The invention provides a laser interferometric measuring apparatus in which there is provided a corner-cube prism which includs a reflecting surface for selectively reflecting or transmitting a beam in accordance with the polarization condition of the beam and a transmitting surface for sending out a beam. A light source, a movable mirror, a fixed mirror, a detector and the corner-cube prism so arranged that the corner-cube prism receives a reference beam and a measuring beam from the light source through the reflecting surface, sends out the reference beam to the fixed mirror and the measuring beam to the movable mirror respectively through the transmitting surface, receives the reflected reference beam from the fixed mirror and the reflected measuring beam from the movable mirror through the transmitting surface and selectively sends out the reflected reference beam and the reflected measuring beam to the detector in accordance with their polarization condition through the reflecting surface.

The present invention relates to a laser interferometric measuring machine, and particularly to one that is less affected by disturbance, reasonable in price and highly accurate.
In order to achieve the resolving power of 0.1 .mu.m or the higher resolving power than that for measurement in a conventional interferometric measuring machine, there is employed a method wherein a gas laser or a semiconductor laser is used as a light source, and its beam is split into a reference beam and a measuring beam and thus measurement (displacement) information is obtained by observing interference fringes and beats after aligning the beam that returns from an object to be measured with the reference beam to be coaxial again.
All interferometers are based on the type of a Michelson interferometer shown in FIG. 17 in terms of constitutional arrangement. Namely, a beam from light source 20 is split into a reference beam and a measuring beam by beam splitter 21, and the measuring beam that reflects on movable mirror 22 attached on an object to be measured is aligned by beam splitter 21 to be coaxial with the beam reflected on fixed mirror 23, thus, interference fringes are generated. Depending on a method for detecting measurement information, there are two different systems; one is an interference fringe counting system wherein the number of density changes in an interference fringe generated by a returned beam is counted and the other is a heterodyne system wherein a plurality of coherent light having different wavelengths are used to cause a beat and a frequency fluctuation of the beat is detected utilizing a Doppler shift of frequency of the measuring beam caused by the moving speed of the object to be measured.
Optical arrangement of the former system mentioned above is shown in FIG. 27, and it is described in detail in the known documents written by M. J. Dowhs and K. W. Raihel including detected signals processing. Namely, in the laser-based measuring machine mentioned above, a linearly polarized beam emitted from stabilized laser 101 is split by beam splitter 102 into a reference beam path including .lambda./8 plate 103 as well as fixed corner-cube 104 and a measuring beam path including movable corner-cube 105. The reference beam split to follow the reference beam path, after passing through .lambda./8 plate 103 twice, is converted to a circularly polarized beam which is aligned again by beam splitter 102 to be coaxial with a linearly polarized beam of a measuring beam that is split to follow the measuring beam path, and then is separated into two. One of the two beams is further split by polarized beam splitter 106 into two so that the measuring beam becomes separated beams each being in the directions of .+-.45.degree. against the polarization surface of the measuring beam. Three kinds of separated beams obtained in the aforesaid manner, after they pass through filter 107 and polarization plate 108, are converted to three kinds of interference fringe intensities whose phases, which interfere with the movement of movable corner-cube 105 in the arrowed direction, are deviated by 90.degree. in succession, and these three kinds of interference fringe intensities enter detector 109 respectively to be converted to three kinds of electric signals each having a phase difference of 90.degree.. After these three kinds of electric signals are amplified by amplifier 110 respectively, they are grouped into two groups each having two adjacent electric signals differing in terms of phase by 90.degree.. A change in the length of the measuring beam path is obtained from at least one of the electric signals changing with Sin .theta. and Cos .theta. (wherein, .theta.=2.pi.(Lm-Lr)/.lambda., Lm . . . length of measuring beam path, Lr . . . length of reference beam path, .lambda.. . . wavelength) deviated by 90.degree. in terms of phase and obtained through the input of electric signals of two groups into subtracter 111, and a direction of the change is obtained from both of the electric signals.
Namely, in this laser-based measuring machine, three kinds of interference fringe signals differing in terms of phase by 90.degree. in succession are obtained through utilization of a principle of polarization of a laser beam, and from the difference of signals between two adjacent and successive interference fringes, the signals which are used for measurement of a change and a direction of the change in the length of a measuring beam path and change with aforesaid Sin .theta. and Cos .theta.. Therefore, influence of disturbance such as a fluctuation in intensity of a laser beam is offset and thereby the center of a signal level is kept constant continually, resulting in less erroneous counting of interference fringes and higher accuracy of measurement. Owing to this, accurate counting of interference fringes is realized even when the disturbance affects the intensity of a counting beam to be changed by about 90%. Furthermore, the interference fringe counting system may use the optical arrangement as shown in FIG. 18 in which a circularly polarized light is used as a light source. In this case, the same interferometric measuring device as that of the latter one of the heterodyne system may be used. Namely, linearly polarized light emitted from stabilized laser 20A passes through .lambda./4 phase shifter 24 where it is converted to a circularly polarized beam, and then is split by polarized beam splitter 21 into a reference beam and a measuring beam. The measuring beam reflects off of movable mirror 22 and returns to polarized beam splitter 21, during the course of which the measuring beam, when it passes through .lambda./4 phase shifter 25 twice, is converted to the beam whose polarization directions cross at right angles. This is reflected off of polarized beam splitter 21. Then, it is reflected off of fixed mirror 23 and is aligned to be coaxial with the reference beam which has passed polarized beam splitter 21 after passing through .lambda./4 phase shifter 25 twice and being converted in terms of polarization direction. Here, no interference is caused because the polarization direction of the reference beam and that of the measuring beam cross at right angles. However, when common polarization component is extracted, through beam splitter 26, by polarizers 27 and 29, interference fringes are generated. The number of density changes in an interference fringe thus generated is detected by detectors 28 and 30, and in this case, polarizers 27 and 29 are arranged so that polarized beams crossing at right angles can be extracted for the purpose of discriminating the moving direction of movable mirror 22.
Optical system of the latter system mentioned above is shown in FIG. 19, and it is described in detail in the known documents PRECISION ENGINEERING Vol. 5. No. 3 (1983) 111 written by L. J. Wuerz and R. C. Quenelle. Namely, a beam emitted from 2-frequency Zeeman laser 20B generating two circularly polarized beams having respectively frequency f1 and frequency f2 and rotating reversely each other is changed by the .lambda./4 phase shifter 24 to a linearly polarized beam having planes of polarization crossing at right angles to each other. After passing through the beam splitter 34 and the polarizer 31, a beat (f1-f2) caused by frequencies f1 and f2 is detected by detector 32. A beam reflected on movable mirror 22 is subjected, due to a Doppler effect, to a frequency change .delta.f corresponding to a moving speed, and thereby the beat detected by detector 33 is based on (f1-f2.+-..delta.f). Thus, displacement information of an object can be obtained through the comparison subtraction between beat frequencies detected by both detectors 32 and 33. Incidentally, due to polarized beam splitter 35, beam f1 and beam f2 are detected respectively by detector 36 and detector 37 and the detected results are inputted in laser synchronization circuit 38.
In both examples, the resolving power for measurement covering even electrical processing is as extremely high as 0.01 .mu.m, and for the purpose of maintaining this resolving power at a highly accurate level, the frequency of laser light source is stabilized within an accuracy of 10.sup.-6 -10.sup.-8.
Further, as an example of how to stabilize detected signals against disturbance in a heterodyne system, there is known a method having an interferometric measuring machine provided with an optical path of a differential type shown in FIG. 20.
In FIG. 20, a measuring beam takes the path shown with a solid line of polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw..lambda./4 phase shifter 25.movable mirror (prism) 22.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.prism 40.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw..lambda./4 phase shifter 25.movable mirror 22.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.mirror 43.fwdarw..lambda./4 phase shifter 25.prism 41.fwdarw.mirror 43.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.prism 39.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.exiting.
A reference beam takes the path shown with a dotted line of polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.prism 39.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.mirror 41.fwdarw..lambda./4 phase shifter 25.prism 41.fwdarw.mirror 43.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw..lambda./4 phase shifter 25.fixed mirror (reflecting mirror) 42.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.prism 40.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw..lambda./4 phase shifter 25.fixed mirror 42.fwdarw.polarized beam splitter 21.fwdarw.exiting.
In this way, it is possible to stabilize detected signals remarkably by making the length of an optical path of a reference beam and that of a measuring beam to be the same in an interferometric measuring machine wherein a beam of frequency-stabilized laser is split into a reference beam and a measuring beam, because the disturbance such as a temperature change or the like affects both beams equally.
As is apparent from FIG. 20, however, a conventional interferometric measuring machine of a differential type is extremely complicated in structure and large in size, and the length of an optical path in measuring prism is markedly long, which acts as a negative factor for enhancing the stability against disturbance.
Actually, the resolving power for measurement is 5 nm in the example shown in FIG. 20.
Further, as shown in FIG. 21, there is a method wherein a high stability peculiar to an interferometer of a differential type is realized by decreasing the number of optical elements and shortening the length of an optical path in the interferometer as shown in FIG. 21.
Similarly to the one shown in FIG. 20, the method in FIG. 21 is of a heterodyne system wherein two laser beams having different frequencies (or wavelengths) and linear polarization crossing at right angles are caused to enter polarization shearing plate 50. Then, the beam that is a linearly polarized beam of S-component selectively reflects repeatedly and thus takes a separate optical path shifted from the optical path of a P-component beam. In the known example, an amount of the shift is about 12 mm.
Further, polarization of the S-component beam is converted to a P-component type after it passes through .lambda./2 phase shifter (.lambda./2 wavelength plate, .lambda./2 phase plate) 51, thus, both beams of different wavelengths are caused to enter polarized beam splitter 52 as a P-component. Then, both beams of different wavelengths pass through polarized beam splitter 52 and polarized circularly by .lambda./4 phase shifter (.lambda./4 phase plate, .lambda./4 wavelength plate) 53, and the reference beam and the measuring beam are caused respectively by fixed mirror (reference mirror) 54 and movable mirror (plane mirror) 55 to return taking their same optical paths. Since both returning beams pass through .lambda./4 phase shifter 53 again, they are converted to S-component polarization and reflect off of the surface 52A of the polarized beam splitter. Further, they are caused to return by corner-cube prism (or mirror) 56 to surface 52A of the polarized beam splitter and reflect from that surface to advance respectively to fixed mirror 54 and movable mirror 55 where they reflect, and then are subjected to conversion by means of .lambda./4 phase shifter 53 and exit polarized beam splitter 52 as P-component. A beam of other wavelength is converted by .lambda./2 phase shifter 51' and is shifted by polarization shearing plate 50 to the same optical path and is led to a detection optical system.
The example shown in FIG. 21, compared with the one shown in FIG. 20, has less optical elements and has an optical path that is relatively short. Therefore, its stability against disturbance is easily improved and its resolving power for measurement is 1.25 nm.
In both conventional examples in FIGS. 20 and 21 mentioned above, the stability against disturbance and measuring accuracy are enhanced in an interferometer of a differential type by making both measurement direction and reference direction the same.
Strictly speaking, however, both of them can not be regarded as a method of a perfectly differential type. The reason is that the reference beam and the measuring beam are not coaxial, being shifted by about several millimeters though they are in the same direction in both conventional examples. Even the portion from the incident point to the fixed mirror, which is generally called a common path, is not a perfect common optical path. Namely, even in such a common path, the reference beam and the measuring beam are not equally affected by disturbances such as a temperature change and air flicker, though the difference between them is small.
Therefore, even in an interferometer of a differential type similar to the conventional examples, it is an important point to shorten the optical path in the interferometer to stabilize and improve the measurement accuracy.
In the past, however, a differential type has required an optical path with a complicated deflection path, resulting in the inconsistency of a long optical path.
Even the length of the common optical path in FIG. 21 exceeds 200 mm, and it is nearly twice the length of that in an interferometer of a non-differential type. This is a problem.
In view of the situation mentioned above, the first object of the invention is to realize an inexpensive and accurate laser interferometric measuring machine wherein the length of an optical path is minimized and the number of optical elements is decreased. Thus, the accuracy for measurement against disturbance is stably maintained.
The present invention further relates to a laser-based measuring machine wherein a beam emitted from a laser is split by a splitting means into a reference beam and a measuring beam. After both beams are aligned to be coaxial, they are optically split into 2-phase or 3-phase interference beams whose phases deviate by 90 degrees. Thereby, the phase change and the direction of the change in the length of measuring optical path are measured based upon electrical signals obtained by detecting aforesaid interference beams.
As an example of the laser-based measuring machine mentioned above, there is known a laser-based measuring machine of an interference fringe-counting type shown in FIG. 27.
A conventional laser-based measuring machine of aforesaid type, however, has the disadvantage that not only does polarized beam splitter 106 need to be positioned accurately against beam splitter 102 but also each one of three kinds of separated beam paths need to be provided accurately with a filter 107 and a polarization plate 108.
The second object of the invention is to provide a laser-based measuring machine of an interference fringe-counting type wherein a plurality of optical elements, which split a beam optically into 2-phase or 3-phase interference beams, can be positioned easily and accurately. The third object of the invention is to provide a laser-based measuring machine wherein three kinds of interference fringe signals, each differing in terms of phase by 90.degree. which are for obtaining signals which are not affected by disturbance such as a fluctuation in intensity of a laser beam and change with aforesaid Sin .theta. and Cos .theta., are obtained from the signals detected from 2-phase interference beams. The fourth object of the invention is to offer a laser-based measuring machine in which it is easy to accurately adjust the phase difference to be 90.degree. between 2-phase interference beams obtained through optical splitting.


