According to this invention, a bit data comparing section has a plurality of groups each having a plurality of bit comparators. Each of the plurality of bit comparators compares one bit of address data input to the bit comparator with bit data stored in the bit comparator in advance and outputs a comparison result. Output data from a plurality of bit comparators belonging to one group are unified by one subsense line belonging to the group and input to a control terminal of a switching element. The switching element performs a switching operation in accordance with the input data. A main sense line is connected to the switching element, and a load circuit is connected between the main sense line and a power supply terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a data comparator used in a TLB (Translation Look-aside Buffer).
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional data comparator used in a TLB has an arrangement shown in FIG. 1 or 2.
The data comparator in FIG. 1 is constituted by one sense line SL, a precharge p-channel MOSFET TP connected between a precharge power supply terminal Vcc and the sense line SL, and a plurality of bit comparators CMP.
A precharge signal .phi.p is applied to the gate of the p-channel MOSFET TP, and a potential of an active level "L" is applied to this gate for a predetermined period. A ground terminal Vss may be connected to the gate of the p-channel MOSFET TP such that a ground potential is always applied to the gate.
Each of the bit comparators CMP has a memory for storing predetermined bit data. Each of the bit comparators CMP compares the bit data with one bit of comparison data A0 to An supplied outside the bit comparators CMP. As a result, when the bit data coincides with one bit of the comparison data A0 to An, the bit comparator CMP outputs the comparison result to the sense line SL.
However, in the data comparator of FIG. 1 , the output terminals of the bit comparators CMP are connected to one sense line SL. For this reason, when the number of bits of comparison data is increased, the number of the bit comparators CMP is increased. As a result, a load capacitance of the sense line SL is considerably increased. In fact, when the number of bits of the comparison data is several tens, the load capacitance of the sense line SL poses a problem.
First, the data comparator of FIG. 1 requires a long time for precharging the sense line SL by the precharge MOSFET TP. Second, when the output result obtained from one of the bit comparators CMP is different from output results obtained from the remaining bit comparators CMP, a time for defining the output result of the bit comparator CMP is disadvantageously increased.
In the data comparator of FIG. 2, comparison data is constituted by a plurality of groups (A0 to A3), (A4 to A7), (A8 to A7), (A8 to A11), . . . , (An-3 to An). Each of sense lines SL is arranged in each of the groups. As in FIG. 1, a precharge MOSFET TP is connected between a precharge power supply terminal Vcc and the sense lines SL. In addition, each of bit comparators CMP is connected to each one bit of the comparison data A0 to An, and each of the bit comparators CMP is connected to the sense line SL of the group to which corresponding bit comparators belong.
The sense lines SL are connected to the input terminals of a logic gate circuit GT. This logic gate circuit GT outputs comparison results obtained by comparing the bit data with the comparison data A0 to An.
However, in the data comparator of FIG. 2, when the number of bits of the comparison data is increased, the number of the sense lines SL is increased accordingly. For this reason, the logic gate GT having a large number of input terminals is required. Therefore, when the number of bits of the comparison data becomes, e.g., about several tens, a comparison result output speed is decreased, and the comparison results cannot be detected.


The present invention provides a lamp comprising a lamp body formed by one single device component. The device component is formed of a foil made of a bendable, elastic material. The foil exhibits a bending line near a center of the foil. The foil contains an opening for receiving the illuminating device and/or current-carrying parts. The foil is formed to a curved, central wave fold by exerting a light pressure from two sides toward the center of the foil based on the bendable and elastic properties of the foil. The curved, central wave fold ends at said bending line. The foil assumes a cap-like spatial structure based on a partial deformation along the bending line caused by the light pressure. The cap-like or hood-like foil can be then easily fixed in this spatial structure by means of a suitable tightening, clamping, or locking device. The entire lamp body is stable and fixed in this spatial structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lamp and a method for forming a lamp body out of a single device component.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
The free-market economy calls for a continuing effort for rationalization in all fields. There is a steady need for an economic manufacture of the respective products and an efficient procedure and logistics of the marketing and of the sales effort. This was the reason, for example, for interior decorating houses to introduce furniture series which are produced as component kits, where the transport requires little space, and there these component kits can then be set up and mounted by a professional or by the end user.
Such a practice can be even less observed in the field of lighting technology. The reasons for this could mainly lie with the individual and complex, three-dimensional structures of lamps, but also the type of the conventionally employed materials, preferably metal and glass, which up to now excluded the building component principle at least for qualitatively high-value lamps.
Simple lamp shades, made of rice paper or a similar material, are known, where the lamp shades are transported and stored in a folded state, and where the lamp shades are then suspended for example in the form of a balloon or an open cylinder.


A highly refractive coating composition which can be stably preserved without losing the initial properties even after preserved for extended periods of time. The coating composition contains a metal oxide, a polymerizable alkoxysilane compound, a polymerization catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent, wherein an organoamine compound is contained in an amount of from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide. A method of producing the coating composition comprises mixing a metal oxide suspension containing an organoamine compound in an amount of not smaller than 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide, a polymerizable alkoxysilane compound, a polymerization catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent, wherein the organoamine compound is removed so that the amount thereof is from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide contained in said metal oxide suspension.

