A collapsible measuring and cutting craft table enables cutting, measuring, and stowing fabric and craft materials from a foldable, height-adjustable, and mobile work surface. The craft table comprises a large, flat work surface having a center panel and two hingedly attached drop leaf panels that fold down for storage. Center support members support the center panel in a horizontal position at the desired working height. Two center support members supports the center panel of the work surface. The outer support members pivot outwardly to a support position to support the drop leaf panels. The outer support members pivot inwardly to a collapsed position to fold the drop leaf panels down perpendicularly relative to the center panel. The center support members telescopically adjust in length to height adjust the work surface. The support members terminates at wheels for mobility. Meshed baskets slide along rails that run between the center support members.

Nowadays, measuring and cutting craft tables are commonly used in the current market. The conventional craft tables usually has a large area of working surfaces and a plurality of supporting members to support the working surface. The user can use the craft table to perform crafting, cutting, measuring, or various kinds of technical works. In addition, the conventional craft table has a non-foldable structure, and the volume of the craft table is usually very huge. Therefore, there may exist a desire to develop a compact size and a foldable craft table to satisfy the customer's requirements.
All referenced patents, applications, and literature are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. The disclosed embodiments may seek to satisfy one or more of the above-mentioned desires. Although the present embodiments may obviate one or more of the above-mentioned desires, it should be understood that some aspects of the embodiments might not necessarily obviate them.

Collapsible measuring and cutting craft table


Method and apparatus for optimizing analyte sensor calibration including receiving a current blood glucose measurement, retrieving a time information for an upcoming scheduled calibration event for calibrating an analyte sensor, determining temporal proximity between the current blood glucose measurement and the retrieved time information for the upcoming calibration event, initiating a calibration routine to calibrate the analyte sensor when the determined temporal proximity is within a predetermined time period, and overriding the upcoming scheduled calibration event using the current blood glucose measurement are provided.

There are significant therapeutic advantages for continuously monitoring analyte levels such as glucose levels of diabetic patients. Commercially available continuous glucose monitoring systems use analyte sensors that detect the glucose levels of the patients for a predetermined time period. During this time period, the analyte sensor is generally required to be periodically calibrated with a blood glucose measurement using, for example, an in vitro blood glucose meter.
Calibration of an analyte sensor typically follows a calibration schedule over the life of the analyte sensor, and are intended to maintain the accuracy of the analyte sensor during its useful life. Each calibration routine requires analysis of data from the analyte sensor in conjunction with a reference value, such as from a finger prick test using a lancing device in conjunction with a conventional blood glucose meter. While other areas of the body may be used to perform the blood glucose measurement, such measurement typically requires drawing a blood sample from the patient and applying the blood sample to a blood glucose test strip. This is often a painful experience, which must be performed periodically based on the calibration schedule of the analyte sensor.


Shielding associated with an ion source, such as an anode layer source, reduces the amount and/or concentration of sputtered contaminants impinging and remaining on the surface of a target substrate. While passing the ion beam through to the target substrate, shielding can reduce the total amount of sputtered contaminants impinging the substrate before, during, and/or after passage of the substrate through the envelope of the etching beam. Particularly, a shield configuration that blocks the contaminants from impinging the substrate after the substrate passes through the etching beam (i.e., outside of the envelope of the etching beam) yields a higher quality substrate with reduced substrate contamination.

Generally, an ion source is a device that ionizes gas molecules and focuses, accelerates, and emits the ionized gas molecules and/or atoms in a beam for a variety of technical and industrial applications. For example, ion sources may be used as thrusters on space craft. Ion sources are also used in semiconductor material and device processing, optical filter processing, and metrology, among other applications. Common uses of ion sources include without limitation cleaning, assisting deposition (by chemically or physically activating), polishing, etching and/or depositing of thin-film coatings. Typically, a substrate is passed through an ion beam (e.g., an etching beam) for such processing.
An anode layer source (ALS) typically refers to a Hall-current type ion source having a grounded cathode and a DC-biased anode. The working gas is fed into an ionization region in the vicinity of the anode and the cathode, where the combination of electric and magnetic fields in this region ionizes the molecules of the working gas and accelerates each ion away from the ionization region toward a target. The ionization region generally forms a closed-loop (e.g., a race track shape) in the face of the ion source. The shape of this closed-loop "race track" may be round, oval, linear with rounded ends, or many other closed shapes.
One benefit to an ALS is that an ALS does not require a hot cathode electron source (e.g., filament cathode, hollow cathode, or RF neutralizer) with a separate power supply to sustain the plasma. ALS cathodes are passive, cold cathodes, typically made of steel. The cathodes also function as pole pieces for the ALS magnetic circuit. The cold cathodes do not actively emit electrons, but ions bombarding the cathodes release secondary electrons that help to sustain the discharge.
One problem with an ALS, however, is that the ions striking the cathodes can also sputter material from the cathodes. The sputtered cathode material may enter the process as a contaminant. Such cathodes are typically steel or magnetic stainless steel, so the primary contaminant is iron, although other contaminants may also exist. The sputtered material tends to emit across a wide range of angles. As a result, the sputtered material tends to impinge the substrate surface outside the envelope of the etching beam as well as inside the envelope of the etching beam. Depending on the type of ion source, the operating regime, and the application, there may be other ion source electrodes or adjacent components that also sputter in a similar matter and contribute to substrate contamination.
Most contaminants impinging the substrate surface prior to and during the passing of the substrate through the etching beam are etched away by the beam. However, the contaminants that impinge the surface of the substrate after the substrate has passed through the etching beam remain as contaminants. In other words, a substrate tends to acquire a new layer of contaminants after exiting the envelope of the ion beam. Therefore, for example, etching a substrate using an ALS may yield an etched substrate having an unacceptable concentration of iron contaminants sputtered from the ALS itself.

Sputtered contamination shielding for an ion source


A differential signal transmitting apparatus for transmitting a differential signal through two transmission lines. The apparatus includes: transmitting-side board connecting terminals that are provided for each of the transmission lines, and are able to connect a transmitting circuit for transmitting a differential signal; receiving circuit connecting terminals that are provided at a far end of a daisy-chain connection extending from the transmitting-side board connecting terminals provided for each of the transmission lines, and connect the receiving circuit for receiving the differential signal; and an undefined-logic preventing circuit that is connected at a near end of the daisy-chain connection and outputs a prescribed potential difference to the receiving circuit connecting terminals when the transmitting circuit is not connected to the transmitting circuit connecting terminals.

