A shaft deflection controller includes an input driveshaft adapted for inputting power from an engine. The input driveshaft includes an axis of rotation and a spur pinion at an end of the input driveshaft. The axis of rotation of the input driveshaft changes, relative to a frame, with deflections of the input driveshaft. Two face gears are adapted for meshing with the spur pinion of the input driveshaft. A flexible shaft stabilizing mount includes an inner sleeve portion and a mounting flange. The inner sleeve portion includes a base portion connecting the inner sleeve portion to the mounting flange and a plurality of cage spring members. The mounting flange is connected to and concentric with the inner sleeve portion. The flexible shaft stabilizing mount controls the deflection of the input driveshaft by applying forces onto the input driveshaft, which tend to resist changes in the alignment of the axis of rotation of the input driveshaft. The flexible shaft stabilizing mount is connected to a rigid frame. An inner surface portion of a stiffening ring contains a curvature and surrounds and contacts the inner sleeve portion of the flexible shaft stabilizing mount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rotorcraft transmission system and, more particularly, to a shaft deflection controller for providing equal torque splitting and resonance-free operation to a shaft of the rotorcraft transmission system.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art has developed a variety of apparatuses and systems for initiating and maintaining shaft alignment. In attempts to achieve accurate shaft alignment during operating conditions, many of these prior art devices implemented flexible shaft-to-shaft connecting devices. Typical shaft-to-shaft connecting devices utilized flexible mountings on high speed shafts. The flexible mountings were either coupled to each other or to the output shafts of the turbine engines. None of these shaft-to-shaft connecting devices, however, operated to provide shaft alignment in the context of a split gearing system.
Conventional flexible disk or diaphragm couplings have also been implemented for achieving shaft alignment, but these couplings were often larger and required more space than was usually available. These conventional couplings also offered little latitude in achieving a specific system stiffness through design implementations. The shaft-to-shaft connecting devices, on the other hand, were designed for those system stiffnesses which resulted in minimal vibration during brief shaft operation at critical vibration speeds. The shafts in these applications were usually operating supercritically, with operating speed values lying above the first critical speeds. The designs functioned to prevent shaft flailing and to retain shaft alignment during operation at critical speeds, as the shafts were brought up to operating speed.
Fundamental differences exist between split torque gearing and shaft-to-shaft connecting devices. The loads involved in a gearing system include radial, axial and tangential forces, in addition to overturning moments. In addition, gear tooth, rim and web deflections must be considered. Conventional torque split gearing designs specifically intended to achieve torque-splitting have typically met with only limited success in achieving equal division of torque. These designs included gear tooth indexing, elastomeric gear web designs and splined mountings requiring exact assembly adjustments for each design. Gear tooth, rim and web dimensions vary from one set to another, even for the same design. The above designs relied on selective adjustments made during assembly to account for these unique dimensions. These methods could not assure torque-splitting in typically-encountered applications, as they must be designed for a limited range of speed and load conditions (known vibration and deflection) and very tight dimensional and assembly tolerances. It is difficult if not impossible, however, to predict the gearing system stiffnesses and tooth deflections during operation, since these change for different load and speed conditions.
Designs of some conventional devices addressed the problem of bearing slippage in some instances, although the retention methods for these designs relied more often on the use of friction to prevent bearing slippage, such as the use of spring clamping. Failsafe features of some of these conventional devices relied upon single stops, such as pins, housing walls, or anti-flail rings, which would make contact abruptly with a flailing shaft. Significant shaft deflection prior to contact with emergency restraints would be unacceptable in a split-torque gearing system, however, since this could result in drive system failures. A need exists in the prior art for an apparatus, which can provide equal torque splitting without relying on selective assembly procedures, operate at sub-critical operation, and prevent deflections from reaching near-critical values before providing restraint.


A system and method for simulating a swimming stroke wherein the resistance is supplied by resilient members connected to the user's arms and legs. In one aspect the invention is an exercise system comprising: a bench for supporting a user; means for securing to the user's left arm; means for securing to the user's right arm; means for securing to the user's left leg; means for securing to the user's right leg; and each of the left arm securing means, the right arm securing means, the left leg securing means, and the right leg securing means connected to the bench by at least one resilient member. Preferably the resilient members are connected to a pair of specially adapted gloves and socks. In another aspect, the invention is a method of using the system to simulate a swimming stroke wherein the user's movement is resisted during the entire range of motion.

Swimming is recognized as one of the best exercises for muscle toning, weight loss, and cardiovascular conditioning. Despite this, swimming is not widely used as a means to exercise. This is because in order to swim one must have access to a pool or another body of water. While gyms and fitness clubs often have pools on the premises, many people either do not have time to regularly attend gym or do not have the financial resources required to belong to such facilities. Additionally, some people do not enjoy getting wet and/or spending the time necessary to fix themselves up after a swimming workout. Thus, a need exists for exercise equipment that can simulate the physical workout achieved during swimming without the associated drawbacks.
Exercise equipment currently exists that allows users to simulate a swimming motion. However, available swimming simulators suffer from a variety of drawbacks. Some swimming simulators are very expensive and mechanically complex. Other swimming simulators are bulky and large in size, making it difficult for a user to store/use the equipment in the comfort of their own home. Still other swimming simulators do not properly simulate the swimming motion and/or supply constant resistance to the user's motion throughout the entire range of a swimming stroke.

Exercise system and method for simulating a swimming motion


An interior rearview mirror is provided for vehicles having electrically operated components requiring connection to a power source with a blind assembly. The mirror includes a mirror housing having a back wall that defines an opening adapted to closely receive an electrical power source connector for operating components in the mirror. An electrical component connector in the housing is aligned with the opening and has substantially parallel sidewalls with a cross-sectional shape configured and adapted to stably engage the power source connector when the power source connector is attached to the component connector. The housing includes a protruding ridge that juts outwardly and protrudes from an exterior surface of the wall on one or more sides of the opening. The ridge includes angled inner surfaces forming a comer leading toward the opening. The ridge forms an enlarged target shaped to provide a feel to an installing person that facilitates assembly by directing the power source connector toward the component connector during a blind assembly.

The present invention relates to mirrors having electrical connectors that must be connected to operate electrically operated components or circuits in the mirrors, and in particular the present invention relates to mirrors where a multi-contact electrical connector must be connected in a blind assembly process by an installing person that cannot easily visually verify alignment during connection.
Mirrors in modem vehicles often include electrically operated components and features that require separate electrical circuits. For example, electrochromic (EC) mirrors have circuits for controlled darkening of EC material. Further, these mirrors often have displays that convey information to a vehicle driver or sensors that sense particular vehicle data of interest. However, the connectors that electrically connect the components in the mirror to vehicle chassis wiring are not easy to reach or see, such that they require a blind assembly. This blind assembly problem is aggravated by multi-pin connectors, since alignment tends to be more critical and the possibility of damage to the connector is greater when the connector includes several pins. The blind assembly problem is further aggravated by the confined area defined around the mirror under the vehicle front window. For example, interior rearview mirror housings are located relatively close to the front window and headliner (or console) in vehicles, so that the mirrors are optimally located for viewing. Also, the adjustable mirror support that supports the mirror on the vehicle front window and/or on the vehicle overhead console is made relatively short so as to minimize pendulum-type vibrational problems caused by the mirror being supported on an elongated cantilevered arm. The proximity of the mirror to the vehicle front window makes it difficult to see the mating structures, and further restricts the assembly, making it difficult to align and connect the power source connector to the mirror component connector.
As noted above, the problem of difficult assembly is aggravated by the fact that typically the vehicle front window glass is attached before the mirror is attached or electrically connected. Thus, the vehicle front window glass is in the way and prevents the installing person from being able to visually see the connection. Further, the wire lead on the power source connector is, by design, made as short as possible and made to lay close to the vehicle front window to eliminate the lead from hanging down after assembly in a manner that would create a poor appearance. These "short length" wires can make it difficult for an assembling person to tell whether a resistance to assembly is caused by the connectors being misaligned or whether it is from other factors, such as tension on the wires.
As a result, the power source connector is not always fully aligned with the component connector when the installing person applies force to assemble the power source connector to the component connector. If not properly aligned, the connectors may bind and wedge in a manner potentially causing damage to the connectors. At a minimum, misaligned connectors will resist connection in a manner slowing the assembly process and frustrating the assembling person. This problem of misalignment, binding, wedging, and potential for damage increases as the number of electrical contacts in the connectors increase, and increases as the pins, contacts, and supporting structure are miniaturized.
Thus, an improved mirror apparatus and assembly method is desired solving the aforementioned problems and having the aforementioned advantages.

