An apparatus for use with rotating feeder, having an animal activated feedwheel for spreading feed within a trough. A first stopper is connectable to, and extendable from, the feedwheel. The first stopper defines an orbit path when the feedwheel is rotated. A second stopper is connectable to and extendable from a stationary portion of the feeder and into the orbit path. When the first stopper engages the second stopper, the stoppers cooperate to limit rotation of the feedwheel to a single direction about the aperture axis.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,329 and No. 4,462,338 describe self-feeders for livestock having a base receptacle and a hopper positioned above it. The hopper, which contains the feed, has an aperture to allow feed to flow out of it into the base receptacle. A feed wheel mounted below the aperture includes an upper sweep portion extending up into the hopper and a lower portion including radially extending spokes located between the bottom wall of the hopper and the base receptacle. The spokes include upright paddles at their distal ends. In the embodiment shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,338, an inverted moveable cone is provided above the sweep inside the hopper to control the rate of feed flow through the aperture into the base receptacle.
Such self feeders operate when an animal, such as a hog, pushes on one of the paddles to rotate the wheel. The rotating wheel rotates the sweep portion and feed falls from the hopper into the base receptacle, where it can be consumed by the animals. Such feeders are intended to lower feed waste by limiting the amount of feed in the base receptacle at any one time while still allowing the animals to access the feed at will by movement of the feed wheel.
Feeders of this type are used to feed from 25 to 90 pigs, depending on the size of the feeder and the size of the pigs. The animals take turns at the feeder, and it is important that feed always be available.
The animals do not instinctively know how to operate the feeder, so they must learn how to use it. To train pigs to use the feeder, it is customary to manually fill the feed trough (i.e. the base receptacle) and manually keep feed in the trough until the animals learn to associate movement of the feed wheel with the appearance of feed. If the animals fail to learn to operate the feeder, the result is hungry animals who overwhelm the feeder all at once with a behavior of emptying the trough and then simply waiting until feed re-appears through human intervention.
Often it is desirable to place such a feeder in a fence line in between two groups of animals which are kept separately. While such an arrangement can be quite efficient, since one feeder is serving two groups of animals, the feed consumption of the two groups must be relatively equal in both groups or excess feed may accumulate on one side of the feeder. This occurs because pigs tend to learn to move the paddles back and forth through a limited arc, thus failing to rotate feed in the base receptacle around the feeder. At its worse, accumulation of feed on one side of such a fence line feeder can actually jam movement of the feeder. If this occurs, human intervention is required to correct the situation. Manual turning of the feed wheel will sweep the excess feed to the hungrier group of animals in a single rotation.
However, the time spent on training the animals through manual feeding and the management time spent on balancing feed consumption could usefully be spent on other activities if these concerns could be addressed.

Rotation limiter for mechanical flow rotary livestock feeder


A method includes transmitting an instruction to a motive power supply of an elastically deformable device to drive the elastically deformable device in accordance with a drive setting; measuring a force exerted on the elastically deformable device with a sensor; outputting an observed value representative of the force; comparing the observed value with a reference value corresponding with a predetermined force to be exerted on the elastically deformable device; and adjusting the drive setting based on a determination that the observed value is outside of a predetermined range of the reference value. The method prevents slack in the elastically deformable device over time. Related apparatuses, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

The field of this disclosure relates to cable force adjustment, which may be used in the fields of sensors, analytics, signal processing, machinery diagnostics, condition monitoring, and related disciplines. Remote borescope inspection tools are utilized to identify and/or predict equipment failures in the field of industrial equipment in industries such as aerospace, power generation, oil and gas, automotive, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. For example, borescope inspection tools are used to inspect pumps, motors, generators, pulp and paper rollers, gear boxes, pipes, tubes, purity pipes, compressors, large pistons, chillers, valves, gun barrels, mortar tubes, vehicles, shipping containers, and maritime surveying structures.


Rib and spar webs are joined in a composite wingbox to eliminate fasteners by welding the webs along bondlines defined by overlapping sections of the webs. Heat to produce the weld is generally achieved resistively by connecting a multistrip susceptor positioned along the bond line to a current source, since the geometry makes it difficult to heat these web joints inductively. The wingbox is completed without fasteners by welding skins to the rib-spar wingbox.

