The present invention relates to the production of granulated solid carbon dioxide mainly for the purpose of cleaning surfaces of parts of various industrial equipment from operational and process surface contaminants and for the purpose of cooling various objects.

One of the earliest prior art devices for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide is Valdemar Hussling's device (U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,698, 1928). Currently relatively known to the skilled in the present field of invention are devices for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide from such producers as ColdJet (USA and Belgium; www.coldjet.com; U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,903; US2012/0291479); AscoCarbonDioxide (Switzerland www.ascoco2.com), IceTech (Denmark and the USA, www.icetechworld.com), AquilaTriventek (Denmark, www.aquila-triventek.com, U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,265), TOMCO2 Systems (USA, www.tomcosystems.com), COMTECSWISS "(Switzerland, www.comtecswiss.com)," ARTIMPEX "(Denmark; http://www.cryonomic.com)" SinoceanIndustrialLimited "(China; www.china-ice-machine.com)," AutoGazTrans "(Russia, Samara, www.agtrans.ru), "Research Institute of Technology, Control and Diagnostics of Railway Transport "(Russia, Omsk; www.niitkd.com; RU2350557) and others.
The process of granulating solid carbon dioxide can be implemented in one step or in two steps. The first step is pressing (or compressing) solid carbon dioxide particles to a relatively solid structure (an amount of confined space containing solid carbon dioxide particles is reduced). To increase the granulating density of solid carbon dioxide and, as an addition, the production of a number of granules at the same time there is a step of extruding the compressed solid carbon dioxide particles through a member for extruding solid carbon dioxide with a more solid structure, wherein the pressing member is configured to form various profiles of one or more producing solid carbon dioxide granules.
To implement said processes a use of complex and overall power systems (actuators), such as hydraulic systems or crank-shaft mechanisms working in conjunction with a gear box, is required, and, as a consequence, the disadvantage of prior art devices is that the actuators are mainly powered by a motor (claim 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,081; claim 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,743; claim 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,516; claim 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,140) to supply power either for a hydraulic pump, an air compressor or a crank-shaft mechanism, and, as a consequence, there is a need for an external power source, and the unit becomes less mobile and more energy-dependent.
Prior art devices are not only heavy and overall (col. 5 and 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,138, col. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,265), but require relatively frequent maintenance as they have a hydraulic system or a relatively large number of friction pairs in the mechanism.
In case of prior art devices operating on compressed air (U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,140), the installation of a receiver and air preparation system is necessary for their reliable operation, which leads to an increase in the mass and dimensions of the entire system as a whole.
Another disadvantage in terms of energy efficiency of prior art devices is lack of use of potential energy that can be obtained during the process of expanding gaseous carbon dioxide from the pressure of the triple point of carbon dioxide to the ambient pressure. Conventionally, gaseous carbon dioxide is only subjected to the "Flash"-effect (Paragraph 0002 of EP0792837), which has a scientific and technical name "Joule-Thomson effect" (col. 1, line 15 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,011,550, col. 3, line 18 of U.S. Pat. No. 1,659,435, claim 1 of EP0247935). In this description, a term "sudden pressure reduction" will be used to describe the processes of the "Flash"-effect and the Joule-Thomson effect.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for granulating solid carbon dioxide particles. The prior art device for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles 1 is connected to a tank for storage of liquid carbon dioxide 2 (for example, produced by AvtoGazTrans, ChartFeroxa.s, Linde, AscoCarbonDioxideLtd and AirProductsandChemicalsInc) via the main pipeline 4 to supply liquid carbon dioxide from the tank 2, the supply being performed by means of the pressure of the primary carbon dioxide (G2) (FIG. 1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,170, FIG. 1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,530, FIG. 1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,389). Conventionally, devices 1 consume electricity from an industrial power grid source 3 for the operation of the following device units 1: a control system (PLC programmable logic controllers, microelectronics, valves, sensors, auxiliary actuators, etc.); a heating system for individual structural elements; and a power block (or actuator), which can be designed as an electric motor operating in conjunction with a hydraulic system or with a crank-shaft mechanism, or as an air compressor with a pneumatic actuator, or with another mechanical device configured to have a direct impact via the mechanical energy converted from the energy of an external energy source on solid carbon dioxide particles. When the devices 1 reach the stationary operation mode the almost unchanged time-averaged preset performance of the devices 1 for solid carbon dioxide corresponds to, the mass balance of the devices 1 corresponds to the formula L=G+S, where L is the mass flow rate of liquid carbon dioxide (L), G is the mass flow of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) and S is the mass flow rate of solid carbon dioxide (S). Based on its physical properties, liquid carbon dioxide (L) can be stored in the industry at a pressure from the triple point of carbon dioxide (0.51 MPa) to the critical pressure (7.5 MPa), the line a1-a2 corresponds to this range. The processes for producing low amounts of granules from solid carbon dioxide (S) particles conventionally used in the industry are characterized by the following parameters (col 1 line 45 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,516, col 2 line 16 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,960, col 3 line 33 of EP0792837): liquid carbon dioxide (L) is stored at a pressure of 265-300 psi (1.6-2.07 MPa) and a relative temperature of 245-253 degrees Kelvin in a special tank 2; the pressure of the exhausted gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at the outlet of the device 1 equals approximately the atmospheric pressure (col 6 line 19 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,903); the factor of conversion of liquid carbon dioxide (L) into solid carbon dioxide (S) after a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L) to the atmospheric pressure is 0.45-0.5 in mass (col. 1 line 37 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,530, col. 1 line 13 of EP0792837).
FIG. 2 illustrates a TS diagram for a good understanding of the prior art method for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles. Point A1 is disposed on the saturation line a1-a2 and characterizes the state of carbon dioxide in a liquid aggregate state (L) when being stored in a tank at a pressure of 1.8 MPa (chosen for example), the line A1-A2 shows the process of a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L) from point A1 to point A2, where point A2 indicates the thermodynamics equilibrium of the mixture of solid carbon dioxide (S) (point A3) and gaseous carbon dioxide (G) (point A4), based on this, the fraction of solid carbon dioxide produced is equal to the result of division of the value of length of the segment A2-A4 by the value of length of the segment A3-A4 and is about 0.51 (51%).
For a good understanding of the present invention, the prior art method for producing granulated carbon dioxide is presented as the following steps:    (a) a step of supplying liquid carbon dioxide (L) which is being stored in the source at the storage pressure (P0) that is above the pressure of the triple point of carbon dioxide;    (b) a step of inflowing of said liquid carbon dioxide (L) from said source into the chamber (or the pressing block);    (c) a step of reducing the pressure of the liquid carbon dioxide (L) supplied to said chamber (or the pressing block) to produce said solid carbon dioxide (S) particles and compressed gaseous carbon dioxide (G) within the chamber (or the pressing block);    (d) a step of removing said gaseous carbon dioxide (G), conventionally at the atmospheric pressure, from said chamber;    (e) a step of moving of an actuator's external element in response to an external energy (most often an electricity impact) applied to said actuator;    (f) a step of moving of the pressing member disposed in said chamber in response to the movement of said external element of said actuator;    (g) a step of pressing said solid carbon dioxide (S) particles in said chamber by moving the pressing member;Further on, in order to obtain granulated solid carbon dioxide as one or more higher density granules, the following step is used in addition to the previous ones:    (h) a step of releasing the compressed solid carbon dioxide particles from said chamber through a hole in the form of said granules by the movement of the pressing member.
For a good understanding of the generalized and simplified schematic representations of the devices, to unify the names, to prove the similarity of prior art devices to one another, and to generalize them, in order to prove the relative similarity of the preferred embodiment of the present invention to prior art devices, the following approach to number device elements will be used: for the main device blocks, the numbering begins with 100; for the components of the pressing block 101, the numbering begins with 200; for the components of the power block 102, the numbering begins with 300; for other unsaid elements and parts of the device, the numbering begins with 400.
FIG. 3 illustrates a general schematic representation of prior art devices for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles. The devices comprise a pressing block 101 configured to press and extrude solid carbon dioxide particles (S) through a die and the power block 102 converting the energy (E) from an external power source, conventionally not connected to carbon dioxide, to the mechanical energy (M) transferred to the pressing block 101 to press and extrude the solid carbon dioxide particles (S) produced by a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L) passing to the pressing block 101. Gas (G) is also produced in case of said sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L), is a by-product and is transferred either to the atmosphere or to the recovery system. In this case, the power block conventionally works via a source of electrical energy or a source of energy of a substance flow (e.g. air or hydraulic oil) and has an external element movable in response to the external energy supplied to the power block. The external element can be represented as a rotating shaft of an electric motor and reducer, a reciprocating bar of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder or a crank-shaft mechanism. External energy can have an electrical or pneumatic, or hydraulic nature widespread in the industry.
Among the prior art, the pressing block 101 is known to the skilled in the present field of invention as:    (a) a cylindrical chamber terminated by a die at one end (a member for extruding) with through holes and by a moving piston at the other end, for example: US2012/0291479 (hereinafter referred to as a piston pressing block, illustrated in FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 as part of the devices);    (b) a cylindrical chamber with through holes and rollers rotating around the axis of the cylindrical chamber and rolling along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical chamber (hereinafter referred to as a roller pressing block; is illustrated in FIG. 7 as part of the device);    (c) a rotating rotor with the moving blades positioned non-coaxially relative to the inner cylindrical surface of the chamber (hereinafter referred to as a blade-type pressing block; is illustrated in FIG. 8 as part of the device),the pressing block conventionally comprising:    (a) one chamber (cylindrical or of another form) having an end wall (the end wall of the cylindrical chamber, a lateral surface of the cylindrical chamber or another wall of the chamber for pressing solid carbon dioxide particles) and configured to receive liquid carbon dioxide (L) and to convert liquid carbon dioxide (L) into compressed gaseous carbon dioxide (G) and solid carbon dioxide particles (S);    (b) an actuator (a power block) having an external member movable in response to said external energy applied to said actuator;    (c) a pressing member (or a piston, plunger, roller) movable in response to the movement of an external member of said actuator and disposed within said chamber; the movement of said pressing member compresses the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles created in said chamber towards said end wall of said chamber; andFurther on, to obtain granulated solid carbon dioxide as granules, the following element is required in addition to the previous ones:    (d) at least one hole (or a die or a member for extruding) disposed in the end wall of said chamber to release the compressed solid carbon dioxide particles (S) from said chamber in the form of said granules;wherein the power block (or actuator) 102 mainly operates via the electric power of the industrial network to supply the electric motor and is known to the skilled in the present field of invention as:    (a) a hydraulic actuator that generates reciprocating motion and power due to the potential energy of hydraulic oil from a hydraulic pump (hereinafter referred to as a hydraulic power block; is illustrated in FIG. 4 as part of the device);    (b) a pneumatic actuator working via the air produced by an air compressor and generating reciprocating motion and power (hereinafter referred to as a pneumatic power block; is illustrated in FIG. 6 as part of the device);    (c) a crank-shaft actuator generating reciprocating motion and power from an electric motor (hereinafter referred to as a crank-shaft power block; is illustrated in FIG. 5 as part of the device);    (d) a gear reducer configured to reduce the rotation speed and to increase the torque (hereinafter referred to as a reducer power block; is illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 as part of the device);
where force or torque are transmitted in turn to the pressing block to press or to press and extrude solid carbon dioxide.