Mirror housing with electrical connector


A thin film transistor is provided, which includes: a semiconductor layer including an intrinsic portion; a gate electrode overlapping the intrinsic portion; a gate insulating layer disposed between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode; and source and drain electrodes that have edges opposing each other with respect to the intrinsic portion of the semiconductor layer and are connected to the semiconductor layer, wherein the intrinsic portion has a curved surface contacting the gate insulating layer.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and a thin film transistor array panel.
(b) Description of Related Art
A thin film transistor array panel is used for a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting display (OLED), which includes a plurality of pixels independently driven by thin film transistors (TFTs).
An LCD generally includes two panels having field generating electrodes and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. This LCD displays desired images by applying electric field using the electrodes to the liquid crystal layer with dielectric anisotropy and adjusting the strength of the electric field to control the amount of light passing through the panels. In this case, TFTs are used for controlling signals transmitted to the electrodes.
An OLED is a self emissive display device, which displays images by exciting an emissive organic material to emit light. The OLED includes an anode (hole injection electrode), a cathode (electron injection electrode), and an organic light emission layer interposed therebetween. When the holes and the electrons are injected into the light emission layer, they are recombined and pair annihilated with emitting light. The light emission layer further includes an electron transport layer (ETL) and a hole transport layer (HTL) as well as an electron injecting layer (EIL) and a hole injecting layer (HIL) for enhancing the light emission. Each pixel of the OLED includes two TFTs, i.e., a switching TFT and a driving TFT. The current for light emission is driven by the driving TFT and the mount of the current driven the driving TFT is controlled by the data signals from the switching TFT.
The most commonly used TFTs for an LCD adapts amorphous silicon as a semiconductor layer.
An amorphous silicon TFT has mobility of about 0.5 to 1 cm2/Vsec, which is suitable for a switching element of an LCD. However, it is not sufficient for a driving circuit of a display device.
In order to overcome such a problem, an OLED or a polysilicon TFT LCD using a polysilicon with electron mobility of 20-150 cm2/Vsec as a semiconductor layer has been developed. The relatively high electron mobility polysilicon TFT enables to implement a chip in glass technique that a display panel embeds its driving circuits.
In these display devices, the current driving capacity of the TFTs are required to be increased for the display characteristics of the pixels and for increased size and resolution of the display devices. In addition, when a driver for driving the TFTs for the pixels is integrated on the TFT array panel, the driver includes a plurality of TFTs that require higher current driving capacity than the TFTs for the pixels.
The current driving capacity of the TFTs can be increased by enlarging the channel width of the TFTs and the enlargement of the channel width also requires the increase the electrodes of the TFTs to reduce the aperture ratio of the display device since the electrodes of the TFTs are usually made of opaque metal.

Thin film transistor and thin film transistor array panel


An electronic circuit for automatically adjusting the operating point of an audio amplifier comprising means for sensing the current flowing in the load, coupled to a first threshold detector, said first threshold detector having a plurality of outputs, each of said outputs representing some fraction of maximum load current; a plurality of timing means, each triggered by one of the plurality of outputs from said first threshold detector, each having a time constant inversely proportional to the fraction of load current represented; means for sensing the operating temperature of the amplifier output stage devices, coupled to a second threshold detector, said second threshold detector having an output which is enabled above a certain temperature and where said output may be used to inhibit one or more of the timer means; means for detecting bias level in a pre-driver stage, coupled to a low pass filter; a error amplifier, whose inputs are coupled to said temperature sense means, said timer outputs and said low pass filter, and whose output is then coupled to the input of said audio amplifier to effect the change in bias.

This invention relates, in general, to audio power amplifiers, and more particularly, to the adjustment of the operating point of the output stage.
The present invention has utility in adjusting the bias current in an amplifier circuit, particularly in audio amplifiers where it is desired to operate in Class A operation, while minimizing power dissipation.
It is desirable to adjust the output stage bias current in a Class A amplifier so as to insure proper operation without excessive power dissipation. In high power amplifiers, the quiescent current can be quite high, resulting in very high temperatures.
It is common to use some scheme to reduce the quiescent current when there are no or low input signals, so as to reduce the power dissipation. The magnitude of the input signal is commonly utilized. That is, the bias is made proportional to the input signal level; but these schemes can rarely maintain an adequate adjustment range based solely upon the input signal.
It is desirable therefore, to dynamically adjust the bias current so as to maintain operation in Class A operation while minimizing overall power consumption.
Why adjust the output stage bias current rather than maintain a fixed class A bias level for all load conditions? While class A operation is regarded as the best sounding amplifier mode, it is very inefficient. For a pure class A amplifier design the theoretical efficiency is only 25%; the other 75% is dissipated as heat. By definition, however, the output stage bias current need only be equal to the load current. Therefore, by measuring the load current and adjusting the bias current accordingly, class A bias can be maintained without excessive power dissipation.

Circuit and method for adjusting the bias of an amplifier based upon load current and operating temperature


An electrodeless gas discharge lamp assembly (10) includes a light-transmitting envelope (12) having an illumination gas (14) sealed therein. An induction coil (24) is disposed about the envelope (12) and is operative when driven to excite the gas (14) to inductive discharge illumination. The coil (24) and envelope (12) are prepared as separate components. The coil (24) has an inner circumference which is initially smaller in dimension than a fixed outer circumference of the envelope (12). The two are assembled by extending the envelope (12) into the coil (24). The envelope (12) expands the inner circumference of the coil (24) to the size of the envelope (12), achieving a constricted, intimate contact of the coil (24) about the envelope (12) and assuring that the flux lines generated by the coil (24) will pass through the envelope (12) and act on the gas (14).

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to inductively energized electrodeless gas discharge lamps and more particularly to the manufacture and assembly of the sealed envelope and the surrounding external induction coil of such lamps.
2. Related Prior Art
Electrodeless gas discharge lamp assemblies are well known in which a gas, such as neon, is sealed within a light-transmitting envelope of quartz or the like and surrounded by an external induction coil. The coil, when energized, excites the gas to discharge illumination.
The coil of such assemblies is often larger in diameter than that of the envelope such that a gap exists between the envelope and coil. Such gap can be eliminated by disposing the coil in intimate contact with the outer surface of the envelope. Known techniques for achieving such intimate contact of the coil include winding a strand of copper wire or the like about the envelope or printing a metallic coil pattern on the outer surface of the envelope. Direct engagement between the coil and envelope minimizes any losses of inductance that may be attributed to the presence of gap, since the flux lines generated by the coil are sure to pass through the envelope and avoid any gap.
The winding of the coil about the envelope requires special fixturing to support the envelope and adds a costly manufacturing step to the assembly process. Screen printing the coil onto the envelope likewise requires special, costly printing equipment and techniques and introduces a manufacturing step to the assembly process. This invention is directed toward providing a more efficient, cost-effective approach to preparing and assembling the envelope and coil to achieve the desired close contact therebetween.