The present invention relates to a coating composition for forming a transparent film on the surfaces of plastic lenses, the transparent film exhibiting excellent abrasion resistance, resistance against chemicals and weather-proof property, and to a method of producing the same.
Owing to their features such as small weight, safety, easy machinability and fashionableness which are not found in the glass lenses, plastic lenses have been widely used in recent years. However, a diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate resin lens that is generally used has a refractive index of 1.50 which is smaller than that of the glass, and the outer circumference of the lens tends to become thick. In the field of plastic lenses, therefore, efforts have been made to reduce the thickness by developing highly refractive plastic lenses.
The plastic lenses, however, are subject to be easily scratched and it is a widely accepted practice to apply a silicone coating film onto the surfaces of the plastic lenses. The silicone coating film is usually formed by applying a coating composition (hereinafter also referred to as lowly refractive coating composition) comprising chiefly a fine silica powder, a polymerizable organosilane compound, a polymerizing catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent onto the surfaces of the plastic lenses, followed by heating to cure the composition and to vaporize the solvent as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 2735/1982.
When a highly refractive plastic lens having a refractive index of not smaller than 1.54 is coated with a lowly refractive coating composition, however, there occur interference stripes due to a difference in the refractive index between the plastic lens and the coated film deteriorating the appearance.
In order to solve this problem, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 264805/1993 discloses a coating composition in which a fine silica powder which is a component of the coating composition is substituted by a composite metal oxide such as of Sb, Ti, Zr or Sn having a highly refractive index. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 245523/1998 discloses a coating composition using a composite metal oxide such as of Ti, Ce or Sn, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 306258/1998 teaches a coating composition using a composite metal oxide of Ti, Sn or Zr. Moreover, Japanese Patent No. 2577486, discloses a coating composition using a metal oxide which is an oxide of tungsten coated with a tin oxide. A coating composition using a metal oxide having a refractive index higher than that of the fine silica powder is hereinafter referred to as highly refractive coating composition.
When preserved for extended periods of time, however, the above highly refractive coating composition no longer exhibits the initial property of the coated film due probably to that the initial composition changes by the reaction among the components in the composition while being preserved.
It is an object of,the present invention to provide a highly refractive coating composition which can be stably preserved without losing the initial properties even after preserved for extended periods of time.
In order to solve problems inherent in the prior art, the present inventors have conducted keen study and have discovered the fact that the preservation stability is affected by an organoamine compound which is contained as a dispersant in a metal oxide suspension that is a starting material and is, hence, inevitably contained in the conventional highly refractive coating composition. A further study revealed that upon suppressing the content of the organoamine compound within a particular range, preservation stability of the coating composition could be markedly improved, and the inventors have thus completed the invention.
That is, the present invention is concerned with a coating composition containing a metal oxide, a polymerizable alkoxysilane compound, a polymerization catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent, wherein an organoamine compound is contained in an amount of from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide.
The invention is further concerned with a method of producing a coating composition by mixing a metal oxide suspension containing an organoamine compound in an amount of not smaller than 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide, a polymerizable alkoxysilane compound, a polymerization catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent, wherein the organoamine compound is removed so that the amount thereof is from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide contained in said metal oxide suspension.
In the above production method of the invention, the organoamine compound is favorably removed by bringing the metal oxide suspension containing the organoamine compound in an amount of not smaller than 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide into contact with a cation exchanger, or by bringing a mixture of said metal oxide suspension and at least one of other components into contact with the cation-exchange member.
The coating composition of the invention contains a metal oxide, a polymerizable alkoxysilane compound, a polymerization catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent.
There is no particular limitation on the metal oxide used for the coating composition of the present invention provided it is an oxide of a metal. There can be used any known metal oxide that: has heretofore been used for the lowly refractive or highly refractive coating compositions. Among these metal oxides, it is desired to use oxides of one or two or more kinds of metals selected from Al, Ti, Fe, In, Zr, Au, Ag, Sn, Sb, W and Ce, or a metal oxide containing composite oxides of these metals and, particularly, to use oxides of at least one or two or more kinds of metals selected from Al, Ti, Fe, Zr, Sn, Sb and W from the standpoint of abrasion resistance and large refractive index of the obtained coated film. It is also allowable to use these metal oxides in combination with silicon dioxide from the standpoint of adjusting the refractive index. In this case, the blending amount may be determined depending upon a desired refractive index of the coated film.
Though there is no particular limitation, it is desired that the metal oxide used in the present invention has an average particle diameter of from 1 to 300 nm so will not to impair the transparency of the obtained coated film. The metal oxide having such particle diameters is usually used being dispersed in a dispersing medium such as water, alcohol or any other organic solvent just like in the conventional coating composition. Generally, the metal oxide is colloidally dispersed to prevent the particles from being coagulated.
The amount of the metal oxide blended in the coating composition of the present invention is suitably determined depending upon the kind of the metal oxide and use of the coated film that is finally obtained, and is desirably from 20 to 70% by weight of the weight (mass) of the coated film that is finally formed. When the blending amount of the metal oxide on the above basis is smaller than 20% by weight, the coated film fails to exhibit abrasion resistance to a sufficient degree. When the blending amount exceeds 70% by weight, the coated film tends to be cracked. The weight of the coated film that is finally formed is substantially the weight of the metal oxide plus the weight of the polymerizable alkoxysilane compound that is polymerized and condensed as will be described later.
As the polymerizable alkoxysilane compound used for the coating composition of the present invention, there can be used, without limitation, any known alkoxysilane compound that has heretofore been used in the lowly refractive and highly refractive coating compositions as taught in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) N. 38419/1989 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 116843/1999.
Concrete examples of the alkoxysilane compound include vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, vinyldimethoxyethoxysilane, xcex3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, xcex3-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, xcex3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, xcex3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane, xcex2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethytrimethoxysilane, xcex3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, allyltrialkoxysilane, and acryloxypropyltrialkoxysilane, which may be partly or entirely hydrolyzed or may be partly condensed.
Among them, from the standpoint of adhesive to the lens and crosslinking property, it is desired to use xcex3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, xcex3-glycidoxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane, as well as a partly hydrolyzed product thereof or a partly condensed product thereof. The above alkoxysilane compounds may be used in one kind only or in plural kinds in combination.
In the coating composition of the present invention, it is desired that the polymerizable alkoxysilane compound is used in a form of at least partly hydrolyzed by being mixed with an acidic aqueous solution in advance or in a form in which the hydrolyzed product is partly condensed from the standpoint of improving the coating property.
It is desired that the coating composition of the present invention is blended with the alkoxysilane in an amount of from 30 to 80% by weight per the total weight of the coated film that is finally formed.
When the amount is smaller than 30% by weight, the coated film is often cracked. When the amount exceeds 80% by weight, on the other hand, the coated film fails to exhibit abrasion resistance to a sufficient degree.
The polymerization catalyst used for the coating composition of the present invention may be the one capable of polymerizing the above polymerizable organic silane compound. There can be used, without limitation, any known polymerization catalyst used for the conventional lowly refractive and highly refractive coating compositions as taught in Japanese Examined Patent Publications (Kokoku) Nos. 2735/1982 and 50774/1991.
Concrete examples of the polymerization catalyst include perchlorates such as magnesium perchlorate, aluminum perchlorate, zinc perchlorate and ammonium perchlorate; metal acetylacetonates such as aluminum acetylacetonate, indium acetylacetonate, chromium acetylacetonate, nickel acetylacetonate, titanium acetylacetonate, cobalt acetylacetonate and copper acetylacetonate; organometal salts such as sodium acetate, zinc naphthenate, cobalt naphthenate and zinc octylate; and Lewis acids such as stannic chloride, aluminum chloride, ferric chloride, titanium chloride, zinc chloride and antimony chloride. In particular, there can be preferably used magnesium perchlorate and aluminum acetylacetonate.
Though there is no particular limitation, it is desired that the polymerization catalyst is blended in an amount of from 0.01 to 5.0 parts by weight and, particularly, from 0.1 to 3.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the polymerizable alkoxysilane compound.
As the acidic aqueous solution used for the coating composition of the invention, any known acid can be used without limitation provided it is capable of hydrolyzing and condensing the alkoxysilane compound. Examples of the above acid include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid; and organic acids such as acetic acid and propionic acid. Among them, it is desired to use hydrochloric acid from the standpoint of preservation stability of the coating composition and hydrolyzing property. Desirably, the hydrochloric acid aqueous solution has a concentration of from 0.01 N to 5 N. It is desired that the amount of water in the acidic aqueous solution is from 0.1 to 3 times as great mole number as the total mol number of the alkoxyl groups finally hydrolyzed in the polymerizable alkoxysilane compound.
Any known solvent can be used for the coating composition of the present invention provided it is capable of dissolving the above-mentioned polymerizable alkoxysilane compound, capable of dispersing the metal oxide in a fine particulate state, and has a volatile property. Examples of the solvent include alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol and butanol-; lower alcohol esters such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and propyl acetate; ethers such as cellosolve and dioxane; ketones such as acetone; halogenated hydrocarbons such as methylene chloride; and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene. These solvents may be used alone or being mixed in two or more kinds together.
Among these solvents, it is particularly desired to use methanol, isopropahol, t-butyl alcohol and dioxane from the standpoint of dissolving a hydrochloric acid aqueous solution used as an acid, easy vaporization at the time of forming the coated film and smoothly forming the coated film.
Though there is no particular limitation, it is desired to use the solvent in an amount of from 100 parts by weight to 2000 parts by weight and, particularly, from 300 to 1000 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the coated film that is finally formed.
The coating composition of the present invention may contain one or two or more additives selected from surfactant, ultraviolet ray-absorbing agent, antioxidant, antistatic agent, dye, pigment, fluorescent dye, photochromic compound, or weather-proof stabilizers such as hindered amines or hindered phenols in addition to the above-mentioned essential components.
The pigments and dyes used for the coating composition of the present invention may be those of either the organic ones or inorganic ones provided they dissolve or disperse homogeneously in the coating composition. As the organic solvent, there can be used azo pigment, anthraquinone pigment, phthalocyanine pigment, naphthalocyanine pigment, quinacridone pigment, dioxazine pigment, indigoid pigment, triphenyl pigment, and xanthene pigment. As the inorganic pigment, there can be used a cobalt blue pigment and ultramarine. As the dye, there can be used hitroso dye, nitro dye, azo dye, stilbeneazo dye, ketoimine dye, triphenylmethane dye, xanthene dye, acridine dye, quinoline dye, methine dye, polymethine dye, thiazole dye, indamine die, indophenol dye, azine dye, oxazine dye, thiazine dye, sulfur dye, aminoketone dye, oxyketone dye, anthraquinone dye, indigoid dye and phthalocyanine dye.
In the conventional coating composition as described above, fine particles of the metal oxide colloidally dispersed in a dispersing medium such as water, alcohol or any other organic solvent (hereinafter also referred to simply as colloidal solution) is used as a metal oxide. Usually, the colloidal solution that is available contains an organic amine compound as a dispersing agent for the metal oxide fine particles in an amount of about 2% by weight of the metal oxide. The conventional coating composition is used by passing the colloidal solution through a simple treatment such as filter and, hence, inevitably contains the organoamine compound in amounts of 2% by weight on the basis of the metal oxide.
In the coating composition of the present invention, on the other hand, the amount of the organoamine compound is suppressed to be from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight with respect to the weight of the metal oxide as will be described later in detail with reference to the method of production.
Upon suppressing the amount of the organoamine compound to lie within the above-mentioned range, it is allowed to lengthen the preservation term, and the coated film exhibits a high durability equivalent to that of when the coating composition is cured over extended periods of time. From the standpoint of maintaining a high preservation stability, it is desired that the content of the organic amine is from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight and, particularly from 0.1 to 1.0% by weight with respect to the metal oxide.
The organoamine compound of the present invention is an amine compound that can be used as a dispersant in a colloidal solution. Concrete examples of this compound include alkylamines such as ethylamine, triethylamine, n-propylamine and isopropylamine; aralkylamines such as benzylamine; alicyclic amines such as piperidine; and alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine and triethanolamine.
Though there is no particular limitation, the coating composition according to the present invention is preferably produced according to a method described below.
That is, the coating composition is favorably produced by mixing a metal oxide suspension containing an organoamine compound in an amount of not smaller than 1.3% by weight with respect to a metal oxide, an alkoxysilane compound, a polymerization catalyst, an acidic aqueous solution and a solvent, wherein the organoamine compound is removed so that the amount thereof is from 0.05 to 1.3% by weight with respect to the metal oxide contained in the colloidal solution.
In the above-mentioned production method, there is no particular limitation on removing the organoamine compound, and it is desired to bring the colloidal solution into contact with an organoamine-treating agent, or to bring a mixture of the colloidal solution and at least one of any other component into contact with the organoamine-treating agent.
Here, the organoamine-removing agent may be a cation exchanger such as cation-exchange resin or cation-exchange membrane; or a removing agent such as silica gel, alumina, zeolite, aluminosilicagel, molecular sieve or activated carbon. Among these organoamine-removing agents, it is desired to use a cation exchange member and, particularly, a cation exchange resin from the standpoint of obtaining a high organoamine-removing efficiency and easily separating the organoamine-removing agent.
In removing the organoamine compound by using the organoamine-removing agent in the production method of the present invention, the organic amine compound may be removed at any step while producing the coating composition by mixing all of the essential components. It is, however, desired to remove the organoamine compound after the colloidal solution has been mixed with the solvent from the standpoint of preventing the fine metal oxide powder from being coagulated and preventing the reaction that takes place when the organoamine-removing agent comes into contact with the organosilane compound.
The amount of the organoamine-removing agent used here varies depending upon the kind and amount of the organoamine compound that is contained and upon the kind of the removing agent, and cannot be definitely determined. The amount of the organoamine-removing agent should be suitably determined by conducting experiment in advance to examine a relationship between the amount of the removing agent and the amount the organoamine compound that is removed for each of the systems, and based on the relationship that is found.
The organoamine compound can be removed by any method of bringing the organoamine-removing agent into contact with the organoamine in the colloidal solution or in the mixture solution by adding the organoamine-removing agent to the colloidal solution or to the mixture of the colloidal solution and at least one of any other component, followed by stirring, or by passing the mixture solution through a column filled with the organoamine-removing agent. When the organoamine-removing agent is added and stirred, the organoamine-removing agent after the treatment may be isolated and removed by filtering or the like.
The colloidal solution or the mixture of the colloidal solution and other component from which the organoamine compound has been removed is mixed with other components (any one of alkoxysilane compound, acidic aqueous solution, polymerization catalyst or solvent that is lacking) necessary for constituting the coating composition, thereby to prepare a coating solution of the present invention.
The thus produced coating composition of the present invention is, as required, filtered to remove foreign matters, and is applied onto the surfaces of a base member such as of plastic lenses, and is dried and cured to form a coated film.
The coated film formed of a coating composition of the present invention containing a metal oxide such as of Al, Ti, Fe, In, Zr, Au, Ag, Sn, Sb, W or Ce or a composite oxide thereof, exhibits a high refractive index and can be used as a variety kinds of reflection-preventing coatings.
In applying the coating composition of the present invention, it is recommended to subject the surfaces of the base member to the treatment with an alkali, treatment with an acid, polishing, treatment with a plasma or primer treatment in order to improve intimate adhesion between the base member and the coated film.
As the base member to be coated with the coating composition of the present invention, there can be exemplified various spectacle lenses, camera lenses, liquid crystal displays, windowpanes for automobiles, plastic panels and the like optical articles made of a highly refractive urethane resin, a highly refractive allylcarbonate resin, a (meth)acrylate resin, a diethyleneglycolbisallyl carbonate homo- or copolymer, a diallylphthalate resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polystyrene resin, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyethylene terephthalate, a polysulfone resin or a glass. The interference stripes do not appear even when the coating composition is applied onto the highly refractive spectacle lenses of an urethane resin having a refractive index of not smaller than 1.54 obtained by the polymerization of, for example, a thiol compound and an isocyanate compound. Therefore, an improved abrasion resistance is imparted without deteriorating aesthetic nature.
The above method of the present invention can be used without any particular limitation for applying the coating composition of the present invention onto the surfaces of base members of the above-mentioned plastic molded articles. For example, there is usually employed a method of immersing the molded article in a solution of the coating composition or a method of applying the solution by spraying, by using a brush or by using a roller.
After applied, the coating composition is dried in the dry air or in the air, and is heat-treated so as to be cured thereby to form a coated film. The heating temperature may vary depending upon the base material but is usually not lower than 80xc2x0 C. and, preferably, not lower than 100xc2x0 C. up to a temperature at which the base member is not deformed and, usually, not higher than 150xc2x0 C. The curing time is roughly 2 hours at 130xc2x0 C. and about 2 to about 5 hours at 100 to 120xc2x0 C. The coated film that is formed by being cured may have a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 50 xcexcm. When applied to the spectacle lenses, however, the coated film has a thickness of, particularly desirably, from 1 to 10 xcexcm.

