An engine system comprises a first turbocharger including a first wastegate, first wastegate actuator, and first turbocharger sensor, a second turbocharger including a second wastegate, second wastegate actuator, and second turbocharger sensor, and a controller configured to adjust the first wastegate actuator so that a parameter of the first turbocharger matches a parameter of the second turbocharger, based on output from the first and second turbocharger sensors. In this way, turbocharger output between the two turbochargers may be balanced.

Turbochargers for internal combustion engines can include a wastegate for controlling the portion of the exhaust stream that is directed through the exhaust gas turbine stage of the turbocharger. By varying the position of the wastegate, the level of boost provided by the compressor stage of the turbocharger can be increased or decreased accordingly. Engines including twin turbochargers, such as V-engines, can utilize wastegate control to balance the level of boost provided by each of the turbochargers. Typically, for twin turbocharged engines, it is assumed that the system is symmetric, and as such each wastegate is concurrently commanded to the same position.
However, the inventors herein have recognized that most V-engine systems are not completely symmetric. Asymmetries present in V-engine systems may include differences in exhaust system routing, exhaust manifold design, turbine housing casting design, and/or wastegate passage design between the banks of the engine. Additionally, manufacturing variability may introduce asymmetry into the wastegate passages or spring system used to oppose the pneumatic force in pneumatically-actuated wastegates. Further, hysteresis within the actuators may cause asymmetry, where small movements may result in each actuator being at opposite ends of the hysteresis band.
Thus, even if the wastegates are commanded to the same position, imbalance between the turbochargers may still result due to the asymmetry present in the system. This may result in the turbochargers operating in different operating states, such as operating with different turbine power, turbine shaft speed, and for pneumatic actuators, different wastegate position. Under some engine operating conditions, it may be desirable to operate near the turbine shaft speed limit. However, in an asymmetric system, the fastest rotating turbine will limit the performance of the system, and depending on the magnitude of the asymmetry, the capability of the system may be greatly reduced.
Accordingly, an engine system is provided which may allow for detection and balancing of asymmetries present in a V-engine with two turbochargers. The engine system comprises a first turbocharger including a first wastegate, first wastegate actuator, and first turbocharger sensor, a second turbocharger including a second wastegate, second wastegate actuator, and second turbocharger sensor, and a controller configured to adjust the first wastegate actuator so that a parameter of the first turbocharger matches a parameter of the second turbocharger, based on output from the first and second turbocharger sensors.
In this way, output from turbocharger sensors may be used to detect if a turbocharger parameter, such as turbine speed or power, is out of balance between the two turbochargers. If the turbochargers are out of balance, the wastegate of at least the first turbocharger may be adjusted until the turbocharger parameters are brought into alignment. In this way, small variations in the amount of boost provided by each turbocharger may be balanced. Further, engine performance may be increased by detecting if a turbocharger is operating at a speed or power output lower than desired, and adjusting the wastegate of that turbocharger to increase the turbocharger performance.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


A method for forming a sense amplifier of a semiconductor device prevents bit lines from being bridged to each other by a stepped portion created on an insulation interlayer due to irregular density of a P-type impurity, which is ion-implanted into an insulation interlayer in a P+ pickup region when a sense amplifier of a semiconductor device is formed. Yield ratio of semiconductor devices is improved.

Among semiconductor devices, a DRAM includes a cell region, a peripheral circuit region, and a core region. The cell region is used to store data. The peripheral circuit region is used to convert an external voltage into an internal voltage or mediate signal transmission inside and outside a semiconductor chip, including a cell. The core region is used, when data is to be written in a cell or data stored in a cell is to be read, to selectively control word and bit lines connected to the corresponding cell.
In general, a pattern having the smallest width is formed in the cell region of a DRAM, and the peripheral circuit region is provided with a pattern having a larger width and free area than those of the cell region. The core region is provided with an amplification device referred to as a sense amplifier, which includes very complicated circuits. This means that the core region requires a fine design rule comparable to that of the cell region. In some cases, the pattern in the core region is smaller than that in the cell region, due to the current trend towards high integration of devices.
A conventional method for forming a sense amplifier will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1E.
FIGS. 1A and 1E are top views showing a series of process steps used in a conventional method for forming a sense amplifier.
Referring to FIG. 1A, a device isolation layer 110 is formed in a sense amplifier formation region of a semiconductor substrate 100 so that an active region for forming a sense amplifier is delimited. The active region includes an NMOS formation region 120a, a PMOS formation region 130a, an N+ pickup formation region 120b, and a P+ pickup formation region 130b.
A gate insulation layer, a gate conduction layer, and a hard mask layer are laminated on the substrate so as to form gates 140 in a ring shape. Particularly, N-type gates are formed in the NMOS and PMOS formation regions, and those of the gates 140 formed on the device isolation layer 110 outside the active region are supposed to have contacts between the gates 140 and a wiring.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a buffer oxide layer (not shown) and a spacer nitride layer (not shown) are successively formed on the front surface of the resulting substrate, which have the gates 140 formed thereon. Then, an insulation layer (not shown) is formed on the spacer nitride layer so as to cover the gates.
A first mask pattern M1, which has line-type openings for exposing the NMOS formation region 120a and the N+ pickup formation region 120b, is formed on the insulation layer. The insulation layer in the exposed NMOS formation region 120a and N+ pickup formation region 120b is etched by using the first mask pattern M1 as an etching mask. The underlying spacer nitride layer and buffer oxide layer are subjected to anisotropic etching so that spacers (not shown) are formed on lateral walls of the gates 140 while exposing the active region of the substrate among the gates 140, as well as the N+ pickup formation region 120b.
An N-type impurity is ion-implanted into the active region of the substrate, which has been exposed among the gates 140 in the NMOS formation region 120a, and into the exposed N+ pickup formation region 120b so as to form an N+ junction region 150a and an N+ pickup region 150b.
Referring to FIG. 1C, the first mask pattern M1 is removed, and a second mask pattern M2, which has line-type openings for selectively exposing the PMOS formation region 130a and a part of the P+ pickup formation region 130b, is formed on the front surface of the resulting substrate. The insulation layer in the exposed PMOS formation region 130a and P+ pickup formation region 130b is etched by using the second mask pattern M2 as an etching mask. The underlying spacer nitride layer and buffer oxide layer are subjected to anisotropic etching so that spacers (not shown) are formed on the lateral walls of the gates 140 while exposing the active region of the substrate among the gates 140, as well as the P+ pickup formation region 130b.
A P-type impurity is ion-implanted into the active region, which has been exposed among the gates 140 in the PMOS formation region 130a, and into the exposed P+ pickup formation region 130b so as to form a P+ junction region 160a and an P+ pickup region 160b.
The second mask pattern M2 is designed so as to cover intermediate parts of the P+ pickup formation region 130b so that a pattern of laminated buffer oxide layer, spacer nitride layer, and insulation layer remains on the covered parts. This is for the purpose of connecting a pattern of laminated buffer oxide layer, spacer nitride layer, and insulation layer, which remains to the left of the P+ pickup formation region 130b, to that remaining to the right thereof. The resulting pattern of laminated buffer oxide layer, spacer nitride layer, and insulation layer has a locally H-shaped configuration.
If the second mask pattern M2 leaves the P+ pickup formation region 130b completely exposed, i.e. if no pattern of laminated buffer oxide layer, spacer nitride layer, and insulation layer remains in the P+ pickup formation region 130b, the patterns of laminated buffer oxide layer, spacer nitride layer, and insulation layer, which remain to the left and right of the P+ pickup formation region 130b, respectively, are elongated in y-axis direction without a supporter extending in x-axis direction and connecting them to each other. This means that the left and right patterns are structurally unstable, i.e. likely to deform. Therefore, the second mask pattern M2 must cover parts of the P+ pickup formation region 130b. It is to be noted that no bit line contact hole is formed on the covered parts at a later time.
Although the pattern of laminated buffer oxide layer, spacer nitride layer, and insulation layer, which remains between the N+ pickup region 150b and the PMOS region, is elongated in the y-axis direction, there is no possibility that the pattern may deform, because it makes contact with the gates 140 in the PMOS region.
Referring to FIG. 1D, the second mask pattern M2 is removed, and a first insulation interlayer is formed so as to cover the resulting substrate. The first insulation interlayer is subjected to etch-back or CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) until the gates 140 are exposed. A second insulation interlayer is formed on the first insulation interlayer. Predetermined portions of the first and second insulation interlayers are etched so as to form bit line contact holes 170 for exposing the N+ junction region 150a, the P+ junction region 160a, the N+ pickup region 150b, and the P+ pickup region 160b, respectively. In addition, bit line contact holes 170 are also formed so as to expose the gates 140 formed on the device isolation layer 110 outside the active region.
A third mask pattern M3 is formed on the resulting substrate, which has the bit line contact holes 170 formed thereon, in the same manner as the second mask pattern M2. Particularly, the third mask pattern M3 has line-type openings for exposing the P+ junction region 160a and a part of the P+ pickup region 160b, but does not expose intermediate parts of the P+ pickup region 160b.
Additional ion implantation is performed inside the bit line contact holes 170 in the P+ junction region 160a and the P+ pickup region 160b, which have been exposed by the third mask pattern M3. In general, the additional ion implantation is performed only in the P+ junction region 160a and the P+ pickup region 160b, but not in the NMOS region and the N+ pickup region 150b. This is because the P-type impurity resolves more easily than the N-type impurity, and the resulting increase in contact resistance in the P+ junction region 160a and the P+ pickup region 160b must be compensated for. In other words, additional ion implantation in the region, which is supposed to have contacts formed therein, increases the doping density of the contact interface and decreases the contact resistance.
The additional ion implantation is not performed inside the bit line contact holes 170, which are formed on the gates 140 outside the active region, because ion implantation of a P-type impurity into the gates 140, which are N-type gates, increases the resistance.
Referring to FIG. 1E, the third mask pattern M3 is removed, and a cleaning process is performed so as to remove impurities from inside the bit line contact holes 170. During the cleaning process, the second insulation interlayer outside the bit line contact holes 170 partially loses its thickness.
Although not shown in the drawings, a bit line conduction layer is deposited on the second insulation interlayer by using tungsten, for example, so as to fill the bit line contact holes 170, which have been cleaned. The bit line conduction layer is patterned so as to form bit lines, which make contact with the N+ junction region 150a, the P+ junction region 160a, the N+ pickup region 150b, the P+ pickup region 160b, and the gates 140, respectively.
Thereafter, a series of conventional processes are further performed so as to complete a sense amplifier of the semiconductor device.
However, the conventional processes have a problem in that the P+ pickup region 160b is partially covered during additional ion implantation, because the mask pattern used for the additional ion implantation (i.e. the third mask pattern M3) has the same shape as that of the second mask pattern M2. This means that additional ion implantation is not performed to a portion of the second insulation interlayer, which corresponds to the covered part of the P+ pickup region 160b.
When the P+ pickup region 160b has a part which has not been subjected to additional ion implantation, the amount of loss of thickness of the second insulation interlayer occurring on the part which has been subjected to additional ion implantation differs from that occurring on the part which has not, when the bit line contact holes 170 are cleaned in a subsequent process. This is because the part that has been subjected to additional ion implantation has a faster loss rate during cleaning due to damage resulting from ions.
As a result, a stepped portion is created on the second insulation interlayer before a bit line conduction layer is deposited. Although such a stepped portion causes little problem in the case of a device having a line width of at least 100 nm, it is problematic in the case of a highly-integrated device having a line width of less than 100 nm. Particularly, high integration of devices decreases the line width of bit lines, as well as the spacing between them. Consequently, the process for patterning the bit line conduction layer becomes more difficult. The stepped portion on the second insulation interlayer degrades the degree of surface flatness of the bit line conduction layer. This decreases the DOF (depth of focus) margin during an exposure process for forming bit lines and, as a result, causes defective patterning, such as bridging between bit lines.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line a-a′ of FIG. 1E and shows a stepped portion, which has been created on the second insulation interlayer ILD2 when the bit line contact holes 170 are cleaned, after the bit line conduction layer 180 is deposited, but before the bit line conduction layer 180 is patterned. Reference numeral ILD1 refers to the first insulation interlayer.

