A key cutting machine includes a housing, carriage, key clamp, and motor to drive the carriage. The key cutting machine may include a vacuum removably attached to the housing. The key cutting machine may be selected between manual, automatic, and semi-automatic user modes. Additional improvements or features of a key cutting machine are also described.

The present invention relates to key cutting machines that duplicate and cut the key pattern from a master key on to a key blank and, more particularly, to key cutting machines having features for improved performance and ease of operation.
Key cutting machines typically comprise a pair of vise grips or clamps mounted on a carriage. A master key having a keyway groove or grooves if necessary and a key pattern already cut therein is placed in one of the vise grips or clamps on the carriage and a key blank awaiting to be cut having an identical keyway groove or grooves as necessary is placed in the adjacent vise grip or clamp on the carriage. The key pattern of the master key faces a stylus or tracer bar on the key cutting machine and the key blank faces a cutting wheel. The carriage is pivotally and linearly movable along a longitudinal supporting shaft and presses the key pattern of the master key against the tracer bar and the key blank against the cutting wheel. The carriage is then manually shifted longitudinally along supporting shaft thereby causing the key pattern on the master key to travel on the tracer bar and impart corresponding pivotal movement to the carriage so that the cutting wheel cuts the identical key pattern into the corresponding key blank. The key blank cut with the master key pattern is then removed from the vise or grip and buffed on a buffing wheel to remove any burrs.
While the above-identified description is directed to manual key cutting machines (machines in which the motion of the carriage results directly from user manipulation), there are also similar automatic key cutting machines. Such automatic key cutting machines can have a similar structure, but the carriage moves during the key cutting operation as driven by the motor of the key cutting machine.
Further, regardless of the particular operational characteristics of a key cutting machine, metal shavings result from the cutting wheel cutting a key pattern into a key blank. These metal shavings can accumulate if the key cutting machine is not cleaned on a regular basis and most advantageously after each key cutting operation. These metal shavings can fall into the housing of the key cutting machine and disrupt the operation of the machine or cause injury to the operator as they are very sharp and can cut an operator attempting to operate the key cutting machine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a key cutting machine that can be operated in three different modes; automatic, semi-automatic, and manual.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a key cutting machine that is adaptable to utilize a vacuum system for removing metal shavings from the cutter area.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a key cutting machine having all motors and working parts mounted to the underside of the housing away from any metal shavings and dirt which gather below.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a computer interface so that the key cutting machine may be operated according to instructions from a Key I.D. system (as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/633,933, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,890,878, filed on Aug. 4, 2003, herein incorporated by reference herein) or automatic feeder system.


Curved arrays of lasers cause discreet narrow infra-red light beams to be rapidly projected within a wide field of view, without requiring mechanical motion of components. Transmitted and received light beams can be modulated with data to be transmitted between light beam transceivers for covert data communication purposes, or without data for use in collision avoidance systems.

The present invention relates to the field of optical beam steering.
There are many important applications which call for optical beam steering. One of these applications is free space optical communications, which is important to the telecommunications, cable and satellite television industries. The military is especially interested in free space optical data communication systems which are secure.
Most current optical beam steering systems are mechanically driven systems which are complex, bulky, imprecise and expensive, and require high power to produce desired acceleration of the components thereof. The steering of these systems is relatively slow and imprecise often requiring mechanical stabilization, and such systems are sensitive to vibration and acceleration. Another approach includes the use of deformable micro-mirrors, which operate in response to electro-static field changes. Their speeds have been in the microsecond range and thus are undesirably slow, while the angular mirror deflections are quite small. A non-mechanical approach employs acousto-optic (AO) beam deflection, which is also relatively slow, performing beam deflection in microseconds, and is limited to small angles of beam deflection of a few milliradians. Another approach includes electro-optic beam deflectors which are faster, operating in the nanosecond range, but also have limitations in angular beam deflection in the milliradian range. The Government has expended considerable funds in the development of non-mechanical beam steering systems. To date, most of these approaches have employed optical phased arrays, broadly based upon RF phased array radar systems.
To date, the highest performance results for phased array systems were obtained using liquid-crystal based phased arrays. However, these systems are relatively slow, in the millisecond range, and are limited to small angular deflections of only a few degrees.
Thus, there is a need for alternate approaches employing apparatus which is rugged, and can very rapidly steer light beams accurately in a wide angle of view even up to 360 degrees without mechanical devices with their low speed and angular displacement limitations mentioned hereinabove. Rapid beam deflection, operating at speeds of about one nanosecond are desired.