Coating composition and method preparation thereof


A center robot is fixed approximately in a central portion of a process part. A coating unit, a drying unit, a transfer unit, a peeling unit, a film supplying unit and a reversing unit are arranged around the center robot. The center robot comprises a hand-for-substrate and a hand-for-film which are allowed to directly access the respective units. Within a process part, the center robot transports a sheet film and/or a substrate between the coating unit, the drying unit, the transfer unit and the film supplying unit, and a thin film is formed on the substrate using the sheet film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film forming apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate using a sheet film, and a film supplying mechanism, a film cassette, a transportation mechanism and a transportation method which can be used in such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the recent years, it has became necessary to use a thin film forming method suitably applicable to a large area size as wafers used during manufacturing of LSIs have became larger in diameter, liquid crystal panels have became larger in area size, etc. In addition, in the field of multilevel interconnection techniques among techniques for manufacturing LSIs, the surface of an insulation film needs be planarized accurately to realize multilevel interconnections. Hence, there are increasing demands for larger area sizes and better surface planarization techniques for planarization of surfaces during fabrication of thin films. In an effort to meet these demands, thin film forming techniques for forming a thin film on a substrate by a pressure transfer method have been proposed.
This type of thin film forming apparatus may be an apparatus which is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 2001-135634 for instance. In this apparatus, a thin film is disposed on a substrate in accordance with thin film forming steps that are shown in FIGS. 18A through 18D. First, as shown in FIG. 18A, a substrate W, such as a semiconductor wafer and a glass substrate for liquid crystal panel, is placed on a specimen holder in such a manner that electrode interconnections 111 formed on a surface of the substrate W direct themselves toward above. In this example, the surface 112 seating the electrode interconnections 111 serves as a thin film bearing surface on which a thin film is to be disposed through steps described below.
Next, as shown in FIG. 18B, a sheet film F whose surface already seats an insulation film 121 is mounted to a transfer plate which is located above the specimen holder to face the specimen holder. In this example, the insulation film 121 is the thin film that is to be transferred onto the substrate W. The insulation film 121 is located so as to face the thin film bearing surface 112 of the substrate W that is placed on the specimen holder. The specimen holder is moved toward the transfer plate and the substrate W and the sheet film F are accordingly brought into contact with each other. Thereafter, the substrate W and the sheet film F are pressed against each other as denoted at the arrows in FIG. 18B for a certain period of time while heating the substrate W to a predetermined temperature. As a result, the substrate W and the sheet film F tightly adhere to each other with the insulation film 121 inserted between the two, and a tightly adhered object is obtained.
The tightly adhered object is taken out from a thin film forming chamber and the sheet film F is peeled off as shown in FIG. 18C, whereby the substrate W which seats the insulation film 121 as that shown in FIG. 18D is obtained.
By the way, for the purpose of forming a thin film using the apparatus described above, it is necessary to retrieve a pre-transfer substrate out from a substrate cassette and place the same on a specimen holder. The other hand, it is necessary to retrieve an unused sheet film F out from a film cassette and apply a surface of the sheet film F with the insulation film 121 using a coating apparatus. Furthermore, the film F with the insulation film 121 is placed on a transfer stage of the thin film forming apparatus. It is also necessary, after transfer, to retrieve the tightly adhered object bearing the transferred thin film (which is obtained by joining the substrate W and the sheet film F through the insulation film 121) out from the thin film forming apparatus, and thereafter peel off only the sheet film F from the tightly adhered object using a peeling apparatus of the thin film forming apparatus. The sheet film F and/or the substrate W are thus transported between the respective apparatuses. The transportation of the sheet film F, the substrate W and the like is performed manually by an operator according to conventional techniques. Hence, the processing efficiency is poor, which serves as one of major causes of deterioration in throughput. This has gave rise to a strong demand for efficiently supplying of sheet films, a handling (holding/transporting) technique.
Further, once human operators handle transportation of sheet films, particles may adhere to the sheet films or heat may dissipate from the sheet films. This makes it difficult to control heat histories and leads to deterioration in product quality of thin films and even a drop in production yield, which is a problem. There is another problem that a large floor space is necessary to install the apparatus. While automated transportation of sheet films is indispensable to solve these problems, there has been no handling technique that is suitable to such automation.