Method for forming a DRAM semiconductor device with a sense amplifier


A multi-roll toilet paper holding device including a support bracket including a back panel. The support bracket includes upper and lower panels. The upper and lower panels extend outwardly from respective upper and lower ends of the back panel. The lower panel has a recess extending inwardly of an outer edge thereof. A support rod is pivotally coupled with respect to the support bracket. The support rod holds a plurality of rolls of toilet paper thereon. The support rod has an upper end pivotally coupled with respect to the upper panel. The support rod has a narrow extension extending downwardly from a lower end thereof. The narrow extension is dimensioned for being received within the recess of the lower panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-roll toilet paper holding device and more particularly pertains to holding a plurality of rolls of toilet paper for easy retrieval with a multi-roll toilet paper holding device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of toilet paper dispensers is known in the prior art. More specifically, toilet paper dispensers heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of dispensing toilet paper are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,912 to Grunerud; 4,607,809 to Sineni et al.; 4,314,679 to Paul et al.; 4,177,958 to Poole, 5,597,133 to Teague; and 4,989,800 to Tritch.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a multi-roll toilet paper holding device for holding a plurality of rolls of toilet paper for easy retrieval.
In this respect, the multi-roll toilet paper holding device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of holding a plurality of rolls of toilet paper for easy retrieval.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved multi-roll toilet paper holding device which can be used for holding a plurality of rolls of toilet paper for easy retrieval. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


An apparatus for bonding semiconductor dies to lead frame strips, each of the lead frame strips having a plurality of adjacently spaced lead frame units. The apparatus includes at least two bond units, each attaching the dies to one of the lead frame strips at a time and one die supply unit supplying the dies alternately to the bond units. The apparatus also includes at least two lead frame strip supply units, each supplying the lead frame strips to respective ones of the bond units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor chip packages, and more particularly to a die bonding apparatus having a multiple bonding system in which semiconductor chips are supplied one by one from a single wafer cassette and bonded to lead frames at more than one position.
2. Description of The Related Art
Generally, after a wafer fabrication process in which predetermined patterns of integrated circuits (IC) are formed on silicon wafers, the assembly process for semiconductor IC device packages begins. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the assembly process 1 generally consists of a wafer sawing step 11 in which a wafer is cut and divided into a plurality of dies, a die bonding step 12 in which an individual die (or chip) separated from the wafer is mechanically attached to a lead frame unit (one of several that are adjacently arranged along a lead frame strip), a wire bonding step 13 in which the dies are electrically coupled to the lead frame units by means of wires, a molding step 14 in which a package body is formed from a molding compound in order to protect the die, the wires, and connections from hostile environments, and a trimming and forming step 15 in which the individual packages are separated, the outer leads are trimmed, and the package is adapted for mounting on the circuit board.
In particular, the die bonding process 12 is further illustrated in FIG. 2. In wafer loading step 21 the wafer dies, which have already been sawed but remain arranged on a wafer, are supplied to a die bonder. The individual die is separated from the wafer and supplied to a bonding position in a die pickup & mount step 22. A lead frame strip is prepared with adhesive and placed at the bonding position in lead frame transfer step 23. In die bonding step 24 the die and a lead frame unit of the lead frame strip at the bonding position are attached to each other. In unloading step 25 the die-bonded lead frame strip is unloaded from the bonding position and made ready for loading into a wire bonder.
Various methods have been used for the die bonding step 24. These methods, using different adhesive materials, include gold-silicon eutectic die attach, polymer die attach, solid-film polymers die attach, and solder die attach.
The die bonding process 12 is conducted independently from the wire bonding process 13. This requires time, space and labor for the movement of the materials between die bonding process 12 and wire bonding process 13, causing low productivity. A single automated in-line system has recently been developed and proposed to overcome the drawback of the prior independent systems.
Such an automated in-line system is characterized as a single-bonding system. It includes one die bonder connected to more than one wire bonder by means of a transfer rail. Accordingly, the die-bonded lead frame strips can be directly and automatically supplied to the wire bonder. Since the time required for the wire bonding process 13 is longer than the time required for the die bonding process 12, it is possible to connect more than two wire bonders to each die bonder. In these conventional single-bonding systems, the number of wire bonders per die bonder ranges from two to six.
However, in the case of lead-on-chip (LOC) packages in which a solid-film polymer such as polyimide tape is used as a bonding material for attaching dies to a lead frame, the die bonding time required is longer than that for packages using other bonding materials. Accordingly, only one or two wire bonders are connected to one die bonder, which results in less of an advantage for the conventional single-bonding in-line systems.
A need exists, therefore, for a die bonding apparatus that provides more bonded lead frames per unit time, especially for LOC packages, to feed the plurality of wire bonders connected in an automated in-line system.