An air bag cover assembly including an air bag deployment concentrator such as a chute and first and second integrally hinged air bag doors is provided wherein a tear seam is located both inside and outside a channel of the chute. The tear seam interconnects the air bag doors to allow selective air bag deployment through a weakened area formed by the tear seam and portions of the film sheet immediately adjacent the weakened area. The assembly also includes first and second sets of hinges for hingedly connecting the first and second air bag doors, respectively, to a front panel both inside and outside the channel to facilitate pivotal movement of the air bag doors away from the air bag to allow deployment of the air bag through the channel, through the weakened area and through the portions of the film sheet during impact of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to air bag cover assemblies including an air bag deployment concentrator and at least one integrally hinged air bag door.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,738 discloses a painted plastic component which includes a painted film sheet and a one-piece thermoplastic elastomeric structural carrier. A bottom contact surface of the film sheet bonds with a front contact surface of the structural carrier by diffusion between the contact surfaces thereof within a mold cavity of an injection mold separate from the mold cavity of a vacuum mold which is utilized to vacuum-mold the film sheet to form the desired painted plastic component.
One limitation of such a component is that when such component takes the form of an air bag cover, it is difficult to tear through the film sheet.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,952,351 and 5,466,412, the Parker patents, teach a method of manufacturing an air bag cover for an inflatable air bag system including a bondable film carrier, which is painted after the film carrier is molded.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,188 discloses a molded instrument panel having a plastic front panel and incorporating an integral air bag door wherein the air bag door is hinged to the front panel by overlapping integral plastic members to ensure that the door does not separate from the instrument panel during air bag deployment. The instrument panel also includes a plastic frame integrally formed on an inner surface of the front panel which together with the door, encloses an uninflated air bag. Preferably, the hinge and portions of the frame are formed by a pressurized fluid so as to be hollow, thereby facilitating swinging movement of the door while preventing sink marks on an outer surface of the front panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,801 discloses an air bag deployment chute for deploying an air bag through a panel member having a groove. The deployment chute comprises a stationary portion and a door portion. The stationary portion includes a base and a peripheral wall integrally connected thereto. The base has a first surface attached to an inner surface of the panel member and an opening to define an inner periphery of the base. The inner periphery defines an open area which is circumscribed by the groove viewed in plan when the deployment chute is attached to the panel member. The inner periphery is positioned against the structurally weakened area of the panel member so that the groove is supported by the base to prevent inadvertent pivotal movement of the door portion toward the air bag when force is applied on the outer surface of the panel member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,611 discloses an air bag deployment chute and panel assembly for deploying an air bag through a panel member having a groove. The deployment chute comprises a stationary portion and one or more door portions depending on the shape of the prescribed tear pattern (i.e., "I", "H" or "U"). The stationary portion includes a base and a peripheral wall integrally connected thereto. The base has a first surface attached to an inner surface of the panel member and an opening to define an inner periphery of the base. The inner periphery is positioned against a structurally weakened area of the panel member defined by the groove so that outer portions of the groove are supported by the base to prevent inadvertent pivotal movement of the one or more door portions toward the air bag when force is applied on the outer surface of the panel member.

