Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal cell in which a twisted nematic liquid crystal is interposed between a pair of transparent electrodes disposed opposite to each other, a pair of polarizers, an optically compensating element having a maximum refractive index in a direction in the plane thereof, and a thin film having a maximum refractive index in the direction of the thickenss thereof, the optically compensating element and the thin film being interposed between the liquid crystal cell and the polarizer so as to substantially satisfy specific conditions. This liquid crystal display device offers an improved viewing angle and is advantageously used in a black and white liquid crystal display.

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device. Particularly, it relates to a liquid crystal display device having an improved viewing angle.
In recent years, liquid crystal display panels have found use in increasing applications. Quite recently, a black and white STN (Super Twisted Nematic) liquid crystal display panel has been developed.
In the case of this display panel, coloration is caused by birefringence inherent to a liquid crystal material. The coloration is removed by compensating for the birefringence with an optical phase retarder interposed between a liquid crystal cell and a polarizer.
As the method for compensating for the birefringence, there have been proposed a method wherein as an optical phase retarder a STN liquid crystal cell is used which is identical with a liquid crystal cell to be driven, a method wherein as an optical phase retarder an optically anisotropic oriented film made of a polycarbonate resin or polyvinyl alcohol resin of which inherent birefringence is the same in sign, or plus, as that of the STN liquid crystal cell, and a like method. With the latter in particular, the liquid crystal display panel (FTN liquid crystal display panel) is reduced in weight and the light transmittance thereof is improved. Further, there has also been proposed a liquid crystal display panel which uses an optical phase retarder in which two or more optically anisotropic oriented films of polycarbonate resin or polyvinyl alcohol resin of which inherent birefringence value assumes plus are superimposed one on the other so that the longitudinal axes of refractive index ellipses in the respective plains thereof would cross each other.
However, the use of only the optically anisotropic oriented film imparted with birefringence in the plane thereof by stretching or the like cannot achieve a proper compensation in oblique directions. This results in coloration and a narrow viewing angle.
Alternatively, there has recently been reported that increasing the refractive index of an optically anisotropic oriented film in the direction of the thickness thereof widens the range of proper compensation in oblique directions and, hence, widens the viewing angle (refer to NITTO GIHO, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 105 to 113, 1990). However, this literature only teaches the conditional expression: EQU (n.sub.x +n.sub.y)/2=n.sub.z
and, in addtion, there is a limitation that this conditional expression holds true on the assumption: EQU n.sub.x .perspectiveto.n.sub.y .perspectiveto.n.sub.z.
Consequently, this involves a problem that an optical compensator can be designed only on the basis of limited materials and limited combinations of optically anisotropic oriented films.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing problems involved in the conventional methods and to provide a liquid crystal display device offering a wide viewing angle.
This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the description hereinafter.

Liquid crystal display device having compensator and thin film with maximum refractive index parallel and perpendicular to compensator, respectively

Kanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


There is described a printing system in which a computer terminal device and an image forming apparatus are coupled to each other through a communication network. The computer terminal device includes: an apparatus information acquiring section to acquire apparatus information that includes information in regard to a kind of paper-sheet feeding tray of the image forming apparatus and a kind of paper sheet corresponding to the paper-sheet feeding tray, from the image forming apparatus; a display section to display a specific screen for setting a print condition; and a print condition setting section to control the display section, so that both the apparatus information and setting information that includes information in regard to a kind of paper-sheet feeding tray and a kind of paper sheet corresponding to the paper-sheet feeding tray, which are established in advance by a user or as default information, are displayed on the specific screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system, a printing method and a printer driver.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, there have been increasingly proliferated in the market various kinds of copiers or multi-functional apparatuses, each provided with a combination of plural functions, such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a printer function, a scanner function, etc., (hereinafter, referred to as an image forming apparatus as a general term for each of them). When the image forming apparatus is employed as the network printer to implement the printing operation, at first, the concerned document is created by using the application program installed in advance in the computer terminal device coupled to the network, and then, the created document is converted to the print data in the format of the Page Description Language (hereinafter, also referred to as the PDL, for simplicity) by employing software (printer driver) for controlling the image forming apparatus, so as to be transmitted to the image forming apparatus concerned. Receiving the print data from the computer terminal device, the image forming apparatus parses the print data to create intermediate data, and then, further converts the intermediate data to bitmap data, so as to output an image based on the bitmap data onto a paper medium. For instance, the abovementioned image forming apparatus is set forth in Tokkai 2006-254042 (Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication)
In this connection, when the user instructs the computer terminal device to implement the printing operation from a document application program currently installed in the computer terminal device, a print setting screen for selecting an image forming apparatus implementing the printing operation and for setting pages to be printed, a number of copies, etc., is displayed on the computer terminal device concerned. However, in a typical situation, it is impossible for the user to select a kind of paper sheet from the print setting screen above-mentioned. Accordingly, for instance, when the user wishes to use a specific paper sheet, such as an OHP sheet, etc., he should conduct a predetermined button operation (for instance, a depression of a property button) to display a screen for setting the printing conditions (hereinafter referred to as a document property screen), and then, conducts the setting operations of the items in regard to the kind of paper sheet, a paper sheet feeding tray, etc., as desired by the user, from the document property screen.
However, since the items in regard to a kind of paper sheet, a paper sheet feeding tray, etc., displayed on the document property screen, are user settable items, which can be arbitrarily set by the user, the setting status of such the items does not necessary match with an actual status of the image forming apparatus concerned (namely, a kind of paper sheets actually accommodated in the paper sheet feeding tray of the image forming apparatus concerned).
Accordingly, in order to prevent erroneous settings of the items in regard to a kind of paper sheet, a paper sheet feeding tray, etc., the user should take any one of the three actions, including: (1) making the computer terminal device display a screen indicating the actual status of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a device property screen) by using a bilateral communicating function of the printer driver, so as to confirm the actual status of the image forming apparatus; (2) confirming the actual status of the image forming apparatus on the computer terminal device by using a predetermined utility tool; and (3) going to a site in which the image forming apparatus is installed, to confirm a kind of paper sheets accommodated in each of the paper sheet feeding tray. Among the three methods mentioned in the above, since the method (2) has no versatility due to the necessity of the utility tool, while the actual implementation of method (3) is quite difficult due to the fact that the computer terminal device and the image forming apparatus are installed in separate sites being remote from each other, the method (1) is employed in general.
Referring to the flowchart shown in FIG. 9, the printing procedure in the case of using the abovementioned device property screen will be detailed in the following.
Initially, in Step S201, the user operates an operating section of the computer terminal device to display a list of image forming apparatuses, being controllable by the computer terminal device, onto a display section, so as to select an image forming apparatus desired by the user, and then, makes the display section display a device property screen 50 shown in FIG. 10. On this device property screen 50, various kinds of information in respect to the image forming apparatus are indicated while classifying them with tabs, and, by selecting a specific tab (herein, "apparatus information" tab) from the tabs indicated, various information in regard to the paper sheet accommodated in each of the paper sheet feeding tray, such as a size and a direction of the paper sheet, a kind of paper sheet, etc., are indicated within an apparatus information display column 51 (herein "paper sheet feeding tray information" column). Successively, the user observes the apparatus information display column 51 in order to confirm and memorize in which tray the paper sheet to be employed for the printing operation is accommodated. For instance, when the user wishes to employ an OHP sheet for printing, the user memorizes the fact that the OHP sheet is accommodated in tray 4.
Successively, the user develops the document application program, installed in advance in the computer terminal device, to create the document data, or, after reading out the document data stored in a storage section, such as a server, etc., and after displaying the print setting screen by instructing the printing operation from the document application program, the user conduct a predetermined button operation so as to display a document property screen 52 shown in FIG. 11 (Step S202). On this document property screen 52, various kinds of items for setting the print conditions are indicated while classifying them with tabs, and, by selecting a specific tab (herein, "setup" tab) from the tabs indicated, the items, including the document direction, the document size, the output image size, the zooming, the paper sheet feeding tray, etc., are displayed in the paper sheet column, and, in each of the items, the information set by the user or established as default information is indicated.
Still successively, in Step S203, the user compares the paper sheet feeding tray confirmed in the device property screen 50 with that established in the document property screen 52, and confirms whether or not the paper sheet feeding tray to be employed for printing is selected in the item of paper sheet feeding tray in the paper sheet column of the document property screen 52. For instance, when the user wishes to employ the OHP sheet for printing, the user confirms the fact that the tray 4 is actually selected.
Still successively, in Step S204, the user depresses a screen shift button 53 (in this case, "paper sheet kind setting" button) to display a paper-sheet kind setting screen 54, so as to confirm the kind of paper sheet accommodated in the paper sheet feeding tray, which is to be employed for printing.
Yet successively, in Step S205, the user determines whether or not the current establishment of the kind of paper sheet should be changed. When determining that the current establishment of the kind of paper sheet should be changed, the user depresses a shift button 55 (herein, "edit" button) in the paper-sheet kind setting screen 54 so as to display a paper-sheet kind editing screen 56 (Step S206), and then, the user sets the other kind of paper sheet (herein, OHP sheet) appropriate for the paper sheet feeding tray concerned (Step S207).
After that, the user sequentially closes the paper-sheet kind editing screen 56, the paper-sheet kind setting screen 54 and the document property screen 52 one by one, and returns to the print setting screen, in order to instruct the printing operation. In response to the instruction of the printing operation, the print driver converts the document data to print data, and transmits the print data to the image forming apparatus concerned, so as to make the image forming apparatus implement the printing operation by designating the paper sheet feeding tray (Step S208).
As mentioned in the above, when printing a document based on document data onto a specific kind of paper sheet, there has been necessary to confirm the actual status of the image forming apparatus from the device property screen 50 in advance, and then, to establish the items in regard to the paper sheet, such as a paper sheet feeding tray, a kind of paper sheet, etc., in advance, by using the document property screen 52, the paper-sheet kind setting screen 54 and the paper-sheet kind editing screen 56. Accordingly, there have been problems that errors in the setting items in regard to the paper sheet are liable to occur, and maneuverability during the printing operation is bad.