Semiconductor die bonding apparatus having multiple bonding system


A power unit capable of downsizing rotary motors and enhancing efficiency of the power unit. In first and second planetary gear units, a first ring gear, a first carrier, a second sun gear, a first sun gear, a second carrier, and a second ring gear, capable of transmitting power to each other, are configured such that they satisfy a collinear relationship and are in a line in a collinear chart. The first carrier and the second sun gear are connected to a prime mover, and the first sun gear and the second carrier are connected to drive wheels. The first and second ring gears are connected to the first and second rotary motors, respectively. The first and second rotary motors are connected to each other. A transmission is disposed at least between the first rotary motor and the first ring gear or between the second rotary motor and the second ring gear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power unit for driving a driven member, and more particularly to a power unit having an internal combustion engine and rotary motors as power sources.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a power unit of this kind, one disclosed e.g. in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-281607 is known. This power unit is for driving drive wheels of a vehicle, and is provided with an internal combustion engine, a first rotary motor, and a second rotary motor, which are power sources, a first planetary gear unit and a second planetary gear unit, which are of a general type. A carrier of the first planetary gear unit and a sun gear of the second planetary gear unit are directly connected to each other without using a gear or a transmission and are directly connected to the engine. A ring gear of the first planetary gear unit and a carrier of the second planetary gear unit are directly connected to each other and are connected to the drive wheels. Further, a sun gear of the first planetary gear unit and a ring gear of the second planetary gear unit are directly connected to the first rotary motor and the second rotary motor, respectively.
In the power unit configured as above, the drive wheels are driven using power from the engine and the first and second rotary motors according to traveling conditions of the vehicle. Further, power generation is performed by the first rotary motor using part of power from the engine, to supply the generated electric power to the second rotary motor, and the rotational speeds of the first and second rotary motors are controlled to thereby transmit power from the engine (prime mover) to the drive wheels while changing the rotational speed of the engine.
In the above-described conventional power unit, depending on traveling conditions of the vehicle and operating state of the engine, torque from the first and second rotary motors sometimes becomes too large, or the rotational speeds of the first and second rotary motors sometimes become very high. However, in the conventional power unit, the first and second rotary motors are directly connected to the sun gear of the first planetary gear unit and the ring gear of the second planetary gear unit, respectively, and therefore, to cope with the former case, it is required to use large-sized rotary motors as the first and second rotary motors. Further, for the same reason, in the latter case in which the rotational speeds of the first and second rotary motors become too high, dragging losses are caused due to dragging of the first and second rotary motors. This results in the degraded efficiency of the whole power unit.
Furthermore, in the conventional power unit, in changing the rotational speed of the engine as described above, particularly during a high-speed operation of the vehicle in which the rotational speed of the drive wheels is higher than that of the engine, the rotational speed of the second rotary motor becomes very high due to the above-described connection relationship, which sometimes causes dragging losses. To avoid this problem, it is only required to increase the rotational speed of the engine to decrease the rotational difference between the rotational speed of the drive wheels and that of the engine. In this case, however, the best fuel economy of the engine cannot be obtained, and the efficiency of the whole power unit is degraded after all.


A device used for air supply of a fuel cell has an expander and a compressor that is at least partially driven thereby. The hot gases of combustion at least occasionally flow through the expander. After flowing through the expander, the exhaust gases emit at least a portion of the residual thermal energy remaining in them to at least one of the fuel flows supplied for combustion and during a cold start especially also to the cooling circuit of the fuel cell. A device of this type may be used, for example, in a mobile fuel cell system.

The present invention relates to a device for the air supply of a fuel cell having an expander and a compressor that is at least partially driven thereby in which hot exhaust gases of combustion at least partially flow through the expander.
A device of this type for the air supply of a fuel cell system is known from German Patent DE 197 55 116 C1. In this case, the fuel cell is supplied via a compressor, which is coupled to an expander and an electric motor. The expander in this context at least occasionally supplies a portion of the drive energy for the compressor depending on the operating state. The expander itself is driven by the exhaust gases of the fuel cell, which are after-burned as fuel is added in a catalytic burner.
The disadvantage of a structure of this type lies in the energy requirements for the combustion as well as the structural requirements for the expander. Starting at an exhaust gas temperature level of approximately 80° C. for the fuel cell, which is configured as a PEM fuel cell, a suitably high temperature level must be reached before entering the expander in order for it to be operated effectively. Therefore, in practically all operating states, heating with fuel in the area of the catalytic burner is necessary. Moreover, the achievable temperature is consequently limited by the catalytic burner itself because its catalysts do not enable any temperatures as high as one might desire. Yet, in order to reach as high an energy yield as possible under these preconditions and produce a temperature level after the expander that can be directly emitted into the environment as is without having to accept large energy losses, an accordingly more complex and high-quality expander is necessary. However, this makes the device for air supply disadvantageously very expensive, very difficult, and correspondingly susceptible to any kind of disturbance.
On this basis, an object of the present invention is to provide a device for air supply of a fuel cell of the aforementioned type that avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and which enables a structure that is simple as well as energy-optimized and highly variable with regard to output.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by having the hot gases, after flowing through the expander, emit at least part of the thermal residual energy remaining in them to at least one of the fuel flows supplied for combustion.
The emission of residual thermal energy from the exhaust gases after the expander to at least one of the gases flowing for combustion, which can be, for example, the anode and cathode exhaust gases coming out of the fuel cell, enables a distinct pre-heating of these educts for combustion. Thus, a clearly higher temperature level can be achieved with clearly less fuel consumption than is the case for the prior art.
The fact that the residual energy from the exhaust gases after the expander is expediently used also allows an operation of the expander at temperatures that are better to use in terms of energy than if a temperature approaching the ambient temperature would have to be present after the expander. Thus, the expander can be produced in an accordingly simpler, easier and smaller type of construction than in the prior art and yet have a higher variability with regard to the output that it produces.
According to a very advantageous further development of the invention, the device is configured in such a manner that the exhaust gases after the expander flow through a heat exchanger through which air for the combustion also flows.
This construction is very favorable in that it is especially expedient in terms of energy to preheat the air for combustion because, due to the generally high proportion of inert substances such as nitrogen, it generally has a clearly greater flow volume than fuel and has a clearly higher thermal capacity. This thermal capacity becomes especially high with the previously addressed anode and cathode exhaust gases from the fuel cell because they also still contain water. The fuel, which is supplied at a clearly lower flow volume, will not reach thermal capacities of this kind, so the preheating of the air makes more sense in terms of energy.
In an especially favorable embodiment of the device of the present invention, it can also be provided that, at least during occasional phases of the operation of the device, the exhaust gases, after they have emitted at least a portion of the residual energy contained therein after the expander to the at least one of the fuel flows supplied for combustion, emit additional thermal residual energy remaining in them to a cooling medium for the fuel cells.
In this way, the residual energy that is still contained in the exhaust gases after the preheating of the educts or the air for the combustion can also be used. This especially makes sense in the case of a cold start because in this case, by heating the cooling medium, the fuel cell itself is heated through which this cooling medium also flows. Moreover, in the case of a cold start, higher outputs of the expander may make sense, for example, for the air supply of burners for the preheating of components of a gas generation system or similar system. Thus, there will frequently be a higher temperature level of the exhaust gases anyway, so even the remaining residual energy in the exhaust gases after the preheating of the educts is higher. This can then be very effectively used for preheating the fuel cell and in some cases other components located in the cooling circuit via their cooling medium.
An especially advantageous use of the device of the present invention or one of its possible embodiments provides for installing the device for air supply in a mobile fuel cell system.
For mobile systems of this type, which can be a drive unit for a land, water or air vehicle, such as an auxiliary power unit (APU)—as a function of or independently of a vehicle of this type—a high variability of the output and a lightweight, cost-effective and robust design, as is achieved by the present invention, is especially favorable.


Cosmetic products and methods of performing skin treatments are disclosed. The products and methods are especially suitable for removing keratotic plugs from the pores of skin. The cosmetic products are based on formulations including non-ionic, film-forming, solvent-activatable polymers as major active ingredients. Especially preferred formulations include N-vinyl formamide as in poly(N-vinyl formamide) as a major active ingredient. In some cases, the formulations are coated onto a backing material to form a patch in order to increase the utility and ease of use of the products. The products are used to remove keratotic plugs by applying the product to the skin, allowing the product to dry, and peeling the product from the skin. Also disclosed is a method for producing the preferred articles provided by the invention.