Electrodeless gas discharge lamp assembly and method of manufacture


A drag harness comprises two arm loops, each of which has a fixed length and is adapted to receive a separate arm of a wearer, and a gripping loop having a fixed length, joined to the arm loops. Rather than one gripping loop, a pair of gripping loops, each having a fixed length, can be advantageously used. The arm loops are made from a non-abrading material, which may be rope, such as cotton rope or polyester rope. Alternatively, the non-abrading material may be a material, such as strapping, webbing, or rope, which has a surface finish providing the material with a non-abrading characteristic.

As exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,682,671, 4,854,418, and 6,205,584 B1, and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/772,560, supra, and as known heretofore, drag harnesses of the type noted above have arm loops made from strapping or webbing, which tends excessively to abrade adjacent cloth, such as cloth linings of protective coats worn over such harnesses.
As exemplified therein, drag harnesses of the type noted above have gripping means comprising single loops, which can be very difficult for a rescuer to grasp with two hands or with two arms or for two rescuers to grasp. If the wearer is heavy or is laden with heavy gear, it may be quite difficult for a rescuer grasping such a loop with one hand or with one arm to drag the wearer.


Method and apparatus for testing a semiconductor device having an A-D converting unit, capable of generating a highly accurate test waveform of high speed. The semiconductor testing apparatus includes: a first waveform generating unit which generates a first waveform having a predetermined waveform component; a second waveform generating unit which generates a second waveform having a known waveform component; a waveform synthesizing unit which generates a composite waveform by synthesizing the first waveform and the second waveform; a processing unit which processes to remove an effect of the second waveform from an output value; and a comparator which judges based on the first waveform and the output value processed by the processing unit.

This patent application claims priority based on a Japanese patent application, H11-163142 filed on Jun. 9, 1999 and 2000-144022 filed on May 16, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor testing apparatus which tests an A-D converting device that converts an analog signal to a digital signal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a waveform generating unit which generates a test waveform that is to be input to the A-D converting device under test.
2. Description of the Related Art
Accompanied by the improvement of semiconductor technology, the performance of the A-D converting device has been significantly improved. For example, the A-D converting device for use with a digital TV can process a signal of 8 MHz level. The A-D converting device for use with a hard disk can process a signal of some hundred MHz. Accompanied by the performance improvement of the A-D converting device, the same degree of improvement in performance of the semiconductor testing apparatus is required.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the conventional semiconductor testing apparatus 100. The semiconductor testing apparatus 100 is comprised of a waveform generator 10, a sampling clock generator 12, a device contact portion 14 and a comparator 16. An A-D converting device 90 under test is placed on the device contact portion 14. The waveform generator 10 generates a test waveform which is to be input to the A-D converting device 90 under test, so as to be output to the device contact portion 14. Moreover, the A-D converting device 90 under test to which the test waveform is input outputs an expectation value to the comparator 16.
The sampling clock generator 12 outputs to the device contact portion 14 a sampling clock which specifies a sampling interval. The A-D converting device 90 under test samples the test waveform supplied via the device contact portion 14, at the timing of the sampling clock, so that a sampled value or an output value is output to the comparator 16. The comparator 16 compares the output value with the expectation value supplied from the waveform generator 10, and judges whether or not the A-D converting device 90 under test operates normally.
In order to test the A-D converting device, required is that a test signal equivalent to a signal that the A-D converting device actually processes be input to the A-D converting device. Thus, the semiconductor testing apparatus needs to have a waveform generator which generates the test waveform accurately and at high speed. For example, the waveform generator generates a sinusoidal wave as the test waveform. The performance required for the waveform generator is such that the frequency characteristic be twice as much and the dynamic range be greater than 20 dB relative to the device under test. However, generating such a highly accurate test waveform of high speed is extremely difficult in practice.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide method and apparatus for testing a semiconductor device which overcome the above issues in the related art. This object is achieved by combinations described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinations of the present invention.
According to an aspect of the present invention, semiconductor testing apparatus for testing a semiconductor device having an A-D converting, comprises: a first waveform generating unit which generates a first waveform having a predetermined waveform component; a second waveform generating unit which generates a second waveform having a known waveform component; a wave form synthesizing unit which generates a composite (synthesized) waveform by synthesizing the first waveform and the second waveform; a processing unit which processes to remove an effect of the second waveform from an output value of the semiconductor device to which the composite waveform is input; and a comparator which judges whether or not the semiconductor device operates normally, based on the first waveform and the output value processed by said processing unit.
Preferably, the comparator judges whether or not the semiconductor device operates normally based on whether or not difference between the first waveform and the output value processed by the processing unit is within a predetermined range.
Moreover, the second waveform generating unit may generate the second waveform based on a sampling clock which sets a sampling interval of the A-D converting unit. Moreover, the second waveform generating unit generates the second waveform by frequency-dividing the sampling clock.
The semiconductor testing apparatus may further comprise a phase shift unit that shifts a phase of the second waveform by a predetermined amount.
Moreover, the semiconductor testing apparatus may further comprise a pulse width adjusting unit that changes a pulse width of the second waveform, where the second waveform is preferably a square or rectangular wave.
Suppose that the first waveform is a sinusoidal wave. The semiconductor testing apparatus may further comprise an amplitude control unit which sets an amplitude of the sinusoidal wave.
Moreover, the processing unit reduces the effect of the second waveform by performing a filtering process on the output value.
Moreover, the semiconductor testing apparatus may further comprise a plurality of the second waveform generating units, in which the waveform synthesizing unit generates the composite waveform by synthesizing the first waveform and a plurality of the second waveforms generated by a plurality of the second waveform generating units.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of testing a semiconductor device having an A-D converting unit therein comprises: generating a synthesized waveform by a first waveform having a predetermined waveform component and a second waveform whose waveform component is known; inputting the synthesized waveform to the semiconductor device; removing an effect of the second waveform from an output value of the semiconductor device; and judging whether or not the semiconductor device operates normally, based on the first waveform and the output value in which the effect of the second waveform is removed.
The judging step preferably judges whether or not the semiconductor device operates normally based on whether or not difference between the first waveform and the output value in which the effect of the second waveform is removed.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device having a semiconductor testing unit which tests a device portion including an A-D converting unit, comprises: a waveform synthesizing unit which synthesizes a first waveform having a predetermined waveform component and a second waveform whose waveform component is known, so as to generate a synthesis waveform; the semiconductor testing unit which tests the device portion, based on an output value of the device portion to which the synthesis waveform is input; and the device portion which is tested by the semiconductor testing unit.
The semiconductor testing unit may further comprise a first waveform generating unit which generates the first waveform. Moreover, the semiconductor testing unit may further comprise: a processing unit which processes to remove an effect of the second waveform from the output value of the device portion to which the synthesis waveform is input; and a comparator which judges whether or not the device portion operates normally, based on the first waveform and the output value processed by the processing unit.
Preferably, the second waveform is generated based on a sampling clock which sets a sampling interval of the A-D converting unit.
Preferably, the second waveform is obtained by frequency-dividing the sampling clock.
The semiconductor device may further comprise a phase shift unit which shifts a phase of the second waveform by a predetermined amount.
Moreover, the semiconductor device may further comprise a pulse width adjusting unit that changes a pulse width of the second waveform, where the second waveform is a square or rectangular wave.
Suppose that the first waveform is a sinusoidal wave. The semiconductor device may further comprise an amplitude control unit which sets an amplitude of the sinusoidal wave.
Moreover, the processing unit reduces the effect of the second waveform by performing a filtering process on the output value.
This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the present invention. The present invention may also be a sub-combination of the above described features. The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


