An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a housing defining a chamber and a build platform disposed in a lower portion of the chamber. The AM system includes an upper gas inlet disposed in a side-wall and in an upper portion of the chamber and configured to supply an upper gas flow parallel to the build platform. The AM system includes a lower gas inlet in the lower portion of the chamber, wherein the lower gas inlet includes one or more pairs of dividing walls extending from the side-wall toward the build platform and configured to guide the lower gas flow at one or more flow angles with respect to the build platform. The AM system includes at least one gas delivery mechanisms to regulate flow characteristics of the upper and lower gas flows, and includes a gas outlet to discharge the upper and lower gas flows from the chamber.

The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to an additive manufacturing system and method, and more specifically, to an additive manufacturing system and method that employs focused energy to selectively fuse a powder material to produce an object.
Additive manufacturing (AM) processes generally involve the buildup of one or more materials to make a net or near-net shape object, in contrast to subtractive manufacturing methods, which selectively remove material from an initial form to fabricate an object. Though "additive manufacturing" is an industry standard term (ASTM F2792), it encompasses various manufacturing and prototyping techniques known under a variety of names, including freeform fabrication, 3D printing, rapid prototyping/tooling, etc. A particular type of AM process uses a focused energy source (e.g., an electron beam, a laser beam) to sinter or melt a powder material deposited on a build platform within a chamber, creating a solid three-dimensional object in which particles of the powder material are bonded together.
Laser sintering/melting, as used in Direct Laser Sintering (DLS) and/or Direct Laser Melting (DLM), is a common industry term used to refer to producing three-dimensional (3D) objects by using a laser beam to sinter or melt a fine powder. In particular, laser sintering/melting techniques often entail projecting a laser beam onto a controlled amount of powder (e.g., a powder bed) on a substrate, so as to form a layer of fused particles or molten material thereon. When the laser beam interacts with the powder at a powder bed, smoke and/or a particulate matter (e.g., condensate, spatter) is produced within the chamber. The smoke and/or the particular matter may be detrimental to the quality of the resulting object. As an example, the suspended smoke and/or particular matter within the chamber can interfere with the laser beam and reduce the energy or intensity of the laser beam before it reaches the powder bed. As another example, the smoke and/or the particular matter may deposit onto the powder bed and may become incorporated into the resulting object.
In certain laser sintering/melting (or DLS/DLM) systems, a gas flow is introduced in an upper portion of the chamber (e.g., toward the top of the chamber in the z-direction and away from the build platform) to flow generally parallel to the build platform in an attempt to remove the smoke and/or particulate matter and prevent deposition. However, this upper gas flow may not efficiently remove the smoke and/or particulate matter in the lower portion of the chamber (e.g., toward the build platform and away from the top of the chamber in the z-direction). In addition, the upper gas flow may entrain gas from the chamber resulting in a chaotic flow with large areas of recirculation within the chamber. This chaotic flow may trap or deposit the particulate matter in various parts of the chamber, which can lower the quality of the resulting object of the DLS/DLM processes.

Additive manufacturing system and method


A method of monitoring performance of an electric motor includes calculating an actual input power and an expected input power of the electric motor. A power difference between the actual input power and the expected input power is recursively calculated over at least one period of an electrical cycle of the electric motor to determine a variance in the power difference during the at least one period of the electrical cycle. The variance in the power difference is compared to a threshold value to determine if the variance in the power difference is greater than the threshold value or less than the threshold value. The control module may signal that the electric motor is not operating within allowable operating parameters when the variance in the power difference is less than the threshold value.

Electric motors include a rotor and a stator. The stator includes a winding that reacts with the rotor to generate rotation of the rotor relative to the stator. If an electrical short occurs in the stator winding, both the efficiency of the electric motor and the power output of the electric motor decrease. It is therefore important to be able to detect a short in the stator winding in order to determine if the electric motor is working properly.

Method of monitoring performance of an electric motor


A system and method for graphically representing on a computer system the relationship between a plurality of variables related by an equation. A graph having a plurality of axes is displayed on a display device and each axis represents one of the variables. Grips are located on each of the axes to indicate the value of the variable represented by the axis. A user can lock one of the grips on its axis and then select one of the unlocked grips and slide the selected grip to a new position indicating a new value on the axis. The remaining grip will slide in relation to the grip being moved by the user and indicate the value of the remaining variable.

Traditionally, nomographs have been used to solve multivariable equations for an unknown variable when two or more variables are known. A traditional nomograph has a number of scaled axes, each axis representing one of the variables in an equation. The axes of a traditional nomograph are in parallel and each of these scaled axes are calibrated and arranged so that a straight line drawn through all of the axes will intersect a value on each axis that will satisfy the equation. When two or more variables of the equation are known, a traditional nomograph can be used to solve for the third variable by drawing a line through the axes representing two known variables intersecting the values of the two known variables. The line will then intersect the remaining axis representing the unknown variable and this intersection will indicate the value of the unknown variable.
Before the advent of computers and calculators nomographs were popular because they allowed a person to determine an unknown variable of an equation without doing extensive manual calculations. All a person had to do to determine a third related value using a traditional nomograph was to lay a ruler on the nomograph so that the ruler intersect the two know values and read the value where the ruler crosses the remaining axis. These traditional nomographs were especially useful to allow lay people to "solve" complex equations without requiring mathematical calculations.
Although nomographs are easy to use and do not require any calculations, they are often labor intensive to construct because each axis must be calibrated and located relative to the other axes.
Another disadvantage of traditional nomographs is that the answers found using a nomograph often lacks precision. Depending on the size and accuracy of the scale on the axis, the precision of the resulting answer will be dependent upon how well the two known variables are intersected and to what degree the resulting answer can be read. Also, if a variable has units of measurement, one axis is required for each different unit of measure.
With the advent of pocket calculators and computers, nomographs are no longer needed to solve complex equations, it is much simpler and more precise to use a simple computer program to solve an equation rather then rely on how accurate a value can be read off an intersection of an axis. As a result, nomographs for solving equations have fallen out of fashion. Computers and pocket calculators are more than up to the task of doing the calculations necessary to solve for a related unknown variable when the other variables are known and can often do it just as fast and with much greater precision.
While computers and pocket calculators can solve a multivariable equation for an unknown variable just as fast, if not faster, and with more precision than a traditional nomograph, the calculations and relationships between the variables remain invisible to the user. The user is not able to see a visual representation of the relationship of the variables and is not easily able to determine the sensitivity of the equation to the different variables. Also, using a computer to solve for an unknown variable in an equation does not easily allow a user to see how altering the different variables of the equation can affect the relationship of the related variables and often makes it much harder for a user to "tweak" the different variables to arrive at satisfactory values for the equation.

Graphical display of multiple related variables


A motor-driving circuit is used for driving a motor which is of a type including a rotor whose rotating shaft has a permanent magnet used for generating magnetic flux, and an armature having three-phase windings wound around an iron core to form Y-connection windings. The motor-driving circuit includes a circuit for short-circuiting two of the three leads extending from the Y-connection windings, a rotational position detector for detecting a rotational position of the motor, and a control circuit for causing an exciting an exciting current to flow between the short-circuited leads and the remaining lead, in such a manner that the rotational position detected by the rotational position-detecting means is moved to a designated rotational position which is corresponding to an external input which is within a narrow angular range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor-driving circuit capable of controlling a rotational position of a motor in a very narrow angular range, and relates also to a wire-bonding apparatus incorporating the motor-driving circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a brushless motor from which a rectifier is removed, a permanent magnet for generating magnetic fluxes is attached to the rotating shaft of a rotor, and three-phase windings are provided around the iron core of the stator.
As is well known, the torque produced by this three-phase motor is calculated as below.
Let it be assumed that the magnetic flux generated by the permanent magnet is .phi., and that the exciting currents iU, iV and iW flowing through the three-phase windings are respectively controlled to be sine-wave currents corresponding to the rotational position of the permanent magnet. In this case, the exciting currents iU, iV and iW are expressed as follows: EQU iU=Ia cos.theta.r EQU iV=Ia.cos(.theta.r-2/3.multidot..pi.) EQU iW=Ia.cos(.theta.r-4/3.multidot..pi.)
where .theta.r denotes the rotational position (angle) of the permanent magnet.
Thus, the torque produced by the motor is expressed by: EQU TM=3/2.Ks.Ia..phi.
(Ks: a constant of proportionality)
As can be understood from the above, the torque TM produced by the motor is stable; it does not vary with a change in the rotational position of the motor.
As is well known, the three-phase windings of the motor include a Y-connection winding type and a .DELTA.-connection winding type. In either type, the torque expressed by the above formula is produced, provided that the values of the exciting currents iU, iV and iW are maintained at the same values.
As mentioned above, a motor wherein a permanent magnet is provided for the rotor can be of a brushless type since it is not necessary to supply an exciting current to the rotor, as in a conventional DC servo motor wherein windings are provided for the rotor. However, a motor-driving circuit used for driving the brushless type of motor has to commutate the exciting currents iU, iV and iW to be supplied to the three-phase windings by use of transistor switches, with the rotational angular position of the rotor being constantly detected. Since, therefore, the circuit arrangement of this motor-driving circuit is inevitably complicated, the motor-driving circuit is larger in size than a conventional DC servo motor-driving circuit. In addition, the motor-driving circuit requires a higher manufacturing cost.
In some types of motors, the rotating shaft is required to rotate within a very narrow angular range. The motor employed in a bonding apparatus is a typical example of such a motor. In the motor, a tool arm is perpendicularly attached to the rotating shaft of the motor, and the tip end of the tool arm is moved within a certain limited range in accordance with minute rotation of the motor, so as to perform a bonding operation for an integrated circuit.
This type of motor need not produce uniform torque in the entire angle range (0.degree. to 360.degree.). The motor satisfies its requirements if uniform torque, an accurate rotational position, and an accurate rotating speed are attained only within a narrow angular range (e.g., the angular range of 0.degree. to .+-.5.degree.).
Therefore, if a motor requiring such limited rotation is driven by use of a motor-driving circuit designed for a complete-rotation type motor, the motor cannot be driven at high efficiency.

