A high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet is provided which comprises a composite structure consisting essentially of ferrite and martensite. The steel comprises, by mass %, C: 0.05 to 0.12%, Si: not more than 0.05%, Mn: 2.7 to 3.5%, Cr: 0.2 to 0.5%, Mo: 0.2 to 0.5%, Al: not more than 0.10%, P: not more than 0.03%, and S: not more than 0.03%. The high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet has not only excellent spot weldability, but also excellent “stability of material properties”, including tensile strength, total elongation, and yield strength, in a high range of strengths from 780 to 1180 MPa, even if the manufacturing condition (especially, the condition of the cooling process after annealing the steel sheet) is changed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with excellent spot weldability and stability of material properties. More particularly, the invention relates to a high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with excellent spot weldability and stability of material properties, including tensile strength (TS), elongation (total elongation, EL), and yield strength (YP), regardless of conditions of a cooling process after annealing (soaking) the steel sheet, variations in these properties being very few, in a high range of the tensile strengths (TS) from 780 to 1180 MPa.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been increasing demands for improvement in collision safety performance of vehicles or the like. High-strength steel sheets are widely employed in frames of a vehicle body and the like so as to ensure the passenger's safety on collision, and to improve fuel economy by reducing an increase in the vehicle weight, which brings about by attachment of a fail-safe device. In particular, in order to prevent a part of the bent frame from entering a cabin of the vehicle when it is hit from the side, high-tensile-strength steel sheets with an extremely high tensile strength of about 780 to about 1180 MPa are used. Among them, a composite structural (or dual phase, which is abbreviated to "DP") steel sheet, which consists essentially of ferrite and martensite, are often used for multipurpose applications because of both excellent strength and ductility. Since steel sheets for the vehicle require excellent capability of corrosion prevention, a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having a composite structure, and a galvannelaed steel sheet which is obtained by applying an alloying procedure to the hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, have been developed as the steel sheets with both these properties (for example, see JP-A No. 198459/1989, JP-A NO. 105960/1993 and JP-A No. 193419/1999).
Any one of the documents above discloses that a high-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with excellent formability and the like is produced by optimizing manufacturing conditions of a continuous hot-dip galvanizing line using steel whose chemical composition is controlled.
"Properties of 590 MPa grade low YP type hot-dip galvannealed steel sheet", December 2002, R & D KOBE STEEL ENGINEERING REPORTS, vol. 52 No. 3, by Yoshinobu Oomiya et al. discloses a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with a tensile strength level of 590 MPa, and not of 780 to 1180 MPa, which has enhanced formability and spot weldability by transforming a three-phase structure including ferrite, martensite, and bainite into a complete composite structure composed of ferrite and martensite by compositional addition of small amounts of Cr and Mo.
It is well known that composite structural or dual phase steel sheets consisting essentially of ferrite and martensite vary greatly in material properties (which mean mechanical properties of steel sheets, more particularly, tensile strength, total elongation, and yield strength in the invention), depending on the conditions of the cooling process (cooling rate, and cooling hold temperature) after annealing (soaking) the steel sheet. Generally, hot-dip galvanized steel sheets (and further hot-dip galvannealed steel sheets) are produced by pickling a hot-rolled steel sheet, cold rolling the pickled sheet to form a cold-rolled steel sheet, and then performing hot-dip galvanizing (and further alloying) of the cold-rolled steel sheet in a continuous hot-dip galvanizing line. In the continuous hot-dip galvanizing line, an annealing (soaking) process is performed in a continuous annealing furnace, a cooling process is performed until the annealed steel is cooled to a temperature for the hot-dip galvanizing after the annealing, and then a galvanizing process is performed. In the cooling step among them, austenite is normally transformed into a rigid structure including martensite, bainite, and the like, by forced cooling means, such as gas cooling, mist cooling, or roll cooling which involves bringing the steel sheet into a contact with a cooled roll skid. Thus, though the cooling rate and cooling termination temperature must be strictly controlled to obtain a desired composite structural steel sheet, it is very difficult to constantly perform and control the cooling on certain conditions on an actual manufacturing floor for various reasons. The thus-obtained products vary greatly in material properties, disadvantageously resulting in a problem that cracks and the like occur due to variations in dimensional accuracy in press forming.
Accordingly, a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet which exhibits high strength ranging from about 780 to 1180 MPa is required to be provided which has not only excellent inherent spot weldability, but also excellent stability of material properties regardless of manufacturing conditions (in particular, the cooling process of the steel sheet after annealing), variations in the material properties being very few. None of JP-A No. 198459/1989, JP-A NO. 105960/1993 and JP-A No. 193419/1999, however, discloses the steel sheets manufactured for such a purpose. Thus, the steel sheets disclosed therein have insufficient stability of material properties. It should be noted that since "Properties of 590 MPa grade low YP type hot-dip galvannealed steel sheet" above fails to take into consideration a range of strengths from about 780 to 1180 MPa, as distinct from the invention, this document basically differs from the invention in the idea of chemical composition design for the purpose of obtaining the desired properties (as described later).

High-strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with excellent spot weldability and stability of material properties


A system for providing pierced-ear instruments. A sealed blister pack creates and maintains a sterile environment in which an earring cartridge with a pierced-ear earring stud may be transported and stored. An earring-cartridge stud gun provides a cradle into which the earring cartridge may fit. Upon removal of backing paper imperviously sealing the blister pack, the cradle provided by the earring-cartridge stud gun is accommodated by and fits within the blister pack to engage and remove the sterile earring cartridge from the blister pack. Upon sterilization of the ear tissue, the ear may be pierced. Once the ear has been pierced, the pierced-ear earring stud is easily disengaged from the earring cartridge. The blister pack may then re-engage the now-used earring cartridge to remove it from the stud gun cradle. The earring-cartridge stud gun is then available to receive another sterile earring cartridge to repeat the ear-piercing process on the same or other ear. The present system reduces and avoids contamination of the earring cartridge and the pierced-ear earring stud as no manual contact need ever take place between the sterile earring cartridge and a person's hands.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ear-piercing devices and, more particularly, to an ear-piercing stud gun that accepts a pre-sterilized cartridge containing an earring stud and clutch/nut.
2. Description of the Related Art
Body piercing is increasingly becoming a more commonplace fashion statement. However, the prevalence of pierced ears and pierced-ear earrings remains in the marketplace as the predominant form of body piercing sustained today.
In the past, ear piercing has been a minor surgical procedure performed by a doctor or other skilled medical practitioner, such as a nurse. Increasingly, more routine procedures are used to pierce ears, such procedures performed by laypersons without great medical experience or training. While the performance of the ear-piercing operation is generally straightforward and fairly easy to understand, it is still important to maintain a sterile environment adjacent the pierced flesh in order to reduce any chance of infection or any other deleterious consequences.
To this end, a number of approaches have been made to provide simple, manually operated devices that allow for the easier piercing of ears while creating and maintaining sterile conditions.
One example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,343 issued to Reil on Mar. 5, 1996, Application Ser. No. 292,249 filed Aug. 18, 1994, incorporated herein by this reference.
In the Reil '343 patent, a hand-held disposable ear piercer is disclosed that allows for the piercing of ears. Such a system is not necessarily used in a sterile environment, and all of the portions of the Reil '343 piercer must be made sterile (such as the post P), as does the tissue to be pierced, namely, the ear lobe.
While there are great advantages to systems such as that disclosed in the Reil '343 patent, it would also be additionally advantageous to provide a sterile cartridge so that it might be used without deleterious effects. Additionally, such an ear piercer might be engaged by a stud gun or the like which, by cradling the ear-piercing cartridge, serves to better distribute the manual forces and to allow easier manual manipulation and articulation before, during, and after the ear-piercing process. In order to keep the ear-piercing cartridge in a sterile environment, a closed container of an easily manufactured and disposable sort might be provided. Such a container could advantageously allow easier manual manipulation and engagement of the ear-piercing cartridge by the stud gun.
By providing such a system, a disposable ear-piercing cartridge (such as that of the Reil '343 patent) is more advantageously used, decreasing the chance of any deleterious effects arising during the ear-piercing process.

Unique cartridge and earring stud gun system


The present invention is a system which will activate an alarm when a garage door is opened. The system in a transmitter unit and a receiver unit. The transmitter unit is attached in proximity to the garage door. The receiver unit is located within a vehicle stored in the garage. The transmitter unit includes a signal generator which activates and transmits radio frequencies (RF) to the second unit. For activation, once the garage door is in an opened position, the transmitter sends a signal to the receiver. The receiver activates an alarm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a garage door status indicating system and more particularly to a system which transmits an warning means when the garage door is in an opened position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many, a typical work day can start out chaotically, with the individual rushing out the door, opening their garage door, and enter their automobile which is housed within the garage. With so many concerns on their mind, the individual may exit their garage and forget to close its door. During increment weather conditions, this mistake can cost several hundreds of dollars, should water, snow, or the like, penetrate, rust and/or damage items which are typically stored in the conventional garage. Even worse, an opened garage door can be an invitation for theft. Others, after exiting the garage and traveling some distance, may be left wondering if the door was left opened. This individual is usually left with a persistent doubt and cannot continue with their day unless he returns to his home in order to see the status of his garage door.
To ease in the exiting and entering of a garage, automatic garage door openers exists. Most of the garage door openers today require the user to utilize a remote for closing and opening the door. These remotes may offer convenience, but they do not offer any solution to the problems identified above.
Accordingly, it is seen that there exists a need to provide a warning means when a garage door is in an open position. Previous efforts do not provide the benefits intended with the present invention. Additionally, prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.