Printing system, printing method and printer driver

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A shift register unit and a method for driving the same, a gate driving circuit, and a display apparatus are disclosed. The shift register unit includes: an input circuit configured to transmit an input signal to a pull-up node; an output circuit configured to transmit a clock signal to an output signal terminal under control of a voltage at the pull-up node; a first reset circuit configured to reset the pull-up node to a first level under control of a first reset signal; a first pull-down control circuit configured to control levels at the pull-up node and the output signal terminal under control of a first control signal; and a first voltage control circuit electrically connected to a second control signal terminal, and configured to control a voltage signal waveform at the first pull-down node under control of a second control signal.

In a Thin Film Transistor (TFT)-based Liquid Crystal Device (LCD), a gate driving circuit for driving a gate may be formed on a display panel to form a Gate drive On Array (GOA) panel. The gate driving circuit comprises a plurality of cascaded shift register units. In a conventional gate driving circuit, an output signal of a next stage of shift register unit is usually used as a reset signal of a current stage of shift register unit, and an output signal of a previous stage of shift register unit is usually used as an input signal of the current stage of shift register unit.
However, in a case that there is extremely low or extremely high external temperature, an output signal of the shift register unit may have a deformed waveform.

Shift register unit and method for driving the same, gate driving circuit and display apparatus

HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A tool for removing and applying a fastening device from and to a threaded stud is provided. The tool includes an elongated chamber and a retainer having a pair of spaced apart portions configured to hold fastening devices within the chamber. The tool further includes a positioning mechanism for positioning stored fastening devices for later installation onto the stud. In one embodiment, the retainer includes a worm gear. Opposing portions of the catch of the worm gear hold the fastening device. The positioning mechanism includes a cam assembly configured to rotate the shaft wherein the rotary movement of the shaft is translated into an axial movement of the fastening device within the chamber. In a second preferred embodiment, the retainer includes a pair of keepers configured to hold a fastening device. The positioning mechanism is operable to feed a fastening device into the keeper.

Fastening devices such as bolts and lug nuts are used universally to fasten and secure parts together. For instance, a bolt or lug nut may be used to secure a wheel onto the hub of a vehicle. In order to remove the wheel from the vehicle each individual lug nut must be released from the threaded stud so as to free the wheel from the vehicle. These lug nuts are small and may be easily misplaced. Accordingly it is desirable to have a tool which is configured to not only remove lug nuts but also to store the lug nuts for later application onto a threaded stud.

