An absorbent article having a liner adapted for contiguous relationship with the wearer's body, an outer cover in generally opposed relationship with the liner, and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover. An absorbent structure of the absorbent body has a length, a thickness, a width, a longitudinal axis and a non-uniform lateral compression stiffness across its width. The non-uniform lateral compression stiffness is such that the absorbent structure assumes a pre-determined, or non-random buckled configuration under lateral compression thereof. In one embodiment, the buckled configuration is generally symmetric about a plane normal to the absorbent structure and in which the longitudinal axis of the absorbent structure lies.

The present invention relates generally to absorbent articles, such as those used as personal care products, and more particularly to such an absorbent article having an absorbent body comprised at least in part of a stabilized non-woven absorbent structure.
Absorbent articles find widespread use as personal care products such as diapers, children's toilet training pants, adult incontinence garments, medical garments, sanitary napkins and the like, as well as surgical bandages and sponges. These articles absorb and contain body waste and are typically disposable in the sense that they are intended to be discarded after a limited period of use; i.e., the articles are not intended to be laundered or otherwise restored for reuse. Conventional disposable absorbent articles comprise an absorbent body disposed between a liner adapted for contiguous relationship with the wearer's skin and an outer cover for inhibiting liquid body waste absorbed by the absorbent body from leaking out of the article. The liner of the absorbent article is typically liquid permeable to permit liquid body waste to pass therethrough for absorption by the absorbent body.
In one general practice of forming fibrous webs (commonly referred to as airforming) for use as an absorbent body in such absorbent articles, discrete fibers such as cellulosic or other suitable absorbent fibers are introduced into an airforming device along with particulate or fibrous superabsorbent material. The absorbent fibers and superabsorbent particles are entrained in an air stream within the airforming device and directed onto a foraminous forming surface upon which the mixture of absorbent fibers and superabsorbent particles are collected to form an absorbent fibrous web or structure.
Airforming devices employed in high-speed commercial operations typically have a forming surface constructed of a wire screen or fluted grid, and one or more form members which, together with the wire screen or fluted grid, generally define the length, width and thickness profiles of the absorbent structure to be formed on the forming surface. A pneumatic flow mechanism, such as a vacuum suction system, draws the air-entrained fiber stream within the airforming device onto the forming surface, and pass the airflow through the forming surface has been employed in high-speed commercial operations. By using such an airforming device, absorbent structures have been formed with gradations in basis weight (e.g., thickness) along the length and/or width of the absorbent structure, and have also been formed to have a generally non-uniform width.
While airformed absorbent structures that comprise a mixture of absorbent fibers and superabsorbent material have proven useful in making absorbent bodies of preferred shapes and sizes for various absorbent articles, further improvement is desired. More particularly, such absorbent structures lack the structural integrity or stability to maintain its original shape (e.g., length, width and particularly thickness) following repeated liquid insults by the wearer.
To this end, it is known to use a conventional airlaying process to form a stabilized absorbent web or structure in which binder materials have been added to the structure. Such binder materials have included adhesives, powders, netting, and binder fibers. The binder fibers have included one or more of the following types of fibers: homofilaments, heat-fusible fibers, bicomponent fibers, meltblown polyethylene fibers, meltblown polypropylene fibers, and the like.
In conventional airlaying systems, binder fibers are mixed with absorbent fibers and superabsorbent materials and the mixture is then deposited onto a porous forming surface by using a vacuum system to draw the fibers onto the forming surface. The structure formed on the forming surface is then heated to activate the binder fibers whereby the binder fibers melt and form inter-fiber bonds with the absorbent fibers to form a stabilized structure.
Such conventional airlaying systems, however, have been limited with regard to the lengths of the binder fibers that can be efficiently employed. In the operation of the conventional systems, the lengths of the binder fibers have typically been 6 mm or less. Attempts to use longer binder fibers have caused plugging of distribution screens, non-uniform distribution of fibers, fiber clumping, and other basis weight uniformity problems. Such airlaying systems have also required the use of excessive amounts of energy. Where the binder fibers are heat-activated to provide the stabilized web structure, it has been necessary to subject the structure to an excessively long heating time to adequately heat the binder fibers. For instance, typical heating times with through-air bonding systems are in the range of 7-8 seconds. Additionally, it has been necessary to subject the fibrous web to an excessively long cooling time, such as during roll storage in warehouses, to establish and preserve the desired stabilized structure prior to further processing operations.
As a result, conventional airlaying systems have been inadequate for manufacturing stabilized absorbent structures directly in-line on consumer product converting machines at high-speeds. Rather, where stabilized absorbent structures are desired for use in making absorbent bodies for absorbent articles, the common approach has been to manufacture wider than needed stabilized webs off-line whereby the webs are rolled and stored for subsequent use in separate manufacturing machines.
One particular disadvantage of such an approach is that conventional airlaying systems are limited as to dimensioning of the stabilized structure formed thereby. More particularly, the stabilized structure formed by existing airlaying systems has both a uniform width (e.g., straight side edges) and a substantially uniform basis weight and thickness. Where a shaped absorbent structure having a non-uniform width is desired, such as an absorbent structure having a narrowed crotch region, the previously formed stabilized web must be unrolled and the side edges of the web must be cut to provide the desired width profile. Such cutting and shaping of the selected segments of the stabilized web results in excessive wasted amounts of the stabilized web, and has excessively complicated the manufacturing operations. In addition, conventional systems have resulted in excessive costs associated with the shipping, storage, and roll handling of the relatively low density materials.
Another disadvantage of such an approach is that when lateral compression is applied to a stabilized absorbent structure, such as by being squeezed between the legs of a wearer of an absorbent article incorporating such an absorbent structure, the uniform basis weight and density of the structure, particularly across its width, causes the structure to undesirably randomly buckle, or fold (e.g., along longitudinal fold lines) at multiple locations across the width of the structure.
Also, where a non-uniform basis weight or thickness is desired, e.g., to provide the absorbent structure with a targeted area of increased basis weight for increased absorbing capacity, a smaller (e.g., narrower) layer must be cut from one stabilized web and then overlayed and bonded onto a larger stabilized web to increase the basis weight of the absorbent structure at the targeted area. This requires additional steps and even further complicates manufacturing operations.

Absorbent article with stabilized absorbent structure having non-uniform lateral compression stiffness


A new and distinct cultivar of Caryopteris named ‘GOLD GIANT’ that is characterized by strong upright habit, mid-deep blue flowers, and bright golden yellow foliage throughout the season. In combination these traits set ‘GOLD GIANT’ apart from all other existing varieties of Caryopteris known to the inventor.

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/269,884 filed on Jul. 1, 2009, entitled Caryopteris Plant Named 'GOLD GIANT'.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caryopteris, also known as blue-mist or bluebeard, which is grown as an ornamental shrub for use in the garden and landscape. The new invention from the family Verbenaceae is known botanically as Caryopteris×clandonensis and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name 'GOLD GIANT'.
'GOLD GIANT' resulted from a long term breeding program within the genus Caryopteris which the inventor commenced in 1990 and carried out at the inventor's nursery in Hampshire, United Kingdom. 'GOLD GIANT' is a seedling selection derived from the deliberate open cross-pollination of the seed parent, an individual Caryopteris clandonensis 'Worcester Gold' (unpatented) and the pollen parent, an individual Caryopteris clandonensis 'Worcester Gold' (unpatented).
To initiate the breeding process the inventor isolated container-grown plants of Caryopteris 'Worcester Gold' on a nursery bench which was isolated from all other Caryopteris in the nursery. Following successful cross-pollination the resulting seed was collected by the inventor and sown in the autumn of 2000, with the intention of producing new seedlings with desired traits. The inventor selected 'GOLD GIANT' in 2004 based on the criteria of vigor, habit, and foliage color.
The distinguishing traits of 'GOLD GIANT' are strong upright habit, profusions of mid-deep blue flowers from early summer through fall, and bright golden yellow foliage throughout the season, with dark contrasting stems. 'GOLD GIANT' is vigorous, growing to 60 cm. in height and 76 cm. in width during the first year, reaching 90 cm-110 cm. in height and 90 cm-110 cm. in width at maturity. Cultural requirements include full sun, well-draining soil and minimal to moderate water. 'GOLD GIANT' is hardy to USDA Zone 6. Once established, 'GOLD GIANT' is drought tolerant and heat tolerant.
The closest comparison plant known to the inventor is Caryopteris 'Worcester Gold'. The comparison plant exhibits pale summer foliage, wispy open habit, and narrow leaves. The new Caryopteris variety 'GOLD GIANT' is distinguishable from the comparison plant by strong upright habit, broad leaves, and bright golden yellow foliage that remains so throughout the season without fading.
'GOLD GIANT' was first asexually reproduced by the inventor in Greatham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, in 2005. Asexual propagation was accomplished using semi-ripe stem cuttings. Since that time under careful observation, the distinguishing characteristics of 'GOLD GIANT' have been determined stable and uniform, and to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.


An assembly for holding a battery and touch port is releasably engageable with a touch pen body in a battery operated touch pen. The battery is releasably held in compression by a spring between two wafer circuit boards which in turn are electrically and physically connected by conductors disposed opposite one another. The conductors respectively carry a voltage potential and data signals from the touch port to axially facing circuit paths. Compression pins carried by the touch pen body having axially extending contact heads are urged into contact with the respective axially facing circuit paths when the assembly is attached to the touch pen body to supply voltage and data signals to electronic circuitry and memory devices carried by the touch pen body.