A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes: providing a light source including one or more semiconductor laser elements, an optical member including one or more lens parts, a condensing lens, and a photodetector, one above the other; causing at least one semiconductor laser element to emit light; determining a reference detection position of light; placing a first light-shielding member to shield a portion of the light passed through the lens parts; determining a post-shielding detection position; adjusting a distance between the light source and the optical member based on the reference detection position and the post-shielding detection position; and securing the optical member and the light source to each other.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a light emitting device.
A known light emitting device includes a light source and a collimating lens secured to the light source, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-103323. In such a light emitting device, correction of the position of the collimating lens may be performed such that the positions of beams are adjusted while continuously shifting the collimating lens in X-Y direction (planar direction) and the divergence angles of the beams are adjusted while continuously shifting the collimating lens in Z-direction (height direction).

Method of manufacturing light emitting device


A previewing system that permits selection from a plurality of interactive previewers for use in a system shell browser is disclosed. The previews may be extensible, such that different application developers may write custom previews for different file types, and the shell browser may follow established criteria to select an appropriate preview. The user may enter criteria to control which previewers are used for different situations, such as when certain file types are selected for previewing. Size of an available display area for the preview may be a criterion, such that resizing the preview area may cause a different preview to be displayed. The preview may be executed as a separate process from the browser so that crashes and hangs in the previewer process do not fatally affect the browser process. Previews may be incorporated within common file dialogs offered by an underlying operating system, such that different applications may share the common previewer.

The need to readily identify items stored in a computing environment such as a personal computer (PC) is dramatically increasing as more individuals utilize computers in their daily routines, and as the type of stored information varies between pictures, music, documents, etc. Documents and media are typically stored on computers in a hierarchical fashion and are organized with files of information or media stored within folders. File system browsers enable users to navigate through the file system and locate and open files and folders. For example, Microsoft Corporation's WINDOWS® EXPLORER™ is an operating system utility which enables users to browse the file system.
Many users find it difficult to correctly identify a file based on the information currently available in conventional file system browsers. Of course the contents of a file can be verified by closing the file browser and opening the file using a separate application program, but this method of browsing files is extremely inefficient given the time and resources consumed by each application. For example, browsing five separate files of different file types would grow tiresome as the five separate applications are each initialized.
Microsoft Corporation's WINDOWS® XP operating system includes an image browser for use when browsing the My Pictures folder. The browser displays a thumbnail view of a selected picture, and the user can rotate the image, but that is the extent of the interactivity. The user cannot fully interact with or edit the image. Furthermore, although more sophisticated picture displaying applications may exist on the system, there is no way for the My Pictures folder to extend its thumbnail option to any of those applications, or to permit those applications to supply their own thumbnail views for use in the shell browser. With the limited control/edit/interactivity options from the browser, and the inability for other applications to offer richer thumbnail previewers for the browser, there is a resulting need for an improved approach to providing previews in shell browsers that offers more options and choices to users so that they may more effectively use the browser.


An apparatus for the treatment and recovery of spent vehicle coolant that involves the following steps:. a) removing the spent coolant from the engine; PA1 b) treating the spent coolant with sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate to cause dissolved metals therein to form insoluble particles; PA1 c) treating the spent coolant of step b) with an aqueous basic coagulating agent such as a polyquaternary ammonium compound in its hydroxide form; PA1 d) filtering the spent coolant from step c) through a set of filters and then through a bed of carbon particles, to produce a relatively cleaner liquid; and PA1 e) adding to the relatively clear liquid a combination of corrosion inhibitors, buffering agents and alkali, whereby the treated coolant can be recycled to the vehicle for effective coolant performance therein.

The typical internal combustion engine is cooled by providing a coolant (oftentimes called anti-freeze) in cavities that surround the engine. A typical coolant is an aqueous glycol composition such as aqueous ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. These glycols function to reduce the freezing point of coolant and raise the coolant's boiling point, thus assuring that the vehicle's coolant will not freeze or boil over. During operation of the engine, air is constantly drawn into and expelled from the coolant composition. When the coolant is heated during engine operation, air is expelled from the coolant. When the engine is at rest and the temperature of the coolant drops, air is absorbed by the coolant up to the saturation point. This repeated cycle in the life of a coolant provides an oxidation mechanism by which metal ions that are generated by corrosive attack of engine surfaces are subjected to instantaneous oxidation and glycol is thermally oxidized.
Essentially all metal ions when converted to their highest oxidation state form insoluble hydroxides and oxides in the coolant composition, thus forming a precipitate that collects within the engine's coolant chamber. Some of the metals are oxidized to form precipitated hydroxides that deposit on the wall of the coolant chamber and interreact by condensation reactions to form a beneficial oxide layer. This layer protects the engine block from serious corrosion. It would be undesirable to have present in the coolant a component that attacks that beneficial oxide layer and causes its removal. Such action eventually leads to serious corrosion of the engine block. One such component that would attack the beneficial coating if present in the coolant in deleterious amounts, is the chloride ion. It will convert the oxides into soluble chlorides, thus wiping away the beneficial oxide layer. For example, it will convert iron oxides through thermally induced chlorination, to ferric and ferrous chlorides, and aluminum oxides through thermally induced chlorination, to aluminum chloride. These chlorides are very acidic and notorious Friedel-Craft catalysts. They can accelerate the decomposition of the coolant and cause corrosion of metal surfaces.
Other of the precipitates form within the coolant and serve no useful function. Most of these precipitates are of sufficient size so as to deposit from the coolant to the bottom of the coolant chamber. A minor portion, more like a trace amount, of the precipitates have such a small size (more like microscopic in size) that they remain dispersed in the coolant. Eventually these precipitates have to be removed and thus flushing of the coolant system is an appropriate procedure.
The trace amounts of these metal hydroxides that remain suspended particulates within the coolant will, with time, chemically interreact to form dimeric and oligomeric condensates. Such condensates remain suspended (dispersed) in the coolant. These condensates are difficult to remove by filtration because they have an extremely small particle size. Because the metal atoms in these condensates are at their maximum state of oxidation, further oxidation of the coolant will not cause these condensates to be further oxidized. Nor will further oxidation cause these condensates to drop out of dispersion in the coolant.
As noted above, some of the coolant becomes chemically altered. For example, a minor portion of the ethylene glycol is periodically thermally oxidatively attacked to form a number of decomposition products such as glycolic acid, formic acid and oxalic acid. These acids per se do not cause the coolant to become acidic, that is, cause the coolant to have a pH below about 7. As pointed out in an article by Cooper, Hannigan and McCourt, "A One Thousand Car Assessment of the U.S. Car Population Cooling Systems," SAE Technical Paper Series, Proceedings of the 2nd Automotive Corrosion Prevention Conference, Automotive Corrosion and Prevention Conference, Dearborn, Mich., Dec. 5-7, 1983, the mean pH of the ethylene glycol coolant in the car population is 8.7, with only 2.3 percent of the cars having coolant with a pH of 7 or less. Since the pH of the coolant is dictated by the buffer system in the coolant, the coolant will generally possess a substantial alkali metal ion content. This causes the acids to compete with the acidic component of the buffer for the alkali metal ions. These decomposition products, as salts and free acids, remain as soluble components of the coolant. Because they are acids, their accumulation in the coolant reduces the coolant's pH. With reduction of pH comes increased corrosion of engine surfaces resulting in increased concentrations of metal hydroxide and oxide precipitates. Eventually, the coolant becomes so fouled by this decomposition that it must be either replaced or reconditioned.
Conley, J. H. and Jamison, R. G., "Reclaiming Used Antifreeze," MERADCOM Report 2168, U.S. Army MERADCOM, Fort Belvoir, Va., March 1976, describe an early effort by the U.S. Army in treating recycled vehicle coolant. As these authors note, coolants are repeatedly subjected to oxygenation. Such oxygenation is the cause for thermal oxidative degradation of the coolant. The authors recommend discarding coolant with a freeze point above 5.degree. F., which means that the coolant is too degraded for further treatment. A coolant with such a high freeze point would have a low pH because of thermal oxidation of the ethylene glycol. The authors proposed two methods. Method I involves
1. Take freeze point of coolant. If above +5.degree. F., discard; do not retain for processing.
2. Place antifreeze drained from vehicles into holding tank.
3. Allow antifreeze to settle for several hours or until fairly clear. The longer the settling time, the more solids will have settled and less will remain to be filtered.
4. Filter through a cloth filter.
5. Pass filtrate through cationic resin (IR-120 or equivalent).
6. Pass effluent through activated carbon.
7. Pass effluent through calcium carbonate (marble).
8. Add inhibitor which involves bringing the antifreeze to its normal range of reserve alkalinity and pH with Federal Specification 0-I-490 corrosion inhibitor. Check freeze point, adding new antifreeze or water to obtain desired freeze point.
9. Flush vehicle cooling system with water and recharge.
Method II proposed by the authors involves
1. Take freeze point of coolant. If above +5.degree. F., discard; do not retain for processing.
2. Drain cooling system, and filter the antifreeze through cotton batting or cloth filter to remove rust and solids.
3. Add Inhibitor A at the rate of 3 percent, or 1 pint per 16 quarts coolant.
4. Flush cooling system with water until the water is clear.
5. Replace the inhibited, used antifreeze solution.
Method I described by Conley and Jamison above, with the exception of the use of cation exchange resin, activated carbon and calcium carbonate, was employed with minor differences by PECO (formerly Philadelphia Electric Co., Philadelphia, Pa.) in 1987 to successfully reclaim antifreeze.
There are described in the literature a variety of systems directed to the treatment of spent engine coolant that allows for the recovery and refurbishing of such coolant. Illustrative of such technology are a series of patents to the Wynn Oil Company, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,083,393, 4,091,865, 4,109,703, 4,178,134, 4,209,063, 4,293,031, 4,791,890, 4,793,403, 4,809,769, 4,899,807, 4,901,786, 5,201,152, 5,078,866, 5,306,430, 5,318,700, and Re.31,274. For example, Filowitz, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,021,152 and 5,078,866 relate to the treatment of coolant with agents that precipitate anions and cations and the removal of such precipitants. The patents describe the addition of "Composition A" and "Composition B" to the recycled coolant. According to the patents, "A" precipitates anions, i.e., the negatively charged ion, especially the ion that migrates to an anode in electrolysis, such as sulfate, chloride, etc. "B" precipitates cations, such as metal ions--i.e. of lead, iron, copper, etc. According to the patents, Composition A is a material called "Protazyme," which is defined as an 8% aqueous solution of cationic polyelectrolyte HYDROFLOC 865 having the chemical formula ##STR1## where X is undefined. The patents confuse the description of Composition B. Composition B, called "NETAMOX," is "a 5% aqueous solution of anionic polyelectrolyte, or equivalent, and a 5% aqueous solution of heavy metal precipitant" that appear to be "Sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate in 0.5% to 1.5% aqueous solution form" and "HYROFLOC 495L" that possesses the chemical formula ##STR2## where X is undefined. In chemistry, the "X" group is frequently used to denote halogen.
It should be noted that the formula of HYDROFLOC 865 and 495L is the same for materials possessing entirely different properties. If Composition B is 5% of the anionic polyelectrolyte and 5% of the DTC solution, what is the rest of the composition? That is not explained in the patents.
In both patents, a filtered coolant is treated by the addition of chemical agents such as corrosion inhibitors, pH adjustment chemicals and fresh coolant, such as ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, depending upon the base of the spent coolant being treated.
PCT/US92/00555 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,595, to Miller, describe a process for the treatment of a spent coolant outside of the engine. The treatment involves an oxidation step, which, as noted above, will have no impact on the character and properties of the spent coolant. Another step utilized by Miller is the treatment of the spent coolant with an alkali such as sodium hydroxide, to not only raise the pH, but to also form salts of the coolant decomposition products, such as glycolic acid, formic acid and oxalic acid. According to Miller, these salts precipitate from the coolant. Interestingly, Miller also describes adding such salts to the coolant to create a common ion effect. In the latter case, Miller is suggesting that the so-called salts that precipitate are soluble in the coolant, clearly indicating that salt formation does not result in acid removal by precipitation. The next step in the process is to pass the coolant through a series of filters, the first filter effecting a coarse separation, and the second filter effecting a finer separation. An optional treatment is to pass the treated coolant through an ion exchange resin to remove alkaline earth metal ions. However, at the pH of the coolant at that step of the process, all such alkaline earth metal ions are fully oxidized to their hydroxides which are insoluble in the coolant. All but a trace amount of these hydroxides would have already precipitated from the coolant.
The PCT application describes a variety of additive packages for spent coolant. For example, the PCT application (at page 15) describes the use of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate as part of an inhibitor package in the following terms:
At page 20, in Table F of the PCT application, Miller describes a chemical additive package that contains sodium dimethyl or diethyl dithiocarbamate. The following table embellishes on the formulation described in Table F by functionally describing the components where such makes sense to do:


The invention is a truth table-based failure isolation matrix in an Automated Test Equipment (ATE) environment to enable the mapping of measured results and/or test outcomes to probable causes of failure (PCOF). The failure isolation matrix is hierarchical in that it applies to both individual tests as well as groups of tests. For each level in the hierarchy, columns represent individual outcomes verified against expected results to produce a resultant outcome and rows represent possible combinations of measurement outcomes or outcome vectors. For groups of tests, the measurement results represent the combined results of the individual tests within the test group. The resultant matrix is a pattern of vectors that can be pattern matched against prior history of result patterns to further improve the accuracy and narrow the scope of PCOF.

ATE test programs are often organized into tests and test groups to provide logical groupings of testing procedures. A test program generally contains one or more test groups, and test groups contain one or more tests. This hierarchy allows test program development and debugging to be divided into common functionality, or divided into sections for testing different UUT subsystems. Those skilled in the art are familiar with the common organizational structures of ATE test programs.
In prior art ATE systems, tests usually involve the measurement of a discrete characteristic of a signal or acquisition, followed by comparison of that characteristic with a set of limits or values; subsequent tests acquire additional signal characteristic, as a test program is executed. The comparison process that occurs for each acquisition produces a result. That result may further be used to determine how the outcome of the test should be reported.
In prior art ATE systems, test programs execute tests in a sequential progression performing what is commonly referred to as detection tests until either all of these tests pass or until the first failure occurs. If a failure occurs, a diagnostic branch of the test program may be invoked to narrow down the Probable Cause of Failure (PCOF) through a process known as fault isolation. A disadvantage to this approach is that there may be several primary faults, those that would be identified during the detection phase of the test program. However, only the first occurring fault will be identified during any given test program execution. To identify and narrow down the PCOF for all faults may require repeated execution of the test program, a very time consuming and tedious process.
Hence, there is a need to improve ATE test executive outcome and PCOF (Probable Cause of Failure) determination to more easily accommodate creation of complex deterministic criteria, especially to more easily enable the usage of multiple criteria for outcome definition.
The present invention describes a system and method to improve the isolation of PCOF at both the test and test group level. The invention improves upon the existing fault isolation and fault detection mechanisms of traditional ATE test executives by allowing both the ability to find all faults within a UUT and the ability to isolate each fault down to a PCOF. Failure isolation matrices are applied to criteria at the end of a test and/or test group, and have beneficial applicability to sequential tests, parallel tests, and time-coherent parallel tests.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to enhance the fault detection and isolation capabilities of an ATE test executive. It is another objective to provide a method that will facilitate the creation of complex deterministic criteria using signal measurement outcomes and/or test outcomes to produce test and/or test group outcomes and isolate PCOFs.

System for enhancing ATE fault isolation capability using a truth table based on a failure isolation matrix


An IC socket (1) includes an insulative housing (2) and large numbers of contacts (9) received therein. The housing defines arrayed contact receiving cavities (22) for accommodating the contacts. The cavities are arranged in array by first partition walls (24) and second partition walls (25), which are perpendicular to each other. The first partition wall is higher than the second partition wall. Each first partition wall is provided with protruding portions (240) and sunken portions (241), which are alternatively arranged.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an IC (integrated circuit) socket, on which an LGA (land grid array) package is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Modern computer systems increase in performance and complexity at a very rapid pace, driven by intense competition and market demands. In order to meet ever-increasing performance requirements, the area and volumetric interconnect densities of electronic board assemblies must increase accordingly. In combination with other competitive forces, this demand has driven the need for improved high-density socket technologies in computer applications, and the connector industry has responded with a variety of new alternatives to meet these needs. One of the most attractive of the new connector types is the land grid array (LGA) socket connector, which permits direct electrical connection between an LGA integrated circuit and a printed circuit board. LGA socket connectors are an evolving technology in which an interconnection between mating surfaces of an IC or other area array device and a printed circuit board is provided through a conductive terminal received in the socket connector. Connection is achieved by mechanically compressing the IC onto the socket connector.
A conventional IC socket for an LGA IC package with conductive pads generally comprises an insulative housing, and a plurality of contacts accommodating in the housing. For contacting with pads of the LGA IC package, the contact is provided with a spring arm extending out of the housing. However, the spring arm is easily to be damaged by inadvertently force, because there's no protective structure to protect the spring arms. In order to solve this problem, an improved IC socket appears. The improved IC socket is provided with a plurality partition walls surrounding the spring arms for protect the arms, which can solve the problem mentioned above. However, a new problem is produced. As known, the contact is inserted into the housing with carrier strip linking therewith. After the contact is positioned, the carrier strip must be removed away. Due to the partition walls, the strip frequently interferes with the partition wall, which seriously affect the operation efficiency.
In view of the above, what is needed is an IC socket which can effectively protect the contacts received therein, and can improve operation efficiency simultaneity.


