled in the art, including CVD, plasma-assisted CVD, sputtering, electroplating, etc. Dual damascene structure 20 is then planarized to remove excess copper from its top surface and to provide a flat surface for the subsequent processing steps. Typically, a conformal diffusion barrier layer is deposited in the etched via and trench openings 25, 27 prior to filling with copper 35; the diffusion barrier layer prevents copper from diffusing into the silicon and the ILD and IMD layers. Suitable materials for the diffusion barrier layer include tantalum, tantalum nitride, tungsten, titanium, titanium tungsten, titanium nitride, and the like.
Alternatively, via and trench openings 25 and 27 may also be formed through a known "Trench-First" approach, where trench openings 27 are patterned and etched through first photolithography and etching processing, while via openings 25 are patterned and etched through second photolithography and etching processing, among other similar processing steps.
As the critical dimensions of semiconductor devices get smaller, generally both the patterned via and trench openings get narrower and deeper, i.e., the aspect ratio of the via and trench openings increases significantly. Also, in advanced process nodes, e.g., 45 nm and beyond, the narrowed line width of trench openings is getting close to the line width of via openings in order to accommodate the significantly increased routing requirements. The trend imposes serious challenges on the existing dual damascene structure formation approach in at least the following aspects.
First, due to the significantly increased metal line density, the via and trench pattern alignment involved in the existing dual photolithography and etch processing cycle becomes more difficult and error-prone; a slight misalignment between the via and trench patterns may result in opens and shorts in the dual damascene structure, leading to significant yield loss and reliability concerns. As an example, FIG. 1F illustrates a scenario where the trench pattern is misaligned with a via pattern, causing undesired metal bridges and opens between copper lines and vias.
Second, an increased via and trench opening aspect ratio in a dual damascene structure may deactivate an existing photolithography approach in that the photolithography processes currently used in the formation of a dual damascene structure typically require filling ashable resist deposition (ARD) materials, such as amorphous carbon (APF), in the etch openings after a first photolithography and etching process cycle, and prior to a second photolithography and etching process cycle. The increased via and trench opening aspect ratio in advanced process nodes may result in voids in unfilled or partially-filled etch openings, and undesirable surface step height, among other detrimental effects, thus significantly complicating or invalidating an existing ARD filling operation.

Method for forming interconnect structures

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


The present technology relates to an information processing device and method capable of suppressing lowering in the quality of user experience. An information processing device includes: a wireless communication unit that sends transmission information to another information processing device through wireless communication; and a control unit that controls at least one of the wireless communication performed by the wireless communication unit, encoding of the transmission information, or a processing process on the transmission information on the basis of blockage prediction period information indicating a prediction result on blockage of a communication path to the another information processing device. The present technology can be applied to a content playback system.

In recent years, as a Virtual Reality (VR) system in which video information rendered and encoded by a console such as a high-end personal computer or a gaming machine is transmitted to a Head Mounted Display (HMD), a wireless VR system that uses no cables for communication paths (transmission paths) has been getting widespread. Many of such VR systems use millimeter waveband wireless techniques such as WiGig and WirelessHD, which can achieve high transmission rates.
Incidentally, it is common that millimeter waveband wireless signals are subjected to radio wave directivity control (beam forming) in order to increase the communication distance in relation to radio wave loss.
However, in this case, if an obstacle such as a person exists between a transmitter and a receiver and a communication path is blocked, video information is not correctly transmitted due to degradation of the communication environment, so that deterioration in the video quality, increase in transmission delay and the like occur, lowering the quality of user experience.
Thus, a technique has been proposed for suppressing transmission error in video information and audio information by detecting the position of the obstacle using information acquired from a camera provided to the console and selecting a communication path on the basis of the detection result (see Patent Literature 1, for example).

Information processing device and method


A process for producing casting cores or molds from a mold material, based on mold base material and organic or inorganic binder, an additive composed of pore former, icing sugar and/or a similar carbon compound, and dye being admixed to the mold material and/or the binder.

The invention relates to a process for producing casting cores or molds for casting molds comprising a mold base material and a binder and to casting cores or molds after production of the process.
The function of casting cores is to form cavities in the casting or to form undercut outer contours. This kind of casting cores are produced conventionally in core boxes by means of core shooting units, where the molding sand, provided with binder and, where appropriate, with additives, is introduced using compressed air into the cavities of the core mold boxes. The binders used are generally liquid synthetic resins or inorganic binders.
The invention relates to all organic and inorganic mold and core production processes, preferably to the urethane cold box process and/or the resole-CO2 process. Likewise possible are physical processes, examples being ultrasound processes.
Urethane cold box coremaking takes place in cold core boxes using organic binder systems, which are gas-cured directly in the core box by means for example of tertiary amines. Solidification of the molding material mixture (e.g., quartz sand, organic binding system, curing agent) takes place after the mold material has been introduced into the cold core box, by means of a gaseous catalyst or of a gaseous tertiary amine. The individual components are mixed beforehand in specialty apparatus. One advantage of this urethane cold box process, among others, lies in the achievement of high strengths in the cores or molds.
Other processes, e.g., what are called resole-CO2 processes, are coremaking processes with alkali-condensed phenolic resin binder, which for curing is gassed with carbon dioxide. As with the urethane cold box process, the mold material is based generally on quartz sand mold base material.
This process is distinguished by the prevention of "veins" in the casting operation. Disadvantages of this gassing process are lower strengths, the reasons for which are increased erosion and inadequate thermal stability.
The finished molded cores can be used without a washcoat, or coated with a wash. Washes are refractory materials in powder, liquid or paste form for producing a thin coating on the casting cores. The core wash has a number of functions. They include heat insulation, smoothing, the prevention of sticking of metal to the mold wall, the prevention of veining, and hence the assurance of reliable separation of the casting from the mold wall when the mold is discharged.
After the casting operation of the finished casting the casting cores are removed from the casting. The casting cores are removed for example by blasting, vibration, blowing out, knocking or washing out.
DE 102 27 512 A1 discloses such a process, based on a mold base material comprising phenolic resin and isocyanate, a pore former being added to the mold base material.
DE 195 25 307 A1 disclosed a casting core for casting molds. The proposal is for a casting core for casting molds comprising a dry substance which is solidified by means of a binder and which loses its shape as a result of exposure to water.
DE 195 49 469 A1 describes a casting core for casting molds, comprising molding sand solidified by means of a water-soluble binder based on polyphosphates, the binder being instantized sodium polyphosphate and a mixing ratio of 3 to 7 parts by weight of binder and 0.5 to 2 parts by weight of water per 100 parts by weight of molding sand being provided.
DE 199 14 586 A1 discloses a resin-based binder for producing foundry sands for use in foundry practice. The binder mixture for core sand production is composed of a single component (single resin) or of a mixture of one or more single components (resin mixture) with additives.
The invention is based on the object of producing non-washcoated cores/molds having a suitable casting surface in the core region, and of prolonging the life of the sand during core production. A further aim is to prevent the clogging of the sand mixers and sand hoppers above the core shooting machines.


Methods and devices for repelling mosquitoes may operate by generating the sounds of fore and hind pairs of dragonfly wings, which may be dragonfly wing beat sounds. Such sounds may be generated using digital or analog circuitry. The digital sounds may be recordings of synthesized or enhanced sounds of dragonfly wings beating. The device may take the form of a button that may be worn or otherwise carried by a user.