1. Composite Manufacturing
Fiber-reinforced organic resin matrix composites have a high strength-to-weight ratio or a high stiffness-to-weight ratio and desirable fatigue characteristics that make them increasingly popular as a replacement for metal in aerospace applications where weight, strength, or fatigue is critical. Organic resin composites, be they thermoplastics or thermosets, are expensive today. Improved manufacturing processes would reduce touch labor and forming time.
Prepregs combine continuous, woven, or chopped reinforcing fibers with an uncured, matrix resin, and usually comprise fiber sheets with a thin film of the matrix. Sheets of prepreg generally are placed (laid-up) by hand or with fiber placement machines directly upon a tool or die having a forming surface contoured to the desired shape of the completed part or are laid-up in a flat sheet which is then draped and formed over the tool or die to the contour of the tool. Then the resin in the prepreg lay up is consolidated (i.e. pressed to remove any air, gas, or vapor) and cured (i.e., chemically converted to its final form usually through chain-extension) in a vacuum bag process in an autoclave (i.e., a pressure oven) to complete the part.
The tools or dies for composite processing typically are formed to close dimensional tolerances. They are massive, must be heated along with the workpiece, and must be cooled prior to removing the completed part. The delay caused to heat and to cool the mass of the tools adds substantially to the overall time necessary to fabricate each part. These delays are especially significant when the manufacturing run is low rate where the dies need to be changed frequently, often after producing only a few parts of each kind. An autoclave has similar limitations; it is a batch operation.
In hot press forming, the prepreg is laid-up to create a preform, which is bagged (if necessary), and placed between matched metal tools that include forming surfaces to define the internal, external, or both mold lines of the completed part. The tools and composite preform are placed within a press and then the tools, press, and preform are heated.
The tooling in autoclave or hot press fabrication is a significant heat sink that consumes substantial energy. Furthermore, the tooling takes significant time to heat the composite material to its consolidation temperature and, after curing the composite, to cool to a temperature at which it is safe to remove the finished composite part.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,717, a flat composite prepreg panel was sandwiched between two metal sheets made from a superplastically formable alloy and then formed against a die having a surface precisely contoured to the final shape of the part.
Attempts have been made to reduce composite fabrication times by actively cooling the tools after forming the composite part. These attempts have shortened the time necessary to produce a composite part, but the cycle time for and cost of heating and cooling remain significant contributors to overall fabrication costs. Designing and making tools to permit their active cooling increases their cost.
Boeing described a process for organic matrix forming and consolidation using induction heating in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,277. There, prepregs were laid up in a flat sheet and were sandwiched between aluminum susceptor facesheets. The facesheets were susceptible to heating by induction and formed a retort to enclose the prepreg preform. To ensure an inert atmosphere around the composite during curing and to permit withdrawing volatiles and outgassing from around the composite during the consolidation, we welded the facesheets around their periphery. Such welding unduly impacts the preparation time and the cost for part fabrication. It also ruined the facesheets (i.e., prohibited their reuse which added a significant cost penalty to each part fabricated with this approach). Boeing also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,472 a technique that readily and reliably seals facesheets of the retort without the need for welding and permits reuse of the facesheets in certain circumstances. Our "bag-and-seal" technique applies to both resin composite and metal processing.
2. Processing in an Induction Press
The dies or tooling for induction processing are ceramic because a ceramic is not susceptible to induction heating and, preferably, is a thermal insulator (i.e., a relatively poor conductor of heat). Cast ceramic tooling is strengthened and reinforced internally, with fiberglass rods or other appropriate reinforcements and externally with metal or other durable strongbacks to permit it to withstand the temperatures and pressures necessary to form, to consolidate, or otherwise to process the composite materials or metals. Cast ceramic tools cost less to fabricate than metal tools of comparable size and have less thermal mass than metal tooling, because they are unaffected by the induction field. Because the ceramic tooling is not susceptible to induction heating, it is possible to embed induction heating elements in the ceramic tooling and to heat the composite or metal retort without significantly heating the tools. The induction heating elements themselves connect to form a water cooling network. Thus, induction heating can reduce the time required and energy consumed to fabricate a part.
While graphite or boron fibers can be heated directly by induction, most organic matrix composites require a susceptor in or adjacent to the composite material preform to achieve the necessary heating for consolidation or forming. The susceptor is heated inductively and transfers its heat principally through conduction to the preform or workpiece that, in our prior work, is sealed within the susceptor retort. Enclosed in the metal retort, the workpiece does not experience the oscillating magnetic field which instead is absorbed in the retort sheets. Heating is by conduction from the retort to the workpiece.
Induction focuses heating on the retort (and workpiece) and eliminates wasteful, inefficient heat sinks. Because the ceramic tools in our induction heating workcell do not heat to as high a temperature as the metal tooling of conventional, prior art presses, problems caused by different coefficients of thermal expansion between the tools and the workpiece are reduced. Furthermore, we are energy efficient because significantly higher percentages of our input energy go to heating the workpiece than occurs with conventional presses. Our reduced thermal mass and ability to focus the heating energy permits us to change the operating temperature rapidly which improves the products we produce. Finally, our shop environment is not heated as significantly from the radiation of the large thermal mass of a conventional press, and is a safer and more pleasant environment for the press operators.
In induction heating for consolidating and/or forming organic matrix composite materials, we place a thermoplastic organic matrix composite preform of PEEK or ULTEM, for example, within a metal susceptor envelope (i.e., retort). These thermoplastics have a low concentration of residual volatile solvents and are easy to use. The susceptor facesheets of the retort are inductively heated to heat the preform. We apply consolidation and forming pressure to consolidate and, if applicable, to form the preform at its curing temperature. The sealed susceptor sheets form a pressure zone. We evacuate the pressure zone in the retort in a manner analogous to conventional vacuum bag processes for resin consolidation, or, for low volatiles resins, like ULTEM, we can pressurize this zone to enhance consolidation. The retort is placed in an induction heating press on the forming surfaces of dies having the desired shape of the molded composite part. After the retort (and preform) are inductively heated to the desired elevated temperature, we apply differential pressure (while maintaining the vacuum in the pressure zone around the preform) across the retort which functions as a diaphragm in the press to form the preform against the die into the desired shape of the completed composite panel.
The retort often includes three susceptor sheets sealed around their periphery to define two pressure zones. The first pressure zone surrounds the composite panel/preform or metal workpiece and is evacuated and maintained under vacuum. The second pressure zone is pressurized (i.e., flooded with gas) at the appropriate time and rate to help form the composite panel or workpiece. The shared wall of the three layer sandwich that defines the two pressure zones acts as a diaphragm in this situation.
We can perform a wide range of manufacturing operations in our induction heating press. These operations have optimum operating temperatures ranging from about 350° F. (175° C.) to about 1950° F. (1066° C.). For each operation, we usually need to hold the temperature relatively constant for several minutes to several hours while we complete the operations. While we can achieve temperature control by controlling the input power fed to the induction coil, we have discovered a better and simpler way that capitalizes on the Curie temperature. By judicious selection of the metal or alloy in the retort's susceptor facesheets, we can avoid excessive heating irrespective of the input power. With improved control and improved temperature uniformity in the workpiece, we produce better products. Our method capitalizes on the Curie temperature phenomenon to control the absolute temperature of the workpiece and to obtain substantial thermal uniformity in the workpiece, by matching the Curie temperature of the susceptor to the desired temperature of the induction heating operation being performed. This temperature control method is explained in greater detail in our U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/469,604 by Hansen et al, entitled Method for Achieving Thermal Uniformity in Induction Processing of Organic Matrix Composites or Metals.
3. Thermoplastic Welding
Three major joining technologies exist for aerospace composite structure: mechanical fastening; adhesive bonding; and welding. Both mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding are costly, time consuming assembly steps that introduce excess cost even if the parts that are assembled are fabricated from components produced by an emerging, cost efficient process. Mechanical fastening requires expensive hole locating, drilling, shimming, and fastener installation, while adhesive bonding often requires complicated surface pretreatments.
In contrast, thermoplastic welding, which eliminates fasteners, features the ability to join thermoplastic composite components at high speeds with minimum touch labor and little, if any, pretreatments. In our experience, the welding interlayer (comprising the susceptor and surrounding thermoplastic resin either coating the susceptor or sandwiching it) also can simultaneously take the place of shims required in mechanical fastening. As such, composite welding holds promise to be an affordable joining process. For "welding" thermoplastic and thermoset composite parts together, the resin that the susceptor melts functions as a hot melt adhesive. If fully realized, the thermoplastic-thermoset bonding will further reduce the cost of composite assembly.
There is a large stake in developing a successful induction welding process. Its advantages versus traditional composite joining methods are:                reduced parts count versus fasteners        minimal surface preparation, in most cases a simple solvent wipe to remove surface contaminants        indefinite shelf life at room temperature        short process cycle time, typically measured in minutes        enhanced joint performance, especially hot/wet and fatigue        permits rapid field repair of composites or other structures.There is little or no loss of bond strength after prolonged exposure to environmental influences.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,450 describes a method to spot weld graphite fiber reinforced PEEK composites using a pair of electrodes. After roughening the surfaces of the prefabricated PEEK composites in the region of the bond, Burke placed a PEEK adhesive ply along the bond line, applied a pressure of about 50–100 psi through the electrodes, and heated the embedded graphite fibers by applying a voltage in the range of 20–40 volts at 30–40 amps for approximately 5–10 seconds with the electrodes. Access to both sides of the assembly is required in this process which limits its application.
Prior art disclosing thermoplastic welding with induction heating is illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,966,402 and 4,120,712. In these patents, the metallic susceptors used are of a conventional type having a regular pattern of openings of traditional manufacture. Achieving a uniform, controllable temperature in the bondline, which is crucial to preparing a thermoplastic weld of adequate integrity to permit use of welding in aerospace primary structure, is difficult with those conventional susceptors.
Thermoplastic welding is a process for forming a fusion bond between two faying thermoplastic faces of two parts. A fusion bond is created when the thermoplastic on the surface of the two thermoplastic composite parts is heated to the melting or softening point and the two surfaces are brought into contact, so that the molten thermoplastic mixes, and the surfaces are held in contact while the thermoplastic cools below the softening temperature.
Simple as the thermoplastic welding process sounds, and easy as it is to perform in the laboratory on small pieces, it becomes difficult to perform reliably and repeatably in a real factory on full-scale parts to build a large structure such as an airplane wing box. The difficulty is in getting the proper amount of heat to the bondline without overheating the entire structure, and also in achieving intimate contact of the faying surfaces of the two parts at the bondline during heating and cooling despite the normal imperfections in the flatness of composite parts, thermal expansion of the thermoplastic during heating to the softening or melting temperature, flow of the thermoplastic out of the bondline under pressure (i.e., squeeze out), and then contraction of the thermoplastic in the bondline during cooling.