The most well-known to the skilled in the present field of invention are the prior art devices formed by the following tandems of said blocks:    (a) a piston pressing block operating in conjunction with a hydraulic power block (or actuator) (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,070,967, 4,727,687, 4,780,119, 3,632,271, 5,548,960, 5,419,138, 5,475,981, 3,835,657, DE2051506, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,240,743, 5,845,516, 5,426,948, 7,021,081, SU1465682), the simplified schematic representation of said devices is illustrated in FIG. 4; the inventions above in this claim in the present description are referred to as hydraulic devices;    (b) a piston pressing block operating in conjunction with a crank-shaft power block (or actuator) (U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,919,698, 6,986,265, 3,708,993, 3,618,330, 3,576,112), the simplified schematic representation of said devices is illustrated in FIG. 5, in the present description of the invention, said devices in this claim are referred to as crank-shaft devices;    (c) a piston pressing block operating in conjunction with a pneumatic power block (or actuator) (U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,894,892, 5,735,140), the simplified schematic representation of said device is illustrated in FIG. 6, in the present description, the invention of said device in this claim is referred to as a pneumatic device;    (d) a blade-type pressing block operating in conjunction with a reducer power block (or actuator) (U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,968), the simplified schematic representation of said device is illustrated in FIG. 8, in the present description, the invention of said device in this claim is referred to as a blade-type device;    (e) a ring-type pressing block operating in conjunction with a reducer power block (or actuator) (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,249,426, 4,033,736, 3,670,516), the simplified schematic representation of said devices is illustrated in FIG. 7, in the present description of the invention, said devices in this claim are referred to as ring-type devices;
Said (hydraulic, crank-shaft, gas, blade-type and ring-type) devices in this description refer to prior art devices.
In the claims of the inventions of said patents there are the following essential features describing power blocks (or actuators) and their physics of action: "means for moving said piston", "hydraulic drive unit connected to said ram", "said piston being movable on the compression stroke", "a unit chamber with hydraulic means", "said hydraulic drive unit being designed to supply sufficient force to said ram", "piston is a hydraulic operated", "disconnecting an extrusion cylinder from a hydraulic cylinder", "said pressure piston is hydraulically operated", "pistons in the pressing chambers are connected with a common crankshaft", "crank shaft drive said piston", "pneumatic actuator having an output member movable in response to compressed air", "dry ice pelletizer having an external power source", "force produced by said forcing means", "power means for driving the rotary elements".
Further on in the description to describe an actuator and a power block the concept "power block" will be used.
FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 illustrate a simplified schematic representation of prior art hydraulic, crank-shaft and pneumatic devices that comprise a piston pressing block 101 operating in conjunction with the power block 102. The pressing block 101 comprises a case 201 with an inner chamber 202 of a cylindrical form, the die 203 disposed to the case 201 at one end and the pressing member 206 disposed within the chamber 202 terminates the chamber 202 from the second end. The filtering element 204 formed in the case 201 connects the interior of the chamber (a member for extruding) 202 to a collecting device 205 to collect gaseous carbon dioxide. The valve 404 is configured to supply liquid carbon dioxide to the chamber 202. The devices of this type are connected to an external power source 402, which is in turn conventionally connected to a three-phase power network 401 and is having kinematical connection 403 connected to the power block 102. In devices of these types, the solid carbon dioxide (S) particles disposed in the chamber 202 are compacted by extruding it through a die 203 by means of a pressing member 206 via the mechanical energy (M) transmitted from the power block 102, which in turn consumes external energy (E).
The power unit 102 of the prior art hydraulic device illustrated in FIG. 4 has a block 309 which is configured to supply hydraulic oil under pressure along the lines 305 to a hydraulic cylinder 306 in which a piston 307 is disposed in order to transfer the power load from the hydraulic oil to the pressing member 206 via a bar 308. The block 309 is having kinematical connection 403 connected to the external power source 402 via which external energy (E) is transmitted for the work of the block 309.
The power block 102 of the prior art crank-shaft mechanism illustrated in FIG. 5 has a case 310 that comprises a crankshaft 311 connected to at least one pressing member 206 via a corresponding crank 312. The crank 312 converts the rotational motion of the crankshaft 311 into the reciprocating motion transmitted to the pressing member 206 as mechanical energy (M). The shaft 311 is connected via a reducer 405 and kinematical connection 403 to the actuator 402 that transmits.
The power block 102 of the prior art pneumatic device illustrated in FIG. 6, has a case 314 which is configured to compress, prepare and deliver air through the lines 315 to a pneumatic actuator 316 transmitting mechanical energy (M) to the pressing member 206. External energy (E) is conventionally transmitted via kinematical connection 403 from the driver 401 to the case 314.
FIG. 7 illustrates a simplified schematic diagram of a prior art ring-type device that comprises a ring-type pressing block 101 operating in conjunction with the power block 102. The pressing block 101 has a case 201, a die (or a member for extruding) 203, a filtering element 204, a collection device 205, an inner chamber 202 of a ring form with pressing members 206 therein rolling around the inner surface of the inner chamber 202. The valve 404 is configured to supply liquid carbon dioxide to the chamber 202. Devices of this type are connected to an external power source 402, which is in turn conventionally connected to a three-phase power network 401 and is having kinematical connection 403 connected to the power block 102 in order to transfer external energy (E). The solid carbon dioxide in the inner chamber 202 is compacted by extruding it through the die 203 by means of the pressing members 206.
FIG. 8 illustrates a prior art blade-type device that comprises a blade-type pressing block 101 operating in conjunction with the power block 102. The pressing block 101 has a case 201, a collection device 205, an inner chamber 202 of a cylindrical form with a cylindrical pressing member 206 therein so that the center of the chamber 202 does not coincide with the center of the rotating device 207. The pressing member 206 comprises movable blades 207 configured to penetrate into the pressing member 206. The valve 404 is configured to supply liquid carbon dioxide to the chamber 202. Devices of this type are connected to the external power source 402, which is in turn connected conventionally to the three-phase power network 401 and is having kinematical connection 403 with the pressing member 206 for transferring of external energy (E). In the blade-type device, the solid carbon dioxide particles (S) are captured by the blades 207. The solid carbon dioxide (S) particles are compacted by reducing the volume between the blades 207 due to the non-axial rotation of the pressing member 206 relative to the cylindrical interior 202, where the pressing member 206 rotates via the mechanical energy (M) transmitted from the power block 102.
The step of separating gaseous carbon dioxide gas (G) from solid carbon dioxide particles (S), referring to the prior art method for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles, is conventionally implemented by filtration with the filtering element 204 configured to retain a substantial number of solid carbon dioxide particles (S) and allowing gaseous carbon dioxide (G) to flow through the case of the filtering element 204. For example, in the prior art devices, the filtering element 204 is designed as holes in the pressing chamber (FIG. 2, U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,081), as a steel wire grid (FIG. 4a , U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,743), formed as a pipe with the walls made of sintered plastic or bronze particles (claim 1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,960).
The collecting device 205 can conventionally be designed as a hollow chamber to collect gas either as a separate device element or it can be formed within the case of the chamber 201.
The member for extruding (the extruding die) 203 can be formed as a flange with cylindrical holes, with conical holes or with holes of a special form, formed as the metal plates installed across the flow of the extruded solid carbon dioxide, or in a different embodiment if the geometry of the flow section compacts the extruded compacted solid carbon dioxide and imparts a pre-selected cross-sectional form.
The main structural elements of the device, such as the chamber 201, the die 203 and the pressing member 206 are conventionally made of special steel, for example, of 14X17N2 corrosion-resistant heat-resistant steel.
The step of sudden pressure reduction, referring to a prior art method for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles, is implemented conventionally via the valve 404 illustrated in FIG. 4-9 or by means of special devices having a local hydraulic resistance, such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,667. A special solenoid valve for liquid carbon dioxide produced by JAKŠA d.o.o., ASCO ValveInc or some other manufacturer can be used as a valve 404. To increase the density of packing solid carbon dioxide (S) particles in case of expansion of liquid carbon dioxide (L) in the chamber, it is reasonable to direct liquid carbon dioxide (L) flowing into the chamber towards the member for extruding, such as in FIG. 4, U.S.20120291479.
Said types of prior art devices have the same operating principle, which consists in transforming the external energy (E) into mechanical (M) via the power block 102, which is transmitted to the pressing member 206 for pressing and extruding solid carbon dioxide particles (S) beyond the limits of the pressing block 101. With that, the extrusion is implemented through the die 203, and the solid carbon dioxide particles (S) in the chamber 202 are formed by a sudden pressure reduction of the liquid carbon dioxide (L) in the chamber 202 to a pressure close to the atmospheric pressure, and solid carbon dioxide particles are retained via the filtering element 204.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,952,530, 3,632,271 and DE2051506 mention the possibility of maintaining gaseous carbon dioxide at a pressure of 25-40 psi in the pressing block (or in the chamber disposed in the pressing block), (claim 5, col. 4, line 33 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,530; claim 24 of DE2051506, claim 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,271), which is about 0.17-0.28 MPa. The pressure, according to FIG. 9 of DE2051506 and FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,530 is maintained through four main aspects of design and operation of the devices: the presence of the sealed chamber 201 of the pressing block 101 isolated from the environment; the presence of a sealing of piston bar 206 (a pressing member 206) to isolate the interior 202 of the chamber 201 of the pressing block 101 from the environment; the maintenance of pressure (P1) from the output line of gaseous carbon dioxide (G); the tight adherence of the compacted solid carbon dioxide particles (S), when operating in the stationary mode, to the inner surface of die holes 203 from the interior 202 of the pressing block 101 (with that, the adherence is performed both by the pressure of the pressing member 206 and the pressure of gaseous carbon dioxide gas (G). Thus, it is technically possible to maintain the pressure (P1) of gaseous carbon dioxide (G) in the pressing block 101 above the ambient pressure. The outlet of gaseous carbon dioxide at a pressure above the atmospheric pressure from the devices for producing granules from solid carbon dioxide particles, based on the purposes of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,952,530 and 3,632,271, is required to reduce the energy consumption of the gaseous carbon dioxide recovery systems produced by Union Engineering, Haffmans, Asco Carbon Dioxide, BUSE Gastek and others. The sealing of piston bar can be made of PTFE material, for example, Polon® Parker, to prevent friction of the piston against the inner surface of the chamber, antifriction wear guides made of special material are fixed on the piston as illustrated in FIG. 7 of U.S.20120291479, nylon or nylon-based composite material, for example, the technical solutions of Mustang Seal Solution (USA) may be such material.
A method for converting the energy of the pressure difference (A) between gas pressure and lower level pressure into mechanical energy (M) under conditions of gas pressure reduction is relatively well-known. Devices that can implement this method are identified as gas expanders. Gas expanders are mainly divided into volumetric expanders and flowing expanders. Volumetric expanders convert the energy of the pressure difference between gas pressure and lower level pressure into the reciprocating energy of the piston, they include piston expanders and gas cylinders, which are a special case of a piston expander. Flowing expanders convert the energy of the pressure difference between gas pressure and lower level pressure into the rotational energy of the blade wheel, these include turbo expanders. A more detailed description of the expanders will be provided hereinafter.
Previously, the following technical solutions were developed in order to increase the efficiency of the process of production of solid carbon dioxide in terms of thermodynamic efficiency (energy efficiency), which are the closest to the present invention:    (a) U.S. Pat. No. 2,153,629 which mentions a device that allows to use liquid carbon dioxide (L) as a hydraulic fluid for the work of a hydraulic cylinder;    (b) U.S. Pat. No. 1,895,886 which mentions a device that increases the mass fraction of solid carbon dioxide (S) by transferring a portion of energy to rotate the blade wheel via a carbon dioxide flow after a sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L) below the triple point pressure; the method for converting the energy of a high-speed gas blast into mechanical energy (M) is identified as "gas expanding", and said device relates to turbo expanders;    (c) Patent No. EP0792837 which mentions a two-step (with the intermediate pressure) sudden reduction of pressure of liquid carbon dioxide (L). The intermediate pressure (P1) is above the pressure of the triple point of carbon dioxide. Referring to FIG. 4 of EP0792837 it is intended to use the gaseous carbon dioxide (G) produced between the first and second step to produce useful energy for various purposes; and    (d) U.S. Pat. No. 1,181,816 which mentions a method for compacting particles by means of a liquid carbon dioxide flow (L) passing through the particles pressed by the filter.Patent Application FR19980005374 was found in the patent analysis.All said prior art devices create three technical possibilities:    (a) the use of external power sources for producing mechanical energy (M) to compact solid carbon dioxide particles (S), which leads to such disadvantages as a relatively high energy consumption, a relatively high degree of energy dependence on external energy sources, a relatively high mass and a relatively low mobility of the devices;    (b) recovering gaseous carbon dioxide (G) at a pressure (P1) above the ambient pressure;    (c) converting the energy of pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide (G) extracted from the pressing block into mechanical energy (M) to compact solid carbon dioxide particles (S) in a specially provided device (P1).
Problem statement: Due to the above said, a method, device and system are required, which is further an object of the present invention, to eliminate the problems relating claim "a" by combining the two technical possibilities described in claims "b" and "c".