Effective wide angle beam steering using spherical laser diode arrays

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A two-metal grating is produced by vacuum depositing a first dielectric cing upon a separation layer formed upon a mandrel; then depositing a first optically opaque metallic layer, etching the layer to form stripes; then vacuum depositing a second optically opaque film; then electroforming a backing structure and separating the dielectric coating from the separation layer on the mandrel to form a free-standing grating structure having a smooth surface. This structure can then be affixed to a metallic mirror. A buried phase grating can also be fabricated by additionally depositing a second dielectric layer and a third metallic layer.

Many space and ground/space optical systems are based upon the simultaneous use of more than one wavelength or wavelength band. For example, in ballistic missile tracking, the handover from boost phase tracking must use a mid-IR band (usually at 2.7-2.9 microns) in conjunction with the 8-12 micron band associated with cold body tracking. A high-energy laser weapon system usually is required to operate on two target tracking bands while transmitting at the laser wavelength. Many ground based laser system concepts call for the simultaneous tracking of a monochromatic beacon while transmitting at some other wavelength. For purely space based applications, the use of a single aperture for multiple functions is desirable from considerations of size, weight and boresight accuracy. In ground/space applications, aperture sharing is dictated by the added requirement that the beacon signal used to control adaptive optics must traverse the same volume of atmosphere as does the aberration corrected beam that is transmitted; i.e., the tracking signal and the transmitted laser beam must share a common aperture. One must conclude, therefore, that aperture sharing devices may well be employed extensively in future space optical systems.
From a system standpoint, aperture sharing must be accomplished in an efficient manner. For applications where neither of the shared functions involves a high-power beam, this requirement can be satisfied by an efficient dichroic beamsplitter. However, in systems which must either transmit or receive a high-power beam, the transparent beamsplitter approach becomes nonviable insofar as there is no efficient means for cooling such a device. Thus, all high-power systems must employ a reflective beam sharing element; either a buried grating or a blind grating. Unfortunately, blind gratings can be used efficiently only when the wavelength of the high-power function is significantly longer than that associated with low-power functions. This constraint sometimes can be met; an example being the use of a visible beacon wavelength in conjunction with the transmission of a near-IR laser beam from ground to space. However, in many instances, the constraint cannot be met. Thus, for the foreseeable future, it must be assumed that many high-power space optical systems will be forced to employ beam sharing elements of the buried grating variety.
The term "forced to use" has been employed deliberately because the present state-of-the-art in cooled buried gratings is not very encouraging; the number of successful gratings produced being few. As will be discussed later, this situation prevails because of fundamental problems associated with the methods employed currently in the production of buried gratings. In light of these circumstances, we have pursued successfully a novel production technique which should lead to superior lower cost buried gratings, and which employs an electroforming process.
The presently employed method for producing prior art buried gratings is a multi-stage process. First, a cooled mirror substrate is coated with a soft metal; usually gold, silver or aluminum. A ruling engine is then used to scribe a grating in the metal surface. Alternately, depending upon the resolution required, the grating may be produced by chemical or ion beam etching. The grating is then "buried," either by vacuum or CVD deposition of a dielectric material upon the ruled surface. The depth of the dielectric is made substantially greater than the depth of the grooves in the grating. Nevertheless, the surface of the dielectric replicates the ruled surface. To flatten the outer surface of the burial layer requires polishing; a process which must be accomplished without breaking through to the grating beneath. A multilayer dichroic coating is then vacuum deposited upon the polished surface. The multilayer dichroic is designed to be highly reflective at the high-power laser wavelength. Other wavelengths, for which the dichroic is transparent, are transmitted through the underlying burial layer and are diffracted at the grating surface. The period and blaze angle of the grating is set such that, upon reflection, the diffracted wavelengths are separated in angle from the reflected laser beam. This allows the different wavelength bands to be spatially separated at some point downstream of the grating. The process is also reversible; i.e., two beams of different wavelengths can initially be separated spatially, and can be combined by means of a grating.
There are many problems associated both with the production and with the operation of buried gratings produced by current techniques. The problems associated with grating production are related primarily to the processing of the burial layer. The problems start at the interface between the ruled metal surface and the vacuum deposited dielectric. Here, it is difficult to obtain reliable adherence, because the grating surface is so fragile that contact cleaning cannot be used. Also, on a microscopic scale, the ruling of a metal surface creates a small burr along the raised edge of each groove. Since vacuum coating is a "straight line" process, somewhat analogous to spray painting, these burrs lead to the inclusion of microscopic voids in the dielectric.