It is a well-known fact that female mosquitoes bite people, and can transmit diseases such as malaria, Zika virus, West Nile virus, chikungunya virus, and dengue fever. For this reason, the most common forms of protection against being bitten by a mosquito are devices which attract and kill mosquitoes, or sprays which chemically repel mosquitoes. Such inventions may be exemplified by Eom in U.S. Pat. No. 10,681,903, granted Jun. 16, 2020, or Valzano et al in U.S. Pat. No. 10,306,894, granted Jun. 4, 2019.
While mosquitoes have been around for over 100 million years, dragonflies, a major predator of mosquitoes, have been around for over 300 million years. In the course of evolution, species of animals or insects have evolved to avoid predators. Darwin's "survival of the fittest" premise in his "On the Origin of Species" is the most verified and celebrated theory in science. We know from Darwin that species will thrive by increasing the likelihood of procreating and decreasing the likelihood of being killed before procreating. By extrapolation, mosquitoes increase their survival by reducing the likelihood of being killed by predators, such as dragonflies. Therefore, it may be desirable to implement alternatives to the above-noted traditional techniques for addressing mosquitoes, which may be based on such evolutionary principles.

Sonic device and method for repelling mosquitoes


In a satellite communication system (10, 30) with at least one ground based transmitter (12, 32), at least one ground based receiver (16, 36) and at least one communication satellite (14, 34), an earth-based receiver (16, 36) self-determines its Doppler correction factors using software algorithms which minimize the amount of hardware required and minimize the time required to acquire the signal.

A satellite is often used to relay signals to their destination. This allows the transmitted signal to reach beyond the distance constraint imposed by the curvature of the earth. The transmitted signal is modulated to a frequency compatible with the satellite receiver. The satellite receives this signal and then typically re-modulates the signal to a different frequency before it is retransmitted back to the earth. This re-modulation prevents interference between the earth-based receiver and earth-based transmitter.
The signal often contains digital information. This digital information is often directly modulated onto the carrier. The frequency with which the bits are modulated onto the carrier is known as the bit frequency. Alternatively, when Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum Code Division Multiple Access (DSSS CDMA) is used, the information is spread prior to transmission, and this spread information is modulated at the chip frequency which is typically significantly higher than the information bit rate.
When a satellite is used which is not in a geosynchronous orbit, the signal received at the earth-based receiver is shifted from the frequency that was transmitted due to the motion of the satellite with respect to the earth. In addition, the bit rate and chip rate are also shifted. This change in frequency is referred to as the Doppler frequency shift. This shift is significant when low earth orbits, medium earth orbits and highly elliptical orbits such as the Molniya orbit are used.
The Doppler shift of both the carrier frequency and the bit frequency must be compensated for at the earth-based receiver in order to demodulate the signal. In the current state of the art, several methods are used to compensate for the Doppler shifts.
Classical carrier and bit/chip rate search algorithms which sweep the carrier and bit/chip rate in order to acquire the signal are often used. These receivers search over the entire range of possible received frequencies. Receivers employing this approach suffer from long acquisition times. This is especially evident in CDMA systems where a small frequency error will cause the demodulator either to not acquire or to falsely acquire.
When long acquisition times cannot be tolerated, as in the case for Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) and burst signals, long preambles containing unmodulated carrier frequency and known bit patterns are often employed. These approaches thus suffer from poor bandwidth efficiencies as these preambles become increasing longer as the frequency uncertainty increases.
Finally, rapid acquisition receivers often employ parallel channels, each attempting to acquire the signal over a portion of the frequency uncertainty range. This approach increases complexity and cost due to the additional hardware for each channel.
If any of the previously described approaches does not accurately compensate for the frequency offsets, the performance of the system is degraded.
Thus what is needed is a method for compensating for Doppler frequency shifts in satellite communication systems, where the method can rapidly acquire the signal while maintaining bandwidth efficiency, without requiring complex and costly equipment and while minimizing degradation in performance.

Method and apparatus to compensate for Doppler frequency shifts in a satellite communication system


A fork lift truck has a chassis and a battery block located inside the chassis. The chassis has a lateral opening for the removal of the battery block essentially in the horizontal direction. The chassis has a beam (5) to which a bending load can be applied and which is located on the upper side of the opening in the chassis. The beam can have an at least approximately T-shaped section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fork lift truck with a chassis and a battery block that can be positioned inside the chassis. The chassis has a lateral opening so that the battery block can be removed essentially in a horizontal, e.g., lateral, direction.
2. Technical Considerations
An electrically-powered fork lift truck of the general type described above is typically equipped with a battery block that contains storage batteries and provides the energy required for the traction drive system, the lifting drive system, and the other electrical units of the truck. To make it possible to replace the battery block, for example if it becomes damaged, the chassis of the fork lift truck is configured so that the battery block can be removed and a new battery block can be inserted by means of a suitable conveyor device. The battery block must typically be replaced frequently when the fork lift truck is used in multiple-shift operations. In that case, a discharged battery block in the fork lift truck is replaced regularly by a freshly charged battery block.
The chassis of some fork lift trucks is designed so that the battery block can be removed upwardly by a crane. One disadvantage of this arrangement is that the components that are located above the battery block, generally the driver's cab and the protective roof over the driver, must be able to pivot at least to some extent to make it possible to hoist the battery block.
On fork lift trucks that have a lateral opening for the removal of the battery, a roller conveyor can be located inside the fork lift truck on the floor of the battery compartment. Using this roller conveyor, which is permanently installed inside the fork lift truck, the battery block can be pushed in the horizontal (i.e., lateral) direction onto an external roller conveyor that is located next to the fork lift truck. To provide the chassis of the fork lift truck with the required rigidity in spite of the large lateral opening for the battery block, it is known that a structural section that runs underneath and alongside the opening can be provided to support the weight of the battery block. A fork lift truck of this type is described in DE 100 05 285 A1, for example. One disadvantage of this arrangement is that the roller conveyors are absolutely essential to change the battery.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to design a fork lift truck so that a pallet truck, for example, can be placed underneath the battery block located in the fork lift truck and the battery block can be lifted and removed through the lateral opening of the chassis without the need for a permanently mounted conveyor in the truck.

Fork lift truck with a laterally removable battery block


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved electrostatic chuck for supporting a substrate. The electrostatic chuck comprises a chuck body coupled to a support stem, the chuck body having a substrate supporting surface, a plurality of tabs projecting from the substrate supporting surface of the chuck body, wherein the tabs are disposed around the circumference of the chuck body, an electrode embedded within the chuck body, the electrode extending radially from a center of the chuck body to a region beyond the plurality of tabs, and an RF power source coupled to the electrode through a first electrical connection.

Plasma enhance processes, such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process, high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) process, plasma immersion ion implantation process (P3I), and plasma etch process, have become essential in semiconductor processing. Plasma provides many advantages in manufacturing semiconductor devices. For example, using plasma enables a wide range of applications due to lowered processing temperature, plasma enhanced deposition has excellent gap-fill for high aspect ratio gaps and high deposition rates.
One problem that occurs during plasma processing is process non-uniformities proximate an edge of a substrate due to the differing electrical and thermal properties of the materials used to fabricate components of the electrostatic chuck and the substrate. In addition, due to the RF standing wave effect, the electromagnetic field above the substrate is not uniform, resulting in a plasma to be formed having a plasma sheath that bends towards the substrate proximate the edge of the substrate. Such bending of the plasma sheath leads to differences in the ion trajectories bombarding the substrate proximate the edge of the substrate as compared to the center of the substrate, thereby causing a non-uniform processing of the substrate and thus affecting overall critical dimension uniformity.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved electrostatic chuck that provides an enhanced substrate edge electromagnetic field and uniform plasma performance.