The present invention relates generally to touch pens and deals more particularly with a replaceable battery and holder assembly for use with a battery operated touch pen.
Touch pens are known in the art and are of the general type having a touch port serial data device for reading data from a touch memory device and which data is stored in a non-volatile memory in the touch pen. Data is read to the memory via a touch probe serial data device coupled to the memory and also carried by the touch pen. Typically, data is read from a touch memory device which may contain various different types of information, for example, inventory information, identification information, security information and the like and which information is dynamic and changing or which information may be portable from one location to another. The touch pen provides an efficient and convenient way to keep track of such information and transfer it to a central location to update the information at the central location, for example, a computer which may be used for inventory control or processing. Various applications of the touch pen are known in the art and one may refer to trade literature for a more detailed explanation of the operation of a touch pen and exemplary applications.
One drawback associated with battery operated touch pens of the above general type is that the touch pen must be returned to a maintenance or repair group for disassembly and removal of the battery from the touch pen, generally by unsoldering the battery connections and installing and resoldering a fresh battery. The obvious disadvantage is that the touch pen is removed from service during the time that the battery is replaced and data, which may be time sensitive, contained within the touch pen memory cannot be transferred, updated or otherwise used thereby possibly delaying other operations dependent upon the data stored in the touch pen.
Another disadvantage is that the battery must be replaced by a person having skill and knowledge of electronic components, soldering techniques, and so forth. In addition, such handling may affect the data stored in the touch pen.
It would be desirable therefore to have a battery powered touch pen with the capability to have its battery supply replaced easily and simply without the time consuming and labor intensive effort now required to replace such a battery.
It would also be desirable to replace a battery in a touch pen without the "downtime" generally associated with battery replacement in known touch pens so that data contained within the touch pen memory can be readably and timely transferred, updated, or otherwise used in the normal manner without introducing delay into an operation with which the data of the touch pen is used.
It is an aim of the present invention therefore to provide a touch pen having a replaceable battery and holder assembly which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages and shortcomings of known touch pens.

Battery and holder assembly for use with a battery operated touch pen

Tek Electronics Manufacturing Corporation


A method, structure and article of manufacture related to hetero-integration of dissimilar semiconductor materials. A mask is created on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the mask includes one or more openings, and each of the openings includes one or more overhangs. The overhangs cover a hetero-epitaxial interface region between a film expitaxially grown on the substrate and the substrate itself, thereby preventing a xe2x80x9cline-of-sightxe2x80x9d view along a surface norm of the substrate in the hetero-epitaxial interface region between the epitaxial film and the substrate. There is only one hetero-epitaxial interface region for each of the openings, which results in only one epitaxial growth front coalescence per opening, thereby reducing the number of highly defective regions from epitaxial growth front coalescence by a factor of two.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to semiconductor structures, and in particular to hetero-integration of dissimilar semiconductor materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
The material family of GaN (gallium nitride) and related nitride alloys, such as InGaN (indium gallium nitride) and AlGaN (aluminum gallium nitride), has been the subject of intense research. This material family has the promise of being the material of choice for full color displays using LEDs fight emitting diodes) with emission wavelengths covering the entire visible light spectrum, for high density data storage using violet laser diodes, and for high power electronic applications.
The anticipated market size for these lines of products is tremendous. For example, all DVD (digital video disks) manufactured from year 2001 onward will use nitride violet laser diodes.
All the structures demonstrated to date have been fabricated in thin film nitride epitaxially grown on either Al2O3 (sapphire) or SiC (silicon carbide) substrates. One of the major challenges in nitride technology development is epitaxial material quality. Typical dislocation density is between 108-1010 cmxe2x88x922. Threading segments of the dislocations extend in the direction perpendicular to the film surface, and thread through the entire epitaxial film thickness. It has been proven that high dislocation density limits the lifetime of laser devices and carrier mobility in electronic applications.
A variety of approaches have been used to reduce dislocation density. Two of the most successful ones are known as LEO (lateral epitaxial overgrowth) and PE (pendeo-epitaxy). LEO consists of patterning the substrate surface with a SiO2 (silicon oxide) mask, and growing nitride films upward and then sideward from the open areas in the mask. Since dislocations in this crystal structure only thread upwards, the lateral overgrowth portion of the nitride film can be made relatively free of dislocations.
PE represents an improvement over LEO. PE consists of first growing a film of highly dislocated nitride film directly on top of the substrate. This is followed by a patterning step using a mask layer such as SiO2. The nitride film under the open areas in the mask is etched away, and another mask layer is deposited on the bottom of the etched area to prevent nitride nucleation. Finally, a lateral regrowth of nitride film takes place. The film growth follows the direction of lateral, up, and lateral.
PE requires at least one nitride regrowth step, but offers more useable area for device fabrication. This is because PE eliminates the high dislocation density region above the mask openings as in LEO.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a simplified approach to reducing dislocation density in epitaxial films. More specifically, there is a need in the art for a simplified approach that can be used in mass production of devices.
To minimize the limitations in the prior art described above, and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method, structure and article of manufacture related to hetero-integration of dissimilar semiconductor materials. A mask is created on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the mask includes one or more openings, and each of the openings includes one or more overhangs. The overhangs cover a hetero-epitaxial interface region between a film expitaxially grown on the substrate and the substrate itself, thereby preventing a xe2x80x9cline-of-sightxe2x80x9d view along a surface norm of the substrate in the hetero-epitaxial interface region between the epitaxial film and the substrate. There is only one hetero-epitaxial interface region for each of the openings, which results in only one epitaxial growth front coalescence per opening, thereby reducing the number of highly defective regions from epitaxial growth front coalescence by a factor of two.

Hetero-integration of dissimilar semiconductor materials

The Regents of the University of California


A method for producing a turbine rotor of an exhaust gas turbocharger, wherein the turbine rotor includes a turbine wheel with a hub and turbine blades that extend from the hub, and a shaft, includes the steps of: providing the turbine wheel and the shaft; forming a protective layer by applying or introducing a halogen on or in the surface of the turbine wheel and subsequently heat-treating the turbine wheel; and connecting the shaft to the hub of the turbine wheel after the protective coating is formed.

The invention relates to a method for producing a turbine rotor of an exhaust gas turbocharger, wherein the turbine rotor is composed of a turbine wheel with a hub and turbine blades extending from the hub, as well as a shaft. The invention further relates to the use of a turbine rotor.
The response and the torque build-up, respectively, of an internal combustion engine supercharged by an exhaust gas turbocharger depend largely on the mass moment of inertia of the rotor assembly of the exhaust gas turbocharger and in particular on its turbine rotor. The major part of the mass moment of inertia is generated by the mass of the turbine wheel, which is part of the turbine rotor. The smaller the turbine wheel is, the quicker can the torque build-up take place. Accordingly, the response of the internal combustion engine can be improved by reducing the mass of the turbine wheel. One approach to reduce the mass of the turbine wheel is the replacement of the typically employed nickel base alloy, which has a density of about 8 g/cm3, with a different material having a lower density. The material used for the turbine wheel has ideally high temperature properties, especially at temperatures exceeding 800° C., comparable to those of nickel-based alloys. However, materials which have the above properties, i.e. in particular a low density and good high temperature properties, are typically not resistant to oxidation at the temperatures of more than 800° C. that are present in the exhaust gas turbocharger due to the flow of hot exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine. This means that these materials are subjected to an oxidation process during the operation of the exhaust gas turbocharger, which adversely affects the surface of the turbine wheel. This applies in particular to the turbine blades, which are directly exposed to the hot exhaust gas, but in principle also to the hub on which the turbine blades are located.

Method for producing a turbine rotor of an exhaust gas turbocharger, and use of a turbine rotor


A method for processing a substrate includes providing a set of patterned structures separated by a first gap on the substrate and directing first implanting ions to the substrate at a first ion energy, where the first implanting ions are effective to impact the substrate in regions defined by the first gap. The method also includes directing depositing ions to the substrate where the second ions are effective to deposit material on at least a portion of the set of patterned structures to form expanded patterned structures, where the expanded patterned structures are characterized by a second gap smaller than the first gap. The method further includes directing second implanting ions to the substrate at a second ion energy, where the second implanting ions effective to impact the substrate in regions defined by the second gap, the second ion energy comprising a higher ion energy than the first ion energy.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments relate to the field of substrate patterning an more particularly to processing patterned substrates with ions.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Modern devices such as processors, semiconductor memory, magnetic, optical and other storage devices, as well as microelectomechanical (MEMS) devices continue to scale to smaller dimensions, which affords greater performance, efficiency, and economy. In order to facilitate shrinking of device dimensions patterning techniques such as lithography and etching, and substrate cleaning continue to undergo improvement. However, the shrinking of device dimensions places challenges on various substrate processing techniques in particular because of the absolute size of substrate features as well as aspect ratio and material properties of such features. In one example ion beam or plasma processing have found increasing use for etch and cleaning steps for various substrate device technologies.
In the example of bit patterned media, ion beam processing has been identified as a technique for cleaning as well as magnetic deadening of device structures. However, such ion beam processing may introduce damage to sidewall structures caused by straggle of implanted ions. In the case of patterning of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) one type of cleaning step requires the removal of residue within a gap between adjacent fin-like structures. Because straggle or lateral movement of implanted ions scales with the implanted ion energy, the use of ion beams to clean such structures may require the use of very low energy for present day device dimensions to ensure that unwanted damage, such as sidewall damage, is minimized. Such low ion energy however, may compromise the cleaning or etch process in regions of the structures where cleaning is desired.