Keratotic plugs are formed in pores of living human skin from dead epidermal cells that have become keratinized together with sebaceous material and dirt. The presence of keratotic plugs in the pores of the skin leads to an unsightly increase in the visibility of the pores and can also lead to dermatological problems such as skin infection. Thus, for both cosmetic and heath reasons, it is advantageous to remove keratotic plugs from the pores of the skin.
Keratotic plugs, however, can be difficult to effectively remove from the skin in a gentle fashion. Prior art skin cleansers and detergents are limited in their ability to remove keratotic plugs quickly, gently and effectively. Mechanical means of removing keratotic plugs, for example by squeezing, pressing, or creating a suction on the skin, can cause undo pain and skin damage, and are generally slow and tedious to perform since only a small number of plugs can be removed at a time.
Water-activated film-forming packs and masks have previously been used to cleanse and strip the skin. Such formulations generally utilize a film-forming cosmetic formulation, which is applied to the skin, allowed to dry, and peeled from the skin after drying. The formulations can either be applied to the face directly, or can be pre-coated onto a support backing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,142 discloses a skin treating technique where a material which can be a film of sodium polystyrene sulfonate cosmetic solution is applied to the skin, allowed to dry, and subsequently peeled off, removing scurf skin and sebaceous soils. U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,277 teaches a keratotic plug removal method using a film forming composition comprising an ionic polymer having a salt forming group which is peeled from the skin. This patent further teaches that non-ionic polymer formulations are not sufficiently effective for desired use in effectively removing keratotic plugs by the same method.
Cosmetic formulations comprising non-ionic polymers can be advantageous from the standpoint of gentleness to the skin and ease of formulation and processing. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide effective cosmetic products and methods utilizing non-ionic, non-salt-forming polymer-based formulations for removal of keratotic plugs from the skin.


A memory device includes an array of 2T1C DRAM cells and a memory controller. The DRAM cells are arranged as a plurality of rows and columns of DRAM cells. The memory controller is internal to the memory device and is coupled to the array of DRAM cells. The memory controller is capable of receiving commands input to the memory device and is responsive to the received commands to control row-major access and column-major access to the array of DRAM cells. In one embodiment, each transistor of a memory cell includes a terminal directly coupled to a storage node of the capacitor. In another embodiment, a first transistor of a memory cell includes a terminal directly coupled to a storage node of the capacitor, and a second transistor of the 2T1C memory cell includes a gate terminal directly coupled to the storage node of the capacitor.

Matrix operations (such as, but not limited to: transpose, inversion, multiplication and addition) are frequently used in emerging compute intensive applications, such as deep learning, computer vision, and image processing. Some of these operations, however, use substantial column accesses. For example, a transpose operation requires reading a row and storing the row in a column. A multiplication operation involves reading one row from matrix A, and one column from matrix B and the product of the two is computed and stored.
Conventional DRAM is structured to support "row-major" row accesses, in which accessing a row involves activation of a single row, which is relatively fast and efficient. Accessing a column is more difficult because it involves activating each row that intersects with the desired column, which is relatively slow and inefficient.


An integrated roll control and power supply system for a missile includes a pair of flywheel-motor-generator (FMG) units, a pair of power flow control (PFC) units coupled between the FMG units and a missile load, and a roll sensor coupled to the PFC units. The integrated system also includes a pair of resistance heaters and a pair of clutch-brake devices. The FMG units are axially aligned and displaced from one another. One FMG unit operates in a counterclockwise direction, while the other FMG unit operates in a clockwise direction. The two FMG units produce the bi-directional roll torque characteristic necessary to develop roll-dampening torques for the missile system roll control autopilot. The PFC units receive roll attitude, rate and acceleration input signals from the roll sensor and, in response to such signals, are operable at three different levels of roll damping to dissipate power flow from the FMG units to supply electrical components of the missile and to operate resistance heaters and clutch/brake devices to develop appropriately balanced roll torques in the missile airframe.

The present invention generally relates to flywheel-motor-generator technology and, more particularly, is concerned with an integrated roll control and power supply system and method for a missile.
Electric energy storage and generation provided through the employment of flywheel-motor-generator technology is well-known in the prior art. A detailed discussion of this approach is provided in an article entitled "Flywheels" appearing in Scientific American, December 1973, pages 17-23.
Important advantages of this technology are its high degree of reliability, almost infinite shelf life, little or no sensitivity to cold temperature, inherent built-in test feature, and inherent flexibility and adaptability in that its spin can be increased without increase in size. These advantages make it worthwhile for designers to consider flywheel-motor-generator technology as a potential candidate for providing both stability control and electrical power supply in various applications where space is limited, such as on different platforms used in airborne, space, and undersea environments.
One such airborne application is tactical missiles which typically have severe space limitations and, at the same time, tend to require mission adaptive power sources. It was perceived by the inventor herein that application of this technology could lead to an improved system in which weight and volume requirements are minimized while roll damping is advantageously provided and mission adaptive electrical power is supplied.

Integrated roll control and power supply system and method


A suture anchoring device comprising (1) a first retaining member having a first surface, a second surface and a first outer edge; where the second surface lies in a first plane; the first retaining member having an opening that extends from the first outer edge to at least partially through the second surface to an inner point of the first retaining member; (2) a second retaining member having a third surface, a fourth surface and a second outer edge; where the third surface lies in a second plane, the second retaining member having a holding means; and (3) a coupler having a third outer edge and a cross-sectional area taken in a plane parallel to the first plane that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first retaining member taken in a plane parallel to the first plane; where the coupler joins the first retaining member to the second retaining member at the second surface and third surface; wherein the second and third surfaces are parallel to each other and non-coterminous.

In surgical procedures, sutures are commonly used to close incisions and to reunite damaged tissue. Typically, the sutures are maneuvered and passed through the affected tissue and the free ends of the sutures are individually tied together by the surgeon. In some surgical procedures, the surgical site area is sufficiently exposed to permit the surgeon to access and tie the suture manually with a surgical knot. In other surgical procedures, such as endoscopic procedures, laparoscopic procedures, arthroscopic procedures and the like, or when robotic surgical procedures occur, the surgical site is inaccessible to the surgeon's hands. As a result, the surgeon must tie each of the suture ends into a knot at a location remote from the surgical site, and then manipulate suitably configured instruments for sliding the surgical knot to the site of the incision. Further, surgeons may tie surgical knots intracorporeally (inside of the body) using surgical tools to tie the knot down to the tissue. In general, suture knot tying is cumbersome and is one of the more time-consuming steps in the suturing process of the surgical procedure. In the foregoing circumstances, it is desirable to replace knot tying during surgical procedures in order to significantly reduce the duration of surgical operations with a device or method that is simple for the surgeon to utilize. This is especially true with regard to minimally invasive surgical procedures where the tying of surgical knots within confined spaces is extremely difficult and time consuming.
Additionally, it is noted that knots create weak points in a suture. That is to say, when a failure load is applied to a knotted suture, assuming the suture is otherwise free from imperfections, the suture will break at the knot. Therefore, elimination of surgical knots in the suture would also eliminate the weak stress points created in the suture by the surgical knot.
Suture locking and suture anchoring devices such as suture clips, surgical fasteners, hinged clips, suture terminating devices, hemostatic clips, and suture fixation devices of various configurations, designs, structures, and materials of construction are well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,075,508 discloses a suture retainer whereby a suture may be fixed relative to a surgical button. The suture is received and wedged between the button and a clamping plate in order to securely clamp the suture. There are a number of shortcomings to this retainer. First, due to the suture manipulation required to use this retainer, a laparoscopic applicator device would be extremely difficult to produce profitably. Furthermore, the wedging and clamping action will induce stress concentrations in the suture, which likely lead to reduced failure loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,160 to Colvin, et al. discloses a suture terminator device for use in minimally invasive surgery. The suture terminator device includes a pair of locking apertures with teeth for engaging a portion of a suture at the locking apertures' threaded ends. Not only does this device require laparoscopically guiding two strands of suture between two very small apertures, it also requires that the sutures be squeezed tightly by these teethed apertures, thereby diminishing the integrity of the suture and significantly reducing the maximum tension the suture can withstand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,545 to Egan discloses a suture tensioning and fixation device, which includes a retaining element for frictionally engaging a suture that may subsequently be melted to bond to the suture for a permanent fixation. This melting and bonding action will compromise the integrity of the suture and therefore, because suture strength is of utmost concern in most surgeries, this method of fixation of the retaining element to the suture is not suitable for most surgeries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,572 to Hayhurst and U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,553 to Kolesa et al. disclose the use of a hinged clip that snaps closed after the suture threads are placed within the holding members. The hinge clip is snapped into place such that the suture is held transversely across the holding members, thus locking the suture in place. There is a possibility of improperly actuating or inadvertently releasing the snap, which could lead to an insecure fixation of the suture. In addition, weak stress points are created where the suture is held within the clip.
In view of the deficiencies of the prior art discussed hereinabove, there remains a need for a suture anchoring device that is simple to use, particularly during laparoscopic surgery, in order to eliminate manual knot tying by the surgeon performing the surgical procedure, while not compromising the integrity of the suture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a suture anchoring device that is at least as strong as conventional surgical knots.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a suture anchoring device that is easy and cost effective to manufacture in bulk.
Another object of the present invention is provide a suture anchoring device that is suitable for a wide variety of sutures (i.e., such as monofilament and braided sutures).