Thin film forming apparatus, film supplier, film cassette, transport mechanism and transport method


A picture phone apparatus includes an image picking section which picks up a picture data; a display section; a substitution picture storage section which stores a substitution picture data; an image processing section and a communication processing section. The image processing section checks whether the picked-up picture data is valid or invalid, retrieves the substitution picture data from the substitution picture storage section to output as transmission picture data when it is determined that the picked-up picture data is invalid, sets the picked-up picture data as the transmission picture data when it is determined that the picked-up picture data is valid, and encodes the transmission picture data. The communication processing section multiplexes the encoded transmission picture data and transmission audio data into transmission data and transmits the transmission data to a counter station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a picture phone apparatus which checks whether picture data is valid or invalid and a picture phone system using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A picture phone apparatus has a function of communication with sound and a function of transmitting a picture of a user and a background picture to a counter station. In recent years, the picture phone apparatus is downsized as development of semiconductor technology and electronic technology. Recently, the models of a portable phone and PHS (Personal Handyphone System) telephone, which are provided with a camera, are becoming mainstream. In future, the picture phone apparatus seems to be widely used, allowing picture phone communication while it has the same functions and the same size as the present portable phone.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional picture phone apparatus 300. The picture phone apparatus 300 can communicate by the radio wave through a public radio communication network (not shown) in real time. The picture phone apparatus 300 is composed of an imaging section 301, an image processing section 302, a multiplier 303, a display section 304, a communication control section 305, a separator 306, an audio processing section 307, a receiver 308, a transmitter 309 and an operation section 310.
The imaging section 301 includes a CCD camera and an image processor and is installed on an upper portion of a housing. The image processing section 302 compresses and converts picture data picked up by the imaging section 301 into transmission picture data. The multiplier 303 multiplexes the transmission picture data and transmission audio data, and outputs transmission data to the communication processing section 305. The display section 304 displays input data from the operation section 310, reception picture data and the picked-up picture data on a liquid crystal display (not shown). The communication processing section 305 controls communication with the public radio communication network. The separator 306 separates reception data into the reception picture data and reception sound data. The audio processing section 307 converts voice of a user supplied from the microphone 309 into the transmission sound data, and drives the speaker 308 to output the reception sound data from the separator 306. The operation section 310 includes alphanumeric keys which are used for input data and instructions.
As shown in FIG. 1, the picture data picked up by the imaging section 301 is encoded by the image processing section 302. The encoded picture data is sent to the multiplier 303 as the transmission picture data, and is multiplexed with the transmission audio data from the audio processing section 307 into the transmission data. The transmission data is transmitted to the public radio communication network by the communication processing section 305.
However, when the picture phone apparatus has a fold-type structure like a fold-type portable phone, an invalid picture such as a black picture is sent to the counter station when the picture phone apparatus is in a fold state or a lens cap is attached on a lens portion of the imaging section 301.
In order to solve this problem, the following technique is proposed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 10-98702). In this conventional example, a camera is provided to be popped up from the body of the picture phone apparatus. By operating the switch in conjunction with the popping of the camera, the transmission of the picked-up picture data to a counter station is prevented when the camera is stored, and is permitted when the camera is popped up. Also, in the transmission permission of the picture data, reception picture data is displayed. In the transmission prohibition of the picture data, the picture data picked-up by the camera is displayed only on the display section 304 of the picture phone apparatus, and is not transmitted to the counter station.
However, in the conventional picture phone apparatus, the picture data picked up by the camera is transmitted without checking whether the picture data is valid or invalid. For this reason, the picture data picked up by the camera under improper environment, e.g., in a dark place is transmitted to the counter station, which makes a user of the counter station uncomfortable.
In conjunction with the above description, a TV telephone is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 6-62395). In this conventional example, a storage unit stores picture data previously picked up by an imaging device. When a user of a receiver can not reply to a call at once, the picture data stored previously and speech data are synthesized into transmission data which is transmitted to a transmitter.
Also, an image processing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2000-287061A). In this conventional example, input bit map data is divided into blocks in accordance with block division positions indicating blocks of the whole final output image. It is checked whether each block is an invalid block which does not exist in the input bit map data. All valid blocks other than the invalid blocks are encoded.
Also, a communication terminal is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2002-77840A). In this conventional communication terminal, reception picture data is generally displayed on a display unit. A storage unit stores a substitution picture data. Every time a user inputs a display switching instruction from a key input section during the communication, display picture data is alternately switched between the reception picture data and the substitution picture data.
Also, a mobile phone terminal is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2002-125263A). In this conventional example, a control unit displays reception electric field intensity on a display section based on an electric field intensity signal from a radio communication section. During the picture communication, an electric field intensity display image is added to picture data picked up by an imaging section to be transmitted as transmission picture data. Also, when an alarm is generated from the control unit to indicate degradation of communication quality, an alarm image stored in a memory is added to the picture data picked up by the imaging section and transmitted or a substitution image stored in a storage is transmitted.
Also, an image processing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2002-247330A). In this conventional example, a valid image region and an invalid image region are separated from an image of a manuscript. A region determination image is generated based on the separation result to contain data of the valid image region and the invalid image region. An image processing section sets the invalid image region from a setting value by a user and the data of the valid image region and the invalid image region.
Also, a picture phone apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2002-354436A). An imaging device picks up a user to produce picked-up picture data. EEPROM previously stores substitution picture data. A CG processing section selects one of the picked-up picture data and the substitution picture data in accordance with an instruction and the selected picture data is transmitted as transmission data.

Picture phone apparatus which checks validity of picture and picture phone system using the same


The present invention, generally speaking, provides a method of obtaining very accurate estimates of the phase and amplitude distortions introduced by radio frequency or microwave power amplifiers even where polar modulation is used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to feedback correction for power amplifier linearization.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many methods for extending the upper limit of the power range of an amplifier. These are all intended to compensate for the more-or-less non-linear nature of the amplifier, particularly as the voltage waveform nears the upper and lower limits of the physically-achievable voltage range. Linearity compensation methods fall into two general categories: feed forward and feedback linearization. The methods discussed herein are of the feedback type.
There are two general types of feedback methods for linearization of RF or microwave power amplifiers, namely polar and Cartesian. The polar method of feedback correction compares both the output phase and amplitude to the input phase and amplitude of the amplifier and adjusts (predistorts) the input to account for the distortions introduced by the amplifier. The Cartesian method compares the output in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components with the input in-phase and quadrature components and predistorts the input to compensate for the errors introduced by the amplifier. In terms of accuracy, Cartesian feedback offers much higher precision and dynamic range. For instance, it is far easier to maintain linearity in mixers and baseband amplifiers (Cartesian feedback) than in an RF or microwave power detector used to estimate the amplitude of the envelope (polar feedback).
Polar modulation techniques applicable to radiotelephone communications are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,377,784 and 6,864,668 of the present assignee, entitled HIGH-EFFICIENCY MODULATING RF AMPLIFIER and HIGH-EFFICIENCY AMPLIFIER OUTPUT LEVEL AND BURST CONTROL, respectively, filed Feb. 9, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference. In polar modulation, the phase of the output signal is controlled by modulating the phase of a constant envelope drive signal applied to the amplifier. The amplitude is varied by controlling the DC supply voltage to the power amplifier. Ideally, these DC supply voltage variations would transfer perfectly to the RF envelope, but in practice the conversion is impaired by non-linear effects, characterized as AM-to-AM (amplitude modulation) distortions and AM-to-PM (phase modulation) distortions. Both these types of errors degrade the power spectral density and the EVM (error vector magnitude) of the desired signal.
The accuracy of commonly-used power detectors is inadequate for the precision needed to prevent significant distortions to the spectrum and EVM. For this reason, some circuits have used a Cartesian feedback detector (or IQ demodulator as it is sometimes called).
Unfortunately, the reference for the in-phase and quadrature mixers of a Cartesian feedback detector is not readily available in a polar-modulation-based transmitter. In such a transmitter, the modulated signal does not exist until the fmal amplifier output. At this point the signal has already been impaired by distortions in the amplifier. One possible solution would be to generate another set of signals that includes both amplitude and phase modulation. However, new signals represent a potential for the creation of even more non-linear distortion. Furthermore, in frequency-hopping applications, it would be necessary to hop these references also, adding substantial complexity.
One possibility would be to simply use the I/Q baseband signal (before conversion to polar) as a reference. The approach would then would be to sample the high-power output signal, down-convert it to baseband and compare it to the baseband I/Q reference This approach, however, requires generation of a separate LO frequency which is necessary to downconvert the signal. Moreover, even if such a reference signal were created, it would still not allow for correction of impairments in the power amplifier.