Motor-driving circuit and wire-bonding apparatus


A felt that further equalizes a pressure state under pressurization by a press so as to smooth the surface of a wet paper web without causing marking on the surface thereof and allow water to be uniformly squeezed out from the wet paper web without crushing the wet paper web is provided by a papermaking press felt wherein a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of an interval between an upper knuckle portion and an upper knuckle portion, an interval between upper and lower knuckle portions, or an interval between a lower knuckle portion and a lower knuckle portion is arranged to be a value corresponding to 1.0 piece or less of an upper warp yarn in a base fabric.

Papermaking machines removing water from raw material of paper are generally provided with a wire part, a press part, and a dryer part. The wire part, the press part, and the dryer part are arranged in this order in a direction in which a wet paper web is conveyed.
The wet paper web transferred from the wire part to the press part is conveyed usually by a felt including batt layers needled onto a base fabric and then pressed together with the felt by a roll press or a shoe press mechanism to remove water inside the wet paper web.
The felt is generally formed by intertwining and integrating a batt fiber with the base fabric by needling. The base fabric used is generally a woven fabric woven by a weaving machine. As methods for producing a woven fabric, there are hollow weaving and plain weaving. The hollow weaving is a method in which warp yarns on a weaving machine (warping yarns, which are weft yarns of felt (CMD yarns: Cross-Machine-Direction yarns)) and weft yarns on the weaving machine (interwoven yarns, which are warp yarns of the felt (MD yarns: Machine-Direction yarns)) are woven in a loop shape (in an endless shape) in advance. In addition, plain weaving is a method in which warp yarns on a weaving machine (warping yarns, which are warp yarns of felt (MD yarns: Machine-Direction yarns)) and weft yarns on the weaving machine (woven yarns, which are weft yarns of the felt (CMD yarns: Cross-Machine-Direction yarns)) are woven up into a woven fabric in such a manner that the length of a warp yarn direction of the woven fabric is equal to the length of a running direction of the felt in a papermaking machine. In this method, both ends of the woven fabric woven up are bonded together (sewed together) to form the woven fabric into a loop shape (for convenience, hereinafter, warp yarn and weft yarn, respectively, are referred to as warp yarn (MD yarn) and weft yarn (CMD yarn), respectively, of felt.
Functions required for the felt include equalizing a pressure state under pressurization by a press so as to smooth the surface of a wet paper web without causing marking on the surface thereof and uniformly squeeze water out from the wet paper web without crushing the wet paper web. In addition, the functions required for the felt also include reducing time from setting of a felt in a papermaking machine and starting of use of the felt to reaching a normal operation speed, namely an attunement time, and stabilizing running.
In Patent Literature 1, in order to simultaneously suppress both a stripe-like marking in a warp yarn direction and a stripe-like marking in a weft yarn direction to further improve surface properties of paper, there has been disclosed a felt using a base fabric composed of a woven fabric that has a double warp-single weft texture structure consisting of an upper warp yarn on a paper surface side of the fabric, a lower warp yarn on a running surface side thereof, and weft yarns interwoven by double weaving so as to be intertwined with both the upper and the lower yarns, in which the upper yarn is interwoven in a higher density than the lower warp yarn. In the base fabric, the upper warp yarn is composed of a soft twist yarn of a plurality of filaments softly twisted so as to be flattenable and the weft yarns are interwoven such that knuckle portions in each of which the weft yarns bend in such a manner as to pass along the upper side of only one upper piece of the upper yarn are arranged at an equal interval corresponding to three or more upper yarns.
In Patent Literature 2, in order to provide a press felt that does not cause any marking nor crush, there has been disclosed a felt using a base fabric composed of a set of top-side MD yarns, a set of bottom-side MD yarns, and a set of CMD yarns interwoven with the top-side MD yarns and the bottom-side MD yarns. In the base fabric, the top-side MD yarns, the bottom-side MD yarns, and the CMD yarns are interwoven in a series of repeating units in which each of the top-side MD yarns forms a long MD paper-side float yarn above specific consecutive plural ones of the set of CMD yarns.
Patent Literature 3 has disclosed a papermaking felt in which the number of pieces of MD yarns on the upper surface of a base fabric is twice the number of pieces of MD yarns on the lower surface thereof in order to provide a woven fabric having a high vibration absorbing capacity used in papermaking machines so as to provide a felt having high elasticity and resilience to assure better runnability, fewer maintenance stops, and improved paper quality.


A low-latency, peer-to-peer TDM bus including one or more data lines and one or more control lines is provided. Attached devices access the bus sequentially in order of their bus addresses. During a device's access period, if the device has data to transmit, the device places its address on the data lines, asserts a START signal on the bus, and proceeds to transmit data to the other devices on the bus. When the data transmission is completed, the device asserts an END signal on the bus, thus passing control of the bus to the next device in the sequence. If the device has no data to transmit, the device simply places its address on the data lines, asserts the START signal, and asserts the END signal, and control passes directly to the next device in line. In this manner, each device has an opportunity to transmit on the bus.

Numerous computerized devices are utilized by consumers throughout the world. In each of these devices, digital data are passed between individual components, often using a shared time-division multiplexed (TDM) bus, either serial and/or parallel, between the components. The data stream on the TDM bus comprises a repeating data cycle or frame, with each data frame being divided into multiple time slots. Each component is granted access to the bus during a certain time slot.
As is well-known in the prior art, the TDM bus typically utilizes an "arbiter" circuit, or master controller, that controls which component has access to the bus at a given time. The conventional master controller assigns the use of the TDM bus to the various components in accordance with a given set of arbitration rules, e.g., a round-robin allocation or an interrupt-driven access resulting in a first come, first served allocation. Flexibility is provided in such conventional devices by allowing the controller to change the duration of the TDM slot, or the number of TDM slots, allocated to any particular component.
Disadvantageously, conventional system bus arbitration can require substantial resources or overhead of the master controller. This is particularly true in multiple processor-based systems, where communication data traffic between the processors increases as requests for access to the arbitrated system bus increase. Moreover, as the size of systems increases and as the number of agents on a particular system bus grows, the arbitration processing becomes enormous. This increased overhead results in a decreased amount of processing available for other tasks. There is thus a need for a more flexible TDM system bus that does not require the significant overhead otherwise conventionally required in a master controller.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A memory emulation test system is provided with a method of and system for fast functional testing of memories, such as boot ROMs, in microprocessor-based assemblies. The emulative test system includes a synchronization circuit which automatically re-arms itself and generates sync pulses on each and every UUT data access cycle to allow the UUT microprocessor to read every boot ROM memory location and collect data to be computed into a checksum or other signature to be compared with a predetermined signature representative of a correctly functioning and faultless boot ROM.

