An elongate resistive sensor useful as an element of a pneumatic manifold failure detecting and locating system. A sensing loop is based on a coaxial cable having a core of known resistance per unit length. A eutectic salt impregnated insulant separates the core and sheath but has a temperature breakdown characteristic which provides the sensing function. Upon a pneumatic manifold failure, the sensing cable is heated, the eutectic salt insulator breaks down, a core-to-sheath short occurs, and currents in the sensing cable are substantially altered as a result. The cable is connected as a loop, and differential currents into the ends of the loop are detected and processed to determine the position of the short. Terminating resistors are associated with connectors which connect multiple cable sections into a single loop, and the terminating impedance is further sensed to determine an open circuit condition at any connector.

The jet turbine engine which powers modern aircraft is a device which relies for its operation on creating and utilizing high pressure gas streams. A compressor section, at the inlet of the engine, compresses external air, creating hot high pressure air. Most of that hot high pressure air is mixed with fuel in a combustor and burned, thus creating energy for propelling the aircraft. Some of the high pressure air can also be bled off for other purposes, such as cabin pressurization and anti-icing of leading edges. To meet these requirements, the modern jet turbine engine will typically be found to have an array of ductwork or manifolds which conduct the high pressure air to the locations where it is required.
The temperature of the gas can reach 1000.degree. F. or more, and manifold or duct failures are not uncommon. A failure in the manifold or duct can also damage other nearby sheet metal or components. The engine itself is usually encased in a shroud, and sometimes located in a relatively complex compartment in the tail of the aircraft or in a pylon mount. Thus, it is not an easy matter to visually inspect the engine and its ductwork for evidence of gas leakage. Systems have therefore been devised for monitoring the areas around or near the gas turbine engine to sense and enunciate the occurrence of any leaks. It is also an aid to the flight crew to have some information on the location of the leak. For example, if the tail engine has developed a leak in the manifold, it is useful to know whether it is in the left or right side manifold, and action can be taken by the flight crew to continue to utilize the engine while avoiding pumping of hot air through the failed manifold section. It is also a benefit to the ground maintenance crew to be able to interrogate a monitoring system to determine with greater precision the location of any leaks, so that repairs and inspections can be made in an expeditious manner. To simply know that a leak has occurred, without more, might cause the ground crew to completely inspect extensive areas on and around the engine. With an automatic monitoring system, however, if the system were capable of reliably identifying the approximate position of all sensed leaks, maintenance personnel would then only need to inspect and repair those portions of the ducting which were known to have failed.
Systems have been proposed in the past for performing remote monitoring. Long cable-like sensors are associated with the manifold, and monitored by an automatic system in an effort to accomplish these goals. One type of elongate cable sensor is of the thermistor variety where a coaxial metallic cable of substantially zero resistance has a thermistor-type insulant separating a central conductor from an outer jacket. When the cable is heated over a reasonable portion thereof, the thermistor-type insulant material changes characteristics indicating the fact of a failure. The location of the failure is not quite so readily indicatable, however. A further limitation with this type of device is the fact that a rather large segment of the cable must be heated in order for the thermistor-type insulant material to perform its function, making it difficult to identify or pinpoint small localized leaks.
It has also been proposed to use a coaxial cable, which is like the thermistor cable in that both the jacket and shield have essentially zero resistance, but the separator material has a capacitance which changes after it is heated to a predetermined temperature. A capacitance bridge can monitor this type of cable and attempt to determine the position of localized heated portions of the cable. However, such an approach suffers from the difficulties of operating a capacitive bridge, including the interference effects which can arise from electromagnetic interference generated by other equipment in the aircraft. Another potential problem is electromagnetic interference generated by the system itself in operating the capacitance bridge at frequencies adequate to perform the necessary sensing.
Thus, while systems have been proposed which are theoretically capable of performing the monitoring function for locating localized leaks in aircraft pneumatic manifolds, those systems and their associated sensing cables have not been entirely satisfactory.

Resistive sensor for position detection of manifold failures


A wristwatch has a watch case having two outwardly extending projections between which is inserted an end portion of a watch band. Two pins are disposed in the end portion and slideable outwardly to engage in holes provided in the projections to detachably connect the watch band to the watch case. A cam body is disposed within a cavity in the end portion and has an elliptic cam face so that when the cam body is turned to a first position, the cam face slides the pins outwardly to engage in the holes in the projections and when the cam body is turned 90 degrees to a second position, spring members urge the projections inwardly out of engagement with the holes in the projections. A locking mechanism releasably locks the cam body in the first position and comprises two convex click parts connected to turn with the cam body, and two concave click parts formed in a wall of the cavity at positions to engage with the convex click parts when the cam body is in the first position to thereby lock the two pins in the projection holes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a band for a timepiece and a wristwatch in which the band has been detachably attached to a case band.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, there is known a technique in which there has been adapted such that the band is detachably attached to the case band of the wristwatch without using an exclusive tool (for example, refer to Japanese Utility Model No. 3042321 Gazette).
In this technique of the Japanese Utility Model No. 3042321 Gazette, a metal plate having two curl parts is attached to an end part of a leather band, and a spring bar is provided while extending over the two curl parts. The spring bar has a handle having been bent approximately like the V letter in an intermediate part of a spring wire material, and one end and the other end, which have been bent so as to become mutually remote from this handle. Both ends of this spring bar are individually inserted into the two curl parts and rotatably held, and the handle is disposed between the two curl parts. And, in one between the two curl parts, there are provided a slant face causing the handle to slide widely and narrowly, and a taper face holding the handle in a narrow width end of this slant face under a contraction state.
The one end of the spring bar consisting of the spring wire material is always protruded from the curl part which has held the one end. In contrast to this, the other end of the spring bar is protruded from the other curl part by the fact that the handle widens following upon the fact that the handle is brought down to a back face of the band by being rotated, and is immersed into the other curl part by the fact that the handle becomes the contraction state following upon the fact that the handle is raised with respect to the back face of the band by being rotated reversely to the former.
Accordingly, by rotating the handle of the spring bar, the end of this spring bar can be put in and taken out of a hole having been provided in a bow foot of the case band. For this reason, the band can be attached to and detached from the case band without using the exclusive tool.
In a case where a spring property of the spring bar having been formed by bend-working the spring wire material, whose elastic deformation is possible, is strong, there decreases an operability when raising the handle of the spring bar. Reversely to this, in a case where the spring property of the spring bar is weak, there decreases a reliability for attaching and holding the band to the case band with a predetermined strength. The spring property of the spring bar is generally large in its dispersion because the bend working of the handle of the spring bar influences as well. For this reason, in ensuring both of an easy attachment/detachment operability of the band with respect to the case band and a sufficient attachment strength, the technique of the Japanese Utility Model No. 3042321 Gazette is not desirable.
Further, following upon the fact that the spring bar is rotated when attaching and detaching the band, a root of the handle of this spring bar is rubbed by a contact with edges of the two curl parts and liable to be injured, and there is a fear that a corrosion occurs there and that corrosion is not desirable because it is confirmed visually. Additionally, when using the wristwatch, there is considered the fact that the handle of the spring bar existing along the back face of the band contacts with a user's wrist and, in this case, there is the fact that a use feeling is impaired.
Moreover, under a state that the band having been detached from the case band is kept in custody, it is normal that the handle of the spring bar is made a state extending along the back face of the band. For this reason, when attaching the band to the case band of the wristwatch, there becomes necessary a work for immersing the movable end of the spring part into the curl part holding this end, by once raising the handle. Therefore, a work for attaching the band to the case band is comparatively troublesome as well.
An object of the present invention exists in providing a band for timepiece, which can be easily attached to and detached from the case band without using the exclusive tool, can ensure a sufficient attachment strength with respect to the case band, moreover can suppress an injury following upon an attachment/detachment operation and whose use feeling is good, and a wristwatch having possessed this band.


The invention relates to a power electronics component that comprises a planar ceramics substrate (2) on whose one face condutor tracks (6), applied in thick-film technique, are disposed for electrically connecting electrical power components (7) of a circuit that are also disposed on the ceramics substrate (2). The ceramics substrate (2), with its other face, is brazed onto a metal a metal support element (1) that serves as a heat spreader. The support element (1) is linked with a thermoconducting housing part housing that accommodates the support element (1) in a thermoconductive manner. On the face of the support element (1) facing away from the ceramics substrate (2), approximately opposite the ceramics substrate (2), a second ceramics substrate (4) is brazed onto the ceramics substrate (2) that carries the circuit and has approximately the same dimensions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a power electronics unit, in particular for a control device in a motor vehicle, with a planar ceramic substrate, on one side of which conductor tracks are provided using the thick-film technique for electrically connecting electrical power components of a circuit that are likewise arranged on the ceramic substrate and which is brazed by its other side onto a metal support element serving as a heat spreader, the support element being connected in a thermally conducting manner to a thermally conducting housing component of a housing accommodating the support element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With power electronics units there is the problem that the electrical power components generate heat, which has to be removed. For this purpose, it is known to form the support element as a planar ceramic substrate, on which conductor tracks are provided using a thick-film technique, and the electrical power components and any control components there may be are connected to the conductor tracks by soft soldering. The ceramic substrate is brazed to a metal support element, which serves as a heat spreader and is connected to a thermally conducting housing component by means of an adhesive.
On account of the different coefficients of expansion of the support element and the ceramic substrate, these components deform to differing degrees, which can have the effect during cooling after brazing that the ceramic substrate is damaged and later the soft-solder connections between the conductor tracks and the electrical power components are possibly also damaged.