Tool for removing and applying a fastening device


The invention relates to a continuous metal system which is used to protect motorcyclists and which can be installed on a standard metal safety barrier. The invention comprises a continuous horizontal metal panel (4) which is disposed between the fence (1) and the ground (40). According to the invention, the panel (4) is suspended from the fence (1) by means of arms or support pieces (5) which are positioned at each post (2) and arms which are positioned at the centre of each bay (6) and which are solidly connected to clamps (7). In addition, both arms (5 and 6) are fixed to the fence (1) using the same screw (8).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is applicable within the industry dedicated to the manufacturing of systems, apparatii, devices and auxiliary elements applied as components for road safety equipments incorporated on roads and similar locations.
2. Background Art
Metallic safety barriers.—Various types of vehicle detention systems exist in the Art, understanding by such, to mean all devices installed on a road with the purpose of providing detention and redirection of a vehicle which leaves the road whilst out of control, thus reducing the severity of produced accidents, in such away, that it restricts the damages and injuries both of their occupants and of the rest of the road users and of other persons or objects located in the neighbourhood.
The most common detention system in our roads and motorways are metallic safety barriers, used at road sides and circulation-lane division rails. The purpose of safety barriers is to resist vehicle impacts, preventing vehicles from crossing through them and thus guaranteeing protection to third parties and in turn, producing a controlled redirecting and deceleration in such a way that the vehicle comes out stably from the impact and continues forward at reduced speed alongside the detention system in the original direction of the traffic, thus guaranteeing the safety of the vehicle occupants and that of other road users
According to the applicable standardization system in existence (EN 1317-2 in Europe and NCHRP 350 in the U.S.), safety barriers are subjected, prior to commercial use, to standardized real scale impact tests in which impacts, between a type vehicle and a detention system are carried out under control, thus facilitating a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of its behaviour. A detention system is considered to meet satisfactorily a real scale impact test when the acceptance requirements and criteria defined in the standard as regards detention level, impact severity, deformation and exit angle are met, and in consequence, assures appropriate safety conditions, mainly to the impacted vehicle occupants and to third parties. It is therefore guaranteed that a detention system is capable of retaining a specific type vehicle.
According to said standards, a high detention system (specifically designed to receive heavy vehicle impact, such as lorries and coaches) shall meet real scale impact tests, both of heavy vehicles (lorries and coaches) or heavy tourisms or of light vehicles (light tourisms). This allows the detention systems to additionally assure the safety of light vehicles, which constitute the most frequent type of accidents. For example, according to European Standard EN 1317-2, the N2 level of detention requires compliance with test TB32 (1.500 Kg car weight impact, at a speed of 110 Km/hr, and an approximation angle against the detention system of 20°.) plus test TB11 (900 Kg car weight impact at a speed of 100 Km/hr, and with an approximation angle against the detention system of 20°.).
All elements which constitute the safety barriers are generally capable of reacting similarly and together by means of deformation, versus the impact both of a light and a heavy vehicle.
Metallic safety barriers correspond to the union of three basic metallic elements:                1st.—Fences or railings, longitudinal elements horizontally arranged at one or various levels at specific height and in a continuous manner, the function of which is that of retaining and guiding impacting vehicles, preventing them from penetrating across, restricting the transversal deformation and guiding them in such a manner, that they can be redirected appropriately by the system. The railing may present different configurations: one or various longitudinal profiles with open or almost closed cross section, with double or triple wave or in "C" or "sigma" shape, joined to the post by means of a separating element; tensed metallic cables or rods attached directly to the post; longitudinal profiles in the shape of double or triple wave joined at their bottom part to metallic sheets capable of free movement and calibrated to present a certain resistance versus impact.        2nd.—The Post, vertically arranged at regular intervals and attached to the fence (fences) or rail (railings), the function of which is to support and keep the fence (fences) or rail (railings) of the barrier at a specific height during impact. The posts are generally metallic profiles with "C", "U", "I", "Sigma" or "Z" cross sections, round or rectangular tubular cross sections or other types of cross sections, that are inserted in an embankment or centre circulation-lane division railing in such a way, that part of its length is embedded in the ground or else through a plate with anchorage bolts inserted in the ground. Faced with the impact of a vehicle and based on the energy of said impact, the post deforms in a greater or lesser degree, bending and/or twisting as regards the embedding or anchorage section.        3rd.—The separating element is an intermediate connection part between a fence or railing and the post, the function of which is as follows:        (I) To join, at a set height, the fence or railing to the attachment post,        (II) to act as spacing element between said fence or railing and the post so as to prevent the entanglement of the vehicle wheel to the post during impact against the bather and        (III) to maintain the fence or railing height as the post deforms by flexure, in such a manner that contact with the vehicle is produced without the appearance of a difference in height of its centre of gravity as regards the railing, which may create a certain tendency of the vehicle to overturn.
Specific types of separators, especially non-stiff separators used in high detention stiff metallic bathers, comply with an additional function, that of                (IV) attenuating or absorbing part of the impact energy and contributing to the redirecting of the vehicle during impact. In this latter case, the separator receives the name of energy absorber. The absorbing function of the separator is characteristic of high detention bathers since said barriers present a very robust or stiff basic structure made up of the rail or rails and robust posts arranged at a short distance, capable of retaining heavy vehicles, and because of this, said structure is too stiff for the impact of light vehicles. The separator-absorber is specifically designed to reduce the impact severity of light vehicles against these rigid basic structures, tempering the contact with the post and aiding the redirecting of the vehicle. On some occasions, this element consists of a single item or else of an assembly mounted as from flat bars and/or metallic profiles formed in a more or less complex manner, or in square or rectangular open or closed, cross sectional tubular profiles.
On some occasions, bathers with no separating elements are to be found, the railings being directly attached to the post.
The problem of motorcyclists with metallic safety bathers. In the majority of cases, metallic safety bathers are designed and tested to retain only the impact of vehicles with four or more wheels but in general, they do not take into account the safety of more vulnerable road users, such as motorcyclists and cyclists.
The most common and serious collision of a motorcyclist against a safety barrier is that produced by the loss of verticality of the motorcycle, fall of the motorcyclist, the divergent path of the motorcycle and motorcyclist with sliding of the motorcyclist over the pavement and impact of the motorcyclist's body against the safety barrier, or his penetrating across through the same, and impacting against infrastructural obstacles placed behind the same. The fatal consequences and very sever injuries produced in this type of accidents are in the majority of cases due to injuries in the head and neck of the motorcyclist.
Spanish Standard UNE 135 900 stipulates the test procedures and acceptance criteria for devices installed on metallic barriers for the protection of motorcyclists or else for barriers designed to assure the safety of motorcyclists, which evaluates the body impact behaviour of a motorcyclist who collisions against the system at a set speed and slides over the pavement surface. The test procedure consists in a collision at real scale, with an instrumented dummy—launched against the system at 60 km/hr and at a 30° incidence angle. The efficiency and acceptance criteria parameters related to the severity of impact on the motorcyclist's body is materialized by means of various biomechanical and bio-accurate Indexes measured on the head (accelerations) and on the neck (forces and moments) of the dummies.
In said real scale collision tests with dummies simulating the body of motorcyclists, the dummies are launched against the barrier sliding over the pavement face upwards, at floor level, totally extended with arms parallel to the trunk of their body and headfirst. Impacts on the area of the post are carried out as well as in the centre of the space or middle point of the longitudinal space between two consecutive posts. The vertebral axis of the dummy is parallel to the impact direction, forming 30° as regards the longitudinal alignment of the safety barrier. Consequently, the primary impact (which is the most sever) is produced on the dummy's head (provided with a protection helmet), in such a manner, that the most important and harmful effects on the same are:                (i) the "jerk" of the head that is evaluated by means of the so called HIC index, which is a magnitude proportional to the accelerations experienced by the centre of the dummy's head, and        (ii) the stresses on the neck, including all the forces and moments. The neck is very vulnerable in this type of impacts, mainly due to the compression forces in the vertebral axis direction of the dummy, which in Spanish Standard UNE 135 900 is identified as Fz.
When a safety barrier, including a protection system for motorcyclists, or else a safety barrier that is specifically designed for the safety of these users, satisfactorily passes the Standard UNE 135 900 tests, complying with all the acceptance criteria, it is considered that safety versus the impact of motorcyclists and cyclists is guaranteed.
According to establishments in Spanish Standard UNE 135 900, all safety bathers that include a protection system for motorcyclists or else all safety bathers specifically designed for the safety of these users, shall additionally assure its behaviour versus impact of two or more wheeled vehicles according to European Standard EN 1317-2.
Protection systems for motorcyclists in safety metallic barriers currently in existence. Two types of devices for motorcyclists protection in metallic safety barriers have been traditionally in use: screen or horizontal continuous profile, and on the other                1. Impact absorbers. These are devices punctually installed around the barrier posts as a covering to reduce the severity of the impact on the motorcyclist against the post. Its efficiency is quite reduced (does not exceed 30 Km/hr) and does not prevent the passing of the motorcyclist beneath the railing, penetrating across the barrier.        2. Continuous systems. These are devices installed in a continuous manner in longitudinal direction to the bather, that function by detaining and redirecting the body of the motorcyclist during impact, preventing both direct impact against the post and penetration across the bather, impacting against the obstacle or drop in the terrain that is being protected by the bather. The continuous systems also operate as punctual systems and are in general, more efficient than previous ones.
Continuous systems are generally made up of a horizontal continuous member intended to retain the impact of the motorcyclist and are always situated below the railing (though sometimes they project upwards superimposed on the bather over the railing) covering the vertical space between the same and the level of the terrain and are attached to the barrier, either through supporting parts arranged at regular intervals and connected to the bather, either on the post, on the railing or on the separator or else are attached to the horizontal continuous member directly to the post or to the safety barrier railing.
This continuous horizontal member is generally a metallic profile, a plastic profile, various parallel metallic or plastic profiles, one or various plastic tubes, a plastic continuous horizontal girder embedding the posts or else a simple plastic mesh placed between the posts. The horizontal member may be a metallic girder with different profile (Type A double wave railing profile, type B double wave railing profile, flat trapezoidal profile . . . ). When the profile, either metallic or of any other material, considered according to its placement position on the barrier, presents reduced width in relation to its height (e.g. in a minor ratio of 100:370) and a good part of the profile is flat or of reduced relief, the profile receives the name of screen.
The more generally used systems are the metallic, double wave profile type and trapezoidal screens (the surface of which is mainly flat with corresponding flanges forming angles below 90° at their ends, said flanges capable of being rounded).
The continuity of the horizontal element, made up of finite length profiles is generally achieved by means of partial overlapping of the adjacent profiles and screwed joints on said overlaps.
The support parts of the screens or profiles present various configurations, and in general receive the name of arms. They are normally metallic and attached by means of screwed joints, on one side, to the side, either directly to the separator, with the joint screw between the railing and the separator, or else directly to the railing or post.
The support parts or arms are generally attached both to the motorcyclist impact detention horizontal element and to the safety barrier by means of screwed joints.
In real scale impact tests with the previously described dummies, with continuous metallic systems of the ones constituted by a bottom horizontal continuous metallic profile and support metallic arms arranged at regular intervals, the collision of the dummy is produced against the bottom continuous horizontal element which is the one that maintains contact with the dummy throughout all the impact, guiding it during the reductive phenomenon and until it separates from the system.
The support parts of the horizontal profile or arms are capable of deforming, rotating and bending towards the front part of the barrier post (the one opposite the side of the traffic), thus providing the system with sufficient capacity of transversal deformation absorbing the impact under control conditions and redirecting the dummy's body. The transversal deformation is restricted by the distance between the rear part of the arm and the front part of the post, until contact of the arm situated facing the post, is produced with said post. FIG. 14 shows successive stages of this type of behaviour in the continuous metallic system that is the object of the present description.
Main problems that remain unsolved in the continuous metallic systems in existence, constituted by a bottom continuous horizontal profile and support arms at regular intervals. Within the continuous systems, the behaviour of which is in general superior to that of impact absorbers, the most frequent and most effective are the metallic systems constituted by a continuous horizontal profile or element placed below the railing of the safety bather, covering the vertical space between its bottom end and the terrain, due to their excellent benefit/cost ratio.
However, according to the efficiency parameters established in Spanish Standard UNE 135 900 to evaluate the behaviour of the protection systems for motorcyclists in metallic safety barriers, defined as from biomechanical indexes that accurately reproduce the predictable damages in the bodies of motorcyclists, the previously indicated continuous metallic systems pose the following problems:                (i) Possibility of freeway through the system in impacts in the centre of the space. When the distance between consecutive posts of the safety barrier exceeds 2 m, the deformation of the screen during an impact in the centre of the space is enormous, causing bagging of the motorcyclist's body, who, by either raising the screen or profile and/or bending it, can totally or partially cross through the screen or profile, with the subsequent probable risk of impact against the post, the cutting of the actual screen or profile and of collision with the infrastructural dangers the barrier is protecting, which are situated behind the same.        (ii) Entanglement of an extremity below the screen. Due to the fact that a free gap, however small, always remains between the screen or profile and the level of the terrain, and that during the tests (and also in real life), the arm of the dummy/motorcyclist is extended parallel to the body, both his hand and his wrist may become entangled between the bottom edge and the screen or profile and the terrain.        (iii) High vertical compression value of the neck. Since in existing systems, the bottom continuous metallic profiles and screens are vertically arranged, during impact, the first contact of the head with the screen or profile is produced at a vertical plane and with this, very high values are reached in the compression force of the neck Fz in direction to the vertebral axis of the dummy's body (that coincides with the impact trajectory) which originates due to the reaction of the profile or screen on the head of the dummy, often over the maximums tolerated by the human body.