Ceramic heater and esc with enhanced wafer edge performance


An adjustable vehicular seat assembly includes a fixed rail attached to the vehicle underbody and a sliding rail movably carried on the fixed rail. A six-way power seat adjustment mechanism is supported on the sliding rail and connects a seat frame thereto. A buckle for a seat belt harness is pivotally attached to the rearward end of the sliding rail and extends upwardly to a pivotal connection on the seat frame. The buckle includes a piston and hydraulic cylinder arrangement extendable and collapsible between the respective pivotal connections on the seat frame and the sliding rail for adjusting the distance between the two pivotal connections while the seat frame is articulated vertically by the power seat adjustment mechanism. The piston is carried on a piston rod integral with the buckle and includes a plurality of axially extending flow control orifices for restrictively conducting fluid flow while reciprocating within the hydraulic cylinder.

Vehicular occupant restraint systems usually include a seat belt harness comprised of a lap belt and a shoulder belt which merge at a clasp structured to releasibly engage a manual buckle mechanism. The buckle is typically attached by a flexible strap to the vehicle underbody to function as an anchor when the occupant restraint system is placed into use.
The buckle is normally positioned at or near the seat cushion on the inboard side of the seat for easy accessibility when joining or disjoining the seat belt harness and buckle assembly. Because the buckle is anchored to the underbody, a problem arises when the seat is adjusted between forward and rearward and/or raised and lowered positions to orient the driver or passenger in a comfortable position.
If the occupant is particularly small in stature, the seat will be articulated forwardly and upwardly to the maximum extent of the seat adjustment mechanism. This relative movement of the seat causes the underbody anchored buckle of the occupant restraint system to become positioned below and behind the seat cushion. Thus, a small statured occupant often has to search and grope for the buckle when joining and disjoining the seat belt harness. Searching for the buckle behind or below the seat cushion is particularly aggravated when in an unfamiliar vehicle, when low lighting conditions or disagreeable weather conditions exist. Also, with the buckle positioned below and behind the seat cushion of a forwardly adjusted seat, the seat belt harness may wrap around the edge of the seat cushion causing an uncomfortable condition.
Alternatively, if the occupant is large in stature, the seat assembly will be articulated completely rearwardly and in a lowered condition such that the buckle anchored to the underbody will become positioned significantly above and forwardly of the seat cushion. Thus, when the buckle is connected to the seat belt harness, the buckle may lay uncomfortably across the large occupant's leg or in some other way cause discomfort due to its position above the seat cushion.
The prior art has sought to overcome this problem by anchoring the buckle to a stationary fixed rail of the seat adjustment mechanism and attaching an upper portion of the buckle to the moveable seat frame. A hydraulic cylinder is provided between the seat frame and the fixed rail to account for relative movement between the fixed rail and seat frame.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,993,747 and 4,037,132, both issued to Borlinghaus et al, on Feb. 19, 1991 and Aug. 6, 1991, respectively, and both assigned to the assignee of the subject invention, disclose buckle mechanisms including hydraulic cylinders. These vehicular seat assemblies include a fixed rail for attachment to a vehicle underbody or floor, a sliding rail movably carried on the fixed rail, a seat frame operatively supported above the sliding rail for receiving and supporting a vehicle seat cushion, an articulator means or some form of power seat adjustment mechanism interconnecting the seat frame and the sliding rail for moving the seat frame upwardly and angularly relative to the sliding rail, and a buckle means for releasibly clasping a seat belt harness relative to the fixed rail.
Although quite effective, the primary disadvantage of the assemblies disclosed in these Borlinghaus et al patents is that the hydraulic cylinder is exceptionally long and must be structured with an over-travel mechanism because of the large movement variability between the seat frame and the fixed rail. The Borlinghaus et al '747 reference teaches electrifying the hydraulic fluid to achieve a desired viscosity within the hydraulic cylinder. Over-travel mechanisms are required because the typical horizontal travel between the sliding rail and the fixed rail is approximately 8 inches, and the typical vertical travel provided by the articulator means is approximately 2 inches. Therefore, because the hydraulic cylinder is attached to the rearwardmost end of the fixed rail, the hydraulic cylinder must extend/contract a minimum of 8 inches travel in the horizontal direction and approximately 2 inches in the vertical direction, which results in a minimum diagonal vector travel of almost 9 inches.
Thus, the hydraulic cylinders disclosed in the Borlinghaus et al patents are expensive to manufacture because of their large size to accommodate travel limits and their relatively complex over-travel mechanisms provided. Further, the hydraulic cylinders in the Borlinghaus et al references are adapted primarily for two door model vehicles where the rear seat is not frequently used. The long hydraulic cylinders employed in such vehicles tend to crowd the feet of the rear seat occupants when the forward seat is moved to a forwardmost location and are susceptible to abrasion or damage from the feet of rear seat occupants and/or cargo. Hence, new constructions are needed to accommodate seat articulation and for enhancing the comfort of rear seated occupants.

Vehicular seat with occupant restraint system


A producing method of a wired circuit board includes the steps of preparing a wired circuit board having an insulating layer and a conductive pattern including a wire covered with the insulating layer and a terminal portion exposed from the insulating layer, disposing a contact member formed of a material having a standard electrode potential lower than that of a conductive material forming the conductive pattern such that the contact member is in contact with the conductive pattern and exposed from the insulating layer, and dipping the wired circuit board including the disposed contact member in a polymerization solution of a conductive polymer to form a semiconductive layer on the surface of the insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a producing method of a wired circuit board and, more particularly, to a producing method of a wired circuit board such as a suspension board with circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been conventionally known a wired circuit board in which an insulating base layer, a conductive pattern having wires and terminal portions, and an insulating cover layer are successively laminated. Such a wired circuit board is widely used in the field of various electric and electronic equipment.
As a producing method of such a wired circuit board, a producing method of a flexible printed circuit board has been proposed in which, with a view to preventing electrostatic breakdown of an electronic component mounted thereon, a laminate (board main body) composed of, e.g., a base layer, conductor circuits, and cover layers is produced, and then conductive polymer layers are formed around the laminate (see, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent No. 2004-158480).