The present invention relates generally to functional testing of memories, and in particular to a method of and system for fast functional testing of memories in microprocessor-based units using a memory-based emulative tester.
Emulative testers, so called because they emulate the behavior of microprocessor-kernel-related devices, are popular for functional testing and fault isolation in microprocessor-based boards or systems. Typically, the emulative tester is connected to a unit under test (UUT) at convenient locations, such as the microprocessor and memory sockets, and effectively takes control of the UUT as though it were part of the UUT's microprocessor kernel. An example of such an emulative tester is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,822 issued to Marshall H. Scott et al., and assigned to John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,822 discloses an emulative tester that is plugged into vacated read-only memory (ROM) sockets on the UUT to allow the UUT's microprocessor to execute instructions contained in emulation memory within the tester. The removed ROMs, which contain the boot-up instructions for the UUT microprocessor, may be plugged into a ROM module associated with the tester so that a user may instruct the UUT microprocessor to access information from either emulation memory or the UUT's own boot ROMs. The emulative tester also includes a number of leads that connect to the UUT microprocessor for developing sync pulses and providing reset signals from the tester to the UUT microprocessor.
In the prior-art memory-based emulative testers, reading information from the UUT boot ROMs was carried out on a bus-cycle-by-bus-cycle basis. That is, the boot ROM was turned on for one specific bus cycle of interest, such as a "read" cycle, during which the UUT microprocessor would attempt to read or access data from a selected address location in the ROM. If the "read" was successful, the data retrieved subsequently would be passed back to the tester where a checksum or other signature algorithm would be implemented to attempt to verify that the retrieved data was what was expected. Thereafter another "read" could be made at the next ROM address, and its contents verified. To test the entire boot ROM in this manner to verify correctness or validity of the memory contents was thus a long and arduous task.

In a memory emulation test apparatus, a method of and system for fast functional testing of memories in microprocessor-based units


There is provided an information processing apparatus for presenting knowledge information that is similar to inputted knowledge information, by using a knowledge system including relation information between a plurality of knowledge information items, the apparatus comprising: an input unit configured to receive first knowledge information, and second knowledge information that is associated with the first knowledge information; a relation acquisition unit configured to acquire first relation information indicating a relation that the first knowledge information has with respect to the second knowledge information, from the knowledge system; a knowledge acquisition unit configured to acquire knowledge information that has the relation indicated by the first relation information with respect to the second knowledge information, from the knowledge system; and an output unit configured to output the knowledge information acquired by the knowledge acquisition unit as knowledge information similar to the first knowledge information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for presenting content items to a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional technique is known in which when a user is, for example, producing a document, support is provided to the user for locating required information. For example, there is a categorization technique in which content items having similar features are automatically grouped, thereby facilitating location of desired content items (documents, images and the like) on behalf of the user. As one of the methods for categorizing content items, there is a method in which characteristic amounts indicating the features of content items are extracted, and content items having similar characteristic amounts are grouped. However, with such a categorization method, it may be difficult to determine what feature each content group has. According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-251825, keywords are extracted from documents, and the documents are categorized according to the positions of the keywords in the thesaurus.
When a user creates a project proposal for a new project, information or content items that the user needs may be unknown or unfamiliar to the user. In such a case, it is desirable to categorize content items such that the user can find necessary content. However, even if a conventional technique in which content items having similar features are grouped is used, for example, it is difficult to anticipate under what topic the content items have been grouped. When the user is searching for a content item in a field unknown to him or her, the user may not know which content group to search.
With the technique that uses a thesaurus, documents are mapped onto the thesaurus. Accordingly, it is easy to anticipate what feature each content group has. However, with this technique, when documents in an unknown field are searched, it is necessary to determine whether each document corresponds to important information or not, with looking through the thesaurus.

Information processing apparatus and method for obtaining a knowledge item based on relation information and an attribute of the relation


A wireless visible light communication system is provided. The system includes optical transmitters and optical receivers for receiving optical signals, wherein each of the optical transmitters includes a first light source for generating an optical signal, and at least one light source capable of generating light which has a color equal to that of the optical signal, and has a wavelength different from that of the optical signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless visible light communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term "optical communication" refers to a communication system for transmitting a data-modulated optical signal through an optical fiber. A benefit of optical communication is that it may be used to transmit a large amount of data at a high speed. Optical communication systems may be classified into a wavelength division multiplexing scheme, a time division multiplexing scheme, a sub-carrier multiplexing scheme, etc. according to an optical signal transmission scheme. The wavelength division multiplexing scheme uses rays of light having different wavelengths as carriers for modulating data.
The wavelength division multiplexing scheme is a type of optical communication method for transmitting optical signals. The optical signals are data modulated into channels (i.e., light) having different wavelengths, through optical lines or the like. Since the wavelength division multiplexing scheme can transmit a plurality of optical signals through a single optical line, the wavelength division multiplexing scheme is an optical communication method suitable for transmission of a large amount of data at a high speed. Moreover, an optical communication system employing the wavelength division multiplexing scheme can transmit different types of data (e.g., Internet data, synchronous optical network (SONET) data, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) data, etc.) through one optical line.
The wavelength division multiplexing scheme makes it easier to select bands according to wavelengths as compared to the frequency modulation and time division schemes. Therefore, the wavelength division multiplexing scheme can also be applied to wireless optical communication systems. However, the wireless visible light communication system may be restricted to indoor use or ultra short range communication because the wireless visible light communication system uses light as a carrier.
The wireless visible light communication may use light sources capable of generating white light as optical transmitters, or may user light sources capable of generating light of a wavelength which is invisible to the human eye (e.g., infrared ray, etc.).
When the wireless visible light communication system is applied in an indoor environment, optical signals generated from the light sources may additionally function as illumination, and light sources of three colors (red, blue and green) may be used to respectively generate optical signals to be used as carriers so that the optical signals can be at substantially the same state as natural light.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a conventional wireless visible light communication system. A wireless visible light communication system 100 is a type of optical communication system which uses optical signals data-modulated using light in a visible wavelength band as a carrier. The wireless visible light communication system 100 includes optical transmitters 111, 112 and 113 capable of generating optical signals 101, 102 and 103 having different colors, and optical receivers 121, 122 and 123 for detecting the optical signals 101, 102 and 103 generated from the optical transmitters 111 to 113.
Each of the optical transmitters 111 to 113 includes light sources capable of generating light having mutually different colors, and may either further include an external modulator for modulating data, or may be configured in such a manner as to directly modulate data using the light sources. Since the wireless visible light communication system uses light in a visible wavelength band, which is visible to the human eye, as a carrier, it is necessary to transmit optical signals in the natural light state so as to minimize fatigue of the user. Accordingly, in an exemplary implementation, the optical transmitters 111 to 113 may be configured with light sources capable of generating three primary colors (red, blue and green) which are mutually different.
The optical receivers 121 to 123 include photoelectric converters 121a to 123a for converting input optical signals at corresponding wavelengths into electrical signals, and data detectors 121b to 123b for detecting data from the electrical signals, respectively.
Photo diodes or phototransistors may be used as the photoelectric converters 121a to 123a. In order to detect an optical signal at a corresponding wavelength, a wavelength selective filter (or a band pass filter or optical filter) for selectively transmitting only the optical signal at a corresponding wavelength from one of the received optical signals may be installed at the front position through which the photoelectric converters 121a to 123a receive the optical signals.
FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating a spectrum of an optical wavelength band used in a conventional wireless visible light communication system. Referring to FIG. 2, the graph illustrates powers of rays of light according to colors (i.e. green, blue and red). Accordingly, it can be understood that rays of light having colors may have different powers depending on wavelengths.
Although the wireless visible light communication system using light in a visible wavelength band is mainly used in an indoor environment, the wireless visible light communication system has a problem in that it is difficult to produce and maintain light in a uniform state of natural light (white light) due to the characteristic of colored light having different powers depending on wavelengths.

Apparatus and method for transferring an optical signal in a wireless visible light communication system