Method, apparatus and system for producing granulated solid carbon dioxide

Abstract: Provided herein methods, devices and a system for compacting the solid carbon dioxide particles produced by expanding liquid carbon dioxide, wherein the mechanical energy obtained by converting the pressure energy of the compressed gaseous carbon dioxide produced by said expanding of said liquid carbon dioxide is used for compacting.


A laminated punch assembly (20) is adapted for use in a press brake to bend sheet metal (M) interposed between a punch and die when the punch and die are moved relatively toward one another. The improved punch assembly includes a plurality of plate-like members (24). Each member has large-area obverse and reverse faces (30, 31), and has a peripheral surface. A slot extends into each member from a portion of its peripheral surface, and communicates the two faces. The plurality of members are arranged in face-to-face area contact to define an elongated laminated punch assembly, with the slots of each member being aligned to form an elongated slot in the punch assembly. An elongated insert (26) is adapted to be slidably inserted into the punch assembly slot, and has an exposed bending surface (63) adapted to engage the sheet material when the brake is used.. The invention also provides an improved die assembly for use in such a press brake. The improved die assembly similarly includes a plurality of plate-like members (28), with each member having large-area obverse and reverse faces (65, 66) and having a peripheral surface. A slot extends into each member from a portion of the peripheral surface, and communicates the two faces. A plurality of the members are arranged in face-to-face area contact to define an elongated laminated die assembly, with the slots of each member being aligned to form an elongated slot in the die assembly. An elongated insert (29) is adapted to be slidably inserted into the die assembly slot. The insert has a die surface adapted to engage the sheet material when the brake is used.

Press brakes and box brakes are used in metal forming and shaping. A press brake is a relatively large machine having an upper platen that is arranged to be moved upwardly and downwardly relative to a lower platen. A punch is normally held to the movable upper platen, and a die is normally held on the lower platen. Hence, when the upper platen moves relative to the lower platen, the punch moves upwardly and downwardly relative to the die. These cooperative punch and die sets are used for a variety of metal forming operations, such as bending, punching, providing detents and recesses, and the like.
A box brake is functionally similar to a press brake. However, the box brake is typically hand operated, whereas the press brake is normally powered hydraulically. Thus, for all intents and purposes, the only functional difference between a box brake and a press brake is the physical size of the brake and the motive power to move the punch relative to the die in metal shaping operations.
In either case, a business must normally stock in inventory a large number of punches and dies, since these are largely tailored to the particular part being formed. Such tooling is expensive to manufacture, and can be difficult to store and maintain. In some cases, a piece of tooling will be cannibalized for use in subsequent similar operations. To the extent that the tool that the punch or die has been modified, it is no longer available to do its original function. This further complicates the problem of storing punches and dies for use in such operations.
Accordingly, it would be generally desirable to provide improved punches and dies that can be selectively assembled to do a particular job, and then broken down into individual component parts for subsequent reassembly for a sequential job.