The invention relates to a novel method and kit for detecting and measuring pleiotrophin in samples and diagnosing pleiotrophin-positive diseases. The method involves incubating a sample suspected of containing PTN with anti-PTN antibodies and determining the presence of PTN using a sandwich ELISA. Also methods for treating a pleiotrophin-positive disease by administering an anti-PTN antibody or fragment thereof are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel methods of detecting and measuring levels of the tumor growth factor pleiotrophin (PTN). These measurements can be used to determine the presence of PTN-positive diseases, to determine the relative prognosis of the disease, to determine the efficacy of cytotoxic anticancer drugs, and for molecular targeting of PTN. More particularly, the present invention relates to immunoassays using anti-PTN antibodies to detect and measure levels of PTN in samples. The present invention also relates to kits for detecting and measuring PTN levels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tumor expansion and metastasis are dependent on growth factors produced by the tumor cells and/or by the stroma (Folkman J, N. Engl. J. Med. 333: 1757–1763, 1995) and one would expect in particular that these growth factors, such as angiogenic factors that target sprouting blood vessels, can be shed into the circulation and hence may provide a direct measure of tumor progression. With respect to the significance of growth factor expression and release into the circulation, several clinical studies found elevated levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the sera of patients with cancer of the prostate (Meyer et al., Cancer, 76: 2304–2311, 1995), breast (Sliutz et al., Anticancer Res., 15: 2675–2677, 1995), cervix uteri (Sliutz et al., Cancer Lett., 94: 227–231, 1995) and kidneys (Duensing et al., Anticancer Res., 15: 2331–2333, 1995) as well as in the urine of patients with a wide spectrum of different cancers (Nguygen et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 86: 356–360, 1994). These clinical findings and studies in animals (Soutter et al., Cancer Research, 53: 5297–5299, 1993) suggest that in principle angiogenic factors released from tumors can enter the circulation and may serve as useful indicators of tumor progression or as surrogate endpoints of therapeutic efficacy (Wellstein et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 86:328–329).
The tumor growth factor pleiotrophin (PTN) belongs to a family of growth factors that includes midkine (MK) (Kadomatsu et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 3: 1312–1318, 1988). PTN and MK share 50% sequence homology (Laaroubi et al., Prog. Growth Factor Res., 6(1): 25–34, 1995). PTN is involved in growth and differentiation processes that are tightly regulated during development (Schulte et al., Tumor Angiogenesis, pp. 273–289, Oxford University Press, 1997), and it is a mitogen for fibroblasts (Fang et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267: 25889–25897, 1992), epithelial cells and endothelial cells (Fang et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267: 25889–25897, 1992 and Delbe et al., J. Cell Physiol., 164: 47–54, 1995). PTN also stimulates plasminogen activator production (Kojima et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 216: 574–581, 1995), induces tube formation of endothelial cells in vitro (Laaroubi et al., Prog. Growth Factor Res., 6(1): 25–34, 1995), and thus can serve as a tumor angiogenesis factor in vivo. Further, PTN is expressed in a variety of tumor cell lines and tumor samples (Fang et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267: 25889–25897, 1992), and pleiotrophin has been found to be oncogenic when over-expressed in NIH3T3 cells (Chauhan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 90: 679–682, 1993) and SW-13 human adrenal carcinoma cells (Fang et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267: 25889–25897, 1992). Furthermore, the growth, angiogenesis and metastasis of PTN-positive melanomas (Czubayko et al., Biol. Chem., 269: 21358–21363, 1994 and Czubayko et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 93: 14753–14758, 1996) and the invasion and angiogenesis of choriocarcinoma (Schulte et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 93:14759–14764, 1996) was reverted by depleting the tumor cells of their endogenous PTN with specific ribozymes.
Knowing the levels of PTN in samples can play a significant role in diagnosing and prognosticating PTN-positive diseases, monitoring the efficacy of anti-PTN therapeutics, and detecting PTN inhibitors or stimulators. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for methods to detect and measure levels of pleiotrophin in samples and to diagnose pleiotrophin-positive diseases. There is also a need in the art for methods to monitor the effectiveness of therapeutic treatments for pleiotrophin-positive diseases and to test for agents or drugs that inhibit or stimulate pleiotrophin.


The technology disclosed in this patent document allows mode locking of both selected longitudinal and transverse modes to produce laser pulses. The laser light produced based on such mode locking exhibits a 3-dimensional mode profile based on the locked longitudinal and transverse modes.

A laser can be constructed by including an optical resonator and an optical gain medium in the optical resonator to produce a sufficient optical gain to light in the optical resonator to overcome the overall optical loss in the optical resonator to cause a desired laser oscillation. Such a laser may have various optical modes supported by the optical resonator and the intra-cavity optical gain medium. Pulsed lasers can be constructed by creating and maintaining a fixed phase relationship amongst different longitudinal optical modes with the same transverse mode so that those longitudinal optical modes are locked in phase and the optical interference of those locked modes produces laser pulses. Many mode-locked lasers for locking different longitudinal optical modes with the same transverse mode are designed to spatially select the fundamental transverse mode for locking the different longitudinal modes.

Pulsed lasers based on spatiotemporal mode-locking


A system and method for making a food item are provided. The apparatus includes a food item assembly and packaging station having a first work area for assembling and packaging a food item and a meal order assembly station having a second work area for assembling a meal order that includes a food item packaged on the first work surface. A conveyor is positioned beneath the first work area and extends from a position proximate to the first area to a position proximate to the second work area. A conveyor access opening is proximate to the first work area to provide worker access to the conveyor to permit manual placement of a food item assembled and packaged at the first work area onto the conveyor for conveying the packaged food item beneath the first work area to the location proximate the meal order assembly station.

In a typical quick service restaurant, meals ordered by customers include various food items. Typically, restaurant workers prepare and package these food items at various and relatively diverse areas within the kitchen. Additionally, the components of a food item order and the equipment, supplies and packaging used to prepare, assemble, and package a food item may also be diversely located requiring a worker to travel about the restaurant to accomplish the task of preparing a food item. For example, food items may include buns that need to be conditioned or toasted, sandwich fillings, such as hamburger and sausage patties, chicken and fish filets, and fried and folded eggs, for example, that need to be cooked and thereafter assembled in a sandwich, packaging for the food items such as suitable wrappers, bags or other containers. Crew members or workers are required to travel to various locations within the restaurant to obtain the components that are to be included in the assembled and packaged food item, which may be, for example, a hamburger sandwich. Once the food components are obtained and the food item is assembled and packaged, the packaged food item is then typically manually transported by a human worker walking to one or more meal order assembly areas where the packaged food items are then assembled as part of a meal order including the packaged food item and other items such as drinks. Over the course of the day workers move numerous times between various locations in the store such as to and from cooking food component, assembly, packaging and meal order assembly locations. Worker movements can create bottlenecks at certain locations of the kitchen, and the paths the workers travel may crisscross paths traveled by other workers. This is especially true in the generally limited confines of a quick service restaurant, and also is a particular problem during peak order periods wherein numerous orders must be filled at a rapid pace. Moreover, typical kitchen layouts are an inefficient use of labor adding to the cost of operations.
A need exists for a kitchen system, layout and method of making or assembling food items and packaging them that increases labor efficiencies for food item assembly and packaging, particularly for a quick-service restaurant.
A need exists for a more labor efficient kitchen layout, particularly for a quick-service restaurant.
A need exists to reduce bottlenecks and path crossing of workers that assemble and package food items, particularly in a quick-service restaurant.