Techniques to mitigate straggle damage to sensitive structures

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


Disclosed are high concentration aqueous dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides using a dispersion agent comprising an alkylaryl polyether alcohol and an oxyalkylated phenolic resin. Optional components such as thickening agents, anionic emulsifiers and a partial ester of a carboxylic acid copolymer may also be included. Dispersions having concentrations of up to about 65% weight percent organic peroxide can be prepared. Dispersions having concentrations of up to about 40 weight percent organic peroxide are sprayable. Also disclosed are the curing of polyester resins and the suspension polymerization of vinyl monomers using these dispersions.

This invention relates to aqueous dispersions of peroxides useful in the curing of polyester resins and the suspension polymerization of vinyl monomers. In particular this invention relates to storage stable dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides which can contain high concentrations of the peroxide and are preferably sprayable and pumpable so as to make their use as initiators in the curing of unsaturated polyester resins and in the suspension polymerization of vinyl monomers more easily accomplished.
Peroxides have, as a general property, a tendency to be flammable and explosive with some peroxides exhibiting such properties to a greater extent than others. For example, benzoyl peroxide may decompose when dry due to shock, friction, or static electricity. This property carries with it the obvious hazards to the users of these materials as well as to the manufacturers and intermediate handlers thereof. One particularly burdensome aspect of this property occurs during shipment of the peroxides. Accordingly, it has long been an object to provide flame resistant organic peroxide compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,800 is directed to providing a flame resistant peroxide composition consisting essentially of three components--water, peroxide and solvent wherein the water is at least about 18 percent of the composition.
The safety and end-use advantage provided by a water-soluble or a water emulsifiable initiator is well recognized. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,509 describes a process for the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride wherein the initiator is an aqueous emulsion of an organic peroxide in which the peroxide is present in an amount up to 19 weight percent. The surfactant used to prepare the aqueous peroxide emulsion is a combination of polyvinyl alcohol and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate. However, emulsions containing greater than about 19 percent by weight of organic peroxide are described as being too viscous and therefore difficult to handle.
Providing an aqueous emulsion of a highly reactive organic peroxide, in and of itself, is not a guarantee of a safe product, as phase separation can result in a concentrated mass of undiluted organic peroxide. Decomposition of such an undiluted mass of organic peroxide, depending on such things as the total mass, container, temperature of decomposition, etc., can result in a decomposition that is accompanied by the liberation of heat and flammable gasses. Such conditions can lead to fires, deflagrations, pressure ruptures and detonations. Further, irrespective of any hazards, phase separation of the initiator emulsion can result in nonuniform concentrations of the initiator being supplied to the polymerization system. Efforts to provide a stable aqueous dispersion of organic peroxide include U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,261 which is directed to frozen aqueous emulsions of organic peroxides having a moderate to high concentration of organic peroxides. It has been suggested that such emulsions can be frozen without separation of the organic peroxide phase and water phase and, when thawed, retain their emulsified state at least for a period of time sufficient to allow safe handling and use. Although the frozen emulsified peroxide compositions of U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,261 may provide advantages for the handling of highly reactive peroxides, it is necessary for the end-user to provide special equipment for handling would be even more desirable to provide a pumpable product which can be shipped and forwarded directly from on-sight storage to the polymerization vessel.
There have been attempts in the past to make such dispersions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,039,475 and 4,092,470 disclose stable, pumpable aqueous suspensions of organic peroxides using a mixture of a) nonionic emulsifiers having a maximum HLB value of 12.5 and b) nonionic emulsifiers having a minimum HLB value of 12.5 or anionic emulsifiers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,135 discloses aqueous suspensions of solid organic peroxides using a protective colloid, a surface active agent and water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,885 teaches emulsions of a solid organic peroxide using an emulsifier having an HLB value from about 9 to about 20, hydrocarbon solvent and water.
Numerous other dispersions of solid organic peroxides are to be found in the art. Yet there is still a need for aqueous dispersions containing high concentrations of solid organic peroxides that are storage stable and preferably sprayable or pumpable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide stable aqueous dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides.
Another object of the present invention is to provide high concentration dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides.
Also an object of the present invention is to provide dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides by the use of readily available components and equipment.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides useful for the suspension polymerization of vinyl monomers.
Also an object of the present invention is the provision of dispersions of normally solid organic peroxides useful for curing polyester resin.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide sprayable or pumpable high concentration peroxide dispersions.
Other objects will become apparent from the following description.


A compound having the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein A is --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, or --S--; R.sup.1 is CH.sub.3 or OCH.sub.3 ; R.sup.2 is hydroxy or carboxy which may be optionally esterized or amidated; R.sup.3 is H or a lower alkyl; and n is 0 or an integer of 1 to 6 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel compounds having the formula (I): ##STR2## wherein A is --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, or --S--; R.sup.1 is CH.sub.3 or OCH.sub.3 ; R.sup.2 is hydroxy or carboxy which may be optionally esterized or amidated; R.sup.3 is H or a lower alkyl; and n is 0 or an integer of 1 to 6, and an improver for cerebral insufficiency caused by cerebral ischemia containing the same.
The above-mentioned compounds (I) are effective for ameliorating and curing (or treating) various symptoms based on cerebral organic disorders as an oral medicine.
The term cerebral organic disorders, used herein means various symptoms derived from cerebral ischemic diseases such as cerebral infarct sequela, cerebral hemorrhage sequela, and cerebral arteriosclerosis sequela and various organic disorders derived from senile dementia, dementia presenilis, amnesia, cephalic traumatic sequela, and cerebral operation sequela.
2. Description of the Related Art
The average human life-time has become prolonged, and the percentage of old people in the population is increasing. Accompanying this increase, senile dementia such as memorial dementia characterized by a loss of the memory function as a primary symptom is becoming a serious social problem.
At present, a large number of therapeutic drugs for senile dementia have been developed, but a satisfactory drug has not been developed yet.
The brain is an organ in which energy metabolism is most active, and if a disorder in the oxygen supply mechanism within the brain occurs, and an oxygen deficiency state (cerebral hypoxia) continues in the brain cells, a state will be finally reached in which no oxygen is supplied (cerebral anoxia). If such a state continues, the brain cells will be irreversibly damaged and will no longer be able to perform their normal functions.
At present, in the therapy of oxygen deficiency diseases accompanied by cerebral hypoxia or anoxia, a hypnolic such as phenobarbital has been employed, but the use thereof is limited because of the accompanying side effects on respiratory organs or the circulatory system.

Compound effective as cerebral insufficiency improver


A method and system for visualizing music using a perceptually conformal mapping system are provided. A music source file is input into a processor configured to carry out a series of steps on audio cues identified within the music and ultimately generate a simultaneous visual representation on a display device. The series of steps include application of one or more perceptually conformal mapping systems that essentially induce a synesthetic experience in which a person can experience music both acoustically and visually at the same time. The device extracts cues from the music that are designed to specifically capture fundamentals of human appreciation, maps them into visual cues, then presents those visual cues synchronized with the source music.