Air bag cover assembly including an air bag deployment concentrator and at least one integrally hinged air bag door


There is provided a method of signalling a message using a terminal address across multiple network entities. At least two contiguous network entities are associated with addressing spaces for which message addresses are not routable by way of the terminal address and are not otherwise routable by way of a single address. At every network border between any two contiguous network entities wherein an immediately succeeding network entity does not provide an addressing space through which the message is routable, it is determined whether the party number is to be stored and replaced with a new party number. If so, the party number is stored so as to permit its subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby create a stored party number. Once the party number has been stored, a replacement address is assigned as the party number. Also at every such border, it is determined whether the party number is to be discarded and replaced with a stored party number. If so, the last-in stored party number is assigned as the party number. The message is then routed according to the party number and, with the message, every stored party number is transported through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and through each further succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, through which the message is routable.

The present invention relates generally to the field of connection oriented communications networks and more particularly, to a method for stacked address transport in such networks.
According to preferred embodiments, the invention relates to the signalling of network messages across multiple network entities through which message addresses are not routable. Such signalling is accomplished by transporting, together with a terminal address, all locally routable addresses associated with the various network entities through which the message is to be transported. In other preferred embodiments of this invention, a method is described for the encapsulation and transport of multiple message addresses within a call set up message which employs a message address stack for that purpose. According to this particular preferred embodiment, the method is adaptable to Asynchronous Transfer Mode (xe2x80x9cATMxe2x80x9d) network devices which can xe2x80x9cPNNIxe2x80x9d network protocols, namely Private Network-Network Interface and Private Network Node Interface signalling and routing protocols.
Recent technological, economic and regulatory trends in the fields of telephony and data communications have resulted in the need for enhanced network interoperability. Where internetworking is to take place among connection oriented networks which operate using different addressing schemes, for instance a plurality of networks comprised of interconnected private networks or service provider networks, special techniques must usually be deployed in order for a message sent from the originating end system to properly route via the intermediate networks to the destination end system. Traditionally, network interoperability has been achieved by the use of routing tables, to support address relocation across different intermediate network boundaries.
Signalling in connection oriented networks is the process of establishing, maintaining and releasing a message connection through the exchange of connection establishment request and connection establishment acknowledgement messages through the network nodes along a given message path. For signalling purposes, each network node device in a given network may be associated with a routing table or the like which provides internal addressing information for all of the destination addresses that are employed by each of the network users. Generally, it is important to maintain routing tables which are relatively compact in size, in that limited memory may be available to each particular network node device for storage of its associated routing table. In any event, and as explained below, if the routing table must grow substantially as users are added or as the network grows, then this results in complexity which limits the size of the network which can be effectively attained.
Where destination addresses are aggregatable or topologically assigned, such that all addresses which are topologically related to each other can be summarized to a small number of addresses that are typically leading digits or prefixes (for example, addresses which are accessed off the same node), the routing table associated with each of the network node devices of the intermediate networks may be maintained to a manageable size. This is because the network node devices within the intermediate networks can advantageously employ prefix-based routing. However, with the advent of applications in telephony such as local number portability, mobility and customer owned addresses, the size and complexity of routing tables can be expected to increase as more addresses lose their topological significance. Where addresses are no longer assigned topologically, conventional switching systems may no longer scale well to larger and larger address spaces as the number of interworked networks which must be addressed is ever increased. This results from the fact that it would be necessary in such circumstances to have a routing table entry for every destination network node device on the interworked network space.
There are also instances where a given intermediate network, according to current standards and practices, may be unable or unwilling to route directly using the address spaces of other interworked networks. These instances include the implementation of Virtual Private Networks (xe2x80x9cVPNsxe2x80x9d), the incorporation and management of networks whose address spaces have been structured without considering the addressing scheme of the intermediate network, and the need in a given networking space to support location management for mobile end-user devices. As well, another example which may result in similar addressing problems for an intermediate network occurs in the context of topological reorganization of the address spaces of networks to which the intermediate network is connected. Yet another example involves situations where the addresses used by the networks connected to the intermediate network are not globally unique as is often the case for the previously mentioned VPNs.
As one technique for achieving some degree of network interoperability, it has been known to transport a message address between two networks where it may be used, across a single network where the message address cannot be used. This technique is sometimes known to those skilled in this art as tunnelling or tunnelled signalling. Typically, in tunnelled signalling, a signalling message employs an endpoint message address which is of routing significance to both the originating and destination interworked networks. Prior to a signalling message arriving at the ingress node of the intermediate network through which the signalling message is to be routed, the endpoint address is encapsulated in the signalling message and is thereafter routed to the appropriate egress node of the intermediate network via an intermediate address which is of routing significance to the intermediate network. Upon emerging from the egress node of the intermediate network, for instance at the ingress node of the destination network, the signalling message reverts to the use of the original endpoint message address which retains its routing significance to the destination network. Thus, this signalling technique is known as xe2x80x9ctunnellingxe2x80x9d since the intermediate network is unaware of the originating and endpoint destination addresses. The intermediate network merely routes these external addresses transparently.
In current ATM signalling standards, various mechanisms for tunnelling have been specified. For instance, such mechanisms are found in the ATM User-Network Interface (xe2x80x9cUNIxe2x80x9d) Specification Versions 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0, respectively dated June 1992, August 1993 and July 1996, each of which is published by the ATM Forum. These particular standards apply in routing connections between private ATM endpoints identified by NSAP formatted ATM addresses across a public network supporting E. 164 ATM addresses. Tunnelled signalling according to these known standards may be supported by the use of an existing message field or Information Element (xe2x80x9cIExe2x80x9d) within the message format of a connection establishment request message, for instance a Call SETUP request message. The existing message field in question is known to those skilled in this art as the Called Party Subaddress IE, and this field may be used to store and encapsulate the destination endpoint address to which a message or call is destined to be routed.
By way of example, in signalling a Call SETUP request message, an egress network node device of an intermediate network may temporarily place the destination endpoint address of the called party, also known as the Called Party Number, into the Called Party Subaddress IE of the SETUP request message. That same network node device may then temporarily place the egress endpoint address of the intermediate network into the Called Party Number field of the Call SETUP request message. The Call SETUP request message can thereafter be routed to the egress endpoint address by the intermediate network. When the SETUP request message enters the destination network, the contents of the Called Party Number field, namely the egress endpoint address of the intermediate network, may be discarded. The destination endpoint address is then assigned from the Called Party Subaddress IE to the Called Party Number field. A similar mechanism for tunnelling applies to the originating address, known as the Calling Party Number.
One problem with the foregoing existing solutions for tunnelled signalling is that the substitution of an intermediate network address can only occur once for a given Call SETUP message. Where more than a single intermediate network must be employed to route a message, and those intermediate networks do not share a common addressing space with the originating and destination networks nor with each other, the known tunnelling mechanisms do not permit more than one of such intermediate networks to be traversed. Likewise, where the message addresses associated with the respective address spaces of the intermediate networks are not topologically significant outside of each such address space, more than one intermediate network cannot be traversed pursuant to the known tunnelling techniques described above. Another problem with the known tunnelling techniques is that public networks, such as service provider networks, are not permitted to use the Called Party Subaddress IE or Calling Party Subaddress IE for tunnelling purposes according to current standards. As a result, this mechanism cannot be used in a standards complaint manner for local number portability, mobility and customer owned address applications.
In networks which operate according to a connectionless packet switched data technology, for instance those operating pursuant to IP or IPX signalling protocols, tunnelling has been accomplished by encapsulating the original packet in a new packet which comprises an additional header for routing the packet across the space through which tunnelling occurs. The original packet which is encapsulated within the new packet retains the original header together with its payload of application data. Typically, the intermediate network nodes which handle tunnelled IP packets will only make use of the outermost header in routing any packet through a space being tunnelled. Such known methods of tunnelling in IP and IPX networks are found in the following references: D. Provan, xe2x80x9cTunnelling IPX Traffic through IP Networksxe2x80x9d, Document No. RFC 1234 dated Jun. 1, 1991; and W. Simpson, xe2x80x9cIP in IP Tunnellingxe2x80x9d, Document No. RFC 1853 dated October, 1995, each reference being issued by the Internet Engineering Task Force (xe2x80x9cIETFxe2x80x9d).
Based on the foregoing, there is therefore a need to provide a transport mechanism to permit address tunnelling with multiple levels of mapping in connection oriented networks, namely wherein addresses may tunnel through multiple successive networks having unrelated address spaces. There is also a need to provide such a transport mechanism in a manner that it may be implemented in service provider networks and private networks at the same time and without ambiguity. Lastly, there is a need to provide a mechanism for address tunnelling which may be implemented either at the egress point of the preceding network or at the ingress point of the succeeding network. It is an object of the present invention to attempt to meet these varied needs with a generic transport mechanism which permits different network node addresses to be used across multiple network boundaries, as explained in greater detail below.
According to a first broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of signalling a message across a plurality of connection oriented network entities. The network entities include an originating network entity, a terminating network entity and at least two of a plurality of intermediate network entities connected successively therebetween. The originating network entity and the terminating network entity each respectively are associated with a terminal address, the terminal address of the originating network entity being a terminal originating address and the terminal address of the terminating network entity being a terminal destination address. At least two contiguous network entities of the connection oriented network entities are associated with addressing spaces through which the message is not routable by way of one of said terminal addresses when same is used as a party number for routing the message and through which the message is not otherwise routable by way of a single address. The message is initiated from the terminal originating address associated with the originating network entity and is routed through the intermediate network entities to be received at the terminal destination address associated with the terminating network entity.
The method of signalling according to the first broad aspect of the invention includes storing said unroutable terminal address as a party number. The message is then-routed according to the party number from the originating network entity through each succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, which provides an addressing space through which the message is routable. At every network border between any two contiguous network entities wherein an immediately succeeding network entity does not provide an addressing space through which the message is routable, it is determined whether the party number is to be stored and replaced with a new party number. If so, then the party number is stored so as to permit its subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby create a stored party number and, once the party number has been stored as aforesaid, a replacement address is assigned as the party number. At every network border between any two contiguous network entities wherein an immediately succeeding network does not provide an addressing space through which the message is routable, it is determined whether the party number is to be discarded and replaced with a stored party number and, if so, the last-in stored party number is assigned as the party number. Following each of said determinations, the message is routed according to the party number and every stored party number is transported, with the message, through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and through each further succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, through which the message is routable. The foregoing steps are repeated until such time as the message is routable to the terminating network entity according to the party number.
According to a second and a third broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of signalling a message across a plurality of connection oriented network entities. The network entities include an originating network entity, a terminating network entity and a plurality of intermediate network entities connected successively therebetween. The originating network entity and the terminating network entity each are respectively associated with a terminal address. The terminal address of the originating network entity is a terminal originating address and the terminal address of the terminating network entity is a terminal destination address, both of which are selected from a common addressing space. At least two of the intermediate network entities are each associated with addressing spaces that are not topologically significant to each other and that are not topologically significant to the common addressing space from which the terminal originating and terminal destination addresses are selected. The message is initiated from the terminal originating address associated with the originating network entity and routed through the plurality of intermediate network entities to be received at the terminal destination address associated with the terminating network entity.
With reference to the second broad aspect of the present invention, the method of signalling comprises the first step of storing the terminal destination address as a called party number. In the second step, the message is routed according to the called party number from the originating network entity through each succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, which shares a topologically significant addressing space with the originating network entity. Thirdly, at every network border between any two contiguous network entities which do not share a topologically significant addressing space with each other, it is determined whether the called party number is to be stored and replaced with a new called party number that is of routing significance to the intermediate network entity which immediately succeeds the border. If so, the called party number is stored so as to permit its subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby create a stored called party number. Once the called party number has been stored as aforesaid, a local terminal address is assigned as the called party number for progressing the message through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity. The fourth step also occurs at every border between any two contiguous network entities which do not share a topologically significant addressing space with each other, and involves determining whether the called party number is to be discarded and replaced with a stored called party number, wherein the stored called party number is of routing significance to the intermediate network entity which immediately succeeds the border. If so, the last-in stored called party number is assigned as the called party number for progressing the message through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity. In the fifth step, the message is routed according to the called party number and, with the message, every stored called party number is transported through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and through each further succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, which shares a topologically significant addressing space with the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity. The third, fourth and fifth steps are repeated until such time as the message is routable to the terminating network entity according to the called party number.
With reference to the third broad aspect of the present invention, the method of signalling comprises the first step of storing the terminal destination address as a called party number. The second step involves storing the terminal originating address as a calling party number. In the third step, the message is routed according to the called party number from the originating network entity through each succeeding and contiguous intermediate network entity, if any, which shares a topologically significant addressing space with the originating network entity. The fourth step occurs at every network border between any two contiguous network entities which do not share a topologically significant addressing space with each other, determining whether the called party number is to be stored and replaced with a new called party number that is of routing significance to the intermediate network entity which immediately succeeds the border. If so, the called party number and the calling party number are stored so as to permit their subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby respectively create a stored called party number and a stored calling party number. Once the called party number and the calling party number have been stored as aforesaid, a first local address is assigned as the called party number for progressing the message through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and a second local address is assigned as the calling party number. The fifth step occurs at every border between any two contiguous network entities which do not share a topologically significant addressing space with each other, and involves determining whether the called party number is to be discarded and replaced with a stored called party number, wherein the stored called party number is of routing significance to the intermediate network entity which immediately succeeds the border. If so, the last-in stored called party number is assigned as the called party number for progressing the message through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and the last-in stored calling party number is assigned as the calling party number. In the sixth step, the message is routed according to the called party number and, with the message, every stored called party number and every stored calling party number are transported through the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity and through each further succeeding and contiguous intermediate entity, if any, which shares a topologically significant addressing space with the immediately succeeding intermediate network entity. The fourth, fifth and sixth steps are repeated until such time as the message is routable to the terminating network entity according to the called party number.
According to a fourth broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing a network message associated with a party number according to which the network message is routed and having a message address stack within which at least two addresses may be stored, the method comprising the steps of: (a) reading the party number associated with the network message; (b) determining whether the party number is to be stored and replaced with a new party number and, if so, then storing the party number within the message address stack to permit its subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby create a stored party number and, once the party number has been stored as aforesaid, assigning a replacement address as the party number; and (c) following step (b), routing the message according to the party number.
According to a fifth broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing a network message associated with a party number according to which the message is routed and having a message address stack within which at least two addresses may be stored and retrieved according to a last-in and first-out precedence, the method comprising the steps of: (a) reading the party number associated with the network message; (b) determining whether the party number is to be discarded and replaced with an address stored within the message address stack and, if so, assigning a last-in stored party number of the message address stack as the party number; and (c) following step (b), routing the network message according to the party number.
According to a sixth broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network switch for processing a network message associated with a party number according to which the message is routed and having a message address stack within which at least two addresses may be stored and retrieved according to a last-in and first-out precedence, the network switch comprising: (a) means for reading the party number associated with the network message; (b) means for determining whether the party number is to be stored and replaced with a new party number; (c) means for storing the party number within the message address stack to permit its subsequent retrieval according to a last-in and first-out precedence to thereby create a stored party number; (d) means for assigning a replacement address as the party number; and (e) means for routing the message according to the party number once said replacement address has been so assigned.
According to a seventh broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network switch for processing a network message associated with a party number according to which the message is routed and having a message address stack within which at least two addresses may be stored and retrieved according to a last-in and first-out precedence, the network switch comprising: (a) means for reading the party number associated with the network message; (b) means for determining whether the party number is to be discarded and replaced with an address stored within the message address stack; (c) means for assigning a last-in stored party number of the message address stack as the party number; and (d) means for routing the message according to the party number once said last-in stored party number has been so assigned as the party number.