The invention relates to compounds of the formula I

De-ubiquitinating enzymes are a family of cysteine hydrolases which specifically cleave ubiquitin-derived substrates with the general structure Ub-L. Ub is ubiquitin(yl), L (at the C-terminus of Ub) can be any number of leaving groups ranging from small thiols and amines to Ub or other proteins. UCH-L3 is one of the members of this family of de-ubiquinating hydrolases.
Ubiquitin is a small (about 8.6 kDa) protein which is highly conserved and is especially well known for its role in targeting proteins for degradation to 26S protease. The protein has been reported to be involved in many cellular processes, inter alia cell cycle control, oncoprotein degradation, receptor function, apoptosis, regulation of transcription, stress responses, DNA repair, maintenance of chromatin structure, signaling pathways, antigen presentation and the degradation of abnormal proteins. The Ub-activating enzyme E1 is known to activate monomeric ubiquitin and forms a thioester bond with Ub C-terminus. The ligation of the Ub C-terminus to lysine side chains of acceptor proteins is then catalyzed by E2 (Ub-conjugating) and E3 (Ub ligase) enzyme families. The target proteins can be mono- or poly-ubiquitinated (the latter for example in the case of targeting for degradation by the 25S protease). Besides lysine side chains, the Ub C-terminus can also be found attached to α-amino groups in peptide bonds as all known Ub genes encode fusion proteins in which Ub is followed by a C-terminal extension.
Proteolytic processing at the Ub C-terminus is catalyzed by "DeUBiquinating enzymes" (DUBS). Numerous DUBs have been identified and fall into two families: Ubiquitin-specific Proteases (USPs) and Ubiquitin C-terminal Hydrolases (UCHs).
These enzymes all cleave the peptide bond at the C-terminus of Ub. UCH-L3 cleaves peptide extensions of up to 20 residues from Ub with high efficiency and low sequence preference. Larger folded extensions are not cleaved. Thus the UCHs are presumed to function in the regeneration of active Ub from adducts with small nucleophiles. UCH-L3 is expressed especially in hematopoietic cells. UCH-L3 is implicated in various disorders including immunological or proliferative diseases such as cancer, especially solid tumors, e.g. cancers of the colon, lung cancer or the like. The USP2 family includes a number of isoforms. UBP41 was found first in chicken, then other chicken isoforms were found (UBP46, UBP52, UBP66), and all show strong sequence similarity in the enzymatically active core region while they show differences by N- or C-terminal extension. Various ubiquitinylated test substrates have been shown to be hydrolyzed by these enzymes. DNA Sequences coding for human as well as murine USP2 homologues were identified, see Genbank. For human USP2, two isoforms have been described: a long transcript variant 1 and a short transcript variant 2. Abnormal USP function may lead to cancer and disease. For example, it has been shown that USP2a is elevated in prostate cancer cells, and inactivating the protease causes degradation of the enzyme fatty acid synthetase (which otherwise would help tumor cells to resist apoptosis and to survive under non-optimal growth conditions (see e.g. FOCUS, Apr. 16, 2004, Pat McCaffrey, News from Harvard Medical, Dental & Public Health Schools, Research Briefs, http://focus.hms.Harvard.edu/2004/April16—2004/research_briefs.html. hUBP 41 was shown to be up- or down-regulated in a number of tumor cells, e.g. breast, uterus, ovary, kidney, colon, stomach, rectum and lung tumor cells.
Proliferative diseases and other diseases that depend on deviations of regulation e.g. in signaling and/or metabolic pathways are a very common cause of death in humans and also in other warm-blooded animals.
It is therefore the problem to be solved by the present invention to make available new inhibitors that are pharmacologically advantageous and/or especially are effective via new mechanisms of action.

2-cyano-pyrimidines and-triazines as cysteine protease inhibitors

Abstract: and salts thereof, to a process for their manufacture, to their use in the treatment of (especially cysteine protease, such as UCH-L3- and/or USP-2 dependent) diseases or for the manufacture of pharmaceutical formulations against these diseases, methods of treatment of warm-blooded animals comprising administering the compounds and/or their salts to said animals and pharmaceutical preparations, especially for the treatment of the diseases, comprising said compounds and/or salts.


Methods and tools for positioning cables using magnets during assembly of a consumer electronic product are described. Methods described are well suited in the manufacture of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, computer tablets and the like. Methods involve attaching magnetic components to cables and to one or more surfaces within the enclosure of the electronic devices. During assembly, the magnetic components on the cables magnetically couple with corresponding magnetic components on the surfaces within the enclosure. In this way, the cables can be secured in certain positions and out of the way during the assembly of the electronic device. In some instances, the cables can remain magnetically secured after assembly and during the operation of the electronic device. In other instances, the magnetic components are decoupled after assembly thereby releasing the cables from their secured positions during operation of the electronic device.

Consumer electronic products generally have multiple wires and cables connecting various components situated within an enclosure. During assembly, the wires and cables can get in the way of positioning the various components within the enclosure, especially during "blind" assembly when a component obstructs the view of other components and wires while they are being assembled.
A current trend in consumer electronics is to provide portable computing devices that are smarter and capable of doing more complex operations. From an assembly viewpoint, this means installing more components within a small enclosure, making it more difficult to maneuver the various components and cables within the enclosures. In addition, some situations require that certain wires and components be separated or not contact each other once the electronic device is assembled.

Using magnets to position cables/flexes during system assembly


A debris collection device for collecting debris along a vertical surface during drilling of the vertical surface includes a tray being positionable adjacent a vertical surface and under a drill to collect falling debris when the vertical surface is drilled. The tray includes a bottom wall and a perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The perimeter wall and the bottom wall define a collection space to receive the debris.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dust collectors and more particularly pertains to a new dust collector for collecting debris along a vertical surface during drilling of the vertical surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of dust collectors is known in the prior art. The prior art teaches collectors that are positioned around a drill bit and therefore block the view of the drill bit as it is being used.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that has certain improved features that allows for the area being drilled to be viewed during the drilling process. Additionally, the device is positioned away from a drill to inhibit accidental injury from the drill slipping during use.


A sliding element, such as a piston ring, including a substrate, base coating, and relatively thin sliding coating is provided. The base coating is typically applied to a running surface of the substrate by PVD, CVD, galvanic deposition, electrodeposition, or a thermal spray process. The sliding coating includes a polymer matrix and hard particles disposed throughout the matrix. The sliding coating is applied to the base coating when the base coating is still in its as-applied condition and has a surface roughness of at least 4.0 μm. During use of the sliding element, the thin sliding coating acts as a sacrificial run-in layer. In addition, as the polymer matrix of the sliding coating wears away, the hard particles polish the rough surface of the base coating. Thus, polishing or lapping of the as-applied base coating prior to use of the sliding element is not required.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a coated sliding element, such as a piston ring, and methods of manufacturing the coated sliding element.
2. Related Art
Sliding elements of engine applications typically consist of multiple-layer materials with modified surfaces to optimize the sliding characteristics. For example, the sliding elements can include metal layers, possibly based on lead, tin or aluminum, which are applied by a galvanic process, vaporization, or ion plating. Non-metal sliding layers are also known, such as those having an artificial resin base modified to achieve certain properties, load capacity, and resistance to wear.
Although the load capacity provided by the known coatings is high, failure of the sliding function can result if the load capacity limit is exceeded. The associated exposure of the substrate material can then cause seizure leading to total failure of the sliding element.
Resin-based sliding coatings have also been used for many years to reduce friction in mechanical constructions. Usually, metal, plastic and rubber components are coated, which need to be easily movable without further lubrication. In typical applications, the loads are rather low and the boundary conditions, such as temperature and media, are non-critical. It is known from various publications, in particular from EP 0 984 182 A1, that engine applications, for example crank shaft bearings, are also possible with such sliding elements. In this document, an overlay with a matrix of polyimide (PI), polyamideimide (PAI), epoxy resin or a phenolic resin is described, to which Fe3O4 can be added, amongst others, to reduce wear.
DE 196 14 105 A1 reveals a wear and cavitation-resistant plastics sliding layer consisting of a matrix material made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or thermoplastic fluoropolymers, Fe2O3, and solid lubricants. This material is used for bearings, for example as a guide element for shock absorbers, and is only suitable for low sliding speeds and low loads due to its structure and the soft fluoropolymer matrix.
EP 1 775 487 A2 discloses a sliding bearing which has a metal carrier material, and an aluminum alloy and plastic sliding layer applied to the metal carrier material. In order to improve the bonding strength and cavitation resistance of the plastic sliding layer, a material is suggested that has a bonding agent made of PI, PAI, polyben-zimidazole (PBI), engineered (EP), and functional polymer (FP), as well as a solid lubricant such as MoS2, graphite, PTFE, and BN.


The invention provides recombinant Streptococcus mutans strains that can be used to improve oral health. An embodiment of the invention provides a method of reducing the incidence or severity of dental caries in a dental caries-susceptible host comprising administering orally to the host an isolated recombinant S. mutans strain of the invention in an amount effective for replacement of dental caries-causing S. mutans host strains in the oral cavity of the host. The isolated recombinant S. mutans strain 10 can be contained in a mouthwash, toothpaste, chewing gum, floss, chewable tablet, food, or beverage.