Music is a rich and varied artform: the mere divisions of musical structure into broad categories of melody, rhythm and harmony does not do justice to the full complexity of the musical experience. Such broad categories are overly simplistic as a way to explain and capture a person's reactions and impressions when listening to a piece of music. Consequently, there have been many attempts to reinforce the effects of a piece of music on a listener by deriving a visual accompaniment. A person's sight and hearing are the two primary senses for appreciating artistic creations. However, while it is not difficult to embellish a person's experience of a visual event by adding musical accompaniment and there are many ways to do that, the opposite—to positively augment a listener's experience of music by adding effective imagery has posed challenges.
Many techniques have been developed to accomplish visual renditions of music. Most music visualization systems are based on the division of an audio signal into certain of its constituent frequency bands, followed by the translation of the information from those frequency bands into a visualizable form. The earliest attempts to do this were very simple, and converted music into arrays of colored lights, where the colors of the lights correlated with various frequencies in the music and the lights were turned on and off as and when the frequencies were heard. Examples of such approaches are described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,790,903 to Craig, U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,332 to Dougherty, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,568 to Snavely, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,278 to Wortman. Ultimately, such devices—which were often referred to as "color organs" (a now generally accepted term for a device that represents sound and/or accompanies music in a visual medium)—could not adequately represent the full texture of a piece of music.
Attempts were made to capture other aspects of musical form such as variations in amplitude, as well as to attempt a more continuously variable display than was possible with discrete lights. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,319 to Fekete describes a system in which projectors driven by a color organ reflect the spectral content of an audio source; U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,419 to Gracey describes processing of audio frequency signals to produce an undulating light image pattern on a display; U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,873 to Brady relates to an audio-to-video translating system that includes a time shift feature allowing visual representation of audio signal duration; U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,942 to Molinaro describes a visual sound device in which amplitude variations within an audio signal are translated into a varying visual amplitude output on a display; U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,656 to Goettsche describes a real-time light-modulated sound display in which the audio signal spectrum is visually displayed according to the discrete frequency bands in the spectrum; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,059 to Hunter, which describes a color organ employing a system of voltage-controlled oscillators to selectively illuminate LED lights along a pair of orthogonal axes;
One of the first attempts to visualize music electronically is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,829 to Brown, which presents an apparatus that connects an audio source to a color television and provides a visual representation of the audio signal on the television screen. The representation was dynamic insofar as the image on the display varies with respect to shape, color, and luminance, depending on various characteristics of the audio signal processed.
Music visualization was revolutionized in the early 1980's when personal computers became widespread and a file format, the MIDI file, was developed that allowed musical data to be easily shared between electronic devices. The MIDI file allows the depiction of the various notes played by the various elements of an ensemble as parallel streams on a display. More recently, over the last 20 years, increasingly complicated music visualization software has been developed. Examples include, Cthugha (1993, Kevin Burfitt), Advanced Visualization Studio (2000, Justin Frankel), G-Force (2000, SoundSpectrum), DMX Music Visualization (see U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2011/0213477), MIDI Trail (http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-Players/MIDITrail.shtml) and MusicAnimation Machine (e.g., Knowledge-Based Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems: 11th International Conference, KES 2007, Vietri sul Mare, Italy, Sep. 12-14, 2007, Proceedings. Springer. 2007. p. 292.). See also Ox, J. "Two Performances in the 21st Century Virtual Color Organ," in the Proceedings of the 4th Conference on Creativity and Cognition, ACM, New York, N.Y., pp. 20-24 (2002). With the advantages conferred by a digital format, it has been possible to extend the aspects of a piece of music that can be depicted visually from merely the individual frequencies to amplitudes, timbre (including identification of particular instruments), and durations of notes.
However, the rigidity of the MIDI file format has actually had the effect of causing its adherents to look at visualization from a very linear perspective, one dictated by the structure of the format rather than on the overall musical form it represents. Furthermore, there are special aspects of music, e.g., guitar and banjo strums, that are not adequately represented in the MIDI format. In such a paradigm, music is to be described solely in terms captured by the industry standard in computer music rendition, i.e., notes, and each note's pitch and time extent, and a tag on each note to indicate its timbre. While offering some portability and flexibility of adaptation—e.g., one person can take another's MIDI file and alter the timbre attributes of given notes to change the feel of the music, more fundamental aspects of musical appreciation are not so susceptible to adaptation or representation. For example, while it is possible to display two different colored symbols to correspond respectively to two different notes played at the same time, the real source of human appreciation comes from the unique sound of the interval—or more generally a chord—not the individual separable notes of which it is made.
Other schemes add an artistic component to the visual depiction, such as animation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,589,727 to Haeker describes a system and device for generating moving images representing various aspects of a musical performance. That system is focused on overall musical phrasing and structure, and a musical "artist" uses animation software to interpret the overall architecture of a musical piece and convert it into a "3D" representation that is then portrayed in two dimensions on a display. U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,759 to Terada describes a computer graphics motion image generator to move objects such as dancers on a visual display, in time with music such as that embedded in a MIDI file. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,601,904 to Dreyfuss, describes forms such as birds that are animated in accompaniment to music. U.S. Pat. No. 8,502,826 to Adhikari et al. pertains to a system that enables visualization of music on a television platform or set-top box. Other references pertaining to various aspects of music visualization include U.S. Pat. No. 8,461,443 to McKinney, which generates ambient light effects according to musical content.
Nevertheless, simply augmenting a piece of music—as heard—with a creative visual accompaniment does not necessarily tie in directly with the rich complexity of the music itself or augment the listener's experience. Human perception of music is affected by rich and complex aspects of musical form. None of the foregoing methods can adequately capture the sum total of the aspects of music that a human perceives, and augment the listening experience with a rich visual representation that is tied to the full dimensionality of the musical form. Psychoacoustics is the study of sound perception: that is it marries quantifiable aspects of sounds (such as pitch, amplitude, timbre) with the human perception of that sound.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of augmenting a listener's psychoacoustic experience of a piece of music by producing an accompanying visual representation that faithfully corresponds to the full complexity of the music.
The discussion of the background herein is included to explain the context of the technology. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known, or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims found appended hereto.
Throughout the description and claims of the application the word "comprise" and variations thereof, such as "comprising" and "comprises", is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Mapping characteristics of music into a visual display


Disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for reducing lag time for progressive consumption of data content. Techniques include receiving an indication of requested data, the indication comprising: a data chunk size, and a number of data chunks, accessing a data cache, and performing a fetching operation comprising at least one of: if the data cache is empty, obtaining a first portion of the requested data from a database, or if the data cache is not empty, determining whether at least the first portion of the requested data is available in the data cache. Further techniques include providing for consumption the first portion of the data, identifying that a threshold has been reached, receiving updated values for the data chunk size and the number of data chunks, performing the fetching operation again based on the updated values, and providing for consumption a second portion of the requested data.

With the increased usage of web and cloud-based data storage solutions, as well as increased popularity of data and multimedia streaming services, there is an increasing need for seamless and efficient data transfer and consumption. Conventional methods of caching data locally on a client machine may cause a lag time between reaching the end of the cached data and retrieving new data from a remote data source to be viewed or otherwise consumed by the client. This lag time may be especially noticeable in the context of scrolling through viewable data (e.g., web pages, intranet pages, etc.), application interfaces, content streaming (e.g., audio, video, etc.), and other forms of data consumption. The lag time may seriously detract from the user's experience. In other cases, a lag time may slow down computing processes, resulting in unnecessary consumption of time and resources.
Accordingly, in view of these and other deficiencies in existing techniques, technological solutions are needed for progressive consumption of data with efficient caching. Solutions should advantageously reduce any lag time experienced by a user or process when consuming data content stored in a remote location.

Seamless resource consumption with efficient caching providing reduced lag time


A liquid discharge recording apparatus includes: a first liquid containing 2-pyrrolidone; a liquid discharge head configured to discharge the first liquid; a second liquid containing a solvent of which freezing point is less than 20 degrees Celsius and of which specific gravity is less than 1.12 g/cm3; and an absorber which contains the second liquid and which is configured to absorb the first liquid exited from the liquid discharge head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge recording apparatus and a method for recovering liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
A water-based ink for ink-jet recording (hereinafter referred to as a "water-based ink" or an "ink" in some cases), in which a 2-pyrrolidone is added for the purpose of improving the wettability and chromogenic property thereof, has been suggested (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-90270 corresponding to United States Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0086690 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-188712 corresponding to United States Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0102046).
A water-based ink containing the 2-pyrrolidone, however, easily aggregates and easily accumulates, for example, in an absorber which absorbs the water-based ink in a maintenance mechanism of a liquid discharge recording apparatus such as an ink-jet recording apparatus. The water-based ink containing the 2-pyrrolidone and accumulated in the absorber contaminates a surface of an ink-jet head of the ink-jet recording apparatus and a recording paper (recording paper sheet) which is being transported in the ink-jet recording apparatus, in some cases.
An object of the present teaching is to provide a liquid discharge recording apparatus and a method for recovering a liquid which are capable of suppressing any contamination of a surface of the ink-jet head and of a recording paper which is being transported in the liquid discharge recording apparatus by suppressing any accumulation of the liquid containing the 2-pyrrolidone.

Liquid discharge recording apparatus and method for recovering liquid


A new and distinct variety of plum characterized by producing a freestone fruit with good dark-red coloration that is ripe for commercial harvesting and shipping June 13-15 in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. The new variety, a plum seedling, is similar to ‘Black Beaut’ plum tree (unpatented). Fruit from ‘Black Delight’ is distinguishable and has very good dark coloration, has very good flavor, stores very well, and ripens several days before ‘Black Beaut’.

The present invention refers to a new variety of plum tree, which will hereinafter be denominated as 'Black Delight' plum tree. The new variety produces a yellow fleshed plum with a dark red skin, freestone type that is mature for harvesting and shipping during early to mid June in a normal year in the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. The fruit is mid-size with dark red blush.
In the development of new commercial varieties, specific characteristics provide a premium for fruit varieties that mature early or late in the growing season. However, in particular, early varieties lack size, flavor, and coloration or blush. Thereafter, in order for a fruit to be a commercial success, it must be of good size, good flavor, good color, and possess good shipping and storage characteristics. In addition, maturity date should be different from other similar fruit. This new invention meets the aforementioned characteristics and therefore should be of commercial appeal to the consumer.


A process for the qualitative preparation of 3-haloalkyl-1H-pyrazoles suitable for efficient, high payload commercial application.