In order to transmit high-frequency signals such as clock signals, the differential signal transmission is utilized, in which two signals of different polarities are transmitted.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the conventional differential signal transmitting apparatus. The differential signal transmitting apparatus has a transmitting-side board 10 and a receiving-side board 11. The transmitting-side board 10 has a transmitting circuit 1, a transmission line 4a (positive side), and a transmission line 4b (negative side). The receiving-side board 11 has a receiving circuit 2, a transmission line 5a (positive side), a transmission line 5b (negative side), a matching-termination circuit 6, a transmitting-side board connecting terminal 7a (positive side), and a transmitting-side board connecting terminal 7b (negative side). The transmitting circuit 1 and the receiving circuit 2 are each constituted by, for example, a large scale integrated (LSI) circuit.
While the transmitting-side board 10 remains connected to the receiving-side board 11 via the transmitting-side board connecting terminals 7a and 7b, the positive signal included in the differential signal transmitted from the transmitting circuit 1 is input to the positive side of the receiving circuit 2 via the transmission line 4a, transmitting-side board connecting terminal 7a, transmission line 5a and the positive side of the matching-termination circuit 6. Similarly, the negative signal included in the differential signal transmitted from the transmitting circuit 1 is input to the negative side of the receiving circuit 2 via the transmission line 4b, transmitting-side board connecting terminal 7b, transmission line 5b and the negative side of the matching-termination circuit 6.
As shown in this figure, in the differential signal transmitting circuit, the transmitting circuit 1 and the receiving circuit 2 are mounted on different boards, and transmission lines 5a and 5b and the matching-termination circuit 6 are mounted on the receiving-side board 11. In the differential signal transmitting circuit, the positive and negative sides of the receiving circuit 2 are set to the same potential, rendering the differential potential of the circuit 2 undefined, if the transmitting circuit 1 is disconnected from the receiving circuit 2 because of the expansion slots. In this case, a through current may flow in the receiving circuit 2 or an undefined logic state may propagate into the receiving circuit 2. Consequently, a logic problem may arise.
The undefined logic can be avoided if the receiving circuit is a single-end receiving circuit merely by connecting a pull-up resistor of high resistance or a pull-down resistor of high resistance to the input. However, the undefined logic cannot be avoided in the differential signal transmitting circuit if the matching-termination circuit 6 is provided on the differential signal receiving side.
As a conventional technique related to the present invention, a circuit is available, in which a selector connects a pull-up resistor and a pull-down resistor to the positive and negative sides of the differential input of the receiving circuit when the transmitting circuit is found not connected, and disconnects these resistors from the differential input when the transmitting circuit is found not connected. (See, for example, Patent Document 1.)
Patent Document 1: Jpn. Pat Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-169314

Differential signal transmitting apparatus and differential signal receiving apparatus


A color display device with an improved focus performance. Conventional color display tubes with DAF have an electron gun with a second focusing electrode (25) driven with a dynamic voltage which is varied synchronously with the deflection field. The dynamic quadruple lens formed between the first focusing electrode (23) and the second focusing electrode (25) is designed such that the horizontal lens action, which arises when the voltage on the second focusing electrode is increased, should be compensated by the main lens which becomes weaker when the voltage on the second focusing electrode is increased. In practice, this is not possible in the required range of the dynamic voltage on the second focusing electrode, leading to a deterioration of the focus performance of the color display device. This problem is solved by applying a dynamic voltage to the first focusing electrode so that it is possible to focus the electron spots on the display window (3) in the horizontal and vertical directions, resulting in an optimally focused picture.

This invention relates to a color display device provided with a color display tube having an electron gun, a display window opposite the electron gun, and a deflection unit positioned on the outer side of the color display tube between the electron gun and the display window. The electron gun comprises a first focusing electrode, a second focusing electrode and a final electrode, as viewed in the direction from the electron gun to the display window, to which electrodes voltages are applied during operation. The voltage applied to the second focusing electrode is a dynamic voltage, the first focusing electrode and the second focusing electrode forming a quadruple lens system. The electron gun generates, during operation, electron beams which are deflected by a line and a frame deflection field generated by the deflection unit to scan the entire display window.
A color display device as described in the opening paragraph is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,670. The electron gun according to this patent is provided with two focusing electrodes. During operation the first focusing electrode is driven by a constant voltage, while the second focusing electrode is driven by a dynamic voltage.
The geometry of opposing apertures in the first and the second focusing electrode forms a quadrupole lens. The dynamically varying voltage on this electrode causes the quadrupole lens to change dynamically. Furthermore, the main lens formed by the second focusing electrode and the final electrode also varies in a dynamic way. An electron gun of this type counteracts the astigmatism caused by the deflection field and reduces the vertical spot size on the periphery of the screen.
This type of electron gun is known as DAF (Dynamic Astigmatism and Focus) gun, indicating that the dynamic voltage on the second focusing electrode varies both the quadrupole lensxe2x80x94dynamic astigmatismxe2x80x94and the main lensxe2x80x94dynamic focusxe2x80x94of the electron gun.
In practice, however, the colour display device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,670 has some limitations. Especially in colour display tubes with a real-flat screen or with a large deflection angle, it appears that the amount of astigmatism that originates from the deflection unit and has to be counteracted by the electron gun is rather large. This leads to a deterioration of the focus performance of the color display device.
It is in the object of the invention to provide a color display device of the kind described in the opening paragraph, which has a significant improvement of focus performance by overcoming the limitations of the color display device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,670.
According to the present invention, this object is realized with a colour display device, which is improved as compared with the device described in the opening paragraph, and is characterized in that the voltage applied to the first focusing electrode is a dynamic voltage.
The invention is based on the recognition that, for a well-focused picture all over the screen, the dynamic varying quadrupole lens and the dynamic varying main lens have to compensate each other in the direction of the line deflection through the range in which the voltage on the second focusing electrode is changed. This compensation is required because a self-converging deflection field is applied in most colour display tubes. This means that the three electron beams are converged on the entire display window due to the action of the deflection unit. Consequently, in the direction of the line deflection, the electron beams are focused on the entire display window. A change in the dynamic voltage on the second focusing electrode may not lead to a defocusing effect.
Due to the different lens characteristics of a quadrupole lens and a main lens, it is not possible to have a good compensation of the lens action in the direction of the line deflection between the quadrupole lens and the main lens if the dynamic voltage which is required for vertically focusing the electron beam on the screen becomes too large. This is especially the case when the colour display tube is provided with a real-flat screen or when the deflection angle is increased. Both these examples lead to a higher astigmatic component in the deflection unit, which has to be counteracted by the DAF gun.
In a prior art DAF gun, two lensesxe2x80x94the quadrupole lens and the main lensxe2x80x94are varied dynamically by using only one dynamic voltage, namely on the second focusing electrode. In practice, these two lenses do not exactly compensate each other in the direction of the line deflection. The difference in lens action between the quadrupole lens and the main lens that remains when the voltage on the second focusing electrode is varied can be compensated for by also dynamically varying the voltage on the first focusing electrode.
In a preferred embodiment, the dynamic voltage applied to the first focusing electrode varies synchronously with the line deflection field.
In a DAF gun, the dynamically varying quadrupole and main lens counteract the astigmatism that the deflection field introduces and which astigmatism leads to a worse focus performance, that is, a larger spot size on the display window. Due to the self-converging character of the deflection field, the effect on the focus performance is largest in the direction of the line deflection. In first order, the line deflection is a linear function of the line deflection field, which is driven by a sawtooth-shaped voltage. As a consequence, the largest gain in focus performance is achieved if the dynamic voltage is varied as a function of the line deflection field.
In a further preferred embodiment, the dynamic voltage applied to the first focusing electrode varies synchronously with the frame deflection field.
Although the effect of the astigmatism introduced by the self-converging deflection field much smaller is in the frame direction than in the line direction, the focus performance is further improved by adding a component to the dynamic voltage which is varied as a function of the frame deflection.
If the dynamic voltage varies with both the line and the frame deflection, the dynamic voltage is the sum of a component which varies synchronously with the line deflection field and of a component that varies synchronously with the frame deflection field. This is what is understood to be synchronous in both the line and the frame direction.
In another embodiment, the dynamic voltage applied to the first focusing electrode varies substantially parabolically as a function of the line deflection field. When no dynamic voltage is applied, the spots on the display window show a large dimension in the frame direction. In principle, in a colour display tube with a self-converging deflection field, the spot is in focus in the line direction. It appears that the dimension of the spot in the frame direction can be strongly reduced by applying a parabolically shaped focusing voltage. Another advantage of a parabolically shaped focusing voltage is that such a shape is easy to realize. The deflection field is mostly driven with a sawtooth-shaped voltage, that is a linear function of the deflection, and a parabolic voltage can be derived from this by simply integrating the deflection voltage. This argument holds for the line and the frame direction.
In a further embodiment, the dynamic voltage applied to the first focusing electrode varies substantially parabolically as a function of the frame deflection field.
This gives a further improvement of the focus performance because the spot size in the frame direction is now also reduced when the electron beam is deflected in the frame direction.
In another embodiment, the dynamic voltage applied to the first focusing electrode has a value which comprises a fourth-order term as a function of the line deflection field.
A fourth-order term ensures that the correction for the areas close to the edge of the screen better fits the amount prescribed by the astigmatism of the deflection unit. This leads to a focus performance which is even better as compared with the situation where only parabolic corrections are used.