A developer storage body includes a storage portion for storing a developer, an agitation member for agitating the developer stored in the storage portion, and a swing member that swings in the storage portion by contact with the agitation member. A contact portion is provided at a first end portion of the swing member. The contact portion contacts the agitation member. A fixed portion and a swing portion are provided at a second end portion of the swing member. The fixed portion is fixed to the storage portion. The swing portion swings in the storage portion.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine and a copier, and also relates to a developer storage body and an image forming unit used in the image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having a photosensitive body (i.e., an image bearing body) on which a latent image is formed. The image forming unit further has a developer storage body in which a developer (i.e., a toner) for developing the latent image is stored.
Japanese Laid-open publication No. 2002-072657 discloses a developer storage body having a swing member for scraping a developer from an inner wall of the developer storage body. An upper end of the swing member is fixed to an upper region of the inner wall of the developer storage body. A lower end of the swing member is contactable with an agitation member rotatably provided in the developer storage body. As the agitation member rotates, the swing member vibrates, which helps scrape the developer from the inner wall of the developer storage body.
However, it is still difficult to sufficiently scrape the developer from the inner wall of the developer storage body.

Developer storage body, developing device and image forming apparatus having swing member


‘K606’ is a new Pongamia tree distinguished by having a deep-green, dense crown, high-angle branches, typically unbranched inflorescences, short mature rachises, consistent and abundant production of seed pods, and high oil content of the seeds.

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pongamia tree (Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre) named 'K606'. 'K606' was discovered by the inventors growing in an urban cultivated area in southeastern Queensland, Australia, wherein it and neighboring trees are grown for shade and other landscape amenities. The parentage of this tree is unknown, as is typical for trees cultivated in landscape plantings of this type.
'K606' has been reproduced asexually through vegetative cuttings.
'K606' has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.


A cyberthreat detection system queries a content database for unstructured content that contains a set of keywords, clusters the unstructured content into clusters based on topics, and determines a cybersecurity cluster utilizing a list of vetted cybersecurity phrases. The set of keywords represents a target of interest such as a newly discovered cyberthreat, an entity, a brand, or a combination thereof. The cybersecurity cluster thus determined is composed of unstructured content that has the set of keywords as well as some percentage of the vetted cybersecurity phrases. If the size of the cybersecurity cluster, as compared to the amount of unstructured content queried from the content database, meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the query is saved as a new classifier rule that can then be used by a cybersecurity classifier to automatically, dynamically and timely identify the target of interest in unclassified unstructured content.

Organizations may be exposed to various potential cyberthreats to the security of their assets and/or the safety of their personnel, including discussions of vulnerabilities, communications relating to attacks, or breach reports associated with the organization. Organizations may therefore employ a variety of technologies to monitor the digital universe and identify potential cyberthreats.
However, it is difficult, if not impossible for threat detection and notification systems to stay abreast of new cyberthreats in real-time. One technical challenge is posed by the vast amount of information that continuous to grow exponentially and around the clock in the digital universe. Another technical challenge is the evolving nature of cyberthreats, both in speed and type. Yet another technical challenge is programming, configuring, and/or updating current threat detection and notification systems typically require substantial user involvement. As such, existing threat detection and notification systems often are not able to provide organizations with sufficiently accurate and timely notice to allow the organizations to adequately protect themselves from cyberthreats.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a new technical solution that can process massive amount of information to accurately and timely identify cyberthreats without requiring substantial user involvement. Embodiments of an invention disclosed herein can address this need and more.

System and method for identifying cyberthreats from unstructured social media content


Methods of injecting tissue into a recipient site on a patient may include obtaining at least one tissue, vibrating the at least one tissue and simultaneously injecting the at least one tissue into the recipient site on the patient.

Cannulas are surgical instruments, generally formed as tubes, used for delivery or removal of fluid and the like from a body. In cosmetic surgery, a cannula can be used to harvest fat or other tissue, and/or to inject fat or other tissue.
There remains a need for improved injection cannulas.


A set of multidimensional capabilities allows service-related data to be exchanged among and operate with different hardware platforms and software programs. A trigger based on the call request is received at a switching platform. The trigger activates a service-specific object driver. The object driver is built by interacting with service objects. Once the object driver is built, the service objects are executed with call processing information based on the newly built object driver. During the entire process, network management functions are executed in a fault-tolerant fashion to ensure reliability.

Current advanced telecommunication services are composed of huge program instructions that are disjointedly distributed across various telecommunication platforms. The ever increasing end-user demand for intelligent services has forced the telecommunication providers to rapidly offer intelligent services that have resulted in complex, costly, and inflexible software architectures. These current software architectures are driven by individual service needs and quite often a number of capabilities are duplicated across multiple services. Furthermore, these current complex software architectures can introduce a subtle, unwarranted interaction between different services. Elaborate testing must be undertaken to ensure that a new service does not adversely affect existing services.
Consequently, these service program instructions suffer several shortcomings. They are difficult to maintain while a call is active, difficult to port onto a new platform and costly to develop. Offering customers bundled services is very difficult due to the lack of correlation of capabilities across various platforms. Furthermore, also due to the lack of correlation, as several services are to be activated for a given call, the service program instruction sets can only be performed consecutively, rather than simultaneously. Thus, they consume an enormous amount of the real-time and memory resources of the actual network elements, i.e., switches, databases, etc. Consequently, these telecommunication services are very complex and inflexible, and customers are forced to buy stand alone service offerings.

Method and system for implementing intelligent telecommunication services utilizing self-sustaining, fault-tolerant object oriented architecture