A hydraulic pressure control system for an automatic transmission is comprised of an engagement element engaged when the vehicle runs and a first engagement control actuator controlling the engagement element by supplying the controlled hydraulic pressure to the engagement element when the vehicle starts running. An effective cross sectional area of the engagement element is set at a minimum area which has an engagement capacity capable of transmitting a maximum torque inputted from the engine when the engagement element receives a maximum pressure controlled by the first engagement control actuator.

The present invention relates to an automatic transmission employing a torque converter as a starting element, and more particularly to an automatic transmission which controls an engagement force of a clutch such as a forward clutch using an actuator for a lockup clutch hydraulic control.
Japanese Published Patent Application No. 7-269667 discloses an automatic transmission which employs a torque converter as a starting element. It is generally necessary to set an engagement capacity of a forward clutch at a value greater than a product of an engine torque and a stall torque ratio of a forward clutch. The forward clutch is designed so that a piston thereof has a large outer diameter to ensure a sufficient engagement capacity.


A surgical method comprises the steps of (a) inserting a needle into a patient, a suture thread being connected to the needle, (b) moving the needle inside the patient to insert the needle into internal body tissues of the patient at a preselected surgical site inside the patient, (c) withdrawing the needle from the internal body tissues so that the suture passes through the internal body tissues, and (d) removing the needle from the patient. In a series of subsequent steps, (e) a knot is tied in the suture outside the patient, (f) the suture is manipulated to slide the knot into the patient until the knot is juxtaposed to the internal body tissues at the surgical site, (g) the suture is severed in juxtaposition to the knot at the surgical site, and (h) a severed portion of the suture is removed from the patient. A surgical instrument assembly for performing the method comprises an arcuate needle and a tubular member. The needle has a spring bias construction tending to bend the needle into an arcuate configuration and a suture thread is connected to the needle. The tubular member has an inside diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of the needle, the needle being disposed in a straightened configuration inside the tubular member. The suture extends out through an end of the tubular member.

This invention relates to a laparoscopic surgical method and a related surgical instrument assembly. More particularly, this invention relates to a surgical method and a related instrument assembly usable in a laparoscopic or endoscopic surgical procedure for performing a sewing or stitching operation on a patient's internal body tissues at a surgical site not visible to the unaided eye.
Conventional surgical techniques for repairing tissue injuries such as hernias and perforated ulcers, for closing other openings in internal body tissues and for ligating tubular body organs such as sperm ducts and Fallopian tubes, generally require that an extensive incision be made in the patient's abdominal wall. Such an operation is generally traumatic to the patient, involves considerable surgeon time and requires a relatively lengthy convalescence. This is the case even though only one or a small number of sutures is required to repair the injury or tie off the vessel.

Laparoscopic surgical method and related instrument assembly


According to an embodiment, a valve assembly is provided for use with a fluid system for controlling flow rate to a fluid circuit for cooling and/or lubricating a clutch assembly in a transmission. The spool valve has a first outlet and a second outlet in fluid communication with the fluid circuit. The spool valve has a first configuration with zero flow to the fluid circuit, a second configuration providing a first flow to the fluid circuit through the first outlet, and a third configuration providing a second flow to the fluid circuit through the first and second outlets. The first outlet has a metering orifice. The flow across the valve is a function of the stroke distance of the spool.

A clutch assembly, such as a dual clutch assembly in a dual clutch transmission may be a wet clutch. The clutch assembly may be controlled using an actuator, including a mechanical or electromechanical actuator or a fluid flow for actuating the clutch assembly. The clutch assembly may require cooling and/or lubrication during operation, and this may be provided using a cooling and/or lubricating fluid, separate from the actuating fluid.


A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘Lanhawaii’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and dark red-colored flowers.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Lanhawaii'.
The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Malause, France. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Mandevilla plants with numerous attractive flowers.
The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Malause, France in June, 2009 of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybrida identified as code number 05-181-09, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with Mandevilla hybrida 'Sunparabeni', disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,672, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Malause, France in June, 2012.
Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Malause, France, since December, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A data transmission system employs a method of aligning transmission lanes with reception lanes in a multiplexing arrangement. A plurality of control symbols and lane identifiers are transmitted on each of the transmission lanes. The transmission lanes are divided into groups for time-division multiplexing. Within the groups, the transmission lanes are time-division multiplexed and then wave-division multiplexed onto a data link. Upon reception, wave-division and time-division demultiplexing is conducted to extract groups of reception lanes corresponding to the groups of transmission lanes. One of the reception lanes in each group of reception lanes is monitored for receipt of a control symbol followed by a lane identifier. Upon receipt, the lane assignment of the reception lanes is rotated within the particular group if the received lane identifier does not match the identity of the reception lane being monitored.

The invention relates generally to a multiplexing scheme in a network that joins a number of nodes. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a multiplexing scheme in a System Area Network for connecting processor nodes and I/O nodes.
One example of a System Area Network (SAN) is that proposed by the Infiniband™ (IB) Trade Association. The IB SAN is used for connecting multiple, independent processor platforms (i.e., host processor nodes), input/output (I/O) platforms, and I/O devices. The IB SAN supports both I/O and interprocessor communications for one or more computer systems. An IB system can range from a small server with one processor and a few I/O devices, to a parallel installation with hundreds of processors and thousands of I/O devices. Furthermore, the IB SAN allows bridging to an internet, intranet, or connection to remote computer systems. IB provides a switched communications fabric allowing many devices to concurrently communicate with high bandwidth and low latency. An end node can communicate over multiple IB ports and can utilize multiple paths through the IB fabric. The multiplicity of IBA ports and paths through the network are exploited for both fault tolerance and increased data transfer bandwidth. IB hardware off-loads from the central processing unit much of overhead associated with the I/O communications operation. In an IB SAN, the data itself is carried between nodes on 1, 4 or 12 physical links.
Another example of a SAN is the Servernet™ processor and I/O interconnect by Compaq Computer Corporation.

Time-division and wave-division multiplexed link for use in a service area network

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An image reading apparatus for reading an image on an original document by irradiating it with light and photoelectrically converting reflected light from it by an image pickup unit, including: an original document guide member positionable opposite to the image pickup unit, with a conveyance position of the original document therebetween; a white reference member that is positionable, the same as the original document guide member, and has a reference white color; an achromatic constant-density reference member that is positionable, the same as the original document guide member, and has a reference achromatic constant-density; a drive unit that moves one of the three members so as to be positioned opposite to the image pickup unit; and a control unit that controls execution of detection processings for dust detection from data obtained by moving, as described above, the achromatic constant-density reference member and the white reference member by reading them.

A conventional image reading apparatus, in a prior art, which uses a contact type image-pickup unit called a CIS or the like, calibrates sensitivity variation (irregularity) of respective pixels of the image-pickup unit or irradiation intensity variation by an original document irradiation system, in other words, carries out shading calibration, based on image data obtained by reading a white reference member having a white colored surface serving as a reference.
In this situation, dust contamination of a white reference member on which shading data for shading calibration is based on provides incorrect shading data, which is unfavorable.
Accordingly, in order to prevent storing incorrect data, when there are pixel portions, which are lower than a predetermined level, in image data obtained as a result of reading of a white reference member, it is determined that colored dust is mixed in the portions, and shading calibration data is generated while performing a process to remove effects by the color dust. Herein, color dust generically means chromatic dust, and achromatic (gray to black) dust other than white color.
On the other hand, white dust, such as paper dust, cannot be distinguished from the white color of a white reference member, and may cause generation of incorrect shading calibration data.
In this situation, it is attempted to detect white dust when generating shading calibration data, such as disclosed in Patent Document 1.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication TOKKAI No. 2001-86333 (page 1, FIG. 1)
In the invention disclosed by above Patent Document 1, the light intensity of a light source of an image reading device is switched so as to detect color dust with an ordinary light intensity, and detect white dust in a state where the illuminance on a white reference member is lowered by reducing the light intensity by half.
However, even when light intensity can be controlled, there is a problem that the control is not easy, or the light intensity cannot be controlled depending on the type of a lamp. Particularly, with xenon lamps which are used recently because of low heat generation, controlling of the light intensity is difficult, which does not allow application of control disclosed in Patent Document 1.
The present invention was devised to solve problems, as described above, and relates to dust detection which allows easy detection of white dust as well as color dust in an image reading apparatus that irradiates an original document with light and reads an image of the original document by photoelectrically converting reflected light from the original document with a contact type image pick-up unit.

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A rotary conveyor comprising an annular array of a plurality of circumferentially spaced work piece support members for receiving a corresponding plurality of work pieces. They conveyor further include a first drive ring coaxially associated with the array for rotating the work pieces in the work piece support members. The drive ring is rotatable with respect to the array such that relative movement between the drive ring and the array causes the work pieces to rotate. The invention further includes a rotary oven for depositing and curing resin on work pieces having a shaft thereon. The oven comprises an annular array having a plurality of circumferentially spaced work piece support members. Each work piece support member has a sprocket mounted on its radially inward end and is shaped so as to receive a work piece in its radially outward end. The oven further comprises a drive ring coaxial with the array, the drive ring having a chain mounted about its outer periphery such that the work piece support member sprockets mesh with the chain. The oven also includes a plurality of heating elements to heat the work pieces retained in the work piece support members, and a motor coupled to the ring for rotating the ring about the ring axis. The oven further comprises indexing means coupled to the array for step-wise rotating the annular array, whereby as the array is indexed the work pieces are passed under the heating elements to thereby heat and cure the work pieces.