Stacked address transport in connection oriented networks


A negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer containing a negative electrode active material mainly containing silicon and silicon oxide. In the negative electrode, the ratio of the film thickness of the negative electrode active material layer to the particle size distribution D99 is in the range of 1.2 to 2.0, the value of the D99 is in the range of 7 to 27 μm, and the negative electrode active material layer has a density ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 g/cm3.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a negative electrode and a lithium ion secondary battery.
2. Related Art
Lithium ion secondary batteries are lighter in weight and higher in capacity than nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and the like. The lithium ion secondary battery has been therefore widely used as a power source for a mobile electronic appliance. Further, as the mobile electronic appliances decrease in size and increase in functionality in recent years, the lithium ion secondary battery has been expected to have further higher capacity. Not just for the mobile electronic appliances, furthermore, the high-capacity lithium ion secondary battery has been a strong candidate as a power source to be mounted on a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, or the like.
The capacity of the lithium ion secondary battery mainly depends on an active material of an electrode. In general, for example, a negative electrode active material contains graphite. However, for meeting the above demand, a negative electrode active material with higher capacity has been desired. Therefore, silicon has attracted attention as a material for the negative electrode active material. Silicon has mud higher theoretical capacity (4210 mAh/g) than the theoretical capacity (372 mAh/g) of graphite.
In a negative electrode active material including a mixture of silicon and silicon oxide, the stress caused by expansion and shrinkage of silicon during charging and discharging is relaxed by silicon oxide. The mixture is therefore considered to have superior cycle characteristics to silicon. However, the mixture of silicon and silicon oxide has poor electric conductivity. As a result, when the current density during discharging is high relative to the battery capacity, the use of this mixture as the negative electrode active material causes a significant decrease in discharge capacity. On the other hand, the power source for a hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle is desired to have high discharge capacity at high rate. Therefore, the use of this mixture as the material of the negative electrode active material of such a power source has a problem.
JP-A-2008-277031 has disclosed a technique for increasing the discharge capacity at high rate. A secondary battery according to this technique has a current collector that reversibly intercalates and deintercalates lithium ions. At least one surface of this current collector is provided with a concave part and a convex part. Further, this secondary battery has columnar bodies each formed on the convex pan of the current collector. In this configuration, a space part is formed between the columnar bodies. Therefore, the columnar bodies can intercalate and deintercalate lithium from the entire periphery.