The exponential decay of the strength of magnetic fields dictates that, in induction welding processes, the susceptible structure closest to the induction coil will be the hottest, since it experiences the strongest field. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain adequate heating at the bond line between two graphite or carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composites relying on the susceptibility of the fibers alone as the source of heating in the assembly. For the inner plies to be hot enough to melt the resin, the outer plies closer to the induction coil and in the stronger magnetic field are too hot. The matrix resin in the entire piece of composite melts. The overheating results in porosity in the product, delamination, and, in some case, destruction or denaturing of the resin. To avoid overheating of the outer plies and to insure adequate heating of the inner plies, we use a susceptor of significantly higher conductivity than the fibers to peak the heating selectively at the bondline. An electromagnetic induction coil heats a susceptor to melt and cure a thermoplastic resin (also sometimes referred to as an adhesive) to bond the elements of the assembly together.
The current density in the susceptor may be higher at the edges of the susceptor than in the center because of the nonlinearity of the coil, such as occurs when using a cup core induction coil like that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,037. Overheating the edges of the assembly can result in underheating the center, either condition leading to inferior welds because of non-uniform curing. It is necessary to have an open or mesh pattern in the susceptor embedded at the bondline to allow the resin to create the fusion bond between the composite elements of the assembly when the resin heats and melts.
a. Moving Coil Welding Processes
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,511, we described a tailored susceptor for approaching the desired temperature uniformity. This susceptor, designed for use with the cup coil of U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,037, relied upon carefully controlling the geometry of openings in the susceptor (both their orientation and their spacing) to distribute the heat evenly. We suggested using a regular array of anisotropic, diamond shaped openings with a ratio of the length (L) to the width (W) greater than 1 to provide a superior weld by producing a more uniform temperature than obtainable using a susceptor having a similar array, but one where the L/W ratio was one. By changing the length to width ratio (the aspect ratio) of the diamond-shaped openings in the susceptor, we achieved a large difference in the longitudinal and transverse conductivity in the susceptor, and, thereby, tailored the current density within the susceptor. A tailored susceptor having openings with a length (L) to width (W) ratio of 2:1 has a longitudinal conductivity about four times the transverse conductivity. In addition to tailoring the shape of the openings to tailor the susceptor, we altered the current density in regions near the edges by increasing the foil density (i.e., the absolute amount of metal). Increasing the foil density along the edge of the susceptor increases the conductivity along the edge and reduces the current density and the edge heating. We increased foil density by folding the susceptor to form edge strips of double thickness or by compressing openings near the edge of an otherwise uniform susceptor. We found these susceptors difficult to reproduce reliably. Also, their use forced careful placement and alignment to achieve the desired effect.
The tailored susceptor was designed to use with the cup coil of U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,037, where the magnetic field is strongest near the edges because the central pole creates a null at the center. Therefore, the tailored susceptor was designed to counter the higher field at the edges by accommodating the induced current near the edges. The high longitudinal conductivity encouraged induced currents to flow longitudinally.
Our selvaged susceptor for thermoplastic welding which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,446 controls the current density pattern during eddy current heating by an induction coil to provide substantially uniform heating to a composite assembly and to insure the strength and integrity of the weld in the completed part. This susceptor is particularly desirable for welding ribs between prior welded spars using an asymetric induction coil (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,220, which we incorporate by reference), because, with that coil, it provides a controllable area of intense, uniform heating, a trailing region with essentially no heating, and a leading region with minor preheating.
The power (P) which the susceptor dissipates as heat follows the well-known equation for power loss in a resistor: P=(J2)(R) wherein J is the eddy current (or its density) and R is the impedance (i.e., resistance) of any segment of the eddy path. The heating achieved directly corresponds to the power (or power density).
We achieve better performance (i.e., more uniform heating) in rib welding by using a selvaged susceptor having edge strips without openings. The resulting susceptor, then, has a center portion with a regular pattern of opening and solid foil edges, which we refer to as selvage edge strips. We embed the susceptor in a thermoplastic resin to make a susceptor/resin tape that is easy to handle and to use in performing the composite pieces prior to welding. Also, we have discovered that, with a selvaged susceptor, the impedance of the central portion should be anisotropic with a lower transverse impedance than the longitudinal impedance. Here, the L/W ratio of diamond shaped openings should be less than or equal to one. That is, unlike our tailored susceptor L for the selvaged susceptor should be less than W. With this new selvaged susceptor in the region immediately under the asymmetric induction work coil, we encourage the current to flow across the susceptor to the edges where the current density is lowest and the conductivity, highest.
Generally, we form the selvaged susceptor somewhat wider than normal so that the selvage edge strips are not in the bondline. We remove the selvage edge strips after forming the weld, leaving only a perforated susceptor foil in the weld. This foil has a relatively high open area fraction.
Significant effort has been expended in developing inductor and susceptor systems to optimize the heating of the bondline in thermoplastic assemblies. Induction coil structures and tailored susceptors have now been developed that provide adequate control and uniformity of heating of the bondline, but a big hurdle remaining to perfecting the process to the point of practical utility for producing large scale aerospace-quality structures in a production environment is the aspect of the process dealing with the control of the surface contact of the faying surfaces of the two parts to be welded together, and the timing, intensity, and schedule of heat application so the material at the faying surfaces is brought to and maintained within the proper temperature range for the requisite amount of time for an adequate bond to form, and is maintained in intimate contact while the melted or softened material hardens in its bonded condition.
Large scale parts such as wing spars and ribs, and the wing skins that are bonded to the spars and ribs, are typically on the order of 20–30 feet long at present, and potentially can be hundreds of feet in length when the process is perfected for commercial transport aircraft. Parts of this magnitude are difficult to produce with perfect flatness. Instead, the typical part will have various combinations of surface deviations from perfect flatness, including large scale waviness in the direction of the major length dimension, twist about the longitudinal axis, dishing or sagging of "I" beam flanges, and small scale surface defects such as asperities and depressions. These irregularities interfere with full surface area contact between the faying surfaces of the two parts and actually result in surface contact only at a few "high points" across the intended bondline. Additional surface contact can be achieved by applying pressure to the parts to force the faying surfaces into contact, but full intimate contact is difficult or impossible to achieve in this way. Applying heat to the interface by electrically heating the susceptor in connection with pressure on the parts tends to flatten the irregularities further, but the time needed to achieve full intimate contact with the use of heat and pressure is excessive, can result in deformation of the top part, and tends to raise the overall temperature of the "I" beam flanges to the softening point, so they begin to yield or sag under the application of the pressure needed to achieve a good bond.
Our multipass thermoplastic welding process described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,684 enables a moving coil welding process to produce continuous or nearly continuous fusion bonds over the full area of the bondline to yield very high strength welds reliably, repeatably and with consistent quality. This process produces improved low cost, high strength composite assemblies of large scale parts fusion bonded together with consistent quality, and uses a schedule of heat application that maintains the overall temperature of the structure within the limit in which it retains its high strength, so it requires no internal tooling to support the structure against sagging which otherwise could occur above the high strength temperature limit. The process also produces nearly complete bondline area fusion on standard production composite material parts having the usual surface imperfections and deviations from perfect flatness, while eliminating fasteners and the expense of drilling holes, inspecting the holes and the fasteners, inspecting the fasteners after installation, sealing between the parts and around the fastener and the holes; reducing mismatch of materials; and eliminating arcing from the fasteners.
In the process, an induction heating work coil is passed multiple times over a bondline while applying pressure in the region of the coil to the components to be welded, and maintaining the pressure until the resin hardens. The resin at the bondline is heated to the softening or melting temperature with each pass of the induction work coil and pressure is exerted to flow the softened/melted resin in the bondline and reduce the thickness of the bondline while improving the intimacy of the faying surface contact with each pass to militate for complete continuity of bond. The total time at the softened or melted condition of the thermoplastic in the faying surfaces is sufficient to attain deep interdiffusion of the polymer chains in the materials of the two faying surfaces throughout the entire length and area of the bondline, thereby producing a bondline of improved strength and integrity in the completed part, but the total time of the faying surfaces at softened temperature is in separate time segments which allows time for the heat in the interface to dissipate without raising the temperature of the entire structure to the degree at which it loses its strength and begins to sag, so the desired shape and size of the final assembly is maintained.
A structural susceptor allows us to include fiber reinforcement within the weld resin to alleviate residual tensile strain otherwise present in an unreinforced weld. The susceptor includes alternating layers of thin film thermoplastic resin sheets and fiber reinforcement (usually woven fiberglass fiber) sandwiching the conventional metal susceptor that is embedded in the resin. While the number of total plies in this structural susceptor is usually not critical, we prefer to use at least two plies of fiber reinforcement on each side of the susceptor. This structural susceptor is described in greater detail in our U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/471, 625 entitled A Structural Susceptor for Thermoplastic Welding.
The structural susceptor permits gap filling between the welded composite laminates which tailors the thickness (number of plies) in the structural susceptor to fill the gaps, thereby eliminating costly profilometry of the faying surfaces and the inherent associated problem of resin depletion at the faying surfaces caused by machining the surfaces to have complementary contours. Standard manufacturing tolerances produce gaps as large as 0.120 inch, which is too wide to create a quality weld using the conventional susceptors.
We can easily tailor the thickness of the structural susceptor to match the measured gap by scoring through the appropriate number of plies of resin and fiber reinforcement and peeling them off. In doing so, a resin side layer will be on both faying surfaces and this layer should insure better performance from the weld.
b. Fixed Coil Induction Welding
We have also experimented with thermoplastic welding using our induction heating workcell and, of course, discovered that the process differs from the moving coil processes because of the coil design and resulting magnetic field. We believe that our fixed coil workcell presents promise for welding at faster cycle times than the moving coil processes because we can heat multiple susceptors simultaneously. The keys to the process, however, are achieving controllable temperatures at the bondline in a reliable and reproducible process that assure quality welds of high bond strength. Our fixed coil induces currents to flow in the susceptor differently from the moving coils and covers a larger area. Nevertheless, we have developed processing parameters that permit welding with our induction heating workcell using a susceptor at the bondline. These processes are described in our U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 08/471,053 entitled Thermoplastic Welding of Organic Matrix Composites Using a Fixed Coil Induction Heater and Ser. No. 08/469,928 entitled A Reinforced Susceptor for Induction or Resistance Welding of Thermoplastic Composites.
Another advantage with the fixed coil process is that welding can occur using the same tooling and processing equipment that we use to consolidate the skin, thereby greatly reducing tooling costs. Finally, the fixed coil heats the entire bondline at one time to eliminate the need for skins that are currently used with the moving coil. We can control the temperature and protect against overheating by using our "smart" susceptors as a retort or as the bondline susceptor material or both.
Induction welding is limited, nevertheless, because there must be an appropriate oscillating magnetic field to create the eddy currents. Rib-spar web joints typically are in the wrong plane for induction with existing equipment and these joints are of short span buried within the wingbox where arranging induction heating is troublesome. Fortunately, these rib-spar web joints can be made with thermoplastic welds using a voltage source to provide current to the susceptor to obtain the necessary heating.