Thermally stable/highly reducible catalyst compositions, well suited for the catalytic conversion of exhaust gases emanating from internal combustion engines notably vehicular exhaust gases, comprise alumina, the oxides of cerium praseodymium and zirconium, and, optionally, at least one other oxide of bismuth, of a rare earth, or of an element of group VIII of the Periodic Table, and exhibit a stabilized hydrogen-absorption capacity up to a temperature of at least 1,000.degree. C.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to alumina-, cerium oxide- and zirconium oxide-based compositions exhibiting high reducibility, to a process for the preparation thereof and to the use of same as catalysts, in particular for the treatment or conversion of exhaust gases emanating from internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to this art that catalysts may be in the form of a carrier, such as a heat-resistant ceramic unitary shaped article or monolith, or a metallic substrate, coated with a coating typically comprising a material that provides a porous layer, e.g., alumina, and catalytically active elements such as precious metals and other elements, for example rare earth oxides, in particular cerium oxide or zirconium oxide, which may impart their own catalytic function and/or a carrier function for precious metals. This coating is typically referred to as a "washcoat."
The alumina/oxides combination, or the compound based on these elements, must provide a number of properties to be effective as a catalyst. One of these properties is reducibility, which signifies, both here and in the description to follow, the capacity to become reduced under a reducing atmosphere and to become reoxidized under an oxidizing atmosphere. Another such property is stability under temperature, with "stability" connoting the stability of the specific surface area of the composition. Indeed, the composition must retain a sufficiently large surface area after having been exposed to high temperatures. "Stability" also connotes the capacity to store hydrogen or oxygen. As regards the specific surface area, this capacity must not vary appreciably after several cycles of exposure to high temperature.

Thermally stable/highly reducible catalyst compositions comprising alumina and the oxides of cerium and zirconium


An electromechanical switching device of at least one embodiment includes fixed contacts securely arranged in a housing and a moving contact bridge for bridging the fixed contacts, a moving contact carrier to carry the contact bridge, and a solenoid to act on the contact carrier. In at least one embodiment the solenoid includes a coil body fixed to the housing, an armature coupled to the contact carrier so as to move with it, a yoke to act together with the armature, and a fixing mechanism, which engages with the yoke and coil body for fixing the yoke to the coil body.

With known products, such as the 3RW40 Size S6 (MLFB: 3RW4055) soft starter or 3RT1023 Size S0 contactor made by Siemens AG, the yoke, exactly like the solenoid coil and coil body, is fixed to the housing of the switching device by a so-called yoke suspension. The yoke suspension includes sprung clamps, which encompass the yoke, for example, and which engage with the housing top part. FIG. 5 shows a switching device 110 of this kind in a rough schematic view. A coil 100 is fitted on a housing top part 102, e.g. clipped onto the housing top part. A yoke 104 is placed on the coil 100. Yoke holder 112 associated with yoke 104 is likewise fitted to the housing top part 102 in that the yoke holder 112 is sprung onto the housing top part with the help of sprung connectors 114. The coil 100 and yoke 104 are therefore both held to the housing top part.
It is also known to place the yoke on the coil body and to provide an insert part on the side of the yoke facing away from the coil body. All three components are then fixed between a housing top part and a housing bottom part, which are clipped together. In doing so, the housing top part can be formed in one piece with the coil body. An arrangement of this kind is shown in FIG. 4 as switching device 110 in a rough schematic view. Here, a coil 100 is fitted on a housing top part 102 or designed in one piece with said housing top part. A yoke 104 is placed on the opposite side of the coil 100. An insert part 106 is placed against the yoke 104. Coil 100, yoke 104 and insert part 106 are clamped or securely fixed in position between the two by means of a housing bottom part 108, which is clipped onto the housing top part 102. The remaining components of the switching device 110 are not shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity.
The disadvantages of the known solutions are that, for example, sprung hooks for fixing the yoke must be provided by means of housing parts in the device, that the part complexity is high, as separate parts are necessary for clipping, that the yoke holders have an additional space requirement in the device, and that assembly errors, e.g. forgetting a yoke holder or a holding clamp, can occur.


A frequency modulated output of a digital locked loop (DLL) is implemented with a Johnson Counter outputting a sample clock and a synchronized digital code at a multiple of the sample clock. The digital code drives a digital-to-analog converter to generate a frequency modulated control signal. The control signal is summed with the center frequency control from the digital locked loop digital filter to provide a frequency modulated center frequency control signal to the DLL oscillator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a digital phase locked loop, and in particular to a digital phase locked loop that generates a frequency modulated output clock.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phase locked loops (PLL) have been widely used in communication systems or the like, some frequently appearing in applications such as extracting information from carrier waves or synchronous signals. A phase locked loop is a well-known clock synchronization technique to drive a timing signal, synchronized or locked, to a reference clock signal.
A PLL is a frequency-selective circuit generally containing a phase comparator, a low-pass filter, and an oscillator coupled in a feedback arrangement. When an input or reference clock signal is applied to the PLL, the phase comparator compares the phase of the reference clock signal with the phase of the oscillator output signal and generates an error signal that is related to the phase relationship between the two signals. This error signal is filtered, amplified, and applied to the oscillator, thus driving the frequency of the oscillator output signal in a direction to more closely align its phase to that of the reference clock signal. When the oscillator output frequency is sufficiently close to the reference frequency, the feedback nature of the PLL causes the oscillator output to lock to the reference clock signal frequency, with the exception of some finite phase difference. This point is called the "zero phase error." While the phases may not be aligned, their frequencies are matched such that the amount of phase difference remains substantially constant. The self-correcting nature of the PLL thus allows the system to track the frequency changes of the reference clock signal once it is locked. A frequency divider is often inserted in the feedback loop when the desired output frequency of the oscillator is some multiple of the reference clock signal frequency.
In combination with a digital phase detector, fully-digital PLLs include a digital loop filter instead of the traditional analog filter, and include a digitally-controlled oscillator instead of the voltage-controlled oscillator. In theory, these fully digital PLLs have several advantages over their analog counterparts. First, digital logic exhibits much better noise immunity than analog circuitry. Second, analog components are vulnerable to DC offset and drift phenomena that are not present in equivalent digital implementations. Further, the loop dynamics of analog PLLs are quite sensitive to process technology scaling, whereas the behavior of digital logic remains unchanged with scaling. Moreover, power dissipation is of extreme concern for portable, battery-powered, computing or communication systems. Digital PLLs reduce the power supply voltage requirements of integrated circuits.
As is known in the art, high frequency clock generation circuits such as those used in portable, electronic devices produce significant levels of electromagnetic interference (EMI). This can be particularly detrimental in portable, wireless communication applications. Consequently, manufacturers of wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, employ various techniques to reduce the EMI produced by such high frequency components. One technique employed to reduce EMI generated by a PLL clock generation circuit is to inject frequency modulation at the output of the PLL to effectively spread the frequency spectrum output and thereby affect a reduction in EMI.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical PLL 100 of the prior art using frequency modulation on its output to reduce the circuit's generation of EMI. The PLL 100 includes a phase detector 110 having a first input for the referenced clock signal and a second input for the feedback signal. The output of the phase detector 110 is coupled to the input of a digital filter 120. The output of the digital filter 120 is coupled to the input of a first adder 130, where a second input of the adder 130 receives a frequency modulation signal (fm). The frequency modulation signal (fm) is generated through a separate oscillation system. The output of multiplier 130 is coupled to the input to a digitally controlled oscillator 140, which generates an oscillated clock signal on its output. The output of digitally controlled oscillator 140 is also coupled to an input of divider 150. The output of digitally-controlled oscillator 140 is fed back to the second input of the phase detector 110 through a frequency divider 150 to operate as the feedback signal to phase detector 110.
As will be appreciated, the inherent variations in clock generation systems will cause the injected frequency modulation signal to change the average center frequency output by digitally controlled oscillator 140. Without precise synchronization of the reference clock signal and the frequency modulation signal, there may be significant fluctuations in the average clock frequency output of the digital PLL. Moreover, the added circuitry required to generate the frequency modulation signal further complicates the overall digital circuitry of the integrated circuit.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an alternative digital locked loop system capable of establishing a digital frequency or phase locked loop output clock having frequency modulation without altering the average system frequency output and with minimal added complexity.
In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced.