A device for guiding alignment in trailer hitching with a trailer cup attachment and a towing vehicle attachment. The trailer cup attachment adjustably clips over the trailer cup on the drawbar of the trailer. The trailer cup attachment has at least one vertical rod and an alignment indicator equipped with guide lights and a sound generator to indicate when the ball on the towing vehicle is in hitching position relative to the trailer cup. The towing vehicle attachment has a mounting base for removable temporary mounting on the towing vehicle. Telescoping rods are rotatably mounted in the mounting base. At the end of the telescoping rods is a fluorescent colored activating ball which is positioned directly above the tow ball on the towing vehicle. The alignment guide and activating ball are positioned to be visible to the operator of the towing vehicle through a rear view mirror, rear window, or the like. As the towing vehicle backs toward the trailer, the activating ball and alignment guide provide immediate visual feedback to the operator of the towing vehicle, so that angle and speed of the backing vehicle may be accordingly adjusted. When the activating ball touches the alignment guide, a red light comes on and a sound is generated. This tells the operator of the towing vehicle that the tow ball is in hitching position relative to the trailer cup. The operator may then leave the vehicle and complete the hitching process.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a removable, adjustable, compact, light weight, durable attachment for trailer hitches. This attachment allows an operator of the towing vehicle to precisely back the towing vehicle into the proper aligned position so that coupling the towing vehicle to the trailer by the trailer hitch is simple and easily done by a single individual in any weather or lighting conditions.
2. Background Information
Trailers are towed on the highways by different types of vehicles. These trailers must necessarily be coupled or hitched to the towing vehicle which provides the motive power. Consequently a variety of ways of coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle have been devised. For large commercial trucks, there are hitches that are specially designed to be self-guiding, so that a single operator of the backing vehicle may easily complete the coupling process whereby the trailer is coupled to the towing vehicle. These types of self-guiding hitching systems are primarily found in commercial uses.
However, many individuals own a trailer. The trailer may be a camper home, boat trailer, or a utility trailer used to move furniture, garden supplies, and the like. Those who own these trailers rarely, if ever, have a specially dedicated vehicle that is used exclusively for towing these trailers. Rather, a car, pickup truck, sport utility vehicle, or station wagon, which is used for other purposes is adapted to be used to tow the trailer by means of an add-on trailer hitch. Ordinarily, on the towing vehicle the trailer hitch consists of a trailer ball mounted within a few inches of the rear bumper and at approximate bumper height. At the front end of the trailer terminating the draw bar is a cup or ring designed for receipt of the trailer ball. The ball of the trailer hitch on the back of the towing vehicle fits within the cup or ring on the draw bar of the trailer to be towed. Usually, there is some sort of locking device which helps secure the ball into the cup. The trailer is designed so that the wheels on the trailer are located between the center of gravity of the trailer and the rear end of the trailer. This means that the draw bar will be forced by the weight of the trailer toward the ground. It is ordinarily supported off the ground by a jack-like device that terminates at the ground end in a small wheel. The jack-like device is ordinarily operated by a crank which raises and lowers the draw bar of the trailer, so that the height of the cup or ring which receives the trailer hitch ball mounted on the towing vehicle may be varied by the operator by cranking the jack supporting the draw bar of the trailer either up or down, depending on the need of the operator. For safety reasons, the tongue weight of the draw bar of the trailer ordinarily must be, at least, fifty (50) pounds. For large trailers, it can be substantially more. Therefore, lifting the draw bar of the trailer without the use of the crank or moving the draw bar laterally requires considerable strength. Indeed, the strength required may be beyond that of most people for larger trailers or trailers that are heavily loaded. However, the tolerance of the receiving cup or ring on the draw bar and the ball on the towing vehicle trailer's hitch must be quite close in order that the attachment of the trailer to the towing vehicle be secure. Therefore, the ball of the trailer hitch of the towing vehicle must be positioned within a fraction of an inch immediately below the cup or ring on the draw bar of the trailer if the hitching process is to be successful.
Therefore, the process of hitching a towing vehicle to a trailer can sometimes be quite difficult and laborious. This is especially true if only one individual is involved in the hitching process. It can also be complicated by rainy weather, by attempting to hitch in an area with little maneuvering room, or attempting to hitch at night. Without some device to aid in alignment during the backing process, often the operator of the vehicle will have to make a number of attempts in which the vehicle is first backed, then moved forward and backed again, while the operator of the towing vehicle must get out of the vehicle and go to the rear of the vehicle to visually inspect the alignment of the hitching ball to the receptive cup on the draw bar of the trailer. Consequently, there is a need for a guide which can provide immediate feedback to the operator of the towing vehicle as he or she is attempting to back the vehicle into place beneath the draw bar of the trailer so that the coupling can be completed.
A variety of devices have been proposed to aid with alignment of a backing vehicle so that the coupling elements of the hitch are in appropriate position to complete the hitching process. For example, the Bennett patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,149, involves a rod guide mounted to the trailer hitch connection on the towing vehicle, which includes an electric light. Likewise, mounted to the ball coupler on the draw bar of the trailer is a rod. Both rods extend upward. They are located so that as the backing vehicle approaches the appropriate position a spring-mounted electrical switch is activated causing the light visible to the operator of the backing vehicle to go on. The Fenner patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,628, involves an electrical light and switch mounted on a rod. The light and switch are mounted by means of a ball that fits within the cup connection on the draw bar of the trailer. As the operator of the vehicle backs his vehicle into position, the hitch ball will activate a switch causing a light visible to the operator to go on once the operator of the vehicle has placed his ball hitch in hitching position below the trailer cup. The Riggs patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,200, involves a pointer assembly for mounting on the rear portion of a vehicle. A target assembly is mounted on the tongue of the trailer. As the operator of the towing vehicle backs his vehicle, the pointer assembly attached to his vehicle will touch an arc shaped surface positioned on the target assembly, which activates a light or other means to indicate that appropriate alignment has been achieved. A somewhat different approach is seen in the Fath, IV, patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,056. There, a surrogate ball and cup assembly are respectively mounted to the back of the towing vehicle and the tongue of the trailer. The surrogate ball and cup assembly are elevated so that they are visible to the operator of the backing vehicle. They are designed to replicate the positions of the ball on the towing vehicle and the cup on the trailer. Thus, when the surrogate ball and cup are aligned, the actual ball and cup are in the same alignment. Despite these earlier efforts, none of the above referenced patents have proven practical in operation and none have enjoyed substantial commercial success.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to remedy the perceived deficiencies in earlier devices. It is an object of the current invention to provide a trailer alignment guide which is simply and easily constructed of readily available materials. It is an object of the current invention to adjust so that it can be used on different styles of towing vehicles, including cars, truck, vans, sport utility vehicles, station wagons, or virtually any other vehicle that is commonly used by individuals to tow a trailer used for recreational or utility reasons. It is an object of the current invention to function even if the towing vehicle is backed at an oblique angle to the trailer if such is required by the operator. It is an object of the current invention to provide continuous visual feedback to the operator of the vehicle during the backing process, and to provide both a visual and sound feedback to the operator of the vehicle when the appropriate position is reached for coupling of the trailer cup to the towing vehicle ball. It is an object of the current invention to be easily attached and detached for use, to be light weight, durable, compact, to require no special technical expertise to use, and to be easy to use and foolproof in operation.

Device for guiding alignment in trailer hitching


A connector structure includes a male connector housing having concave grooves, a female connector housing having convex parts for engagement with the concave groove and a manipulating lever for engaging the male connector housing with the female connector housing. The manipulating lever is provided with a pair of cam plates having pivot bearing pins and cam grooves. While, the female connector housing has a pair of cam pins formed on the convex parts for engagement with the cam grooves. When the male connector housing is engaged with the female connector housing by pivoting the manipulating lever, both sides of each concave groove are brought into contact with both sides of each convex part. Therefore, a smooth sliding movement of the male connector housing into the female connector housing can be accomplished without causing relative inclination between the male connector housing and the female connector housing.

The present invention relates to a connector structure for engaging a male connector housing and a female connector housing with each other. More particularly, it relates to a connector structure for a pair of male and female connector housings, either one of which is provided with a rotatable manipulating lever having cam grooves, while the other is provided with cam pins for engagement with the cam grooves, respectively, whereby both of the male and female connector housings can be engaged with each other by rotating the manipulating lever.
In ordinary arts, the female connector housing is provided, on each side thereof, with a manipulating lever which is rotatable about a bearing pin and which has two cam grooves formed thereon. While, the male connector housing is provided, on each side thereof, with two pins for respective engagement with the cam grooves.
In engagement, the manipulating lever is rotated on condition that one of the above cam pins is inserted into one of the cam grooves, whereby long male terminals on the side of the female connector housing are engaged with female terminals on the side of the male connector housing. Thereafter, the manipulating lever is further rotated while the other of the cam pins is inserted into the other of the cam grooves, whereby short male terminals on the side of the female connector housing are engaged with corresponding female terminals on the side of the male connector housing. In this way, the mutual engagement of the male and female connector housings can be accomplished.
In the above-mentioned connector structure, however, operative fitting force between both connector housings, which is produced owing to the respective engagement of the cam grooves with the cam pins, is not applied over the whole lengths of the connector housings uniformly. Therefore, when rotating the manipulating lever, both connector housings are inclined to each other thereby to differentiate respective contact conditions between the male terminals and the female terminals in the longitudinal direction of the connector housings. Consequently, such an inclined engagement between the male connector housing and the female connector housing causes the terminals to be deformed or damaged disadvantageously in reliability. Similarly, in case of disengaging both connector housings from each other, a problem of deformation of the terminals is also caused due to the inclination of the connector housings.