Subsequent removal of the replicated grooves from the outer surface of the dielectric layer employs a polishing process which removes several times the groove depth before the presence of the grooves is eliminated. Thus, to provide some margin for the polishing process, the initial depth of the burial layer must be many times the groove depth. Typical depths fall in the range of 10 to 20 microns. Unfortunately, when a single layer of dielectric is vacuum deposited so as to produce a high-density, low absorption film, the stresses intrinsic to layers of this thickness are so high that structural integrity is far from easy to achieve. Extensive thick-film coating research within the DOF has failed to produce structurally sound dielectric layers on a consistent basis.
Polishing of the outer surface of the dielectric is a high risk process wherein the optician has little or no margin for error. The replicated grating grooves must be polished flat while simultaneously retaining a close tolerance optical figure without streaks, scratches or pits. The penalty for error is costly; the substrate having to be stripped completely and returned to the metal plating and ruling stage.
The physical thickness and the unpredicatability in thickness of the burial layer also create problems in the performance of buried gratings; the most serious of which are associated with thermal impedance and the etalon effect. The thermal impedance problem stems from the physical separation of the multi-layer dichroic from the substrate; the dichroic, which handles high-power radiation, being the source of heat which must be removed by the substrate via the burial layer.
The etalon problem is more subtle; stemming from an optical interference effect between the multilayer dichroic and the grating. Basically, the dichroic/burial layer/grating forms a Fabry Perot etalon which exhibits high transmission, or resonance, at any wavelength for which the optical thickness of the burial layer spacer is an integral number of half-waves. The physical thickness of the burial layers produced by polishing typically will fall in the 5 to 15 micron range. Since the refractive indices of suitable dielectrics lie in the range 1.6 to 2.4, the optical thickness of the burial layer can be expected to fall between 8 and 35 microns. For long wavelengths, such as the 3.6 to 4.0 micron band of the Sigma Tau laser, these optical thicknesses produce an etalon for which the number of half-waves can range from 4 to 18. For the 0.351-micron wavelength of a typical excimer laser, the number of half-waves falls in the 40 to 200 range. Because of the magnitude of these numbers, combined with the lack of precision which is intrinsic to the polishing process, it is not possible to tailor the thickness of the burial layer so as to ensure that the actual thickness does not exhibit a resonance with respect to the wavelength of the laser. This is particularly true for chemical lasers, which oscillate simultaneously at many wavelengths.
It should be pointed out that resonant transmission through an etalon occurs even when the reflectivity of the dichroic layer is made very high. (The transmission at resonance of an etalon having mirror reflectivities of 0.999 approaches 100 percent.) Increasing the reflectivity of the dichroic primarily increases the finesse of the etalon; i.e., reduces the width of the transmission bands. Thus, while high reflectivity on the part of the dichroic decreases the probability for resonance, it is relatively ineffective in reducing the power transmitted to the substrate when a resonant condition exists. Perhaps the most unfortunate, but not unlikely condition, is the one wherein a slight wedge exits within the burial layer. Here, the etalon will exhibit resonant transmission of power to the substrate within a set of narrow stripes which lie at right angles to the wedge.
Recent conceptual work has examined the introduction of an absorbing layer between the dichroic and the grating. Despite the added complexity, such a layer could reduce the resonant transmission of the etalon; essentially decoupling the two reflectors. However, the absorbing layer must not absorb at the wavelengths being reflected by the grating. Also, in the presence of pinholes or scratches in the dichroic, the introduction of absorption between the dichroic and the grating might prove more of a hazard than a blessing.
The electroforming process is an electroplating process wherein metal is plated upon a mandrel to a depth such that subsequent separation of the plating from the mandrel produces a free-standing part. Initiation of a development program was prompted by the development of a proprietary electroforming process whereby the internal stresses of electroformed parts can be maintained at a very low level. This, in turn, eliminated the distortion which normally accompanies the removal of a part from an electroforming mandrel. By using single point diamond turning to produce superprecision mandrels, it then became possible to produce electroformed components to optical tolerances.
This development activity has produced several significant advances in the state-of-the-art. The accuracy of optical surfaces has been improved to the point where fractional wavelength tolerances at visible wavelengths can be achieved on surfaces up to about 20 centimeters in diameter. The low stress process, which originally was limited to copper and nickel, has been modified so as to accommodate a low-expansion nickel/iron alloy. A pulse plating process has been refined such that stiffening structures can be attached to thin electroformed mirror face-plates prior to removal from the mandrel.
In parallel with advances in electroformed mirror structures, there have been complementary advances in the coatings which must be applied to the optical surfaces of such structures. Here, the primary emphasis has been placed on the development of thin-film coatings which can be applied to a mandrel and which, subsequently, are transferred to the mirror at the time of separation from the mandrel. The advantages of this approach over conventional methods of applying coatings to finished optics are several. First, after a coating has been vacuum deposited on a mandrel, it can be tested for structure. Second, it is easier to achieve high-vacuum compatibility for a mandrel than for a complex cooled mirror structure. However, perhaps the most important advantage is that associated with thin-film coatings which only can be applied in a sequence which is reversed from that of a normal deposition practice. The foremost example of an optical device, which can be vacuum deposited only by a reverse sequence process, is that of the buried grating.