Frequency modulated output clock from a digital phase locked loop


A cooking device and method for cooking food items by boiling and by steaming is provided. The method of cooking the food items includes placing an amount of liquid in a recess of the cooking device, heating the recess to heat a liquid therein to a cooking temperature, and receiving the sidewalls of a bowl having apertures in a bottom surface thereof in the recess, in a first position, for cooking by boiling. The bowl is supported in a second position over the recess on an intermediate member for cooking the food items by steaming.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooker. More particularly, the present invention relates to a compact cooker for boiling a first food product, such as rice, and for steaming a second food product, such as vegetables, at the same time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compact devices for cooking are known in the art. A cooker such as, for example, a boiler of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,947 to Yim, are known to cook food items such as, for example, rice and vegetables by boiling the food items. These types of boilers have a reservoir. The reservoir is circular in shape and can contain an amount of water therein. The food items are placed in water contained in the reservoir and are cooked by heating the water.
Other types of cooking devices, called steamers, use steam to cook a food product. A steamer generally has a reservoir that is circular in shape. A container is located in the reservoir. A support is disposed on a bottom of the reservoir to support the container in the reservoir above an amount of water in the reservoir. The water is heated to a boil by a heater to create steam. The container has a number of apertures therein to allow steam produced in the reservoir to pass through the bottom of the container and cook the food located in the container.
However, the devices discussed above either boil or steam food. The boiler cooks its food items by boiling. The steamer cooks its food items by steaming. It is inefficient and costly to separately operate a boiler and a steamer contemporaneously with one another.
Cooking with a dedicated steamer and a dedicated boiler simultaneously, in order to cook by steam and by boiling, requires purchasing, cooking, cleaning, and storing each of the boiler and the steamer. The user must learn the operating procedure(s) involved with each of the cooking devices. Also, the user must coordinate the cooking times of food being cooked by each device in order to complete the boiling and the steaming processes simultaneously.
Thus, there exist a need for a cooking device that can cook food items by boiling and by steaming the food items.


A one-handle valve cartridge has one or more lobular keys formed on a housing of the valve cartridge. The lobular keys interface with keyways formed in a valve body.

Typically, for a plumbing fixture (e.g., a faucet, a tub spout, a shower head), a valve body conveys water flowing from a main water source to a desired destination (e.g., a sink, a tub, a basin). The valve body generally has two water inlet passages through which cold water and hot water from the main water source can respectively flow. The valve body also has a water outlet passage through which the cold water, the hot water or a mixture of the cold and hot water can be discharged to an outlet portion of the plumbing fixture (e.g., a spout). In a one-handle version of the valve body, the valve body has a cavity for receiving a valve cartridge which allows a user to control the flow rate and the temperature of the water flowing through the water inlet passages to the water outlet passage using a single valve actuating mechanism.
One type of (conventional) valve cartridge is a structural assembly including a housing in which two or more disks, plates or the like are disposed. The disks are made of a hard material (e.g., ceramic or metal). At least one of the disks (i.e., a fixed disk) is fixed relative to the housing. Another of the disks (i.e., a movable disk) is disposed above the fixed disk and is movable relative to the fixed disk. The valve cartridge includes the actuating mechanism that is directly or indirectly connected at one end to the movable disk. Another end of the actuating mechanism extends through an opening in the housing for manipulation by a user. The end of the actuating mechanism extending through the opening in the housing can be connected to a handle, knob or the like to assist the user in operating the valve cartridge.
In a one-handle version of this type of valve cartridge for use in the one-handle version of the valve body, the fixed disk includes two inlet openings (i.e., a cold water inlet opening and a hot water inlet opening) that substantially align with the water inlet passages of the valve body when the valve cartridge is installed in the valve body. Furthermore, the fixed disk includes an outlet opening that substantially aligns with the water outlet passage of the valve body when the valve cartridge is installed in the valve body. The actuating mechanism is connected to the movable disk via a coupling. The actuating mechanism can be pivoted to cause translational movement of the movable disk. The actuating mechanism can be rotated to cause angular movement of the movable disk.
In this manner, the movable disk can assume different positions relative to the fixed disk. In particular, pivoting of the actuating mechanism changes the flow rate of the water from zero to a maximum flow rate, whereas rotation of the actuating mechanism changes the temperature of the water. Accordingly, a one-handle actuating mechanism can control both the flow rate and the temperature of the water flowing through the valve cartridge.
The valve cartridge also includes one or more seals for preventing water from leaking out of the valve cartridge. The seals can be located, for example, below, between and/or above the disks in the valve cartridge. When the valve cartridge is installed in the valve body, a retention nut is used to secure the valve cartridge in the valve body. The retention nut engages an installation ledge of the housing of the valve cartridge such that the seals in the valve cartridge are compressed and, thus, apply a loading force to the components (including the disks) in the valve cartridge. Accordingly, the fixed disk and the movable disk are kept in water tight contact after installation of the valve cartridge in the valve body.
Typically, the conventional valve cartridge has one or more keys that project from the housing of the valve cartridge. The keys interface with corresponding keyways. A keyway is a complementary surface or recess formed in the valve body. One purpose of the keys is to align the valve cartridge in the valve body. In particular, when the keys properly interface with the keyways, the inlet openings and the outlet opening of the fixed disk of the valve cartridge are aligned with the water inlet passages and the water outlet passage of the valve body, respectively. Another purpose of the keys is to prevent the valve cartridge from rotating relative to the valve body as torque is applied to the valve cartridge by the user after installation and during operation of the valve cartridge. If the valve cartridge were allowed to rotate in the valve body after installation, the inlet openings and the outlet opening of the fixed disk would become unaligned with the water inlet passages and the water outlet passage of the valve body, respectively, thereby causing the valve cartridge to operate improperly.
In general, the conventional keys projecting from a side of the housing have a rectangular or trapezoidal shape. As a result, it is difficult and/or expensive to machine the corresponding keyways in the valve body. Furthermore, the keyways can increase a width of the valve body. The keys project from the side of the housing near the top of the housing. The keyways are formed near the top of the valve body. As a result, it is possible to insert the valve cartridge into the valve body in an unaligned state, which increases the probability that the valve cartridge will be installed in an unaligned state.
The conventional keys projecting from a bottom of the housing are formed as posts that can be round. The keys formed on the bottom of the housing interface with keyways formed in a bottom of the valve body. As a result, it is possible to insert the valve cartridge into the valve body in an unaligned state, which increases the probability that the valve cartridge will be installed in an unaligned state. Furthermore, it is difficult to install and/or align the valve cartridge in the valve body since the keys cannot be seen once insertion of the valve cartridge in the valve body begins. Furthermore, the keyways can increase a depth of the valve body.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a valve cartridge having keys that make forming the corresponding keyways in the valve body easier and less expensive, that make installing and aligning the valve cartridge in the valve body easier and less prone to alignment errors and that do not result in an increased size (e.g., width or height) of the valve body through formation of the keyways.