An antenna system for transmitting and/or receiving radio frequency (RF) signals in multiple frequency bands includes a horn antenna and a feed network. The horn antenna may transmit and/or receive RF signals in multiple frequency bands that are spread over more than an octave bandwidth with at least a 2.44-to-1 bandwidth ratio. The horn antenna includes a throat, an aperture, and an interior surface. The feed network includes a first waveguide section, a first junction, one or more first filters, and a first step-down waveguide section. The first waveguide section can provide a matching network and transmit and/or receive the RF signals in the multiple frequency bands. The first junction can transmit and/or receive the RF signals in first selected band(s) of the multiple frequency bands. The first step-down waveguide section may transmit and/or receive the RF signals in second selected band(s) of the multiple frequency bands.

The current technology for commercial satellites is capable of providing either local-channel direct broadcast satellite (DBS) services at 12/17 GHz bands or Ka-band broadband satellite services at 20/30 GHz bands. This is mainly due to bandwidth limitations of antenna systems that could provide efficient radiation over a bandwidth ratio of about 1.64 (ratio of the highest frequency to lowest frequency, e.g., 30/18.3=1.64) or less. Thus, it has been difficult to produce very wideband antennas, with bandwidth ratios beyond 1.64, using conventional techniques. Two separate sets of antennas can be carried out to overcome the above problem, but the two sets of antennas (one for DBS and the other for broadband) can not be accommodated on the spacecraft due to the reason that each set of antennas requires the use of four large reflector antennas (about 100 inch in aperture each) and the required eight large reflector antennas can not be accommodated on the spacecraft. Because of these bandwidth and aperture limitations of the antennas, operators like DirecTV had to launch two separate satellites, one supporting local-channel DBS services (e.g., DTV-4S, DTV-10, DTV-11, Echo 10) and the other for Ka-band broadband satellite services (e.g., SpaceWay, Anik-F2, EutelSat-Ka, Viasat).

Antenna systems for multiple frequency bands


A microwave oven prevents an overcooking of small food portions. The oven includes a weight sensing device for sensing the weight of food to be cooked. If the sensed food weight is greater than a reference weight, then a cooking time is set, e.g., manually or automatically on the basis of a selected cooking mode and/or the sensed food weight. If the sensed food weight is less than the reference weight, then a maximum cooking time is automatically set which is the same, regardless of the amount by which the food weight is less than the reference weight. The cooking time cannot exceed that maximum time period, thereby ensuring that the food will not be overcooked.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method for controlling a cooking operation of a microwave oven.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following description relates to the prior art. Firstly, Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Sho 63-254326 published Oct. 21, 1988 discloses an apparatus for displaying an error when a controller senses that no food has been placed on a tray in a cooking chamber. This apparatus stores a tray weight in the controller, and thus any sensed weight that is above the stored tray weight when the tray acts upon a weight sensing mechanism represents the weight of the food. Also, if the rotary tray does not properly act upon the weight sensing mechanism, the microcomputer displays an error.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,405 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 96-320123 disclose microwave ovens having a weight sensor for sensing the weight of food on a tray of a microwave oven. The U.S. patent discloses that the cooking time period is calculated as a function of the sensed food weight.
Japanese Utility Model Publication (unexamined) No. 03282124 (published Dec. 12, 1991 discloses a microwave oven that includes a spin chuck table, a rotary tray located on the spin chuck table, and a tray elevating device which raises the tray to a prescribed height. When the tray elevating device goes into action, the tray is elevated after being disjoined from the spin chuck table. The tray then rotates, and microwaves generated by a magnetron are uniformly transferred, even to the bottom of the tray.
A conventional microwave oven depicted in FIG. 5 includes: a metallic cabinet 10; a cooking chamber 11; a magnetron (not illustrated) which emits high-frequency microwaves to the cooking chamber 11; a high voltage transformer 13 which supplies high voltage to the magnetron; an electric resistance heater 17 that is mounted on the upper porion of the cooking chamber 11 to cook foodstuffs in the cooking chamber 11 by radiant heat and convective heat; and a food tray 12 which is provided on the inner bottom of the cooking chamber, and is designed to be elevated and to be rotated about a vertical axis. In addition, a door (not illustrated) is installed on the front side of the cooking chamber 11, to open/close the cooking chamber, a cooling fan for cooling the above components is installed to the back side of the electrical component compartment 14. A terminal is formed at an end of the heater 17 so that power is supplied to the heater 17. The heater can be rotated between horizontal and vertical states. In this case, a position of the heater can be changed by the user, and various cooking operations are possible according to the position of the heater.
The above microwave oven also includes a shaft 31 having an upper end connected with the bottom of the tray 12 and a lower end extending downward to the outside of the cooking chamber 11; an elevation guide member 34 positioned under the shaft 31 to elevate the shaft 31; an elevating motor 33 that reciprocates the elevation guide member right and left; a motor 32 that rotates the shaft 31 by means of a gear 32a; and a weight sensing mechanism 35 that is provided under the elevation guide member 34 to measure the weight of a foodstuff on the tray 12.
The following description relates to the operation of the above microwave oven.
If microwaves of about 2,450 MHz in frequency are applied to the food, molecules of the food contained in a metallic case are motivated by microwave energy so the food emits heat. A microwave oven is an oven that uses microwave heating for fast cooking of meat and other foods.
When the magnetron emits microwaves of about 2,450 MHz to the metallic cabinet 10, molecules of the food are each positively and negatively charged. That is, one side of each food molecule is negatively charged by the positive electrons of the electric field created by the microwaves, and the other side of each food molecule is positively charged by the negative electrons of the electric field. Since the electric field's polarity is changed about 2.4 billion, 5 thousand times per second, the food's molecules collide with each other to thereby create friction heat so that the food is heated up.
Assuming that the weight sensing mechanism 45 determines that food has been placed on the tray, the oven can perform fast cooking of foods by microwave energy or heat, while rotating the tray or moving it up or down. The tray is elevated to a predetermined height simultaneously with a starting operation. When the elevation of the tray 12 is completed, the tray is rotated and foodstuff on the tray 12 is cooked by the microwave energy generated from the magnetron.
In the meantime, if a use selects a desired cooking mode and operates a key input panel (not illustrated), the magnetron and heater are controlled according to the selected cooking mode and cooking time. If the user selects cooking modes such as a warm mode, a thaw mode and the like, the magnetron is operated. If the user selects a grill mode, barbecue mode or pizza-baking mode, the heater is operated. In addition, the cooking can be achieved by using the magnetron and the heater simultaneously.
The food cooked in a conventional microwave oven may be fully cooked before the set cooking time has elapsed, especially when the user cooks a small quantity of food. As a result, the food can be excessively boiled or burned. Also, in that case, the magnetron and the heater will have been driven for an unnecessarily long time, thereby wasting energy.

Method for controlling a microwave oven to prevent overcooking of small food portions