The linear motion rolling guide unit has a top seal secured to the casing which comprises sealing members facing side areas of the upper surface of the track rail. Each of the sealing members comprises a lip seal portion and a labyrinth seal portion. The lip seal portion is inclined outwardly toward the raceway grooves of the casing and its front end contacts the side area of the upper surface of the track rail. The labyrinth seal portion is arranged on a central area side of the lip seal portion and does not contact the side area of the upper surface of the track rail. Hence, the labyrinth seal portions of the top seal prevent foreign matters from entering into the raceway grooves and the lip seal portions prevent leakage of grease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear motion rolling guide unit, which is applied to machine tools, industrial robots, precision machines and testing equipment and in which a slider comprising a casing and end caps is slidably mounted on a track rail through rolling elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The linear motion rolling guide unit generally has a slider mounted slidable on a track rail through rolling elements, the slider comprising a casing and end caps. To describe in more detail, the linear motion rolling guide unit comprises: a track rail having raceway grooves formed on both longitudinal sidewall surfaces thereof; a casing mounted slidable on the track rail and having raceway grooves formed therein that face the raceway grooves of the track rail; a pair of end caps attached to the longitudinal ends of the casing; rolling elements rolling between the opposing raceway grooves; end seals attached to the outer end surfaces of the end caps; under seals provided to the underside of the casing on both sides; and a top seal provided to the underside of the casing which faces the top surface of the track rail.
In the linear motion rolling guide unit, foreign matters such as dirt, dust and chips, once they adhere to the raceway grooves of the track rail and slider, block the smooth running of the rolling elements as the slider slides on the track rail, and will eventually damage the raceway grooves shortening the life of the product. To prevent this, the linear motion rolling guide unit has end seals, under seal and top seal as sealing means between the slider and the track rail.
Of the sealing means, the end seals effectively remove foreign matters adhering to the top surface of the track rail. When foreign substances collect in bolt holes in the track rail, it is difficult to remove them completely by the end seals. Foreign matters that have moved past the end seals are scattered inside the slider and may enter into the raceway grooves where the rolling elements are running. To prevent the foreign matters that have passed the end seals unhindered from entering into the raceway grooves, a top seal is provided.
The raceway grooves of the track rail and the slider are supplied with grease. When grease adheres to the upper surface of the track rail, foreign matter sticks to the upper surface of the track rail and becomes difficult to remove by the end seals alone. The linear motion rolling guide unit has the top seal to prevent grease in the raceway grooves from leaking into the top surface of the track rail. The top seal has two functions of preventing foreign matters from entering the raceway grooves and of preventing grease from leaking into the top surface of the track rail.
A known conventional top seal consists, for example, of a flat elongate plate and a single rubber lip secured to the edge of the plate and extending longitudinally. The lip is inclined outwardly toward the raceway grooves of the casing, with the end of the lip pressed against the top surface of the track rail by its own elastic force (Japan Patent Utility Model Publication No. 35945/1987, for instance).
Because of its outwardly inclined lip, the conventional top seal can prevent grease from leaking into the top surface of the track rail and also keep foreign matters from entering into the raceway grooves. The sealing performance of the top seal, however, is not sufficient because the lip has a single structure. For example, when a large foreign substance strikes the lip, it pushes the lip open and enters into the raceway grooves. Further, because it is made of an elastic material and its end is formed thin, the lip may be damaged by foreign matters. Possible countermeasures may include increasing the number of lips in the top seal to increase the sealing area and to make the passage of foreign matters difficult by the increased number of lips. This, however, results in an increase in the sliding resistance, making it difficult for the slider to follow a high-speed sliding motion.
Another example of the conventional top seal is a seal plate that extends longitudinally of the track rail and has an almost rectangular lateral cross section, and which is directly secured to the underside of the slider that opposes the upper surface of the track rail in such a way that the underside of the top seal does not contact the upper surface of the track rail, leaving a small gap between them. This top seal may be formed of a metal, plastics or synthetic rubber (Japan Patent Utility Model Laid-Open No. 82330/1989, for example).
Although the top seal has the advantage of zero sliding resistance because it (i.e., seal plate) is not in contact with the track rail, its sealing performance cannot be said to be sufficient in terms of grease leakage. Because there is a small gap between the underside of the seal plate and the upper surface of the track rail, fine foreign matters can pass through the gap into the raceway grooves. Another problem is that when the seal plate is made of a metal, foreign matters may get seized in the gap increasing the sliding resistance of the slider enormously.

Linear motion rolling guide unit with seal structure


A crystallizable glass composition containing, in % by mole in glass component composition, 40 to 70% SiO2, 5 to 35% MgO, 5 to 35% BaO, 5 to 35% ZnO, 0 to 20% CaO, 0 to 20% SrO, 0 to 5% B2O3, 0 to 2% Al2O3, and 0 to 30% La2O3+Y2O3+Gd2O3+Nb2O5+Ta2O5. Provided is a crystallizable glass composition which has fluidity suitable for bonding, has a high coefficient of thermal expansion after undergoing thermal treatment, is less likely to degrade the power generation property of the fuel cell owing to evaporation of glass components even when exposed to high temperatures for a long period, and has excellent thermal resistance after bonding.

Fuel cells have recently received attention as an important technique which can achieve high energy efficiency and significantly reduce emission of CO2. The type of fuel cell varies with the electrolyte used. Fuel cells for industrial application fall into four types: a phosphoric-acid fuel cell (PAFC), a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC). Among them, the SOFC is characterized in that it exhibits small internal resistance and therefore the highest power generation efficiency in the fuel cells, as well as that because there is no need to use any precious metal as a catalyst, its production costs can be kept down. For these reasons, the SOFC is a system widely applicable from small-scale applications, such as those for domestic use, to large-scale applications, such as a power plant, and expectations have been raised for its potential.
The FIG. shows the structure of a general planar SOFC. A general planar SOFC includes a cell in which an electrolyte 1 made of ceramic material, such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), an anode 2 made such as of Ni/YSZ, and a cathode 3 made such as of (La,Ca)CrO3 are layered and integrated. The planar SOFC further includes: a first support substrate 4 adjoining the anode 2 and having passages of fuel gas (fuel channels 4a) formed therein; and a second support substrate 5 adjoining the cathode 3 and having passage of air (air channels 5a) formed therein, wherein the first and second support substrates 4, 5 are fixed to the top and bottom, respectively, of the cell. The first support substrate 4 and the second support substrate 5 are fixed to the cell so that their gas passages are perpendicular to each other. The first support substrate 4 and the second support substrate 5 are made of metal, such as SUS.
In the planar SOFC having the above structure, a fuel gas, such as hydrogen (H2), town gas, natural gas, biogas or liquid fuel, is allowed to flow through the fuel channels 4a and concurrently air or oxygen (O2) is allowed to flow through the air channels 5a. During this time, the cathode develops a reaction of 1/2O2+2e−→O2−, while the anode develops a reaction of H2+O2−→H2O+2e−. These reactions cause direct conversion of chemical energy to electric energy, so that the planar SOFC can generate electric power. To provide high power, in an actual planar SOFC, a plurality of cell structure units shown in the FIG. are layered.
In producing the planar SOFC having the above structure, hermetic sealing is necessary between its members (particularly, each support substrate and the cell) to prevent the occurrence of gas leakage. For this purpose, there has been proposed a method for hermetically sealing the members by interlaying a sheet-shaped gasket made of inorganic material, such as mica, vermiculite or alumina, between the members. However, this method does not involve bonding the members together, which may cause a tiny amount of gas leakage and thus result in poor fuel use efficiency. Therefore, consideration has been given to a method for bonding the members with an adhesive material made of glass.
To bond high-expansion members made of metal or ceramics, it is necessary to conform the coefficient of thermal expansion of the adhesive material to those of the members. In addition, to achieve good bondability, the adhesive material is required to have sufficient fluidity at the bonding temperature. Furthermore, the temperature range of the SOFC in which it develops an electrochemical reaction (i.e., the operating temperature range) is as high as about 600 to about 800° C. and the SOFC is operated at these temperatures over a long period. Therefore, the adhesive material is required to have high thermal resistance to avoid, even when exposed to high temperatures for a long period, deterioration in hermeticity and bondability due to melting of bonded portions and degradation in power generation property of the fuel cell due to evaporation of glass components.
To achieve the above required properties, glass compositions capable of precipitating high-expansion crystals through thermal treatment are proposed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2. Specifically, Patent Literature 1 describes a crystallizable glass composition which can precipitate CaO—MgO—SiO2-based crystals through thermal treatment. Patent Literature 2 describes a crystallizable glass composition which can precipitate MgO-based crystals when undergoing thermal treatment. Furthermore, Patent Literature 3 describes an adhesive material made of a SiO2—B2O3—SrO-based amorphous glass composition precipitating no crystals through thermal treatment.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A throttle valve for a centrifugal compressor includes a body having a central passage and one or more diverter flow paths. The central passage is formed by an inner surface of the body, each diverter flow path has an inlet and an outlet, and the one or more diverter flow paths are configured to induce a swirl within a fluid flow through the central passage while a portion of the fluid flow passes through the one or more diverter flow paths. The throttle valve also includes at least one blade disposed within the central passage. The at least one blade is configured to direct the portion of the fluid flow to the inlets of the one or more diverter flow paths while the at least one blade is in a partially open position.