Color display device with first and second dynamic focusing voltages


An optical pickup includes a moving base moved in a radial direction of a disk-like recording medium mounted on a disk table, and an objective lens drive device disposed on the base and including an objective lens. The drive device includes a fixed block fixed to the base, a movable block including the lens and a lens holder and moved in focusing and tracking directions, supporting springs connecting the fixed and movable blocks, focusing magnets moving the movable block in the focusing direction, tracking magnets moving the movable block in the tracking direction and each having two magnetized poles, focusing coils facing the focusing magnets, and tracking coils facing the tracking magnets and spaced apart in the tracking direction. The north and south poles of the tracking magnet are adjacent in the tracking direction. The boundary between the poles is formed by a line segment not being one straight line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup and a disk drive device. Specifically, the present invention relates to a technical field of forming the boundary between the north and south poles of a tracking magnet by using an arbitrary line segment not being one straight line, to thereby suppress the generation of unnecessary torque in a tracking operation and a focusing operation and improve the transmission characteristic.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a disk drive device which records and reproduces an information signal on and from a disk-like recording medium such as an optical disk and a magnetooptical disk. Such a disk drive device is provided with an optical pickup which is moved in the radial direction of the disk-like recording medium to apply laser light to the disk-like recording medium.
The optical pickup is provided with an objective lens drive device which includes a fixed block and a movable block supported by the fixed block via a plurality of supporting springs made of metal wire or the like (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-202380, for example).
In the optical pickup, the movable block including a lens holder for holding an objective lens is moved with respect to the fixed block in a focusing direction, which corresponds to a direction approaching or separating from a recording surface of the disk-like recording medium, to perform focus adjustment. Further, the movable block is moved with respect to the fixed block in a tracking direction, which substantially corresponds to the radial direction of the disk-like recording medium, to perform tracking adjustment. With the focus adjustment and the tracking adjustment described above, the spot of the laser light applied to the disk-like recording medium via the objective lens is collected on a recording track of the disk-like recording medium.
The objective lens drive device provided to the optical pickup is provided with a focusing magnetic circuit for moving the movable block in the focusing direction and a tracking magnetic circuit for moving the movable block in the tracking direction. The focusing magnetic circuit includes focusing coils and focusing magnets. The tracking magnetic circuit includes tracking coils and tracking magnets.
In the objective lens drive device, the movable block and the fixed block are connected to each other by the supporting springs, while being apart from each other in a tangential direction perpendicular to both the focusing direction and the tracking direction.
When the optical pickup is moved in the radial direction of the disk-like recording medium, the laser light is transmitted through an optical path opening formed in a surface of the lens holder opposite to a surface thereof facing the fixed block, and is incident on an upward reflecting mirror disposed below the objective lens. The laser light reflected by the upward reflecting mirror is applied to the recording surface of the disk-like recording medium via the objective lens. In this process, the focus adjustment and the tracking adjustment described above are performed such that the spot of the laser light applied to the disk-like recording medium via the objective lens is collected on the recording track of the disk-like recording medium.
The objective lens drive device includes an objective lens drive device in which symmetrical magnetic circuits are provided on both sides of the objective lens in the tangential direction. In this type of objective lens drive device, it is necessary to provide one of the magnetic circuits at a position shifted from the optical path opening. Therefore, the thickness (height) of the movable block is increased, and there arises an issue of difficulty in slimming down the objective lens drive device.
Meanwhile, the objective lens drive device includes another type of objective lens drive device in which the magnetic circuit is provided only on the fixed block side of the movable block. In this type of objective lens drive device, the upward reflecting mirror is disposed at a height substantially the same as the position (height) of the magnetic circuit provided on the fixed block side of the movable block. Therefore, the objective lens drive device is slimmed down.
However, the objective lens included in the movable block has a large weight. In the objective lens drive device provided with the magnetic circuit only on the fixed block side of the movable block, therefore, it is necessary to provide a balancer on the opposite side of the objective lens across the magnetic circuit to set the centroid of the movable block in the vicinity of the magnetic circuit. In this type of objective lens drive device provided with the magnetic circuit only on the fixed block side of the movable block, therefore, the provided balancer increases the weight of the movable block, and causes a decrease in sensitivity in the movement of the movable block.
Further, in this type of objective lens drive device provided with the magnetic circuit only on the fixed block side of the movable block, the objective lens, the magnetic circuit, and the balancer are sequentially provided in the tangential direction. Therefore, the length in the tangential direction of the movable block is increased, and the high-order resonance characteristic is deteriorated.
In view of the above, there is an objective lens drive device in which the centroid of the movable block is positioned to be closer to the objective lens than to the magnetic circuit to improve the sensitivity and the high-order resonance characteristic while slimming down the objective lens drive device (see FIG. 13).


A resource allocation method includes: obtaining, by a first network device, target resource reservation information based on a plurality of transmitted packets, where all of the packets carry a same virtual network identifier, and the virtual network identifier is used to indicate that the packets are transmitted through a same virtual network; and allocating a resource to the virtual network based on the target resource reservation information.

As a network communication connection capability is constantly enhanced, digital transformation occurs in nearly all industries, to improve work and production efficiency. For example, the digital transformation includes a holographic technique-based virtual conference or virtual class, remote real-time control on a large-size machine in a dangerous environment, remote surgery, and mobile broadband in a high-speed mobile vehicle environment. The digital transformation has increasing and diversified requirements on the network connection capability. In different use cases, there are different requirements on a network in terms of speed, performance, security, reliability, latency, or the like. It is increasingly difficult for a single conventional network to meet all connection capability requirements. In this case, a 5th generation (5G) technology proposes a concept of a virtual network, for example, network slicing. The virtual network is used to meet a connection service requirement of a use case. An entire 5 G system includes a large quantity of virtual networks meeting different connection capabilities. For example, a virtual network 1 meets a requirement of ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), a virtual network 2 meets a requirement of enhanced mobile broadband (EMBB), and a virtual network 3 meets a requirement of massive machine-type communications (MMTC).
Currently, a control device plans resource reservation information of a virtual network, and delivers the planned resource reservation information of the virtual network to a network device. The network device allocates a resource to the virtual network based on the resource reservation information delivered by the control device. However, the resource allocated by the network device based on the resource reservation information planned by the control device may not meet an actual requirement, and consequently, transmission efficiency is low; or the allocated resource may exceed an actual requirement, and consequently, a resource is wasted.