Hybrid polar modulator differential phase Cartesian feedback correction circuit for power amplifier linearization

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A multi-channel, multi-port bi-directional optical tap coupler with an alignment base element, a pair of sub-assemblies located at opposite ends of the alignment base element, focusing elements located next to each sub-assembly, and an optical filter adjacent to, and in-between the focusing elements is described. The first sub-assembly has an array of waveguides with each waveguide having a radial offset and an azimuthal position with respect to a center axis of the array. The first array includes transmission waveguides and receiving waveguides and each receiving waveguide has a corresponding transmission wave guide that is separated by an azimuthal angle of 180 degrees. The second sub-assembly has a second array of waveguides including a wave guide having the same radial offset and the same azimuthal position for each of the transmission wave and receiving guides of the first array.

The use of optical fiber for the transmission of communication signals is rapidly growing in importance due to its high bandwidth, low attenuation, and other distinct advantages such as radiation immunity, small size, and light weight. In optical communication networks, it is often necessary or desirable to split the optical signal into parts having either predetermined proportions of the original signal intensity in order to monitor the state of the communication system, or to split optical frequencies for multiplexing independent signals. A device having the capability of extracting a portion of the optical signal intensity from a communication channel is herein referred to as an optical tap coupler, and a device capable of combining or separating optical frequency components in an optical communications signal is herein referred to as a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM).
Presently, and in future optical networks, the desired properties of optical tap couplers include tight control of the proportions of the split optical signals, low insertion loss, and minimizing variations in modal and polarization states as well as signal spectrum. In addition, in communication systems where higher data rates are achieved by transmitting aggregated data rates over parallel fibers, it is important to reduce the form factor of optical tap couplers in order to achieve high density in optical networks employing the monitoring function.
State of the art optical tap couplers do not provide the means of achieving all of the above mentioned desirable characteristics. The most commonly used technology based on fused biconical tapered optical fibers are spectral and modal dependent. Therefore, when these tap couplers are installed in optical networks utilizing multimode fiber, a significant degradation in the network performance results. Other optical taps technologies based on lensing and filtering technology have reduced or negligible degradation on network performance; however, they require multiple components to support channels operating over parallel transmission lanes. Deploying multiple optical tap couplers for channels utilizing parallel optics significantly increases system cost and size, while reducing channel reliability. In practice, size and cost scale with the number of parallel fibers. For example, the transmission of 100 Gbps Ethernet over 10 parallel lanes of multimode fiber (100GBASE-SR10), utilizing full duplex optical tap couplers based on filter technology, requires more than 40 lenses, 20 filters, and other multiple components.
In traditional fiber network systems, the optical transmitter on one end is connected to the optical receiver at the other end via a fiber optic cable. With such a system, two fibers are required to complete a full duplex circuit, one fiber connects an optical transmitter at the near end to an optical receiver at the distal end and the other fiber connects an optical receiver at the near end to an optical transmitter at the distal end. Bi-directional fiber optic transceivers, on the other hand, are capable sending and receiving optical signals on only one fiber. The signal moving in one directional is transmitted at a different wavelength from the signal moving in the opposite direction. Although only a single fiber is required, in a typical bi-directional system, a second fiber may be used to double the traffic capacity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Multi-channel, multi-port optical tap coupler


A massage device includes a shaft and an axle rotatably engaged in a housing and aligned with each other. The shaft has a bevel gear and the axle has a worm gear. Two motors are coupled to the shaft and the axle for driving the shaft and the axle individually. A rod and a pole are rotatably engaged in the housing and each has a bevel gear and a worm gear for engaging with that of the shaft and the axle. Two massage members are coupled to the rod and the pole for allowing the massage members to be actuated individually by the motors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a massage device, and more particularly to a massage device having two or more massage members that are driven by two or more separated driving mechanisms for allowing the massage members to be operated individually.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical massage devices comprise a number of massage members to be rotated or moved for massaging the user. However, the massage members are coupled together by a rather complicated coupling mechanism such that the massage device may not be easily manufactured and assembled and such that the manufacturing cost is greatly increased. In addition, the massage members are coupled together such that the massage members should be driven simultaneously and may not be operated individually.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional massage devices.

Massage device having two individually driven massage members

No. 26-23, Tien Chong Yian Lane, Yuan Lin Town


An adjustable spring grounding pin for grounding separate parts of an electrical device, for example end shields and a stator of an electric motor, automatically adjusts its circumferential dimension to provide a tight grounding fit between aligned holes of different interior diameters in the end shields and the stator of the device as the grounding pin is driven into the aligned holes.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an adjustable spring grounding pin for grounding three separate parts of an electrical device, for example two end shields and a stator of an electric motor. In particular, the invention pertains to a grounding pin that automatically adjusts its circumferential dimension to provide a tight grounding fit between aligned holes of different interior diameters in end shields and a stator of an electrical device as the grounding pin is driven into the aligned holes.
(2) Description of the Related Art
An electrical device such as an electric motor typically includes the basic component parts of a stator, a pair of end shields mounted over axially opposite ends of the stator, and a rotor. The rotor is positioned in a center bore of the stator with opposite ends of the rotor shaft being mounted for rotation in bearings or bushings in the opposite end shields of the motor.
FIG. 1 shows the basic construction of an electric motor of the type commonly used in household appliances. The motor is comprised of the pair of end shields 12, 14 containing the stator 16. The rotor (not shown) is positioned inside the stator 16 and the end shields 12, 14 support the opposite ends of the rotor shaft 18. On the particular motor shown, each of the end shields 12, 14 has four legs 22, 24 that extend over the peripheral edges of the stator laminations. The distal ends of the legs are secured together by adhesive or by other equivalent means.
Where motors of the type shown in FIG. 1 are employed in household appliances such as dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes dryers, it is very important that the electric motor be properly grounded to protect users of the appliance. One of the motor end shields 12, 14 is usually provided with a ground terminal that is electrically connected to a ground connection of the appliance. The ground connection of the appliance in turn is grounded through a three-prong outlet plug or through a separate ground, for example a ground connection to a cold water pipe of the household.
Component parts of the motor, i.e., the end shields 12, 14 and the stator 16 are often ground connected together by a ground pin 26 that is received in aligned holes in the stator and the end shields. The prior art ground pin 26 is a conductive pin of solid metal having a cylindrical exterior surface and flat circular end surfaces. The pin is usually constructed of a harder metal than that of the end shields and stator laminations to enable the pin to be driven into the stator hole without bending the pin. The ground pin 26 is often installed by first drilling or reaming holes through the soft metal of the end shield legs 22, 24 and into the harder metal of the laminations of the stator 16. To provide grounding contact with both end shields, the grounding pin hole 28 is usually drilled between mating surfaces of the legs, as shown in FIG. 1. The pin 26 would then be manually pressed or hammered into the aligned holes.
This prior art method of grounding motor parts was found to be disadvantaged in that, because the metal of the end shields, and in particular the end shield legs 22, 24, is usually softer than the metal of the laminations of the stator 16, when the hole is formed through the end shield legs and into the stator it would often result in the hole 28 through the end shield legs being slightly larger than the hole 32 formed in the stator. This would occur due to the material of the end shield legs being softer than the material of the stator laminations, and also due to the positioning of the ground pin hole, the hole being drilled through the two mating surfaces of the end shield legs and then into the stator. The dimension of the hole 32 drilled into the stator would be chosen to provide a tight friction fit of the ground pin 26 in the stator hole. If the hole 28 through the end shield legs is larger than the stator hole 32 by 0.006 of an inch, with the ground pin outer diameter being sized to fit tightly into the interior diameter of the stator hole, it is possible that the ground pin would not make contact with the end shield legs or would only make sufficient grounding contact with one of the end shield legs, resulting in the motor not being grounded or only one end shield of the motor being grounded with the possibility of the opposite end shield being live. In order for the motor to have a proper ground, the ground pin 26 must make contact with the stator and both end shields at all times.