The present disclosure relates generally to a throttle valve for a centrifugal compressor.
A throttle valve may be positioned upstream of a centrifugal compressor to control fluid flow into the impeller of the centrifugal compressor. While the throttle valve is fully open, fluid flow to the centrifugal compressor is facilitated, thereby causing the centrifugal compressor to operate at a higher capacity. In addition, while the throttle valve is partially closed, fluid flow to the centrifugal compressor is reduced, thereby causing the centrifugal compressor to operate at a lower capacity.
Certain throttle valves includes an array of radially extending vanes configured to rotate to control the fluid flow through the throttle valve. For example, while the throttle valve is fully open, a plane of each vane may be oriented substantially parallel to the fluid flow, thereby facilitating fluid flow through the throttle valve. In addition, while the throttle valve is fully closed, the plane of each vane may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow, thereby substantially blocking fluid flow through the throttle valve. Furthermore, while the throttle valve is partially closed, the plane of each vane may be angled relative to the fluid flow, thereby reducing the fluid flow through the throttle valve. The angled vanes may also induce a swirl within the fluid flow in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the impeller of the centrifugal compressor. Accordingly, while the vanes are angled to reduce fluid flow to the centrifugal compressor, the swirling flow induced by the angled vanes may reduce the load on the centrifugal compressor, thereby reducing power consumption.
In certain throttle valves, each vane is supported by a radially extending rod that passes through the body of the throttle valve. A fluid seal and a bearing may be disposed about each rod to block fluid from flowing out of the body and to facilitate rotation of the rod/vane, respectively. Due to the large force applied to each vane by the fluid flow, the rod, the fluid seal, and the bearing may be significantly robust elements, thereby increasing the cost of the throttle valve. In addition, the linkage assembly configured to synchronize rotation of the vanes may be complex and utilize a large number of parts, thereby further increasing the cost of the throttle valve.

Throttle valve for a centrifugal compressor


A broad-beam laser irradiation apparatus can measure the parametric or functional response of a semiconductor device to exposure to dose-rate equivalent infrared laser light. Comparisons of dose-rate response from before, during, and after accelerated aging of a device, or from periodic sampling of devices from fielded operational systems can determine if aging has affected the device's overall functionality. The dependence of these changes on equivalent dose-rate pulse intensity and/or duration can be measured with the apparatus. The synchronized introduction of external electrical transients into the device under test can be used to simulate the electrical effects of the surrounding circuitry's response to a radiation exposure while exposing the device to dose-rate equivalent infrared laser light.

The effects of harsh radiation environments, such as are encountered in space, military, or nuclear power applications, are known to have deleterious effects on semiconductor devices and circuits. Recent studies have further shown that prolonged exposures to even low levels of radiation can degrade the performance of electronic devices. Compounding these effects, the continued reduction in feature size of modern commercial integrated circuits (ICs) can result in these devices becoming even more sensitive to transient ionizing radiation effects. Ionizing radiation produces electron-hole pairs (i.e., electrical charge) in semiconductor material that may be collected by potentially sensitive circuit nodes. The generation and collection of this unintended electrical charge within the circuit can alter the performance and reliability of specific circuit structures within the device.
It is particularly desirable to be able to measure and monitor changes in the electrical charge collection within a device to detect changes in its radiation response with age. Age-related changes in the radiation response of numerous types of semiconductor devices have been reported by several groups in recent years. See A. P. Karmarkar et al., "Aging and Baking Effects on the Radiation Hardness of MOS Capacitors," IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 48(6), 2158 (2001); and V. S. Pershenkov et al., "Effect of Aging on Radiation Response of Bipolar Transistors," IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 48(6), 2164 (2001). Studies of aging in ICs suggest that achieving a detailed understanding of some of the natural changes that occur in these devices over long storage times requires detailed, repeated and non-destructive examination of the functional and parametric properties of the dose-rate response of semiconductor devices.
Historically, the greatest obstacle to measure the radiation response of electronic devices used in long-lived electrical systems has been the destructive nature of most traditional radiation testing techniques. The accumulation of total dose damage with each subsequent re-test of a device can change its radiation response, (e.g. dose-rate, single event upset, single event latch-up, or burn-out) independent of any other hidden aging effects. Therefore, a need remains for a non-destructive method to measure the dose-rate response of semiconductor devices, particularly as they age.
In most modern semiconductor devices, it is only the charge produced in the top few tens of microns of silicon that can be collected by the electrically active regions of the device; electron-hole pairs produced deeper in the silicon (i.e., in the heavily doped silicon beneath the epitaxial layer) recombine before reaching sensitive circuit nodes. Thus, while it is true that the exposure of a silicon device to severe gamma- or x-ray fluxes gives rise to electron-hole pair production throughout the entire silicon die (and package and circuit board and the entire system), the vast majority of this electrical charge has no path to directly affect the internal electrical operation of the IC. If the charge is not produced within a diffusion length of the electrically active regions of the circuit, it will merely recombine, or be trapped, without perturbing the circuit.
According to the present invention, an infrared laser of tens of watts can produce as many electron-hole pairs in the electrically active regions of a semiconductor device as are produced during severe radiation exposures of MeV gamma-rays or keV x-rays. The apparently huge difference in power between the laser and the gamma- or x-ray exposure conditions is reconciled not when viewed in terms of how much energy the device is exposed to, but rather how much of that energy is actually deposited in the device where it can affect the device's electrical operation. When viewed in this context, very few of the incident gamma- or x-rays actually produce electron-hole pairs within the device and even fewer of these electron-hole pairs are produced within the collection volume of the electrically active regions of the device. Therefore, infrared laser-based irradiation testing can produce dose-rate response in semiconductor devices that replicates the response to much more penetrating ionizing radiations.
Furthermore, laser-based probing can detect aging effects without the damage associated with particle beam or x-ray exposure techniques. Thus, dose-rate failure testing of ICs can be performed repeatedly, non-destructively, and inexpensively on a bench top. It is important to note that broad beams of energetic x-rays or electrons provide higher fidelity simulations of actual high-energy radiation environments than the infrared laser. Indeed, such exposures reproduce many bulk material radiation effects (e.g., shock, thermal effects, and secondary radiations) that the laser cannot. However, in the context of photocurrent collection and circuit electrical operation, the additional energy deposition deep in the sample only produces electron-hole pairs that may contribute to thermal and mechanical effects, but not to electrical behavior.