A method and apparatus for coupling a primary loop with a secondary loop for circulating processing fluids therebetween comprising in combination a first connection for the feed line of the primary loop and a second connection for the return line of the primary loop; a third connection for the feed line of the secondary loop and a fourth connection for the return line of the secondary loop; a crossover line coupling the four connections; first valve means for controlling the flow through the primary loop; first sensor means responsive to the flow across the crossover line to control the first valve means; second valve means in the path of flow through the crossover line; second sensor means responsive to the temperature of the process fluid in the secondary loop to control the second valve means; a common controller for the first and second sensor means adapted to control the first and second valve means as a function of the sensed temperature and flow; and a common controller for the first and second sensor means adapted to control the first and second valve means as a function of the sensed flow and temperature with means to limit the extent of opening of one of the valve means as a function of the extent of opening of the other of the valve means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the flow of process fluids and, more particularly, to a system for feeding process water in a controlled manner through a primary loop and secondary loops.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the field of flow control systems, one technique for providing chilled process water to a plurality of remote sites is to use a primary flow loop from chillers to the sites where the water is to be utilized, as for air cooling, and then back to the chillers for recycling in a continuous cycle of operation. At the remote sites where the process water is to be used, secondary pumped flow loops tap from, and return to, the primary loop, the chilled water for use in air cooling at each of the various sites. As a result, there is one primary loop in a continuous flow and a plurality of pumped secondary loops for utilizing the water from the primary loop as needed.
In considering any one secondary loop, there will be a section of crossover line which is common with both the primary loop and the secondary loop. The apparatus coupling the primary loop with a secondary loop is a water bridge. A primary pump is used to continuously feed the water through the primary loop. A secondary pump is used to feed the water through each secondary loop but only at a given rate and only when required. Without appropriate controls, however, the system would be very inefficient, chilling and/or feeding more or less water than is needed for the intended air cooling.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,051, the problem of controlling the quantity of flowing water was addressed and solved. According to that patent, a small supplemental water line is placed across the common extent of the primary and each secondary loop. The supplemental line at each secondary loop was of a significantly smaller diameter for a limited flow, merely sufficient to sense a primary flow balance between the primary loop and the flow of the secondary loop.
For optimum efficiency, the flow through the primary loop should equal the flow required to supply the primary flow needs to the total of secondary loops. If insufficient water is pumped in either loop, the intended cooling will not be effected. If excess water is pumped, unnecessary energy will be expended in moving the water. By sensing the flow along the supplemental line, verification may be made that water is flowing and that pressure exists in a supplemental line. So long as the sensed water in the supplemental line remains at the optimum predetermined flow, no change is made to the fluid flow. If, however, the sensed water varies from the predetermined flow, a signal is sent back to a first control valve in the primary loop to restrict the flow and thereby minimize the work done by the pump of the primary loop. This effects a greater efficiency.
In a subsequent improvement, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,995, temperature is also taken into account for controlling water flow. In the event that the supply or return water in the secondary loop varies from its intended, predetermined temperature, inefficiency results. If the temperature of the water in the secondary loop is not cool enough, the intended air cooling will not be effected. If the temperature of the water in the secondary loop is too cool, excess chilling is being done at an unnecessary cost to the system and its user. As a result, a temperature control sensor is provided. So long as the sensed temperature is at a predetermined value, the chilling simply continues. If, however, the temperature deviates from the predetermined value, the difference is sensed and a signal is sent to a second control valve located in the crossover line of the water bridge to vary the quantity of chilled water provided to the secondary loop to temperature demand of the loop. This feature further increases the efficiency of the system by reducing the primary water to a minimum.
In a further improvement to fluid control systems, as described in the copyrighted BRDG-TNDR Corporation brochure of 1988, the signals generated for temperature and pressure control are fed back from the water bridges of the air cooling subassemblies to the water chiller subassembly to vary the amount of recirculating water being fed through the chiller to thereby modify the temperature and pressure of the water in the primary loop.
A further improvement is described in U.S. Pat. NO. 5,089,975. In its simplest terms, the temperature and flow sensors are replaced with electronic sensors of a size and capability more efficient than those previously known and utilized. Their use generates more accurate readings, and they have less adverse effect on the flow. This further increases the accuracy of readings and provides greater control and efficiency in the system. In addition, each controller is removed from the site of sensing and repositioned in a common electronics package. As such, all electronic controls for each secondary loop are integrated into a common controller for greater overall efficiency. This more readily allows all the controllers for all the secondary loops to be in two-way communication with each other and/or a common host computer for integration of the system. As such, the efficiencies effected to the system are greater than the sum of the efficiencies of the individual water bridges.
A further improvement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,845. According to that disclosure, sensor means are provided at each water bridge to determine the operating characteristics of the system, present and historical, and to integrate such information at a master controller for modifying the operating characteristics of the control mechanisms at the various individual water bridges.
As referred to above, the prior art discloses systems for controlling the flow of process fluids. Nothing in the prior art, however, controls the flow with the simplicity, accuracy and efficiency afforded by the present invention.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings and which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the arts.
It is a further object of the present invention to control the limits of openness of one of the valves of any water bridge as a function of the extent of openness of the other of the valves at such water bridge.
It is a further object of the present invention to control each site of a water bridge system independently of all other sites of such system.
It is an object of the present invention to employ at each water bridge of a system, a common control with a first component coupling a first sensor and valve, a second component coupling a second sensor and second valve, and a supplemental component to couple the first and second components to vary the operation of the first and second components, as a function of the specific application of the system.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for coupling a primary loop with a secondary loop for circulating processing fluids therebetween comprising in combination a first connection for the feed line of the primary loop and a second connection for the return line of the primary loop; a third connection for the feed line of the secondary loop and a fourth connection for the return line of the secondary loop: a crossover line coupling the four connections; first valve means for controlling the flow through the primary loop; first sensor means responsive to the flow across the crossover line to control the first valve means; second valve means in the path of flow through the crossover line; second sensor means responsive to the temperature of the process fluid in the secondary loop to control the second valve means; a common controller for the first and second sensor means adapted to control the first and second valve means as a function of the sensed temperature and flow; and a common controller for the first and second sensor means adapted to control the first and second valve means as a function of the sensed flow and temperature with means to limit the extent of opening of one of the valve means as a function of the extent of opening of the other of the valve means.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for controlling the flow of process fluids


A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring a characteristic, e.g. spectral bandwidth, of a light beam. The apparatus may comprise an etalon for generating an interference pattern having at least one light cone, an arrangement of detector elements, the arrangement receiving a portion of the light cone and producing a signal indicative of the characteristic; and an auxiliary detector positioned to receive a portion of the light cone and produce a signal indicative of an alignment between the etalon and the linear arrangement.

Discharge lasers, especially excimer lasers, are being increasingly used in the photolithographic manufacture of semiconductor devices. As projection lens technology has advanced, the requirements on the control of the laser light output have increased. For example, variations in the output power, central wavelength and wavelength spectrum of a laser source must be minimized to ensure consistent process performance. To achieve this control, the output wavelength and/or spectral bandwidth of the laser must be well characterized, and remain stable and precisely controlled over a wide range of operating conditions.
A typical measurement technique directs a portion of the laser beam through an etalon to create an optical fringe pattern on the surface of a sensor. The spacing of the fringe pattern can be related to wavelength and the thickness of each fringe can be related to spectral bandwidth. Both fringe spacing and thickness can be detected with a sensor such as a multi-element photodiode array (PDA), and the resulting measurements can be input to a wavelength/bandwidth feedback control system.
In more detail, an etalon, e.g. a Fabry Perot interferometer having a plano configuration, is an optical device consisting of two flat surfaces, held parallel to high precision, typically to within a small fraction of the laser wavelength. These surfaces may be, for example, opposed flat sides of a transparent optical element, in which case the optic is referred to as a "solid etalon". In another type of construction, the etalon could be formed by the adjacent surfaces of two transparent optical elements, separated by a spacer or spacers with parallel faces. This assembly is often referred to as an "air-spaced etalon", although the gap between the two elements could be filled with any transparent medium.
Special coatings can be applied to the surfaces of the etalon to enhance their reflectivity at a particular wavelength, or range of wavelengths. This creates an optical cavity, in which constructive and destructive interference of light passing through the cavity can occur. The nature of this interference will depend, among other factors, upon the wavelength, spectrum, and direction of the light, the flatness, parallelism and reflectivity of the optical surfaces, and the optical path length between the two cavity surfaces. The result of the interference is that cones of light are formed by the etalon and directed to the PDA surface where the light generates the optical fringe pattern.
As the discussion above suggests, many laser systems now include an onboard spectrometer, sometimes referred to as a "wavemeter" for measuring bandwidth and/or center wavelength. Requirements for tighter wavelength and bandwidth control have increased the need to initially provide and thereafter maintain a close-tolerance alignment between the etalon and detector in the laser's onboard spectrometer. The initial alignment may, for example, be altered during shipment or installation of the laser, adversely affecting the precision of the wavemeter. Typically, the onboard wavemeter module is sealed, and in some cases purged. Thus, alignment inspections techniques that require physical access to the internal wavemeter components can be expensive and time-consuming.
With the above considerations in mind, Applicants disclose methods and apparatus for aligning an etalon with a photodiode array. In addition, methods and apparatus for inspecting an alignment between an etalon and a photodiode array are described.

Methods and apparatus for aligning an etalon with a photodiode array


A device (10) for automatically determining filtration parameters for a sample of a filter aid material includes a measurement tube assembly (14) comprising a generally vertical measurement tube (34) and a septum (40) disposed within the tube for forming a filter cake of a filter aid material, a plurality of actuatable valves (V1-V12) coupled to the inlet (32) and discharge (44) of the measurement tube assembly for controlling water flow into and out of the assembly, a control and processor system (17) including a computer (200) operable to control the valves in accordance with a predetermined cycle to flush a slurry of filter aid into the measurement tube assembly and then cause water to flow under pressure through the measurement tube assembly and through a filter cake formed on the septum, and instrumentation (110, 120, 122, 130, 140) for measuring parameters needed for determining filtration parameters. The computer receives output signals from the instrumentation and calculates filtration parameters such as permeability and wet bulk density.