Electroformed buried gratings for high-power shared aperture systems

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A system controls access to broadcast messages received by a plurality of mobile devices. Selected mobile devices are provided with a broadcast encryption key (BEK). The broadcast messages are encrypted using the BEK prior to broadcasting so that the selected mobile devices containing the BEK can decrypt the broadcast messages. The broadcast messages are then broadcast.

The present invention relates to personal mobile computing devices commonly known as mobile devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for delivering information to, and programming mobile devices.
Mobile devices are small electronic computing devices often referred to as personal digital assistants. Many such mobile devices are pagers, hand held devices, or palm size devices, which comfortably fit within the hand. One commercially available device is sold under the tradename HandHeld PC (or H/PC) having software provided by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington.
Generally, the mobile device includes a processor, random access memory (RAM) , and an input device such as a keyboard and a display. The keyboard can be integrated with the display, such as when the keyboard is incorporated as a touch sensitive display. A communication interface is optionally provided and is commonly used to communicate with the desktop computer. A replaceable or rechargeable battery powers the mobile device. Optionally, the mobile device can receive power from an external power source that overrides or recharges the built-in battery.
In some prior applications, the mobile device is used in conjunction with the desktop computer. For example, the user of the mobile device may also have access to, and use, a desktop computer at work or at home or both. If the mobile device is an H/PC brand device or other similar device, the user typically runs the same types of applications on both the desktop computer and on the mobile device. Thus, it is quite advantageous for such mobile devices to be designed to be coupled to the desktop computer to exchange information with, and share information with, the desktop computer.
Another technique for providing information to mobile devices is through a wireless transmission link. Such information can include electronic mail or news, weather, sports, traffic and local event information. The information is typically obtained from a desktop computer connected to the Internet and delivered over a wired connection. However, it may be desirable to deliver such information over a wireless connection as well. A wireless receiver on the mobile device can act to receive information as it is being sent to the mobile device.
Where the mobile device is a pager, each pager in a given system has one or more addresses. When a message is transmitted over a wireless channel, it is destined for an address. All pagers assigned to that wireless channel receive the message and check the address contained in the message against its own addresses. This address-matching algorithm can be implemented either in the hardware, or in software, or in a combination of hardware and software. If the address associated with the incoming message does not match any of the addresses on the pager, then the message is discarded. However, if the address does match one of the addresses on the pager, then the message is accepted and forwarded to higher level software in the protocol stack on the pager for suitable processing.
Addresses can typically be of two types. The first is a personal address which is unique within a given wireless network (i.e., only one pager has that address). The personal address is used for sending a message to a particular pager.
The second type of address is a broadcast address. A broadcast address is typically programmed into many pagers within a given wireless network. Thus, a single message delivered over a broadcast address is received and accepted by multiple pagers in the network. Such addresses are used for implementing broadcast services, such as the news, traffic, weather, etc. services mentioned above.
There is currently no convenient way to reprogram the addresses in mobile devices, such as pagers. Instead, the pagers must be brought back to a service center where special tools are used to access and modify the internal storage of the pager, where the addresses are stored. Some prior systems have attempted to accomplish over-the-air programming. In such systems, the network owner (or carrier) sends a special message to the pager that changes the addresses in the pager.
However, to date, this has been quite uncommon. Over-the-air programming presents significant difficulties with respect to security. In other words, if the provider of the broadcast services being programmed wishes to charge users a fee or subscription price to receive the broadcast services, then the programming messages must be highly secure. Otherwise, unauthorized programming of the pager devices to receive the broadcast services would be problematic.
Encryption techniques have not been used in any effective way in the paging environment. There are a number of reasons for this. First, processors in conventional pagers are typically not provided with any means to implement decryption algorithms in such a way as to decrypt encrypted messages arriving at the pager. In addition, there is currently no method of allowing a secure element (such as a device driver) to rely on an external software security element (such as a security component dynamically linked library (DLL)) to perform decryption. In order to decrypt the content of an encrypted message, the security component must obtain from the device driver the appropriate decryption key. Thus, the device driver (which may be assumed to be a trusted device) must pass the encryption key to an external element (the security component DLL), which compromises the security of the encryption key, and thus the security of the subscription system.
Further, with the advent of global computer networks, such as the Internet, information broadcast services have become prevalent and important. However, a typical pager can only have a limited number of addresses (usually 2-8). A much larger number of broadcast services would desirably be offered to suit a wide range of interests and needs for the various users of the pagers. That being the case, each individual user would need to have the pager reprogrammed (by taking it back to a service center) so that it contained the addresses which would select desired broadcast services, desired by the individual user. This would need to be done each time the user wished to add, delete, or change the broadcast services selection. This is highly cost inefficient and is believed to have at least stunted the growth and proliferation of such broadcast services.
For these reasons, many paging carriers provide free broadcast services. These items are free because there is no current cost effective way to manage subscriptions to these services. The content of these services is provided by an independent content provider but is transmitted by wireless network operators. If a user wishes to add a new service, or drop a service, the device must be returned to the wireless network operator service center for reprogramming of addresses contained in the pager. This means that the independent content provider cannot manage subscriptions independent of the carriers (or wireless network operators). Even if this were to be accomplished, as discussed above, there is currently no efficient mechanism by which content messages could be transmitted in a secure fashion.
A system controls access to broadcast messages received by a plurality of mobile devices. Selected mobile devices are provided with a broadcast encryption key (BEK). The broadcast messages are encrypted using the BEK prior to broadcasting so that the selected mobile devices containing the BEK can decrypt the broadcast messages. The broadcast messages are then broadcast.