Laser-based irradiation apparatus and method to measure the functional dose-rate response of semiconductor devices


A display and an adjustment device are included in a display adjustment system for an instrument panel of a vehicle. The adjustment device adjusts the display from an original position in the instrument panel into a central position in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The adjustment device moves the display from the original position of the display in the instrument panel along a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the direction of a rear part of the vehicle and transversely with respect to the longitudinal central axis of the vehicle in the direction of a driver's seat so that the display is adjusted into the central position in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Described herein is a display adjustment system for an instrument panel of a vehicle and to a method for positioning the display.
In vehicles it is customary to place displays/screens in an instrument panel/a dashboard of the vehicle in order to permit a vehicle occupant to access media or applications. As an example, such a display/such a screen is arranged in the instrument panel of the vehicle in such a way that a vehicle occupant, for example a vehicle driver, can access the display or the screen, which is often embodied as a touchscreen, during manual travel.
German Patent Application No. 10 332 586 B3 describes a center console for accommodating electrical devices and switching elements. The center console includes here a display for displaying information of a navigation system, wherein the display can be adjusted in its position in the direction of a driver.
German Patent Application No. 10 2011 000 924 A1 describes an arrangement of a display input unit in a vehicle. The display input unit is mounted so as to be displaceable transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
German Patent Application No. 10 2014 016 222 A1 describes a method and a system for operating a touch-sensitive display device of a motor vehicle.

Display adjustment system and method for positioning a display for a dashboard of a vehicle


The present invention comprises two sheets of canvas fabric or curtains and means for rolling up vertical strips or bands connected to intermediate crosspieces that move along guides when the strips are taken up. The crosspieces have a hollow cross section with an upper ridge and a lower ridge with holes for the strips to pass through. The crosspieces have, on the outer lateral faces, at least one groove for the fastening, by means of a bead, of bands for joining to the adjacent curtain. The inner faces of the crosspiece have one or more rounded longitudinal projections for guiding the displacement strips. The crosspieces comprise shock-proof elastic element arranged on the upper and/or lower ridge.

In any number of industrial installations it is necessary for the access doors, both external and equally internal, to make the transit of people and goods easy, guaranteeing quick opening and closing in an automatic manner.
There are a large number of rapid opening doors on the market for this purpose. Generally made up from a canvas or curtain hung at the threshold of the door. In the upper part of said canvas or curtains there are some means of anchoring same to a system that, working with some lifting tapes, allowing the raising and lowering of said canvas or curtain. Said canvas or curtains have a series of horizontal reinforcing crosspieces (or spars) distributed along their length to which different tapes are attached, in such a way that on gathering up said tapes in the rolling up mechanism the gathering up and/or extending out of the canvas or curtain is carried out. Thanks to the lightness of said canvases or curtains the access through these types of doors can be made in a very short time.


A blow head or gassing head of an automatic core machine, which produces sand casting cores in a core box is formed of a downwardly opening box-like frame having a bottom closure plate. The heads may be alternatively used to respectively deposit a sand and binder material or to flow gas into a sand-filled core box cavity positioned beneath the head. The closure plates are provided with openings through which either the sand-binder material may drop from the blow head frame into the core box cavity or through which gas may flow from the gassing head frame into the cavity. The plate is loosely positioned beneath the frame and is clamped tightly upwardly against the bottom peripheral edge of the head by a spaced pair of elongated, rigid rails which engage and support the opposite side edges of the plate. A rail holding a clamping mechanism selectively moves the rails upwardly for clamping the plate against the frame and downwardly to free the plate relative to the frame. The rails are lowered when the openings in the plates become partially or fully obstructed or when different opening patterns are required so that the plate may be slid horizontally from beneath the frame and a substitute plate may be slid upon the rails beneath the frame and then clamped upwardly against the frame edges.

This invention relates to a removable blow head plate or gassing head plate for an automatic core machine sand blow head or gassing head or both, which machine is used to mold sand cores used in foundry casting of metal.
Conventional foundry casting generally comprises forming either a temporary sand mold or a permanent metal mold with one or more cavities into which molten metal is poured. The metal solidifies within the cavity and is removed to form a cast article. Where the article is hollowed or provided with openings, it is conventional to use a core which is arranged within the cavity so that the molten metal poured into the cavity solidifies around the core. Then, the core is broken and removed to leave the opening or hollow area within the article.
In general, the cores are formed by using shell core or hot box or cold box (utilizing gas) techniques. For example, in shell core or hot box core forming techniques, sand which is pre-coated with a binder of wax or resin or the like material, is dropped into the cavity in a core box mold for molding the sand into the shape of the desired core. The binder may be activated by using a self activating binder and catalyst mixture, which activates at room temperature, or by heating the core box to activate a binder mixture.
Where the cold box technique is used, a conventional gas, such as CO.sub.2, is blown into the mixture of sand and binder in the cavity to cause a chemical reaction which solidifies the sand and binder to form the solid molded core shape. Some variations of these techniques are utilized, in general, to cause the binder to activate either within a pre-determined time period.
Automatic machinery is utilized to rapidly form cores within cavities in core boxes, utilizing one or another of the above types of core forming techniques. These automatic machines typically include a sand hopper which stores sand and feeds the sand downwardly as required. A blow head is located beneath the hopper, essentially a container or box-like frame, that receives a charge of sand from the reservoir of sand. Sand is dropped downwardly through openings in a closure plate secured to the bottom of the blow head frame. The sand passing openings are aligned with corresponding portions of the core mold cavity in the core box located beneath the blow head.
Where a cold box or gassing technique is utilized, the machine may also have a gas storage container which feeds gas into a gassing head which is constructed similarly to the blow head and has a similar closure plate fastened to the bottom of the gassing box-like frame. The gas passes through openings in the gassing head closure plate and downwardly into a sand filled cavity in the core box located beneath the head.
Where the gassing technique is utilized, the automatic machine is provided with a mechanism for, first, locating a core box beneath the blow head for filling with sand and, then, for moving the core box beneath the gassing head for applying the gas for reacting the binder and setting the sand-binder mixture into the desired core shape. Where the hot box or shell technique is utilized, that is, where the binder is either set by a time related reaction or by the application of heat, the automatic machine may have only a blow head beneath which one or more core boxes may be positioned.
In the foregoing types of automatic core forming machines, the openings in the blow head or gassing head plates tend to become partially or fully plugged by accumulating solidified sand-binder material and, sometimes, the sand above and around the upper portions of the openings in the plate tends to crust or solidify. This occurs because, in the case of a heat setting binder, the heat rises and causes a reaction in the sand-binder mixture located above and around the openings during the times that the core sand-binder material is setting within the core cavity. In the case of the gassing heads, sometimes the sand binder material in the core raises or spills upwardly sufficiently to accumulate material in and around the plate openings to partially or fully plug them.
It can be seen, that over a period of time, the partial or full plugging of the openings in the plates adversely effect the filling of the core cavities and the proper setting of the core-binder mixtures in the core cavities. Hence, when that occurs, in conventional equipment, the automatic machine must be shut down and cooled. Then, the blow head or the gassing head or both must be manually removed from the machine. The lower plates, which are secured as closures, upon the frames must be cleaned and, then, the heads replaced. Where a different hole or opening pattern is needed for use with changed cavity arrangements within the core box, the plates must be unfastened from their frames and replaced. Typically, fastening involves the use of screws or similar types of mechanical fastening means which take considerable time for releasing and then reapplication for plate substitution. The replacement of the plates requires that the heads be cooled enough for manual contact.
Thus, the invention of this application is concerned with providing an assembly by which the closure plates, referred to as blow plates or gassing plates, of the blow head or gassing head of an automatic core forming machine may be replaced rapidly, without shutting down the machine more than short period of time, and without the necessity of cooling the machine. Hence, the plates can be replaced often to ensure that the opening are not obstructed or plugged.