Resource allocation method, apparatus, and system, and storage medium


A way and a system for invoking a method in an object-oriented language which is so arranged that when a predetermined method for a first whole object is invoked, two instance variables of the first whole object maintain an exclusive relationship while the exclusive relationship is also satisfied between first and second part objects. In such an arrangement, when a message is sent from a second whole object to the first part object and the exclusive relationship cannot be satisfied between the first and second part objects, a daemon method for the first whole object is invoked to send a message from the first whole object to the second part object, thereby maintaining the exclusive relationship between the first and second part objects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object-oriented language and more particularly, to a way and a system for invoking a method in the object-oriented language from a part object to a whole object dependent on the part object.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a computer realizing an object-oriented language, as shown in FIG. 10, there are present a whole object 111 and a part object 113 bound by an instance variable 112 which the whole object 111 possesses, so that the invocation of a method 114 for the whole object 111 causes a message to be sent from the whole object 111 to the part object 113. The part object 113, when receiving the message from the whole object, invokes its own method.
Such a procedure is repeated so that the message is further sent from the part object to a sub-part object of the part object. Accordingly, computation in the object-oriented language is carried out by sequentially sending the message in a direction from the whole object toward the part object to invoke the method.
The details of a way of invoking a method in the object-oriented language is disclosed, for example, in a publication "Smalltalk-80: The Language and Its Implementation", by Goldberg, A. and Robson, D., Addison-Wesley, 1983.
However, such a system that can send a message in a direction from a whole object toward a part object and can invoke a method on the basis of only the message, has had a problem, for example, in a case where a certain part object is bound by the respective instance variables of a plurality of whole objects.
For example, when there are present first and second whole objects 121 and 122 and a part object 123 belonging to both of the whole objects as shown in FIG. 11, the part object 123 is bound by respective instance variables 124 and 125 of the first and second whole objects 121 and 122, so that the part object 123 can receive messages from the both whole objects. It is now assumed that such an exclusive relationship that one of the two instance variables 124 and 127 of the whole object 121 is turned "ON" while the other is turned "OFF" must be satisfied. In this case, since the two instance variables 124 and 127 satisfy the exclusive relationship, when a method 126 of the whole object 121 is invoked, a message is sent from the first whole object 121 to the part object 123 while another message is sent from the whole object 121 to the other part object 128, in which case an exclusive relationship is maintained between these part objects 123 and 128.
However, when a method (not shown) of the second whole object 122 is invoked to send a message from the second whole object 122 to the part object 123 as shown in FIG. 12, the part object 123 is operated but the method 126 of the first whole object 121 is not invoked, which results in that the message to be sent via the instance variable 127 of the first whole object 121 is not sent to the part object 128 and therefore the exclusive relationship cannot be satisfied between the part objects 123 and 128.
In other words, when a part object is shared by a plurality of whole objects or a message to a part object is not sent necessarily via its predetermined whole object, a predetermined mutual relationship between part objects cannot be always satisfied. This results from the fact that, upon transmission of a message to a part object, a predetermined method for satisfying the mutual relationship in the plurality of whole objects is not invoked.

System and method for maintaining a mutual relationship between objects


A spring motor utilizes a series arrangement of alternately-wound coiled springs coupled to one another at common ends. The spring motor is coupled to a generator through a gear mechanism to provide a portable and reusable supply of electric power. In addition, the spring motor may be used in a vehicle to recapture wasted energy due to lost momentum during braking. The spring motor is coupled to a winding mechanism for driving the spring motor in response to application of the vehicle's brakes.

With energy costs continuing to rise, an ever-present need has developed for less expensive and more powerful reusable energy sources. As an example, wind-up power sources, which are typically wound manually by an operator, have been developed to provide inexpensive and portable mechanical or electrical power. Hand-cranked portable lights and radios have been developed that couple a handle to a generator for providing power to run an electrical device. However, many of such devices have no mechanism for storing mechanical power, so the handle must be turned continuously during use of the device.
Other designs have been developed to store mechanical energy for later use, thereby enabling a device to be used without continuous manual power. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,099,402 to Speck discloses a portable flashlight in which a spring motor having a pair of spiral or coiled springs drives a generator for lighting a bulb and charging a storage battery. A handle coupled to a pawl mechanism is used to wind the spring motor. Once wound up, the spring motor operates for a period of time to charge the battery and light the bulb.
However, the coiled springs in Speck are wound in the same direction and are housed in individual driving wheels which in effect couple the outer end of the first spring to the inner end of the second. A complex series of specifically designed gears and housings couple the springs to one another and to the generator. It has been found that this arrangement is unduly large and expensive given the additional mechanical components needed to couple the coiled springs together. Further, the two coiled springs in the disclosed arrangement are limited in the amount of power they can supply, thereby necessitating frequent rewinding.
Therefore, a significant need has continued to exist for a spring motor offering longer life in a smaller, less complex and less expensive package.
Another focus in the area of reusable energy sources is related to recapturing wasted energy in vehicles and the like. For example, wind-responsive systems have been developed to run a generator while a vehicle is moving. In addition, momentum-responsive systems may utilize a flywheel which is coupled to a vehicle's axles during coasting or braking to power a generator in response to vehicle momentum. In another system, relative movement of components (e.g., in an automobile's suspension) may be stored in a spring motor to subsequently power a generator. While all of these systems may recapture some wasted energy, a need nonetheless exists for improved recapture of wasted energy in a vehicle to thereby increase the efficiency of the vehicle.

Wind-up power source with spring motor and vehicle incorporating same


Personal portable devices may, in certain aspects, include at least two compartments, where one compartment comprises a substrate, such as a towel, and the other compartment contains a solvent, such as an anti-microbial solvent or cleansing solvent, where the device introduces or impregnates the solvent into the substrate, and where the substrate of the device can be heated.

Hand washing prevents the spread of germs and disease. Improved hand hygiene can prevent illnesses, as can prevent spreading of germs and illnesses to others (see, e.g., Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2010). Early evidence of clinical benefit from hand hygiene became available from work by Semmelweiss (see, e.g., Stone (2000) Hand hygiene—the case for evidence-based education. J. Royal Society Med. 94:278-281). Situations especially critical for hand cleansing include food preparation at home or in restaurants, caring for sick persons, treating wounds, the context of discharging metabolic end-products, changing soiled undergarments of infants, and handling ducklings and chicks (see, e.g., Stop Germs! Stay Healthy! Wash Your Hands by U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1 page) (accessed Jan. 21, 2012); After You Touch Ducklings or Chicks, Wash Your Hands So You Don't Get Sick! by U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1 page) (accessed Jan. 21, 2012); Don't Let What Happened to Me, Happen to You by U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1 page) (accessed Jan. 21, 2012).
Cleansing of hands by hand-disinfectants, by children and staff of daycare centers has been shown to mitigate outbreaks and to reduce absenteeism (see, e.g., Lee and Greig (2008) J. Environ. Health. A review of enteric outbreaks in child care centers: effective infection control recommendations. 71:24-32; Kuhlmann-Berenzon et al (2008) Alcohol-based hand-disinfection reduced children's absence from Swedish day care centers. Acta Paediatr. 97:1672-1680). Cleansing hands has also been shown to reduce the incidence of viral infections, as well as bacterial infections (see, e.g., Cannon and Davis (2005) Washing our hands of the congenital cytomegalovirus disease epidemic. BMC Public Health. 5:70; Thompson (1994) Infectious diarrhea in children: controlling transmission in the child care setting. J. Paediatr. Child Health. 30:210-219).
Bacteria, viruses and germs live on surface areas, such as: counter tops, faucets, tabletops, toys, stoves, sinks, refrigerators, door knobs, and the like. The present disclosure can be used to clean hands and wipe down surfaces that are frequently touched by children.
Hand sanitizers have become a surrogate for hand washing. However, hand sanitizers may be less effective than the present disclosure because not all hand sanitizers contain the 60% alcohol necessary to effectively kill germs; hand sanitizers may not be as effective as soap and warm water; and because hand sanitizers may not effectively penetrate grease and oils.
The long standing need for portable personal hygienic systems have not been fully addressed. The present disclosure provides a mobile hand washing device which overcomes certain drawbacks of conventional hand washing or hand cleansing regimes.