It is a well known practice in the electric motor manufacturing industry to coat and impregnate work pieces, such as armatures and stators, with a resin. Traditionally, this process has been implemented through the use of long, conveyor-driver ovens in which a plurality of work piece fixtures are mounted onto parallel chains. The work pieces are loaded onto a work piece fixture and are transported, in an indexed fashion, through the phases of preheat, trickle, gel and cure. These processes are completed while the work piece is continuously rotated by the work piece fixtures. The work piece fixtures are rotated by a separate system of rotation chains that engage sprockets on the work piece fixtures.
There are numerous problems associated with the above-described linear coating and curing process. The machines required to carry out this process are very long, ranging from twelve to thirty feet or more, and require large amounts of floor space. Additionally, there are several stations along the conveyer line where it is desirable to precisely locate the position of the armatures or stators because precise operations must be carried out. For example, the load/unload point, and the four to six stations where the resin is applied to the work piece, must be accurately located. On a conventional chain-driven machine, it is possible to roughly locate only a single work piece at the load/unload point, and the resin application stations remain essentially unlocated. The chain that conveys the work piece fixtures is simply not precise enough to produce predictable or repeatable work piece locations. Aggravating this situation is the fact that as the drive chains heat up during a normal production day, the fixture locations change as the chains expand and stretch from wear and lack of lubrication.
In many cases it is desirable to have the armatures or stators rotate at different speeds at different stages of the process. In current machines a multitude of chain driven rotation drives are utilized. As the work piece indexes from one drive chain to the next, the fixture sprockets are forced to find their own mesh with the rotation chains. As a result, it is quite common to hear loud crashes within the oven as a sprocket tooth collides with the roller on a rotation chain. This collision causes damage to both the drive sprockets and the rotation chains, and also places strain on the fixture carrying chains and the fixture bearings. It is also desirable to avoid the creation of areas between the separate sections of the drive chains where the work pieces do not rotate, which can causes uneven balance of the resin on the work piece.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an oven for applying and carrying resin which is compact, is able to precisely locate the work pieces, can rotate the work pieces at different speeds, and is easy to service and maintain.


The invention provides an apparatus and method for determining a signal produced by a micro array device. The apparatus provides an unstructured probe and structured probe. The unstructured probe binds to a target and provides a first signal that can be compared to a second signal produced by a structured probe. A more accurate level of intensity of the first signal can be determined by comparing to the second signal produced by the structured probe. A method for determining a more accurate level of signal intensity produced from the unstructured probes bound to the target is also disclosed.

Various arrays of polynucleotides (such as RNA and DNA) are known and used in genetic testing, screening and diagnostics. Arrays are defined by the regions of different biopolymers or nucleotides arranged in a predetermined configuration on a substrate. Most importantly, the arrays when exposed to a population of analytes will exhibit a pattern indicative of the presence of the various components separated spatially. Array binding patterns of polynucleotides and/or peptides can be detected by using a variety of suitable target labels. Once bound to the array, these target labels can then be quantified and observed and the overall pattern on the array determined.
A number of methods have been designed for manufacturing micro arrays. DNA micro arrays are particularly useful for analyzing large sets of genes through "gene expression profiling". Using various techniques, arrays can be used to effectively analyze genomes and portions of genomes. Probe arrays have been produced by a variety of means. However, two major methods exist for fabricating arrays used in expression profiling. The first technique uses chemical methods to synthesize polynucleotide probes in situ on array surfaces. This technique uses addressable adaptions of phosphoramidite chemistry. In the second method, polynucleotide probes synthesized enzymatically or chemically can be deposited and attached to a surface through covalent or non-covalent means. The enzymatic method is particularly effective in fabricating arrays with larger probes of (100–1000 nucleotides).
A number of steps are used in the fabrication of the micro arrays designed in the in situ process. The first step in the in situ process is to deposit a polymeric layer on top of a glass substrate or similar type material. Once the polymeric layer has been deposited phosphoramidite chemistry is used to build the oligonucleotides on the micro arrays in a step-wise fashion. This is accomplished by adding one monomer at a time until the final polynucleotide is constructed. The steps of construction using these methodologies are well known in the art and generally include a coupling step followed by a series of optionally capping, oxidation and deblocking steps. The final constructed oligonucleotide can then be employed for binding targets of known or unknown sequences.
Other methods are known in the art that can also be used for fabricating micro arrays. For instance, oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide fragments have been deposited directly on polymer surfaces. After the deposition process the deposited oligonucleotides are then subjected to a drying step and a final curing step. The curing step includes the application of heat, UV light or other similar physical or chemical methods to cross-link the polynucleotides to the surface. Processes have also been designed in which cDNA is used in place of polynucleotides and their fragments.
The above methods have been employed for constructing micro arrays in various sizes and designs. The utilization process, however, provides a number of problems (i.e hybridization) related to reading the signals that are produced from the probes on the array surface. The utilization process provides a variety of potential contaminants that may provide non-specific binding of molecules that could affect the overall final readings or signals produced from the arrays. For instance, a number of dyes and blocking or staining agents are used in the hybridization process. Some of the dyes or agents may or may not be attached to the target sample to be analyzed, and may provide for a source of contamination by sticking to the probes or substrate surfaces. It is not clear what the source of these contaminants might be. However, it is likely that the binding mechanism to the probes and surfaces for these contaminants might be by Van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding. Also, it is know that these contaminants not only interfere or effect the final fluorescence signal produced by the probe bound to the target, but also the background signal inside the feature areas.
A number of techniques have been developed to deal with this issue of background noise and contamination. Threshold levels can be set so that only higher signals can be read by a scanner or detector and the probe to target binding determined. Other techniques include using areas of low fluorescence, typically outside of the feature locations to use a calibration point for background determinations. This technique requires one to assume that the areas of lowest fluorescence represent areas of non-bound probe to target. Areas with highest fluorescence or signal are due to the probe to target molecules that contain a fluorescent tag. The most important problem with this technique is that these areas may have been bound or affected by a fluorescent contaminant or some other stray contaminant that interferes with the fluorescent signal that is produced. It would be desirable, therefore, to have a way for determining accurate background signal so that the actual signal produced from a probe/target molecules can be determined.
These and other problems with the prior art processes and designs are obviated by the present invention. The references cited in this application infra and supra, are hereby incorporated in this application by reference. However, cited references or art are not admitted to be prior art to this application.

Micro arrays with structured and unstructured probes


A control server selects part of nodes included in a first communication network, generates a second communication network from the selected nodes, determines a forwarding probability of a packet between a node and its next hop node in the second communication network to calculate a communication volume between at least one pair of nodes included in the second communication network with respect to a prescribed traffic using the determined forwarding probability, and calculates a link cost for at least one pair of nodes included in the second communication network based on the determined forwarding probability and the calculated communication volume, adds at least one node included in the first communication network to the second communication network so that the calculated link cost satisfies a prescribed condition, and puts nodes not included in the second communication network in a low power consumption mode.

Communication systems are known in which a communication network including a plurality of nodes is managed centrally by a management server. On receiving a request to set a path related to traffic, the management server determines a communication path for the traffic in question in the communication network. In the following, a management server that determines the communication path for traffic is referred to as a "control server."
In a communication network that includes a plurality of nodes, a power supply for the nodes is always in an ON state, in preparation for the generation of traffic. This type of power supply management method is effective in an environment with a high frequency of traffic occurrence. However, in an environment with a low frequency of traffic occurrence, the node usage rate is low, the nodes are not used effectively, and electrical power is consumed unnecessarily in the communication network.
To reduce the power consumption of a communication network in an environment with a low frequency of traffic generation, it is preferable to shut off the power supply of nodes with a low rate of usage, or to go into a power saving mode. Furthermore, in this case it is necessary not to reduce throughput provided for traffic. In an environment with a low frequency of traffic generation, as an example, the following technology is known for shutting off the power supply of nodes with a low rate of usage or for going into a power saving mode, while providing adequate throughput for traffic.
PTL 1 describes a method in which traffic volume is measured at an edge portion of a communication network, and if the traffic volume is low, nodes are transitioned to a power saving mode and routing is performed to circumvent the nodes that have transitioned to the power saving mode.
NPL 1 describes an energy-aware routing method where, with a state in which there is input from all power supplies as an initial state, path calculation for equal-cost multi-path is performed, estimated average throughput of traffic in the initial state and estimated node usage rate are calculated, the power supply of nodes having the lowest estimated node usage rate is shut off, and power supply shutoff and comparison of estimated average throughput are performed until the estimated average throughput of the traffic in a network, in which nodes that have power supply shut off are removed, is not greater than a fixed number of times the estimated average throughput in the initial state. According to this method, it is possible to shut off the power supply of nodes with low rates of usage while maintaining throughput.
PTL 1:
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2010-148023A
NPL 1:
Yunfei Shang, Dan Li, Mingwei Xu, "Energy-aware Routing in Data Center Network," Proceedings of ACM SIGCOMM 2010 Workshop on Green Networking.
NPL 2:
Nick McKeown, et al., "OpenFlow: Enabling Innovation in Campus Networks," [online], [search conducted Mar. 30, 2011] Internet URL:
http://www.openflowswitch.org//documents/openflow-wp-latest.pdf
NPL 3:
Y. Honma, M. Aida, H. Shimonishi and A. Iwata, "A New Multi-path Routing Methodology Based on Logit Type Assignment," Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on the Network of the Future (FutureNet II), 2009.