The present invention generally relates to the preparation of pyrazoles. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process for the formation of a 1-(4-sulfonylphenyl)pyrazole from the condensation of diketones and hydrazines.
Pyrazoles have been widely described as pharmaceutical therapeutic agents, including anti-inflammatories and antidiabetics. In particular, [3-haloalkyl-1H-pyrazole-1-yl]benzenesulfonamides have been used as potent antiinflammatories without the side effects commonly associated with previous anti-inflammatory agents.
The preparation of pyrazoles from the condensation of diketones and hydrazines has previously been reported. See, for example, European Patent No. 418,845, European Patent No. 554,829, T. Nishiwaki, Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan, 42, 3024–26 (1969); J. Wright et al., J. Med. Chem., 7,102–5 (1963); and R. Soliman and H. Feid-Allah, J. Pharm. Sci., 70, 602–5 (1980). These methods, however, have been criticized as not providing a scalable commercial process.
In WO 00/42021, O'Shea et al. describe a two step process for the preparation of pyrazoles from the condensation, in an amide solvent, of a diketone and a hydrazine. The pyrazole is produced as a solvate of the amide solvent and is then isolated and recrystallized from isopropanol and water to produce an unsolvated pyrazole. Disadvantageously, however, the diketone is isolated prior to the condensation reaction with hydrazine, a multi-solvent system is used, more than one crystallization is required, and the payload is relatively low.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,892,053 and 5,910,597, Zhi et al. describe a scalable two step process for the preparation of pyrazoles from the condensation of diketones and hydrazines. In the first step, a diketone is formed by the treatment of a ketone with base and ester in a suitable solvent. In the second step, the diketone is solubilized in an aqueous alcohol and condensed with a hydrazine to form the pyrazole product. This two step process has been used on a commercial scale for the preparation of celecoxib (4-[5-(4-methylphenyl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazole-1-yl]benzenesulfonamide) sold under the trademark CELEBREX® by Pharmacia Corporation as shown in the following reaction:
While this synthetic approach proceeds with high selectivity to celecoxib, about 2–5 wt. % of regioisomer and hydroxyregioisomer by-products are formed under commercial conditions.

The regioisomer and hydroxyregioisomer by-products must be separated from celecoxib in a purification step to enable the celecoxib to meet purity requirements. The separation is typically done through a crystallization step in which celecoxib preferentially crystallizes while the regioisomer and hydroxyregioisomer by-products predominantly remain in solution. The celecoxib crystals are then removed from the resultant slurry and separated from impurities by solid-liquid separation techniques known to those skilled in the art, such as centrifugation or filtration.
Under commercial conditions used to date, of the two by-products, regioisomer is selectively formed over hydroxyregioisomer. This is problematic, however, since the regioisomer is generally more difficult to separate through crystallization from celecoxib than is the hydroxyregioisomer, and regioisomer concentrations of greater than about 1% typically require two crystallizations to achieve desired celecoxib purity. The second crystallization adds time to the manufacturing process and thus negatively impacts product throughput. Additionally, a second crystallization reduces yield as some celecoxib remains uncrystallized and is not recovered from the liquid phase.


According to the invention a vehicle has a panel with an opening through which an air bag is deployed. An air bag deployment door closes the opening in the panel. Upon air bag deployment, the door is forcibly moved out of the opening from a closed position towards an open position by the deploying air bag. A hinge for the deployment door includes a door hinge element carried by the door, and a vehicle hinge element carried by the vehicle. The separate hinge elements have cooperating hinge-forming features which are spaced apart from one another when the door is in the closed position. Upon air bag deployment, the door begins to lift out of the opening and carries the door hinge element into engagement with the vehicle hinge element to hingedly interconnect the cooperating hinge-forming features, thereby anchoring the door to the vehicle and limiting further movement of the door to rotation about an axis defined by the hinge elements. In accordance with this invention, one of the hinge elements may include a hooked leg while the other hinge element may include an apertured leg. The hook and aperture provide cooperating hinge-forming features that form a hinged interconnection upon air bag deployment.

It is well known in motor vehicles to have an instrument panel assembly which consists of an instrument panel cover attached to rigid underlying vehicle structure. It is also well known to mount an air bag to the underlying vehicle structure for deployment through an air bag deployment opening provided in the instrument panel cover. The opening in the instrument panel cover is conventionally closed by an air bag deployment door secured in a closed position to conceal the undeployed air bag from view. The door is hingedly mounted so that the deploying air bag forcibly moves the door out of the opening from the closed position towards an open position to permit the deployment of the air bag through the opening. It is known in the prior art that the hinge for the deployment door may be a flexible or elastic strap, or a metal strap.
In some cases, the deployment door hinge extends between the deployment door and the instrument panel cover. Thus, the instrument panel cover provides support for the hinge to anchor the door to the vehicle during air bag deployment. This arrangement is convenient since the hinge can be sub-assembled and fastened to the instrument panel cover and deployment door before installation of the instrument panel cover into the vehicle.
In other cases, it is desirable for the hinge to extend between the deployment door and the more rigid vehicle structure underlying the instrument panel cover to anchor the door to the vehicle during air bag deployment. However, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that access is required underneath the instrument panel cover during installation into the vehicle to fasten the hinge to the vehicle structure.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a new and improved hinge which would extend between the deployment door and vehicle structure to anchor the door to the vehicle during air bag deployment without requiring access underneath the instrument panel cover to fasten the hinge to the vehicle structure during installation into the vehicle.


A system and method for providing a self-checkout system. The self-checkout system includes a processor and a first device coupled to the processor, where the first device identifies an item. The self-checkout system also includes a first receptacle coupled to the first device. The first receptacle receives the item after being identified by the first device. The self-checkout system also includes a second device coupled to the first receptacle. The second device identifies the item after being received by the first receptacle, and the processor verifies if the item identified by the second device is the same item identified by the first device. As a result, the checkout process is reliable and secure.

Checkout stations are well known, and are typically used in retail businesses to assist customers in purchasing products. Self-checkout stations have been introduced to provide customers with a self-serve alternative to the conventional operator-run checkout station. Self-checkout stations also reduce a business' operating costs, because the self-checkout station ideally eliminates the need for an operator to operate the checkout station.
In some conventional self-checkout stations, the customer typically handles all of the items to be purchased. As such, the customer personally performs barcode scanning and product code entry.
In the world of retail self checkout, one of the key concerns is how does the retailer ensures that the items scanned and paid for by the customer are actually the items that are carried off by the customer. This problem is particularly difficult when many of the items in a store are similar in shape, size, weight, or "look and feel." This problem is particularly relevant in retail establishments that sell or rent books, tapes, DVDs, CDs, videos, video game cartridges, and other items that are difficult to distinguish on the basis of shape, size, and weight.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a side-view of a conventional self-checkout station 50, which includes a monitor and tender station 52, a scanner 54, and a weighing scale 56. In operation, the customer 60 scans an item 62 with the scanner 54. The item typically has an attached barcode, preferably a universal product code (UPC), that the scanner 54 reads. The barcode corresponds to a price, which appears on the monitor and tender station 52 for the user's 60 viewing. After scanning the item 62, the user 60 immediately places the item 62 in a bag 64, which lays on top of the weighing scale 56.
To verify if the item placed on the scale 56 is the same item 62 that was just scanned, the weighing scale 56 weighs the item just placed in the bag and compares the weight of the item placed in the bag 64 to an expected weight associated with the barcode of the scanned item 62. If the weight values match, the item in the bag is assumed to be the item 62. Once the item 62 is scanned, the customer 60 then pays for them using the monitor and tender station 52. The problem with this conventional solution is that it does not work well for items having the same weight (e.g. books, videos, DVDs, CDs) but having substantially different prices.
Another conventional solution uses a height detector to verify the dimensions of the item. The height detector uses an infrared sensor to measure the height of an item in any orientation, and this height is then compared to an expected height associated with the barcode of the scanned item 62. The problem with this conventional solution is that it also does not work well for items having the same dimensions (e.g. books, videos, DVDs, CDs), but having substantially different prices.
In another conventional solution, items after being scanned are routed on a conveyer to a receiving area where the items can be bagged. The additional security is provided by the fact that the item is actually on display as it moves down the conveyor. Also, there is a physical distance separating the two actions of scanning and bagging. This conventional solution is problematic for similar reasons as those described above where items are similar in shape, size, and weight.
Another conventional solution uses a real time video camera to monitor transactions. The problem with this conventional solution is that it requires someone to be present and observe at all times, and is therefore costly since a staff person needs to be hired to monitor the transactions.
Generally, there is not a good solution to this problem today in that the conventional solutions require the maintenance of a security database, which contains item UPCs cross-referenced with item-specific weights and dimensions. Also, conventional solutions also do not address problems associated with items having similar shape, size, and weight.
Accordingly, what is needed is an improved and more secure self-checkout system. The system and method should be able to address problems associated with items having similar shape, size, and weight, and should be simple, cost effective, and capable of being easily adapted to existing technology. The present invention addresses such a need.

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed in various embodiments of the present invention are an electronic device for adjusting a voltage and an operating method therefor. The electronic device comprises: at least one first converter for supporting a plurality of operating modes for changing voltage; a second converter supporting the plurality of operating modes and connected with the at least one first converter in series; and at least one processor, wherein the processor can be configured to determine an intermediate voltage between the at least one first converter and the second converter on the basis of an input voltage of the at least one first converter and an output voltage of the second converter, and control an operating mode of each of the at least one first converter and the second converter on the basis of the determined intermediate voltage. Other embodiments are also possible.