A chopper amplifier includes a chopper modulator to modulate a certain detection signal and a bias voltage by a certain control signal and output a chopper modulation signal, a first differential amplifier to differentially amplify the chopper modulation signal from the chopper modulator and output a differential modulation signal, a chopper demodulator to demodulate the differential modulation signal from the first differential amplifier by the control signal and output a demodulation signal, a second differential amplifier to extract a detection signal component from the demodulation signal, and a plurality of filters connected at an input terminal of the second differential amplifier and having different cutoff frequencies from each other relative to the demodulation signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chopper amplifier which amplifies a finite, low-frequency signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In related art Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-279377 discloses a chopper amplifier to amplify a finite, low frequency detection signal, for example.
Such a chopper amplifier comprises a chopper modulator to modulate a finite, low-frequency input signal by a certain control signal and output a modulation signal, a differential amplifier to differentially amplify the modulation signal, and a chopper demodulator to demodulate the differentially amplified modulation signal in accordance with the control signal for output.
FIG. 5 shows an example of typical chopper amplifier and FIGS. 6A to 6F show voltage waveforms and frequency spectra at nodes of the chopper amplifier in FIG. 5. FIG. 6A show gate control signals φ1, φ2. A chopper modulator 1 and a chopper demodulator 2 in FIG. 5 each comprise NMOS transistors. The NMOS transistors become conductive when high-level gate control signals φ1, φ2 are applied to their gates while they become non-conductive when low-level signals are applied thereto.
FIG. 6B shows a voltage (signal) S1 from a signal source and a voltage B1 from a bias source. The bias source constantly outputs a DC voltage to supply a bias voltage to the amplifier. FIG. 6C shows a frequency spectrum of the signal S1, and FIG. 6D shows the output of a modulator, that is, a signal obtained by modulating the voltage waveform in FIG. 6B by the chopper modulator 1. FIG. 6E shows that the signal S1 with a frequency component fs is converted into a signal with a frequency component fchop±fs, 3fchop±fs, . . . .
In FIG. 6F the signal is amplified by the amplifier with a gain A. FIG. 6G shows the spectrum of the output voltage of the amplifier, and it can be seen therefrom that a 1/f noise and the signal of the amplifier are frequency-separated. In FIG. 6H the output voltage of the amplifier is demodulated by the chopper demodulator 2. In FIG. 6I the frequency of the signal component is returned to the one before the conversion and the 1/f noise of the amplifier is converted by the chopper demodulator 2 to be in a frequency band near the fchop.
In FIGS. 6J, 6K only the 1/f noise is cut off by a lowpass filter (LPF) and the signal S1 is output from the signal source without change. That is, the chopper amplifier works to move the signal in a low frequency range to a high frequency range, separate the frequency band of the signal component and the 1/f noise, and amplify the signal.
However, there is a problem with the chopper amplifier that a residual offset applied to a voltage of the output OUT of the LPF due to clock feedthrough occurring when the Nch transistor switches of the chopper modulator 1 are transited from a non-conductive state to a conductive state.
This is mainly caused by a mismatch between the output resistances of the signal source and the bias source, that between the gate-source capacitances of the transistor switches, or that between the input capacitances of the two input terminals of the amplifier. An example is described below.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a chopper amplifier by way of example, showing an output resistance R1 of a signal source S1, an output resistance R2 of a bias source B1, gate-source capacitances Cgs of four Nch transistors of a modulator, and input capacitances C of + and − input terminals of an amplifier. For the sake of simplicity, assumed that the gate-source capacitances Cgs of the transistor switches are the same and so are the input capacitances C of the + input terminals, and a mismatch occurs only between the output resistances R1 and R2, and R1<R2. When the switches inside the modulator are shifted from a non-conductive state to a conductive state, the gate potentials of the Nch transistors of the switches transit from GND to VDD, injecting a charge into a source (clock feedthrough). Because of this, the output voltages of the signal source S1 and bias source B1 rise by Ving for a moment where Ving=Vdd(Cgs/(Cgs+C)). The charge injected into the capacitance C by the clock feedthrough is discharged towards the signal source and bias source. In FIG. 8B transient responses of the signal source and the bias source when the charge is discharged is shown. Since the output resistance R2 of the bias source B1 is larger than that R1 of the signal source S1, it takes a longer time for the output resistance R2 to settle than the output resistance R1. This causes a spike in the output waveform of the amplifier immediately after the switching of the modulator switch (FIG. 8D). The spike waveform passes through the demodulator without a change and is applied to the LPF, as shown in FIG. 8E. The voltage that the LPF outputs is a mean value of the waveform in a certain time so that the voltage corresponding to the spike waveform becomes an offset added to the output voltage of the LPF. In FIG. 8F the spike waveform applied to the input of the amplifier appears as a certain residual offset in the output voltage of the LPF.


A controlled-precision Iterative Arithmetic Logic Unit (IALU) included in a processor produces sub-precision results, i.e. results having a bit precision less than full precision. In one embodiment, the controlled-precision IALU comprises an arithmetic logic circuit and a precision control circuit. The arithmetic logic circuit is configured to iteratively process operands of a first bit precision to obtain a result. The precision control circuit is configured to end the iterative operand processing when the result achieves a programmed second bit precision less than the first bit precision. In one embodiment, the precision control circuit causes the arithmetic logic circuit to end the iterative operand processing in response to an indicator received by the control circuit. The controlled-precision IALU further comprises rounding logic configured to round the sub-precision result.

Conventional processors include one or more arithmetic logic units for performing iterative operations such as divide, square root and transcendental (e.g., SIN, COS) operations. Iterative arithmetic operations are conventionally executed until a result is produced that has a fixed, defined bit precision. That is, operands are iteratively processed to produce a result having full precision, i.e., a target precision such as the precision associated with a result register or a precision associated with the starting operands. For example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has defined a standard associated with binary floating-point arithmetic, often referred to as IEEE 754. The IEEE 754 standard specifies number formats, basic operations, conversions, and exceptional conditions relating to both single and double precision floating-point operations.
IEEE 754 compliant floating-point numbers include three basic components: a sign bit, an exponent, and a mantissa. The mantissa is further broken up into an integer portion and a fraction portion. Only the fraction bits are stored in the encoding. For normal numbers, the integer portion is implicitly equal to the value of 1. IEEE 754 compliant single precision numbers are represented by a sign bit, an 8-bit exponent and a 23-bit fraction while double precision numbers are represented by a sign bit, an 11-bit exponent and a 52-bit fraction. As such, iterative processing of IEEE 754 compliant floating-point numbers produces results having 24-bit precision for single-precision operands and 53-bit precision for double-precision operands. For example, a processor equipped with a single-precision IEEE 754 compliant ALU produces results having a full precision of 24 bits. However, certain applications, such as openGL compliant graphics applications, may not require results having full 24-bit single precision. As such, unnecessary power and processing cycle consumption occurs by calculating results to full 24-bit single precision for applications that can tolerate something less than full single precision, e.g., 16-bit precision.
Some conventional processors produce results having a precision less than that of the target format. However, these processors terminate iterative arithmetic operations short of the target format only when the operands being acted on have a precision less than the target format. For example, a double-precision processor can perform a single-precision operation on single-precision operands, producing a single-precision result, even when the target register format is that of a double-precision value. As such, some conventional arithmetic processes are operand-precision dependent, and thus, produce results having a full precision equivalent to that of the operands. As a result, power and processor cycles may be unnecessarily consumed to produce results having a precision greater than that which may be tolerable or acceptable for certain applications.

Controlled-precision iterative arithmetic logic unit


A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a display panel and a backlight module. The display panel includes a color filter layer having a blue filter portion. The backlight module emits light to the display panel. A peak wavelength of a blue light portion of the spectrum of the light is greater than or equal to 440 nm and smaller than or equal to 450 nm. The blue filter portion has a transmission spectrum having a first wavelength λ1 and a second wavelength λ2, and the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 conform to the following equation:

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a display apparatus and, in particular, to a liquid crystal display apparatus.
2. Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatuses, having advantages such as low power consumption, less heat, light weight and less radiation, are widely applied to various electronic products and gradually take the place of cathode ray tube (CRT) display apparatuses.
In general, the LCD apparatus mainly includes an LCD panel, a backlight module, and a liquid crystal layer disposed in the LCD panel. The backlight module can emit light to the LCD panel, and thus the pixels of the LCD panel display various colors forming images. That the pixels can display various colors is mainly because of the deposition of a color filter layer in the LCD panel. Besides, the spectral pattern of the transmission spectrum of the color filter layer will affect the chromatic distribution (e.g. represented by x and y coordinates) of the light emitted by the LCD panel in the chromaticity diagram.
Therefore, it is an important subject of how to design a spectral pattern of the transmission spectrum of the color filter layer to allow the light emitted out of the display panel a better chromatic distribution in the chromaticity diagram so as to enhance the display quality and the product competitiveness.

Abstract: 514  ≤                    λ        1            2        +                  λ        2            2        +          0.71862                                              λ        2              -          0.71862                                              λ        1              ≤  541

Abstract: The first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 are corresponding to a half level of a peak value of the transmission spectrum, and the unit thereof is nm.


An illuminated pop-up candy comprising a housing, cap, moveable candy, moveable illumination system, and switching mechanism. The candy is able to translate and rotate along the length of the housing by the application of pressure to either the candy or the illumination system. The illumination system is switched on and off by touch or translation of the illumination along said housing.

Light has been used to illuminate candy to generate novelty items through a number of different ways. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,748 by Schlotter, et. al. The Schlotter invention is based on a flashlight that includes a replaceable candy cylinder attached to the end of it. The flashlight is then turned on to make the candy cylinder glow brightly while being consumed. Coleman et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,373, expand on the flashlight concept by using it to flash pulses of light onto a candy sucker users face to the beat of music or other sounds made by an integrated circuit. Coleman et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,279, provides for varied illusions and color variations to be projected onto a candy by the flashlight. Two other U.S. Patent Application Publications by Coleman et.al.: Nos. 2003/0228828 and 2004/0032731 provide for further integration of candy with a flashlight. 2003/0067772 combines a removable candy ring with the flashlight. 2003/0228828 provides for a flashlight that illuminates a candy at one end and a reservoir at the other end that contains confection powder for dipping the illuminated candy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,819 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0170020 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,619 to Gordon and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0016529 by Schuren et. al. are all directed to various apparatus for making candy luminescent by transmitting light from a light source along a tube into the candy. The Johnson patent further provides for a reflective coating inside the tube to enhance light transmission along the tube.
In other examples the properties of the candy itself can be used to enhance the illumination effect. Weber et.al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,800, provides for edible fiber optic candies that transmit light, while Coleman et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,732, provide for a flashlight with illuminated liquid candy.
In yet another example, the source of light for illuminating the candy may not be that of a power supply and light source, as in the preceding examples, but that of chemical luminescence. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0159244 describes such a chemiluminescent lollipop.
There is a significant degree of amusement value provided by the devices described in the prior art patents and publications referenced above. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that opportunity exists for enhancing the aesthetic appeal, amusement level, structural design and commercial viability of illuminated consumables. For example, candies such as the PUSH POPS® candy manufactured by The Topps Company possess a unique design in which the candy is stored within a housing prior to consumption. The housing acts to keep the candy clean when not in use. Having the candy inside the housing also provides for a more compact product for shipping. The candy is then pushed from the housing by either the consumer's finger or a spring mechanism just prior to consuming. This further lends to the amusement value of the product. The prior art only provides for illuminating candy that is secured outside the housing. The prior art is not believed to teach or suggest illuminating a candy structure such as the PUSH POPS® candy.