An article may include a superalloy substrate and a calcia-magnesia-alumina-silicate (CMAS)-resistant thermal barrier coating (TBC) layer overlying the superalloy substrate. In some embodiments, the CMAS-resistant TBC layer includes between about 50 wt. % and about 90 wt. % of a TBC composition and between about 10 wt. % and about 50 wt. % of a CMAS-resistant composition. In some examples, the TBC composition includes at least one of yttria-stabilized zirconia, yttria-stabilized hafnia, zirconia stabilized with at least three rare earth oxides, or hafnia stabilized with at least three rare earth oxides. In some examples, the CMAS-resistant composition includes alumina, silica, and an oxide of at least one of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Yb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Tb, or Lu.

Components of high-temperature mechanical systems, such as, for example, gas-turbine engines, must operate in severe environments. For example, the high-pressure turbine blades and vanes exposed to hot gases in commercial aeronautical engines typically experience metal surface temperatures of about 1000° C., with short-term peaks as high as 1100° C. Typical components of high-temperature mechanical systems include a Ni or Co-based superalloy substrate. In an attempt to reduce the temperatures experienced by the substrate, the substrate can be coated with a thermal barrier coating (TBC). The thermal barrier coating may include a thermally insulative ceramic topcoat which is bonded to the substrate by an underlying metallic bond layer. The TBC, usually applied either by air plasma spraying or electron beam physical vapor deposition, is most often a layer of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with a thickness of about 100-500 μm. The properties of YSZ include low thermal conductivity, high oxygen permeability, and a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion. The YSZ TBC is also typically made "strain tolerant" and the thermal conductivity further lowered by depositing a structure that contains numerous pores and/or pathways.
Economic and environmental concerns, i.e., the desire for improved efficiency and reduced emissions, continue to drive the development of advanced gas turbine engines with higher inlet temperatures. As the turbine inlet temperature continues to increase, there is a demand for a TBC with improved high temperature stability.

Thermal barrier coatings including CMAS-resistant thermal barrier coating layers


A combination tape measure and cutter including a tape measure having a housing, a lock, a measuring tape, and a hooked tab. An opening is continuously disposed within the hooked tab, and a cutting blade is disposed within the opening. A screw having a thread portion and a head portion, with a spring continuously disposed around the thread portion. The spring has a decompressed position and an alternate compressed position. The spring is in the decompressed position when the cutting blade is entirely disposed within the opening. The spring is in the compressed position when the tip of the cutting blade is disposed below the hooked tab. The tip of the cutting blade is configured to cut a material disposed underneath the hooked tab.

Various types of measuring tapes are known in the prior art. However, what has been needed is a combination tape measure and cutter having a tape measure with a hooked tab, wherein an opening is disposed in the hooked tab. What has further been needed is a cutting blade disposed within the opening, a screw, and a spring having a decompressed position and an alternate compressed position. When the spring is in the compressed position, a tip of the cutting blade is disposed below the hooked tab and is configured to cut a material disposed underneath the hooked tab. Thus, the combination tape measure and cutter, which allows for a material to be simultaneously measured and cut, creates efficiencies in the cost and time spent on a project, while increasing the accuracy of the work.


The present invention relates to a method of making conductive electrodes for use in multilayer ceramic capacitors or inductors using organometallic ink. The method includes the steps of providing an organometallic ink which is free of any particles in excess of 0.1 micron in diameter and which contains an organometallic compound containing at least one of tin or ruthenium, applying the organometallic ink to a dielectric substrate, and sintering the organometallic ink to form a metal oxide film having a thickness of less than about 1.5 microns.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors and inductors consist of a plurality of interleaved and staggered layers of an electrically conductive film of metal (termed "electrode"), formed by the deposition (usually by screen printing or variations thereof) of a thick film paste (termed an "electrode composition") and electrically insulating layers of a ceramic oxide (termed "dielectric"), formed by laying a cast dielectric tape or by casting a dielectric slurry over the dried electrode. Such capacitors and inductors are well-known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,420, for example, describes the structure, manufacture and properties of monolithic multilayer ceramic capacitors formed using cast dielectric green (unfired) tape.
The electrode composition is usually a dispersion of finely divided precious metal powders, such as palladium, silver, gold, or platinum or their mixtures, in a vehicle or carrier which is usually solely organic in nature. Dispersions of non-precious metals such as copper and nickel have also been shown to have utility in electrode compositions. The vehicle is usually composed of a mixture of a polymeric resin which imparts viscosity to the composition and appropriate solvents for processing compatibility, particularly with respect to drying. Other organic additives are usually made to the vehicle to control paste rheology. Typical electrode composition metal concentrations range from 40% to 70% by weight, with the remainder being vehicle. Electrode compositions are deposited, usually by screen printing techniques, on dried dielectric layers, then dried to remove solvents and leave a mixture of metal powders and resin from the vehicle.
The dielectric layer is usually composed of finely divided oxide powders dispersed in a resin to form a slip. This slip is then cast to form green dielectric tape. Barium titanate (BaTiO.sub.3) and other oxides such as neodymium titanate (Nd.sub.2 Ti.sub.2 O.sub.7) and magnesium titanate (MgTiO.sub.3) are used. Additions are usually made to these oxides to control various electrical characteristics, particularly to maximize dielectric constant while controlling the temperature dependence of dielectric constant and insulation resistance, among other properties. The resin is present in the dielectric layers to facilitate casting, handling and printing of electrodes on the layers.
Multilayer ceramic capacitors are manufactured by building up an interleaved configuration of electrode and dielectric layers, dicing individual parts out of the build-up then subjecting the parts to a slow burnout and then high temperature firing. Burnout is done to remove the organic resin in the electrode and dielectric layers to avoid rapid outgassing and rupture of the parts. Firing is done to a peak temperature (the "dielectric maturation temperature") both to densify the dielectric for maximum dielectric constant and physical strength, and to react the chemical constituents of the dielectric so that other desired electrical characteristics are achieved. During the firing step, the powder grains in the electrode layers also sinter and densify so as to produce a continuous, highly electrically conductive metal film.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,926, issued to Pepin, relates to thick film conductor compositions. The thick film conductor composition comprises (A) finely divided particles of electrically conductive metal, metal oxide precursors or alloys of the conductive metals, or mixtures thereof, dispersed in (B) an organic medium comprising (1) an organometallic compound, the metal or metal oxide moiety of which is soluble in the electrically conductive metal and/or the oxides of the metal moiety are non-reducing in the presence of electrically conductive metal, the organometallic compound being dissolved in; (2) a solution of polymeric binder in volatilizable solvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,742, issued to Ogi et al, relates to ultrahigh purity ferroelectric thin films. The thin film of lead containing ferroelectric materials represented by the formula Pb.sub.1-x La.sub.x (Zr.sub.y Ti.sub.1-y).sub.1-x/4 O.sub.3, where Y is 0 or 1 or a decimal smaller than 1, characterized in that the total content of alkali metal impurities therein is less than 1 ppm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,850, issued to Uchikawa et al, relates to a method of manufacturing an oxide-system dielectric thin film using CVD methods. The oxide-system dielectric thin film is coupled with an organic group through oxygen atoms by the CVD method.

Method of making conductive electrodes for use in multilayer ceramic capacitors or inductors using organometallic ink


A system for enhanced sequential power system model calibration is provided. The system is programmed to store a model of a device. The model includes a plurality of parameters. The system is also programmed to receive a plurality of events associated with the device, receive a first set of calibration values for the plurality of parameters, generate a plurality of sets of calibration values for the plurality of parameters, for each of the plurality of sets of calibration values, analyze a first event of the plurality of events using a corresponding set of calibration values to generate a plurality of updated sets of calibration values, analyze the plurality of updated sets of calibration values to determine a current updated set of calibration values, and update the model to include the current updated set of calibration values.