Resistance welding of thermoplastics in aerospace structure


A booster coil is stored in a coil storing room provided in the bottom section of a common case having an opening on one side, and is insulation-molded with a filler. A circuit substrate is inserted into the common case and supported by a supporting edge which is provided circumferentially at the middle of an inner wall of the common case. An ion generating element is held on a lid plate for closing the opening of the common case and mounted on the outer surface of the common case together with this lid plate, and the space between the circuit plate and the ion generating element is insulation-molded with a filler. An ion generator including the ion generating element and the booster coil and circuit substrate for generating a driving voltage is constructed in a compact size so as to enable the ion generator to be readily used in a wide range of applications.

In recent years, as the airtightness in living space increases, there has been an increasing demand for the development of a technique to realize clean and comfortable living space, particularly a technique to purify the air inside the living space. For the purification of the air, conventionally, there are widely used air purifiers which are designed to produce a circulating air flow by sucking the air inside a target space and discharging the air through a suitable filter, and to catch floating substances present in this circulating air flow successively with the filter.
However, in this kind of air purifiers, floating substances are removed only from the air sucked into the main body, and thus it is difficult to give the air purifying effect throughout the living space. For example, there are problems that the air tends to stagnate behind furniture in a room, at the corners of a living room, or the like, and a sufficient effect cannot be expected in areas where air purification is necessary. Moreover, in order to maintain the satisfactory performance, cleaning and replacement of the filter are essential, and consequently there is a problem that complicated maintenance work including such cleaning and replacement must be performed.
Furthermore, the floating substances in the living room include particulates such as dust and smoke particles, and bacteria such as fungus and coli bacteria. Air purifiers using a filter as mentioned above are effective against the former matter (particulates) and can give a predetermined removal effect, but have a problem in terms of the latter matter (bacteria) harmful to human body, that is, a sufficient removal effect can not be obtained because the bacteria breed under the condition of being caught in the filter and are returned into the living space together with the circulating air flow. In recent years, air purifiers that improve the bacteria removal effect by using a filter made of antibacterial material have been put to practical use, but, in actual circumstances, satisfactory performances are not obtained.
In order to solve such problems, the applicant of the present application proposed a purifying method based on a new concept, in which the air in a space is purified by discharging ions into the space. This method is implemented by positioning an ion generator for generating substantially equal amounts of positive ions and negative ions, in the middle of a passage for discharging a flow of air into a target space, and discharging the positive ions and negative ions together with the flow of air into the target space.
Positive ions and negative ions are generated by ionizing moisture in the air by plasma discharge, and have a form in which a plurality of water molecules attach around hydrogen ions (H+) or oxygen ions (O2−), i.e. the form of cluster ions. The ions discharged into the air gather around the floating particles, mutually cause a chemical reaction, make hydrogen peroxide H2O2 or hydroxy radical •OH as active species, carry out an oxidation reaction for removing hydrogen from the floating particles, inactivate the floating particles, and disinfect the floating bacteria.
Air purification as mentioned above is carried out by the function of ions which are discharged into the target space and spread throughout the space, and these ions act on the floating bacteria to disinfect them and further act on foul-smelling molecules and harmful molecules to make them odorless and harmless, thereby obtaining a satisfactory purification effect over the entire target space. Moreover, since the cluster ions discharged into the space are ions which are present in the natural world, harmless to human body and change to H2O (water) by oxidation reaction, there is no possibility that the cluster ions cause environmental pollution.
As described above, the ion generator for use in air purification performs the function of disinfecting floating bacteria, the function of making foul-smelling substances odorless, and the function of making harmful substances harmless. Therefore, there has been great demand for the application of the ion generator not only to air purifiers, but also to the whole range of electric apparatuses dealing with a flow of air, such as air conditioners, refrigerators and cleaners.
This ion generator comprises an ion generating element which has a discharge electrode and an induction electrode disposed to face each other with a dielectric therebetween and performs plasma discharge by application of a high-voltage AC driving voltage between the electrodes. This ion generating element can be constructed in a compact cylindrical shape in which the two electrodes are disposed on the center of the axis and the circumferential surface of a cylindrical dielectric, or in a compact plate shape in which the two electrodes are disposed on both surfaces of a plate-like dielectric. However, when this ion generating element is to be operated as the ion generator, it is necessary to provide booster means and a circuit substrate to increase the input voltage from a commercial power supply and generate a driving voltage having a predetermined driving waveform, and also necessary to ensure that their installed positions are mutually insulated. Thus, there are problems that it is difficult to apply this ion generating element to electric apparatuses other than those which were designed on the supposition that the ion generating element is to be incorporated into them, and the application range is limited.

Ion generator, and electric apparatus and air conditioning apparatus incorporating the same


A surface emitting semiconductor laser includes: a semiconductor substrate; a lower reflector that is formed on the semiconductor substrate and includes a semiconductor multilayer of a first conduction type; an upper reflector that is formed above the semiconductor substrate and includes a semiconductor multilayer of a second conduction type; an active region interposed between the lower reflector and the upper reflector; a current confining layer that is interposed between the lower reflector and the upper reflector and has a conductive region having an anisotropic shape in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; and an electrode that is formed on the upper reflector and has an opening via which a laser beam is emitted, the opening having different edge shapes in directions of the anisotropic shape.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a surface emitting semiconductor laser, a surface emitting semiconductor laser device, an optical transmission device, and an optical information processing device.
2. Related Art
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is utilized as a light source of a communication device and an image forming apparatus. A typical VCSEL of selective oxidization type has a vertical resonator structure in which a current confining layer having an oxidized aperture defined by selective oxidization is formed. The oxidized aperture confines current applied via an electrode and injects current thus confined in an active region. Further, the oxidized aperture confines light generated in the active region in the center of emission due to the difference between the inside of the oxidized aperture and the outside thereof. Furthermore, the oxidized aperture is formed in an elliptic shape in a substance plane vertical to the optical axis, so that the polarized plane of laser can be controlled to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the oxidized aperture.

Surface emitting semiconductor laser, surface emitting semiconductor laser device, optical transmission device, and optical information processing device


Systems and methods for handling of an uplink transmission collision with an ACK/NACK signal are provided. The scheduled uplink transmission is refrained due to the collision. Subsequent non-adaptive retransmission for the scheduled uplink transmission may be refrained by delivering an ACK for the scheduled uplink transmission to high layers. Alternatively, subsequent non-adaptive retransmission for the scheduled uplink transmission may be refrained by setting the HARQ feedback for the scheduled transmission to ACK. In some implementations, a subsequent non-adaptive retransmission for the scheduled uplink transmission may be transmitted. If a subsequent non-adaptive retransmission is to be transmitted, the HARQ redundancy version for the subsequent non-adaptive retransmission is refrained from incrementing from the original redundancy version for the scheduled uplink transmission.

In an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), new data transmissions or retransmissions may result in the transmission of an uplink shared channel (UL-SCH) medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) in the form of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transport block. The UL-SCH is an uplink transport channel mapped directly to the PUSCH physical channel. A physical layer ACK/NACK transmission is used in the E-UTRAN network to provide feedback information to the transmitter regarding whether a transmitted downlink transport block on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) is successfully received or not. Further, an ACK/NACK may be repeatedly transmitted on the uplink in consecutive uplink subframes to allow better reception quality at the receiver side when the channel conditions are poor.

System and method for handling of an uplink transmission collision with an ACK/NACK signal


Provided is a novel system and apparatus for producing primary standard gas mixtures. The system includes providing a gas permeation device having a constant diffusion rate into a temperature controlled enclosure; connecting a supply source of a component to the permeation device; routing the component from the gas permeation device to a product container until a desired amount of said component in the product container is reached; and supplying a balance of purified gas to the product container to obtain a known concentration of component in the primary standard gas mixture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for the preparation of low concentration primary standard mixes. The standard mixes of the present invention are utilized for calibrating analytical detectors, such as mass spectrometers, and for analysis of emissions from combustion chambers and process tools.
2. Description of Related Art
The demand for low concentration primary standard gas mixtures in the range of (100-1000 parts per billion (ppb)), is increasing in a number of industries. Of particular interest for environmental emissions testing is a mixture of nitric oxide in nitrogen, as environmental regulations become increasingly strict.
The need for supplying gas with UHP purity levels has led the industry to develop analytical techniques for measuring gas impurities. Advances in gas analysis instrumentation in the same range of impurities as would be found in typical gas analysis instrumentation has led to increase demand for low concentration primary standard mixes employed as calibration gases.
Currently, low concentration primary mixes are prepared by two methods as described by G.O. Nelson, Gas Mixtures Preparation and Control, Lewis Publishers, Ann Arbor, Mich. (1992). One is a static mixture, where a volume of the desired mixture is generated and then contained in a cylinder at either low or high pressures. The mixture is subsequently utilized for the particular application. Another is the dynamic mixture where the components of interest are introduced into a stream of purified diluent gas at essentially atmospheric pressure, and the desired concentration is generated. The mixture is thereafter consumed as a calibration gas for an analytical instrument.
Over the years a number of methods have been devised to control the dynamic addition of the components of interest to the diluent gas. In this regard, Leggett et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,952 discloses a calibration device utilizing a series of highly accurate mass flow controllers to provide rapid delivery of ultra high calibration gas mixtures, and sample gas, to a gas analyzer at elevated temperatures.
Ridgeway et al in U.S. Pat. No 5,661,225 discloses a system for the dynamic dilution of a high concentration analyte containing gas for calibrating analytical detectors. The calibration systems described in Leggett et al and Ridgeway et al include permeation tubes and mass flow controllers for the dynamic addition of the components of interest to the diluent gas.
Some of the drawbacks associated with the static mixture related art includes the number of sequential dilutions necessary for each component added to arrive at the standard gas mixture. For example, the uncertainty in the final concentration increases with the number of dilutions. As such, in the related art it is necessary to have a minimum of three dilutions to generate a primary standard at concentrations below one part per million. Multiple dilutions can also deleteriously contribute to the contamination of the process as exposure to the ambient atmosphere is increased. In addition, the multiple dilution method requires considerable capital expenditure, as a skilled operator is required to monitor and intervene in the process.
To overcome the disadvantages of the related art, it is an object of this invention to provide a system and apparatus for producing static mixtures of low concentration (i.e., 10 ppb to 1000 ppb) primary standard mixtures.
It is another object of this invention, to utilize a permeation device, as a precise metering device to dispense minor components directly into a cylinder for a predetermined period of time, thereby allowing to weight traceable back to a National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST) standard.
Other objects and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art on a review of the specification and claims appended hereto.