A friction stir welding method in which a base having a recess, and a cover for fitting into and closing the opening of the recess are prepared. A stepped portion on the inner circumferential surface of the recess at an intermediate depth allows a peripheral portion of the cover to rest thereon. A cylindrical holder portion having a cooling-medium accommodation recess is formed integrally with the outer surface of the cover. The cover is fitted into the recess and placed on the stepped portion. A cooling medium is placed in the cooling-medium accommodation recess. A friction-stir-welding tool probe is plunged into a peripheral portion of the base around an opening of the recess and into a peripheral portion of the cover. During rotation of the probe, the base, and the cover, and the probe undergo relative movement, friction-stir-welding the base and the cover together.

The friction stir welding method is a solid-phase joining method, and thus has an advantage that deformation or cracking caused by thermal strain is less likely to arise as compared with an arc welding process, such as TIG or MIG. Also, when the arc welding process is employed for joining workpieces of a light metal, such as aluminum, in such a manner as to have a weld penetration depth of 5 mm or greater, multi-layer welding is required. Thus, the number of steps increases. Also, due to occurrence of a blowhole defect or hot cracking, there arises a problem of deterioration in joining quality. Meanwhile, even in the case of a weld penetration depth of 5 mm or greater, an electron beam welding process can achieve joining by a single pass. However, since electron beam welding must be carried out within a vacuum, apparatus cost increases. Furthermore, since the beam diameter is small, the dimensional accuracy of beveling and positioning accuracy must be enhanced. Thus, associated setup work is rather troublesome. By contrast, in joining with a joint depth of up to about 25 mm, the friction stir welding method can readily achieve joining by a single pass without involvement of the above-mentioned defects involved in arc welding. Also, since consumables, such as filler metal and shield gas, are not used, implementation cost is low.
However, even in the friction stir welding method, in the case of a long joint, a deep joint, workpieces having high deformation resistance, etc., the amount of frictional heat generated during joining is significantly large. Accordingly, in the case of time-consuming joining, joining of workpieces having high deformation resistance, joining of workpieces having a shape susceptible to accumulation of heat, etc., a temperature difference becomes large between a joining start zone and a joining end zone, thereby raising a problem of great variation in joining quality along the longitudinal direction of the joint portion.
A proposed friction stir welding method which has solved the above problems employs cooling means which are disposed on opposite sides of a friction-stir-welding tool and which move synchronously with the friction-stir-welding tool (refer to Patent Document 1). In friction stir welding, during movement of a probe of the friction-stir-welding tool and the cooling means, the cooling means spray a cooling medium over a leading zone and a trailing zone with respect to the direction of movement of the probe, and a control unit controls a spraying rate.
However, according to the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, the cooling means must be moved synchronously with the friction-stir-welding tool, and the spraying rate of the cooling medium from the cooling means must be controlled by the control unit, thus involving a problem of an increase in cost of apparatus for carrying out the method. Also, since the cooling medium is sprayed over a leading zone with respect to the direction of movement of the probe, the cooling medium may penetrate into an unjoined interface between workpieces, and, in this condition, joining may be carried out. Therefore, joining quality may deteriorate. Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2004-148350

Friction stirring-joining method and method of manufacturing hollow body


The disclosure provides an operational amplifier circuit, in which a power supply of an amplifying circuit is coupled to a first voltage clamping circuit, and the first voltage clamping circuit clamps a supply voltage of the amplifying circuit when the supply voltage exceeds a normal-operation allowable voltage of the amplifying circuit. The disclosure also provides a method for implementing the operational amplifier circuit. According to the disclosure, the operational circuit may be avoided from subject to an excessive supply voltage, which may damage devices in the amplifying circuit of the operational amplifier.

An operational amplifier circuit is a circuit unit that can amplify a signal. Operational amplifier circuits are generally connected to one or more feedback networks to perform certain functions. The operational amplifier circuit can be implemented as either a discrete device or a semiconductor chip.
For normal operation of an operational amplifier circuit, a fixed supply voltage has to be supplied by a peripheral circuit. When failure of the peripheral circuit occurs, which causes the supply voltage to exceed a normal-operation voltage, the operational amplifier circuit cannot operate normally and internal devices may be damaged.

Operational amplifier circuit and method implementing the same


A bi-directional optical module includes a substrate, at least one first light-emitting diode (LED), and at least one second LED. The first LED is disposed on a surface of the substrate. The first LED has a first reflection surface and a first light-outlet surface that are opposite to each other, and the first light-outlet surface is away from the substrate relative to the first reflection surface. The second LED is disposed on the same surface of the substrate. The second LED has a second reflection surface and a second light-outlet surface that are opposite to each other, and the second light-outlet surface is close to the substrate relative to the second reflection surface. The substrate has at least one light-transparent area that is not occupied by the first LED and the second LED.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
In recent years, with the vigorous development of display technologies, increasing importance is also attached to transparent display apparatuses. Generally, a transparent display apparatus can provide a user with a displayed image, and the user can perspectively view, through the transparent display apparatus, a displayed article or a sight that is behind the transparent display apparatus. That is, in addition to an original display function, the transparent display apparatus also has a feature of displaying the background of the picture, and may be widely applied to a large-scale commercial exhibition, a shop window, or a display window of a commodity showcase, to both display an advertisement image and display a commodity. In tradition, a transparent display apparatus includes a liquid panel and a backlight module (such as a light box), and the backlight module may be disposed behind or on a side of the liquid panel, to provide the liquid panel with a light source. However, some light of the backlight module is also emitted to a displayed article that is behind the transparent display panel, causing distortion of the colored light, color temperature, or tone of the displayed article, thereby reducing the viewing quality of the displayed article.

Bi-directional optical module and transparent display apparatus using the same


A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for merging data from multiple data sources for use in an electronic document. The method includes receiving field names and field data from an initial data source, mapping field names from a subsequently added data source to the initial data source, building a recipient list schema based on the field names from the initial data source and the mapped field names from the subsequently added data source, creating a recipient list according to the recipient list schema, and saving the recipient list to a file. The recipient list schema defines the relationships between the field names in the recipient list and the field names in the initial and subsequently added data sources.

Modern desktop publishing applications enable a user to readily create electronic documents. One feature available in many desktop publishing applications for creating electronic documents is known as "mail merge." Mail merge automates the process of creating variable data documents by allowing users to connect to and merge data from a single data source. In utilizing the mail merge feature, data is pulled from a single data source (such as a mailing list) and inserted at marked locations in a document.
One drawback associated with the mail merge feature offered by modern desktop publishing applications is that users often store data (such as mailing lists) in disparate formats and in multiple locations in a computer system. For instance, a user may store one list of contacts as a contacts file which is readable by a contact manager program while another list of contacts may be stored as a spreadsheet file which is readable by a spreadsheet program. Thus, users are often required to assemble data in disparate formats from multiple sources into a single data source to utilize the mail merge feature offered by desktop publishing applications.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the various embodiments of the present invention have been made.

Method, system, and computer-readable medium for merging data from multiple data sources for use in an electronic document


A medical device inspection system may include a base, a medical device holder on the base, a fiber scope holder on the base, a moveable roller moveably attached to the base such that it is free to rotate around an axis and move from a first position to a second position along the base, and a feeder coupled with the base for feeding a flexible portion of the fiber scope into a lumen of the medical device. During use, the flexible portion of the fiber scope may extend from the handle, around the moveable roller, and through the feeder to enter an opening in the lumen of the medical device.

Millions of medical devices are used in hospitals throughout the world every day. With the continuing advancement of medical and surgical procedures over time, one of the trends for many years is toward minimally invasive procedures performed through smaller incisions or even through the body's natural orifices. Examples of this trend include arthroscopic surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement ("TAVR"), natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery ("NOTES"), robotic surgery and many others. Many of these procedures involve the use of long, flexible catheter instruments and/or long, flexible endoscopes for visualizing the procedure. Additionally, endoscopes are used in countless different diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in many parts of the body.
One of the challenges with the use of endoscopes, fiber scopes, catheter-based medical/surgical instruments and other long, thin, reusable instruments is how to properly and effectively clean them. Many endoscopes and other instruments are too expensive to be disposable and so must be reused. And long, small-diameter, flexible instruments can be extremely hard to clean on the inside. They are also hard to inspect on the inside. Not only can flexible instruments collect bacteria and other contaminants, but they can also crack or become otherwise permanently deformed during use, for example when the instrument is bent or kinked. These instruments are typically processed in a cleaning facility located within the hospital, by workers with very little training. To inspect the inside of such instruments, a small, flexible scope is inserted and advanced through the lumen(s) of the device, so that contaminants and damage can be seen. It can be difficult, however, for the person doing the inspection to effectively identify contaminants and internal damage to the device. Thus, the inspection process can be labor intensive and sometimes ineffective.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have improved devices, systems and methods for inspecting medical devices, specifically endoscopes, catheters and other long, thin, flexible medical devices that are difficult to inspect on the inside. At least some of these objectives are addressed in this application.