The present invention relates to a method of producing catalytic materials which comprises passing an aerosol comprising a mixture of metal powder and support through a plasma torch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing catalytic materials and to catalytic materials produced by this method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among the most enduring paradigms of catalysis are the methods of supported metal catalyst production. For decades most of these materials have been made via variations on the time consuming and `dirty` incipient wetness technique. High surface area materials are saturated with solvent (generally water) containing dissolved metal salts. The solvent is then evaporated and the salt decomposed by heating. In general the catalyst is then reduced. A relatively small number of supported metal catalysts are made by other classic techniques, in particular precipitation and ion exchange. Occasionally alternative approaches are explored. For example, following the lead of Parkyns (1) and others (2), a great deal of effort has gone into generating metal particles by partially/fully decomposing organometallic clusters. The approach has proven to be expensive and largely futile. The particles produced in that manner are generally found to be structurally and catalytically similar to those produced using the far less expensive incipient wetness method (3).
In the last two decades materials processing using plasmas has dramatically increased. A variety of plasma processing techniques are now employed in the production of virtually all integrated circuits. Plasmas are also used to improve `materials` processing technology, for example, in the production of diamond films (4,5), as an alternative to flame techniques for the production of high quality titanium dioxide, and even to create polymer films with unique characteristics (6,7). Finally, plasma techniques have been employed with modest success to create truly novel materials, such as carbo-nitride films (8,9).
Yet, there is only a single prior example of the use of plasmas to create novel `supported` catalytic materials (10) and this example is clearly not a `model` process for general supported catalyst production. There are also a few examples of catalytic processes accelerated by plasmas (11), presumably via the (homogeneous) generation of radical species (12), as well as examples of plasmas `activating` catalysts by removal of poisons or accelerating reduction (13-15). There are also examples of the use of plasmas to create thin support films (model catalysts) which are later metal impregnated using conventional `wet` chemistry (16), and `opposite examples` that is, systems in which plasmas spray metals onto conventionally prepared oxide films (17).
Only the single use of a plasma to create supported metal catalysts is of direct bearing on the present invention. The method employed in earlier work was significantly different from that proposed herein. Specifically, in the earlier work, catalysts were created by D-C discharge across a flowing stream of hydrocarbons. The discharge `carbonized` some of the hydrocarbons and resulted in volatilization of metal (nickel) from the electrodes.
Particle production/treatment techniques in atmospheric plasmas can be broken into three categories: i) particle `treatments` which do not involve a change in the particle chemistry, ii) particle production in which the final particles do not incorporate any of the gases used to `fire` the plasma and iii) particle production in which the plasma gas phase is incorporated in the final structure. Film formation using plasmas operating at `low` pressures (<100 Torr) are not relevant to the present invention. The focus of this invention is particle rather than film fabrication.
Reports on particle `treatments` (category (i) above) are the most common. Most reports involve the use of commercial plasma torches, both DC arc and radio frequency, running on flowing inert gases (generally argon) to which metal particles are fed. The metal particles are often used to create high density films to coat other materials, often as some type of protective barrier. Some commercial processes in this category are thirty years old (18). Generally there is no attempt in this technology to modify the structure of the particles. The driving concept is simply to use the high energy density of plasmas to `melt` the particles such that the metal can adopt the form of the target surface upon impact/quenching (19,20). There have been instances in which the technology has been employed to create structures somewhat different from the original feed. For example, it was recently demonstrated that if two torches, each with a different material, are run to spray the same surface simultaneously, the result is a form of `laminated` film (7,21). In fact, there are several examples of the use of particle fed torches to create films with an intimate `atomic scale` mixing of the two materials (19,22,23).
The most relevant work is metal evaporation in plasmas. Repeatedly it has been found that metal particles are completely atomized in atmospheric pressure torches. One group injected pure iron and aluminum powders in the micron size range into a high power (32 kW) thermal arc plasma at the rate of about 5 gms/min. In the plasma it was presumed that the original particles completely evaporated and new particles on the order of 100 nm in size nucleated and grew in the afterglow (24). Other groups have also recently shown that micron sized iron particles are atomized during passage through a torch (25). The particles which are captured and examined are presumed to form by nucleation and growth of atomic species in the afterglow region.
There are a variety of methods that have been employed to make category II particles (26). One method is to sputter a target metal with a flowing, but chemically inert plasma (e.g. Argon). The particles are then collected downstream using filters, etc. Another method is to make solid, well mixed, beds consisting of two materials. These mixtures are converted to alloys, in particulate form, in gas (no flow) thermal plasma systems. In particular there have been a number of reports on the generation of carbides in this manner (27). Yet another example of the use of plasmas to make particles involves injecting molecular species into a plasma. In the hot zone of the plasma the original molecule is destroyed, and particles probably form in the afterglow during cooling. In our own laboratory, we created iron nanoparticles by injecting an aerosol stream containing liquefied ferrocene into a low pressure microwave generated (argon or hydrogen) plasma (28).
The greatest number of reports in which particles are created by some complex chemistry in the plasma zone (category III) involve the creation of carbides and nitrides. Research in this area is driven by the perception that carbide or nitride production using plasma technology has solid commercial potential.
In our own laboratory (unpublished), we have succeeded in creating aluminum nitride particles by injecting 1 micron aluminum particles through the center of a nitrogen plasma generated using our torch. Other groups did similar work at a much earlier date. Indeed, Vissokov and Brakalov did nearly identical work (29). They postulated that the original aluminum particles were completely atomized, and that AlN particles formed during rapid nucleation and growth in the rapid cooling region of the afterglow. This analysis is consistent with the findings (both theirs and ours) that the final AlN particles are orders of magnitude smaller, on a volume basis, than the input aluminum particles. Other workers made AlN from aluminum particles and ammonia (30,31).
There are numerous examples of methods to create carbides (15,27,32,33) and plasma methods are said to be both significantly faster and more energy efficient than alternative fabrication techniques. One of the more relevant methods involves the injection of particles into a plasma torch operating at atmospheric pressure which contains hydrocarbon molecules. According to the inventors of this technology (34) the metal particles (e.g., Ti, Mg, Si) completely atomize in the hot plasma region and then in the cooling afterglow, nucleate new particles which incorporate carbon atoms created during the decomposition of the hydrocarbon molecules.
In view of the above review of prior art, there is no evidence in prior literature of the use of plasma torches to create traditional supported metal catalysts, although there is a considerable history of the use of plasma torches to atomize metal particles.
Further, there is considerable interest in the use of plasma treatments to sinter micron scale oxide particles together to form high density solids. The impetus for this interest was the finding by Bennett and co-workers (35) that in plasmas, alumina compacts more rapidly and at significantly lower temperatures than it compacts when treated thermally. Since that time several groups have confirmed that plasma processing accelerates the sintering of alumina and other oxides (36-38).

Plasma generation of supported metal catalysts


A system and method of decomposing a single photoresist mask pattern to three photoresist mask patterns. The system and method assign nodes to polygon features on the single photoresist mask pattern, designate nodes as being adjacent nodes for those nodes that are less than a predetermined distance apart, iteratively remove nodes having 2 or less adjacent nodes until no nodes having 2 or less adjacent nodes remain, identify one or more internal nodes, map photoresist mask pattern designations (colors) to the internal nodes, and replace and map a color to each of the nodes removed by the temporarily removing nodes, such that each node does not have an adjacent node of the same color.

Integrated circuit (IC) process limitations associated with decreasing minimum feature size tend to favor multiple photoresist mask patterns to achieve a specified minimum feature size with available optical photoresist mask patterning equipment. For example, double patterning, using two mask layers, and triple patterning, using three mask layers, have been used to fabricate semiconductor devices. However, decomposition of a single photoresist mask pattern into three separate mask patterns is currently a labor-intensive, trial and error process. Furthermore, whether or not a photoresist mask pattern will ultimately be capable of being decomposed into three photoresist mask patterns with present methodologies is often not known before significant decomposition efforts have already been employed, resulting in wasted effort.

System and method for decomposition of a single photoresist mask pattern into 3 photoresist mask patterns

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


A carrying apparatus for supporting a ski binding toe piece and heel piece on a ski, the carrying apparatus having a length-adjustable coupling member arranged between a front support member and a rear support member. The carrying apparatus is easily mountable to the ski and is adaptable to accommodate numerous ski boot sizes.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,923 and corresponding German Utility Model No. 9,017,486 disclose a carrying apparatus for a ski binding that influences the bending characteristics of a ski. The front and rear retaining parts of the ski binding (i.e., the toe piece and the heel piece) are supported by the carrying apparatus. The carrying apparatus includes a front support member and a rear support member. An adjustable stop member is attached to the front support member. A longitudinally-extending slide member is attached at one end to the rear support member. The front end of the slide member is movable and is operatively engageable with the adjustable stop member. In this respect, the stop member is adjustable to select the size of the spacing between the stop member and the front end of the slide member. Accordingly, the size of the spacing can be selected such that the front end of the slide member is engageable with the stop member only when the front and rear ends of the ski are bent upwards to a great extent, relative to the center of the ski. Alternatively, the size of the spacing can be selected such that the front end of the slide member is engageable with the stop member when the front and rear ends of the ski are bent upward, only a small amount, relative to the center of the ski.
The front and rear retaining parts of the ski binding must be arranged at various distances from one another in order to accommodate different ski boot sizes. Since the front and rear retaining parts are respectively arranged above the front and rear support members of the carrying apparatus, the front and rear support members must also be arranged at various distances from one another. However, it is necessary to maintain the distance between the front end of the slide member, which is attached at one end to the rear support member, and the stop member, which is attached to the front support member. Accordingly, it is necessary to adjust the length of the slide member to maintain the distance between the front end of the slide member and the stop member. With prior art carrying apparatuses, it has not been possible to adjust the length of the slide member after the front and rear support members are mounted to the ski.
The procedure for mounting prior art carrying apparatuses to a ski is complicated. First, fastening holes for the front support member of the carrying apparatus are drilled on the ski by means of an installation and drilling tool. The front support member is then secured to the ski using fasteners. The front retaining part is then secured to the slide member, which in turn is attached by a screw to the rear support member. Thereafter, the front end of the slide member is slidably engaged with the front support member. The length of the slide member attached to the rear support member is then adjusted to accommodate the respective ski boot size. In this respect, the stop member is moved to an extreme position (i.e., the furthest rearward extending position) and the screw attaching the slide member to the rear support member is loosened to permit length of the slide member to be adjusted such that the front end of the slide member is brought to bear on the stop member. Fastening holes for the rear support member are then drilled on the ski, using the fastener-receiving holes on the rear support member (or on parts connected thereto and intended for receiving fastening screws) as a second hole gauge. Thereafter, the screw attaching the slide member to the rear support member is tightened. The rear retaining means is then secured to the rear support member.
The prior art carrying apparatus requires the use of two installation and drilling tools for mounting the carrying apparatus to a ski. Also, it was necessary to drill through the rear support member very carefully in order to make a precise position of the front and slide member relative to the stop member. Moreover, the length of the slide member must be adjusted before the rear support member is fastened to the ski. Furthermore, the screw attaching the slide member to the rear support member may loosen during skiing, thus impairing the binding performance. In this respect, the distance between the stop member and the front end of the slide member could inadvertently change.
The present invention overcomes these and other drawbacks of prior art devices.