Continuous metallic system for safety barriers applicable as protection for motorcyclists made up of a bottom continuous horizontal metallic screen supported on the barrier by means of metallic arms arranged at regular intervals


A drive system for an agricultural large baler having a rearwardly open bale pressing chamber arranged in a longitudinal direction, a pressing piston reciprocatingly movable in the bale pressing chamber, devices for picking up of a harvested product from ground, a transporting passage for collecting a discharge portion of the harvested product and transporting the discharged portion into the bale pressing chamber by an additional transporting device, a binding device for binding a finally pressed bale as well as a drive for driving operational elements, the pressing piston having a crank arm forming a crank circle and provided with a drive shaft element for driving the pressing piston, an input shaft and a transmitting element through which a drive force is transmitted from the input shaft, and intermediate shaft to which the driving force is transmitted through the transmitting element from the input shaft, toothed gears fixedly connected with the intermediate shaft to which the drive force is transmitted, a drive shaft provided for operational elements and located outside of the crank circle of the crank arm so that the drive force is transmitted from the toothed gears to the drive shaft and further to the drive shaft element of the crank arm.

The present invention relates to a drive system for an agricultural large baler.
More particularly, it relates to a drive system for an agricultural large baler which has a rearwardly open bale pressing chamber arranged in a longitudinal direction, a pressing piston movable reciprocatingly in the chamber, devices for lifting harvested product from a field, a transporting passage for collecting an outlet portion of the harvested product and for its transportation into the bale pressing chamber by an additional transporting device, a binding device for binding finally pressed bales, as well as a drive system for driving all operational elements, wherein a drive shaft is located outside of a crank circle of a crank arm for driving the pressing piston.
A large baler of the above mention general type is disclosed in the German patent document DD 299 455. Large balers are usually pulled by field tractors and driven through a hinge shaft connected with a power take-off shaft of the field tractor. For reducing the manufacturing cost as well as for increasing the operational safety and the efficiency, it has been proposed to drive the crank arms for the pressing piston of the main transmission and all shafts for remaining operational elements from a drive shaft located outside the crank circle of the crank arm. The reduction of the input rotary speed of the hinge shaft which is substantially 1000 revolutions per minute does not provide any great rotary speed difference of the output at the drive shaft of the remaining operational elements and on the rotary speed of the crank arm for the pressing piston. For example the drive shaft rotates the remaining operational elements with approximately 200 revolutions per minute and the drive shaft for the crank arm with approximately 60 revolutions per minute. The relatively low rotary speed of the drive shaft of the remaining operational elements has a result that, from the shaft a high torque is transmitted, which makes necessary a corresponding substantial dimensioning of the subsequent transmission and force transmitting means such as shafts, chains, etc.
If this drive system is changed so that the higher rotary speed of the drive shaft of the remaining operational elements rotary speeds are possible, the diameter of the toothed gears in the main transmission changes. As a result, either the additional toothed gear stages are needed or individual toothed gears are so great that they can pass in the corresponding spaces with difficulties. Both features do not correspond to the objective of reduces the manufacturing costs and improving the efficiency. Because of the structural width of the large balers, it is difficult to run all drives from one shaft. In addition, the drive of the binding device must operate substantially synchronous to the drive of the pressing piston, for providing an optimal function without the danger of damages to the binding needle.

Drive system for agricultural large baler


A digital distance relay for deciding whether a fault point is within a stipulated operation region by obtaining an impedance to the fault point. The relay comprises: means for deciding whether the impedance is within a specified region by applying a value proportional to the relative phase; and means for deciding the fault point is within the stipulated operation region if: (a) when the load current indicates a sending direction, the positive-phase resistance and reactance are within a stipulated region based on stipulated positive-phase resistance and reactance, and the impedance is decided within the specified region; or (b) when the load current indicates a receiving direction, the positive-phase resistance and reactance are within a stipulated region based on stipulated positive-phase resistance and reactance, or the impedance is decided within the specified region.