Food item cooking, assembly and packaging system and method


The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus which includes a first conveying device for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward the predetermined direction or toward an opposite direction, a separating device disposed at a downstream side of the first conveying means in the predetermined direction and adapted to separate an outermost sheet from the sheet stack being fed by the first conveying device, a second conveying device for conveying the sheet separated by the separating device, and control device for controlling the first conveying device in such a manner that the first conveying device is activated to convey the sheet stack in the predetermined direction and the first conveying device is stopped after the sheet separated by the separating device starts to be conveyed by the second conveying device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to a sheet re-feeding mechanism for re-feeding a sheet from an intermediate tray in an image forming system capable of performing a two-sided printing operation and a multi-print operation.
2. Related Background Art
Conventional apparatus, a two-sided image forming system generally includes an intermediate tray for receiving and stacking sheets each having an image printed on a first surface. After the image forming operation regarding first surfaces of the sheets has been completed, the sheets stacked in the intermediate tray are separated and fed one by one to reinsert each sheet into an image forming portion, where an image is printed on a second surface of the sheet. An important matter in performing such a two-sided image forming operation is the reliability of the sheet feeding, i.e., whether the sheet can be fed properly or not. Particularly, the reliability of the sheet re-feeding is important. Whether the sheet having the image printed on its first surface can be accurately separated and individually fed from the intermediate tray is a problem.
FIG. 11 shows an example of a conventional two-sided image forming system.
In FIG. 11, the image forming system includes a body or frame 1, an original support 2 on which an original is rested, a photosensitive drum 3 which can bear an image from the original, mirrors 4, 5, 6, 7 for directing the image on the original to the photosensitive drum 3, a focusing lens 8 for focusing the image on the photosensitive drum, and a transfer electrode 9 for transferring a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum onto a sheet P.
The sheet P stored in a cassette 10 is picked up by a supply roller 11 and is fed out by regist rollers 12 at a predetermined timing synchronous with the image formed on the photosensitive drum 3. After the toner image has been transferred onto the sheet by the transfer electrode 9, the toner image is fixed to the sheet by means of a fixing device 13. When an image is to be superimposed on the first surface of the same sheet P, the sheet P is directed to a sheet feeding path 15 by a switching guide 14 and is then stored in an intermediate tray 16.
On the other hand, when an image is to be formed on a second surface, opposed to the first surface, of the same sheet, the sheet P is directed to a sheet feeding path 17 by the switching guide 14 and is ejected halfway by means of ejector rollers 18. Then, by reversing the ejector rollers 18, a trailing end of the sheet P is introduced into a sheet feeding path 20 by means of a switching guide 19 and then is stored in the intermediate tray 16.
Thereafter, when the image is printed again on the first or second surface of the sheet, the sheet P having the image formed on its first surface is re-fed from the intermediate tray 16 individually and is sent to the image forming portion, where the image is printed on the second surface of the sheet. Now, since the sheet P having the first surface on which the image was formed has been passed through the fixing device 13 to fix the image onto the first surface, the sheets P stacked in the intermediate tray 16 may include the silicone oil adhered on its imaged surface (first surface) or may have a curled end portion formed due to heat and pressure in the fixing device. Thus, there arises a problem that the double feed and/or the jamming of the sheet will occur in the re-feeding of the sheet from the intermediate tray.
FIG. 12 shows an example of a two-sided image forming system designed to enhance such reliability. In this conventional image forming system, whenever the sheet is introduced into the intermediate tray 16, the whole sheet stack is shifted slightly by means of a pair of conveying rollers 21. so that the sheets are stacked in a stepped fashion.
The sheet stack overlapped in such stepped fashion is wholly conveyed toward a pair of rollers 22 after the image forming operation regarding first surfaces of the sheets has been completed. Then, by stopping the activation of the paired conveying rollers 21 immediately after a lowermost sheet P in the sheet stack leaves the paired conveying rollers 21, only the lowermost sheet P pinched between the paired rollers 22 is fed out by such rollers 22 for the second surface printing operation. According to this example, it is possible to improve the prevention of the double-feed of the sheets during the sheet refeeding operation.
Incidentally, in performing the two-sided printing operation, the technique that the sheets each having the image printed on its first surface are stacked in the stepped fashion is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 58-178373, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-18744 and the like.
However, in the above conventional example, it is necessary to provide or prepare a condition that only the lowermost sheet P in the sheet stack is pinched by the paired rollers 22 and at the same time is separated from the paired rollers 21, and the remaining sheets are pinched by only the paired rollers 21. To do so, as shown in FIG. 13A, it is necessary to set a distance between the paired rollers 21 and 22 to a length slightly shorter than a length of the sheet P. In this case, although the toner fixed to the sheets does not rub with each other and thus the sheets are not smeared, the sheets P having different sizes cannot be re-fed.
Accordingly, if it is desired to re-feed the sheets P having different sizes, the optimum positional relation between the paired rollers 21 and 22 as shown in FIG. 13A must be satisfied regarding the smallest size sheet P and at the same time a condition as shown in FIG. 13B must be satisfied regarding the larger size sheets. That is to say, only the lowermost sheet to be re-fed is separated from the paired rollers 21 and the remaining sheets are pinched by the paired rollers 21, and at least the lowermost sheet is pinched by the paired rollers 22. Thus, in this case, when the sheets P having the sizes sufficiently larger than the smallest sheet size are fed, two or more sheets including the lowermost sheet are pinched by the paired rollers 22. From this condition, a rubber driving roller 22b of the paired rollers 22 shifts the lowermost sheet. The remaining sheets are not shifted since they are pinched by the paired rollers 21.
Consequently, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the lowermost sheet P.sub.1 is shifted toward a direction shown by the arrow while slidingly contacting with a second or upper sheet P.sub.2. Thus, during the multi-print operation, as shown in FIG. 14, the toner particles on the second sheet P.sub.2 in the nip area (between the rollers 22) are transferred onto a hatched area of the lowermost sheet P.sub.1 and thus are peeled from the second sheet P.sub.2. On the other hand, during the two-sided printing operation, as shown in FIG. 15, the toner particles on the lowermost sheet are transferred onto the second sheet P.sub.2 at the nip area, and thus, the toner particles on the hatched area of the lowermost sheet P.sub.1 are peeled from the lowermost sheet.