Control server, network control method, and program


A disposable inverted dispensing system for distributing a fluid for use in a shower is disclosed. The dispensing system includes a removable hooking device that is attachable to a surface which is exposable to moist conditions. A hook integral to the removable hooking device extends from the hooking device on a side opposite the surface when the hooking device is attached to the surface. A deformable container for containing the fluid has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion defines a through-hole through the container, and the lower portion forms a container mouth through which the fluid is flowable. A dispensing valve and/or a cap is disposed over the mouth of the container for controlling the flow of the fluid. The container is positionable on the hooking device with the hook extending through the through-hole formed by the upper portion of the container so that the container hangs down from the hooking device.

This subject matter concerns a dispensing system for a fluid in general, and more particularly a disposable inverted dispensing system for dispensing shampoo or other liquid materials (such as soap or conditioner, or gel or lotion of any type) for use in a shower.
The manufacture and sale of hair care and personal hygiene products constitutes an expansive market. As can be seen in almost any household, shampoo, conditioners, liquid soaps, and other materials represent a large portion of this market. Conventionally, such products are sold in plastic containers which stand upright with a capping device on top through which the fluid, for example, shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, or other lotions is dispensed. The designs of such containers create several different drawbacks and problems from storage to dispensing. Such plastic containers litter the bathroom shower area of many households creating unsightly clutter. Often, the containers are not readily accessible within the shower area which can lead to the spilling of the container's content. Such clutter, inaccessibility and possible spills can create safety hazards within the shower area, as well as create waste and other disadvantages.
The upright containers also create a dispensing issue due to the configuration of the container in which it is contained and/or the potentially viscous nature of the content being dispensed. The nature of these containers requires the user to perform several steps to dispense the contents of the container. The user typically must pick up the container, invert it and usually squeeze it by applying the user's own pressure on multiple sides of the container to extract the fluid of the container. Further, with the dispensing opening of these containers on the upper end of the container when it is in a stored position, the fluid settles in the bottom of the container prior to use. The more the fluid in the container is used, the longer the distance the fluid must travel with less momentum due to the decrease in the mass of the fluid after each use, and the greater the effort and time required to dispense what fluid remains in the container. Often, the user must shake or otherwise manipulate the container to obtain sufficient fluid from the container.
Other devices and containers have tried to address these problems of the upright containers with varying degrees of success, but all have their own distinct disadvantages. Hanger mechanisms can be attached to upright containers or can hold the upright containers to allow them to be hung upside down on the shower rod or the neck of the showerhead, thereby removing the containers from the floor of the shower and allowing the contents of the containers to settle at the dispensing zone of the container. However, these hanger mechanisms require the user to spend time attaching the hanger mechanism to the container. Some require a hanger to be screwed into the container, creating the opportunity for inadvertent discharge of the fluid. Others require the container to be inserted into a holding mechanism which is then tightened around the container. After the content is dispensed from the container, the holding mechanism is then loosened and the container has to be removed from the hanger mechanism requiring more time consumption.
Also, such hanger mechanisms impede the shower curtain when hung on the shower curtain rod or crowd the neck of the showerhead which has become an often-used location to otherwise hang personal care items. Further, the user still must grab the container on multiple sides and squeeze to dispense the contents.
Permanent soap dispensers as seen in many public restrooms may tend to alleviate certain aspects of clutter, but the user has the burden of filling the dispenser on a periodic basis. For these permanent dispensers, containers of shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, or other liquid material must be purchased in a store and then the contents of these containers must be transferred into the permanent dispensers. The transfer of such fluid is time consuming and, if care is not taken, creates an opportunity to spill (i.e., waste) the fluid, which in many instances may be rather expensive, particularly for "premium" products such as designer hair care formulas. Further, permanent soap dispensers are affixed to a shower wall in such a manner that, upon removal, lasting marks are left on the wall where the dispenser had been attached.
A need still exists for a dispensing system for shampoos, conditioners, liquid soaps or other consumable personal care fluids that does not add to the clutter around a shower area, is easily accessible in the shower, and decreases the possibility of spillage. A need also exists for the dispensing system to be easily assembled and disassembled to allow for the quick set up (i.e. installation) and disposal of the dispensing system, while still permitting the user to dispense the shampoo, conditioner, soap, or other liquid in a well facilitated fashion without having to shake or manipulate any part of the dispensing system.

Inverted dispensing system and apparatus


The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: providing a substrate having a plurality of stacked gates with silicon nitride mask layer and silicon oxide mask layer formed on top of the surface; depositing a first carbon-containing silicon oxide thin layer; depositing a second non-carbon-containing silicon oxide layer to fill the gaps between adjacent stacked gates; and planarizing the first silicon oxide thin layer and the second silicon oxide layer by applying the silicon nitride mask layer as a stop layer, removing the second silicon oxide layer, and forming the first sidewalls with the first silicon oxide thin layer on the sides of the stacked gates. The present disclosure further provides a semiconductor device made with the method thereof. The present disclosure can remove the silicon oxide mask layer above the stacked gates through a simple process flow.

With the development of semiconductor technology, particularly in the process of entering 24 nm node and below, self-alignment double pattern (SADP) process has been increasingly applied, especially in the gate etching process. Taking the flash memory devices as an example, each of the select gate of the storage area and the peripheral gate of the peripheral area has a different film structure than the control gate in the storage area does before etching the silicon oxide mask layer above these gates, thickness differences of the remaining silicon oxide mask layer above the gates occur after the gate etching process. The thickness of the silicon oxide mask layer above both the select gate and the peripheral gate is significantly larger than the silicon oxide mask layer above the control gate. This difference in the thicknesses of the silicon oxide mask layer over various gates has reduced the process window of subsequent processes, for example the subsequent interlayer dielectric layer etching, gate cut-off etching, and other processes.
In the current process, in order to solve this problem, a new vapor phase wet etching process is introduced. After the gate etching process, the remaining silicon oxide mask layer is completely removed, thereby eliminating the thickness non-uniformity in the silicon oxide mask layer. Then, a sidewalls film layer is deposited and etched. FIGS. 1A-1D show the process flow used in the existing arts to solve the above-mentioned problem.
As shown in FIG. 1A, after the gate etching process, gates with different film structures are formed, including a first stacked gate 210 for a memory transistor and a second stacked gate 220 for a selection transistor, both in a memory area A, and a third stacked gate 230 for a peripheral device in a peripheral area B. Taking the first stacked gate 210 as an example, the film structure of the first stacked gate is a control gate film layer 213, an interlayer dielectric layer 212, and a floating gate film layer 211, listed from top to bottom. It can be understood that the film structures of the second stacked gate 220 and the third stacked gate 230 also include a control gate film layer, an interlayer dielectric layer, and a floating gate film layer, listed from top to bottom. The control gate film layer and the floating gate film layer may be polysilicon, and the interlayer dielectric layer is usually a silicon oxide-silicon nitride-silicon oxide layer, that is, an ONO layer.
It can be seen from FIG. 1A that the first stacked gate 210, the second stacked gate 220, and the third stacked gate 230 have the same height. The width of the first stacked gate 210 is smaller than the width of the second stacked gate 220 and also the width of the third stacked gate 230.
A silicon nitride mask layer and a silicon oxide mask layer are sequentially formed above each stacked gate. The silicon nitride mask layer 311 above the first stacked gate 210, the silicon nitride mask layer 321 the second stacked gate 220, and the silicon nitride mask layer 331 above the third stacked gate 230 have the same thickness.
However, the thickness of the silicon oxide mask layer 312 above the first stacked gate 210 is smaller than the thickness of the silicon oxide mask layer 322 above the second stacked gate 220 and also the thickness of the silicon oxide mask layer 332 above the third stacked gate 230.
After forming different gate structures, in order to eliminate the thickness difference between the silicon oxide mask layers 312, 322, and 332, a vapor phase wet etching process is applied to remove the silicon oxide mask layer above each gate, as shown in FIG. 1B.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 1C, the sidewalls film layer is deposited. Specifically, a first sidewalls 490 composed of silicon oxide and a second sidewalls 690 composed of silicon nitride are sequentially deposited, where the silicon nitride layer fills the gaps between adjacent two of the first stacked gates 210 of the memory transistors. Finally, as shown in FIG. 1D, the sidewalls are etched to remove the silicon nitride layer above the upper surfaces of the silicon oxide layer over the silicon nitride mask layer 311, but the silicon nitride layer on the sidewalls is kept untouched as the second sidewalls 690.
In the step of removing the silicon oxide mask layer above each stacked gate as shown in FIG. 1B, considering that the silicon oxide material is also used in the interlayer dielectric layer 212, in order to avoid mistakenly etching the silicon oxide material in the interlayer dielectric layer in this step, the wet etching process is limited to vapor phase wet etching, which requires a new type of process equipment, so manufacturing cost will be inevitably increased.
In view of this, there is an urgent need for a method to remove silicon oxide mask layers of uneven thicknesses above stacked gates, without introducing a new machine, this method should be compatible with the rest of existing process and existing equipment, and should not damage materials of other film layers such as the interlayer dielectric layer.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

SHANGHAI HUALI MICROELECTRONICS CORPORATION


A suction casing includes a suction nozzle that introduces a fluid from an outer circumferential side to an inner circumferential side in a radial direction; and a chamber that includes a substantially doughnut-shaped space in communication with an inside of the suction nozzle on the outer circumferential side and that guides the fluid, introduced from the suction nozzle, to an inlet opening portion opening in an axial direction and disposed in a substantially annular shape. The chamber is formed so that a radial width is narrower in a circumferential direction from a joint portion in communication with the suction nozzle to an opposite side across a central axis.