Removable plate assembly for core machine head


A process for producing a purified synthesis gas stream from a carbonaceous feedstock, the process comprising (a) oxidizing a carbonaceous feedstock to obtain syngas containing hydrogen sulphide, (b) mixing the synthesis gas with methanol, reducing the temperature of said mixture and separating a liquid methanol-water mixture from a cooled syngas, (c) contacting the cooled syngas with methanol to decrease the content of hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide thereby obtaining a rich methanol stream comprising hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, (d) regenerating the rich methanol stream by separating from the rich methanol a carbon dioxide fraction and a hydrogen sulphide fraction to obtain lean methanol, wherein part of the methanol in the methanol-water mixture obtained in step (b) is isolated and reused in step (b) and/or (c) and wherein another part of the methanol in the methanol-water mixture obtained in step (b) is recycled to step (a).

It is known to prepare purified synthesis gas from a carbonaceous feedstock by first performing a partial oxidation, also referred to as gasification, of the feedstock followed by a scrubbing step, a CO shift step and a CO2 and H2S removal step. Such a process is described in Gasification Technology Counsel (GTC 2004) Conference paper called "Synthesis Gas Purification in Gasification to Ammonia/Urea Complex" of John Y Mak and others (http://www.gasification.org/Presentations/2004.htm). In FIG. 5 of this paper an integrated process is described wherein a coal slurry feed is gasified in a so-called quench gasification process to obtain a raw synthesis gas. After scrubbing and a CO shift step of the raw synthesis gas CO2 and H2S and other acid gasses are removed to obtain a treated synthesis gas. The CO2 and H2S removal is performed by the well-known Rectisol process of Lurgi AG and Linde AG. In the Rectisol process CO2 and H2S and other acid gasses are removed by contacting the synthesis gas with methanol at cryogenic temperatures.
In the Rectisol process as shown in FIG. 6 of the above publication the synthesis gas is first mixed with methanol prior to reducing the temperature of said mixture. By cooling a liquid methanol-water mixture is formed, which is separated from the gaseous synthesis gas in so-called knock-out drums. The cooled synthesis gas is subsequently contacted with cold methanol in the so-called methanol scrubber to obtain a treated synthesis gas and a rich methanol, comprising CO2, H2S and other acid gasses CO2, H2S and other acid gasses are removed from the rich methanol and the regenerated methanol is reused in the methanol scrubber.
The methanol as present in the water-methanol mixture is recovered in the so-called methanol/water fractionator and reused in the methanol scrubber.
An issue with the above process is that part of the methanol inventory has to be removed from the circulating methanol to avoid a build-up of certain contaminants, such as for example ammonia, cyanide, unidentified sulphur species and trace metals.
It would be an advancement in the art to provide a more efficient process, which avoids the build up of such contaminants in the CO2 and H2S removal step.

Process for producing a purified synthesis gas stream


A sense amplifier circuit is provided for sensing a very small signal includes two MOS transistors responsive to a differential voltage between first and second input signal lines to conduct a differential operation and switches respectively connected between drain regions and gate regions respectively of the two MOS transistors. Before the circuit senses and amplifies the signal, the switches are turned on to generate threshold voltages between the gate regions and the source regions respectively of the two transistors. Consequently, according to the variation in the threshold voltage between the respective transistors, a self-adjustment is achieved on bias voltages of the transistors before the signal amplification. The sense amplifier circuit resultantly develops its operation independent of the variation in the threshold voltage. One use for this sense amplifier circuit is to serve as a sense amplifier for a DRAM.

The present invention is related to a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) device having a sense amplifier circuit amplifying a very weak signal. In particular, the present invention relates to an improvement of the precision and increase in the operation speed of a semiconductor IC device associated with variations in characteristics between constituent elements thereof because the device is manufactured with a pattern of a fine structure leading to difficulty of dimension control in fabrication.
Heretofore, an example of a semiconductor memory device which includes sense amplifiers for amplifying very weak signals read from memory cells fabricated with a pattern of a fine lines has been described in a chapter "MOS Dynamic RAM (pp. 486-499)" of the "LSI Handbook", IEICE Japan, the Ohm-Sha Ltd. (1984).
Moreover, a DRAM including sense amplifier circuits constituted with CMOS transistors has been commonly used. FIG. 23 shows the constitution of such a DRAM. In this connection, a complementary signal marked with an over-line in the drawings will be represented as a signal preceded by a slant (/). Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, a signal designating a terminal name also indicates a wiring name and a line name, and in a case of a signal of a power source, a voltage value thereof is also designated.
The system of FIG. 23 includes a memory cell MCl, a word line W1, data lines D1 and /D1, a data line amplifier RA as a sense amplifier, signals PP and PN controlling the data line amplifier circuit RA, a precharge circuit PCC, and a signal PC controlling the precharge circuit PCC. MOS transistors M1 and M2 generate across output signal lines RO and /RO a signal current difference associated with a very-weak signal voltage difference developed between the data lines D1 and /D1. RM denotes a read switching circuit and YSR designates a signal controlling the read switching circuit RM. Moreover, WI and /WI are write signal lines, WM stands for a write switching circuit, and YSW indicates a signal controlling the write switching circuit WM.
In a read operation of the DRAM constructed as shown in FIG. 23, the input terminals D1 and /D1 of the data line amplifier circuit RA are precharged as shown in FIG. 24 by the precharge circuit PCC to a precharge potential of HVD, and then the PC is set to a lower level, thereby establishing a floating state of the data lines D1 and /D1.
Subsequently, when the word line W1 is set to a high level, a signal is read from the memory cell MCl onto the data line D1. This slightly varies the potential of the data line D1. A difference between the potential of D1 and that of /D1 retained at HVD is sensed and is amplified by the data line amplifier RA.

Semiconductor IC device having sense amplifier circuit


A monitoring apparatus for monitoring an operating condition of a system includes a predicting section which generates a data vector whose parameter is determined by a timeseries data of the system and which obtains a prediction value of the timeseries data of a predetermined time future by means of the chaotic inference based on a behavior of attractor which is generated in a reconstruction space by an embedding operation of the data vector. A monitoring section compares the detected value and the prediction value of the timeseries data and decides the condition of the observed system according to the compared result. Therefore, it becomes possible to appropriately and quickly judge as to whether the observed system is in an abnormal condition or not.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for monitoring a system by utilizing the deterministic chaotic theory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a monitoring technology for deciding abnormality of an object is required in various fields to accurately and quickly execute a decision as to whether the system to be monitored is operated in a normal condition or not. Normally, such decision is executed in a manner such that the decided condition is represented by parameters such as temperature, humidity and speed, and then it is decided that the monitored object is in an abnormal condition when one of these parameters takes a value out of an allowable value in several times or for a predetermined time period. Further, the decision of the abnormality is derived by using AI (artificial intelligence) or Fuzzy inference which employs an algorithm based on the experienced rules (rule of thumb) and stored data. In these technology, the decision of the abnormality is obtained by dividing the range into a normal range and an abnormal range on the basis of past data, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.
However, if an applied system is dynamic, it is difficult to accurately decide the normality or abnormality of the system. Although the normal range tends to be loosely set, the normal range is consequently treated as a fixed range. Accordingly, it is difficult to timely change the normal range and the abnormal range in response to the condition of the parameters. Further, since the normal range is loosely set (with a sufficient margin), it may happen that the abnormal condition exists in the range decided as a normal range. Furthermore, when the monitored system is transferring from a normal condition to an abnormal condition, the conventional monitoring apparatus merely outputs a decision that the monitored object is in a normal condition. Accordingly, it is impossible to decide as to whether the condition of the object is going from a normal condition to an abnormal condition or from an abnormal condition to a normal condition.