Electronic devices, including portable terminals, tablet computers, smart phones, notebook Personal Computers (PCs), convertible notebook PCs, and the like, use batteries as power supply apparatuses for the purpose of portability. In an electronic device, a battery may be charged with power supplied from an external power supply apparatus.
An electronic device may include a DC-to-DC converter which adjusts (or converts) power, supplied from an external power supply apparatus, into a voltage appropriate for charging a battery. For example, the electronic device may include a DC-to-DC converter, such as a buck converter, a boost converter, or a buck-boost converter.

Electronic device for adjusting voltage and operating method therefor


A vibration actuator comprising a vibration element including an elastic member and an electromechanical converting element and a relative movement member maintained in pressure contact with a driving face of the vibration element, wherein the electromechanical converting element includes a longitudinal vibration generating electromechanical converting element for generating a longitudinal vibration for generating a displacement along the axial direction of the vibration element, and a torsional vibration generating electromechanical converting element for generating a torsional vibration for generating a torsional displacement around the axis of the vibration element, and the longitudinal vibration generating electromechanical converting element and the torsional vibration generating electromechanical converting element are provided on a substantially same plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration actuator utilizing a synthesized vibration of an elongation-contraction vibration and a torsional vibration. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vibration actuator of so-called different mode degenerate type having a vibration element adhered to electromechanical converting elements and adapted to generate plural vibration modes, and a relative movement member maintained in pressure contact with the vibration element. In particular, the present invention relates to a vibration actuator capable of improving mechanical strength and driving characteristics without sacrificing the driving efficiency and allowing exact detection of the status of the generated vibrations.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional longitudinal-torsional vibration actuator.
In a conventional vibration actuator, a stator 1 is composed of two cylindrical vibration elements 2, 3 between which a piezoelectric element 4 for torsional vibration is sandwiched, and a piezoelectric element 5 for longitudinal vibration is provided on the vibration element 3. The piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration is polarized in the circumferential direction, while the piezoelectric element 5 for the longitudinal vibration is polarized in the vertical direction. A relative movement member (rotor) 6 is provided on the piezoelectric element 5 for the longitudinal vibration.
The vibration elements 2, 3 and the piezoelectric elements 4, 5, constituting the stator 1, are affixed by rotatably fastening onto a screw portion formed on a shaft 7. The rotor 6 is rotatably supported by the shaft 7, by means of a ball bearing 8 provided at the center. A nut 9 is screwed on an end of the shaft 7, and a spring 10 is provided between the ball bearing 8 and the nut 9. As indicated by an arrow F, the rotor 6 is maintained in contact with an end face of the stator 1 under pressure, by the function of the spring 10.
The piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration and the piezoelectric element 5 for the longitudinal vibration are driven by a driving voltage of a same frequency generated by a generator 11, schematically shown in FIG. 1, with a phase control by a phase shifter 12.
The piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration generates a mechanical displacement for causing the rotation of the rotor 6. On the other hand, the piezoelectric element 5 for the longitudinal vibration performs a clutch function, for periodically varying the frictional force between the stator 1 and the rotor 6 in synchronization with the torsional vibration generated by the piezoelectric element 4, thereby converting the vibration into a one-directional movement.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the stator 1 of the vibration actuator shown in FIG. 1.
As the piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration has to be polarized in the circumferential direction, the piezoelectric material is divided into 6 to 8 sector-shaped pieces as shown in FIG. 2, which are individually polarized in the circumferential direction and then assembled again into annular shape. Electrode 13 is provided thereon.
However, in the conventional vibration actuator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it has been difficult to obtain sufficient precision during assembly of the piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration into the annular shape. For this reason, the mutual contact between the piezoelectric element 4 and the vibration element 3 or between the piezoelectric elements 4 is hindered. As a result, the vibration of the piezoelectric elements 4 cannot be sufficiently transmitted to the vibration elements 2, 3, whereby the performance of the vibration actuator is deteriorated.
Also the piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration, being assembled by adhering sector-shaped pieces, requires a thickness of at least several millimeters in order to obtain a sufficient adhesion strength. For this reason the distance between the electrodes of the piezoelectric element 4 becomes large, thus requiring a high voltage in order to provide the piezoelectric element 4 with an electric field necessary for driving.
On the other hand, the area of the piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration and that of the piezoelectric element 5 for the longitudinal vibration is approximately equal to or smaller than the cross section of the vibration element 2 or 3. Also, for passing the shaft 7, the piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration and the piezoelectric element 5 for the longitudinal vibration have to be provided with a hole at the center. Consequently the area of each of the piezoelectric element 4 for the torsional vibration and that of the piezoelectric element 5 for the axial vibration becomes even smaller, so that it has been difficult to obtain a higher torque and a higher revolution in the actuator.
For this reason, the present applicant has proposed, for example in the Japanese Patent Application Nos. 6-180279 and 6-275022, a vibration actuator employing a vibration element of different-mode degenerate type, utilizing a first-order elongation contraction (longitudinal) vibration and a first-order (or second-order) torsional vibration.
FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are views showing the driving principle of such vibration actuator, generating an elliptical movement on a driving face of the vibration element by the combination of a longitudinal vibration and a torsional vibration, wherein FIGS. 3A and 3B are respectively a plan view and a lateral view, and FIG. 3C is a wave form chart showing the longitudinal and torsional vibrations generated in the vibration element.
A vibration element 21 is composed by combining two semicircular cylindrical elastic halves 22, 23 of a form obtained by vertically dividing a hollow cylindrical elastic member by a plane containing the rotary axis thereof. Between the two semicircular cylindrical elastic halves 22, 23 there are adhered four piezoelectric elements 24, 25, two on each side, constituting the electromechanical converting elements, and, upon excitation of the piezoelectric elements 24, 25 by drive signals, there are generated a first-order torsional vibration and a first-order longitudinal vibration in the vibration element 21 as shown in FIG. 3C.
If the longitudinal and torsional vibrations generated in the vibration element 21 have approximately same resonance frequencies, such longitudinal and torsional vibrations are simultaneously generated in the vibration element (such state being hereinafter called "degenerate" state), and a driving face D, which is an end face of the vibration element 21, causes an elliptical movement in which a point orbit is an ellipse.
The elliptical movement thus generated drives a moving element 26, constituting the relative movement member maintained in pressure contact with the driving face D, by rotary motion of the moving element 26.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are respectively a plan view and a lateral view, showing the details of the structure of the vibration element 21.
The vibration element 21 is composed by combining two semicircular cylindrical elastic halves 22, 23 of a form obtained by vertically dividing a hollow cylindrical member 20, and between divided faces 22a, 23a of the elastic halves 22, 23 there are inserted piezoelectric elements 24, 25 and electrode plates 27, 28, 29 in a laminated state as shown in the drawing.
The piezoelectric elements 24, 25 are provided in two groups, each of which has four layers. Among such four layers, two layers (piezoelectric element 25 for torsional vibration) are made of a piezoelectric material utilizing a piezoelectric constant d.sub.15, while other two layers (piezoelectric element 24 for longitudinal vibration) are made of a piezoelectric material utilizing a piezoelectric constant d.sub.31. The piezoelectric element 25 utilizing a piezoelectric constant d.sub.15, for the torsional vibration, generates a shear deformation in the longitudinal direction of the vibration element 21.
The piezoelectric element 25 for the torsional vibration generates a torsional displacement in the vibration element 21 under a voltage application, while the piezoelectric element 24 for the longitudinal vibration generates a longitudinal shear deformation in the vibration element 21 under a voltage application.
Thus, in response to a sinusoidal voltage input to the piezoelectric element 25 for the torsional vibration, the vibration element 21 generates a torsional vibration, and, in response to a sinusoidal voltage input to the piezoelectric element 24 for the longitudinal vibration, the vibration element 21 generates an elongation-contraction (longitudinal) vibration.
FIGS. 5A and 5B show another conventional example of the different-mode degenerate vibration element.
More specifically, FIGS. 5A and 5B are respectively a plan view and a lateral view of a vibration element 31 of different-mode degenerate type, to be employed in a vibration actuator.
The vibration element 31 is provided with piezoelectric elements 34, 35 constituting the electromechanical converting elements for converting electric energy into a mechanical displacement, and a hollow cylindrical elastic member 30 generating an elongation-contraction vibration and a torsional vibration by the oscillation of these piezoelectric elements 34, 35.
The hollow cylindrical elastic member 30 is formed by combining two elastic halves 32, 33 of a form obtained by vertically dividing a hollow cylindrical member with a plane containing the central axis. On the external periphery of the hollow cylindrical elastic member 30 there is formed a smaller diameter portion 30a of a groove shape, which defines a first larger diameter portion 30A and a second larger diameter portion 30B. Therefore, on the external periphery of the cylindrical elastic member 30 there are in succession formed, along the central axis thereof (vertical direction in FIG. 5B), the first larger diameter portion 30A, the smaller diameter portion 30a and the second larger diameter portion 30B.
Between divided faces 32a, 33a of the elastic halves 32, 33, there are sandwiched four layers of piezoelectric elements 34, 35, each having two layers, and electrode plates 37, 38, 39 for applying drive voltages to the piezoelectric elements 34, 35.
The piezoelectric elements 34, 35 mounted between the divided faces 32a, 33a are composed of two layers each or four layers in total, in which the piezoelectric elements 35 of two layers generate a shear displacement in the longitudinal direction of the elastic halves 32, 33, utilizing the piezoelectric constant d.sub.15, while the piezoelectric elements 34 of remaining two layers generate an elongation-contraction displacement in the longitudinal direction of the elastic halves 32, 33, utilizing the piezoelectric constant d.sub.31.
The elastic halves 32, 33 generate a torsional displacement in response to the application of a drive voltage to the piezoelectric elements 35, while they generates a longitudinal displacement in response to the application of a drive voltage to the piezoelectric elements 34. Consequently the cylindrical elastic member 30 generates a torsional vibration in response to the application of a sinusoidal voltage to the piezoelectric elements 35 for the torsional vibration, and it generates a longitudinal vibration in response to the application of a sinusoidal voltage to the piezoelectric elements 34 for the longitudinal vibration.
On a driving face D, constituting an end face of the vibration element 31, a cylindrical movable element 26, constituting the relative movement member and rotatably supported, is maintained in contact under a suitable pressure.
FIG. 6 shows the development in time of an elliptical movement on the driving face D, in the vibration element 21 or 31 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B, by the combination of the torsional vibration (T-mode) and the longitudinal (elongation-contraction) vibration (L-mode) generated in the vibration element 21 or 31.
As shown in FIG. 6, a given point on the driving face D generates an elliptical movement, by giving a phase difference of (1/4) .lambda. between the cycles of the torsional vibration T and those of the longitudinal vibration L, wherein .lambda. is the wavelength. Now a driving frequency f is assumed to correspond to an angular frequency .omega. (=2.pi.f). At a time t=(6/4).multidot.(.pi./.omega.), the displacement of the torsional vibration T is at a maximum at the left, while the displacement of the longitudinal vibration L is zero. In this state the movable member 26 is maintained in pressure contact, by means of an unrepresented pressurizing mechanism, with the driving face D of the vibration element 21 or 31.
Then, in a period from t=(7/4).multidot.(.pi./.omega.) through t=0 to t=(2/4).multidot.(.pi./.omega.), the torsional vibration T varies from the maximum at the left to the maximum at the right, while the longitudinal vibration L varies from zero to the maximum at the top and returns to zero. Consequently a given point on the driving face D of the vibration element 21 or 31 rotates to the right, while pushing the moving element 26, which is thus driven.
Then, in a period from t=(2/4).multidot.(.pi./.omega.) to t=(6/4).multidot.(.pi./.omega.), the torsional vibration T varies from the maximum at the right to the maximum at the left, while the longitudinal vibration L varies from zero to the maximum at the bottom side and returns to zero. Consequently the given point on the driving face D of the vibration element 21 or 31 rotates to the left while it is separated from the movable element 26, so that the movable element is not driven. Though being pressurized by the pressing member, the movable member 26 does not follow the contraction of the vibration element 21 or 31 because of a significant difference in natural frequency.
If the resonance frequencies of the torsional vibration and the longitudinal vibration are approximately same, the vibration element 21 or 31 simultaneously generate the torsional and longitudinal vibrations (degenerate state) to generate the elliptical movement on the driving face D, thereby generating a driving force.
In a state of generation of such elliptical movement, by approximately matching the frequency of the torsional vibration with the resonance frequency thereof and also approximately matching the frequency of the longitudinal vibration with the resonance frequency thereof, there is attained a resonance state whereby the elliptical movement on the driving face D is enhanced.
In such a vibration actuator of the different-mode degenerate type, the piezoelectric elements 24, 25 or 34, 35 are provided, along the axial direction of the cylindrical member 20 or 30, over the entire divided faces 22a, 23a or 32a, 33a. Stated differently, the piezoelectric elements 24, 25 or 34, 35 are present on the two nodal positions of the torsional vibration, across the loop position thereof.
In case of generating a torsional vibration and a longitudinal vibration by the piezoelectric elements mounted on the elastic member, the piezoelectric elements are in general provided in positions including the nodes of these vibrations, because such positioning enables effective generation of the torsional and longitudinal vibrations, as the node shows the maximum distortion displacement in each vibration.
However, in the vibration actuator of the different-mode degenerate type shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B, the piezoelectric elements are also provided in the loop positions of the torsional and longitudinal vibrations. Such loop positions only show a small distortion displacement. Consequently the piezoelectric elements provided in such loop positions do not effectively contribute to the generation of the vibration, and the energy supplied to such piezoelectric elements is not effectively utilized. For this reason the driving efficiency of the vibration actuator could not be improved.
The vibration actuator proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application No. 6-275022 generates an elliptical movement on the driving face D by combining a first-order longitudinal vibration and a first-order torsional vibration. Therefore, in order to position the piezoelectric elements on the mutually close nodal positions of such vibrations, the piezoelectric elements 24 or 34 for the longitudinal vibration and the piezoelectric elements 25 or 35 for the torsional vibration have to be mutually superposed and positioned between the divided faces 22a, 23a or 32a, 33a of the vibration element 21 or 31.
It is therefore necessary to assemble the vibration elements 21 or 31 by laminating and adhering respectively the two semicircular elastic halves 22, 23 or 32, 33, the piezoelectric elements 24 or 34 of two layers for the longitudinal vibration, the piezoelectric elements 25 or 35 of two layers for the torsional vibration, and three electrodes 27, 28, 29 or 37, 38, 39. Such increased number of components of the vibration element 21 or 31 complicates the assembling step at the adhesion, thus increasing the number of work steps required.
Also the vibration actuator proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application No. 6-275022 is insufficient in the reliability in the prolonged continuous drive, in the moisture resistance and in the temperature resistance, since the vibration element 21 or 31 is formed by adhesion of the components, involving a large number of points of adhesion.
Also in the vibration actuator proposed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application No. 6-275022, in generating the longitudinal and torsional vibrations in the vibration element 21 or 31, the torsional vibration is easier to generate than the longitudinal vibration. Therefore, the torsional vibration can be sufficiently generated even with the piezoelectric elements 25 or 35 for the torsional vibration being smaller respectively than those 24 or 34 for the longitudinal vibration. Smaller piezoelectric elements 25, 35 for the torsional vibration can correspondingly reduce the electrostatic capacitance, thereby decreasing the required input energy and thus improving the driving efficiency.
However, in the vibration actuator proposed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 6-275022, it is difficult to vary the size of the piezoelectric elements 25, 35 for the torsional vibration and of the piezoelectric elements 24, 34 for the longitudinal vibration, since they have to be mutually superposed.
Also, in case of maintaining the movable element 26 in pressure contact with the vibration element 21 (31) as shown in FIG. 3B, the movable element 26 has to be pressed in the direction of the longitudinal vibration. For this reason, the longitudinal vibration of the vibration element 21 (31) may be attenuated by such pressing of the movable element 26.
In order to minimize such attenuation of the longitudinal vibration resulting from the pressing of the movable element 26, it is required to increase the size of the piezoelectric elements 24 or 34 for the longitudinal vibration in comparison respectively with that of the piezoelectric elements 25 or 35 for the torsional vibration. However, in the vibration actuator proposed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 6-275022, it is difficult to vary the size of the piezoelectric elements 25 or 35 for the torsional vibration and of the piezoelectric elements 24 or 34 for the longitudinal vibration, because of the above-mentioned reason.