In fluid machines such as compressors for use, for example, in pipelines and large turbo refrigerators, a fluid introduction portion that introduces a fluid is provided with a suction casing for supplying the fluid from the fluid introduction portion to the apparatus main unit entirely in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis. Such a suction casing includes, for example: a suction nozzle that introduces a fluid from an outer circumferential side to an inner circumferential side in the radial direction; and a circular flow passage formed in a doughnut shape in communication with the suction nozzle. The suction casing has a construction that introduces the fluid in the axial direction through the circular flow passage (for example, see Patent Document 1).
In the fluid machine as described above, a fluid is required to be uniformly supplied entirely in the circumferential direction of the suction casing in order to improve performance and suppress vibration. Therefore, a suction casing as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 is adopted. Namely, in a compressor 50 as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a suction casing 51 includes: a suction nozzle 52; a chamber 53 formed in a doughnut shape in communication with the suction nozzle 52; and a suction flow passage 54 that is formed in a trumpet-like shape on an inner circumferential side of the chamber 53 and opens along an axial direction L in a part of an inner circumferential wall of the chamber 53. In such a suction casing 51, the suction flow passage 54 opens only in a part of the axial direction in the inner wall of the chamber 53. Therefore, a fluid F introduced from the suction nozzle 52, after having been filled in the chamber 53 entirely in the circumferential direction C, flows into the trumpet-shaped suction flow passage 54, and is then introduced to an apparatus main unit 55. As a result, it is possible to make the fluid more uniform in the circumferential direction C compared with the construction as disclosed in Patent Document 1.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2007-309154
However, even with the suction casing 51 shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, some of the fluid F having been introduced from the suction nozzle 52 may flow directly into the suction flow passage 54 without circulating in the circumferential direction C in the chamber 53, and may be supplied to an impeller 55a on the apparatus main unit 55 side. Therefore, to make the fluid F uniform in the circumferential direction, it is required to make the chamber 53 larger in the axial direction, leading to a problem in that the fluid machine as a whole is made larger in the axial direction.
The present invention has been achieved in view of the aforementioned circumstances, and provides a suction casing and a fluid machine capable of introducing a fluid in the axial direction as one uniform in the circumferential direction while they are made smaller in the axial direction.


A communication method is implemented in an on-board network between a master station (M) and a plurality of slave stations (S1, S2, S3, S4), of the type of those compatible with the standard Local Interconnect Network (LIN) protocol in which data frames are sent by the slave stations on a serial bus in response to the sending by the master station of identifiers (4, 6) representative of the required content of the frames. All (7) or part of each of the specific data frames attached to the same predetermined identifier (4, 6) is formed sequentially by each of the slave stations. This enables an optimisation of the load on a LIN network, thus enabling use of this economical standard for all “passenger compartment functions”, and in particular for the management of AFS type advanced lighting systems.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method and a device for communication on an on-board network, in particular for a motor vehicle, compatible with the LIN standard, in order to optimise the load on this network.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of an ever greater number of electromechanical devices in motor vehicles has led to an increase in the number of electrical circuits. In order to reduce the growing complexity of the wiring, "network" or "bus" techniques, already known in the computing field, have been adapted to the constraints of the automotive world.
The essential functions of vehicles are generally carried out "under the bonnet" by making use of a high-speed real-time network connecting the actuators and sensors of the engine, transmission, braking system, suspension, chassis, etc. to an electronic control unit (ECU). A Controller Area Network (CAN), providing a high degree of security and a transmission speed of the order of 1 Mbps, is frequently used for these functions.
For other less essential security functions and comfort functions, referred to as "passenger compartment functions", a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) has been developed by motor vehicle constructors and semiconductor manufacturers.
This reduced-cost secondary network is based on a UART/SCI interface that is standard for the majority of microcontrollers. It works with the CAN bus and is used specifically for applications such as electric mirrors, electric seats, central locking, window regulators and lighting systems.
From the initial version 1.0 of 1999 up to version 2.0 of 2003, the specifications of the LIN network have gone through several developments tending to facilitate the integration of a network and improve the real-time characteristics.
All the details of these specifications are well known to persons skilled in the art, and only those necessary for understanding the invention will be repeated hereinafter.
Exchange of information on the LIN network is based on the presence of a master station and one or more slave stations. Communication is always carried out at the initiative of the master station which sends a message header comprising a silence followed by a synchronisation byte, and an identification byte or identifier.
A slave station having decoded a predetermined identifier transmits a data frame in response comprising two, four or eight data bytes and a checksum.
The header and data frame form a message frame.
It should be noted that the message identifier is representative of the content of the message, but not of its destination.
An identifier IDF[7:0] is formed from an identity ID[0:5] coded in six bits and two parity bits P0=ID0+ID1+ID2+ID4 (mod. 2) and P1=ID1+ID3+ID4+ID5 (mod. 2).
There are 64 different identities, but only the first 60 (00 to 3B, in hexadecimal representation) correspond to message frames.
The last four identities are special identities, in particular command frame, configuration and diagnostics identities.
The following table draws up a list of the valid identities and identifiers according to revision 2.0 of the LIN protocol specifications:
TABLE IIdentityIdentifierID[0:5]IDF[7:0]Frame type00 to 3BP1P0ID[5:0]Message frame3C3CCommand frame(request from the master station)3D7DCommand frame(response from the slavestation in the frame)3EFEUser-defined extended frame3FBFFuture extended frame
During the developments of the standard, the main characteristics of the LIN network were not fundamentally modified, and its transmission speed is still limited to 20 Kbps owing to constraints of electromagnetic compatibility and clock synchronisation without the use of a quartz crystal or ceramic resonator.
However, the "passenger compartment functions" prove to be increasingly greedy in terms of passband, in particular those relating to the AFS (Advanced/Adaptative Front Light System) advanced lighting system.
Directional lighting devices of the DBL (Dynamic Bending Light) type, or devices for automatic adjustment of the level of the headlight beams according to the attitude of the vehicle of the LVL (Levelling of Vehicle Light) category, connected by the network to the LCS (Light Control System) dedicated on-board computer, require very short response times.
Extension of the network to the control of future applications such as multi-xenon headlights, ballasts and LEDs will further increase the load on the bus.
A first solution for absorbing the increase in load on the network would be to increase the transmission speed thereof. But the initial advantages (low cost, low interference) of the LIN network would be lost.
A second solution would be to change standard and use more advanced networks such as CAN, but there again the cost would be prejudicial.
There is therefore a need for optimising the load on a LIN network in order to retain this economical standard for all the "passenger compartment functions", and especially the management of AFS type advanced lighting systems, both present and future.

Communication method and device for a motor vehicle


Compositions and methods are provided for the treatment of cancer.