Carrying apparatus for the retaining parts of a ski binding


A method for accessing a file system and for subsequently presenting to a user a list of files in store, where files in the list are identified by names derived from the contents of the files. the method is suitable for use in a reprographic apparatus, for access to a file system on a removable storage device and for displaying on the operator screen of the apparatus, the list of files on the storage device, the files being available for selection for printing by the operator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for accessing a file system, in a computer system having a storage, the storage provided with a file system, the file system storing for each file a first file name, metadata and file contents. In particular, the present invention relates to exchanging files between computer systems or between a computer system and a reprographic apparatus.
2. Description of Background Art
A file system implements on a bare storage medium an environment where files can be stored and operations on files can be carried out. The file system organizes all files and directories on a storage device. A variety of file systems are known. A well-known file system is the FAT (File Allocation Table) file system.
A disadvantage of this file system is limitations posed on the length of the file name and the length of the extension and on the character set that is supported.
An operating system of a computer system has the task to carry out operations on the file system. Not all operating systems provide support for all file systems.
When one exchanges files between computer systems by means of a portable storage device, provided with a particular file system, both the source operating system and the destination operating system must be able to handle the file system.
For compatibility reasons, often the FAT file system is implemented on a portable storage device. However this poses limitations on i.e. the file name as indicated above.
If a portable storage device is used to print files on a printer, a list of files available on the storage device, when mounted on the printer, will be displayed on the operator screen for selection by the user for printing. This is shown in FIG. 1. In this case, if a user attaches the removable storage (101) to a copier/printer/scanner multifunctional device, also referred to as an MFD, this MFD will display on its operator panel (102) identifiers of all files that it is capable to print on the user interface display. In order to do so, the MFD will read the names from the file properties (104) and examine the contents (105) of the files stored in the attached file system (106) of the removable storage. Again, the names are subject to changes because of the capabilities of the used file system on the MFD. This problem is very observable when an FAT file system is used, which limits the number of characters to the 8.3 format (8 characters for the name, followed by a dot and three characters for the extension, indicating the type of the file) and allows only the character-set as defined in ASCII.
At the moment, if the user wishes to select files in a possibly large list of other files on the display of the MFD, the user must be able to distinguish the presented file-identifiers from a possibly large list. Presenting only the filename, or what is left of it, may not be the best possible method for this purpose.

Method and system for accessing a file system


Methods for generating Gray count for an odd length sequence using a virtual space. More than one set of Gray codes can be generated for a given odd multiple virtual domains that assists in achieving more robust systems which are fault tolerant. Broadly contemplated herein is the use of a simple and elegant algorithm which is less complex and uses only an N-bit sequence.

Gray code sequences, as commonly known and employed in the computer arts, have the advantage of involving solely a 1-bit difference between any two consecutive numbers in a sequence. (General background information on Gray codes can be found in a very wide variety of sources, including http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray code.) This stands in stark contrast to a standard binary sequence, where more than one bit may differ between consecutive numbers. As a result, binary sequences can cause problems in circuits that are noise sensitive or that involve multiple clock domain frequencies. Because Gray codes only involve a 1-bit difference at a time in a sequence count, performance can be greatly improved in the scenarios just mentioned.
However, Gray codes conventionally have borne the requirement that the length of a sequence needs to be a power of 2 if the sequence is to be employed cyclically. This is essentially intuitive, but can be illustrated by a simple example of a count of six (as also can be appreciated from Table 1 herebelow): 0000, 0001, 0011, 0010, 0110, 0111. In other words, for a sequence length that is not a power of 2, a Gray code cannot be used cyclically without actually compromising the aforementioned distinguishing characteristic of Gray codes, wherein only a 1-bit difference is encountered at a time. Thus, needs have long been recognized in connection with providing arrangements for generating cyclic Gray code that is able to count lengths that are not a power of 2.
In response to such needs, methods have been developed for generating Gray codes for sequences that have lengths that are not a power of two, but these have been severely restricted to solely those sequences with lengths that are of an even-numbered value (or, a multiple of two). Accordingly, conventional methods have failed to address those sequences with lengths of an odd-numbered value.
To illustrate this problem in more detail, there certainly exist applications, such as asynchronous FIFO (first-in-first-out) address generation or the transfer of cyclic data across asynchronous clock domains, that demand the use of a Gray code for odd lengths. More particularly, for asynchronous FIFOs, the address field is usually Gray-coded. Thus, as an example, there may be a need to hold a 128-bit data of 11 entries. Many conventional Gray code methods only permit FIFO depths to be a power-of-2, so in those cases the closest permitted value to 11 would be 16. Other known methods permit the usage of an even number of entries, so the closest attainable value in that case would be 12.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, a highly compelling need has been recognized in connection with providing methods and arrangements for counting (or generating addresses over) an odd numbered sequence in Gray code.

Generating a gray code for an odd length sequence using a virtual space

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for producing optically active alcohols is provided. Optically active alcohols are useful intermediates in pharmaceutical production. The method of the present invention enables simple and efficient production of optically active alcohols with a high optical purity. According to the production method disclosed, optically active alcohols are produced via asymmetric reduction of 3-quinuclidinone using tropinone reductase-I. For example, the use of tropinone reductase-I derived from plants like Datura stramonium and Hyoscyamus niger allows the production of high optical purity (R)-3-quinuclidinol.

Optically active alcohols are useful as an asymmetric source for synthesizing various optically active compounds. Typically, optically active alcohols are produced through optical resolution of racemates or asymmetric synthesis. In particular, the technology for optically active alcohol production through asymmetric synthesis is recognized to be essential to produce optically active alcohols on a large scale.
(R)-3-quinuclidinol is an industrially useful optically active alcohol. Optically active (R)-3-quinuclidinol has been used as an important intermediate to produce a variety of physiologically active or pharmacological active agents, for example, in therapeutic agents for arteriosclerosis, which have the activity of inhibiting squalene synthase, bronchodilators having antagonistic action to the muscarinic receptor, agents suppressing gastrointestinal motility, etc. (Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. (JP-A) Hei 8-134067; EP-404737A2; EP-424021A1; WO92/04346; and WO93/06098).
So far known methods for producing optically active 3-quinuclidinol include, a method where the compound is produced through optical resolution of the acetylated form of 3-quinuclidinol racemate with tartaric acid, followed by hydrolysis (Acta Pharm. Suec. 16(4), 281-3 (1979)).
Another known production method using a microorganism or enzyme comprises selective asymmetric hydrolysis of (S)-3-quinuclidinol ester by allowing one of the microorganisms or enzymes described below to react to the racemate of 3-quinuclidinol ester that is a raw material, and the subsequent hydrolysis of residual (R)-3-quinuclidinol ester.
Subtilisin protease (U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,918);
Esterases derived from the genus Aspergillus or the genus Pseudomonas (JP-A Hei 10-210997); and
Cells of microorganisms belonging to the genus Aspergillus, the genus Rhizopus, the genus Candida, and the genus Pseudomonas (JP-A Hei 10-136995), and enzymes derived therefrom.
In addition, an alternative production method has been reported, which comprises selective asymmetric hydrolysis of (R)-3-quinuclidinol ester by contacting horse serum esterase with the racemate of 3-quinuclidinol ester that is a raw material (Life Sci. 21(9), 1593-302 (1977)). Further, there is another known method where, using the racemate of 3-quinuclidinol as a raw material, the R form is obtained by converting, with subtilisin protease, only the S form to (S)-3-quinuclidinyl butyrate (German Patent No. 19715465).
However, the product obtained by these production methods has only low optical purity. In addition, these production methods have complicated synthesis steps. Thus, any of the methods described above cannot be said as the methods for simply and economically producing (R)-3-quinuclidinol.
Additional known methods for producing optically active 3-quinuclidinol from 3-quinuclidinone, comprises asymmetric reduction using microorganisms or enzymes (JP-A Hei 10-243795; JP-A Hei 11-196890; JP-A 2000-245495; Abstract (2001) The Japan Agricultural Chemical Society, pp. 371 3Y7a9). In this reaction, the optically active compound is produced directly by incubating a substrate compound with a wild-type microorganism. The reaction consists of a single reaction step, thus the method has greatly been simplified. However, there still remain some problems; the optical purity of the product is low and the concentration of the product obtained is also low.

Methods for producing optically active alcohols


To provide a film having high tensile strength and elongation characteristics. A methacrylic film formed of (A) a carboxyl group-containing (meth)acrylic polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0° C. or higher and a weight-average molecular weight of 10,000 or more obtained by copolymerizing a composition containing a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer as a main component and an unsaturated monomer having a carboxyl group, and (B) an amino group-containing (meth)acrylic polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0° C. or lower and a weight-average molecular weight of 10,000 or more obtained by copolymerizing a composition containing a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer as a main component and an unsaturated monomer having an amino group, wherein a mixing ratio of the component (A) to the component (B) is from 10:90 to 90:10 in terms of a weight ratio.