Negative electrode and lithium ion secondary battery


A first access network [500] has a servicing element [525] for servicing a mobile station 105]. A negotiation element [530] negotiates with a second access network [115] for a right for the second access network [115] to provide wireless service to the mobile station [105]. The negotiation comprises sending an offer of a benefit from the second access network [115] to the first access network [500]. A processor [505] accepts the offer of the benefit from the second access network [115] and transmits a first token [515] to the second access network [115].

Subscriber devices are becoming increasingly complex in the types of wireless communication media they support. Multi-mode devices that have embedded Global System for Mobile Communications ("GSM") and Code division multiple access ("CDMA") modems along with Wireless Local Area Network ("WLAN") and Bluetooth modems are becoming common. Newer air-interfaces such as Wireless Maximize ("WiMAX") are only going to make the task of choosing an appropriate access network more complex.
Network interconnections are currently being designed to enable multi-mode devices to move from one access network to another. All of these architectures require pre-arranged agreements between the service providers controlling the access networks. For example, to enable a multi-mode GSM-WLAN handset to move between the two types of access networks, a cellular operator might make agreements with a WLAN hot spot service provider. The actual movement between the two types of networks could happen by means of access networks/system selection or handoffs.
A problem arises, however, when a multi-mode mobile station is within a congested service area. Even though there may be other available networks for servicing the mobile station, if the cellular operator does not have pre-existing agreements with any of the other available network operators, then the mobile subscriber will remain in the congested network because the available networks will not accept a handoff of the mobile subscriber. This therefore results in inefficient utilization of network bandwidth.
There are systems in the art relating to real-time buying and real-time selling of bandwidth. In these systems, there are multiple users (i.e., buyers) and multiple networks (i.e., sellers). The users place bids and the highest bidder wins the bandwidth. In these systems, the bandwidth itself, as opposed to the right to service a particular mobile station, are being bought and sold.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common and well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Method and apparatus for enabling operators with operators with unused bandwidth to acquire users


A candy-tongue depressor for encouraging the cooperation of a child or teenager during an oral examination by a medical practitioner is provided. The device comprises, in combination: (a) a thin, flat, nonedible stick with a longitudinal axis; the nonedible stick having a distal end for grasping by the medical practitioner; and a proximal end for contacting the tongue of a patient; and (b) a thin layer of candy which covers the proximal end, but not the distal end, of the nonedible stick. A combination candy tongue depressor and flexible, reclosable, translucent wrapper is also provided.

1. Technical Field
The present device is a candy-tongue depressor comprising, in combination, a tongue depressor, and a thin layer of candy which covers the proximal, but not the distal end, of the tongue depressor.
2. Background Information
One of the single most important, and yet dreaded, parts of the physical examination of a child is that of the oral cavity. Almost every physical examination performed by a family physician or pediatrician on a well or sick child includes an oral examination. The mouth and throat are also normally examined during most adult visits to the doctor or other medical practitioner. While adults will usually accept an oral exam, the majority of children do not. The sight of an innocuous tongue depressor arriving in front of a small child's face often prompts the child's jaw to snap shut and remain locked despite efforts by the adults in the examination room to pry it open. Every practitioner has his or her own favorite way to coax, compel, or coerce open the tightly clamped teeth of children from six months to 16 years of age. Many children must be restrained by the parent or other caregiver present during the examination. A few children require restraint by several adults. Some medical practitioners harness the patient in a papoose board, which confines the child's arms and legs but does not open the jaws. An oral examination on a child is thus often traumatic for both the child and the medical practitioner.
The tongue depressors of the present invention are coated with candy or the like at one end to make them more attractive to patients. Children in general will be more interested in putting these tongue depressors into their mouths to taste the candy, thus reducing the anxiety associated with oral examinations. The child is empowered by being offered a choice of candy coating flavors prior to the examination. It is believed that the small amount of candy on the candy tongue depressor will not interfere with oral examinations or the taking of throat cultures. The child may take the coated tongue depressor home after the examination.


An Agrostis idatioensis turfgrass variety is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds, the plants, and to methods of producing an Agrostis plant having the characteristic of average leaf blade width of less than 1.85 mm wide.

Homeowners and turfgrass managers in the United States rely on fewer than 20 plant species for all their grassing needs. Moreover, nearly all of these 20 grasses originate from the same general region of Eurasia. An estimated 46.5 million acres of turfgrasses are presently grown in the US (Grounds Maintenance magazine, May 1996, p. 10.). Concentrating this few number of species over a vast agricultural landscape is bound to produce problems over time as disease or insect organisms build up and become virulent against existing grasses. This type of pandemic actually occurred in the US in recent years, when large acres of the corn belt were decimated by an outbreak of southern corn leaf blight when a mutated strain of the disease arose.
The solution to this dilemma lies in species diversity. Agriculturists have found that by increasing the number and breadth of species, there is increased genetic diversity and less chance that a particular parasite will devastate a substantial acreage of plants.
Another factor urgently needed is diversity in where species originate. Most of the common turfgrasses grown in this country--Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.), fine fescue (Festuca spp.), tall fescue (F. arundinacea Schreb.), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)--species that comprise the bulk of turf in the temperate zone--derive from the same region of Europe. Only one turfgrass species originates from here in North America (Buchloe dactyloides[Nutt.] Engelm.) and only two from Eastern Asia (Zoysia japonica Wild. and Eremochloa ophiuroides [Munro.] Hack). To increase the breadth of genetic origin, more turfgrasses are needed that originate from a broader sector of world geography, to bolster the diversity of today's turfgrasses.
Another advantage of developing additional turf species is to help reduce turf maintenance levels. Present-day turfgrasses are better suited to high maintenance than low. They perform best when given a steady diet of water, fertilizer, and chemical pesticides. In theory, grasses native to a particular locale should be able to withstand local growing conditions better than exotics, without the need for additives and preservatives. Grass species that can survive on less input of water or other scarce natural resources offer benefits for reducing maintenance and improving environmental friendliness of lawns.
But finding and developing new grass species from nature is difficult, time consuming, and expensive. The developer must sift through thousands of prospective grasses listed in botanical literature, identify promising grasses, and travel thousands of miles to locate, isolate, identify, transport, quarantine, grow, test, and breed these grasses. This process can take more than 10 years to develop acceptable cultivars. Furthermore, as it turns out, most prospective grasses in nature have no commercial turf value, due to their inability to generate an acceptable ground cover when mowed. The vast majority of natural grasses cannot produce a plush lawn under continuing defoliation.
Also, few grasses found in nature have the ability to produce marketable quantities of seed--a critical necessity for commercialization of a new grass species. Raw germplasm of most native grasses seldom tops 100 lbs. per acre in seed production (R. S. Sadasivaiah and J. Weijer, 1981, The utilization of native grass species for reclamation of disturbed land in the alpine and subalpine regions of Alberta. In Reclamation in mountainous areas. Proc. 6th ann. meeting Can. Land Reclam. Assoc.). This level of seed production is not high enough for economic viability. By contrast, popular grasses like tall fescue have been cultivated and selected since prehistoric times for cattle fodder. Only high yielding plant lines have persisted through the ages. Many of today's tall fescue cultivars top 1 ton per acre in seed production.
Yet another complexity facing the plant developer is the unresponsiveness of many wild grasses to plant breeding. The vast majority of wildland grasses lack genetic potential for refinement into desirable turfgrass cultivars. Only after considerable investment in collection and breeding does the developer discover which grass species can be successful bred and which cannot.
The Agrostis genus--better known as the bentgrasses--is comprised of over 100 species, several of which have been developed into successful turfgrasses. One Agrostis in particular, A. stolonifera or creeping bentgrass, has become the preeminent grass for golf course putting greens the world over. Another Agrostis species, colonial bentgrass (A. tenuis Sibth.), has been bred into a golf course grass useful on tees and fairways in cooler regions. Two or three other Agrostis species find minor turf application, mostly for golf, tennis courts, bowling greens, or an occasional home lawn.
The Agrostis genus is widely distributed throughout the world with representative species found on all of the northern continents. However, of the present-day bentgrass species in use as turfgrasses, all originated from Europe. The original seed of these plants was brought to the US during colonial times.
America has an abundance of native bentgrass species (A. S. Hitchcock, 1951, Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Misc. Publ. 200) but none are commercially useable as turf grass.
Agrostis idahoensis, or Idaho redtop, was first identified as a distinct species in 1897 when it was first published by Nash in the Torrey Botany Club Bulletin 24:42 (Heller 3431). Idaho bentgrass.RTM. is the trademarked name registered for this grass species by Jacklin Seed Company of Post Falls, Id.
Agrostis idahoensis is found in nature throughout the mountains of New Mexico, Arizona, and California, along the Rockies, and north to Fairbanks, Ak. Agrostis idahoensis is a bunch-type perennial grass, lacking lateral runners. Commercial bentgrass species (creeping bentgrass, colonial bentgrass, etc.) all possess stolons (above-ground running stems) and/or rhizomes (below ground running stems). Hitchcock describes Agrostis idahoensis as follows:
Culms slender, tufted, 10 to 30 cm tall, leaves mostly basal, the blades narrow; panicle loosely spreading, 5 to 10 cm long, the branches capillary, flexuous, minutely scabrous; spikelets 1.5 to 2.5 mm long; lemma about 1.3 mm long, awnless; palea minute. Differs from A. scabra in the smaller spikelets and in the narrower panicle with shorter flexuous branches. PA1 Delicate, loosely-tufted, glabrous, perennial, 10-30 cm high; blades flat, narrow, 1-6 cm long; panicle loose, green or purple, 5-10 cm long; rays capillary; spikelets about 1.5 mm long; lower glume scabrous on the keel, slightly larger than the upper; lemma truncate, awnless, 1 mm long; palea minute.
Piper and Beattie (Charles V. Piper and R. Kent Beattie, 1914, Flora of Southeastern Washington and adjacent Idaho, New Era Printing Co., Lancaster, Pa.) studied the natural occurrence of Agrostis idahoensis. They found it common to the alpine woods of the Craig Mountains. Their botanical description is as follows:
Correll and Correll (D. S. Correll and H. B. Correll, 1972, Aquatic and wetland plants of the Southwestern United States, Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, Calif.) reported that Agrostis idahoensis is an important native wetland species in moist mountain meadows, swamps, shallow water of ponds, lakes, along streams, and on sand-gravel bars in river beds throughout the West. DeBenedetti and Parsons (S. H. DeBenedetti and D. J. Parsons, 1984, Postfire succession in a Sierran subalpine meadow, Amer. Midland Naturalist 111: 118-125) concluded that Agrostis idahoensis was the most important native grass species present in post-fire succession of subalpine grasslands in California. Its tenacious growth under adverse conditions makes it a valuable forage for wildlife.
In the mining districts of Northern Idaho, native stands of near 100% Agrostis idahoensis exist, where other grasses and forbs have long been eradicated through the continued runoff of mine pollution. Agrostis idahoensis is one of the few plants capable of surviving and prospering under these loads of heavy metals, making Agrostis idahoensis potentially valuable for reclamation of similarly affected sites.