Dental caries are one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases in the world. Over half of U.S. children age 5-9 have at least one cavity or filling; by age 17, nearly 80% of our young people have had a cavity. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General—Executive Summary. Rockville, Md.: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.
Annual expenditures on the treatment of dental caries in the U.S. are estimated to be $40 billion a year according to the Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Data Resource Center. Tooth decay is characterized by the demineralization of enamel and dentin, eventually resulting in the destruction of the teeth. Dietary sugar is often misperceived as the cause of tooth decay; however, the immediate cause of tooth decay is lactic acid produced by microorganisms that metabolize sugar on the surface of the teeth. Studies suggest that of the approximately 700 oral microorganisms, Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium found in virtually all humans, is the principal causative agent in the development of tooth decay. Residing within dental plaque on the surface of teeth, S. mutans derives energy from carbohydrate metabolism as it converts dietary sugar to lactic acid which, in turn, promotes demineralization in enamel and dentin, eventually resulting in a cavity. The rate at which mineral is lost depends on several factors, including the number of S. mutans cells that are present and the frequency and amount of sugar that is consumed.
Therapeutic regimens that take advantage of bacterial interference to replace a pathogenic bacterial strain such as S. mutans with a non-pathogenic, effector strain are known as replacement therapies. Successful replacement therapy requires an effector strain that: 1) is non-pathogenic, 2) alters the microenvironment to prevent colonization or outgrowth of a pathogenic organism, and 3) persistently colonizes the host at risk to prevent reinfection by the target pathogenic organism, and aggressively displaces the pathogenic organism from the tissues at risk in the case where the pathogen is part of the host's indigenous flora.
Application of the principles of replacement therapy requires the isolation of a non-cariogenic effector strain of S. mutans, e.g., an S. mutans strain deficient in lactic acid synthesis that can outcompete native S. mutans in the oral cavity of the host. There is a need in the art for stable, lactic acid-deficient, non-cariogenic strains of S. mutans that can persistently colonize and aggressively outcompete native S. mutans in the oral cavities of the hosts, and that are suitable for use in a replacement therapy in the prevention and/or treatment of dental caries.
The ability of an effector strain to preemptively colonize the human oral cavity and aggressively displace indigenous wild-type strains was initially thought to be a complex phenomenon dependent on a large number of phenotypic properties. However, it was discovered that a single phenotypic property could provide the necessary selective advantage. A naturally occurring strain of S. mutans was isolated from a human subject that produces a lantibiotic called MU1140, which is capable of killing virtually all other strains of mutans streptococci against which it was tested. See e.g., Hillman et al., Infect. Immun. 44:141 (1984). Mutants were isolated that produced no detectable MU1140 or that produced approximately three-fold elevated amounts. The mutants were used in a rat model to correlate lantibiotic production to colonization potential. It was found that the ability of these strains to preemptively colonize the host and aggressively displace indigenous strains of S. mutans increased significantly as the amount of MU1140 produced increased.
The same relationship between MU1140 production and colonization potential was observed in human subjects, where repeated exposures to the wild-type parent strain were required to achieve persistent colonization (Hillman et al. J. Dent. Res. 66:1092 (1985)), whereas a single exposure to the strain producing three-fold elevated amounts of MU1140 was sufficient (Hillman et al. J. Dent. Res. 66:1092 (1987)). The latter strain required over a year to completely replace indigenous strains of S. mutans in the mouths of the human subjects. During this period, it is presumed that their susceptibility to dental caries persisted until the levels of indigenous S. mutans decreased below a threshold level.
In order to further increase the colonization potential of an effector strain for replacement therapy of dental caries, it is desirable to obtain one or more strains of S. mutans that produce elevated amounts of MU1140 or produce variants of this molecule with increased specific activity. Such strains would reduce the period required for the effector strain to eliminate indigenous, lactic acid-producing strains and thereby achieve full effectiveness. Such strains are also more likely to overcome any inherent resistance to colonization, which, while not currently known, may exist in certain individuals in the population being treated. See, e.g., Hillman, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 82: 361-366, 2002.


An inline memory module (IMM) architecture may include: a printed circuit board (PCB); a first array of memory devices on a first side of the PCB; a second array of memory devices on a second side of the PCB; at least some of the memory devices of the first array being arranged so as to substantially overlap, relative to a reference axis of the PCB, positional-twin memory devices of the second array, respectively; and multiple vias at least some of which are parts of respective signal paths that connect signal leads of a first memory device in the first array to corresponding signal leads of a second memory device in the second array that is adjacent to a positional-twin third memory device in the second array corresponding to the first memory device.

Memory modules can be characterized by form factor. The form factor for any memory module describes its size and pin configuration. An example of an older form factor for memory modules is the SIMM type, where SIMM is an acronym for single in-line memory module. A newer form factor is the DIMM type, where DIMM is an acronym for dual in-line memory module. There are several variations of DIMMs, with new variations continuing to evolve.
FIG. 1A is a cross-section of a DIMM 100, according to the Background Art, taken along section line IA-IA′ shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C.
DIMM 100 includes: a printed circuit board (PCB) 102; and integrated circuit memory devices 104—i (e.g., 104_1, 104_2, 104_3 and 104_4). Typically, the integrated circuit memory devices are packaged devices, each of which contains one or more integrated circuit chips. For example, the packaged devices may be in form of plastic leaded packages, BGA (ball grid array) packages, and WFPs (wafer-level fabricated packages), etc. It is assumed in FIG. 1A that the integrated circuit memory devices are in form of BGA packages. PCB 102 has a front side 130 and a back side 132. Conductive segments (hereafter referred to as wires) are printed on front side 130 and back side 132 of PCB 102. More particularly, wires 116, 118, 124 and 126 are visible in FIG. 1A on front side 130 of PCB 102, and wires 114, 120, 122 and 128 are visible in FIG. 1A on back side 132 of PCB 102. The vias are formed in PCB 102, of which vias 108_6 and 110_7 are visible in FIG. 1A. Conductive terminals 106 of memory devices 104—i, e.g. conductive balls in the circumstance of a BGA package, connect conductive I/O terminals of the circuits (not shown) in memory devices 104—i to the various wires on PCB 102.
Relative to a reference axis, e.g., the longitudinal axis of PCB 102, memory devices 104_1 and 104_2 align at a first reference location so as to overlap each other. Similarly, memory devices 104_3 and 104_4 align at a second reference location so as to overlap each other. To simplify description, memory devices 104_1 & 104_2 will be referred to as positional-twins. Similarly, memory devices 104_3 and 104_4 will be referred to as positional-twins.
FIG. 1B is a front view of the printed wires and vias of PCB 102 that fall within the overlying footprints 134 of memory devices 104_1 and 104_2, according to the Background Art. FIG. 1C is a front view of the printed wires and vias of PCB 102 that fall within the overlying footprints 136 of memory devices 104_3 and 104_4, according to the Background Art.
In FIG. 1B, vias 108_1, 108_2, . . . , 108_4 are called out. Similarly, in FIG. 1C, vias 110_1, 110_2, . . . , 110_4 are called out. In FIGS. 1B and 1C, wires on front side 130 of PCB 102 as well as wires on back side 132 of PCB 102 are visible. For simplicity of illustration, however, only wires 114, 116, 122 and 124 are called out in FIGS. 1B and 1C, respectively. A fuller understanding of FIGS. 1B & 1C can be facilitated with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C.
FIG. 2A is a front view of the printed wires and vias on front side 230 of a PCB (not depicted) in a DIMM (not depicted) that fall within the overlying footprint of a memory device (not depicted), according to the Background Art. FIG. 2B is a back-side view of the printed wires and vias on a back side 232 of the same PCB in the same DIMM that fall within the overlying footprint of a positional-twin memory device (not depicted), according to the Background Art. FIG. 2C is a front view of the printed wires and vias of the PCB that fall within the overlapped footprints of the positional-twin memory devices, according to the Background Art. FIGS. 2A-2C (again) are provided to help relate FIGS. 1B and 1C to FIG. 1A.
A description of how FIG. 2C is obtained can be as follows: rotate FIG. 2B 180° about a flip axis 24; and then superimpose FIG. 2A upon the rotated version of FIG. 2B. Alternatively, a description of how FIG. 2C is obtained can be as follows: make a left-hand rotation of FIG. 2A about a fold axis 26 and make a right-hand rotation of FIG. 2B about fold axis 26, bringing FIG. 2A toward FIG. 2B as one might close a book or fold a sheet of paper; and then make a right-hand rotation of the closed-book/folded-sheet until the wires in the closed-book/folded-sheet corresponding to the wires in FIG. 2A have the same orientation as in FIG. 2A.
In FIG. 2C, vias 11 and 12 connect wires 16 & 20 and 22 & 18, respectively. Pads 1a and 1b′ (or, in other words, end portions) of wires 16 and 22, respectively, are not electrically connected, but they do overlap (again, given the relationship of FIG. 2C to FIGS. 2A-2B). Hence, in FIG. 2C, one circle encloses both reference numbers 1a and 1b′. Similarly, pads 1a′ and 1b of wires 20 and 18, respectively, are not electrically connected, but they do overlap. Accordingly, in FIG. 2C, one circle encloses both reference numbers 1a′ and 1b.
Returning to FIGS. 1A-1B, conductive terminals 106 can be described as being clustered along opposing edges of each memory device 104—i. In contrast and relative to the arrangement of conductive terminals 106, vias 108—i can be described as being clustered along a central axis of each memory device 104—i.