System and apparatus for producing primary standard gas mixtures


The invention concerns a method for continuously producing a monomolecular film at a liquid-gas interface in a trough, by means of a barrier element rotating horizontally around a vertical shaft, which barrier moves the film from a film formation compartment through a connection zone to a deposition compartment to be deposited onto a substrate. On the opposite side of the barrier with respect to the rotational direction of the barrier element, more film forming substance is added to the liquid surface for forming a new film, which in turn is transferred by a rotating barrier element at a suitable surface pressure to elastically join the first mentioned film as an extension to the same. The invention also concerns a trough apparatus for continuously producing films.

A number of compounds, one end of which is water-soluble and the other end fat-soluble, form onto the interface of a liquid phase and a gas phase an insoluble film having the thickness of one molecule layer. In this film the said amphiphilic compounds are oriented so that the water-soluble end of the compound is in the liquid phase and the fat-soluble end in the gas phase. Irwin Langmuir's original publication (Langmuir, I. (1917) J. Am.Chem. Soc. 39, 1848) describes the principles according to which the orientation of compounds into monomolecular layers is accomplished. Different methods for producing and studying surface films have been widely dealt with in a monograph by George Gaines (Gaines, G. L. , Jr (1966) Insoluble Monolayers at Liquid-Gas Interfaces, interscience Publishers, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York 1966).
To make monomolecular surface films, the chosen substance, dissolved in a volatile solvent, such as e.g. chloroform or hexane, is spread onto a liquid surface in a trough. The available surface area of the liquid-gas interface is limited by a barrier resting on top of the trough, in contact with the liquid surface, and by means of which the total area of the monomolecular surface film is either decreased or increased. Thus it is possible to regulate the surface tension of the film which is inversely proportional to the surface pressure of the film. The degree of packing, that is the surface density of the molecules of the film, can be measured by using the so called compression isotherm, by determining the surface pressure as a function of the surface area, in order to obtain the surface area/molecule vs. surface pressure. By arranging for a feedback coupling between the surface pressure sensor (usually a Wilhelmy-plate, dunoyu-ring or a Langmuir-barrier) and the motor controlling the movements of the barrier, it is possible to create conditions where the surface pressure of the film, that is the packing density of the molecules, is maintained constant. This is necessary when the film on the surface of the liquid, typically of water, is to be transferred onto a solid substrate to be coated that can be plastic, glass, a silicon wafer, metal or alike. As a result of one transfer, one layer is deposited onto the substrate. This kind of a monomolecular film transferred onto a solid substrate is called a Langmuir-Blodgett film. By repeating the transfer, it is possible to produce multilayer LB-films.
LB-films attract nowadays great interest because they open new technical prospects i.a in the semiconductor industry as resists, in data communication as photoconductors, in laser technique in the SHG formation as well as in the sensor technique. A problem has been that so far there has not been commercially available a so-called continuously operating LB-method and apparatus.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,757 describes an apparatus and a method for depositing a monomolecular layer of an amphiphilic compound onto a substrate. The apparatus consists of two compartments and the compartments are separated by a horizontally rotatable cylinder partly immersed in the liquid and feeding molecules of the amphiphilic compound from one compartment to the other. The continuous deposition and production of the film is performed by adding dropwise, at a predetermined rate, a film compound, dissolved in an organic solvent, into one compartment and continuously transferring the said compound to the other compartment by rotating the cylinder.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,722,856 and 4,783,348 describe an apparatus of another type for continuously producing films, wherein no moving mechanical components are used in contact with the film, but the film is compressed and transported from one region of the trough to another using a continuous medium flow, either by blowing gas above the liquid surface tangentially to the surface or by draining the surface from an upper level to a lower level and continuously adding the film compound to the upper compartment.

Method and apparatus for continuously producing a monomolecular film at a liquid gas interface in a trough by means of a rotating barrier element


A control plane connection is established between a user equipment (UE) and a first wireless access network node. Signaling in the control plane connection is used for establishing a plurality of connections between the UE and corresponding additional plurality of wireless access network nodes, to communicate user plane data between the UE and the additional wireless access network nodes.

As the number of wireless user equipments (UEs) has increased, wireless access service providers are increasingly facing challenges in meeting capacity demands in regions where the density of users is relatively high. To address capacity issues, small cells have been developed. A small cell (or multiple small cells) can operate within a coverage area of a larger cell, referred to as a macro cell. A small cell has a coverage area that is smaller than the coverage area of the macro cell.
If small cells are deployed, then communications with UEs can be offloaded from the macro cell to the small cells. In this way, data communication capacity is increased to better meet data communication demands in regions of relatively high densities of UEs.

Establishing multiple connections between a user equipment and wireless access network nodes


An electrical power generation system is provided, and a method of reducing undesired currents therein. The method includes the steps of delivering current via at least one variable frequency switching means, and adjusting a switching frequency of the at least one variable frequency switching means based on the power output of the system. The system may further include an electronic controller having a control algorithm recorded thereon, the control algorithm including means for adjusting the variable frequency switching means based on a power output of the system.

Electrical power generation is indispensable to modern society, and ranges in scale from enormous, coal-fired, nuclear and hydro-electric power plants to small electrical generators running on hydrocarbon fuels. In recent years, the prevalence of electrical energy production technologies having a perception of cleaner or more efficient operation has increased. Fuel cells in particular have received increasing attention in both technical and commercial circles.
In one common type of fuel cell power generation system, a fuel cell is provided which outputs electrical current to an electrical grid or an electrical power-driven device, often referred to as the utility. In many circumstances, the output voltage of the fuel cell will be relatively lower than the desired voltage that will ultimately be supplied to the utility. Similarly, because AC power is more widely used than DC power, in many instances it will be necessary to invert a DC output power from the fuel cell to a suitable AC power, for example, 3-phase AC electrical power.
An electronic system commonly known in the art as a "power converter" will typically be disposed between the fuel cell and the utility, which appropriately conditions a DC output from the fuel cell prior to its delivery to the utility. Many power converter designs are known in the art. In one common design a first stage, known as a "boost converter" is primarily responsible for boosting the fuel cell output to a higher voltage, called the DC link voltage. An "inverter" may be coupled with the boost converter via a DC link, and inverts the DC power from the boost converter to AC power.
Any electrical power generation system will have certain operating requirements and challenges that must be addressed for successful operation. For instance, many power sources are sensitive to certain electrical disturbances from components downstream thereof. Ripple currents are one such disturbance and are a well-known problem. If left unchecked or uncontrolled, ripple currents can actually cause or speed degradation of internal components of a fuel cell. Many fuel cell manufacturers recommend particular ripple current limits, or total current to ripple current ratios, for optimal operation and durability. In the past, power generation system designers have typically implemented input filters to reduce ripple currents between the fuel cell and the power converter. Such filters may include reactive components, such as inductors, that tend to be relatively large, heavy and expensive. The size of the inductors used in the input filter is generally inversely proportional to the input power levels expected to be encountered during operation. In other words, where low power levels are expected during operation, as is usually the case at least some of the time, relatively large and expensive input filters must be used if ripple current requirements are to be met.
Other operational requirements are concerned with the actual power transferred between the electrical power generation system and the utility. One example of such requirements are the limits which may be imposed by regulatory agencies on individual harmonic currents and total harmonic distortion produced when an inverter interacts with the utility, absorbing or supplying power. In this instance, harmonic currents may be generally defined as undesired currents having a frequency different from the frequency of the fundamental or desired output current. In many instances, the harmonic currents can generate radio frequency distortion that can interfere with various electronic devices. Engineers have addressed output current harmonics in a manner similar to the approach applied to input ripple currents, namely, with an output filter, however, the output filters tend to have shortcomings similar to the input filters discussed above.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,369,461 to Jungreis et al. discloses one electrical power generation system that includes a fuel cell, an inverter and a boost converter. Jungreis et al. utilize a battery coupled with a DC bus via a diode to support large positive load steps that cannot initially be compensated for with a fuel cell. The boost converter is said to be sized for common load changes rather than maximum possible load changes. While the boost converter may be relatively smaller than in certain other designs, the use of the battery and diode introduce substantial complexity into the system.
The present disclosure is directed to one or more of the problems or shortcomings set forth above.

Method for reducing undesired currents in an electrical power generation system


The invention provides compositions and methods for treating primary brain cancer. The compositions include at least one antisense oligonucleotide that inhibits the proliferation of primary brain cancer cells. The antisense oligonucleotides are preferably complementary to and hybridize to a mRNA encoding c-myb. A method of the invention involves treating patients with primary brain cancer with a pharmaceutical composition including at least one antisense oligonucleotide in an amount effective to inhibit primary brain cell proliferation. The invention also provides probes and primers useful to identify primary brain cells having amplified and/or rearranged genes encoding c-myb.