Turfgrass cultivars of agrositis idahoensis


A spherical object drop mechanism for a game apparatus has a mechanism allowing to drop spherical objects one by one on the desired position on the ground. The spherical object drop mechanism includes a ball guide to store a plurality of spherical objects movable in vertical direction by gravity, an upper housing provided at an upper portion of the ball guide, a lower housing provided at a lower portion of the ball guide, a ball stopper ring to stop and release the movement of the spherical object in the vertical direction, a drive part to transmit the movement to the ball stopper ring, and a lever to operate the drive part from outside.

This invention relates to a mechanism to drop an object freely. More particularly, this invention relates to a mechanism to drop a spherical object to an arbitrary location on the ground in a simple manner, which is suitable for a golf club or a similar game apparatus.
Men and women of all ages are enjoying the game of golf these days. Golf is a game to hit the ball having a diameter of about 4 cm (centimeter) on the ground with a lesser number of strokes to put the ball in a hole or cup on the green.
The game of golf can be roughly classified in its play into a process of placing the ball onto a green where a hole is provided, and a process of putting for hitting the ball on the green with a putter to bring the ball into the hole.
The practice of putting purports to put the ball, or a spherical objected placed on the ground into a hall. The putting is also enjoyed for its own sake as recreation. This invention is directed to a game apparatus which is similar to a golf putter, although it is not limited to the putter. However, for the convenience of explanation, the following description is made based on the golf putting.
When a player practices putting or plays putting as recreation, the player has to place balls on the ground (placement process). Hence, in order to practice putting ten (10) times, for example, the player has to place the ball ten times. To repeat such a simple routine of placing the ball is boring and frustrating. Moreover, bending down to place a ball on the ground may pose significant difficulty for an elderly player or a player with a back pain. When a player practices putting with many balls, the player has to carry a container storing many balls such as a bag.
Thus, it is desired to achieve means for easily and automatically placing the balls on the ground without a player""s action to bend over the ground to place the balls. A possible apparatus to achieve this objective can be classified into two, an apparatus mounting a spherical object drop mechanism to a club, and an apparatus having a spherical object drop mechanism separately from the golf club.
If the apparatus to mount the spherical object drop mechanism independently from a golf club is to be used, the apparatus having the spherical object drop mechanism needs to be brought over with a player in addition to golf clubs. Moreover, when the spherical object drop mechanism is large, it must be fixed to a specific location on the ground and thus, the ball must be placed only on the same position.
For the apparatus to mount spherical object drop mechanism to a golf club is to be used, it is conceivable to place a ball on the ground with an electric powered mechanism. However, such a structure becomes complex, expensive and inconvenient since an electric power supply such as a battery must be used.
Thus, it is desirable to have a mechanism that allows ball placement on the desired position on the ground by mechanical means with simple structure and low cost.
Moreover, the user need to carry the spherical object drop mechanism if such a mechanism is provided to the golf club. When the balls are stored in the spherical object drop mechanism, rough handling or careless tilting or dropping of the spherical object drop mechanism may cause the balls to fall out. Thus, it is desired to establish a means to prevent the balls from falling out from the mechanism.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism to drop and place a spherical object on the ground for use with a golf putter or a game apparatus similar to a golf putter.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism to mechanically drop and position a spherical object for a game such as a golf ball on the ground with a simple configuration.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a ball game apparatus which integrally includes a spherical object drop mechanism and a ball storage where the drop mechanism is to drop a spherical object for a game such as a golf ball on the ground by a simple and inexpensive configuration.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spherical object drop mechanism which is able to prevent spherical objects for a game such as golf balls from falling out from the drop mechanism with use of a simple and inexpensive configuration.
The spherical object drop mechanism for game apparatus of the present invention has the mechanism to drop spherical objects one by one on the desired location of the ground. In one aspect of the present invention, the spherical object drop mechanism is comprised of:
a ball guide for storing a plurality of spherical objects in a manner to move in a vertical direction with their own weight;
an upper support provided to an upper portion of the ball guide;
a lower housing provided to a lower portion of the ball guide;
a ball stopper ring provided in the lower housing for stopping or releasing the vertical movements of the spherical objects;
a drive part for driving the ball stopper ring in stopping and releasing the spherical objects; and
a lever to operate the drive part from outside.
The spherical object drop mechanism for game apparatus of the present invention is able to drop the ball one by one to the ground. Since the spherical object drop mechanism of the present invention has a simple configuration, it can achieve high reliability, ease of production, and less needs of maintenance. Accordingly, it is able to produce the spherical object drop mechanism of the present invention at low cost, light-weight, and strong.

Game apparatus having a spherical object drop mechanism


An apparatus for treating tumors comprises an elongated delivery device that includes a lumen and is maneuverable in tissue. An impedance sensor array is deployable from the elongated device and configured to be coupled to at least one of an energy source or a switching device. The impedance array includes a plurality of resilient members, at least one of the plurality being positionable in the elongated device in a compacted state and deployable with curvature into tissue from the elongated device in a deployed state. In the deployed state, the plurality of resilient members defines a sample volume. At least one of the resilient members includes an impedance sensor and at least a portion of the array is configured to sample tissue impedance through a plurality of conductive pathways. An energy delivery device is coupled to one of the array, the at least one resilient member or the elongated device.