Printed wires arrangement for in-line memory (IMM) module


Provided are a hair dyeing method which causes a particular portion of hair to attain a different color than the overall color, and hair which is thus manufactured. The method includes steps of (a) applying a first dye to a plurality of hairs, (b) dividing the plurality of hairs, to which the first dye is applied, into specific units of hair, (c) marking a section in the specific unit of hair which will not be dyed, (d) tying the marked section in the specific unit of hair, (e) injecting water into a dyeing apparatus which is to be used in applying a second dye, (f) heating the water which is injected into the dyeing apparatus, (g) injecting a chemical and a dye into the water which is injected into the dyeing apparatus and heated, (h) introducing the specific unit of hair to be mixed with the water which is injected into the dyeing apparatus, (i) gradually raising a temperature of the water which is injected into the dyeing apparatus, (j) when the temperature of the water which is injected into the dyeing apparatus rises to a certain temperature, maintaining the temperature of the water for a certain duration of time, (k) verifying the color of the specific unit of hair, and repeating the step (g) when the color of the specific unit of hair is not a designated color, and (l) when the color of the specific unit of hair is the designated color, stopping the heating of the water which is injected into the dyeing apparatus, and draining the water from the dyeing apparatus.

Typically, a human hair is extremely thin, having an average diameter of about 0.05 to about 0.08 mm. For this reason, hair material which is generally used in wigs or materials for increasing hair, or in hair extensions for accessories, is similar to human hair in also being thin.
In addition to natural hair from humans, synthetic hair, which is obtained through fabricating synthetic resin fibers such as nylon, modacrylic, and polyester, is also generally known as hair material.
When dyeing such hair materials, there is difficulty involved in coloring a thin hair material having a diameter of about 0.05 to about 0.08 mm such that a desired appearance is obtained, and in realizing a color and/or color tone which is in accordance with the preferences of individuals. Such hair coloring materials are absolutely required to not be easily discolored or to easily lose color, even when exposed to sunlight or washed, and are also required to have a minimum level of rigidity.
Difficulty is also faced when coloring a portion of a single strand of hair material with a different color or color tone than the remaining portion.
An excessively complex process is required to divide a single strand of hair into two or more parts and color each part with a different color.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 174683/89, a related art for coloring hair is disclosed.
Such related art for coloring hair requires particular care to prevent a remaining portion of hair material which is not to be colored, from being inadvertently dipped in dyeing solution. In this method, for example, when about 5 cm of a middle portion of hair material needs to be colored, only exactly this middle portion may be dipped in dyeing solution for a certain period of time.
Since accurately maintaining the hair material is required to prevent inadvertently dipping the portion of hair material which should not be dyed into a dyeing solution, there is a limitation in that control for accurately coloring a designated portion of the hair material is difficult.
When various types or a plurality of colors or color tones must be separately colored on hair material, the portion of hair which is designated to be colored is required to be dipped in a dye container each time that coloring is performed, and thus the number of steps is increased.
Thus, such a dipping method is limited in being difficult to apply in cases which require partial coloring, or in cases which require a single strand of hair to be colored with two or more colors or color tones.

Hair dyeing method and hair thus manufactured


A method for receiving and transmitting signals in a cellular radio network. The method comprising receiving a plurality of radio signals at different frequencies using a single radio receiver at the base station, scanning the incoming signals and saving the signals to a buffer with a first processor, reading, processing and time-multiplexing the buffered signals with a second processor, transmitting the time-multiplexed radio signal via a single physical link to a mobile switching center, demultiplexing the time-multiplexed radio signal into independent radio signals corresponding to the incoming signals at the mobile switching center with a third processor;, processing the independent radio signals with the third processor; and routing the independent radio signals to the proper end users.

The demand for cellular radio service continues to grow at an astounding rate. Not surprisingly, it is becoming increasingly important that the radio spectrum be used to provide better cellular service for more and more customers with little or no extra cost to the service providers.
In cellular radio service, a predetermined radio frequency spectrum is allocated to carry the communication between a subscriber's cellular telephone and the service provider's base station, which is the gateway into the cellular switching network. The radio spectrum is divided into frequency channels, commonly referred to as "channel numbers," which are reused by base stations within a service provider's area. The greater the reuse of frequency channels, the greater the number of cellular radio subscribers that can be simultaneously served.
A major cost associated with wireless telecommunications is the base stations. The cellular approach requires a large number of base stations in a city of any size. A typical large city can have hundreds of base stations. It is very expensive to provide and maintain the numerous radio receivers that may be found within the base station itself, not to mention the numerous channel links to the mobile switching center. Presently, all cellular technologies need as many radio receivers and links at the base station as there are frequency channels available in that area (or cell), since there may be a signal coming in on all of the frequencies at the same time. Therefore, there is a need in the art to reduce the costs associated with providing cellular service.

Method and system for receiving and transmitting signals in a cellular radio network


A method and apparatus for the generative manufacture of a three-dimensional component in a processing chamber, in which the steps “providing a metallic starting material in the processing chamber” and “melting the starting material by means of energy input” are repeated multiple times, wherein a process gas is provided in the processing chamber are disclosed. The method is characterized by the steps: 1) the hydrogen content of the process gas or a sample of the process gas is determined; 2) the oxygen content of the process gas or a sample of the process gas is determined by means of an oxygen sensor and/or the dew point of the process gas or a sample of the process gas is determined; and 3) the values for the oxygen content and/or the dew point determined in step 2 are corrected by means of the value for the hydrogen content determined in step 1.

The present invention pertains to a method for the generative manufacture of a three-dimensional component in a processing chamber, in which the steps "providing a metallic starting material in the processing chamber" and "melting the starting material by means of energy input" are repeated multiple times, wherein a process gas is provided in the processing chamber, and wherein the oxygen content of the process gas is determined. The invention furthermore pertains to a device for the generative manufacture of a three-dimensional component, which comprises a processing chamber with a production platform and an application device for applying the starting material onto the production platform, a laser for melting the starting material and a process gas supply device for supplying process gas into the processing chamber.
Generative manufacturing methods make it possible to produce various three-dimensional components with complex geometry.
In 3D printing, for example, three-dimensional workpieces are produced in layers. The workpieces are produced of one or more liquid or solid materials in a computer-controlled fashion based on predefined dimensions and shapes (CAD). Physical or chemical hardening or melting processes take place during the production. Typical materials for 3D printing are plastics, synthetic resins, ceramics and metals. 3D printers are used for industrial and research purposes. Such printers are furthermore used in the domestic and entertainment sectors, as well as in the arts.
3D printing is the generative or additive manufacturing method. The most important 3D printing techniques are selective laser melting and electron beam melting for metals, selective laser sintering for polymers, ceramics and metals, stereolithography and digital light processing for liquid synthetic resins and polyjet modeling, as well as fused deposition modeling, for plastics and some synthetic resins.
Another generative manufacturing method is selective melting and solidifying. In this type of methods, metal powder or a metal wire is molten in layers and solidified such that a three-dimensional component can be generated. The size of the molten pool being produced is small due to the locally limited energy input by means of a laser beam. It is therefore possible to produce filigree structures. Corresponding methods are commercially marketed as laser-engineered net shaping (LENS), direct metal deposition (DMD), laser additive manufacturing (LAM), selective laser melting (SLM), laser metal fusion (LMF) or laser metal deposition (LMD).
Local laser sintering or melting can either be carried out in the form of an indirect or a direct method.
Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a method for producing three-dimensional structures of a powdery starting material by means of sintering. Laser sintering is a generative manufacturing method: the workpiece is produced layer by layer. The effect of the laser beams therefore makes it possible to produce arbitrary three-dimensional geometries that may also feature undercuts, e.g. workpieces that cannot be produced with conventional mechanical or casting methods.
In selective laser sintering (SLS/LMF), a layer of powder material is applied onto a working surface (production platform). The loose powder is selectively molten by means of a laser beam. Depending on the material used, the powder particles are during this melting process connected within the layer, as well as to the layer located thereunder. Two distinct basic trends have emerged for the production of metallic components. In addition to directly solidifying metallic powder materials by means of laser radiation (direct metal laser sintering), the production of metallic components by means of a combination of SLS of plastic-encased metal powder and a subsequent thermal treatment (IMLS) already established itself at an early stage.
In direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), either single-component or multi-component metallic materials are used. DMLS multi-component powders consisting of different alloying elements are particularly used in this case. The low-melting component contained in the powder is molten by means of a laser beam and flows around the high-melting component that serves as structure provider.
In electron beam melting (EBM), the process sequence essentially corresponds to the laser-based method. In this case, loose metal powder, which is present in the form of a powder bed or introduced through a nozzle, or a wire is selectively molten and subsequently solidifies in the desired contour. The required energy input is realized by means of an electron beam. The method is usually carried out in a vacuum chamber that is flooded with inert gas.
Accordingly, a powder bed, a powder supply or a wire feed is used in generative manufacturing methods, wherein these starting materials are then molten by inputting energy, for example in the form of a laser beam, an electron beam or a plasma/arc, and subsequently solidified. Furthermore, process gases in the form of inert gases or active gases are used in generative manufacturing methods.
Generative manufacturing methods are frequently carried out in a processing chamber that is filled with a process gas. In this context, it is common practice to use an inert gas, in which the contaminants have to be strictly controlled. For example, the oxygen content cannot exceed a certain threshold value. Another example of contaminants is the moisture in the processing chamber, which likewise has to be strictly controlled.
The process gas is contaminated, for example, when the processing chamber is opened. Ambient air is admitted into the processing chamber during the removal of a finished component and the subsequent production of a new component. Another source of contaminants is the powder itself, which may have absorbed contaminants on the surface of the particles, wherein these contaminants are then released during the melting process and thereby contaminate the process gas atmosphere.
The present invention is therefore based on the objective of making available a generative manufacturing method, in which an enhanced control of the process gas atmosphere in the processing chamber can be achieved.
The invention particularly should allow an enhanced control of the oxygen content and/or the dew point of the process gases.
All or some of these objectives are attained by means of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.