It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor display device using a protective circuit in which dielectric breakdown is prevented more effectively. In the invention, in the cases that a first interlayer insulating film is formed covering a TFT used for a protective circuit and a second interlayer insulating film, which is an insulating coating film, is formed covering a wiring formed over the first interlayer insulating film, a wiring for connecting the TFT to other semiconductor elements is formed so as to be in contact with the surface of the second interlayer insulating film so as to secure a path discharging charge accumulated in the surface of the second interlayer insulating film. Note that the TFT used for the protective diode is a so-called diode-connected TFT in which either of the first terminal or the second terminal is connected to a gate electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor display device using a protective circuit which can prevent a dielectric breakdown of a light emitting element from occurring.
2. Description of the Related Art
How to restrain degradation of the light emitting element or charging phenomena (charging) which leads to dielectric breakdown is an important subject in a manufacturing step of a semiconductor device. Specifically, with high integration, there is a tendency of not only miniaturization of a channel length but also decrease in film thickness of various insulating films typified by a gate insulating film. Consequently, the dielectric breakdown due to the charging becomes a more serious problem.
The cause and environment to occur the charging is extremely complicated and vary. Therefore, it is necessary not only to investigate the cause and the environment to occur the charge, but also to take measures in a structure of the semiconductor device so as to enhance resistance to the degradation or dielectric breakdown due to the charging. In order to prevent the degradation or dielectric breakdown due to the charge, it is effective to ensure a discharge path by the protective circuit using a diode (protective diode). By ensuring the discharge path, charge accumulated in an insulating film is prevented from being discharged in the vicinity of the semiconductor element. Thus, phenomena (ESD: Electro-Static Discharge) in which the semiconductor element is deteriorated and damaged due to energy of discharge can be prevented.
In addition, by providing a protective circuit, even if noise is inputted into a wiring along with a signal and a power supply voltage, a subsequent circuit can be prevented from malfunctioning due to the noise, and a semiconductor device can be prevented from being deteriorated or a damaged due to the noise.
In a semiconductor display device typified by a liquid crystal display device and a light emitting device, an active matrix type in which supply of signal to a display element can be maintained to some extent after inputting a video signal can respond flexibly to a panel with a big size and high precision, and thus the semiconductor display device with an active matrix type has become future mainstream. A structure of a pixel in an active matrix type semiconductor display device which is proposed concretely depends on each of manufacturer in a measure. Usually, a display element such as a light emitting element and a liquid crystal element, and a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as TFT) for controlling operation of the display element are provided for each of the pixels.
In the semiconductor display device, there are two kinds of structures that a display element is formed with a wiring connected directly to a first or a second terminal of a TFT over an insulating film (a first interlayer insulating film) which covers the TFT, and that a display element is formed over an insulating film (a second interlayer insulating film) which covers the wiring moreover. In the case of a light emitting device where light from the light emitting element is taken out from the side opposite to the TFT, the latter structure is more desirable for being able to increase contrast more than the former structure since ratio of a region which contributes to luminescence in the entire pixel portion can be increased.
The second interlayer insulating film covering the wiring moreover has a possibility of affecting characteristic of the display element due to its surface unevenness, and therefore, is formed by using a coating method which is easy to flatten. This insulating coating film has a problem of being easily charged when it is formed. However, a TFT is usually used for a protective diode, and the TFT is formed at the same layer as TFTs constituting other circuits. Accordingly, the charge which is charged in an insulating film in a layer formed over an insulating film which covers the TFT used for the protective diode is hard to discharge through a discharge path secured by the protective circuit. Consequently, there has been a problem that dielectric breakdown easily occurs due to the charge.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A contact socket having a first and a second elastic contact elements extending in an insertion direction (vertical direction) of a lead pin of an electric part, a lead pin loose insertion portion formed between and along opposite surfaces of the first and second elastic contact elements, and a narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion formed between the opposite surfaces, the lead pin inserted into the lead pin loose insertion portion being brought into the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion by moving the lead pin in a horizontal direction, thereby assuring a reliable electrical contact, wherein a pair of normally-inclining slant sides for guiding the lead pin into the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion from the lead pin loose insertion portion are formed between the lead pin loose insertion portion and the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion, a pair of clamping sides forming the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion are formed as reversely-inclining slant sides connected respectively at one ends thereof to one ends of the normally-inclining slant sides and gradually enlarging toward the other ends thereof, and positions of connecting areas between the pair of reversely-inclining slant sides forming the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion and the pair of normally-inclining slant sides forming the lead pin guide portion are arranged in such a manner as being displaced in a horizontal direction from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a socket contact in which lead pins of an electric part are loosely inserted with a small resistance into a space defined by opposite surfaces of a first and a second elastic contact elements along the opposite surfaces, and then the lead pins are horizontally moved from this loose insertion portion so as to be clamped, and more particularly to a socket contact which is suitably used to contact, for example, a pin grid array type integrated circuit (PGA type IC) having a number of lead pins projecting downwardly from a lower surface of a socket body.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 63-4370 discloses a socket contact used for the above PGA type IC. This socket contact has a first elastic contact element and a second elastic contact element both extending in a direction opposite to the insertion direction (vertical direction) of the lead pin of the IC. A lead pin loose insertion portion is formed between opposite surfaces of the first and second elastic contact elements, and a narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion is formed between the opposite surfaces of the first and second elastic contact elements. The lead pin inserted into the lead pin loose insertion portion with a small pressure is moved in a horizontal direction so as to be guided into the lead pin clamping portion where the lead pin is clamped by and between the first and second elastic contact elements to achieve an electrical contact. Between the lead pin loose insertion portion and the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion, a pair of normally-inclining slant sides disposed in symmetric relation to each other are formed in order to guide the lead pin into the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion.
For assuring a reliable electrical contact by means of prevention of the lead pin from accidentally moving toward the lead pin insertion side, a pair of reversely inclining clamping sides forming the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion are provided.
As described above, according to the prior art, since the pair of normally-inclining slant sides are formed in order to guide the lead pin from the lead pin loose insertion portion to the narrowly-spaced lead pin clamping portion and this pair of slant sides is arranged in a symmetric relation relative to each other, the first and second elastic contact elements are simultaneously pressed so as to be spread outwardly against elasticity thereof at portions between the pair of slant sides and the pair of clamping sides. As a consequence, resistances caused by the first and second elastic contact elements are applied simultaneously to the first and second elastic contact elements, and an operating force for the movement of the lead pin is overly increased.
Particularly, in the case where the clamping sides forming the lead pin clamping portion are served as the reversely-inclining slant sides as mentioned above, the space of the clamping portion must be narrower at that end where the lead pin begins to be guided in. As a result, an operating force required for moving the lead pin into the lead pin clamping portion is more increased.
In other words, by forming the clamping sides of the lead pin clamping portion as reversely-inclining slant sides, a reliable contact can be assured by means of prevention of the lead pin from accidentally moving from the lead clamping portion to the lead pin loose insertion portion. This in turn gives rise to such a problem as to increase an introduction force into the lead pin clamping portion which eventually necessitates a large operating force.


The invention provides in one embodiment a composition which is a linear DNA molecule having a desired replacement sequence, and second and third sequences substantially homologous to non-identical portions of the gene and having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends flanking the desired replacement sequence and the distal ends having a terminating nucleotide analog at each end of the molecule. Another embodiment of the invention provides methods, by blocking the 3xe2x80x2 ends of transforming DNA with 2xe2x80x23xe2x80x2 dideoxynucleotides, to reduce the frequency of end-mediated DNA insertion. These methods introduce only one copy of the selectable gene at the target locus to achieve a precise gene disruption, reducing or eliminating undesirable and multiple insertions that occur both non-homologously and at the targeted locus.