Neoplasia is a process that occurs in cancer, by which the normal controlling mechanisms that regulate cell growth and differentiation are impaired, resulting in progressive growth. This impairment of control mechanisms allows a tumor to enlarge and occupy spaces in vital areas of the body. If the tumor invades surrounding tissue and is transported to distant sites it will likely result in death of the individual.
The desired goal of cancer therapy is to kill cancer cells preferentially, without having a deleterious effect on normal cells. Several methods have been used in an attempt to reach this goal, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
Local treatments, such as radiation therapy and surgery, offer a way of reducing the tumor mass in regions of the body that are accessible through surgical techniques or high doses of radiation therapy. However, these treatments are not applicable to the destruction of widely disseminated or circulating tumor cells eventually found in most cancer patients. In order to combat the spread of tumor cells, systemic therapies are used.
The primary weapon against cancer is chemotherapy. However, chemotherapeutic agents are limited in their effectiveness for treating many cancer types, including many common solid tumors. This failure is in part due to the intrinsic or acquired drug resistance of many tumor cells. Another drawback to the use of chemotherapeutic agents is their severe side effects. These include bone marrow suppression, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and ulcerations in the mouth.
Reductive prodrugs are compounds that are nontoxic in their native form, but produce a highly toxic species when reduced. These drugs kill by generating DNA adducts and can target both growing and non-growing tumor cells, which is advantageous since in human tumors, generally only a small fraction of cells are actively replicating at a given time. Reductive prodrug cancer chemotherapy with compounds such as MMC and CB 1954 owes its rationale to the fact that he concentration of the enzymes that reduce them, such as mammalian DT-diaphorase (NQO1) increases in tumor cells. This makes the tumor cells more potent reducers of these drugs, and therefore more susceptible to their killing effect. However, these enzymes are present also in normal mammalian cells, and while their activity is lower in such cells than in tumor cells, it is high enough to produce severe side effects.
One approach to preferentially killing pathological cells, most widely used for treating cancer, is to introduce a gene into the target cells that encodes an enzyme capable of converting a prodrug of relatively low toxicity into a potent cytotoxic drug. Systemic administration of the prodrug is then tolerated since it is only converted into the toxic derivative locally, for example in a tumor, by cells expressing the prodrug-converting enzyme. This approach is known as gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT), or when the gene is delivered by means of a recombinant viral vector, virus-directed prodrug therapy (VDEPT) (McNeish et al, 1997). A class of enzymes that has been well studied in GDEPT is bacterial nitroreductases (NTRs), such as NfsA and NfsB from Escherichia coli. These enzymes can reduce several nitro substituted organic compounds.
An example of an enzyme/prodrug system is nitroreductase and the aziridinyl prodrug CB1954 (5-aziridinyl-2,4-dinitrobenzamide) (Knox et al 1988). CB1954 is a poor substrate for the human nitroreductase, and so GDEPT was conceived as a way of introducing a suitable nitroreductase, preferably with greater activity against CB1954, in order to sensitize targeted cells. The E. coli nitroreductase has been widely used for this purpose.
Targeted biological therapies hold tremendous potential for the treatment of cancers, yet their effective use has been limited by constraints on delivery and effective tumor targeting. There exists a need for a local therapy that provides for effective killing of tumor cells. The present invention addresses this need.
Relevant Literature
Pawelek et al. (1997) Cancer Research, Vol 57, Issue 20 4537-4544. European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer "Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics" Conference, Philadelphia, Pa. Nov. 14-18 2005. Poster A33: Improvement of a Novel Enzyme, Using Directed Evolution, for Reductive Cancer Chemotherapy, Barak et al. Ackerley et al. Environ Microbiol. August 2004;6(8):851-60, "Mechanism of chromate reduction by the Escherichia coli protein, NfsA, and the role of different chromate reductases in minimizing oxidative stress during chromate reduction". Ackerley et al. (2004) Appl Environ Microbiol. February;70(2):873-82, "Chromate-reducing properties of soluble flavoproteins from Pseudomonas

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


It is an object of the present invention to provide a DSB-SC system capable of suppressing a third order component. The DSB-SC modulation having high extinction ratio can be realized by adjusting the first order component, which is generated by applying a modulation signal (3fm), and the third order component, which is generated by applying a basic signal (fm), to have reversed phase and the same intensity level, and then by applying the first order component to the third order component, these two components cancel each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention basically relates to an optical amplitude modulation system. In particular, the present invention is directed to an optical amplitude modulation system which is capable of performing high extinction ratio modulation by suppressing high order components which are generated when DSB modulation is performed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In optical communication, light is modulated to have signal information. As optical modulation, direct modulation and external modulation are known. The direct modulation modulates a driving power of semiconductor laser. And the external modulation modulates light from semiconductor laser by means other than light source. A modulator used in direct modulation is generally called an optical modulator. The optical modulator modulates optical intensity, phase, etc. by causing physical changes in the optical modulator based on signals. As technical problems of the optical modulator, there exist reduction of driving voltage, realization of a higher extinction ratio for improving modulation efficiency, widening a bandwidth, and improvement of high light utilization efficiency for speeding up and loss reduction of a modulation. In other words, development of a modulator having high extinction ratio is desired. It is to be noted that the extinction ratio is a ratio of optical intensity of the highest level to the lowest level.
An optical signal side-band (optical SSB) modulator is a modulator which shifts frequency of an optical signal and outputs the optical signal [Tetsuya Kawanishi and Masayuki Izutsu, "Optical frequency shifter using optical SSB modulator", TECHNICAL REPORT OF IEICE, OCS2002-49, PS2002-33, OFT2002-30 (2002-08)].
An optical FSK modulator which is a modification of an optical SSB modulator is also known [Tetsuya Kawanishi and Masayuki Izutsu, "Optical FSK modulator using an integrated light wave circuit consisting of four optical phase modulator", CPT 2004G-2, Tokyo, Japan, 14-16 Jan. 2004] [Tetsuya Kawanishi, et al. "Analysis and application of FSK/IM simultaneous modulation" Tech. Rep. of IEICE. EMD 2004-47, CPM 2004-73, OPE 2004-130, LQE 2004-45 (2004-08), pp. 41-46].
In order to remove a third order component, a following technique by means of the optical SSB modulator is known. The technique is applying a signal whose frequency is controlled and also applying an electric signal which is controlled so that third order components and optical signals are reversed in phase (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-77835).
On the other hand, carrier signal suppressed DSB-SC modulator is also known. This modulator generates high order components (especially, odd order components), but these components are not thought to be a substantial problem. Since the DSB-SC modulator and the optical SSB modulator have different voltage levels applied and different methods of applying the voltage, there is a problem that a method of removing the third order components which is taken by the SSB modulator cannot be applied to the DSB-SC modulator.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new optical amplitude modulation system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical amplitude modulation system capable of suppressing the third order components, thereby obtaining a high extinction ratio.

Optical amplitude modulation system capable of cancelling high order component

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology


A method for reading address information from an optical disc with a wobbled track groove includes the steps of: obtaining a sine wave address signal, a first address signal representing a first groove region with sine wave wobbled portions and an inverted phase portion, and a second address signal representing a second groove region with steep inward or outward displacements; multiplying a first reference signal, being phase-locked to, and having the same frequency as, the sine wave address signal, and the first address signal together to obtain a first multiplied signal; multiplying a second reference signal, being phase-locked to, and having a frequency twice as high as, the sine wave address signal, and the second address signal together to obtain a second multiplied signal; integrating the first, multiplied signal and the second multiplied signal separately to obtain a first integral and a second integral, respectively; and adding the first and second integrals together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reading out address information from an optical disc medium, on which the address information was recorded or represented by varying the shape of a track groove.
2. Description of the Related Art
A groove recording technique is one of known methods of recording or representing address information on a recording track of a recordable or rewritable optical disc. In the groove recording technique, the track groove of an optical disc to record an optical signal thereon is wobbled and the frequency, phase or amplitude of the wobbled groove is changed, thereby recording or representing address information on the groove.
FIG. 1 illustrates various shapes of wobbled grooves 100 through 103. The wobble of the groove 100 consists essentially of a sine wave alone. The groove 101 also has a sine wave wobble but includes a phase inverted portion as well. ISOM 2001 Technical Digest, pp. 6–7, discloses the technique of representing address information by the grooves 100 and 101. More specifically, according to the technique, data "0" and data "1" are represented by the non-inverted phase and the inverted phase of the sine wave, respectively.
The groove 102 shown in FIG. 1 has a wobbled pattern, of which the displacements toward the center of the disc are relatively steep with respect to the tracking direction and of which the displacements away from the center of the disc are relatively gentle with respect to the tracking direction. Contrarily, the groove 103 shown in FIG. 1 has a wobbled pattern, of which the displacements away from the center of the disc are relatively steep with respect to the tracking direction and of which the displacements toward the center of the disc are relatively gentle with respect to the tracking direction. In FIG. 1, the downside is closer to the center (or the lead-in area) of the disc, while the upside is closer to the edge (or the lead-out area) of the disc. PCT International Application No. WO 01/52250 discloses the technique of representing address information by the grooves 102 and 103. More specifically, according to the technique, data "0" and data "1" are allocated to the grooves 102 and 103, respectively.
FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing a circuit for reading out an address read signal and a user data read signal from an optical disc by recognizing the various shapes of the wobbled groove. FIG. 2B schematically shows how a laser beam 201 scans the groove 200 on the optical disc. Specifically, the laser beam 201 is focused onto, and reflected from, the groove 200 of the optical disc. Then, the reflected beam forms a beam spot 202 over the detectors 203 and 204 of the circuit. As shown in FIG. 2A, the detectors 203 and 204 are spaced apart from each other in a radial direction of the disc. Each of the detectors 203 and 204 supplies an output signal, representing the intensity of the received laser beam, to a differential amplifier 205. On receiving the output signals of the detectors 203 and 204, the differential amplifier 205 calculates a difference between these two signals, thereby outputting an address read signal 206. In this manner, a wobble signal 206 representing the shape of the groove 200 can be obtained as shown in FIG. 2B. The outputs of the detectors 203 and 204 are added together by an adder 207 to produce a user data read signal 208.
When data is read out from an optical disc, the quality of the read signal may deteriorate for various reasons including: interference between adjacent tracks; variation in the tilt angle defined by a laser beam with respect to the disc surface of the optical disc; and dust or scratches on the data recording side. In that case, the quality of the address read signal may also deteriorate and the address information may not be detected accurately. Particularly when the optical disc drive used can write, such inaccurate detection of address information may lead to erroneous erasure of user data that has already been recorded on the disc.

Method and apparatus for reading address information from an optical disc medium

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.