Filter aids are widely used in industrial processes for the filtration of various types of liquid mixtures containing solids in order to remove the solids therefrom. A filter aid typically exists in a solid dry powdered form, with the material and the particle size of the powder lending particular filtration characteristics to the filter aid. In many applications, particular filter aid materials are selected because they provide certain desired filtration characteristics.
The filtration characteristics of a filter aid are usually measured by a number of filtration parameters, including the permeability coefficient of the filter aid (i.e., the degree of porosity of a cake of the filter aid) expressed in "darcies", the wet bulk density expressed in grams per cubic centimeter, and the volumetric flow rate of water through the filter aid expressed in milliliters per second. Producers of filter aids frequently measure the filtration parameters of samples of the filter aids as part of a quality control procedure, so that the end user is assured of obtaining a filter aid having known filtration parameters. In addition, end users of filter aids often measure the filtration parameters of their filter aids as part of their own quality control processes.
Commonly, manual laboratory procedures are used for the determination of filtration parameters of filter aids. Such manual procedures require a laboratory technician to use a significant number of pieces of equipment and to accurately follow a predetermined series of steps and accurately measure and record data manually. For instance, the permeability of a filter cake typically is determined with the aid of a permeameter, which is a vertical cylindrical tube having a septum consisting of a stainless steel screen on which is placed a piece of filter paper to prevent a filter aid material from passing through so that a cake of the filter aid forms on the septum when a slurry of the filter aid is passed through the permeameter. The permeameter has a top cap for sealing the upper inlet port of the tube. The top cap has a pressure valve which is coupled to a pressure-regulated air supply. A bottom cap seals the lower end of the tube below the septum, and has a filtrate valve which can be opened to allow filtrate to exit the permeameter. The permeameter includes a differential pressure gauge which measures the pressure difference across the septum.
A typical manual procedure for determining the permeability of a filter aid with a permeameter is as follows: The technician weighs a sample of the filter aid and records the weight, and then transfers the sample to an Ehrlenmeyer flask and adds water to the flask to form a slurry. The technician then opens the inlet port of the permeameter and pours the sample slurry into the inlet port, and rinses the flask with additional water and adds the additional water to the inlet port to be sure all of the sample is transferred to the permeameter. The inlet port is then tightly closed and the pressure valve is opened to pressurize the permeameter. The air supply is adjusted to a predetermined pressure. The technician then must quickly open the filtrate valve and allow the water to drain to a level just above the filter cake which has formed on the septum. The filtrate is collected in the flask. The filtrate valve and pressure valves are then closed, and the inlet port is opened. The technician adds some additional water to the filtrate in the flask, and uses a funnel with a dispersion tube to transfer the water in the flask into the inlet port, being careful not to disturb the surface of the cake. Next, the inlet port is closed and the pressure valve is opened to pressurize the permeameter. The filtrate valve is opened, and after a steady flowrate is established, the technician begins collecting the filtrate in a graduated cylinder and begins timing with a stopwatch at the same moment. At that same moment, the technician must note the gauge pressure on the differential pressure gauge. The technician collects a certain amount of filtrate, and then removes the graduated cylinder and stops timing at the same moment. The technician must then note the gauge pressure again. A thermometer is used to measure the temperature of the filtrate. The permeameter is then completely drained of water, and the technician measures the thickness of the cake. Permeability of the filter aid is then calculated by the equation: ##EQU1## where V=volume of filtrate collected (ml)
n=viscosity (centipoise), calculated from temperature PA1 H=cake thickness (cm) PA1 t=time required to collect filtrate (sec) PA1 A=pressure chamber cross-sectional area (cm.sup.2) PA1 P=pressure differential (psi)
This manual procedure is time-consuming, and is inconvenient to perform in certain environments because of the substantial amount of equipment required. Furthermore, the procedure is subject to inaccuracy and inconsistent results because of the dependence on the technician manually running all phases of the experiment and reading and recording data.

Computer-controlled electromechanical device for determining filtration parameters of a filter aid


A deposition substrate transferring unit that can deposit a deposition material at an exact location on a substrate, includes an electrostatic chuck that has a first surface to which a substrate is attached; and a carrier having a surface that combines with a second surface of the electrostatic chuck to move the electrostatic chuck in a first direction. The carrier includes accommodation parts disposed in empty space within the carrier, and supplementary ribs respectively formed on surfaces of the accommodation parts.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a deposition substrate transferring unit, an organic layer deposition apparatus including the same, and a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device by using the same, and more particularly, to a deposition substrate transferring unit for depositing a deposition material at an exact location on a substrate, an organic layer deposition apparatus including the substrate transfer unit, and a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device by using the substrate transfer unit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Organic light-emitting display devices have wider viewing angles, better contrast characteristics, and faster response speeds than other display devices, and thus have drawn attention as next-generation display devices.
An organic light-emitting display device includes intermediate layers, including an emission layer, disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The electrodes and the intermediate layers may be formed using various methods, one of which is an independent deposition method. When an organic light-emitting display device is manufactured using this deposition method, a fine metal mask (FMM) that has the same pattern as that of an organic layer to be formed is disposed in close contact with a substrate on which the organic layer is formed, and an organic layer material is deposited on the FMM to form the organic layer having the desired pattern.
However, a deposition method using such an FMM presents challenges for manufacturing larger organic light-emitting display devices. For example, when such a large mask is used, the mask may bend due to self-gravity, thereby distorting a pattern, which is not conducive to the fabrication of a high-definition pattern.

Deposition substrate transferring unit, organic layer deposition apparatus including the same, and method of manufacturing organic light-emitting display device by using the same


Different examples of systems, reservoirs and methods are described. One of these examples involves includes a reservoir with a liquid outlet through which liquid is to exit the reservoir. The reservoir may further include a bubbler structure to supply air to the inner volume of the reservoir, the bubbler structure includes an air outlet.

This disclosure discusses liquid dispensing systems including two-dimensional and three-dimensional print systems. These systems are provided with fixed or replaceable printheads that dispense liquid such as inks or agents onto print media such as paper or powder. In certain instances, replaceable cartridges containing print liquid connect to the system to supply the printer's printhead with liquid during printing. After a certain amount of print events the cartridge will be exhausted. When liquid is consumed at a relatively high rate, cartridges need to be replaced at a regular rate to replenish the system with liquid.
Certain liquid supply stations and reservoirs are adapted to supply larger amounts of liquid. For example, relatively large bottles or buffers may supply liquid to a liquid tank that is part of the print system. In some instances, after having filled the tank by emptying the bottle, the tank is closed with a lid to avoid that too much air enters the system. The bottle may be disposed. The tank contains a large amount of print liquid so that the print system can continue printing without interruption for a relatively long time without needing to replenish the system with a newly filled reservoir. Typically the tank is placed vertically under printhead nozzles of the system to avoid a too high pressure head.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A distributed control system for an active array antenna system is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the array system employs many transmit/receive (T/R) modules each with an associated radiator element, a phase shifter element and a set of RF switch elements to set the module to transmit or receive modes. The array system is arranged to generate a transmit or receive array beam. The distributed control system in an exemplary embodiment includes an array processor for controlling the array, the processor configured to generate command signals to set the T/R module elements to transmit or receive mode and to steer the array beam to a desired direction. The command signals to steer the array beam include phase slopes common to all T/R modules in a given array or subarray. Each T/R module includes a beam steering control function configured to convert the phase slope data to phase data to set the phase shifter element for that T/R module to a phase shift setting for the beam direction associated with the phase slope index data.

Next generation large area multifunction active arrays for such exemplary applications as space and airborne based antennas for radar and communication systems, including platforms such as micro-satellites and stratospheric airships, may be lighter weight, lower cost and more conformal than what can be achieved with current active array architecture and multilayer active panel array development.

Transmit/receive module communication and control architechture for active array


Colloidal silica having a controllable broad particle size distribution and a controllable minimum particle size is disclosed and claimed. Particles below a predetermined size are excluded from the product colloidal silica of the invention. A method for continuously producing the desired colloidal composition is disclosed comprising the steps of providing preformed silica particles having a surface area which controls the particle size of the colloidal silica product, adding a feed silica comprising an alkaline solution and silicate at a feed rate which is less than a nucleation rate.