This invention is related to a digital distance relay for measuring impedance up to the point of the fault with a fault point resistance in an AC power supply system with load current.
Impedance of the distance relay in the prior art is set by estimating impedance measurement errors arising from fault with resistance of fault point in a power supply system with load current. At a sending terminal, tendency of so called xe2x80x9cover-reachxe2x80x9d is seen where reactance component of the impedance is seen smaller than actual value. At a receiving terminal, tendency of so called xe2x80x9cunder-reachxe2x80x9d is seen where reactance component of the impedance is seen larger than actual value.
However, terminals where a distance relay is set are not fixed to the sending side or the receiving side, and impedance is usually set considering maximum of the error that can be generated under estimated system conditions.
FIG. 1 shows a digital distance relay 10 set in a power supply system. As shown in FIG. 1, the digital distance relay 10 receives total current xe2x80x9cI+ILxe2x80x9d of load current IL and fault current xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d from a transmission line 1 via a current transformer 2, and voltage V transformed to an appropriate level via a voltage transformer 3. The voltage V consists of a voltage drop component xe2x80x9cR+jXxe2x80x9d due to the impedance of the transmission line and fault point voltage VF due to fault current I/C (wherein C is a current division ratio of the fault current) through the fault point resistance RA at the fault point F, as shown in Equation (1) below:
V=Rxc2x7(I+IL)+jXxc2x7(I+IL)+VFxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where VF=RAxc2x7I/C, and xe2x80x9cjxe2x80x9d is an imaginary unit of complex numbers. In Equation (1), the fault point voltage VF is a cause of error in impedance measurement of distance relays.
Equation (1) can be transformed to Equation (2) shown below:                                                                         V                /                                  (                                      I                    +                    IL                                    )                                            =              Zry                                                                          =                              R                +                jX                +                                                                            (                                              RA                        /                        C                                            )                                        /                                          (                                              1                        +                                                  IL                          /                          I                                                                    )                                                        _                                                                                (        2        )
because:                     ZF        =                                            (                              RA                /                C                            )                        /                          (                              1                +                                  IL                  /                  I                                            )                                _                                        =                  rf          +          jxf
The impedance of the underlined part of Equation (2) results in impedance measurement error as shown in FIG. 2.
In FIG. 2, FB corresponds to RA/C in Equation (2), and FA corresponds to the fault impedance seen from the relay corresponding to the underlined part of Equation (2).
The ratio of the magnitudes of FA and AB is |IL/I|, and the phase difference xcex4 between FA and FB shows advanced phase of the load current relative to the fault current I. When the magnitude |IL/I| is changed with a constant phase difference xcex4, the trace of the impedance Zry seen from the relay becomes a circle as shown in FIG. 2. This circle is a trace of the point A where the circumference angle ∠FAB viewing a chord FB (=RA/C) is a constant of ∠FAB=xcfx80xe2x88x92xcex4.
The resistance component rf and the reactance component xf of the measurement error of the impedance seen from the relay are calculated as follows:
Equation (1) is multiplied by (I+IL)*, which is a conjugate complex number of the current (I+IL) which is applied when the impedance is measured with the relay, and then the real and imaginary parts of both side are respectively equalized as shown in Equations (3) and (4) as follows:
Re[Vxc2x7(I+IL)*]=Rxc2x7|I+IL|2+Re[VFxc2x7(I+IL)*]
Re[Zry]=R+Re[VFxc2x7(I+IL)*]/|I+IL|2 xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(3)
Im[Vxc2x7(I+IL)*]=Xxc2x7|I+IL|2 +Im[VFxc2x7(I+IL)*]
Im[Zry]=X+Im[VFxc2x7(I+IL)*]/|I+IL|2 xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
The underlined parts of Equations (3) and (4) are the impedance measurement error xe2x80x9crf+jxfxe2x80x9d.
Mathematically in general, Vectors A and B have the following relations:
[Axc2x7B*]=|A|xc2x7|B|xc2x7exp(j(xcex8))
Im[Axc2x7B*]=|A|xc2x7|B|xc2x7sin(xcex8)
Re[Axc2x7B*]=|A|xc2x7|B|xc2x7cos(xcex8)
wherein xe2x80x9c*xe2x80x9d denotes conjugate complex number, xcex8(=xcex8Axe2x88x92xcex8B) is an advanced phase of Vector A relative to Vector B. Considering the mathematics described above, Equations (3) and (4) show that, when the fault point voltage VF is delayed relative to the current xe2x80x9cI+ILxe2x80x9d which is used for impedance measurement of the relay, xf becomes negative, and the reactance Xry measured by the relay becomes smaller than the actual reactance X up to the fault point, which is an xe2x80x9cover-reachxe2x80x9d state. On the other hand, when the fault point voltage VF is advanced relative to the current xe2x80x9cI+ILxe2x80x9d, xf becomes positive, and the reactance measured by the relay becomes larger than the actual line reactance, which is an xe2x80x9cunder-reachxe2x80x9d state.
From the explanation above, it is understood that the measurement error of the digital distance relay for measuring the impedance up to the fault point changes much depending the direction and magnitude of the load current, in case of a fault with a load current and with a fault resistance. However, in the prior art, the digital distance relay is set considering maximum measurement error calculated based on the condition of the power supply system and the estimated magnitude of the fault point resistance.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a digital distance relay preventing over-reach and under-reach by detecting phase difference between the current for measuring the impedance of the digital distance relay and the current which is in a substantially same phase as the fault point current. The performance of the distance relay is adjusted on real-time basis with the change of phase difference.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay for deciding whether a fault point is within a stipulated operation region by obtaining an impedance up to the fault point through a line equation of a transmission line including terms of resistances and reactances using data of voltage and current of AC power supply system periodically sampled, the relay comprising: a first means for calculating positive-phase resistance Rcal and positive-phase reactance Xcal: a second means for storing load current a stipulated time period prior to the fault was detected: a third means for detecting current in same phase as fault current flowing through the fault point: a fourth means for detecting relative phase of the current detected by the third means relative to current for directly calculating the positive-phase resistance Rcal and the positive-phase reactance Xcal: a fifth means for deciding whether the impedance is within a specified region by applying a value proportional to the relative phase detected by the fourth means: and a sixth means for deciding the fault point is within the stipulated operation region if: (a) when the load current stored by the second means indicates a sending current direction, the positive-phase resistance Rcal and positive-phase reactance Xcal are within a stipulated region based on a stipulated positive-phase resistance and a stipulated positive-phase reactance, and the impedance is decided within the specified region by the fifth means; or (b) when the load current stored by the second means indicates a receiving current direction, the positive-phase resistance Rcal and positive-phase reactance Xcal are within a stipulated region based on a stipulated positive-phase resistance and a stipulated positive-phase reactance, or the impedance is decided within the specified region by the fifth means.
By the first aspect of the present invention, when an impedance of the transmission line from the relay point up to the fault point is measured and it is decided whether the fault point is within the stipulated operation range, even if the load current is flowing and the fault point has a fault point resistance and there is an impedance measuring error, the relay operates correctly by compensating the relay characteristics.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the first aspect of the present, the third means comprising: means for detecting current during the fault which is subtracted by the load current stored in the second means, when the fault is a phase fault: and means for detecting zero-phase current, when the fault is a ground fault.
By the second aspect of the present invention, the current in substantially the same phase as the fault current flowing through the fault point is detected. The input current in the relay partly canceled by the load current is applied when there is a phase fault, and a zero-phase current is applied as a current corresponding to a fault current when there is a ground fault.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the second aspect of the present invention, the third means comprising means for detecting electric values of xe2x80x9c(IVpc) /|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVpc)M/|VpM|xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c(IVps)/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVps)M/|VpM|xe2x80x9d when the fault is a phase fault, where IVpc and IVps are, respectively, inner and outer products of the load current during the fault and a stipulated standard electric value, |VpM| is a magnitude of the stipulated standard electric value, (ILVpc)M and (ILVps)M are, respectively, inner and outer products of the load current stored in the second means and a stipulated standard electric value at a same time M, and |VpM| is a magnitude of the standard electric value at the same time M.
By the third aspect of the present invention, in case of a phase fault, the fault current is stored in two components, one in a same phase (i.e. inner product) and the other in a perpendicular phase (i.e. outer product) as the positive-phase voltage which does not change much through the occurrence of the fault, and in respect also of the current which is added by the load current during the fault, two components, one in a same phase and the other in a perpendicular phase as the positive-phase voltage are calculated. Then, the stored load current component prior to the fault is canceled from each component of the current during the fault, and the fault point current is detected in the same phase and in the perpendicular phase as the positive-phase voltage.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the third aspect of the invention, the fourth means comprising:
means for calculating, in case of a phase fault,
Ipc={(Ips)/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVps)M/|VpM|}xc2x7(IVpc)/|Vp|xe2x88x92{(IVpc)/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVpc)M/|VpM|}xc2x7(IVPs)/|VP|xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(5)
and
Ips={(Ipc)/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVpc)M/|VpM|}xc2x7(IVpc)/|Vp|+{(IVps)/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVps)M/|VpM|56 xc2x7(IVps)/|Vp|xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(6)
from the IVpc and IVps which are, respectively, inner and outer products of the load current during the fault and a stipulated standard electric value, the electric values of xe2x80x9c(IVpc)/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVpc)M/|VpM|xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cIVps/|Vp|xe2x88x92(ILVps)M/|VpM|xe2x80x9d calculated by the third means, wherein xe2x80x9c(ILVpc)M/|VpM|xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c(ILVps)M/|VpM|xe2x80x9d are, respectively, components of the load current prior to the fault parallel and perpendicular to the standard voltage: and means for detecting relative phase of the current during the fault relative to the current in same phase as the current detected by the third means.
By the fourth aspect of the present invention, when a phase fault is detected, tan xcex8 is calculated where xcex8 is a phase angle between FA and FB shown in FIG. 2, through calculation of the inner and outer products of the current corresponding to the fault point current and the relay current by canceling the load current prior to the fault from the relay current for measuring impedance during the fault by the following equations:
The inner product of a current corresponding to the fault current and the current used when the impedance of the relay is measured (added by the load current):                                                         Ipc              =                              xe2x80x83                                                                            IF                  ·                  cos                                                                  xe2x80x83                                                θ                                                                                =                              xe2x80x83                                                                                {                                                                                (                          Ips                          )                                                /                                                  "LeftBracketingBar"                          Vp                          "RightBracketingBar"                                                                    -                                                                        (                          ILVps                          )                                                                                M                          /                                                      "LeftBracketingBar"                            VpM                            "RightBracketingBar"                                                                                }                                    ·                                                            (                      IVpc                      )                                        /                                          "LeftBracketingBar"                      Vp                      "RightBracketingBar"                                                                      -                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                            {                                                                                (                        IVpc                        )                                            /                                              "LeftBracketingBar"                        Vp                        "RightBracketingBar"                                                              -                                                                  (                        ILVpc                        )                                                                                M                        /                                                  "LeftBracketingBar"                          VpM                          "RightBracketingBar"                                                                                }                                ·                                                      (                    IVps                    )                                    /                                      "LeftBracketingBar"                    Vp                    "RightBracketingBar"                                                                                (        7        )
where xcex8=xcex8Fxe2x88x92xcex8i;
The outer product of a current corresponding to the fault current and the current used when the impedance of the relay is measured (added by the load current):                                                         Ipc              =                              xe2x80x83                                                                            IF                  ·                  sin                                                                  xe2x80x83                                                θ                                                                                =                              xe2x80x83                                                                                {                                                                                (                          Ipc                          )                                                /                                                  "LeftBracketingBar"                          Vp                          "RightBracketingBar"                                                                    -                                                                        (                          ILVpc                          )                                                                                M                          /                                                      "LeftBracketingBar"                            VpM                            "RightBracketingBar"                                                                                }                                    ·                                                            (                      IVpc                      )                                        /                                          "LeftBracketingBar"                      Vp                      "RightBracketingBar"                                                                      +                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                            {                                                                                (                        IVps                        )                                            /                                              "LeftBracketingBar"                        Vp                        "RightBracketingBar"                                                              -                                                                  (                        ILVps                        )                                                                                M                        /                                                  "LeftBracketingBar"                          VpM                          "RightBracketingBar"                                                                                }                                ·                                                      (                    IVps                    )                                    /                                      "LeftBracketingBar"                    Vp                    "RightBracketingBar"                                                                                (        8        )
and
tan xcex8=Ipc/Ips xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(9)
From those equations, advance or delay of the phase of the current during the fault to the current corresponding to the fault current flowing through the fault point.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the first aspect of the present invention, the fourth means comprising: means for detecting relative phase of the current during the fault, in a case of a phase fault, relative to the current detected by the third means, based on a ratio of outer and inner products of a current xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d for directly calculating the resistance and the reactance, and a difference current xe2x80x9cxcex94Ixe2x80x9d between xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d and a current which is a stipulated period prior to the current xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d and which is in a same phase as the current xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d.
By the fifth aspect of the present invention, when a phase fault is detected, the inner and outer products of xcex94I and xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d are calculated and xe2x80x9ctan xcex8xe2x80x9d is calculated as follows, where xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d is a current for directly calculating resistance and reactance components, xcex94I=Ixe2x88x92IL (instant value) is a difference between xe2x80x9cIxe2x80x9d and IL which is the current at a time a stipulated period earlier (corresponding to a load current), and xcex8 is the phase angle between FA and FB shown in FIG. 2.
(xcex94Ixc2x7I)c=|xcex94Ixc2x7I|xc2x7cos(xcex8)
(xcex94Ixc2x7I)s=|xcex94Ixc2x7I|xc2x7sin(xcex8)
tan(xcex8)=(xcex94Ixc2x7I)s/(xcex94Ixc2x7I)cxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(10)
From the equations above, advance or delay of the phase of the current flowing during the fault to the current corresponding to the fault current flowing through the fault point is detected.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the first aspect of the present invention, the fourth means comprising: means for detecting phase of current during the fault relative to the current detected by the third means when a ground fault has occurred, from a ratio of an outer product (I0xc2x7Ir)s and an inner product (I0xc2x7Ix)c; where the outer product (I0xc2x7Ir)s is an outer product of a zero-phase current I0 and a current Ir=ia+(krxe2x88x921)#i0, where xe2x80x9ciaxe2x80x9d is a ground fault phase current, xe2x80x9ckrxe2x80x9d is a value proportional to a ratio of a zero-phase resistance component and positive-phase resistance component of the transmission line impedance: and the inner product (I0xc2x7Ix)c is an inner product of a zero-phase current I0 and a current xe2x80x9cIx=ia+(kxxe2x88x921)xc2x7i0xe2x80x9d, where xe2x80x9ckxxe2x80x9d is a value proportional to a ratio of a zero-phase reactance component and positive-phase reactance component of the transmission line impedance.
By the sixth aspect of the present invention, when a ground fault is detected, a current Ir=ia+(krxe2x88x921)xc2x7i0 is applied to a current for calculating resistance and reactance components to calculate the outer product (I0xc2x7Ir)s and the inner product (I0xc2x7Ix)c. Then, tan(xcex8) is calculated as follows, where xcex8 is a phase angle between FA and FA shown in FIG. 2:
(I0xc2x7Ix)c=|I0xc2x7Ix|xc2x7cos(xcex8)
(I0xc2x7Ix)s=|I0xc2x7Ix|xc2x7sin(xcex8)
tan(xcex8)=(I0xc2x7Ir)s/(I0xc2x7Ix)cxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(11)
From the equations above, advance or delay of the phase of the current Ir and Ix for measuring resistance and reactance components up to the fault point during the fault to the zero-phase current xe2x80x9ci0xe2x80x9d corresponding to the fault current flowing the fault point is detected.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the first aspect of the invention, the fifth means comprising: means for deciding, in case of a phase fault, that the relay should operate only if xe2x80x9ckxc2x7Ips/Ipcxe2x80x9d is larger than or equal to xe2x80x9c(Xcalxe2x88x92Xs)/(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs)xe2x80x9d, wherein Ips and Ipc are calculated by the fourth means, k is a pre-determined constant, Rcal is a resistance component calculated by the first means, Rs is a pre-determined resistance component, Xcal is a reactance component calculated by the first means, and Xs is a pre-determined reactance component.
By the seventh aspect of the present invention, when a phase fault is detected, the resistance component Rcal and the reactance component Xcal up to the fault point are separately calculated from the electric values between the short-circuited phases. Then, the relay is decided to operate when the following equation is satisfied, wherein the resistance component Rs and the reactance component Xs are pre-determined, and the electric values of Ips and Ipc are stipulated above:
Xcalxe2x88x92Xsxe2x89xa6(Ips/Ipc)xc2x7kxc2x7(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(12)
where k is a pre-determined constant.
The above equation is transformed as follows:
Ipcxc2x7(Xcalxe2x88x92Xs)xe2x89xa6kxc2x7Ipsxc2x7(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(13)
Where the constant k is put k=1.0+xcex5, and xcex5 is set positive when it is set larger than the calculated xcex8 shown in FIG. 3, and is set negative when it is set smaller, as shown in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3, FA corresponds to the measured value of xcex8, and the line of xe2x80x9ck greater than 1xe2x80x9d corresponds to a tendency of xe2x80x9cunder-reachxe2x80x9d compared to the measured value, and the line of xe2x80x9ck less than 1xe2x80x9d corresponds to a tendency of xe2x80x9cover-reachxe2x80x9d compared to the measured value.
Thus, the impedance measurement error of the distance relay is compensated on real-time basis by calculating the current phase angle correlation based on the current corresponding to the fault point current and the current for the impedance measuring.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the first aspect of the invention, the fifth means comprising: means for deciding, in a case of a ground fault, that the relay should operate only if (kxc2x7(I0xc2x7Ir)s/(I0xc2x7Ix)c) is larger than or equal to (Xcalxe2x88x92Xs)/(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs), wherein (I0xc2x7Ir)s and (I0xc2x7Ix)c) are calculated by the fourth means, k is pre-determined constant, Rcal is a resistance component calculated by the first means, Rs is a pre-determined resistance component, Xcal is a reactance component calculated by the first means, and Xs is a pre-determined reactance component.
By the eighth aspect of the present invention, when a ground fault is detected, the resistance component Rcal and the reactance component Xcal up to the fault point are separately calculated from the electric current compensated for zero-phase. Then, the relay is decided to operate when the following equation is satisfied, wherein the resistance component Rs and the reactance component Xs are pre-determined, and the electric values of (I0xc2x7Ix)c and (I0xc2x7Ir)s are stipulated above:
Xcalxe2x88x92Xsxe2x89xa6{(I0xc2x7Ir)s/(I0xc2x7Ix)c}xc2x7kxc2x7(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(14)
where k is a pre-determined constant.
The above equation is transformed as follows:
(I0xc2x7Ix)cxc2x7(Xcalxe2x88x92Xs)xe2x89xa6kxc2x7(I0xc2x7Ir)sxe2x88x92(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(15)
where the constant k is put k=1+xcex5, and xcex5 is set positive when it is set larger than the calculated xcex8 shown in FIG. 3, and is set negative when it is set smaller, as shown in FIG. 3.
Thus, the impedance measurement error of the distance relay is compensated on real-time basis by calculating the current phase angle correlation based on the current corresponding to the fault point current and the current for the impedance measuring.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the seventh or eighth aspects of the invention, the sixth means comprising: means for deciding: when the load current stored by the second means is flowing in sending direction, that the relay should operate, if (Xcalxe2x88x92Xs)/(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs) is smaller than a pre-determined constant, and if the fifth means decides that the relay should operate: and when the load current stored by the second means is flowing in receiving direction, that the relay should operate, if (Xcalxe2x88x92Xs)/(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs) is smaller than a pre-determined constant, or if the fifth means decides that the relay should operate: wherein Rcal is a resistance component calculated by the first means, Rs is a pre-determined resistance component, Xcal is a reactance component calculated by the first means, and Xs is a pre-determined reactance component.
By the ninth aspect of the present invention, the operation characteristics is changed depending on the direction of the load current prior to the fault. Thus, the sixth means decides that: the region below the straight line NF and below the straight line FM shown in FIG. 4 is the relay operation region when the load current stored by the second means is in sending direction: while the region below the straight line NF or below the straight line FL shown in FIG. 5 is the relay operation region when the load current stored by the second means is in sending direction.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital distance relay of the seventh or eighth aspects of the invention, the sixth means comprising: means for deciding: when Rcal is smaller than or equal to Rs, that the relay should operate, if (Xcal xe2x88x92Xs)/(Rcalxe2x88x92Rs) is smaller than a pre-determined constant, and if the fifth means decides that the relay should operate: wherein Rcal is a resistance component calculated by the first means, Rs is a pre-determined resistance component, Xcal is a reactance component calculated by the first means, and Xs is a pre-determined reactance component.