The work described herein was supported by the National Institute of Health under grant numbers K08-NS-01713 and R01-NS-24464. The government may have certain rights in the invention.
c-myb is a nuclear phosphoprotein involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. The expression of the c-myb gene is greatest in cells as they prepare to enter and traverse the G1/S transition phase of the cell cycle. The expression of this gene subsequently decreases as cells terminally differentiate. Recent studies have shown that c-myb binds to specific DNA sequences and transactivates transcription of DNA polymerase-alpha and cdc2, two genes that are critical for DNA synthesis. (Baseraga et al., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 660:64-69 (1992); Ku et al., J. Biol. Chem., 268:2255-2259 (1993).)
c-myb RNA levels are exceptionally high during the proliferation of immature thymocytes, prostate, and during the development of the central nervous system (CNS). Thompson et al., Nature, 319:374 (1986); Thiele et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 8:1677 (1988). More recent studies have demonstrated that c-myb expression is required for T-lymphocyte proliferation and the proliferation of intermediate-late myeloid and erythroid progenitors, but less important for early progenitor cell amplification. Caracciolo et al., J. Clin. Invest., 85:55 (1990). In human HL-60 leukemic cells, Brelvi and Studzinski reported that c-myb RNA was elevated in cell populations enriched for S-phase cells. Graser et al., J. Cell Physiol., 131:43 (1987). However, not all cells utilize c-myb protein during the proliferative process, and may use other members of the myb family (e.g., b-myb) to carry out these functions.
c-myb is a cellular homolog of the transforming gene v-myb, found in avian myeloblastosis virus (AVM) and the E26 virus. These avian viruses cause myeloblastic leukemias in chickens and can transform myelomonocytic cells in culture. Furthermore, the oncogenic activation of c-myb in chicken hematopoietic cells and murine myeloid tumor cells has been shown to be associated with 5' and 3' truncations. (Cuddihy et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 13:3505-3513 (1993).) The human c-myb gene has been found to be altered in human glioblastoma multiforme cell lines. The degree of amplification in four cell lines was 10-fold as determined by densitometry. A rearrangement within the coding region and an enhanced gene activity were also noted. Welter, C. et al., Cancer Letters, 52:57 (1990).
Antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) are specific nucleic acid sequences that interfere with the translation of mRNA into protein. The administration of antisense to c-myb has recently been shown to inhibit the proliferation of T-cells and other hematopoietic cells. Venturelli, D. et al., PNAS, 87:5963 (1990). In studies of human myeloid leukemia cells, c-myb antisense was found to suppress the proliferation of HL-60, ML-3, KG-1, and KG-1a cell lines while antisense to c-myc or c-fes had no effect. Ferrari et al., Cell Growth Differ., 1:543 (1990).
Antisense oligonucleotide sequences complementary to DNA sequences encoding growth factors have been used in vitro to inhibit the growth of malignant brain tumor cell lines in a few instances. For example, 14-mer phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides targeted against PDGF-A-chain-, -B-chain-, and -bFGF-mRNA, were used to inhibit cell proliferation of two glioblastoma cell lines, HTZ-146 and HTZ-17. Behl, C. et al., Neurosurgery, 33:674 (1993). In the A172 glioblastoma cell line, antisense oligonucleotides complementary to c-sis mRNA inhibited cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. The c-sis oncogene encodes the B-polypeptide chain of PDGF. Nitta, T. et al., Neurosurgery, 34:309 (1994). The addition of bFGF-specific antisense oligonucleotide to the U87 glioblastoma cell line significantly inhibited the growth rate of these cells within 48 hours and blocked proliferation beyond 2 days. Murphy et al., Molecular Endocrinology, 6:877 (1992).
One study has examined the effects of an antisense oligonucleotide to the c-myb oncogene on neuroectodermal tumor cells. Neuroectodermal cell lines give rise to neoplasms that typically originate in the peripheral nervous system and spinal cord, and are not considered to have originated in the brain. In this study, Raschella et al. found that c-myb antisense oligonucleotide down-regulated MYB protein and inhibited the proliferation of neuroectodermal cell lines. Raschella et al., Cancer Res., 52:4221 (1992).
Glioblastoma multiforme is one example of a brain tumor and is often fatal. To this date there are few effective treatments for brain tumors. Current treatment methods such as surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic chemotherapy for malignant brain tumors have not resulted in a significant prolongation in survival. The 2-year survival rate for the most common brain tumor, the glioblastoma multiforme, is less than 20% and disseminated disease in the cerebrospinal fluid has an estimated survival of 3-4 months in adults.
The lack of specificity of conventional chemotherapy for malignant cancers found in the brain has led to dose-limiting side effects and unacceptable toxicity. Because of the limitations of these conventional agents, investigators have sought new innovative treatment modalities. Immunotoxins, toxic proteins covalently linked to a tumor-specific monoclonal antibody or other carrier ligand, are one class of compounds that combine exquisite cell-type selectivity with extraordinary potency.
Thus, there is a need to develop compositions and methods for treating central nervous system tumors including brain tumors utilizing antisense oligonucleotides. There is a need to develop compositions and treatment methods that result in down-regulation and inactivation of c-myb and other cellular products involved in uncontrolled cell proliferation of central nervous system tumor cells.

Antisense oligonucleotides and methods for treating central nervous system tumors


A prefabricated building structure includes a hip roof that is collapsible so that the building structure may be transported from a manufacturing site to an assembly site, such as a homesite, in compliance with governmental regulations related to height and width restrictions on public highways. The building structure with the hip roof offers an alternative to the conventional gabled roof used in prefabricated houses and other buildings. The prefabricated building structure includes modular units secured together to provide an integral building structure, at least two of the modular units each including a collapsible, complementary hip roof system. Each hip roof system includes a plurality of transversely disposed, longitudinally spaced trusses including front trusses and front hip trusses; a plurality of longitudinally disposed, transversely spaced gable trusses, the gable trusses being substantially perpendicular to the front hip trusses; and a connector for connecting the front hip trusses to the gable trusses. Selected ones of the front, front hip, and gable trusses and the connector are hinged for folding to reduce overall dimensions of the hip roof system. Also provided is a method for erecting the hip roof system at the home site and a method of making the hip roof system.

The present invention relates in general to a prefabricated building structure and in particular to a prefabricated building structure having a collapsible hip roof.
In the building construction industry, a technique has been developed and extensively used for constructing prefabricated building structures. The technique consists of fabricating modular building units at a manufacturing site, hauling such units on vehicles to remote sites, transferring the units from the hauling vehicles onto a foundation at the home site, securing the units together on the foundation to form an integral building structure, and then connecting the electrical, water and sewage lines of the structure to appropriate utility lines. The use of such a technique has enabled the use of mass production methods in the fabrication of building structures, thus providing increased economy, improved product quality, and reduced construction time.
Because prefabricated modular units must be transported over public highways from a manufacturing site to a remote erection site, one of the principal limiting factors in the design of building structures constructed of modular units has been the restrictions on the size of modular units transported over public highways imposed by municipal, county and state governments, or dictated by highway conditions such as road and tunnel widths, clearance heights of underpasses, and the like. Generally, municipal, county and state governments have adopted various vehicle ordinances restricting the height, length and width of any unit transported over public highways.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,354 to Powell, which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses a prefabricated building structure consisting of two or more modular units, which is provided with a roof having a standard roof pitch and in which the heights and widths of the modular units fall within the permissible dimensional limitations with respect to hauling the units over public highways. Conventional prefabricated modular units for residential building structures, such as disclosed in Powell, have been limited to structures with gable roofs. Because only gable roof structures are available, a buyer of prefabricated residential housing is necessarily limited in his or her choice of roof design. Furthermore, when an entire subdivision is comprised of prefabricated homes having gable roofs, the homes tend to be indistinguishable because of the lack of variety.
The present invention provides a prefabricated building structure having a hip roof which is collapsible so that the modular units may be safely and legally transported over public highways. The provision of a collapsible hip roof design allows prefabricated home buyers a greater selection in home design. In addition, subdivisions comprised of prefabricated homes may include both gable roof and hip roof designs, thereby improving the appearance of the subdivision. The present invention also includes a method for erecting the collapsible hip roof at the home site and a method for making the hip roof system.

Prefabricated building structure having a collapsible hip roof and method of erecting the roof


This disclosure relates to wireless communication. According to one example embodiment described in this disclosure, a method for contention based signaling is proposed. A network element such as base station monitors a dedicated UL channel to determine whether the dedicated UL channel is occupied by UL data transmissions. In response to a determination that the dedicated UL channel is not occupied by UL transmissions, the network element prioritizes DL data transmissions over the dedicated UL channel.

Wireless communication systems may be classified into at least two categories depending on the technique used to gain access to resources of a communication channel, i.e. i) contention based systems and ii) scheduled systems.
In contention based systems, network elements such as user equipment (UE) typically obtain transmission opportunities by sending competing requests for channel resources. This may be implemented by allowing a UE to send a request to obtain a transmission opportunity, at a time of its choice or as calculated by an algorithm that randomizes transmission times. The UE may e.g. transmit such a request only when it is sensed that the communication channel is not being used by other UEs. Typically, multiple UEs may send competing requests and transmission opportunities may be granted to a UE whose request was first to be received uncorrupted. An example of a contention based system is a wireless local area network (WLAN) according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. The IEEE 802.11 family of standards typically uses carrier sense multiple access protocol with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol to enable contention based access.
In scheduled systems on the other hand, specific channel resources are allocated for requesting transmission opportunities. UEs that are granted transmission opportunities are indicated via a message sent by a network node, such as base station. The message may also indicate specific resources for use by the UEs. Such a message may be called a schedule grant message. The schedule grant message is typically delivered to a UE that has earned a transmission opportunity to ensure good operation of the wireless communication network. If the scheduled grant message is lost, the UE generally has no means to know of the allocated resources and thereby these resources may become wasted. Additionally, scheduled systems may operate in licensed frequency bands to reduce interference. Examples of scheduled systems include most cellular systems including e.g. those based upon 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) specifications.
In the future, it is anticipated that approximately 50 billion electronic devices (e.g., UEs and other devices) may be connected. In other words, the next generation of wireless communication systems (such as the fifth generation, also known as 5G) will have to cope with a massive growth of the number of devices and, hence, also the increased traffic volume caused by the increased number of devices. At the same time, users of the above-mentioned devices demand that information can be accessed and shared by anyone, anywhere and anytime. In view of these trends and demands, it is also anticipated that the performance requirements will become stricter when operation in licensed bands (such as most cellular systems) is to co-exist with operation in non-licensed bands (such as most WLANs).