Sheet feeding apparatus for re-feeding a sheet without smearing


An electrical control device including an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit has a circuit protection component such as, e.g., a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). The exemplary GFCI includes a TEST circuit activator and a RESET circuit activator, as well as a visual circuit status indicator indicia that is in an active (illuminated) state when the circuit is in a fault condition. The status indicator indicia is visually, physically, ergonomically or otherwise positively informatively associated with the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator. The positive informative association between the indicator indicia and the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator may be made by physical and/or visual boundaries or markings on a cover portion of the device or by integrally incorporating the indicia in the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator. The indicia may be a steady state or a blinking illumination. According to an aspect, a prompting indicator provides a prompting indicia for a user to activate the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator or replace a defective component of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to the field of electrical wiring devices that include a circuit protection component such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). More particularly, embodiments of the invention are directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a circuit protection component having an optical/visual circuit status or condition indicator, which is physically, visually, ergonomically or otherwise informatively associated with a circuit RESET or TEST activator component of the device.
2. Description of Related Art
Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) devices are designed to trip in response to the detection of a ground fault condition in a load circuit. Generally, the ground fault condition results when a person comes into contact with a line (or hot) conductor in the load circuit and an earth ground at the same time. This situation can result in serious injury. The GFCI device detects this type of condition by using a sensing transformer to detect an imbalance between the currents flowing in the line and neutral conductors of the AC supply, as will occur when some of the current to the load circuit is being diverted to ground. When such an imbalance is detected, a circuit breaker within the GFCI device is tripped to an open condition, thereby opening at least the line conductor to the load and removing power from the ground fault.
GFCIs are just one member of a family of protective devices that also includes arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) and units that include both AFCI and GFCI protection. An AFCI is designed to detect an electrical arcing condition that if allowed to persist could ignite nearby combustibles. Arcs may occur in a loose electrical connection intended to carry current to a load, or between two electrical conductors that are not isolated electrically from each other. An arc fault condition typically manifests itself as a high frequency current signal. Accordingly, an AFCI may be configured to detect various high frequency signals and trip a circuit breaker. As a result of the tripping, the load circuit along with the arc fault current is interrupted before combustibles in proximity to the arcing fault have a chance to ignite. Whereas the principles of the invention are described in concert with GFCI devices, it is to be understood that they are applicable to other protective devices such as those set forth herein by way of example.
GFCI devices come in various forms, including portable or line cord devices and central units that provide protection for a portion of the AC wiring throughout a structure. Central units are, by way of example, GFCI circuit breakers incorporated in an electrical distribution panel and GFCI receptacles incorporated into wall-mounted AC electrical receptacles that are designed for installation at various locations within a building. A typical receptacle configuration consists of a housing adapted to be received within a standard electrical box, with a pair of standard two- or three-prong AC outlets, a 'TEST' pushbutton and a 'RESET' pushbutton accessible through the front of the housing. At the rear of the housing, two pairs of screw terminals are ordinarily provided. One pair of screw terminals, which are sometimes referred to as source or line terminals, allow the line and neutral conductors from an AC source to be connected to the GFCI receptacle, and these terminals are connected to the electrical outlets at the front of the housing via the GFCI circuitry and circuit interrupter within the housing. The second pair of screw terminals, which are sometimes referred to as load or feed-through terminals, are connected directly in parallel with the contacts of the AC outlets. This provides the installer with the option of connecting a standard, non-GFCI AC receptacle to the GFCI receptacle. The GFCI receptacle provides ground fault protection to the standard receptacle's outlets without the need to provide a separate GFCI circuit. The standard receptacle may be located remotely from the GFCI receptacle, but will ordinarily be close enough (e.g., in the same room) so that convenient resetting is possible when a ground fault condition occurs.
The TEST pushbutton referred to above allows a user to manually initiate a simulated fault condition to test the operating condition of the GFCI. Actuation of the TEST pushbutton results in removal of power from the load circuit which is typically indicated on the device by the popping out of the RESET pushbutton. To restore power to the load circuit, the user actuates the RESET pushbutton.
Unfortunately, there is a problem with GFCI receptacles of the type described above, in that the installer may erroneously connect the incoming AC source conductors to the load or feed-through terminals of the receptacle rather than to the source or line terminals. Because of the nature of the internal wiring of a GFCI receptacle, this miswiring condition is not easily detected. AC power can still be present at the receptacle outlets, making it appear that the GFCI receptacle is operating normally and providing the desired ground fault protection. If the TEST pushbutton is depressed, the circuit breaker within the GFCI receptacle will be released and the RESET pushbutton will pop out, again making it appear that the GFCI receptacle is operating normally and providing the desired ground fault protection. In reality, however, no such protection is being provided because the AC source has been wired directly to the receptacle outlets without passing through the internal circuit breaker of the GFCI device.
It is known to provide a GFCI receptacle with a visual indicator, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), to indicate that the GFCI has been properly wired. If the receptacle has been wired properly, the LED is extinguished in response to activating the test button. However, in the event that the receptacle has been miswired by connecting the AC source to the load terminals rather than to the line terminals, the LED is not extinguished when a ground fault condition occurs. Thus, the LED remains illuminated to serve as an indication that the receptacle has been miswired. Unfortunately, however, the installer of the receptacle cannot necessarily be relied upon to understand the operation of the LED. That is, the failure of the LED to extinguish after the TEST button is depressed may not be interpreted by the installer as an abnormal condition, particularly since the installer will observe the popping out of the RESET button. Thus, the miswiring of the receptacle may not be detected and a dangerous condition may be allowed to persist.
Known GFCIs have included various types of visual indicators. Examples are trip indicators that illuminate when the circuit breaker has tripped, pilot indicators that illuminate when the circuit breaker is reset, and end-of-life indicators that illuminate when the GFCI is experiencing an internal fault condition and is no longer affording protection. Due to the plethora of indicators, the user may mistakenly believe that the particular indicator is for one purpose when in fact it is included in the GFCI for an entirely different purpose. As a result, visual indicators have led to confusion rather than to solution. This is particularly true in construction sites, hotel rooms, and other similar situations where someone may be confronted by an unfamiliar device model.
Known visual indicators have been somewhat effective for indicating a status of the load circuit. The trip indicator, for example, emits light to indicate that power is not available in the load circuit and even that the GFCI is responsible for the loss. Unfortunately these indicators do not guide the user in what to do next.
In another aspect, a GFCI is periodically tested by way of the TEST button and RESET button. A visual indicator, if provided, is typically in proximity to these buttons. Unfortunately given the variety of meanings of visual indicators, the indicator may cause confusion about how the test and reset buttons are to be manipulated and even whether or not the test passed. As a result of the testing process not being user friendly, some users have shied away from testing, thus a device no longer affording protection remains in service.
What is needed is a user-friendly visible indicator. In particular, what is needed is a visible indicator configured to lead the user to perform a pre-determined task in an intended manner.

Electrical device with circuit status indicator


A method for promoting biological activity uses a filter system to increase cell production of a fed batch bioreactor. The filter system cycles bioreactor fluid through a hollow fiber tangential flow filter which separates metabolic wastes (as well as proteins) from cells produced in bioreactor and returned to fed batch bioreactor, improving cell production in the fed batch bioreactor. The filter system includes a disposable pump and filter, and a reusable control system. The pump is a low shear gamma stable pump gently cycling bioreactor fluid through the filter with minimal damage to the cells produced in the bioreactor. The pumphead and hollow fiber tangential flow filter are disposable. The pump motor is part of the control system and is reusable. The pumphead and filter are provided as an assembled and pre-sterilized unit allowing simple and quick attachment to the fed batch bioreactor, and simple and quick disposal.

The present invention relates to bioreactors and in particular to an improved bioreactor system and method including a disposable pumphead and tangential flow filter.
Bioreactor systems provide an environment supporting biological activity and known bioreactor systems build up metabolic waste in the bioreactor. The buildup of build up metabolic waste limits the amplification or cell growth within the bioreactor. As a result, known high capacity bioreactor systems require either a very large and expensive bioreactor or require filtering biological material in the bioreactor to continue the biological activity. Known pump and filter systems used for such filtering require a sterile environment. Components in the pump include parts which in some instances require replacement between each run. Mechanical pump components which wear or tear may give off debris into the bioreactor filter. Unfortunately, when pumps or filters of known systems require service or replacement, the required procedures can be time consuming due to the requirement to maintain the sterile environment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for proliferation of cells within a bioreactor using a disposable pumphead and filter assembly


A lock for releasably locking a movable hatch to a counterpart is equipped with a fitting (1) having a locking assembly (21) and an additional fitting (2) having an additional locking assembly (28) that can be brought into engagement with the locking assembly (21) of the other fitting (1). The fittings (1, 2) are made of plastic and an elastically deformable compensating cushion (7) is present, which is fastened to one fitting (1, 2) and which when the fittings (1, 2) are in the locked position is disposed deformed between the fittings (1, 2) such that it exerts a bias on them (1, 2). The inventive lock is therefore light but strong and compensates tolerances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a lock for releasably locking a movable hatch to a counterpart.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such locks, which are typically used in automotive construction, are conventionally made of metal. A fitting of the lock can be connected to the movable hatch and comprises a locking assembly with a pin that can be releasably locked to a locking assembly of an additional fitting of the lock that is connected to a counterpart. The pin in this case is configured as relatively sturdy, since it has to be able to withstand both tensile and compressive stresses.


An input system and a method for detecting touch using the same are provided. An input system includes: a sensor panel including first and second channels crossing each other, a stylus pen including: a first coil and a second coil divided from each other, a resonance capacitor and a switch serially connected to the second coil, and a conductive tip connected to the first coil, a stylus ground connected to the stylus pen, an antenna loop formed in an outer region of the sensor panel, and a touch controller connected to the first and second channels and the antenna loop.