The preparation of silica sols that contain non-aggregated spherical particles is well known. A means of preparing such silica sols includes using an acidic, active solution of silicate (sometimes referred to as silicic acid) and grows particles in an alkaline water based media at elevated temperatures. Typically the resulting solutions are low in concentration and are normally further concentrated before sale. An alternative route is to concentrate via evaporation while the particles are growing (i.e., during the reaction).
Typical means to grow particles are via a batch basis or with a continuous system. Batch basis techniques normally make narrow distribution particles. Continuous systems typically make broad distribution particles. To have good particle size control, continuous systems are complex and employ multiple overflow reactors. Besides being capital intensive, such continuous reactors do not have good control over particle size distribution and are limited in average particle size (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,693 utilizes five overflow reactors and discloses particles of 27 to 72 nm). Another disadvantage of these continuous systems is that while very small particles can be reduced they cannot be totally eliminated.
There thus exists an industry need to eliminate the disadvantages of continuous reaction systems. Particularly, there is a need to economically produce silica particles having a controlled minimum particle size and wide distribution curve.

Method of producing silica sols with controllable broad size distribution and minimum particle size


An image processing system comprising a combination of an image control unit and one or a plurality of image input/output units, wherein the image control unit and image input/output unit are connected by communication means. In a case where the image control unit has a first communication controller and the image input/output unit has a second communication controller, predetermined communication conditions are set in the first and second communication controllers at initialization, a fixed packet length is decided based upon mutually communicable packet lengths of packets exchanged via the communication means, the decided fixed packet length is set in the first and second communication controllers anew, and subsequent communication is continued by DMA transfer in which a data string is divided into the set fixed packet lengths. As a result, high-speed data communication is achieved between units even in a low-cost single-chip microcontroller.

In a system of the kind in which an image input/output unit and an image control unit, for example, are controlled by independent CPUs, the conventional practice when sending and receiving variable-length messages between the units is for the CPUs to control communication controllers on per-byte (eight-bit) basis.
In this example of the prior art, a CPU interrupt is generated byte by byte. When data communication takes place at high speed, therefore, some data may failed to be acquired and other processing by the CPU may be adversely affected. Depending upon the communication controller, it is possible to use a FIFO buffer to reduce the frequency with which CPU interrupt occurs, though often the communication controller that is incorporated within a low-cost single-chip microcontroller does not come equipped with this function. A microcontroller that is available can perform data transfer without the intervention of a CPU by using a combination of a DMA controller and a communication controller. However, since the length of received messages is indeterminate, the DMA transfer length cannot be set in advance. This necessitates an operation in which a CPU polls the counter of the DMA controller. Such a microcontroller, therefore, is not suitable for receiving variable-length messages as is.
Meanwhile, there is a tendency for the amount of data transferred between devices to increase as functions become more sophisticated. For example, when the image processing speed of an image input/output unit rises, communication time allowed for control between pages tends to shorten. Hence there is a demand for ever higher data communication speed.

Controlling packet length for transfer between devices


Here disclosed is an ink jet apparatus having an ink-circulating/dispersing function. The apparatus provides ink with dispersion as required, and circulates the ink through a tube to an ink-collecting tank. During this circulation, a required amount of the ink is fed to a printer head to form a predetermined pattern on a surface of a substrate. By virtue of the circulating/dispersing function, the apparatus can cope well with easy-to-aggregate ink having poor stability in terms of printing, thereby protecting a printer head or an ink-spouting section from clogging during ink jet printing. Such stabilized ink jet printing contributes to manufacturing highly reliable electronic components with an increased yield of products.