A digital telephone answering device having speakerphone capability allows a recorded message to be played back and heard by the far-end party as well as over the local speakerphone by the near-end party during speakerphone operation as if it were a normal receive signal. Moreover, normal speakerphone conversation is possible during this conversational playback mode allowing the far-end party and/or near-end party to break-in over the played back pre-recorded message as desired and be heard by the other party. Both message and conversation signals are preferably (but not necessarily) at similar levels. Also, the message playback at the near end is preferably (but not necessarily) subject to the same speakerphone digital volume control as that received at the far end.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to speakerphones including a voice messaging function. More particularly, it relates to the inclusion of a voice message playback signal together with a speakerphone signal in a telephone conversation.
2. Background of Related Art
Voice messaging systems such as telephone answering devices are well known. A typical telephone answering device allows a caller to record a voice message for a user who fails to answer an incoming telephone call. Initially, voice messaging systems recorded voice messages onto magnetic cassette tapes. However, more recent voice messaging systems record voice messages into digital memory (e.g., typically non-volatile memory such as Flash memory).
To retrieve a recorded voice message, a user typically activates a PLAY function of the telephone answering device, either locally or from a remote location over a telephone line. In a remote access mode, the conventional telephone answering device replaces handset access to the telephone line with a signal path from the played back voice messages to the telephone line. In either case, the playback of a voice message is conventionally heard only by the user, either locally or at the remote location.
Oftentimes it is desired to share a particular voice message with someone else. To do so, the conventional user must call and verbally paraphrase or repeat the voice message which they played back for themselves. It is possible to playback a voice message and hold the handset of a telephone toward the speaker of the telephone answering device, allowing an uncontrolled level of the played back voice message to be coupled into the telephone call between the user and the other person at the far end of a telephone call. Unfortunately, this typically requires the user to take the handset away from their own ear, preventing the user from participating in a conversation with the far end party while picking up some level of the played back message.
There is a need for an improved apparatus and technique for allowing a user of a telephone answering device to share a recorded voice message with another party.