The field of the invention relates generally to sequential power system model parameter estimation, and more particularly, to a system for modeling sequential power systems based on multiple events.
During 1996 Western System Coordinating Council (WSCC) blackout, the planning studies conducted using dynamic models had predicted stable system operation, whereas the real system became unstable in a few minutes with severe swings. To ensure the models represent the real system accurately, North American Electric Reliability Coordinator (NERC) requires generators above 20 MVA to be tested every 5 years or 10 years (depending on its interconnection) to check the accuracy of dynamic models and update the power plant dynamic models as necessary.
Some of the methods of performing calibration on the model include performing staged tests and direct measurement of disturbances. In a staged test, a generator is first taken offline from normal operation. While the generator is offline, the testing equipment is connected to the generator and its controllers to perform a series of predesigned tests to derive the desired model parameters. This method may cost $15,000-$35,000 per generator per test in the United States and includes both the cost of performing the test and the cost of taking the generator offline. Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) and Digital Fault Recorders (DFRs) have seen dramatic increasing installation in recent years, which allows for non-invasive model validation by using the sub-second-resolution dynamic data. Varying types of disturbances across locations in the power system along with large installed base of PMUs makes it possible to validate the dynamic models of the generators frequently at different operating conditions.
As more and more disturbances in power systems are being recorded by PMUs every day, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has pointed out that the analysis of multiple system events is beneficial for model calibration. A generator or load model built from one or two field tests may not be a good model, since it may overfit some specific event and lack the ability to fit the new, fresh measured load curves. Thus far, the primary questions in the community have been: how to calibrate the model parameters to make maximal use of the multiple events. Accordingly, there exists a need for additional accuracy in model calibration.

Systems and methods for enhanced sequential power system model parameter estimation


The invention relates to a vehicle having a detection device for detecting a property of a vehicle occupant and an operator control and display device which is coupled to the detection device, has a display region and is configured to display information in the display region and by means of which a symbol can be displayed in the display region as a function of the sensed property. It is provided here that the property which is detected by means of the detection device is a position of the vehicle occupant, and the operator control and display device is configured to display the symbol in a partial region of the display region which is determined as a function of the detected position, and to assign the symbol to the vehicle occupant in such a way that when there is a change in position of the vehicle occupant that the symbol follows the vehicle occupant. The invention also relates to a method for operating such a vehicle. The invention makes particularly flexible use of the vehicle possible.

DE 10 2012 019 506 A1 has already disclosed a vehicle having a display instrument, in which a windowpane of the vehicle is used as a display area. Here, at least a portion of the windowpane can be switched between two states with different light transmission behavior. In particular, the two states can differ in terms of their light absorption and/or in terms of their reflectivity. By way of example, a viewing direction of the driver can be captured with the aid of the camera that is directed onto the driver of the vehicle, the state of the portion being set on the basis of the viewing direction. Moreover, the state of the portion can be set on the basis of a predicted movement direction of the vehicle. By way of suitably setting the state of the portion, it is possible, in the process, to control the perception of the information displayed by the display instrument such that, depending on requirements, the traffic space lying beyond the display area or the information of the display instrument can be made to be better perceivable for the driver of the vehicle, in particular.
DE 10 2006 050 016 A1 discloses a display apparatus for a motor vehicle, having a sensor arrangement for determining a viewing direction of a driver of the motor vehicle and having a second display apparatus that is spatially separated from the first. Provided by a display controller, information relating to the motor vehicle can be displayed on the first or the second display apparatus in this case, depending on the viewing direction of the driver. In particular, the information can be displayed on a pane that delimits the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, for the purposes of which the display apparatus can be configured as a head-up display. Thus, overall, the information relating to the motor vehicle can be displayed, in each case, on a display currently looked at by the driver.
DE 10 2012 222 522 A1 describes a projected entertainment system for rear compartment occupants of a vehicle. Here, provision is made of an apparatus for extending graphics displayed on an area in the vehicle using a rear seat entertainment projection system management device. From a graphics extending module, an input is obtained which brings about a reaction to the displayed graphics and extends the graphics on the basis of the reaction. Using a graphics projection system, the produced graphics and the extended graphics are displayed on the area in the vehicle, such as a side pane and/or a door area and/or a column and/or a seat rest and/or a roofliner and/or a sunroof and/or a floor and/or a substantially transparent display and/or an emission of the display. The system management device can be configured to control displays in a plurality of areas in the vehicle. Here, the same graphics content can be displayed in all areas or different content can be selected for different displays, for example on the basis of the age or specific interests of the passenger viewing the specific display.

Vehicle having an operator control and display device and method for operating such a vehicle


The present disclosure relates to a novel crystalline form of L-glufosinate ammonium salt and a process for preparation thereof. The present disclosure also provides compositions comprising said form and a method for the control of undesired plant growth using said compositions.

DL-homoalanin-4-yl(methyl)phosphinic acid (glufosinate) and salts are amino acid derivatives with herbicidal activity. The amino acid derivatives are active in the L-form. Several processes have been developed to prepare L-homoalanin-4-yl(methyl)phosphinic acid (L-glufosinate) and particularly the ammonium salt in order to use the pure active ingredient.
Many synthetic processes end up with an acid addition salt of L-glufosinate from which the corresponding free acid (L-Glufosinate) or the ammonium salt needs to be produced. Salts are preferred commercially due to high solubility in water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,941 discloses the preparation of L-glufosinate or a salt by enzymatic preparation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,668 and CN111072718A disclose the preparation of L-glufosinate or a salt by resolution via precipitation of one of the diastereomeric salt using a chiral base followed by the isolation process.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,795,464 discloses the preparation of L-glufosinate by an asymmetric synthesis reaction.
CN105541906A discloses a two-step process for the preparation of L-glufosinate ammonium salt starting from L-glufosinate hydrochloride salt using an aqueous alcohol solvent system and ammonia.
In most cases, the addition salt of L-glufosinate is obtained at the end of reaction, which needs to be converted to ammonium salt or alkali metal salt of L-glufosinate. This can be done in two ways, either by converting the acid addition salt to the free acid followed by conversion to the desired salt; or by converting the acid addition salt to the desired salt.
By following any of the method as described above, the isolation process will require post treatment process involving complex procedures using ion exchange column or treatment of acid addition salt of L-glufosinate with hazardous chemicals such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. The preparation and purification of L-glufosinate ammonium salt often requires multistep process which includes hydrolysis and crystallisation procedures affecting the yield and purity of the product.
Therefore, there is a need for novel solid form of L-glufosinate ammonium salt and to develop a production method for preparing high purity L-glufosinate ammonium salt that is free of acid addition salt of L-glufosinate and/or L-glufosinate starting from acid addition salt of L-glufosinate.
It is surprisingly found by the present inventors that L-glufosinate ammonium salt having high purity and high yield can be prepared in a single step from acid addition salt of L-glufosinate. The present disclosure also provides a crystalline form of L-glufosinate ammonium salt advantageous for production and use in formulation products.

Crystalline form of L-glufosinate ammonium salt and process for production thereof


An electrical junction box including: bus bars; a circuit board of which one side opposes the bus bars; a conductive portion that is provided on the one side of the circuit board, and is exposed from the other side of the circuit board; an opening that is provided in parallel with the conductive portion in the circuit board, and from which a portion of the bus bars is exposed; a switching element that is arranged on the other side of the circuit board, and of which an input terminal or an output terminal is connected to the conductive portion; and a conductive piece that is arranged straddling a portion of the bus bars and the conductive portion.