A network traffic correlation engine monitors inbound and/or outbound connection information received from on each host computer system on a network. Each host device on the network store data logs corresponding to information corresponding to communications sent by the device and received by the device. The network traffic correlation engine correlates connections between different hosts throughout the network. If the network traffic correlation engine identified unmatched outbound and inbound connections, the network traffic correlation engine generates an alert to initiate further investigation and may also provide a mapping of the communications showing a possible start device for the connection and/or a type of access that the connections may now be providing.

Unauthorized individuals may attempt to navigate through a compromised environment to obtain increased privileges using various tools. Network communications between devices, such as lateral movement between host computing devices may allow a threat actor to avoid detection and retain access, such as in cases where a network user attempts unauthorized access, even if discovered on the machine first accessed (e.g., "patient zero"). After gaining initial access to a machine on a network, unauthorized individuals may impersonate a legitimate user to move through multiple systems in the network. This involves gathering information about multiple systems, obtaining credentials, escalating privileges, and gaining access to the sensitive data and resources. In a case of an inside threat, a network user may attempt to access, obtain credentials or otherwise use their credentials to gain unauthorized access to restricted data and/or resources.
Current methods used to protect enterprise computing systems (e.g., corporate computing networks, education institution computing networks, government computing networks, and the like) have a difficult time identifying in real time lateral movement between hosts (e.g., host to host communication rather than host to server or server to host communication) that may be associated with a network intruder and/or malicious inside threat. As such, identifying whether traffic to and from a host machine on a network is legitimate (e.g., a technical support person performing activities related to their job) or illegitimate (e.g., network traffic requiring additional investigation) has been difficult. Currently very few controls are capable of real time network traffic validation, such as associating a user and device type to a particular connection. Further, passive tools such as event logs may not directly correlate, in real time, host to host communication. As such, system administrators may use external add-on tools that are capable of pulling event logs to link a particular message and/or action to a user or computing device.
Other controls, such as Host Based Intrusion Detection solutions (HIDS) may search for known patterns in the network traffic connections coming in and out of a single host but are not capable of identifying users utilizing legitimate host based and network-based tools to make unauthorized connections (also known in the threat actor community as living off the land). As such, a HIDS solution is better suited to monitoring and analyzing the internals of a single computing system, the network packets on its network interfaces and the content of otherwise encrypted communications to make decisions about possible, ongoing, and/or successful attacks against that individual host. Further, anti-virus and/or anti-malware tools may also rely on the use of known patterns in possible malware, but are not very successful at identifying nefarious custom software or potentially malicious network communications that utilize normal network communication or host to host based connections


A linear motor having a fixed inductor and a moving part including windings and a stator. The stator includes a plurality of teeth defining a plurality of slots into which the windings are inserted, the stator being segmented into a first piece and a second piece adjacent to the first piece. A joint is defined between the first piece and the second piece. A fastening fastens the first piece to the second piece, wherein the fastening includes a recess disposed in a first lateral surface of the first piece located at the joint, wherein the recess opens exclusively onto the lateral surface and defines at least one locking surface. A complementary part formed from the second piece and which engages the at least one locking surface so as to hold the first lateral surface and a second lateral surface of the second piece against one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a linear motor whose moving part has a stator formed of several pieces assembled in the longitudinal direction of this moving part.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A linear motor stator, segmented into several pieces or parts that are assembled once these pieces or parts have been produced, has several advantages.
First, it is possible to define a basic piece of elemental length for the body of the stator. During the final assembly of the stator, it is possibly to vary its length in accordance with the type of linear motor built or in accordance with the application for which it is intended, by assembling a variable number of prefabricated basic pieces. Secondly, a structure of this type makes it possible to produce the two end parts or teeth separately from the body of the stator, then assemble them to this body in a subsequent step.
A linear motor whose moving part is formed by a stator comprising a body and end teeth assembled to this body is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,899, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The end parts or teeth have an inverted L-shape, with a rectangular end projection that is inserted into an upper recess of the stator, this recess being machined into the upper surface of this body. Thus, the end tooth is attached only at its upper end. The rigidity of such an assembly is not properly assured. Because the end tooth is only attached at its upper end, vibrations can be generated in the lower part located near the motor's permanent magnets. In fact, since the contact between the lateral surfaces at the joint between the end tooth and the body is not maintained by a specific fastening, these lateral surfaces can separate from one another either dynamically, generating vibrations, or statically, creating an air gap between the end part and the body of the stator.
A linear motor with a segmented stator that makes it possible to produce a relatively long stator is known from the document DE 3110339. According to this document, a long stator is produced by assembling elemental stator pieces that define a functional stator having a given overall length. Thus, the elemental stator piece includes a plurality of teeth defining slots for windings and two end teeth whose lower surface defines a plane that is inclined relative to a horizontal direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the stator. The elemental stator pieces are assembled by distinct fastening elements disposed in the upper part of the stator and inserted on either side of the joint between two stator parts in T-shaped recesses produced in the upper surfaces of the two respective stator pieces. These structures for assembly have the same drawbacks as those described in connection with the preceding document. In essence, the stator pieces are joined only by fastenings disposed on the upper surfaces of these stator pieces. Thus, neither a separation of these two pieces nor vibrations can be ruled out. The dynamic behavior of the stator can therefore be disturbed, which is harmful in several applications wherein the moving part is subject to large accelerations. The segmented stator proposed in this document has another major drawback in that the tooth formed at the level of the joint between two stator pieces does not have a flat and horizontal lower surface like that of the other teeth. This increases the reluctance effect of the stator and reduces its efficiency.


A glory hole silo comprising a cylindrical casing open at the upper end thereof; an upwardly open porch for supporting a flowline, said porch extending horizontally from and cantilevered with respect to said casing, the upper surface of said porch opening to the interior of said casing and provided with means communicating with the interior of said casing for attaching a flowline; and a removable roof extending over the open upper end of said casing and porch. The porch structure permits flowlines to be readily connected without the intervention of a diver.

In offshore oil exploration, it is often necessary to protect sub-sea equipment from damage from anchors, nets, icebergs and other marine hazards. Equipment protruding from the sea floor in high traffic areas such as shipping lanes is in danger of damaging or being damaged by passing vessels. Environmental damage can result from oil spills caused by damage to the wellhead equipment by such hazards. To date, sub-sea drilling equipment such as blowout preventers, and well completion equipment, such as "Christmas trees" have been located at the sea floor level, leaving them exposed to such damage. In some areas the subsea production equipment has been covered with a structure resembling a bee-hive, although drilling equipment has been unprotected.
The problem is particularly acute in Arctic waters where the ice pack and icebergs scour the ocean floor with great force. Consequently, excavations in the ocean floor, called glory holes, have been used to keep equipment below the ice keel interaction zone or to protect the wellhead from damage from anchors, fishing equipment, or shipping. The glory holes are excavated by dredging a depression of sufficient size so that the slopes are stable. These holes can be expensive to dredge where difficult soil conditions are encountered or the water is deep. Also the protection provided against scouring by ice is imperfect, as the ice pushes a pile of rubble ahead of it as it scours the ocean floor, and little protection from anchors, fishing nets and the like is provided.
Improvements to the conventional uncased glory hole have been proposed in a paper entitled "Gloryhole Tool: Design, Fabrication and Operation" by H. R. Stewart, I. MacGregor, T. V. Goudoever and R. E. Isted presented at the 1986 Arctic Offshore Technology Conference, Calgary, Alberta, a paper entitled "Beaufort Sea Cased Gloryhole Drilling" by D. Gilbert, I. MacGregor, and K. J. Vargas presented at the Eighth International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering Mar. 19-23, 1989 and in a paper presented at the 21st Annual Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, May 1-4, 1989, entitled "Drilling and Installing Large-Diameter Caissons for Wellhead Protection" by B. W. Meadows and D. C. Gilbert. According to this method, a glory hole tool is used to drill a cylindrical glory hole 7 to 14 meters in diameter. The glory holes are typically 8 meters in diameter for exploration wells and 13 meters in diameter for production wells. Such holes will be 10 to 20 meters deep. A cylindrical metal casing is left in the glory hole when the tool is retracted. The glory hole can be drilled from a drilling rig or a support vessel or barge.
As described in the papers noted above, the glory hole excavation system uses a bit consisting of a rigid and a rotating section. The rigid section includes the main ratchet drive assembly, a structural roof section which incorporates retractable pins for disengaging from the casing, and a peripheral skirt which acts as a foundation for the casing. The rotating component has three unequal length cutter arms with separately rotating cutting discs and a central penetration spear. Retractable spades extend horizontally from the drilling end to prevent rotation. The cylindrical casing system consists of a leading skirt followed by a corrugated metal pipe which is supplied in sections bolted to the skirt and each other. The top section is sacrificial so that the upper cylindrical section of the casing can shear off if scoured by ice without dislodging the rest of the casing. The casing is carried with the bit and after completion of the glory hole excavation it is released from the bit to remain in the glory hole.
Various patents are of interest in the area of cased sub-sea wells or glory holes. Canadian Patent no. 995,583 issued Aug. 24, 1976 discloses a sub-sea well structure in which the production equipment is protected by a cased cavity below the ocean floor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,698 issued May 17, 1988 discloses a method of installing marine silos or caissons for forming a protective chamber for sub-sea wells.
Cased glory holes provide a number of advantages. They are faster and less expensive to make, as less material is moved. Better protection against ice scouring, anchors, fishing nets and trawling boards is provided. However certain problems remain. The cased glory holes may fill with silt, particularly where adjacent drilling operations are disturbing the sea bed. Over time the accumulation of silt can interfere with the operation and maintenance of equipment in the glory hole. Also very large diameter glory holes provide less protection against anchors, nets and the like. Currently, human divers are used to make necessary connections and carry out operations in the glory hole, which is risky and expensive, particularly in deep water.