Message playback concurrent with speakerphone operation


A method for producing a metered tape and an indicium on a meter tape comprising determining a location on the meter tape where the indicium is to be printed, generating the indicium with information related to the location incorporated therein, and printing the indicium on the meter tape at the location. A method of authenticating an indicium printed on a meter tape comprising retrieving information stored within the indicium, the information identifying a first location where the indicium is supposed to be positioned relative to the meter tape, detecting a spatial indicator identifying a second location where the indicium is actually positioned relative to the meter tape, and comparing the first location to the second location. Mail metering and authenticating systems for implementing the methods are also disclosed.

Currently, one can send a mailpiece (e.g., letter, package, etc.) through the United States Postal Service (hereafter referred to as USPS) using a postage indicium as evidence of postage payment. The sender may employ a postage meter certified by the USPS (or the postal service of another country) to generate the indicium. The indicium is generally printed on a meter tape (which is later attached to the mailpiece) or directly onto the mailpiece itself, using a printer associated with the postage meter, which may be, for example, an inkjet printer, a thermal transfer printer, or a laser printer. The indicium can subsequently be authenticated by the USPS. For example, an optical scanning device may be used to read the indicium and a verification algorithm may be used to verify the authenticity of the indicium (e.g., by decoding and interpreting information contained within the indicium).
As is known, a number of different postal indicia are specified by and permitted by the USPS. One particular type of indicium is specified in the USPS's Information Based Indicia Program (IBIP). An IBIP indicium includes both a machine readable portion and a human readable portion that may contain (without limitation) information related to the paid postage amount, the issuance date, the postage meter identification number, a postal service symbol, and the class of service. The machine readable portion is typically comprised of a Data Matrix symbology (i.e., a two-dimensional barcode) which may carry cryptographically protected information, such as the postage amount and other postal data that relates to the mailpiece and to the postage meter that prints the indicium. The encrypted information, which is usually referred to as a digital token or a digital signature, is used for authentication purposes. The encryption is also used to protect the integrity of the information, including the postage amount, imprinted on the mailpiece for later verification of postage payment. Since the digital token incorporates encrypted information relating to evidencing of postage payment, altering the printed information in an indicium is detectable by standard authentication procedures. Examples of systems that are capable of generating and printing such indicia are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,725,718, 4,757,537, 4,775,246 and 4,873,645, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
One security problem that exists with the use of IBIP indicia relates to copying of the indicia for reuse. More specifically, a thief may attempt to re-use an indicium by making copies of an indicium on different pieces of meter tape. The piece(s) of meter tape with the copied indicium is then applied to a mail piece and deposited in the mail, without the thief having paid for the postage. Compounding this problem is the fact that technology has become so advanced that even standard consumer devices, such as photocopiers and printers, are capable of producing credible copies of the indicium (i.e., detection of the copied postage is difficult).
Another security problem relates to a single indicium being printed multiple times. For example, a thief may tamper with the postage meter device such that an indicium is printed multiple times (e.g., on different portions of the meter tape, on different mailpieces, etc.) even though the postage amount paid was intended to be associated with a single use.
Thus, there exists a need for a mail metering system that can generate indicia with suitable security properties to allow detection of fraudulent use of the indicia.

Meter tape with location indicator used for unique identification


A turbine rotor is formed from a turbine disk having a rim with a circumferential direction, and a plurality of turbine blade segments each fixed to the turbine disk around a circumference of the rim of the turbine disk. The turbine blade segments are oriented such that the elastic modulus of the turbine blade segments parallel to the circumferential direction is less than that of the rim of the turbine disk parallel to the circumferential direction. This arrangement is preferably achieved using single crystal turbine blade segments made of an an alloy having a cubic crystal structure, such as a nickel-based superalloy, with a <010> direction oriented radially and a <001> direction oriented circumferentially.

This invention relates to aircraft engines, and, more particularly, to the design of a turbine rotor.
A jet engine draws air into the front of the engine, compresses the air with a rotating compressor that is mounted on a rotating shaft, and mixes fuel with the compressed air. The mixture of fuel and air is burned in a combustor, and the hot exhaust gases are passed through a turbine. The turbine is supported on the same shaft as the compressor, so that the turbine provides the power to operate the compressor.
In the axial flow jet engine, the turbine includes a set of stationary turbine vanes that deflect the flow of hot exhaust gases, and a turbine rotor having turbine blades mounted on the rim or periphery of a turbine disk. The center of the turbine disk is supported on the shaft. Hot exhaust gases pass through the vanes and are deflected slightly. The deflected gases impinge upon the turbine blades and force them sideways, causing the turbine disk and thence the shaft to turn. The preceding description of a jet engine is intended to be conceptual in nature, and it will be appreciated that there are typically numerous compressor and turbine stages mounted on the central shaft, and other complex structure.
The turbine blades are typically made of metallic superalloys having superior strength and creep properties at temperatures of 1800-2100 F. The turbine disk may be made of the same material, or a material having superior strength and fatigue resistance properties at lower temperatures, inasmuch as the turbine disk does not experience as high a temperature as do the turbine blades.
Even with the careful selection of material properties for the turbine disk, it is observed that fatigue cracks can form in the rim of the turbine disk at locations between the turbine blades. These cracks can then propagate into the body of the turbine disk, unless stopped, and eventually lead to failure of the turbine disk. One approach to reducing the incidence of fatigue cracks in the rim of the turbine disk is to make short radial slots in the rim of the turbine disk between the turbine blades. A hole is drilled at the bottom of each of the slots to increase the radius of curvature of the slot, thereby reducing the stress concentration at the bottom of the slot to prevent the slot from propagating as a crack. Thus, uncontrolled formation and propagation of fatigue cracks in the rim of the turbine disk is avoided by artificial placement of controlled slots to relax the stresses that are produced in the rim of the turbine disk.
This slotting approach is operable and has been widely used. However, it has the shortcoming that the rim of the turbine disk is weakened and the centrifugal loading of the remainder of the disk hub is increased by the presence of the slots. There is therefore a need for some improved approach to reducing the incidence of fatigue cracks in the rim of the turbine disk.

Turbine rotor having improved rim durability


A workpiece is heated by first forming an ionized gas plasma around the workpiece. A positive potential is applied to the workpiece to accelerate electrons from the plasma into the workpiece. The workpiece is uniformly surface heated by the energy directed into the workpiece by the electrons. The workpiece is cooled by providing a flow of a pressurized liquid material such as carbon dioxide having a triple point. The liquid material is expanded through a nozzle to form solid particles that contact the surface of the workpiece and remove heat from it by subliming.

This invention relates to the heat treating of materials, and, more particularly, to techniques for rapidly and selectively heating and cooling in production heat treatment operations.
One of the most important characteristics of many commercial metallic alloys is their capacity for property modification by heat treatment. The basis of heat treatment is the existence of various strength modifying mechanisms such as precipitation hardening and phase transformations such as the formation and modification of martensites. Workpieces made of such alloys may be modified throughout their volumes or only at their surfaces, as needed for particular applications. From a knowledge of the various mechanisms, the properties of such alloys may be modified over wide ranges by the choice of a heat treatment.
Heat treatment generally involves controlled heating and cooling of a workpiece. The result of the heat treatment of a workpiece of a particular composition depends upon a number of parameters such as the temperatures selected, heating and cooling rates, times at temperatures, the use of multiple heating and cooling steps and cycles, and other process parameters.
Some of the commercially most important heat treatments are performed to modify only the surface regions of the workpiece. For example, many steels are specially treated to preferentially harden their surfaces to improve their wear resistance, while maintaining an interior of high toughness and fracture resistance. Where only the surface of the workpiece is to be treated, the depth of penetration of the heated and cooled region into the workpiece and the temperature profiles during the heat treatment are of particular concern. These parameters are often determined at least in part by the shape of the workpiece and the presence of irregularities such as sharp points or recesses at its surface.
Because heat treatment is so important to the most desirable utilization of many materials, many different types of heat treatment apparatus and methods have been developed. One commonly used approach is to heat the workpiece in a furnace heated by gas or electrical elements. After the workpiece has been at the required temperature for the required time, it may be cooled at any of several cooling rates, ranging from very slow furnace cooling to gas cooling to a rapid water quench. This technique processes the entire object at once, but can be very inefficient due to the slow heatup and/or cooling of the workpiece.
In another heat treating approach, a heating beam such as a laser or an electron beam is directed at the surface of the workpiece to heat it rapidly. The surface may instead be induction heated. These techniques are efficient in that they do not heat the workpiece, but they require that the beam or induction coil be moved over the surface of the workpiece. This stepping action can be slow and may result in variability in the heat treatment as a function of location, particularly where there are surface irregularities on the workpiece. Plasma heating has also been tried, but it has not produced rapid heating rates.
The cooling of a workpiece during surface treatments poses similar difficulties. If the workpiece is heated uniformly, rapid cooling is normally achieved by immersing the workpiece in a cooling medium such as water or oil. On the other hand, if the heating source must be stepped over the surface of the workpiece, it is difficult to achieve a uniform, controllable cooling.
There is a need for an improved approach to the heat treating of materials. This need is particularly acute where the heat treatment is a surface heat treatment or where relatively rapid cooling is required, either uniformly over the entire surface of the workpiece or selectively over specific areas of the workpiece. Such treatments are widely utilized in industrial operations. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Heat treatment by plasma electron heating and solid/gas jet cooling