Conventionally, electrical junction boxes are installed between power sources and loads in vehicles and control the flow of current from the power sources to the loads. Electrical junction boxes include a plurality of plate-shaped bus bars and switching elements that are connected to the bus bars.
Electrical junction boxes also include control circuits that switch the switching elements on and off. The switching elements are switched on or off based on signals that are input from the control circuits. The electrical junction boxes electrically connect and disconnect the bus bars by switching the switching element on and off, and thus perform the current control as described above.
FETs, for example, can be used as the switching elements. FETs include drain terminals and source terminals. The bus bars are spaced apart from each other and the terminals of the switching elements are individually connected to the bus bars (for example, see JP 9-321395A).
There are cases where it becomes difficult to provide bus bars with appropriate spacing therebetween as the FETs have been downsized and the spaces between terminals have become smaller. For this reason, there are cases where it is difficult to install a small FET on a bus bar.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical junction box in which it is possible to easily install a switching element.


A convenient water saving device for flush toilets, which includes one or more main bodies having center holes through which a pull chain passes, wherein the main bodies have chain access slits which extend from the center holes to the outside of the main bodies, and staple insertion holes provided on both sides of the slits. The main bodies are used in combination with a slip-prevention staple which straddles the chain access slits to close slits.

The present invention is directed to a water saving device for use as an accessory for flush toilets of the type as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 having a rubber float valve c which opens and closes drain opening b in water tank a. Rubber float valve c is lifted up and opens when pull chain d is pulled upward by the operation of lever f, and the water in water tank a flows out through drain opening b into the toilet bowl. At that time, rubber float valve c closes from the lifted-up position by its own weight at a prescribed timing. However, the closure timing is too slow given the amount of water needed such that water is wasted.
In order to address this problem, it has been known to use a water saving device A for flush toilets attached to the part of rubber float valve c to which chain d is connected, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, so as to become a control weight. Accordingly, compared to the case of simple rubber float valve c, the closure timing of drain opening b is hastened by the weight of water saving device A, and the amount of water flowing out is decreased, thus saving water.
This prior water saving device A can be a donut shape provided with opening e in the center through which pull chain d is passed, as shown in FIG. 19, or it can be a dome shape which follows the spherical exterior surface of rubber float valve c, as shown in FIG. 18 which can be formed of metal, synthetic resin, or the like. However, in order to attach the water saving device A of the prior art, it is necessary to pass pull chain d through center opening e. In order to do so requires the work of first disconnecting either the bottom end or the top end of chain d, and then reconnecting same (after passing it through center opening e). The same problem arises if water saving device A is no longer needed and must be removed, or if it is desired to change the device.
In order to solve this problem, it has been considered to provide a slit opening outwards from opening e. However, water saving device A can move because of the pull on pull chain d or the accompanying water flow in water tank a, causing pull chain d to pass from opening e back through the slit to the outside, and resulting in the water saving device slipping off (the rubber float). Various measures have been considered to prevent pull chain d from passing back through the slit; however, when the construction of the water saving device thereby becomes complicated, or the number of water saving devices is changed, it becomes difficult to remove the devices, and inconvenient.
Accordingly, the present invention has as its object the provision of a water saving device for flush toilets which solves the above-described problems, prevents the passing back through of the pull chain, without making the construction complicated, and makes changing the weight and/or number of the devices convenient.


A mechanical assembly for regulating the temperature of an IC-chip in an IC-module includes: a) a heat-exchanger having a first face for contacting a second face on the IC-module; and b) a gimbal, coupled to the heat-exchanger, for tilting and pressing the first face flatly against the second face, as the first and second faces are moved from a spaced-apart position to an engaged position at which the IC-chip temperature is regulated. In addition, the mechanical assembly further includes an output tube, coupled to an output port on the heat-exchanger, which has two ends that move relative to each other as the first and second faces move from the spaced-apart position to the engaged position; and, this output tube is coiled into a weak spring which is characterized by a stiffness matrix that is limited by a predetermined acceptance criterion.

The present invention is a mechanical assembly, for regulating the temperature of an integrated circuit chip (IC-chip), having a gimbaled heat-exchanger with coiled spring conduits. This mechanical assembly has use in electromechanical systems that test IC-chips.
Today, a single state-of-the-art IC-chip can contain more than one-hundred-million transistors, and those transistors must be tested before the IC-chip is sold to a customer. Usually, each IC-chip is incorporated into an integrated circuit module (IC-module), and then the IC-chip in the IC-module is tested with a "burn-in" test, a "class" test, and a "system level" test. In one type of IC-module, the IC-chip is attached to a substrate and covered with a lid. In another type of IC-module, the IC-chip is attached to the substrate, but the IC-chip is not covered with any lid. In either case, electrical terminals are provided on the substrate which are connected by microscopic conductors in the substrate to the IC-chip.
The "burn-in" test thermally and electrically stresses the IC-chips to accelerate "infant mortality" failures. The stressing causes immediate failures that otherwise would occur during the first 10% of the IC-chips' life in the field, thereby insuring a more reliable product for the customer. The burn-in test can take many hours to perform, and the temperature of the IC-chip typically is held in the 90° C. to 140° C. range. Because the IC-chips are also subjected to higher than normal voltages, the power dissipation in the IC-chip can be significantly higher than in normal operation. This extra power dissipation makes the task of controlling the temperature of the IC-chip very difficult. Further, in order to minimize the time required for burn-in, it is also desirable to keep the temperature of the IC-chip as high as possible without damaging the IC-chip.
The "class" test usually follows the burn-in test. Here, the IC-chips are speed sorted and the basic function of each IC-chip is verified. During this test, power dissipation in the IC-chip can vary wildly as the IC-chip is sent a stream of test signals. Because the operation of an IC-chip slows down as the temperature of the IC-chip increases, very tight temperature control of the IC-chip is required throughout the class test. This insures that the speed at which the IC-chip operates is measured precisely at a specified temperature. If the IC-chip temperature is too high, the operation of the IC-chip will get a slower speed rating. Then the IC-chip will be sold as a lower priced part.
The "system level" test is the final test. Here, the IC-chips are exercised using software applications which are typical for a product that incorporates the IC-chips. In the system level test, the IC-chips are tested over a temperature range that can occur under normal operating conditions, i.e. approximately 20°-80° C.
In the '417 application, FIG. 1 shows an entire control system for maintaining the temperature of an IC-chip near a set-point while the above tests are performed. That FIG. 1 system includes an electric heater, an evaporator, an input conduit, and an output conduit, all of which are connected together to form one heat-exchanger. The present invention is a mechanical assembly which constitutes a novel physical implementation of the heat-exchanger.
For ease of reference, FIG. 1 of the '417 application is reproduced here as FIG. 1. Also, TABLE 1 from the '417 application, which identifies all of the components in FIG. 1, is reproduced below.
TABLE 1ComponentDescription20Component 20 is a thin,flat electric heater. Theheater 20 has one flat facewhich contacts the IC-chip10, and it has an oppositeflat face which isconnected directly tocomponent 21. Electricalpower PH is sent to theheater 20 on conductors20a. The temperature ofthe heater 20 is detectedby a sensor 20b in theheater 20. Thistemperature is indicated bya signal STH on conductors20c.21Component 21 is anevaporator for arefrigerant. Therefrigerant enters theevaporator 21 in a liquidstate through a conduit21a, and the refrigerantexits the evaporator 21 ina gas state through aconduit 21b. Thetemperature of theevaporator 21 is detectedby a sensor 21c on theexterior of the evaporator.This temperature isindicated by a signal STE onconductors 21d.22Component 22 is a valvewhich receives therefrigerant in a liquidstate from a conduit 22a,and which passes thatrefrigerant at a selectableflow rate to the conduit21a. The flow rate throughthe valve 22 is selected bya control signal SFV onconductors 22b. In oneembodiment, the signal SFVis a pulse modulatedsignal, and the valve 22opens for the duration ofeach pulse. In anotherembodiment, the signal SFVis an amplitude modulatedanalog signal, and thevalve 22 opens to a degreethat is proportional to theamplitude of the signal.23Component 23 is acompressor-condenser whichhas an input that isconnected to conduit 21b,and an output that isconnected to conduit 22a.The compressor-condenser 23receives the refrigerant inthe gas state, and thencompresses and condensesthat refrigerant to theliquid state.24Component 24 is a socketwhich holds the substrate11. Electrical conductors24a, 24b and 24c passthrough the socket to theIC-chip 10. The conductors24a carry test signals toand from the IC-chip 10.The conductors 24b carryelectrical power PC to theIC-chip 10. The conductors24c carry signals STC whichindicate the temperature ofthe IC-chip 10. Thesesignals STC are generated bya temperature sensor 10athat is integrated into theIC-chip 10.25Component 25 is a powersupply which sends thepower PH to the electricheater 20 with a selectablemagnitude. The amount ofpower that is sent at anyinstant is selected by asignal SPH on conductors25a.26Component 26 is a controlcircuit for the heaterpower supply 25. Thiscontrol circuit 26generates the signal SPH onthe conductors 25a inresponse to the signals STE,STH , STC, and SP which itreceives on the conductors21d, 20c, 24c and 26a. Thesignal SP indicates a set-point temperature at whichthe IC-chip 10 is to bemaintained. The controlcircuit 26, together withthe power supply 25 and theelectric heater 20, form afirst feedback loop in theFIG. 1 control system.This first feedback loopquickly compensates forchanges in powerdissipation in the IC-chip10 and thereby maintainsthe temperature of the IC-chip 10 near the set-point.27Component 27 is a controlcircuit for the valve 22.This control circuit 27generates the signal SFV onthe conductors 22b inresponse to the signals SPH,STE, and SP which itreceives on the conductors25a, 21d, and 26a. Thecontrol circuit 27,together with the valve 22and the evaporator 21, forma second feedback loop inthe FIG. 1 control system.This second feedback looppasses the liquidrefrigerant through theevaporator with a variableflow rate that reduces theoverall usage of electricalpower in the FIG. 1 system.
In the '417 application, the invention focuses on the first and second feedback loops which are identified in TABLE 1 under components 26 and 27. With those two feedback loops, the temperature of the IC-chip is maintained near the set-point, and the overall power usage in the FIG. 1 system is greatly reduced. This is achieved independently of any particular physical implementation of the heat-exchanger components 20, 21, 21a, and 21b.
By comparison, the present invention focuses entirely on a physical implementation for the heat-exchanger components 20, 21, 21a, and 21b. With this physical implementation, certain interface problems are avoided which can occur at the pressed joint between the electric heater 20 and the IC-chip 10. These interface problems are described herein in the BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and the DETAILED DESCRIPTION.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical assembly, which is a heat-exchanger for controlling the temperature of an IC-chip, having a novel physical structure which overcomes the above interface problems.