Contention based signaling in a wireless communication system


A light-emitting element and a light-emitting device having low light loss, high luminance, and high light extraction efficiency are provided. The light-emitting element includes: a semiconductor structure layer having a light-emitting layer; a light-transmitting substrate provided on the semiconductor structure layer; a wavelength conversion layer disposed on the light-transmitting substrate; a light-transmitting covering member configured to cover at least a part of a side surface of the light-transmitting substrate and have transparency to light from the light-emitting layer; and a light-shielding member configured to entirely cover surfaces including a surface of the light-transmitting covering member, and including a side surface of the semiconductor structure layer, a side surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and a side surface of the wavelength conversion layer.

There has been known a flip-chip type light-emitting element in which a semiconductor structure layer including a light-emitting layer is stacked on a light-transmitting substrate, and is mounted on a mounting surface by being inverted up and down. In a light-emitting device using such a flip-chip light-emitting element, light emitted from a semiconductor structure layer is extracted through a light-transmitting substrate.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-080050 discloses a flip-chip type optical semiconductor element in which positive and negative electrodes are provided on the same plane side of a nitride semiconductor formed on a light-transmitting insulating substrate, and the surface of the nitride semiconductor layer is covered with a protective film except for an exposed portion of the electrode surface.
In the case of a light-emitting device using such a flip-chip type optical semiconductor element as described above, there has been a problem in that, when light is extracted through a light-transmitting substrate, light loss occurs on a side surface of the light-transmitting substrate and luminance is lowered in some cases.

Light-emitting element and light-emitting device


A filtration arrangement for a filtration device having a container. The filtration arrangement includes at least two or more hollow shafts, rotatably mounted in a machine frame, on which a plurality of membrane filter disks are arranged. At least one drive device is allocated to the plurality of hollow shafts. Permeate can be discharged from the container through the hollow shafts. Each hollow shaft can be inserted into the container on one of the ends thereof having the plurality of membrane filter disks, such that the opposite end thereof protrudes out of the container. Several or many of the membrane filter disks are arranged axially spaced apart on each hollow shaft, and deformable spacer sleeves are arranged between one part or all adjacent membrane filter disks and axially space apart the membrane filter disks on the hollow shafts.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a filtration arrangement for a filtration device having a container. The filtration arrangement has at least two or more hollow shafts rotatably mounted in a machine frame, a plurality of membrane filter disks are disposed on each of the hollow shafts. The two or the plurality of hollow shafts are assigned at least one drive device, and the discharge of permeate from the container is performed, or is implementable, respectively, by way of the hollow shafts. One end of each hollow shaft can be introduced, by way of the plurality of membrane filter disks, into the container such that the hollow shafts at the opposite end thereof project externally from the container.
A filtration arrangement of the generic type is known from German patent document DE 10 2009 010 484. Furthermore, German patent document DE 20 2005 018 806 U1 is to be mentioned as being part of the prior art. Furthermore, German patent document DE 695 11 772 T2 and PCT International patent document WO 02/005 935 A2 disclose prior art arrangements. The last-mentioned document shows a rotary filter in the case of which a pump is required for pumping out permeate from a container.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are related to a filtration arrangement having a structurally simple and reliable construction.
According to one aspect of the invention, a plurality or many of the membrane filter disks are disposed so as to be axially spaced apart on each hollow shaft and spacer sleeves, which mutually space apart the membrane filter disks axially from one another on the hollow shafts, are disposed between part of or all of the neighboring membrane filter disks. This design enables a very simple arrangement of the membrane filter disks on the hollow shafts.
It is moreover preferably provided that a pretension, on the spacer sleeves, is chosen such that the spaces sleeves deform such that the internal circumference of the latter in the region of the corners, or of the largest external diameter, respectively, is pushed onto the external circumference of the non-circular hollow shafts such that the arrangement from axially stacked membrane filter disks is, in a manner that is particularly simple in constructive terms and advantageously reliable, tightly clamped in a rotationally secured manner on the hollow shafts.
Particularly advantageously, an integral spacing sleeve can thereby be used instead of a sleeve designed as a composite of multiple parts.
According to one particularly advantageous variant of the invention, the spacer rings are composed of a deformable, in particular preferably from an elastic deformable material. It is further preferable herein for the spacer rings to be composed of a visco-plastic material. In such a manner, a slight deformation of the spacer sleeves in the installed position on the hollow shafts can thus be advantageously utilized for disposing the membrane filter disks in a rotationally fixed manner on the hollow shafts. To this end, it is additionally advantageous for the hollow shafts to have a non-circular, in particular an angular, external cross section. The spacer rings may have an identical axial thickness, or optionally also in any case at intervals have dissimilar thicknesses in order for tolerances on the membrane filter disks to be optionally equalized in such a manner. This optionally saves post-grinding or grinding of the membrane filter disks in order for the latter to be brought to a very uniform thickness.
It is furthermore advantageous herein for the hollow shafts to be aligned so as to be mutually parallel, and for the hollow shafts to be spaced apart in such a manner, and for the membrane filter disks to be disposed axially on the hollow shafts such that the membrane filter disks overlap in a radial manner on the hollow shafts. Advantageous flow conditions for a membrane filtration in the container are thus generated in a simple manner in this way.
It is furthermore simple in terms of construction and advantageous for the membrane filter disks to have, in each case, radially extending permeate ducts and/or an annular gap, the permeate ducts and/or annular gap being configured so as to be open in a radially inward manner, and the permeate ducts and/or the annular gap, or the annular gaps, respectively, in an inward manner toward the hollow shaft to open into, in each case, at least one axially running axial duct on the external circumference of the respective hollow shafts.
It is moreover preferred herein that the axial ducts extend, in each case, across the entire or in any case the major part of the axial portion of the hollow shafts that is disposable within the container, so as to be able to dispose as many of the membrane filter disks as possible in this region.
According to another preferred design embodiment, which advantageously refines the manner in which the permeate is discharged from the membrane filter disks, the axial ducts can, in each case, be provided with one or a plurality of axially spaced apart, radially extending bores that open into a longitudinal duct within the respective hollow shafts. It is moreover preferable for the longitudinal duct to, in each case, preferably extend across the entire length of the hollow shafts and to be disposable, or disposed, respectively, in portions within the container and in portions outside the container.
In terms of construction it is furthermore simple and reliable for the hollow shafts to have a diameter enlargement, in particular a collar or a sleeve attachment, and in such a manner axially close the axial ducts in a first direction. It is furthermore advantageous herein for, in each case, one covering installation to be provided on the ends of the hollow shafts that are disposable in the container, the covering installation closing the axial duct or ducts in this direction.
The hollow shafts can, in each case, be externally configured so as to be typically polygonal across the axial length on which the arrangements from axially stacked membrane filter disks and from the spacer sleeves are disposed on the hollow shafts, depending on the number of axial ducts.
According to one refinement, which is preferred and is very advantageous, the spacing of the non-circular regions, in particular of corners, of the hollow shafts, and the internal radius of the spacer sleeves and of the membrane filter disks is chosen and adapted in such a manner that the spacer sleeves and the membrane filter disks in the assembly are initially capable of being placed onto the corners of the hollow shafts by way of a loose fit, such that in a state of final assembly almost linear bearing regions are configured in the region of the corners between the external circumference of the hollow shafts and the internal circumference of the spacer sleeves and of the membrane filter disks, wherein the axial ducts run between neighboring bearing regions.
According to one further constructive refinement, it is provided that the covering installations, by way of a spring, in particular one or a plurality of disk springs, act axially with a, or the, pretensioning force on the respective arrangement from axially stacked membrane filter disks and from the spacer sleeves. The pretensioning is advantageously preferably chosen in such a manner that the spacer sleeves slightly deform such that the internal circumference of the latter in the region of the corners, or of the largest external diameter, respectively, is pushed onto the external circumference of the non-circular hollow shafts, such that the arrangement from axially stacked membrane filter disks and from the spacer sleeves is tightly clamped in a rotationally secured manner on the hollow shafts. On account of the preferably visco-plastic spacer rings, the clamping force can be transmitted to the membrane filter disks in a very uniform and gentle manner, the membrane filter disks typically being configured so as to be unpolished and rather rough.
According to another refinement, a rotatable pump disk forming part of a centrifugal pump arrangement for pumping permeate is disposed or configured at that end of each rotatable hollow shaft that projects from the container. Pumping of permeate from the container by way of membrane filter disks and the hollow shafts up to a discharge is readily implementable in such a manner. A separate pump such as, for example a vacuum pump, which increases the constructive effort is not required. The drive device for rotating the hollow shafts having the membrane filter disks moreover drives also the centrifugal pump.
It is expedient and particularly simple in constructive terms, when at least two of the pump disks or even all of the pump disks, are disposed in a common discharge container on the ends of the hollow shafts that are, in each case, disposable outside the container. It is advantageous herein for the discharge container to have a discharge, and otherwise to be configured so as to be sealed and to be attached to the machine frame.
According to one refinement, which can also be considered as a separate invention, it is advantageous for the hollow shafts to be mounted outside the container so as to be rotatable in a machine housing forming the machine frame. A machine housing is advantageous since the latter, in particular as a metal casting, is configured in a simple manner and in a stable design.
It is advantageous for the machine housing to have an external shell and one or a plurality of radial collars extending from the external shell radially inward, and that one or two of the radial collars serve(s) for rotatably mounting the hollow shafts, in each case by way of bearing installations, in particular by way of two axially spaced apart roller bearings, in the machine housing. This contributes to a stable and compact design.
The machine housing herein can receive or surround in a framing manner, respectively, at least one drive motor, one drive connection to the hollow shafts, preferably a wrap belt drive, and bearing installations, such that the components are well protected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Rotary filter arrangement having a plurality of hollow shafts