1. Field
The following disclosure relates to an input system and a method for detecting touch using the same, more particularly, to an input system that is able to realize a stylus pen with no battery in a display device and to detect touch using a human finger or a stylus pen, and a method for detecting touch using the same.
2. Background
As the world officially entered the information technology era, techniques for a display device configured to present an electrical information signal into a visual image have grown rapidly. To meet the demands of the rapidly growing display techniques, various types of flat display devices with desirable features have been developed which can be substituted for conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) devices. Such features include small thickness, light weight, and low power consumption.
Typical examples of such a flat panel display device include a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel device (PDP), a field emission display device (FED), an electro luminescence display device (ELD), and the like. Those examples commonly include a flat display panel configured to realize an image as an essential component. Such a flat display panel has a structure in that an optical anisotropic film or a luminance film is disposed between a pair of transparent insulator substrates bonded oppositely.
Such a display device having the above-mentioned structure increasingly requires a touch panel that can recognize a touch position via human fingers or auxiliary input means to transmit corresponding information to meet the recognized touch position. Currently, such a touch panel is applied as an attach-type panel attached to an outer surface of the display device.
According to a touch detecting method, the touch panel is classified into a resistance type, a capacitance type, and infrared ray detecting type. In view of the manufacture system convenience and the sensing ability, the capacitance type touch panel has been receiving more attention recently.
Mobile devices, such as a smart phone, a smart book, and the like, have become more popular as HIDs (Human Interface Devices) using a human finger or using a stylus pen that enables writing or drawing as an input device. A stylus pen input enables more detailed input and gives advantages of detailed drawing and writing.
A capacitance-type touch screen in a related art will be described as follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a capacitance-type touch detecting circuit in a related art. FIG. 2 is a graph of voltage output based on the time divided according to presence of a finger touch using the circuit diagram of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, a capacitance-type touch detecting circuit includes a first electrode (Tx) and a second electrode (Rx), an amplifier 5 receiving a reference voltage (Vref) via a (+) input terminal, and a capacitor (Cs) formed between an output terminal of the amplifier 5 and an (−) input terminal.
In this instance, the first electrode (Tx) receives an input voltage (Vin) via a pad provided in an end thereof and senses an output voltage (Vout) output from the amplifier 5 via a pad provided in an end of the second electrode (Rx).
A square wave of typically 2-3 μs is used as a touch driving signal and applied to the first electrode (Tx). A voltage value in proportion to a value of mutual capacitance variation (ΔCm) between the first and second electrodes (Tx and Rx) is sensed as the output voltage (Vout).
As time passes after the square wave is applied as an input voltage as shown in FIG. 2, the output voltage (Vout) is increased in case of finger touch. When there is a finger touch, a finger contacts with the electrode, and the mutual capacitance variation (ΔCm) decreases. Accordingly, the rate of increase of the output voltage (Vout) is decreased (as in the dotted line in FIG. 2), and such decrease is calculated at a cross section between each Tx channel and each Rx channel. Coordinates of the finger touch can be extracted from such data.
However, when the touch detecting circuit of FIG. 1 is used in stylus pen touch as well as finger touch, a contact area of a sensor panel face positioned in a top of a stylus pen is relatively small and it is difficult to sense mutual capacitance variation in touch implemented by the stylus pen, because mutual capacitance Cm between electrodes is small. Accordingly, the accuracy of coordinate extraction might be deteriorated.
Moreover, when a tip of the stylus pen is smaller than the electrode provided in a sensor panel for sensing, coordinate distortion could be generated thereby affecting the sensitivity of the sensor directly.
When the finger touch and the stylus pen touch use the same touch detecting circuit, one disadvantage is that touch implemented by the palm in contact with the electrode in the stylus pen input cannot be distinguished from the touch implemented by the stylus pen. In other words, in the detecting circuit shown in FIG. 1, it is difficult to have palm rejection in the stylus pen touch module.
Another driving module for detecting touch by another driving module, for instance, an electromagnetic driving module different from the stylus pen touch or finger touch is introduced. In this instance, an auxiliary panel that can be detected by an auxiliary electromagnetic driving module has to be further provided, rather than only the capacitance type electrode. Accordingly, the number of essential components is increased, and necessary processes have to be increased disadvantageously.
The capacitance-type touch screen in a related art has following disadvantage.
First, the contact area of the sensor panel face of the tip possessed by the stylus pen is relatively small and the mutual capacitance variation (ΔCm) is small. Accordingly, it is difficult to sense the variation of the mutual capacitance in the touch implemented by the stylus pen and the accuracy of the coordination extraction can be deteriorated.
Second, when the tip of the stylus pen is smaller than the electrode provided in the sensor panel for sensing, there could be coordinate distortion according to presence of the electrode, thereby causing sensitivity deterioration of the sensor.
Third, there is a disadvantage of failure in distinguishing the touch implemented by the palm in contact with the electrode in the stylus pen input from the touch implemented by the stylus pen. In other words, it is difficult for the capacitance-type touch screen in the related art to have the function of palm rejection in the touch implemented by the stylus pen.
Fourth, the method for detecting the stylus pen touch according to another driving module that is different from the driving module of the finger touch, for instance, the electromagnetic type driving module is introduced. However, in this instance, an auxiliary panel that can be detected by an auxiliary electromagnetic driving module has to be further provided, rather than the capacitance type electrode. Accordingly, the number of essential components is increased and necessary processes have to be increased disadvantageously.

Input system and method for detecting touch using the same


An object is to provide an optical pulse test method and an optical pulse test device with which it is possible to measure transmission losses of a basic mode and a first higher-order mode at a connection point at which two-mode optical fibers are connected in series, without switching the mode of input test light.

The amount of traffic in optical fiber networks is increasing year by year following an increase of large-volume contents represented by moving images and games and the popularization of smartphones. On the other hand, the transmission capacity of single-mode fibers that are currently used as transmission media is approaching the limit. As a technology for dealing with a future increase in traffic, mode multiplex transmission that uses few-mode fibers is attracting attention. To implement mode multiplex transmission, a technology for measuring loss characteristics of each mode used for transmission after constructing an optical transmission path using few-mode fibers is essential.
As a method for testing loss after constructing a transmission path, optical time domain reflectometry (hereinafter referred to as "OTDR") is famous. The OTDR refers to a method and a device that input pulsed test light to a fiber under test (hereinafter referred to as a "FUT") and acquire distribution data (a backscattered waveform) based on the intensity of backscattered light of Rayleigh scattering light and Fresnel reflection light derived from a test optical pulse that propagates through the optical fiber and a round trip time. NPL 1 discloses OTDR that separately measures a basic mode and a first higher-order mode that are included in backscattered light, as OTDR for testing two-mode fibers. Information regarding loss in the optical fiber can be acquired from backscattered waveforms of mode components.

Optical pulse testing method and optical pulse testing device

Abstract: An optical pulse test device according to the present invention inputs a test optical pulse in a basic mode (or a first higher-order mode) from one end of an optical fiber under test, the test optical pulse having such a wavelength that the test optical pulse can propagate in the basic mode and the first higher-order mode, measures intensity distributions of a basic mode component and a first higher-order mode component of return light of the test optical pulse relative to the distance from the one end, finds, from the intensity distributions, losses of the basic mode component and the first higher-order mode component of the return light at a desired connection point of the optical fiber under test, and calculates transmission losses of the basic mode and the first higher-order mode at the connection point based on expressions (8) (or expressions (9)).

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A system includes a translator device that is configured to receive, using a pre-programmed native mode of operation, a first barrier actuation code transmitted by a transmitter according to a first code format. The translator device then analyzes the first barrier actuation code and verifies that it is a valid code. When a valid code, the translator device saves the information contained in the code, and creates a second barrier actuation code at least in part from information contained in the first actuation code and transmits the second barrier actuation code according to the second code format, which is different from the first code format. A barrier operator is coupled to the translator device and a barrier. The barrier operator has a receiver apparatus and the receiver apparatus receives the second barrier actuation code. The barrier operator determines whether the second barrier actuation code is valid, and when the barrier actuation code is determined to be valid, actuates the barrier.