Various ablative therapies such as radio-frequency, microwave and laser ablation can be used to treat benign and cancerous tumors. In theory, such methods are intended to produce physiological and structural changes to cause cell necrosis or destruction of the selected target tissue. However in practice, there are numerous difficulties in the use of ablative procedures to treat cancerous tissue, these include (i) locating the target tissue, (ii) identifying or biopsying the disease state of the tumorous tissue (iii) distinguishing between diseased tissue versus healthy tissue, (iii) placing and maintaining the position of the ablation apparatus within the target tissue site, (iv) monitoring the progress of ablation including the developing ablation volume, (v) minimizing injury to adjacent critical structures (vi) assuring complete ablation of the tumor mass including assurance of a sufficient healthy tissue margin and (vii) assessing degree of the completed ablation. Current ablative therapies have not considered nor provided solutions to these problems. Thus, there is a need for cancerous tissue, these include (i) locating the target tissue, (ii) identifying or biopsying the disease state of the tumorous tissue (iii) distinguishing between diseased tissue versus healthy tissue, (iii) placing and maintaining the position of the ablation apparatus within the target tissue site, (iv) monitoring the progress of ablation including the developing ablation volume, (v) minimizing injury to adjacent critical structures (vi) assuring complete ablation of the tumor mass including assurance of a sufficient healthy tissue margin and (vii) assessing degree of the completed ablation. Current ablative therapies have not considered nor provided solutions to these problems. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method to address these difficulties and other unmet needs in performing ablative therapies for the treatment of cancer, tumors and other diseases.

Apparatus for detecting and treating tumors using localized impedance measurement


The invention relates to a system having: a first longitudinal member and a second longitudinal member arranged symmetrical to the first longitudinal member in relation to a longitudinal mid-plane of the conveyor system, to define a forward movement track and a return track of the rollers (4); a connecting crossbeam (6) for connecting the longitudinal members. The longitudinal members have: an upper surface defining the forward movement track (2) on which the rollers (4) roll; a lower surface defining the return track (3) on which the rollers (4) roll; an inner surface provided with means for fixing the longitudinal members; an outer surface. The first longitudinal member is connected to the second longitudinal member by means of a connecting crossbeam (6) to ensure a necessary tolerance between longitudinal members.

In a walkway designed according to the traditional concept, all the elements forming it are fixed to a frame built with welded profiles forming a lattice with the necessary dimensions for supporting the loads of its own weight, the guiding elements, the drive, the enclosures of the walkway and the load of the users on the conveyor pallets.
The main problem with this concept is the inaccuracy it creates, requiring many hours for adjusting each of the parts linked to the frame such that they provide correct guidance for the pallets as well as easy assembly of the upper frame. Besides the complexity of the assembly, very precise and very complex tools are needed both for installing the assembly accurately enough and for manufacturing the actual frame.
Since the frame according to the traditional concept is manufactured in lattice form from structural profiles, a frame needs a large number of different parts for manufacture, making the assembly difficult and increasing the costs of the materials.
Finally, a walkway with a frame of welded structural profiles is very heavy, the total loads therefore not being completely optimized. Not only is the frame designed to support the weight of the parts forming the mechanism of the walkway but to also support its own weight.
Patent application EP1074507A1 proposes a walkway aimed at solving part of the problems of the traditional concept by means of frames of side panels forming a lattice and arranged laterally to the track of the pallets or steps of stairs. These side panels are joined to one another by means of welded crossbeams forming a closed frame. In addition to being expensive and rather non-productive, it is not compatible with the manufacture of modular frames or with field assembly due to the fact that it uses welded frames.
Other types of walkways have been proposed to solve these problems as disclosed in patent WO05070810A2. This patent describes a metal profile on which the tracks for the pallets transporting the users are directly manufactured. One of the features of this concept is the absence of a cover; the outer walls of the profile directly form the enclosures of the walkway and will therefore be exposed to all the external agents that the cover of a walkway is normally exposed to. Any damage to the outer walls of the profile requires the replacement of the entire profile, generating expensive and extremely complicated maintenance.
Furthermore, the use of the walls of the profile as the enclosure does not allow customizing the enclosure according to the demand, such enclosure being conditioned to the appearance of the actual guiding profile and to its dimensions, preventing different configurations thereof.
Using the guiding profile as a cover for the actual walkway means that when the walkway is underground it is impossible to access each of the supports to regulate it, making said walkway configuration impossible and allowing only one possible walkway configuration above ground level.
Patent document WO05070810 proposes the use of the same guiding profile and frame for supporting the glass of the handrail. This involves the use of excessive material considering that the supports for the glass are usually discrete and it would entail continuous support.
Patent document WO05070810 proposes a moving walkway with a frame manufactured from an extruded metal profile which can be used for guiding the pallets of the moving walkway, the support rollers of the pallets rolling on said extruded profile.
Extrusion is a process that makes it difficult to use steel because it obliges using considerably smooth shapes and considerable thicknesses, making it virtually impossible to manufacture a profile complying with all the requirements demanded of the guide concept of patent document WO05070810 in steel. Aluminum on the other hand presents problems as to its behavior regarding wear when it is used as a guide against the support rollers of the pallet.
The aluminum frame has much lower resistance than a steel frame and therefore, in comparative terms, a frame manufactured in aluminum must have more frequent supports than a frame manufactured in steel. This involves a larger number of parts and a more complicated assembly.
An extruded profile requires slides for assembling the screws that will secure the screwed connections and therefore wastes a large amount of material in the walls thereof that are not required in most of the length of the profile since the connections are only in certain points.
Making an aluminum profile entails increased costs because this metal has a high cost in comparison with its strength.

Self-supporting guiding system for moving walkways

Thyssenkrupp Elevator Innovation Center, S.A.


An assembling method for assembling an assembly by combining a plurality of mating members with each other, wherein inherent information regarding dimensions of individual members, which is necessary for the combination of members, has been marked on the member surface prior to the start of an assembling process, the information marked on the member is read in the assembling process, and members having a dimension that meets a proper combining condition are selected based on the information. An individual member and inherent information regarding the dimension of members can be handled integrally, when the mating members are combined with each other, members having a dimension that meets a proper combining condition are selected, and when the member is processed so as to correspond to the property thereof, proper processing corresponding to the inherent properties of each member can be performed easily and surely without troublesome work.

In the industrial field, the assembling of mating members has a wide variety of applications. A typical example thereof is mechanical parts requiring a fit such as a clearance fit or an interference fit. As an example of clearance fit, there can be cited many examples including upper and lower punches and a sleeve in a press molding die, which is an assembly in which the members can be moved relatively, a rolling element and inner and outer rings in a rolling bearing, a piston and a cylinder liner in an internal combustion engine, and a piston pin and a piston and a connecting rod.
Also, as an assembly in which members requiring a fit such as a transition fit or an interference fit cannot be moved relatively, there can be cited fixing of a boss to a rim in a gear, fitting of a bearing bush in a housing, and fastening of a ceramic rotor shaft portion to a metallic shaft in a ceramic gas turbine rotor. In the case where such members are connected, the relative dimensions in the connecting portion is important.
The shape dimension of a member distributes with a variation. In fitting, in order to meet a proper fitting condition, the variations in shape dimension of member are decreased by machining, that is, a member is machined so as to have high accuracy. However, in some cases, sufficient machining accuracy cannot be secured, or machining cannot be performed. In such cases, conventionally, a method has been used in which the shape dimension of member is measured individually, and members are classified according to dimension range based on the measurement result to form some dimension range lots.
After the mating members are classified into some dimension range lots as described above, proper mating dimension range lots are selected, and members in each lot are used to make assembly. Sometimes, the dimension range lot classification is made for both members. Sometimes, the classification is made for only a member having relatively large variations because it cannot have sufficient machining accuracy or cannot be machined, and the shape dimension of the mating member is matched to a typical dimension of the dimension range lot.
In this method, however, since the influence of dimensional variations in a dimension range lot cannot be averted, it cannot be said that a sufficiently proper fitting condition can be realized. Therefore, a method has been thought in which based on the dimensional data inherent in individual member, processing is performed such that the mating members are machined individually so as to have a dimension that meets a proper fitting condition, or members having such a dimension are selected, by which a combination having a proper fitting condition is realized.
Conventionally as well, for example, a method has been used in which the dimensional data of individual members are entered on a measurement recording sheet, a number or any identification symbol is put on the members, and based on the dimensional data on the recording sheet, the mating members are subjected to the aforementioned processing.
However, in the method in which the dimensional data of individual members are entered on a measurement recording sheet minutely to control the members as described above, as the number of members increases, the work for entering data on the recording sheet becomes troublesome, and also the work for reading the data on the recording sheet becomes troublesome, which poses a problem in that not only enormously much time is required for the entering and reading work but also errors in entering and reading occur frequently.
The error in reading is thought to be basically caused by the fact that the member itself and the data are handled separately. Especially when a large quantity of members are moved to a place distant from the place where the members have been processed and are combined with the mating member, the member and information are transferred with a message not being delivered satisfactorily from worker to worker, which makes the problem more remarkable.
The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and accordingly an object thereof is to provide a method in which an individual member and inherent information regarding the dimension etc. of the member can be handled integrally, when the mating members are combined with each other, members having a dimension that meets a proper combining condition are selected, and when the member is processed so as to correspond to the property thereof, proper processing corresponding to the inherent property of each member can be performed easily and surely without troublesome work.