Conventionally, an internal electrode and a ceramic layer used for ceramic electronic components have mainly been manufactured by printing methods using printing plates, such as screen printing and gravure printing. These printing methods are suitable for mass-production; however, they are not good at producing small batches of a variety of products as a trend in recent years. Responding to such demands, ink jet printing for manufacturing ceramic electronic components has been suggested as a new printing method.
First of all, ink typically used for ink jet printing will be described. Typical ink for ink jet printing falls into dye- or pigment-types that volatilize or deteriorate by baking. Therefore, they cannot be used as electrode material, dielectric material, or magnetic material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,270 suggests ink for ink jet printing on paper and U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,997 suggests aqueous fluorescent ink for ink jet printing and its manufacturing method; both inks cannot be applied to production of electronic components because they are used for coloring. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,092 introduces a heat-resistant pigment; this is also for coloring, so that it cannot be employed for electronic components. U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,247 introduces electrochromic coating and a method for making the same; this cannot be applied to production of electronic components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,244 introduces a method of forming a heat-resistant substrate pattern for glass using an inorganic ceramic pigment; such a pigment-type ink cannot lend itself to production of electronic components.
Next will be described ink for ink jet printing that is used for coloring ceramic substrates. U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,575 suggests ink for ink jet printing that can be used for coloring, for example, in black, green, and brilliant blue, ceramic substrates. The ink is, instead of pigments, made of a solvent in which some kinds of metallic salt are dissolved. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,474 suggests another ink for ink jet printing used for coloring ceramic substrates, in which inorganic pigment has a limited particle diameter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,714,236 suggests yet another ink for ink jet printing for coloring ceramic substrates. In this patent, the ink is made by combining some kinds of metallic salt with flammable materials that serve as an oxygen supplier. Although the inks introduced in these suggestions are capable of printing and coloring such as marking electronic components made of ceramic, they cannot be used for an internal electrode, dielectric material, and magnetic material. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. H5-77474 and Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S63-283981 suggest methods of decorating a ceramic substrate employing chelate with application of heat. As another example, Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. H6-21255 suggests marking ink with application of heat, which is made of silicon resin and an inorganic coloring pigment, and a solvent. As yet another example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H5-202326 suggests ink for marking ceramic substrates in which a soluble metallic salt is employed. As still another example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H5-262583 introduces a marking method. This method suggests that an acidic aqueous solution in which a soluble metallic salt is dissolved should be applied to a ceramic substrate, and on which an alkaline aqueous solution should be applied for neutralization of metallic salt, and then the substrate should be baked. As another example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H7-330473 introduces a marking method. This method suggests that ink, which is made of a metallic ion aqueous solution, is jetted onto a given shape of a ceramic substrate prior to baking. As still another example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H8-127747 suggests marking ink for coloring ceramic substrates, which contains metallic pigments therein. However, all these inks for coloring ceramics are not suitable for production of electronic components.
Now will be described examples in which an etching resist used for production of electronic components is produced by ink jetting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,328 suggests that ink jet printing should be employed for producing a resist pattern of an etching resist in manufacturing a circuit board. Similarly, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S60-175050 suggests that ink jet printing should be employed for producing a three-dimensional resist pattern of an etching resist on a metal-coated substrate. Employing an etching resist, however, increases a cost of manufacturing electronic components. Conventional methods of ink jet printing and inks for ink jet printing, as described above, have not achieved a low-cost-production of electronic components.
Here will be described suggestions in which ink jet printing should be employed for manufacturing a variety of electronic components. Conventionally, some attempts had been made to manufacture electronic components by using an ink jet apparatus. For example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S58-50795 suggests a method in which a conductor or a resistor is formed on an unbaked ceramic substrate by ink jet printing. According to conventional ink jet printing, as described above, in a process of forming an electronic circuit on a substrate, the ink for forming the electronic circuit tends to flow or extend out of an intended pattern on the substrate.
Referring to FIG. 14, here will be described an ink jet apparatus used for forming electronic circuits, which is suggested in Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S58-50795. FIG. 14 illustrates a problem that tends to occur in forming electronic circuits by ink jet printing. In FIG. 14, being set in ink jet nozzle 2, ink 1 for forming electronic components is jetted by pressure from air and a piezoelectric element (both are not shown) on a "drops-on-demand" basis to form droplets 3. Landed onto substrate 4, on which a circuit pattern is to be printed, droplets 3 form pattern 5 in a predetermined shape. In this process, if ink 1 has aggregates 6 therein, it can cause unstable jetting of droplets from the ink jet nozzle, which sometimes results in a failure to print. That is, pattern 5 has faulty sections 7, such as a pin hole, due to aggregates 6. The ink 1 for forming electronic components, as described above, tends to have aggregates 6 therein that often clog ink jet nozzle 2. This problem has lowered yields of electronic components.
Referring to FIG. 15, here will be described forming precipitates or aggregates developed in ink for forming electronic components. FIG. 15 shows a result derived from calculation in which behavior of a powder in a solution is substituted into theoretical expressions. In the graph of FIG. 15, the Y-axis represents velocity (cm/sec) of a powder, and the X-axis represents a particle diameter (μm) of the powder. Line 8 shows velocity of the powder derived from the formula of the Brownian movement. It is apparent that the smaller the particle diameter of the powder, the greater the velocity of the powder (i.e., the Brownian movement of the powder becomes more remarkable.) Line 9 in the graph indicates velocity of the powder derived from the Einstein-Stalks's formula. This velocity is equivalent to a sedimentation velocity of the powder in a solution. That is, the larger the particle diameter of the powder, the greater the sedimentation velocity of the powder. Point 10 is an intersection of line 8, indicating the velocity of the powder in the Brownian movement, and line 9, indicating the sedimentation velocity of the powder. In a calculation result shown in FIG. 15, the solution has a viscosity of 1 cP (mPa s). Theoretically, in area α—the left-hand portion from point 10 as viewed in FIG. 15, due to a small particle diameter, the powder is subjected to the Brownian movement (represented by line 8) larger than the sedimentation velocity (represented by line 9). That is, the powder in area α is hard to sedimentate. On the other hand, the powder in area β—the right-hand portion from point 10—is subjected to a sedimentation velocity larger than the Brownian movement, so that this powder is easy to sedimentate. Point 10 is susceptible to a specific gravity of a powder, so that a position of point 10 moves to area α, i.e., leftward as viewed in FIG. 15, as the specific gravity of the powder increases. The graph theoretically tells that any ink being within the cross-hatching area in FIG. 15, that is, the area in which line 8 representing the Brownian movement exceeds line 9 representing the sedimentation velocity, is hard to have precipitation. Therefore, such ink could be handled with an ink jet apparatus available in the market, and can be commonly used aqueous dye-type ink.
The result shown in the FIG. 15, however, is derived from a theory in an "extremely diluted" condition; practically, consideration should be given to a relationship between powders in the solution. Therefore, the ink, even if it belongs to the aforementioned area in FIG. 15, may not be handled with an ink jet apparatus available in the market. That is, ink for electronic components employing the powder, being within the cross-hatching area and therefore theoretically not having precipitation, often forms precipitates or aggregates due to a variety of factors: incomplete dispersion; aggregates from a relationship between the powders; variations in particle size distribution; and heterogeneous precipitation—a theory explaining that mixture of powders having different particle sizes easily leads to aggregation. If the ink for electronic components can be consistently manufactured to have its powder particle diameter of 0.01 μm, the ink might have precipitation less than that belonging to the cross-hatching area in FIG. 15.
Now suppose that metallic powder or ceramic powder having an average particle size of 0.01 μm is selected from those available in the market. In actuality, however, it is impossible to completely eliminate a powder having a particle size of 1 μm even after high classification. Besides, a powder tends to have aggregates (or secondary particles) therein as the particle size of the powder becomes smaller. This fact sometimes allows a powder to have secondary particles larger than 1 μm, in spite of its primary particles having an average particle size of 0.01 μm. Furthermore, it is difficult to break such a secondary particle into a smaller particle even being well dispersed, thereby inviting an increase in a processing cost for practical use. In reality, ink for electronic components having powder with a particle diameter of at least 1 μm, or particularly around 10 μm, is preferably used in terms of obtaining an intended property and low-cost product. In this case, as is apparent from FIG. 15, sedimentation velocity indicated by line 9 exceeds the Brownian movement indicated by line 8 by several digits. In addition, a powder suitable for the ink for electronic components is a ceramic powder with its specific gravity of around 3 to 7, or is a metallic material with its specific gravity of approximately 6 to 20. Taking this into account, it is almost impossible, even in theory, to have stable dispersion in a solution having a low viscosity. In some cases, ink has a powder as a mixture of powders having different particle diameters to pursue an intended property. Such ink tends to have heterogeneous aggregation, so that it is difficult to obtain a stable dispersion. Besides, a fine particle having a submicronic diameter has a large amount of oil absorption—defined in Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS)—due to its large specific surface area, and accordingly, an amount of a solvent absorbed in a surface of the powder increases. Therefore, high concentration of powders in a solvent suddenly raises a viscosity of the solvent, thereby depriving fluidity from the solvent. In general, ink for printing on paper is mainly formed of a dye. Even in a case that pigments are employed, a concentration of the powder is maintained to be not more than 5 weight %. Whereas, in a case of ink used for producing electronic components, ceramic or metallic powder materials are required because an intended property cannot be obtained from dyes or metallic salts. In addition, the ink sometimes needs such materials having a concentration of the powder of several tens weight %, thereby inviting aggregation. For this reason, it has been difficult to realize consistent printing quality.
Referring now to FIGS. 16A and 16B, problems in a case of printing by a conventional ink jet apparatus having ink for electronic components will be described. In FIG. 16A, ink tank 11 is filled with ink 12 containing powder 13. Ink 12 has aggregates 14 developed from powder 13. Ink 12 in ink tank 11 flows, together with powder 13 and aggregates 14, into an interior of printer head 16 via piping 15. In response to an external signal (not shown), ink 12 stored in printer head 16 is jetted out on a drop-on-demand basis to form droplets 17. Droplets 17 land on a surface of substrate 18 to be printed, thereby forming ink pattern 19. Arrow 20 indicates a direction of flow of ink 12 in piping 15, or a direction of flying of droplets 17 jetted from printer head 16. FIG. 16B illustrates in detail a structure of piping 15 and printer head 16 shown in FIG. 16A, with the interior of head 16 enlarged. Aggregates 14 in FIG. 16B, which are developed from the powder in ink tank 12, piping 15, or printer head 16, lowers stability during printing.
In a conventional ink jet apparatus, aggregates 14 in ink 12 accumulate in the interior of printer head 16. The greater the time required for printing or the greater the volume of printing, the greater the amount of the aggregates. Therefore, it has been difficult for the conventional apparatus to provide stable printing for long hours.
Conventional jet ink for electronic components, as described above, tends to have aggregates or precipitates therein. These aggregates and precipitates not only clog a head of an ink jet printer, but also invite unstable ink jetting and cause ill effect on a direction of ink jetting. During ink jet printing, the printer head has no contact with a surface to be printed. If the direction of jetting ink does not conform to a predetermined direction, faulty patterns—a deformed pattern, pin hole in solidly shaded areas in printing, or a short circuit in a wiring pattern—may result.
Ink 1 for electronic components set in the interior of ink jet nozzle 2, as described above, forms precipitates 14 or aggregates 14, thereby inviting various adverse effects on an ink jetting condition; clogging spout 55, non-uniform spouting of droplets 3 jetted from spout 55, inconsistent amount of spouting with passage of time, or spout 55 clogged up with precipitates 14 or aggregates 14.
Although the precipitates and the aggregates are the same, this specification differentiates, for convenience's sake, between precipitation and aggregation in such a way that one precipitated at a bottom is referred to as a precipitate, while one floating in the ink is referred to as a aggregate. The ink required for producing electronic components, as described above, tends to have precipitates and aggregates, which has been an obstacle to stabilized quality in conventional ink jet printing. Precipitates 14 and aggregates 14 can not only clog the printer head, but also invite unstable ink jetting and cause ill effect on the direction of ink jetting. In the ink jet printing, the printer head has no contact with a surface to be printed. Therefore, if a direction of spouting ink does not conform to a predetermined direction, faulty patterns—a deformed pattern, pin hole in solidly shaded areas in printing, or a short circuit in a wiring pattern—may result.
Other than the examples introduced above, there are suggestions about methods of manufacturing electronic components by ink jet printing. For example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H8-222475 suggests a method of manufacturing thick film electronic components using an ink jet apparatus. According to this suggestion, ink suitable for the thick film, such as an electrically conductive ink and an ink for a resistance film, is applied to an internal electrode pattern having a given shape on a surface of a ceramic green sheet, and the sheet is laminated and then baked. As another example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S59-82793 has a suggestion in which an electrically conductive adhesive or a low-temperature baking conductive paste is applied, by ink jetting, to a predetermined connecting position on a printed circuit board. As still another example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S56-94719 discloses a method of manufacturing a reversed pattern of an internal electrode by spraying ceramic ink, which eliminates unevenness, of a surface due to thickness of internal electrodes, from a laminated ceramic capacitor. Addressing the same problem, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H9-219339 has a suggestion in which ceramic ink is applied to a surface of a ceramic green sheet by ink jet printing. However, up to now, an ink jet apparatus and ink available for such suggestions have not yet come into existence.
As a similar example, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H9-232174 suggests a method of manufacturing electronic components including a laminated inductor. In a manufacturing process, functional material paste, such as electrically conductive paste and resistance paste, is jetted out, together with ceramic paste, by an ink jet system. As a method similar to the aforementioned one in which a laminated inductor is produced without using a via hole, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,698 introduces a method of manufacturing a laminated inductor by alternately forming layers of insulating material so as to expose a part of each coil pattern. Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S48-81057 suggests a method of laminating a coil through a via hole formed in a ceramic green sheet. Further, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H2-65112 has a suggestion about improving characteristics of a semiconductive capacitor in terms of its manufacturing process. In the process, a required amount of dorpant solution is ink jetted, as a form of droplets, onto a surface of a device of a semiconductive capacitor. In this case, to prepare ink for ink jetting, metal ionic salts are dissolved in ethyl alcohol or acid for pH-control. When materials for forming electronic components are dissolved in the ink, as is the case above, neither precipitates 14 nor aggregates 14 shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B are developed in the ink. Still, the aforementioned method cannot provide electronic components as a method suggested in the present invention.
There are some suggestions about coloring a surface of ceramics or forming a predetermined image on the surface, and not forming an electronic circuit thereon. As ink for ink jet printing, a metallic ion solution is employed in Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H7-330473; an organometal chelate compound is employed in Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. S63-283981; water glass is added to ink in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. H5-69145; and silicon resin is added in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. H6-21255. These forgoing suggestions are, however, aimed at forming images, not electronic circuits. Therefore, they are no help for manufacturing electronic components.
In methods of manufacturing a variety of electronic components by conventional ink jet printing, a nozzle of a printer head requires jetting ink containing powdery material that is necessary for manufacturing electronic components, such as ceramics, glass, and metal. Such powders contained in the ink have often clogged the nozzle, as described in FIGS. 14 through 16B. For this reason, almost no demonstrations in which electronic components can be manufactured by ink jet printing has been made. In particular, in a case of manufacturing a variety of electronic components, ink for ink jet printing is required to have a property suitable for each component to be manufactured. Supposing manufacturing of laminated ceramic electronic components; an ink for an internal electrode needs to contain palladium, nickel, silver palladium; an ink for a dielectric material needs dielectric material; and an ink for an external electrode needs silver.
Furthermore, a coil part needs ink for magnetic material, and a coil conductor needs ink containing silver or copper. When a chip resistor is manufactured by ink jet printing, it becomes necessary to prepare a plastic ink for ink jetting, an insulating glass-made ink, an ink for over-coating, an ink for graphic printing, a graze ink, an ink for an electrode, an ink for a resistor, and ink for an external electrode. Only for the ink for a resistor, should be prepared dozens of types of different inks that have resistance ranging from a few mΩ up to several tens of MΩ, with a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) adjusted within a predetermined range. The inks for ink jet printing that meet such diverse requirements neither have been commercially available, nor reported in a learned society or the like. Even if prototypes of these inks are built and tested, clogging a nozzle may result due to the problems explained in FIGS. 16A and 16B.
As for ink for printing on paper—not for manufacturing electronic components, many suggestions have been made to address the problems above. As an example of these attempts, Japanese Patent Non-examined Publication No. H5-229140 introduces a suggestion in which ink containing inorganic pigments is stirred in an ink-supplying chamber and then fed to a head of an ink jet printer.
As another example, Patent Non-examined Publication No. H5-263028 suggests that ink should be filtered by a metallic filter with application of pressure. To filter ink for manufacturing electronic components, an extremely fine filter is required. However, such a fine filter for electronic components is not available at a time of the present invention. The inventors added a treatment, as an experiment, to various types of ink commercially available for manufacturing electronic components using screen-printing. The inventors decreased a viscosity of the inks by dilution; then filtered them by a metallic filter to print them by a commercially available ink jet printer. However, metal powder and ceramic powder included in the ink immediately precipitated, thereby resulting in failure. To avoid forming precipitates, the inventors fed the ink, with application of stirring, to the printer head. This attempt invited clogging of the printer head caused by particles of the ink precipitated in the printer head. As is proved by this attempt, an ink jet apparatus capable of coping with ink having high-concentration, high-density, and low-viscosity that is typified by ink for electronic components to offer reliable printing, has not yet been on the market.
Next will be described inconveniences in printing an electrode onto a ceramic green sheet with a thickness of at most 20 μm. The inventors demonstrated that a solvent of ink penetrates into a ceramic green sheet and causes a short circuit, thereby decreasing a yield of a product. This problem and its measure are disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,636,306 and Japanese Patent No. 2,688,644. That is, in a case of employing a ceramic green sheet with a thickness of less than 20 μm, penetration of a solvent of ink through such a thin sheet can cause a short circuit, even if electrodes can be formed by ink jet printing.
Inks employing dye and a metallic salt have been conventionally suggested; however, no suggestion has been made about an ink jet apparatus that can offer reliable printing using ink easily forming precipitates and aggregates, such as ink for manufacturing electronic components. Even if such inks for electronic components as a completed product are filtered by an extremely fine filter, precipitation or aggregates in the ink jet apparatus may result. This fact easily invites clogging of a printer head or ink-spouting section, and as a result, it has been difficult to obtain printing with stability. Of the ink for manufacturing electronic components, the ink employing dye or metal salt can offer relatively good printing. Such inks, however, are intended for coloring, not for manufacturing electronic components such as LC filters and high-frequency electronic components. Besides, in a process of producing laminated ceramic electronic components, and in a case that ink for electrodes is applied onto a thin ceramic green sheet with a thickness of less than 20 μm, a conventional ink jet apparatus has not been successful in providing printing quality with stability. Such inks, due to their property of easily forming precipitates and aggregates, tend to clog the head or the ink-spouting section of an ink jet printer, thereby resulting in inconsistent printing. An effective suggestion to solve the above problems has not yet been made.