Different types of moveable barrier operators have been sold over the years and these barrier operator systems have been used to actuate various types of moveable barriers. For example, garage door operators have been used to move garage doors and gate operators have been used to open and close gates.
Such barrier movement operators may include various mechanisms to open and close the barrier. For instance, a wall control unit may be coupled to the barrier movement operator and send signals to a head unit thereby causing the head unit to open and close the barrier. In addition, operators often include a receiver unit at the head unit to receive wireless transmissions from a hand-held code transmitter or from a keypad transmitter, which may be affixed to the outside of the area closed by the barrier or other structure.
Some vehicles include a transmitter or transceiver that is affixed to or incorporated directly into the structure of the vehicle. These transmitters are used by users in their vehicles to actuate moveable barrier operators such as garage door operators. After being actuated by the transmitter, the moveable barrier operator then operates the barrier as directed by the transmitter.
Incorporating the transmitter into the structure of the vehicle provides several advantages. For example, when incorporated into the structure of the vehicle, the transmitter is typically directly connected to the power source of the vehicle thereby assuring an adequate and constant supply of power to the transmitter. Securing the transmitter into the structure of the vehicle also helps prevent damage to or loss of the transmitter.
While offering several advantages, these previous built-in transmitter systems also suffered from several disadvantages. Moveable barrier operators are often actuated by codes and the older codes used by these moveable barriers are sometimes changed or updated with new codes to provide better security. A user may also replace an old barrier operator with a new barrier operator that operates using new codes. Unfortunately, when new codes or code formats are used by the barrier operator and the old codes are still retained at the transmitters, the transmitter/barrier operator system will not be able to function properly together due to the code mismatch.
Some previous systems have attempted to circumvent these shortcomings by using an activator device that was coupled to the transmitter. When a specific code was received, the activator device sent a signal to activate the original transmitter. However, these systems proved to have security risks when used within vehicles. More specifically, when the activator device was placed in a vehicle, a thief could easily remove the transmitter from the activator device in the vehicle and then enter the protected area. In some cases, the activator device was placed securely inside the house of a user, but this prevented the transmitter from being used with other operators at other locations such as a summer home. Additionally, these previous systems required that a complicated electronic or mechanical interface be provided between the activator device and the transmitter.
Code translators were also used in previous systems in an attempt to overcome the above-mentioned problems. However, all of these previous code translators needed to first learn the codes from the transmitter before they could properly function. Additionally, these previous code translators proved time-consuming to implement (e.g., often requiring complicated user input and instructions) and, in any case, might not be effective in achieving the desired results.

Moveable barrier operator translation system and method


An antenna device includes a first radiation electrode having an open end and a short-circuited end connected to ground and being coupled to a feed line at a feeding point. Furthermore, the antenna device has a second radiation electrode having an open end and a short-circuited end connected to ground, wherein a portion of the second radiation electrode is part of an electric circuit. The first radiation electrode, the feed line and the electric circuit are arranged such that an alternating current through the feed line to the short-circuited end of the first radiation electrode, for feeding the second radiation electrode, induces an alternating current into the electric circuit via magnetic coupling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device and, in particular, to an antenna device suitable for multi-band operation. The present invention relates to an antenna for wireless data transmission, which may also include voice transmission.
2. Description of Related Art
For a wireless connection of mobile data processing devices, such as, for example, in wireless local area networks (WLAN), compact small antennas which often need to be dual-band- or multi-band-capable are required.
For this purpose, separate antennas may be used in practice for each frequency range. These separate antennas are, for example, connected to a diplexer in the form of a directional filter or to a multiplexer by means of which the signals to be transmitted are distributed to the respective individual antennas corresponding to the frequency ranges used. The disadvantage of using separate antennas for each frequency range is the size of the individual antennas, the area required for the antennas increasing with an increasing number of antennas required. Additionally, the required distributing circuit in the form of a diplexer or a multiplexer consumes a considerable amount of space.
Another known approach is to use antennas which have a very broad band or are multi-band-capable. In Kin-Lu Wong "Planar Antennas for Wireless Communications", John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Hoboken, N.J., USA, 2003, pp. 26 to 53, several dual-/multi-band antennas in particular for being used in wireless local area networks are explained. Integrated IFAs (IFA=inverted F antenna) and PIFAs (PIFA=planar inverted F antenna) are, among other things, described there.
Dual-band PIFAs described in the above-mentioned document include, on a main surface of a substrate, different antenna patches realized by slots in an electrode formed on the surface, the antenna patches being fed via a common feeding point and connected to ground via a common short-circuited point. Antennas of this kind are also described in Zi Dong Liu et al., "Dual-Frequency Planar Inverted F Antenna", IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 45, No. 10, October 1997, pp. 1451 to 1458.
This document by Kin-Lu Wong (pages 226 ff.) also describes an integrated dual-band antenna in the form of a stacked IFA antenna. Two IFA antennas are "stacked" and galvanically excited via a microstrip line. This antenna may also be employed for wireless local area networks.
Additionally, dual-band PIFAs in which an antenna patch is galvanically fed by a feeding point, whereas a second antenna patch is fed by a capacitive coupling to the galvanically fed antenna patch, is described in the document mentioned. Antenna patches of this kind having capacitive coupling are also described in Yong-Xin Guo et al., "A Quarter-Wave U-Shaped Patch Antenna With Two Unequal Arms for Wideband and Dual Frequency Operation", IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 50, No. 8, August 2002, pp. 1082 to 1087.
Another way of implementing a dual-band antenna in which the antenna patch is lengthened or shortened in a frequency-selective way via an LC resonator or a chip inductor connected therebetween, is also known from the above-mentioned document by Kin-Lu Wong and also described in Gabriel K. H. Lui et. al., "Compact Dual-Frequency PIFA Designs Using LC Resonators", IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 49, No. 7, July 2001, pp. 1016 to 1019.
A non-planar broad-band antenna using a radiation coupling technique is described in Louis F. Fei et al., "Method Boosts Bandwidths of IFAs for 5-GHz WLAN NICs, Microwaves and RF", September 2002, pp. 66 to 70. The bandwidth of the antenna is extended in a non-planar integrated IFA antenna by means of the radiation-coupled resonating of another IFA antenna.
It can be denoted in general that IFA antennas most often have a greater bandwidth compared to PIFA antennas, wherein most integrable dual-band concepts are of disadvantage due to a smaller bandwidth or due to an increased area demand.

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


An optical fiber cable comprises a plurality of optical fibers, tensile strength fibers that accommodate the plurality of optical fibers, and a sheath formed with a thermoplastic resin and covering the tensile strength resin. In this optical fiber cable, when a Young's modulus of the sheath at 0° C. is E [MPa], a cross-sectional area of the optical fiber cable is S [mm2] and an inner diameter of the sheath of the optical fiber cable is Di [mm], ES (0° C.) [N] which is the product of the Young's modulus E at 0° C. and the cross-sectional area S, and the inner diameter Di [mm] satisfy:

In the field of inter-connection in which equipments or components within equipment are connected via optical fibers, it is desired to use optical fiber cables in place of conventional metal cables. In this field of inter-connection, an optical fiber cable including optical fibers is required to be able to maintain on-line working even if the optical fiber cable including the optical fibers is treated roughly, and required to have characteristics different from those of an optical fiber cable used as a trunk cable. As such characteristics, the optical fiber cable used in the field of inter-connection is required to have, for example, pinch characteristics that even if the optical fiber cable is pinched by being folded in two, optical fibers within the optical fiber cable are less likely to rupture, and mechanical characteristics that even if heavy things fall on the optical fiber cable or the optical fiber cable is stamped by a chair or the like, transmission loss is less likely to increase, and communication is not interrupted (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-109003 and Japanese Patent No. 3815123).

Abstract: ES                                      (                              0                                °                                                                                C                  .                                            )                                Di                ≤        600                            (        1        )