The present invention relates to targeting of genes, and more particularly to targeting of chromosomal gene sequences in eukaryotic cells.
Gene targeting by means of homologous DNA recombination is a powerful technique for elucidating the function of eukaryotic genes. Depending upon the precise structure and mode of presentation of the added DNA, targeting can result in complete inactivation of the chromosomal target gene or, alternatively, can alter the target""s structure or expression in subtle and well-defined ways (Capecchi, M. R. (1989)Science 244, 1288-1292). A key distinction in gene targeting is whether the vector and approach used are intended to cause gene replacement or gene insertion (Hasty, P. et al. (1991) Mol. Cell. Biol. 11, 4509-4517). In the first case, two homologous recombination events replace the region under study with a selectable gene (FIG. 1B). In gene insertion, a single recombination event adds the entire foreign DNA molecule to the targeted locus (FIG. 1C). Gene insertion may be accomplished using either a circular plasmid or one which contains a double strand break within the region of homology, and gene replacement utilizes molecules linearized at a point outside of the homologous regions.
Despite the distinctions drawn between mechanisms of gene replacement and insertion, experiments intended to produce gene replacement often result instead, in a variable variable proportion of cases, in gene insertion (Hasty, P. et al. (1991) Mol. Cell. Biol. 11, 4509-4517; Thomas, K. R. et al. (1992) Mol. Cell. Biol. 12, 2919-2923; Zhang, H. et al. (1994) Mol. Cell. Biol. 14, 2404-2410). A locus insertionally targeted may, depending upon the vector design, fail to be inactivated; the insertion event is also subject to reversion (Thomas, K. R. et al.(1992) Mol. Cell. Biol. 12, 2919-2923; Hasty, P. et al. (1991) Nature 350, 243-246). Unintended insertional targeting occurs during the transformation of mammalian cells and of the simple eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum (Manstein, D. J. et al. (1989) EMBO J. 8, 923-932; Sun, T. J. et al. (1991) Genes Dev. 5, 572-582). Events of this type are thought to occur via the joining in vivo of the linearized ends of the plasmid, recreating a circular vector capable of single-crossover insertion at the homologous locus. There is evidence of prolific end-to-end joining activity (i.e., DNA ligation) in a wide variety of eukaryotes. Ligation in vivo occurs whether the ends introduced are xe2x80x9csticky,xe2x80x9d blunt, or even incompatible (Goedecke, W. et al. (1994) Nucleic Acids Res. 22, 2094-2101; Katz, K. et al. (1990) Ph.D. thesis, University of Massachusetts). It would be desirable to prevent unwanted end-to-end joining of transfecting molecules, and thereby gene insertion, to promote only the desired double cross-over replacement events.
Chang and Wilson (Chang, X.-B. et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 84, 4959-4963) observed that 2xe2x80x23xe2x80x2 dideoxy-blocked DNA ends are unable to be ligated in mammalian cells in vivo. There is no information concerning effects of this biochemical procedure on chromosomal integration or gene targeting.
An embodiment of the invention is a composition of matter for replacing a target sequence in a gene sequence in a eukaryotic cell, comprising: a linear DNA molecule having (i) a desired replacement sequence, and (ii) second and third sequence substantially homologous to non-identical portions of the gene and having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends flanking the desired replacement sequence; and a terminating nucleotide analog at each end of the DNA molecule. According to this embodiment, the DNA molecule can comprise in addition (iii) a fourth sequence that confers a lethal phenotype and is located at a site selected from the group consisting of the distal ends of each of the second and third sequences, for example, the fourth sequence is a deleterious tRNA gene.
The invention in another embodiment provides also a method of replacing a target sequence in a gene sequence of a eukaryotic cell, comprising: providing a linear DNA molecule having (i) a desired replacement sequence, and (ii) second and third sequences substantially homologous to non-identical portions of the gene and having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends flanking the desired replacement sequence; adding a terminating nucleotide analog to each end of the DNA molecule; presenting the resulting DNA molecule to the eukaryotic cell such that the resulting DNA molecule enters arid transforms the cell; and growing the cell to obtain recombinant progeny cells having the desired replacement sequence inserted into the targeted gene.
In a further embodiment of this method, adding the terminating nucleotide analog to the DNA includes adding a 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2-dideoxynucleotide, for example, adding the 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2-dideoxynucleotide includes using a DNA polymerase. In an alternative embodiment, adding the 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2-dideoxynucleotide includes using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase.
According to an embodiment of the method, providing the linear DNA molecule includes digesting a plasmid with a restriction enzyme.
According to another embodiment of the method, the desired sequence confers a selectable phenotype.
According to an embodiment of the method, in providing the DNA molecule, such molecule includes (iii) a fourth sequence that confers a lethal phenotype and is located outside of the sites selected from the group consisting of distal ends of the second and third sequences.
According to an embodiment of the method of providing the DNA molecule with the desired sequence that confers a selectable phenotype, the DNA molecule includes (iii) a fourth sequence that confers a lethal phenotype and is located outside of the sites selected from the group consisting of the distal ends of the second and third sequences.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided in which the targeted replacement of a genomic sequence inactivates a function of the gene. The gene can be in the cell of an animal, and the inactivated function of the gene in a cell of an animal produces an animal model for a human disease. In this embodiment, the human disease can be selected from the group consisting of cystic fibrosis, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, emphysema, and muscular dystrophy.
In another aspect of this method, the inactivated function of the gene in a cell of an animal eliminates production of an antigen by the animal. In this aspect, the inactivated function of the gene in a cell of an animal produces the antigen causes immune rejection of a tissue or organ donated by the animal.
Another embodiment provided by the invention is a method wherein the gene is in the cell of a plant. According to this embodiment, the inactivated function of the gene in a cell of a plant results in elimination of production of an antigen by the plant, for example, where the antigen in the cell of the plant is a human allergen. In this embodiment, the plant can be a peanut plant, Arachis hypogaea. Further, the plant can a Brazil nut plant, Bertholletia excelsa.
In another aspect of the embodiment provided by this method, the gene is found in the chloroplast DNA in a cell of a plant.
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for correcting a mutation in the gene sequence, for example, a deleterious mutation in the gene sequence, wherein the desired sequence includes a normal allele to a deleterious mutation. The deleterious mutation can be a recessive mutation, for example, a mutation selected from the group consisting of mutations resulting in the diseases: adenosine deaminase deficiency resulting in SCID (severe combined immuno-deficiency), cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, phenylketonuria, sickle cell anemia, xcex1-thalassemia, xcex2-thalassemia, breast cancer, and Crigler-Najjar syndrome.
In another embodiment of the invention, the mutation can be a dominant mutation, for example, a mutation selected from the group consisting of mutations resulting in the diseases: achondroplasia, Marfan syndrome, neurofibromatosis, myotonic dystrophy, and Huntington disease.
Another embodiment of the invention is method for treatment of a linearized gene replacement vector, comprising: providing a kit comprising deoxynucleotidyl transferase and a 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2 dideoxynucleoside triphosphate; and using the kit components to add a dideoxynucleotide to each end of the linearized gene replacement vector. According to the method of this embodiment, the 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2 dideoxynucleoside triphosphate is selected from the group consisting of 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2 dideoxyadenosine triphosphate, 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2 dideoxythymidine triphosphate, 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2 dideoxycytidine triphosphate, and 2xe2x80x2,3xe2x80x2 dideoxyguanosine triphosphate.

Methods of targeting a chromosomal gene sequence in a eukaryotic cell


A latching apparatus is coupled to a first electronic component for facilitating docking to a second electronic component. The apparatus includes a pivotable actuation handle, and slide and pivotable linkages. The slide linkage couples to the pivotable actuation handle and is slidable in directions which the first component docks to the second component. The pivotable linkage is also coupled to the slide linkage and includes a latching hook at its distal end. With the first component disposed for docking relative to the second component, pivotal actuation of the handle to open is translated to pivotal movement of the pivotable linkage to facilitate aligning the latching hook over a hook pocket of the second component, and pivotal actuation of the handle closed is translated to pivotal movement of the pivotable linkage to engage the hook pocket, and thereby draw the first component into docked relation with the second component.

In many electronic systems (such as server applications), processors, along with their associated electronics (e.g., memory, disk drives, power supplies, etc.), are packaged in removable node configurations (e.g., drawers or blades) disposed within a housing. Each node requires multiple electrical connections which are generally provided by two-part, multi-contact electrical connectors which include a node part of the connector attached to the node component and a housing part attached to a rack, system chassis assembly, or other backplane component of the housing, which acts as a socket for receiving the node part of the connector. As used herein, "node" generally means any assembly or structure that contains electronic components (including, but not limited to, semiconductor devices, resistors, capacitors, relays, switches, and connectors) or electrical connections for an electronic system. As used herein, "housing" generally means any assembly or structure adapted to receive one or more electronic nodes, including, but not limited to, a rack, a chassis assembly, backplane circuit board, etc. At each level of assembly, successful alignment and mating of connector parts is required in order to provide reliable electrical connection between the parts of the connectors, and therefore, between the components of the electronic system.
Insertion and extraction of components in an electronic (or computer) system is becoming more challenging as the density of computer system assemblies increase. With less room being allocated for mechanical functions, the interconnect technologies are becoming more and more critical, requiring more precise control of the insertion and extraction of a component from the system assembly. This is typically controlled by the geometry of the contact systems becoming smaller and the effective "wipe" of the connectors being reduced.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improved latching apparatuses for facilitating insertion and extraction of one electronic component relative to another electronic component which require less space than prior latching solutions.

Latching apparatus for facilitating docking of an electronic component

International Business Machines Corporation