Ink jet device, ink jet ink, and method of manufacturing electronic component using the device and the ink

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


This disclosure describes systems and methods which utilize outcomes analysis, empirical and on-eye diagnostic fitting outcomes, and similar patient data to determine and provide a relatively optimal corrective device for the patient, in a single-use and disposable set of devices.

In the treatment of visual acuity deficiencies, correction by means of eyeglasses or contact lenses is used by a large percentage of the population. Such visual acuity deficiencies include hyperopia or far-sightedness, myopia or near-sightedness, astigmatisms (caused by asymmetry of the eye) and presbyopia (caused by loss of accommodation by the crystalline lens).
The selection of the correct contact lens by professionals such as optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians and/or technicians (referred to herein as a "licensed contact lens fitter") for a patient is important to providing the required level and quality of vision, while simultaneously protecting eye health and delivering appropriate wearing comfort. This relatively "optimal" corrective lens selection is sometimes achieved empirically by determining the most correct lens by utilizing the output from information supplied by instrumentation. In other cases, the "correct" contact lens selection requires patient-specific and/or on-eye diagnosis utilizing a trial lens that has historically been supplied to the licensed contact lens fitter in two fundamental ways.
In the first case, the licensed contact lens fitter provides empirical information to the manufacturer. The manufacturer interprets this supplied data, and provides a trial or diagnostic contact lens to the fitter for on-eye evaluation. Data collected by the licensed contact lens fitter during the patient-specific evaluation process is then supplied to the manufacturer and a different lens is re-supplied to the fitter for the consumer. Sometimes success is achieved with the first lens sent to the fitter by the manufacturer but many times, the "best" lens requires two or more iterations by the manufacturer, and can take weeks or months.
In the second case, and in an effort to speed the diagnostic and dispensing process, the manufacturer will provide the licensed contact lens fitter with a trial or diagnostic set of lenses to be used for all patients. These diagnostic contact lens sets may range in size from 12 to more than 200 lenses, depending on the complexity of the contact lens design and/or the desire of the fitter to improve the probability of having the "correct" lens for the consumer on the premises. The primary intent of trial or diagnostic lens sets is to use the lenses to ascertain or diagnose the "correct" lens for the consumer so that the correct lens can then be ordered from the manufacturer for the consumer. This also means that the diagnostic lenses are used multiple times and with multiple consumers, and disinfected between use. With the larger trial or diagnostic lens sets, it is possible that the "correct" lens may exist within the parameters of the set and, in these cases, some licensed contact lens fitters will dispense or sell the lens from the set. Once this is done, the fitter will then order a replacement trial or diagnostic lens for his set.
In the first case, disadvantages may include the consumer's inconvenience because the licensed contact lens fitter may require the consumer to have multiple visits to the fitting premises to try the various trial lenses ordered from the manufacture. Another drawback may be the time required of the fitter to achieve the correct lens fit. Yet another drawback may be that there is a greater potential for a fitter to accept a marginally good lens for the consumer rather than endure greater inconvenience by ordering a potentially better fitting lens from the manufacturer.
In the second case, drawbacks may include that the trial or diagnostic lens sets can be expensive for the licensed contact lens fitter, thereby inhibiting a large number of fitters from utilizing this method. Another drawback may be that since the lenses are intended to be multi-use, the licensed contact lens fitter must properly disinfect the diagnostic contact lenses in-between use with different consumers to avoid the transmission of disease, or related liabilities. Yet another drawback may include that, despite the fact that larger trial or diagnostic lens sets provide a higher probability of selecting the "correct" lens more effectively and efficiently, the actual procedure of utilizing the set may be confusing.

Diagnostic and corrective apparatus and method