The invention relates to a device and a method for determination of location information of a workpiece. To enable rapid calibration of a relative position of the workpiece (1) in relation to a tool provided for processing said workpiece, it is proposed that the device                features a camera for recording at least a partial area of the workpiece,        first processing means for determination of geometrical parameters on the basis of the partial area recorded by the camera,        a memory for a geometry model of the workpiece and        second processing means for determining the location in-formation of the workpiece by reconciling the geometrical parameters with the geometry model, with the location information being provided for determining the position of the workpiece in relation to a tool pro-vided for processing it.

This type of device or this type of method are used for example with numerically-controlled machine tools, known as CNC machines, in which, for manufacturing a component, the tool is guided automatically relative to the workpiece to be processed in accordance with programmed traversing movements.
To enable a desired component contour to be obtained the location of the workpiece within the machine tool must be known as exactly as possible. This can be guaranteed by a work holding device tailored to the workpiece which allows exact positioning of the workpiece. Alternatively the location of the workpiece must be calibrated so that this can be taken into account during workpiece processing. Only in this way for example is it possible to guarantee during a cutting process that the volume actually removed matches the cutting volume defined during processing planning and NC programming and that the desired component quality is thus obtained.

Device and method for workpiece calibration


A heater is composed of (a) a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages, (b) an adsorbent composed mainly of zeolite or an adsorbent-catalyst composition comprising adsorbent and a catalyst component supported on the adsorbent, the adsorbent or adsorbent-catalyst composition being coated on the honeycomb structure and (c) at least two electrodes fixed to the honeycomb structure for electrification of the honeycomb structure, wherein a gas is flowed through the passages in the honeycomb structure and is heated. A catalytic converter has at least one main monolith catalyst and the above heater provided upstream or downstream of the main monolith catalyst or between two main monolith catalysts. A catalytic converter for purification of automobile exhaust gas, has (a) at least one main monolith catalyst, (b) a honeycomb heater comprising a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages and at least two electrodes for electrification fixed to the honeycomb structure, and (c) an adsorbent composed mainly of zeolite. Each of the at least one main monolith catalyst (a), the honeycomb heater (b) and the adsorbent (c) being provided in the exhaust gas system of an automobile.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heater comprising a honeycomb structure, an adsorbent (composed mainly of zeolite) or an adsorbent-catalyst composition coated on the honeycomb structure and electrodes for electrification of the honeycomb structure, the electrodes being fixed to the honeycomb structure. The present invention also relates to a catalytic converter comprising at least one main monolith catalyst and a heater arranged in a particular order; and a catalytic converter comprising a honeycomb heater, at least one main monolith catalyst and a zeolite adsorbent arranged in a particular order.
The above heater can be employed as a heater for domestic use, such as a hot air heater, or as an industrial heater, such as preheater used for control of automobile exhaust gas. The above catalytic converters can be employed for purification of automobile exhaust gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Catalytic converters used for purification of automobile exhaust gas or the like must be heated to a certain temperature or higher in order to exhibit their catalytic activities. Accordingly, when they are not sufficiently heated as in the start-up of automobile, it is necessary to heat them.
A known technique for heating a catalytic converter, is proposed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 67609/1988. This document discloses a catalytic converter comprising (a) a ceramic monolith catalyst and (b) an electrically heatable metal monolith catalyst provided upstream of the ceramic monolith catalyst (a) in close vicinity thereto, consisting of a metal carrier and alumina coated thereon.
Of the harmful compounds (HC's, CO and NOx) present in automobile exhaust gases, particularly HC's (hydrocarbons) produce photochemical smog (oxidant). Accordingly, regulation therefor has been tightened, and proposals have been made to purify the HC's discharged in a large amount at the engine start-up, by the utilization of the adsorbability of zeolite. For example, there has been proposed apparatuses for purification of automobile exhaust gas, arranged in the exhaust gas system of an automobile, which comprise (a) a purification catalyst and (b) an adsorbent (e.g. zeolite) or a catalyst-supporting adsorbent provided upstream of the purification catalyst (a) [reference is made to, for example, Japanese patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 75327/1990, 173312/1990 and 135126/1990].
Further, an adsorbent comprising a metal carrier and zeolite coated thereon is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 126937/1990.
The above proposals, however, each have a problem. The catalytic converter disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 67609/1988 consists of a metal monolith catalyst as a preheater and a main monolith catalyst. With this catalytic converter, it is difficult to purify hydrocarbons in exhaust gas, at the start-up of engine.
With the apparatus for purification of automobile exhaust gas arranged in the exhaust gas system of automobile (disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 75327/1990), comprising a purification catalyst and an adsorbent (e.g. zeolite) provided upstream of the purification catalyst, even if HC's are adsorbed by the adsorbent provided upstream of the purification catalyst, the HC's are desorbed from the adsorbent upon the warm-up of the engine. As a result, a considerable amount of untreated (unburnt) HC's pass through the purification catalyst which is not yet heated sufficiently.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 173312/1990 discloses a technique utilizing a main exhaust gas passage containing a catalyst and a by-pass passage containing an adsorbent, wherein an exhaust gas is passed through the by-pass passage during the start-up of the engine, using a switching means and, when the temperature of the exhaust gas has reached the working temperature of the catalyst provided in the main passage, the exhaust gas is passed through the catalyst of the main passage using the switching means. With this technique, a complicated mechanism is required to enable the switching from the by-pass passage to the main passage when the catalyst in the main passage has been heated sufficiently. Moreover, a substantial amount of an exhaust gas passes through the catalyst of the main passage without being purified, before the catalyst is heated sufficiently.
In the apparatus for purification of automobile exhaust gas arranged in the exhaust gas system of an automobile (disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 135126/1990), comprising a purification catalyst and an adsorbent containing a catalyst supported thereon, provided upstream of the purification catalyst, the start-up of the purification catalyst is delayed because of the heat capacity of the adsorbent. Further, the amount of the catalyst added to the adsorbent is limited, and sufficient purification is not possible.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 126937/1990 discloses an adsorbent alone and mentions neither heater nor catalytic converter for exhaust gas including CO, HC's and NOx.
Furthermore, a zeolite used as an adsorbent in these references mentioned above is of Y type or mordenite. The zeolite is of poor heat resistance, and it adsorbs water contained in the exhaust gas, resulting in lowering of adsorptive power.


The effects on device reliability of across chip length variation (ACLV), gate ion channeling and dislocation are reduced or eliminated in input/output (I/O) stacked field effect transistors (FETs). A pair of stacked PFETs and a pair of stacked NFETs are connected to an I/O pad. The PFET and the NFET adjacent to the I/O pad are designed with a channel length greater than the PFET and NFET, respectively, further removed from the I/O pad. This has the effect of making the PFET and NFET adjacent to the I/O pad insensitive to leakage-induced effects. Alternatively, a Schottky or P/N junction diode may be connected between the node between the gate of the PFET adjacent to the I/O pad and the two PFETs, and another Schottky or P/N junction diode may be connected between the node between the two NFETs and the gate of the NFET adjacent to the I/O pad. The Schottky diodes act to clamp the nodes between the pair of PFETs and the pair of NFETs near the respective gate voltages. A similar clamping action can be accomplished using an NFET in place of the Schottky or P/N junction diode for the pair of PFETs and a PFET in place of the Schottky or P/N junction diode for the pair of NFETs.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to input/output (I/O) buffer and receiver circuits for integrated circuit (IC) applications and, more particularly, to high reliability complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) I/O driver circuit comprising stacked field effect transistors (FETs) of the same type with voltage control means for preventing a node between the serially connected FETs from charging to a voltage greater than a predetermined voltage.

International Business Machines Corporation