In an example, a hierarchical chaining gateway (hCG) includes a first communication interface corresponding to a first domain using a first chaining protocol, and a second communication interface corresponding to a second domain using a second and different chaining protocol. The hCG receives a service packet including a first service function chain header via the first communication interface. The hCG also identifies a key identifier in the service packet, and retrieves a second service function chain header based on the key identifier. Then, the hCG transforms the service packet by substituting the first service function chain header corresponding to first domain in the service packet with the second service function chain header corresponding to the second domain. Next, the hCG transmits the service packet including the second service function chain header via the second communication interface corresponding to the second domain.

Network function virtualization (NFV) generally refers to a network architecture that uses the technologies of information technology (IT) virtualization to virtualize entire classes of network node functions into building blocks that may connect, or chain together, to create communication services. To implement NFV, packets need to be passed through a specific series of virtual and physical service functions (also known as "Service Function Chain") before delivered to their destinations. A chaining gateway generally refers to a physical or virtual network component that couples at least two domains, each of which includes different sets of service function chains.

Transforming a service packet from a first domain to a second domain

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


A connector base includes an assembly plate and a plug plate. The assembly plate defines a plurality of assembly holes. The plug plate includes a plurality of plug units, a plurality of plug portions, and a plurality of elastic members. The plug portions are formed on the plug units respectively. The plug portions engage in the assembly holes of the assembly plate. The elastic members connect the two plug units.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to connectors and, more particularly, to a connector base for an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
A computer generally includes a housing for protecting a plurality of inner components, such as a hard disk and a motherboard. A connector base is generally disposed on a side wall of the housing. The inner components are electrically connected to the connector base. Peripheral components, such as a keyboard and a display, are electrically connected through the connector base to the inner components.
Referring to FIG. 4, a commonly used connector base 10 includes an assembly plate 11 and a plug plate 13. The assembly plate 11 defines a plurality of assembly holes 111, and the plug plate 13 forms a plurality of plug portions 131 engaging in the assembly holes 111 of the assembly plate 11.
However, the machining precision of the plug plate 13 must be exact, such that the plug portions 131 smoothly engage in the assembly holes 111 of the assembly plate 11. If one plug portion 131 deviates from a predetermined position of the plug plate 13, the plug portions 131 cannot engage in the assembly holes 111 of the assembly plate 11.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film having one portion below a surface of the semiconductor substrate and the other portion on the semiconductor substrate in a second region to the same thickness as the insulating film, which improves an operation speed even at a low voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device suitable for fast operation, and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a high speed operation of a device is most important for a high frequency semiconductor circuit. Higher operating speeds are possible as device size is reduced. But there are operational problems associated with reduced device size. To solve this, a related art suppresses ajunction capacitance between a base and a collector using selective epitaxial layer growth and a floating poly base, plus a thick insulating film is provided on a bottom of the floating poly base for reduction of a parasitic capacitance.
A related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device will be explained with reference to the attached drawings. FIGS. 1Axcx9c1I illustrate sections showing the steps of a related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device starts with selective implantation, and drive diffusing, of N+ impurity ions into an entire surface of a P type semiconductor substrate 11, to form a heavily doped N type well region 12 in the surface of the semiconductor substrate 11. A CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) oxide film 13 is formed on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 11 inclusive of the heavily doped N type well region 12. A first polysilicon layer 14 is deposited on the CVD oxide film 13 for use as a floating base, and subjected to pattering by photolithography and etching. As shown in FIG. 1B, a first insulating film 15 is formed on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 11 inclusive of the first polysilicon layer 14. Then, the first insulating film 15, the first polysilicon layer 14 and the CVD oxide film 13 are selectively removed to form a hole 27 that exposes a portion of the N type well region 12. The remaining CVD oxide film 13 is used for isolation of devices, and surfaces of the N type well region 12 on both sides of the CVD oxide film 13 at a center portion thereof are exposed.
As shown in FIG. 1C, a second insulating film is formed in the contact hole 27 and subjected to etch back to form second insulating sidewalls 16 at edges of the first insulating film 15, the first polysilicon layer 14, and the CVD oxide film 13. The exposed semiconductor substrate 11 is used as seeds in making an epitaxial growth to form a lightly doped n type first epitaxial layer 17 on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 11. The epitaxial growth using the semiconductor substrate as seeds changes the surface of the semiconductor substrate into a projected form, with a lightly doped n type epitaxial layer 17 grown on the surface.
As shown in FIG. 1D, the second insulating film sidewalls 16 at edges of the first insulating film 15 and the first polysilicon layer 14 are selectively removed. As shown in FIG. 1E, the first polysilicon layer 14 and the first epitaxial layer 17 are used as seeds in making an epitaxial growth of the semiconductor substrate 11 in vertical and horizontal directions, to grow a P type second epitaxial layer 18.
As shown in FIG. 1F, impurity ions are selectively implanted into the second epitaxial layer 18, to form a P type base region 19 and an N+ collector contact region 20, respectively. Then, a thermal oxidation is conducted, to form a third insulating film 21 on surfaces of the P type base region 19 and the N+collector contact region 20.
As shown in FIG. 1G, a fourth insulating film is formed on the exposed surfaces of the structure of FIG. 1F, and etched back to form fourth insulating film sidewalls 22 at both edges of the first insulating film 15 while exposing a portion of the underlying base region 19. In this instance, the fourth insulating film is overetched to expose the surface of the base region 19 by also selectively removing a portion of the third insulating film 21 formed on a surface of the base region 19. The fourth insulating film sidewalls 22 are used to form an emitter in the base region 19 in a self-aligned manner, as follows.
As shown in FIG. 1H, the fourth insulating film sidewalls 22 and the first insulating film 15 are used as masks to self-align the implementation of N+ impurity ions, and so form an N+ emitter region 23 in a surface of the base region 19, i.e., a first intermediate structure. Then, a second polysilicon layer 24 is deposited on the exposed surfaces of the first intermediate structure, and subjected to photolithography and etching to selectively leave the second polysilicon layer 24 only on the emitter region 23, the N+ collector region 20 and the first insulating film 15 adjacent thereto. As shown in FIG. 1I, a general metal wiring is formed on the intermediate structure of FIG. 1H, to form metal wiring 25 on the semiconductor substrate 11, thereby completing the related art fabrication process. The metal wiring 25 is formed to connect the second polysilicon layer 24 to the first polysilicon layer 14.
However, the related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device has a problem in that the thick oxide film 13 on the bottom of the floating poly base 14 results in the thick N-epitaxial layer 17 (over 1 xcexcm) that affects the maximum speed that the device can operate. That is, the excessively thick N-epitaxial layer 17 deteriorates the maximum speed of operation under low voltage conditions.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same, which operates well operative at a high speed.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present to invention, as embodied and broadly described, a semiconductor device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film formed discontinuously on the semiconductor substrate so as to leave at least one gap where the semiconductor substrate is exposed, the insulating film having first portions below a surface of the semiconductor substrate and second portions above the surface of the semiconductor substrate, respectively, and a semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor substrate at one of the at least one gap in said insulation film, a height of said semiconductor layer being equal to a height of the insulating film.
In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. Such a method comprises oxidizing a substrate to form an insulating film having at least one gap where the substrate is exposed, and forming a semiconductor layer on the substrate at one of the at least one gap in the insulating film, a height of the semiconductor layer being equal to a height of the insulating film.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same


A message system may use publish-subscribe techniques to process messages for several applications. In situations where an application requires an output, it may need to wait for a response message back from a service via the message system. However, in certain implementations, the message system may not be able to determine that a particular message involves request-response communication. The efficient response communication techniques described herein receive the response message having a routing key and a payload including a correlation identifier and then generate a second response having a routing key that includes the correlation identifier. This message may then be efficiently routed to an application based on the correlation identifier.

The present disclosure pertains to communication of response messages and in particular to response messages including payloads that are sent from subscriber applications to publisher applications.
Message communication systems may provide communication between applications or devices using a publish-subscribe protocol. In general, a publisher (also called a producer) is an application (or application instance) that publishes (produces) messages. In general, messaging a subscriber (also called a consumer) is an application (or application instance) that subscribes to messages and consumes those messages. The same application that consumes messages may publish messages and thus be both a publisher and a subscriber at the same time. Message communication systems may act as a broker, accepting and routing or forwarding messages from producers to different subscribers based on the attributes of the messages.
In some cases, an application may publish the message to a consumer (e.g., subscriber) service without performing further processing regarding that message. Examples for this scenario are uploading a file to cloud and updating user information in database. In such cases, there may be no backward communication from the consumer to the producer. Once the producer sends the message to the subscriber, it may continue with further processes. In other scenarios, the producer may publish a message to a consumer and it may wait for a response from the consumer in-order to continue further processing. For example, the producer may publish a request for converting a file to different format. In this example, the producer may send the file to be converted to the consumer and then wait to receive the converted file before continuing with further processing based on that file.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is one technique that may enable the producer to wait for the response from the consumer. However, one drawback of RPC is that it requires both the sender and the receiver to sync to achieve the request-response communication. Furthermore, there may be a situation where the message system is not aware that it should perform request-response communication.
As such, there is a need for improved request-response communication. The present disclosure addresses these issues and others, as further described below.