Method for the generative manufacture of a 3-dimensional component


A shaft for a gas turbine engine includes an inner contour with a stiffening rib that defines a stiffened wall thickness related to a nominal wall thickness according to a ratio between about 1.125-2.1.

This application relates generally to a gas turbine engine shaft and more specifically to a shaft with an internal stiffening structure.
Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, generally include a compressor to pressurize an airflow, a combustor to burn a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and burned to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
The high pressure turbine drives the high pressure compressor through an outer shaft to form a high spool, and the low pressure turbine drives the low pressure compressor through an inner shaft to form a low spool. The fan section may also be driven by the inner shaft. The shafts are required to meet the conflicting requirements of stiffness and low weight.

Stiffened rotor shaft for a gas turbine engine


A new low-profile tentering system for a tenter machine is realized according to the present invention by a tenter frame including low-profile rail assemblies for carrying an endless carrier. A series of attachment blocks of the endless carrier have tentering connectors to provide for transporting a sheet material under widthwise tension in a longitudinal path through the tenter machine.. Each rail assembly has guideways for supporting and carrying an endless carrier within the guideways. The tentering system of this invention uniquely uses a plurality spherical bearing balls for transporting the endless carrier within slots of the guideways. The endless carrier includes an endless belt or endless chain connecting a series of attachment blocks for holding the bearing balls in a position so that they can freely rotate within the guideways. Tentering connectors are carried by the attachment blocks of the endless carrier for supporting spaced apart edges of the sheet material. The endless carrier is driven by spaced drive wheels in a closed-loop path to carry the sheet material along the longitudinal path through the tenter machine. A transition guideway section, formed with a plurality of adjacent bending contour plates, provides for angular transitions when connecting together entry, stretch, intermediate and delivery guideways of rail assemblies. A vertically operated closed-loop endless carrier driven by vertical drive wheels, is also within the scope of this invention.

This invention relates to a tenter machine, and more particularly to a low profile tentering system, including chain and rail designs for compact tenter machine applications.
Generally speaking a tenter machine is an open-width fabric-finishing machine in which the selvedges of a woven textile fabric or sheet material are held by a pair of endless traveling carriers in an open width condition while maintaining widthwise tension in the fabric or sheet. For example, tension is maintained in the weft yarns of a fabric. Selvedges are held by a tentering system or tenter frame. Tentering connectors include pin tenters or tentering clips. Other materials having a thin film web can also be tentered. Such tenter machines are used for drying fabric, for heat setting of thermoplastic material, for fixation of chemical finishes and the like.
A typical dryer oven for a compact tenter machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,381. The compact dryer oven of this reference is heat efficient and includes a lower housing and an upper housing for providing a short air distribution path and air recycle time. For efficient operation, this dryer oven needs a low-profile tentering system so that proper temperatures can be maintained between the upper and lower housings for fast drying. A clean and efficient tentering system is required to smoothly transport the material through the dryer as it is being held under tension along its selvedges by the tentering system. A low maintenance and low rate of wear tentering system is required for a continuous operation of a tenter machine; typical of a compact tenter machine for drying an endless sheet of material.
A tentering system or tenter frame is used for transporting the sheet material along a longitudinal tentering path. Components of the tentering system include means for driving an endless chain or carrier along the longitudinal path and returning the chain to the start of the longitudinal path. The endless chain forms a closed-loop path and it must be supported along this closed-loop path by tentering rails adjacent the selvedges of the sheet material. The selvedges are held and transported by pins or clip edges of the tentering connectors. A compact tentering system which freely moves the endless chain along the tentering rails with less need for lubrication is most desirable for low wear energy efficient operation and for keeping the sheet material clean.
Typical endless chains forming a closed-loop path for transporting a fabric or sheet material are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,134,189; 4,679,283; 4,877,062; 4,882,820; and 5,265,313. In general, the endless chains are a series of attachment elements or blocks driven by a drive sprocket or wheel for transporting a sheet material under tension along a longitudinal path. Generally speaking, the endless chains of these references require complex bearing assemblies for supporting the chain in a rail assembly. The chains also have a need for lubrication to reduce wear and make the endless chain move freely.
The endless chains are carried by a rail assembly along the closed-loop path. Examples of rail assemblies known in the art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,469,291; 4,679,283; and 4,882,820. The endless chain moves along or within the rail assembly being supported by the rail assembly itself. In general the rail assemblies of these references require an overall space having a vertical and/or horizontal dimension larger than the space available in the compact tenter machine.
The four U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,469,291; 4,134,189; 4,679,283; and 5,265,313 disclose endless tentering chains with ball bearings that interface with rail assemblies. Each reference discloses an endless chain component comprising a series of anti-friction cylindrical rollers to react the horizontal loads from the sheet material under tension to the rail assemblies. Additional cylindrical rollers or ball bearings are provided for reacting vertical loads from the chain to the rail assemblies, including the weight of the endless chain. The small steel balls within the ball bearings require frequent lubrication to reduce wear on the bearings.
The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,283 illustrates a series of carriers or attachment blocks having cone shaped drivers or roller elements in contact with contacting rails of stationary carrier supports. The attachment blocks are connected together and driven by a drive chain. The stationary carrier supports serve as a tentering rail to include the contact rails on which roller elements move. However, the cone shaped roller elements contact the contact rails over a small area to react horizontal and vertical loads from the carriers to the carrier supports; resulting in a potential for high wear rates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,515,399 the ball bearings are also conical to form both a guiding and supporting means for the endless chain. The V-shaped periphery of the ball bearing slides as it rolls along a track of the tentering rail. Once again, the small steel balls within the ball bearings require frequent lubrication to reduce wear on the bearings.
An alternate method of reacting loads from an endless tentering chain to guide rails of a tenter frame is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,820. Slide blocks and slide plates are inserted in the guide rails that interface with the endless chain and support the chain as it moves along the guide rails. The blocks and plates are selected to provide low friction and reduced wear at sliding interfaces. This design depends on a use of materials having a low coefficient of friction during sliding contact so that the endless chain will not become bound by misalignment within the guide rails.
Means for linking the individual components or blocks of the chain together are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,085,538; 4,877,062; and 4,882,820. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,085,538 the individual links have a ball and socket arrangement for connecting the links together. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,062 block members are interconnected with a guide means to move the block members along guide rails of the tentering system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,820 discloses an endless chain with linking elements comprising slide plates, shoe plates and support plates. These references in general have numerous or complex linking elements linked together.
Tentering clips or pin tenters that grip and support the selvedges of the sheet material are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,515,399; 3,469,291; 4,134,189; and 4,882,820. The tentering clips generally have a vertical dimension which requires a typical compact dryer oven, such as that disclosed above (U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,381), to operate with less efficiency.
The provision of a suitable tentering system having a low-profile rail assembly and an endless carrier remains for compact tenter machines. This is a problem which needs considerable attention. The problem generally exists with providing a low-profile tentering system requiring less lubrication for smooth operation, having low friction load bearing assemblies, requiring less maintenance and having lower wear rates. For example, the low-profile is required to operate a compact dryer oven for drying, heat setting and fixation without relatively large amounts of energy being provided. Tentering clips of the art are also too large to be transported in a low-profile rail assembly. This problem is characterized by the space distribution of the drying energy making it difficult to control the temperature at the faces of the fabric or sheet material. A low-profile endless carrier within a low-profile rail assembly is needed.
Another need exists to define proper use of materials for the rail assemblies and the endless carriers so that bearing assemblies provide interfaces for contacting elements to easily move with respect to one another. A low friction environment is critical for the proper movement of the endless carrier within the rail assemblies, while controlling wear and limiting the use of lubricants to provide a clean environment for the sheet material.
The references do not solve the problems associated with a low-profile tentering system for an energy efficient compact tenter machine. Generally speaking, the references use ball bearings which interface with both horizontal and vertical surfaces within a rail assembly. None of the references disclose an endless tentering chain with bearing assemblies for supporting the bearings to rotate about orthogonal axes to react to both horizontal and vertical loads to the rail assembly. The chains of the art are designed to be made with rigid structural components linked together to form endless chains. The art does not utilize belts or thin metallic straps which can be made into flexible bands for connecting tentering connectors together as an endless belt.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a low-profile tentering system or frame for a compact tenter machine and the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tentering system for a tenter machine with attachment blocks having low friction spherical bearing balls that rotate about orthogonal axes for supporting the attachment blocks as they travel on or within rail assemblies.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an endless belt or chain interconnecting attachment blocks of a endless carrier having increased flexibility and reliability.
A further object of the invention is to provide connecting guideways of the rail assemblies of a tentering system for guiding an endless carrier having a small angular change in direction along its longitudinal path so that the sheet material is transported from one guideway to the next.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an endless carrier having improved drive components so that the endless carrier can be driven along a closed-loop path in a horizontal or a vertical plane.
In still another object of the invention the rail assemblies and endless carriers of the tentering system have components made of a material so that rolling and sliding interfaces have low friction and low wear rates.