A catalyst structure is formed by forging catalyst support particles from a slurry into the surface of a metal substrate such that the particles protrude from the surface and are permanently fixed into the surface. The forging is accomplished by engaging rollers with the surface as it passes through the slurry to press the particles into the surface. The rollers may be brush rollers, fabric rollers or solid rollers. The particles may be any particles which are capable of having a catalyst deposited thereon and which are hard enough to forge into the metal substrate. The catalyst material is then deposited onto the catalyst support particles.

The present invention relates to a catalyst structure comprising a substrate having protruding catalyst support particles permanently fixed into the surface of the substrate with a catalyst deposited thereon and to the method of manufacture.
Catalyst structures have been disclosed in the prior art which involve the placement of catalyst materials onto the surface of a substrate. At least one of the uses for these prior art catalytic structures is for the conversion of atmospheric ozone to molecular oxygen as well as the conversion of other airborne pollutants such as carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons into harmless compounds such as carbon dioxide and water vapor. One particular use has been for the construction of automotive heat exchangers such as radiators and air conditioning condensers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,083 discloses the co-precipitation of platinum, palladium and manganese oxide on a ceramic support forming a catalyst for the decomposition of ozone in air. The ceramic support is impregnated with a solution containing the precursors of the desired catalyst. The impregnated support is then dried and heated to produce platinum and palladium metal and manganese oxide.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,776, an ozone abatement catalyst is described having a carrier or support of a porous refractory skeletal structure or metal monoliths of aluminum or other materials preferably having a plurality of flow-through channels. A platinum group metal and a non-precious Group VIII metal oxide or aluminate, such as an oxide or aluminate of iron, cobalt and nickel, are applied to the external surface of the carrier or support with the metal oxide or aluminate being applied with an alumina slip preferably prior to the application of the platinum group metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,137 likewise discloses an ozone decomposing catalyst comprising a manganese oxide together with palladium or palladium oxide formed as a thin film on a support. The support may be formed from various metal oxides or it may be a metal support. The catalyst is applied to the support as a thin film preferably with an alumina sol as a binder.
Another catalyst composition which is described as being adapted for ozone abatement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,331. This catalytic material comprises a substrate, which may be aluminum, with an undercoat layer containing a mixture of fine particulate refractory metal oxide and a sol such as a silica sol providing good adherence to the substrate. An overlayer also contains a refractory metal oxide on which is dispersed a catalytic metal component, such as palladium and manganese components, which is then calcined.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,831 specifically discloses a method of treating the atmosphere to convert pollutants such as ozone, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to harmless compounds involving contacting the atmosphere with a heat exchanger which has an outer surface coated in selected areas with a catalytic layer. The catalyst may be manganese oxide and/or precious metals applied by dipping or spraying and the catalytic layer is coated with a porous protective coating such as a polymer.
Another catalyst structure is disclosed in the copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/590,736 filed Jun. 8, 2000 by the inventors of the present application in which catalyst particles are dispersed over and forged into the surface of a metal substrate member with the catalyst particles protruding from and fixed to the substrate.
The present invention relates to a method of forming a catalytic structure particularly suited to the treatment of the atmosphere to remove atmospheric pollutants. The invention relates specifically to the formation of catalysts for the decomposition of ozone to form molecular oxygen but is also applicable to catalyst materials for a range of other reactions including, for example, the decomposition of hydrocarbons and the oxidation of carbon monoxide. An object of the invention is to provide an improved method of forming a metal substrate having a surface with particles dispersed over and fixed to the surface which protrude from the surface and which comprise a support and a catalytic material.
The invention involves forming a catalytic structure having catalyst support particles dispersed over and forged into the surface of a substrate member whereby the particles are protruding from and permanently fixed to the substrate. The substrate is a metal sheet or body, preferably aluminum or copper. A slurry containing catalyst support particles which are capable of being forged into the surface of the substrate is applied to the surface of the substrate and the particles are pressed against the surface of the substrate to fixedly forge the particles into the surface. The substrate is preferably in web form and the slurry is continuously applied. Pressing the particles against the surface is preferably accomplished with a rotating brush, a fabric or so-called molleton roller or solid rollers such as a solid metal roller or hard rubber roller. The catalyst support particles may comprise any particulate material which is capable of absorbing and supporting the catalyst material and which is capable of being forged into the substrate surface. The catalyst material is then applied to the forged catalyst support particles.

Catalyst structure with catalyst support particles forged into substrate surface and method of manufacture


Embodiments of a method for controllably reducing of the flow area of a turbine nozzle component are provided, as are embodiments of turbine nozzle components having reduced flow areas. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of obtaining a turbine nozzle component having a plurality of turbine nozzle flow paths therethrough, positioning braze preforms in the plurality of turbine nozzle flow paths and against a surface of the turbine nozzle component, and bonding the braze preforms to the turbine nozzle component to achieve a controlled reduction in the flow area of the turbine nozzle flow paths.

During operation, a gas turbine engine compresses intake air, mixes the compressed air with fuel, and ignites the fuel-air mixture to produce combustive gasses, which are then expanded through a number of air turbines to drive rotation of the turbine rotors and produce power. Turbine nozzles are commonly positioned upstream of the turbine rotors to meter combustive gas flow, while also accelerating and turning the gas flow toward the rotor blades. A turbine nozzle typically assumes the form of a generally annular structure having a number of flow passages extending axially and tangentially therethrough. By common design, the turbine nozzle includes an inner endwall or shroud, which is generally annular in shape and which is circumscribed by an outer endwall or shroud. A series of circumferentially-spaced airfoils or vanes extends between the inner and outer endwalls. Each pair of adjacent turbine nozzle vanes cooperates with the inner and outer endwalls to define a different combustive gas flow path through the turbine nozzle. When assembled from multiple, separately-cast segments, which are mechanically joined together during engine installation, the turbine nozzle is commonly referred to as a "turbine nozzle ring assembly."
The cross-sectional flow area across the turbine flow paths (referred to herein as the "turbine flow area") has a direct effect on fuel efficiency and other measures of engine performance. Turbine flow area affects exit gas temperatures and metering rates through turbine nozzle, which impact the power conversion efficiency of the turbine rotor or rotors downstream of the nozzle. It is, however, difficult to manufacture a turbine nozzle having an ideal turbine flow area in an efficient, highly-controlled, and cost-effective manner. For example, in instances wherein a number of individual turbine nozzle segments are separately cast and assembled to produce a turbine nozzle ring assembly, it is often difficult to produce nozzle segments having tightly controlled inner dimensions due to uncertainties inherent in the casting process, such as dimensional changes resulting from metal shrinkage during cooling. While it is possible to fine tune part dimensions via the production of multiple molds in a trial-and-error process, such a practice is time consuming and may incur significant expense as each investment mold may cost several hundred thousand U.S. dollars to produce. It may be possible to adjust the turbine flow area, within certain limits, by cold working the vanes after casting to further open or close the flow path metering points. This solution is, however, less than ideal and may result in undesired distortion of the nozzle vanes, as well as obstruction of any cooling channels provided downstream of the metering points. Furthermore, even if a turbine nozzle is initially produced to have an ideal or near-ideal effective flow area, gradual material loss due to hot gas erosion and/or abrasion of the nozzle vanes and endwalls during operation can result in the undesired enlargement of the turbine flow area over time, which may ultimately necessitate replacement of the turbine nozzle.

Turbine nozzle components having reduced flow areas