This liquid applicator (10) provides a container (14) having a valve assembly (50). The valve assembly (50) includes a unitary closure (12) having a passage with a partition (28) dividing the passage into first and second portions (26) and (27) providing a valve opening. A plunger (16) provides a valve element which has an intermediate tapered portion (29) received within the partition (42) opening to provide flow of liquid from the container (14). A spring (20) overfits the plunger (16) and engages a retainer (22) at the end of the closure (12) and a nib (18) interfits the closure first passage (25) to engage the plunger (16) to provide longitudinal movement of the plunger (16) to open the valve assembly (50) to dispense liquid from the container (14) and into the nib (18) when pressure is applied to move the plunger (16) out of the valve opening. A second embodiment includes a comparatively thin wall of the closure (112) adjacent the second chamber (127) and closure (112) may include a flange portion (131) for more evenly distributing the retainer load to the closure wall (127) defining the second chamber (127).

This invention relates generally to liquid applicators and particularly to applicators used to dispense paints, inks, stains, coating adhesives, cleaning compounds, and the like, through a valved nib.
Applicators of the type under consideration have been used since the 1950's and up until the present have always used more than four primary components to be effective.
When assembled, the components of a typical valve actuated applicator operate by pushing the nib inwardly by depressing the nib onto a hard surface. Depressing the nib onto such a surface moves the plunger or valve element backwards against spring action and fluid, primarily liquid, flows from container into the nib. When pressure is released the spring returns the plunger to its original position and flow to the nib is cut off. When thus charged with liquid the nib is ready for use. When the supply of liquid to the nib is exhausted the nib must be recharged by depressing it again on the hard surface.
A patent pertinent to the second embodiment is U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,631 issued to Sotir. A distinct improvement of the applicants' second embodiment over the Sotir patent is that in Sotir the entry of the applicator liquid to the nib is primarily by way of a lateral passage 52 into a secondary reservoir and into the end of the nib. One of the disadvantages with the Sotir structure is that the lateral passage is prone to clogging when used with viscous paints or adhesives therefore Sotir is limited to thinner fluids. The present structure, on the other hand, provides an ample supply of ink through an annular area at the end of the nib and also into the nib through channels in the closure structure without the need for a secondary reservoir.
The difference between the current applicator and prior art applicators lies in the number of components necessary to provide a working device, and in the relationship of such components to each other. The prior art applicators require additional and more complicated parts than the present applicator.
This liquid applicator overcomes the disadvantages noted above in a manner not revealed by the known prior art by requiring a smaller number of less complicated applicator parts.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Coins stored in a hopper (1) are delivered one by one towards an outlet of a hollow cylindrical case (3) on a base plate (2) by coin feeding arms (9) of a coin feeding disc (4) having coin receiving holes (8). The coin feeding disc (4) is rotated in the hollow cylindrical case (3). The coin is further delivered out of the hollow cylindrical case (3) by coin feeding wings (12) of a scraper (13) rotated on the base plate (2) outside of the hollow cylindrical case (3). An upright coin carrier duct (17) is disposed, with an opening at the lower end thereof, on the inclined base plate (2). A coin guide (21) is disposed along a coin transporting path (15) where a coin is delivered by the coin feeding wings (12) of the scraper (13). The coin engaged with the coin guide (21) is pushed towards the lower end port of the coin carrier duct (17 ) by a convex portion formed at the leading side of each of the coin feeding wings (12).

This invention relates to a coin sorting device for sorting a coin such as a money coin or a token in a coin exchanger, a vending machine or a coin operated gaming machine and, more particularly, this invention relates to a coin sorting device with an escalator. Such a coin sorting device comprises a hopper where a supply of coins are stored in bulk. The coin is delivered one by one from the hopper to a coin receiving hole opened at an upper portion of the device by means of rotation of a rotary disc through an upright coin carrier duct, which in general is called as an escalator.
Conventionally, such a coin sorting device with an escalator is well known as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,377.
However, in a conventional well-known coin sorting device with the escalator, an outlet chute projects from one side of the hopper is connected to the lower end of an upright coin carrier duct. Accordingly, it requires some means for supporting the coin carrier duct in an upright state, resulting in a device of an enlarged dimension. The enlarged device disposed in, for example, a vertical coin exchanger has a disadvantage that it makes the coin exchanger wide and deep.
The present invention is directed to provide a small coin sorting device with an escalator. Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a small coin sorting device with an escalator substantially accompanying with no increase of the width and the depth of a small coin sorting device by means of improving the latter disclosed in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 36040/1988.


A system includes a user interface and a controller in communication with a transceiver and the user interface. The controller is configured to receive a predefined threshold and alert for a vehicle indication at the user interface. The controller is further configured to generate a notification based on the preconfigured alert in response to the vehicle indication exceeding the predefined threshold. The controller is further configured to transmit, via the transceiver, the notification for the vehicle indication to a wearable device configured to output the predefined alert.

A mobile device having a computing system has prompted application developers to bring additional features and functions to the user's mobile device. These features and functions have included fitness, music, and navigation applications. The mobile device may be configured to include wireless communication technology to enable the device to communicate with other computing systems. An example of the mobile device includes portable computers such as a smartwatch, a smartphone, an activity tracker (e.g., wristband devices), and/or a combination thereof.

Vehicle system communicating with a wearable device to provide haptic feedback for driver notifications


An isolated shallow trench isolation portion is formed in a top semiconductor portion of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate along with a shallow trench isolation structure. A trench in the shape of a ring is formed around a doped top semiconductor portion and filled with a conductive material such as doped polysilicon. The isolated shallow trench isolation portion and the portion of a buried insulator layer bounded by a ring of the conductive material are etched to form a cavity. A capacitor dielectric is formed on exposed semiconductor surfaces within the cavity and above the doped top semiconductor portion. A conductive material portion formed in the trench and above the doped top semiconductor portion constitutes an inner electrode of a capacitor, while the ring of the conductive material, the doped top semiconductor portion, and a portion of a handle substrate abutting the capacitor dielectric constitute a second electrode.

Semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) devices are increasingly employed in high performance integrated circuits for superior performance to bulk semiconductor devices. As the operating frequency of integrated circuits exceeds 1 gigahertz (GHz) with continued scaling of semiconductor devices, on-chip capacitors having a large capacitance are increasingly relied upon to maintain reliable functionality of high frequency integrated circuits. For example, decoupling capacitors are widely used in state-of-the art high frequency integrated circuits to suppress a voltage fluctuation in a power supply network during high speed switching operations. Another exemplary application of on-chip capacitors is the emerging system-on-chip (SoC) technology in which digital, analog, and passive semiconductor devices are integrated on the same chip to provide enhanced functionality. A small fluctuation in voltage or current of an electrical signal in such circuits may cause severe performance degradation, or even detrimental system malfunction. Using on-chip capacitors as a charge reservoir can prevent or minimize such undesired signal fluctuations.
Several prior art methods are known for fabricating capacitors with a high capacitance on an SOI substrate. In one prior art method, a conventional planar capacitor is employed in which the capacitance of the planar capacitor is increased by simply increasing the area of the capacitor. This method has the advantage of incurring a low processing cost because planar capacitors can be fabricated simultaneously with logic devices by using a conventional CMOS processing sequence. However, a large surface area is occupied by these planar capacitors, resulting in a low device density and a large chip size, which decreases chip yield and may eventually increase cost if a large number of planar capacitors are employed in the integrated circuit.
Another prior art method provides deep trench capacitors, which enable a high-capacitance without requiring a large surface area. The deep trench capacitors employ deep trenches formed in a semiconductor substrate prior to formation of standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices. Methods of forming deep trench capacitors are well known in the art. Co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,188 to El-Kareh et al. and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,770,875 and 5,759,907 to Assaderaghi et al., which provide deep trench capacitors on an SOI substrate and methods of manufacturing the same, are incorporated herein by reference.
Although deep trench capacitors have the advantage of providing high capacitance capacitors at a high areal density, this approach has several disadvantages that limit its application primarily to DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) products. First, forming deep trench capacitors requires a significant number of complicated and costly processing steps such as etching of deep trenches in a semiconductor substrate, forming buried capacitor plates, filling the deep trenches, etc. Most of these processing steps are unique to deep trench technology, and thus, incompatible with conventional SOI CMOS processing sequence for logic devices such as a processor core. Second, processing steps for manufacturing deep trenches increase total processing time for semiconductor chips, and consequently, increase the time-to-market of products employing deep trench capacitors. Finally, this approach is costly because expensive equipment and heavy investment in research and development are required for the development deep trench related processes.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a high capacitance capacitor compatible with a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processing sequence, and methods of manufacturing the same without significantly increasing process complexity or cost.

SOI CMOS compatible multiplanar capacitor

International Business Machines Corporation