Low profile tentering system and tenter frame


In a pattern formation method, a resist film including a compound having a lactone ring is formed on a substrate of silicon oxide. Then, pattern exposure is performed by selectively irradiating the resist film with exposing light, and the resist film is developed after the pattern exposure so as to form a resist pattern made of the resist film. Subsequently, the lactone ring included in the resist pattern is opened by exposing the resist pattern to an acrylic acid aqueous solution. Thereafter, with the resist pattern where the lactone ring has been opened used as a mask, the substrate is etched, so as to form a recess in a good shape.

The present invention relates to a pattern formation method for use in fabrication process or the like for semiconductor devices.
In accordance with the increased degree of integration of semiconductor integrated circuits and downsizing of semiconductor devices, there are increasing demands for further rapid development of lithography technique. Currently, pattern formation is carried out through photolithography using exposing light of a mercury lamp, KrF excimer laser, ArF excimer laser or the like, and use of F2 laser lasing at a shorter wavelength is being examined. However, since there remain a large number of problems in exposure systems and resist materials, photolithography using exposing light of a shorter wavelength has not been put to practical use.
In these circumstances, it is regarded significant to increase the life time of ArF excimer laser lithography, and resists for use in the ArF excimer laser lithography are now being developed.
Some of such ArF resists have a lactone ring in the composition of a polymer included therein (for example, see T. Kudo et al., "Illumination, Acid Diffusion and Process Optimization Considerations for 193 nm Contact Hole Resists", Proc. SPIE, vol. 4690, p. 150 (2002)). This is because a lactone ring is expected to improve the adhesion or the like of a resist pattern onto a target film (i.e., a film to be etched by using the resist pattern).
Now, a conventional pattern formation method will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A through 5D, 6A and 6B.
First, a positive chemically amplified resist material having the following composition is prepared:
Base polymer: poly(2-methyl-2-adamantyl methacrylate   2 g(50 mol %) - γ-butyrolactone methacrylate (40 mol %) -2-hydroxy adamantane methacrylate (10 mol %))Acid generator: triphenylsulfonium trifluoromethane sulfonate 0.06 gQuencher: triethanolamine0.002 gSolvent: propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate  20 g
Next, as shown in FIG. 5A, the aforementioned chemically amplified resist material is applied on a substrate 1 of silicon oxide so as to form a resist film 2 with a thickness of 0.35 μm.
Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, pattern exposure is carried out by irradiating the resist film 2 with exposing light 4 of ArF excimer laser of a wavelength of 193 nm with NA of 0.68 through a mask 3.
After the pattern exposure, as shown in FIG. 5C, the resist film 2 is baked with a hot plate at a temperature of 105° C. for 60 seconds, and the resultant resist film is developed with a 0.26 N tetramethylammonium hydroxide developer. In this manner, a resist pattern 2a made of an unexposed portion of the resist film 2 and having an opening width of 0.09 μm is formed as shown in FIG. 5D.
Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, the substrate 1 is etched with fluorine radicals with the resist pattern 2a used as a mask. At this point, FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the substrate 1 and FIG. 6B is a plan view of the substrate 1 on which the resist pattern 2a is formed. As shown in FIG. 6B, a recess 1a having an opening width of 0.09 μm is formed in the substrate 1 through this etching.
However, as shown in FIG. 6B, the recess 1a formed in the substrate 1 by the conventional pattern formation method is in a defective shape with an irregular wall.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


According to some embodiments, there is provided a Collective Perception Message, CPM, characterizing a plurality of Vulnerable Road Users based on a plurality of received VAMs, thereby allowing an ITS station to efficiently aggregate VAM messages from VRUs and retransmit information about the VRUs to other ITS stations. Consequently, the security is improved as some ITS stations may not be able to detect or identify VRU stations by themselves but thanks to the CPM, these stations can still be informed of the VRUs. According to other aspects, congestion is avoided while maintaining safety vis-à-vis VRUs thanks to the use of a different transmission scheme when the VRU is already characterized in a CPM sent to the ITS stations. Also, a receiving station can evaluate whether the content of a CPM can be trusted or not. Safety is thus improved. This is achieved thanks to the CPM that references a certificate.

Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) standards are developed by different organizations: the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI), the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
ITS standards define a general architecture, specified in ETSI EN 302 665 and ISO 21217, including ITS stations (denoted ITS-S) which can be vehicles, Road Side Units (RSU), Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) carrying an ITS equipment (for instance included in a smartphone, a GPS, a smart watch or in a cyclist equipment), or any other entities or infrastructures equipped with an ITS equipment, as well as central subsystems (back-end systems and traffic management centers). ITSs may support various types of communications, for instance between vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), that refers in general to all kinds of road users, e.g. car-to-car) or between vehicles and fixed locations (vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V), e.g., car-to-infrastructure) and are not restricted to road transport. For instance, an ITS may also deal with information related to rail, water and air transport, including navigation systems.
Cooperation within the ITS is achieved using exchange of messages (ITS message) between the ITS stations. These exchanges of messages are performed through wireless networks, referred to as V2X networks, examples of which may include 3GPP LTE-Advanced Pro, 3GPP 5G and IEEE 802.11p technology.
More specifically, ITS standards have specified several types of ITS messages to alert, inform and/or warn users and/or vehicles of a transport system. For instance, a Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM—as defined in the ETSI EN 302 637-2) may be sent by a vehicle ITS-S to share its current state (e.g. position, speed, length, width, angle). In another example, a Collective Perception Message (CPM-ETSI TR 103 562 (v0.0.20)) may be sent by an ITS station equipped with sensors, in order to share its perceived environment, notably the characteristics of its sensors, and a list of perceived objects.
In general, ITS messages are not encrypted when exchanged on V2X communications. However, the integrity of ITS messages can be verified as a signature is provided by the ITS station by which it is generated. This ITS station sending the ITS message is called the "originating" ITS station. This signature is based on digital certificates owned by the originating station. For this purpose, each station receives one or more certificates through a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). These certificates aim at ensuring that the originating ITS station has the privilege/authorization to transmit specific ITS messages.
However, the PKI infrastructure alone cannot address all cyber security threats. For instance, misbehaving entities in possession of valid certificates can still transmit tampered data or omit data it should transmit. Additional security mechanisms have thus been deployed at the ITS stations to locally detect how much another ITS station can be trusted or misbehaves and to report a corresponding trust level to other ITS stations using dedicated messages. Based on the determined trust level of the originating ITS station, a decision may be taken to discard or not any ITS message coming from an ITS station.
As far as VRU stations (i.e. VRU equipped with ITS stations) are concerned, which include non-motorized road users (pedestrian, cyclist) as well as L class of vehicles (for example mopeds or motorcycles, etc.), the standard ETSI TR 103 300 indicates that they can also send specific messages. These messages, that are called VRU Awareness Messages (or VAMs) or personal safety message, describe the VRU and indicate the position, speed, and direction of its VRU ITS station.
However, the bandwidth reserved for V2X communication is limited and the regulation has reserved specific communication channels for safety-related ITS messages in the 5.9 GHz band. The systematic transmission of VAM messages by VRU stations may cause congestion thereby some VAM messages could be lost as well as other safety-related C-ITS messages.
There is thus a need for a method allowing congestion avoidance while maintaining safety vis-à-vis VRUs.
Another issue is that an ITS station may not be able to detect different road participants (vehicles and pedestrians), or at least not with the same reliability. As a consequence, the detecting ITS station can make mistakes when identifying the type of a detected object. It may thus happen that detected object are signaled with an incorrect classification (for instance a vehicle while there is a VRU instead) in CPM messages.
There is thus a need for a method of evaluating whether the content of a CPM message can be trusted or not by a receiving station.

Communication methods and devices in intelligent transport systems