The present invention relates to a (meth)acrylic film having excellent elongation characteristics, in addition to high tensile strength. The film of the present invention can be used as a base material of an adhesive tape in interior and exterior materials for buildings, facing materials for fittings, and interior and exterior materials for vehicles because it has the above-mentioned characteristics. It is also useful as a substitute of a polyvinyl chloride resin which evolves a harmful gas during incineration because it is free from halogen.
As described above, a vinyl chloride resin having good balance between the tensile strength and elongation characteristics has hitherto been used as the facing film. However, there has recently been pointed out such a problem that deadly poison such as dioxin and a harmful gas such as hydrogen sometimes evolve during incineration. Thus it has been studied to replace by a resin free from chlorine.
An acrylic resin is employed to solve such a problem and, for example, a decorative sheet comprising a base film made of an acrylic resin and a protective layer made of an acrylic resin laminated on the surface of the base film and decorative sheet comprising a base film made of an olefinic resin and a protective layer made of an acrylic resin laminated on the surface of the base film are disclosed. See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-48014 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-157018.
In case the acrylic resin is formed into a film, the resulting film is scarcely fit for use as a decorative sheet because it is rigid and brittle. To improve brittleness of the acrylic resin and to impart flexibility to the acrylic resin, a rubber component such as acrylic rubber particles is generally mixed and various techniques are proposed.
For example, there is disclosed an acrylic resin composition comprising (A) 20 to 98 parts by weight of a rigid thermoplastic acrylic resin obtained by polymerizing a monomer composed mainly of methyl methacrylate and (B) 2 to 80 parts by weight of polymer particles having a multi-layered structure, which is excellent in impact resistance (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 60-17406 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 60-30698). The polymer particles having a multi-layered structure has a three-layered structure comprising:
(I) a first layer formed of a rigid polymer obtained by emulsion polymerization of a monomer composed mainly of methyl methacrylate having Tg of 25° C. or higher,
(II) a second layer formed by polymerizing a monomer mixture comprising 45 to 99.99% by weight of an alkyl acrylate having C1-8 alkyl group, which has Tg of 25° C. or lower, 0.1 to 10% by weight of a polyfunctional grafting agent such as allyl (meth)acrylate, 5% by weight or less of a polyfunctional crosslinking agent such as dimethacrylate and 40% by weight or less of the other copolymerizable monomer, and
(III) a third layer formed by polymerizing a monomer composed mainly of methyl methacrylate having Tg of 25° C. or higher in the presence of the second layer, the polymer particles having a particle diameter of 200 to 900 Å, wherein the first layer accounts for 5 to 30% by weight of the multi-layer structure, the second layer accounts for 40 to 85% by weight of the multi-layer structure, and the third layer accounts for 10 to 30% by weight of the multi-layer structure.
However, these acrylic resins could not reconcile high tensile strength and elongation characteristics.
A resin obtained by adding an acrylic polymer having an amino group to an acrylic polymer having a carboxyl group (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-310754). This reference discloses an adhesive composition obtained by adding (2) 1 to 40% by weight of a resin composition having Tg of 40° C. or higher and a weight-average molecular weight of 100,000 or less obtained by copolymerizing one or more kinds of monomers selected from alkyl methacrylate having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl methacrylate, benzyl methacrylate and styrene as a main component with 0.5 to 10% by weight of an amino group-containing monomer to (1) 100 parts by weight of a resin composition having a weight-average molecular weight of 80,000 or more obtained by copolymerizing an alkyl (meth)acrylate having 1 to 12 carbon atoms as a main component with 0.5 to 10% by weight of a carboxyl group-containing monomer. However, this composition is an adhesive and is insufficient in tensile strength when used as a film.

(Meth)acrylic film, and making film and receptor sheet using the same


An integrated lid and measuring apparatus that is configured to be releasably secured to an opening of a container wherein the present invention provides a technique of transferring liquid from the container and provide measuring thereof. The integrated lid and measuring apparatus includes a lid portion and a measuring portion that are integrally formed utilizing a suitable technique. The measuring portion is superposed the lid portion. The lid portion is configured to secure to an opening of a container in two alternate manners. The lid portion includes an inner sealing member that has a siphon member sealably connected therewith that extends into the interior volume of the container. The measuring portion has a body having six walls wherein each wall has a view window formed therein. Adjacent each view window is measuring indicia wherein the present invention has different measuring indicia adjacent each view window.

There are numerous types of fluids that are provided in containers such as but not limited to one gallon containers wherein only a small portion of the fluid is utilized at a time. By way of example but not limitation, two stroke engine oil which is utilized to blend into fuel for a two-stroke combustible motor is typically blended into a volume of gasoline wherein a user may only need a few ounces at a time. When consuming only a small amount of the fluid from a container, it is common for a user to need to measure how much fluid is removed from the container in order to ensure a correct ratio when blending with another fluid such as gasoline.
Various implements are utilized to measure a portion of a liquid from a larger container and these implements can include a smaller calibrated container or implements such as measuring cups. Utilizing the aforementioned devices can present challenges in regards to accuracy as well as these conventional devices may not be readily available or convenient to use. Additionally, transfer of the fluid to conventional measuring implements can sometimes result in spillage or loss of the fluid.
Accordingly, there is a need for a container lid having an integrated measuring apparatus wherein the present invention provides a technique to remove a portion of fluid from a storage container and provide precise measuring thereof.

Integrated container lid and measuring apparatus


A vibration motor includes a stationary portion including a casing, a substrate disposed above a bottom portion of the casing, and a coil disposed above the substrate and wound with a conductive wire in a circumferential direction, a vibrating body that includes a magnet and weight and that is supported so as to be capable of vibrating up and down with respect to the stationary portion, and an elastic member disposed between bottom and lower end portions of the vibrating body, in which a lead-out portion led out from the coil is connected to the substrate at a connection portion, a lower end portion of the weight includes at least one protrusion protruding downward, and the protrusion, as viewed in an axial direction, is disposed at a radial position on a radial-direction outer side of the lead-out portion and the connection portion and in a region overlapping the elastic member.

To date, various devices such as smartphones have been provided with a vibration motor. Among vibration motors, there is a type that vibrates in the horizontal direction and a type that vibrates in the vertical direction. A human being, which is a user, is more likely to sense vibration in the vertical direction than vibration in the horizontal direction. An example of an existing vertically vibrating linear vibration motor is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-85438.
The vibration motor of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-85438 includes a fixing portion, a magnetic field portion, a substrate, a vibration portion, and an elastic member. The fixing portion has a case with a lower portion opened and a bracket for sealing an internal space of the case. The magnetic field portion has a magnet fixed on the bracket and a yoke plate fixed on the magnet. The vibration portion has a coil and a mass body. The substrate is fixed to a lower surface of the coil. The elastic member is disposed between the case and the vibration portion. The coil has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the opposing magnet, and a portion of the magnet can be inserted into the space formed by the coil.
When the coil is energized via the substrate, the vibration portion vibrates in the vertical direction due to the interaction between the magnetic field generated in the coil and the magnetic field formed by the magnet.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-85438, a conductive wire led out from the coil is connected to the substrate, but since the substrate and the elastic member are disposed at positions sandwiching the mass body in the vertical direction, there is almost no possibility that the conductive wire comes into contact with the elastic member even when the mass body moves greatly at the time of a drop impact when the vibration motor is accidentally dropped.
However, depending on the design of the vertical linear vibration type motor, there is still a possibility of the conductive wire coming into contact with the elastic member at the time of a drop impact and the conductive wire being affected.


According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a casing at least a part of which is made of metal, an in-casing member which is housed in the casing and becomes warm when the electronic device is in operation, and a boss member formed separately from the casing and made of resin. The boss member is attached to the metal part of the casing and is interposed between the casing and the in-casing member.

1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an electronic device including a casing made of metal, for example, including a structure of a boss provided in the casing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a trend of thinning a casing of an electronic device such as a portable computer steadily continues. Many casings of electronic devices are made of resin. If the casing is to be further thinned in the future, it will be impossible to secure a desired rigidity for this casing. Therefore, attention has been paid to attempting to fabricate a casing of metal, such as an Mg alloy.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-347755 discloses a casing structure of a portable telephone featured in that the casing is made of an Mg alloy, which therefore enhances the electromagnetic wave-shielding function. The casing structure includes a printed wiring board housed in the casing, and a grounding spring connected at one end thereof to a grounding pattern of the printed wiring board and at the other end to the Mg alloy casing. The casing contains a pair of bosses that are placed on both sides of the printed wiring board. Those bosses are fastened to the printed wiring board by screws.
Various circuit components, such as a CPU and a north bridge, are mounted on the printed wiring board to be housed in the casing. Those circuit components generate heat when the device is in operation, which therefore heats the printed wiring board. In the casing structure, the bosses provided on the metallic casing are in contact with the printed wiring board. With such a structure, heat is transferred from the printed wiring board through the bosses to the casing, so the temperature of the casing will possibly rise. If the casing becomes too hot, a user cannot comfortably use the electronic device.