Apparatus for monitoring system condition


A phase shift interferometer (100) has an illuminating optical system (200) that emits a P-wave and an S-wave, a collimator lens (110), a reference half mirror (120), a pinhole plate (130) having a pinhole (131), and a phase shift interference fringe acquiring section (300) that allows an object light and a reference light contained in the light beam passed through the pinhole (131) interfere with each other in four different phases to acquire interference fringes with different phases. In the S-wave, only the reference light (SR) reflected by the reference half mirror (120) is passed through the pinhole (131), and the object light (SM) reflected by a surface-to-be-measured is blocked by the pinhole plate (130). In the P-wave, only the object light (PM) reflected by the surface-to-be-measured is passed through the pinhole (131), and the reference light (PR) reflected by the reference half mirror (120) is blocked by the pinhole plate (130).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a phase shift interferometer. Particularly, the present invention relates to a Fizeau-type phase shift interferometer.
2. Description of Related Art
As a measuring device for measuring irregularity of a surface-to-be-measured, there has been known a phase shift interferometer, and particularly there has been known a Fizeau-type interferometer as shown in FIG. 13 for measuring irregularity of a wide surface (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-337321).
The optical path of the Fizeau-type phase shift interferometer as shown in FIG. 13 will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 13, the light (L10) emitted from a light source 11 is brought to a parallel beam by a collimator lens system 12, passed through (L11) a half mirror 13, and incident on the surface of the workpiece.
The light (L10) emitted from the light source 11 is a linearly polarized light.
Herein a quarter wavelength plate 14, which also serves as a reference surface, is provided between the half mirror 13 and the workpiece.
A portion of the light (L11) incident on the quarter wavelength plate 14 from the light source 11 is reflected by the quarter wavelength plate 14, and the rest passes through the quarter wavelength plate 14.
The light (L12) reflected by the quarter wavelength plate 14 returns to the half mirror 13 as a reference light.
The light (L13) passed through the quarter wavelength plate 14 is irradiated on the surface of the workpiece, reflected by the surface of the workpiece as an object light (L14) to return to the quarter wavelength plate 14, and then passed through the quarter wavelength plate 14 to be incident on the half mirror 13.
At this time, since the object light (L14) from the surface of the workpiece passes through the quarter wavelength plate two times, the vibration direction thereof is rotated by 90°, and therefore the polarizing direction thereof is orthogonal to that of the reference light (L12).
Thus, as non-interfering light beam, the reference light (L12) and the object light (L14) return to the half mirror 13 through a common optical path without interfering with each other.
The non-interfering light beam returned to the half mirror 13 is reflected (L16) by the half mirror 13, then reflected by the reflecting mirror 15, and then passed through (L17) the quarter wavelength plate 16.
By passing through the quarter wavelength plate 16, the object light (L14) and the reference light (L12) contained in the non-interfering light beam are converted into circularly polarized lights having rotating directions opposite to each other.
The light (L17) passed through the quarter wavelength plate 16 is split into three light beams (L18, L19, L20) by a first half mirror 17, a second half mirror 18, and a reflecting mirror 19 provided in the optical path.
Polarizers 20, 21, 22 and CCD cameras 23, 24, 25 are respectively provided in the optical paths of the split light beams (L18, L19, L20).
Herein the first polarizer 20 provided in the optical path of the first light beam (L18) reflected by the first half mirror 17, the second polarizer 21 provided in the optical path of the second light beam (L19) reflected by the second half mirror 18, and the third polarizer 22 provided in the optical path of the third light beam (L20) reflected by the third half mirror 19 respectively have transmission axis angles different from each other.
For example, the first polarizer 20 has a transmission axis angle of 0°, the second polarizer 21 has a transmission axis angle of 45°, and the third polarizer 22 has a transmission axis angle of 90°.
Thus three interference fringes having phases different from each other by 90° are imaged by the respective CCD cameras.
Further, the images of the interference fringes are input to a predetermined analyzing section, and phase information of the surface of the workpiece can be acquired by comparing image strengths in each point among the three interference fringes.
Thus the surface shape of the workpiece can be measured.
In such an arrangement, with the Fizeau-type phase shift interferometer, though the surface shape of the workpiece can be measured in a wide range by emitting a wide parallel light beam into the surface of the workpiece, there is a problem that the structure is actually impracticable.
With the above arrangement, in order to multiplex the object light and the reference light without interfering with each other, the quarter wavelength plate 14 is disposed in the optical path, and the object light passes through the quarter wavelength plate 14 two times so that the object light and the reference light become polarized lights orthogonal to each other. However, to produce a quarter wavelength plate 14 with a large opening is actually very difficult.
In other words, since a wavelength plate is a flat plate obtained by cutting a double refraction crystal in a predetermined direction, it is very difficult to obtain a good quality wavelength plate with a wide opening, and the manufacturing cost will be extremely high.
Thus it is desired to provide a practicable Fizeau-type phase shift interferometer.


According to one embodiment, a method for testing a circuit includes receiving a test access session request, where the test access session request indicates that a test session is to be performed on a circuit path. A reservation message is sent to a test bus, where the reservation message reserves the test bus for the test session. The test bus includes a portion of bandwidth shared among a plurality of network elements. Traffic associated with the circuit path is copied to the test bus.

Ring-based communication networks include network elements that provide connections of circuits to a communication ring. Often it is desirable to test the operation of a circuit coupled to a network element. In certain situations, known methods for testing these circuits path include connecting a test head to a digital cross-connect system (DCS), which is in turn connected to a network element. In such situations, the circuit under test is backhauled to the DCS through the communication ring in order for the test head coupled to the DCS to test the circuit. However, backhauling from a circuit under test through a communication ring in order to test the circuit is not efficient in certain situations.

Testing a circuit using a shared bandwidth test bus


The time a microprocessor CPU must wait for memory access is controlled to be one of two values by stretching the CPU clock signal either a first time duration or a second time duration, depending on the expected delay caused by the memory access. The clock stretching is in increments of one quarter of the CPU clock period and is done with both the leading and trailing edges of the clock pulse.

In many high performance microprocessor systems, the system clock speed is faster than the memory or I/O access time. The conventional way to solve this problem is to have the CPU (central processing unit) wait for the memory access by waiting an incremental number of CPU clock cycles, such as 1 clock cycle (which is commonly known as "1 wait state") or 2 clock cycles ("2 wait states"). This, however, has the undesirable effect of slowing the system's processing speed. For example, for a 33 MHz 80386 CPU, the full CPU clock cycle is 30 nanoseconds and the CPU requires a minimum of just two CPU clock cycles per CPU bus cycle, which results in a minimum CPU bus cycle time of 60 nanoseconds. If the memory access time were 65 nanoseconds, for instance, this would require that 1 wait state be inserted which would produce a 90 nanosecond CPU bus cycle. The problem with wait stating the CPU in full CPU clock cycle increments is that in a case such as that just mentioned, while the CPU only needs to be slowed down by 5 nanoseconds it traditionally is slowed down by a full 30 nanoseconds due to the limited resolution available for wait stating the CPU.
Previously disclosed circuits have used clock stretching techniques to delay CPU cycles (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,715 issued Sept. 3, 1991, to Fitch), but these have only been able to stretch the clock pulse by increments of the 2.times. clock period (which is one half the period of the CPU clock for full in-phase clock stretching with one edge). This is particularly significant in that the period of the 2.times. clock is typically set to the maximum feasible speed for prevailing microprocessor technology (50-80MHz), such that a finer resolution could not be achieved by simply increasing the clock speed. In addition, previous clock stretching circuits have attempted to directly stretch both the 1.times. and 2.times. clocks.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are the same as FIGS. 1 and 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,715. The circuit of FIG. 1 is a clock circuit for generating two clock signals, one (CLK) having stretched clock phases on a cycle by cycle basis, and the second (2.times. CLK) being a clock signal having a frequency twice the frequency of the first clock signal which is phase and edge coherent with the first clock signal, including the stretched clock pulses. Shown are two JK flip-flops, an oscillator, a logic circuit, and an exclusive OR gate.
FIG. 2 shows the various signals used and generated by the circuit of FIG. 1. Note that signal A (CPUCLK) is phase coherent with the signal IN. The signal OUT is phase coherent with the signal CPUCLK.

Circuit for generating a stretched clock signal by one period or one-half period