Assembling method using marked information


An electronic package which includes a flexible substrate, stiffener and chip. The chip is bonded to the substrate, which was secured to the stiffener. Strain relief means are utilized at various locations in the package to prevent problems (e.g., tape "wrinkling") associated with relatively large differences in coefficients of thermal expansion between the package's various elements.

Electronic packages of the variety described above are known in the art. Examples are defined in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,435,732 (Angulas et al), 5,397,921 (Karnezos), 5,386,341 (Olson et al), 5,278,724 (Angulas et al), 4,873,123 (Canestaro et al) and 5,383,787 (Switky et al).
As defined therein, such packages typically include a semiconductor device (chip) electrically coupled to one side of a circuitized substrate such as a flexible circuit member, which typically comprises a dielectric, e.g., polyimide, having at least one layer of circuitry, e.g., copper thereon. Such a chip may be coupled, electrically, to the flexible circuit member's circuitry using solder. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,732 at FIG. 10. A well-known technique for accomplishing such a solder coupling includes what is known in the industry as a controlled collapse chip connection (C4) procedure. Another known process is a thermal compression bonding (TCB) procedure. Because both processes are known, further description is not believed necessary. The flexible circuitry (often called a tape) may then be coupled electrically to respective circuitry, e.g. copper pads or lines, formed on the surfaces of a circuitized substrate, such as another flex circuit, a more rigid printed circuit board, a ceramic substrate, or the like. Circuit boards, usually comprised of several layers of dielectric material, e.g., fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin, interspersed with various conductor levels, e.g., power, signal and/or ground planes, and often including plated through-holes and/or internal conductive vias, are known in the art and further definition is not believed necessary.
The above packages also typically utilize a heat sink member which is thermally coupled to the package's chip, the heat sink being located slightly above the chip and provided with a good thermal path to the chip to enhance heat removal from the completed package (most particularly the chip) during package operation. Such heat sinks usually comprise a metallic element located on the package in such a position as to facilitate thermal removal by interaction with a cooling airflow or, simply, relatively non-moving ambient air. The heat sink may be attached to the chip with an appropriate thermal adhesive, several of which are known in the art. To further promote heat removal, the heat sink typically includes appropriate fins, pins, or the like at various locations. The heat sink may also be of a multilayer (or multilevel) design, where each level of the heat sink is optimized for a particular function. The first level of the heat sink may be designed to optimize the thermal contact with the chip and the removal and spreading of heat from the chip, along with the function of protecting the chip and attached circuitry from chemical or other contact from various manufacturing processes. The heat sink's second level may be optimized for thermal interaction with cooling fluid flow (gas or liquid) to provide additional thermal efficiency if demanded by a particular application. This second level of the heat sink may be a separate element, attached to the first level structure by thermal adhesive. It is possible that the first heat sink level may comprise a low-profile, platelike member with the second level including a plurality of fins so that in combination, very high rates of heat removal may be realized. However, if very high thermal performance is not needed, the second level of heat sink may be omitted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,921, an example is shown of a chip electrically connected to a tape by at least two methods. A one-level heat sink design is used, with the heat sink material chosen to be a specifically designed metallic compound so as to match the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the heat sink to that of the chip. However, such a choice will not adequately match the CTE of the tape to the chip. Since the chip is bonded to the tape, there exists a mismatch in expansion coefficients, and thus thermally-induced stresses will occur on the circuitry of the tape. Such stresses, typically the result of temperature changes during package operation, can adversely affect the package, including possibly rendering it inoperative.
To utilize various thermal epoxies for heat sink attachment, the temperature of the entire package must be elevated during production in order to cure the epoxy into a useful material state. Because of the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between the tape and chip, high tensile stresses are thus created between the chip and the bulk of the tape. These stresses have occasionally resulted in wrinkling of the tape, which in turn results in substantial, unpredictable, and uncontrollable non-planarity of portions of the tape. Such non-planarity can interfere with subsequent electrical connection procedures involving the package's circuitry. Such interference can be great enough to render the package unusable or can contribute to unreliable subsequent electrical connections. This mechanism of failure is further aggravated by the use of larger size chips which are considered necessary in many of today's electronic package assemblies in order to assure enhanced operational capabilities demanded of such structures.
It is also known that some procedures of electrically connecting the chip to the circuitry of the tape (a/k/a chip bonding) require the use of substantially elevated chip temperatures. A primary example is the aforementioned TCB procedure, which requires relatively high temperatures and pressures to satisfactorily effect chip and tape connections. As the connection is formed, the temperature of the chip is significantly greater than that of the bulk of the tape. Subsequent cooling of the bonded chip and tape results in high tensile stresses between both elements. As mentioned, such stresses have been found of sufficient magnitude to induce wrinkles in the tape.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, it has been found that it is possible to avoid the condition of high tensile stresses, which cause the condition of tape wrinkling, by the use of strain relief means between the chip and the tape. Significantly, use of this invention permits the highly advantageous utilization of larger and more complex chips in such electronic packages, thereby advancing the art of electronics and electronic packaging in general. Further, such use of strain relief in turn permits the use of a wide variety of high-temperature cured thermal adhesives with such larger chips, while preventing tape wrinkling.
For a chip package to accommodate numerous sizes, designs and types of chips, it is not always possible to precisely know what the effective CTE of a chip will be. Therefore, it is not possible to choose the heat sink material CTE to match that of the chip, as there is known to be a range of chip material CTE values depending on the exact chip material composition (e.g., silicon or gallium arsenide), processing and coating of the chip material, and the extent of circuitry on the chip. Even if the CTE of the heat sink material was perfectly matched to that of the chip, temperature gradients or differences between the heat sink and the chip may cause an unacceptable expansion mismatch. Thus, for a variety of practical reasons, there will in general exist a mismatch of expansion between the chip and the heat sink, giving rise to thermally induced stresses in any thermal epoxy used to bond the two members. As understood, these stresses can be substantial, causing fracture, debonding, and loss of thermal contact between heat sink and chip. Such conditions may also lead to chip overheating and disconnection from the tape. In order to avoid these failures, the present invention also details a means of reducing these stresses and improving the adhesion between the adhesive and heat sink, if such adhesive is utilized. Further, a simple means of providing additional support and bracing to promote contact between the chip and heat sink is described. This additional support can be necessary if a relatively large, massive heat sink is required, and the strength of the thermal adhesive (e.g., epoxy) alone is not sufficient. As understood from the following, implementation of this invention will enable the successful use of relatively large, heavy heat sinks, made of a heat sink material which is not necessarily chosen to be a particular match to any of a wide variety of large, complex, and varied chips.
Because the chip is bonded to the tape, and there exists a relatively significant mismatch in expansion coefficients, small thermally-induced stresses can occur during use of the tape's circuitry. These stresses are not necessarily of the high tensile nature described above (which can cause wrinkling), but instead are relatively small and may occur at the location of the circuitry on the tape that is directly coupled to the chip. The action of heating an electronic package and subsequently cooling thereof is known as thermal cycling. It is known that even very small stresses can induce fatigue fracture in the circuitry after a relatively large number of such cycles, such fatigue fracture possibly resulting in a loss of electrical conductivity of a circuit line (and thus failure of the entire package). To reduce these stresses, it has been found that providing a fillet of a particular configuration can also be effective as stress relief means. These stresses can also be redirected away from circuit lines near the chip (which are relatively fine and narrow) to more robust electrical lines farther away from the chip, using the teachings of the invention.
It is believed that an electronic package assembly possessing the above and other advantageous features which is thus capable of overcoming the several aforementioned problems, and a method of making such a package assembly, would constitute significant advancements in the art.

Electronic package with strain relief means and method of making

International Business Machines Corporation