Mechanical assembly, for regulating the temperature of an IC-Chip, having a gimbaled heat-exchanger with coiled springy conduits


A training apparatus including an operation part to which a load is applied for performing a training of a front deltoid muscle, a pectoralis major muscle and a triceps brachii muscle. The training apparatus includes a pair of armrests on which trainee's forearms are to be rested, and a pair of grips provided to the operation part and having lower end sections. In the training apparatus, the armrests have surfaces on which the trainee's forearms are to be rested, at a height of the lower end sections of the grips.

This invention relates to improvements in a training apparatus for training or exercising a muscle of a certain body part, particularly the front deltoid muscle, the pectoralis major muscle and the triceps brachii muscle.
A conventional training machine for exercising the front deltoid muscle, the pectoralis major muscle and the triceps brachii muscle, which is proposed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2007-319524, is illustrated in FIG. 4 by reference numeral 2.
As shown in FIG. 4, the training machine 2 is provided including an operation part 3′ and a load application device 4′. The operation part 3′ is provided with operation arms 5a′, 5b′ and a seat section 6′, as shown in FIG. 5.
The operation arms 5a′, 5b′ are provided in a pair as shown in FIG. 5 and are connected respectively to rotational shafts 8a′, 8b′ erected on a frame 7′ (illustrated in FIG. 4 and supporting the seat section 6′ and the load application device 4′). The rotational shafts 8a′, 8b′ are disposed parallel to each other under the seat section 6′, in such a manner as to be rotatable cooperative with each other in the directions reverse to each other, thereby allowing a cooperative rotation.
The operation arm 5a′ is operated by a user or trainee 9′ (as shown in FIG. 5, who intends to exercise his front deltoid muscle, pectoralis major muscle and triceps brachii muscle) with his right hand, and additionally provided with a main arm 31a′ and a grip 32a′. The main arm 31a′ is secured at its lower end portion to a circumferential side surface of the rotational shaft 8a′. The grip 32a′ is erected on a connection plate 34a′ pivotally attached to an upper end portion of the main arm 31a′ through a pivot shaft 33a′, in such a manner as to be adjustable for position at which a pivotal motion of the grip 32a′ about the pivot shaft 33a′ starts. Additionally, a drive section 37′ which is linked to a cable 36′ is connected to the rotational shaft 8a′ as shown in FIG. 4. The cable 36′ is linked to a sheave 35′ rotationally supported on the frame 7′. To the sheave 35′, a load caused by weight blocks 101′ disposed in a housing 102′ of the load application device 4′ is applied through pulleys 104′, 105′ and a circular cum 106′.
The operation arm 5b′, which is arranged generally symmetrical to the operation arm 5a′, is operated by the user 9′ with his left hand and additionally provided with a main arm 31b′ and a grip 32b′. The main arm 31b′ is attached at its lower end portion to a side surface of the rotational shaft 8b′ and provided at its upper end portion with the grip 32b′ as shown in FIG. 5. The grip 32b′ is erected on a connection plate 34b′ pivotally attached to the upper end portion of the main arm 31b′ through a pivot shaft 33b′, symmetrically similarly to the grip 32a′. The grip 32b′ is adjustable for position at which a pivotal motion of the grip 32b′ about the pivot shaft 33b′ starts.
In training the front deltoid muscle, the pectoralis major muscle and the triceps brachii muscle, first of all, the user seats himself on a seat 41′ and rests his feet on a footrest 44′ while bringing his back and lower back into contact with a back pad 43′ and a lower back pad 42′, respectively. Then, a start position of rotation of the operation arms 5a′, 5b′ is adjusted with an assist bar 45′ according to the user's own will. Then, the user 9′ grasps the grips 32a′, 32b′ and rotationally moves the main arms 31a′, 31b′ about the rotational shafts 8a′, 8b′. With this, the user's muscles of certain body parts, particularly the front deltoid muscle, the pectoralis major muscle and the triceps brachii muscle are brought under loaded conditions caused by the weight blocks 101′, thereby achieving the training thereof. The position of the seat section 6′ is adjustable in a vertical direction by means of a vertically adjusting lever 51′ and in a fore-and-aft direction by means of a fore-and-aft adjusting lever 52′ so that the user can perform the training in accordance with his physique.