System for transmitting subscription information and content to a mobile device


A metronome for use by a musician or group of musicians generally includes a signal generator for producing an electrical signal according to a desired timing scheme and one or more transducers in wireless communication with the signal generator. Each transducer, which may take the form of a piezoelectric device, a buzzer, electrodes or any substantial equivalent, is adapted to impart a sensation to the musician in response to the generated electrical signal. The wireless communication may be established with an infrared link or a radio frequency transmission system. The signal generator is under the centralized control of a conductor, bandleader, lead musician or music instructor.

The metronome is well established as a fundamental tool of musical education. Having been developed before the advent of the electrical apparatus, the traditional metronome comprises a mechanical assembly adapted to generate a clicking sound at a desired beat frequency. With the advent of modern electronics a very precise audio output may now be produced or, as is particularly useful for the musical education of deaf persons, the output signal from the metronome may be communicated with a visual indicator such as a flashing light.
While the improvements made possible through technology are meritorious, Applicant has discovered that the improvements generally serve only to better implement a fundamentally flawed method. In particular, Applicant has noted that the audio nature of the metronome, which is apparently a holdover from the days of primitive technology, is distracting to the musician and, in at least some musical environments, ineffective due to the inability of the musician to clearly hear the audio signal. Additionally, the audio signal is wholly inappropriate for use by the hearing impaired. While this latter issue has been at least addressed through metronomes with visual outputs, it is noted that the use of the visual indicator mandates that the musician completely memorizes his or her music. Additionally, traditional metronomes are self-contained. As a result, it is cumbersome for a conductor, bandleader or lead musician to control the output of a metronome being used by another. Further, such traditional metronomes can be used only by multiple musicians in close proximity one to another. Still further, the use of multiple traditional metronomes by multiple musicians is made virtually impossible by the inability to synchronize the timing of the outputs of the multiple metronomes.
It is therefore an overriding object of the present invention to improve over the prior art by providing a metronome that is free of the foregoing flaws. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a metronome having a wireless interconnection between a central signal generator and one or more remotely located transducers. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a metronome that also may be programmed to provide enhanced capabilities such as, for example, complex output rhythms and/or tactile stimulation designed for the development of articulation. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a metronome that is also economical to produce and easy to use.


A welding structure for a warm-up catalytic converter (WCC) of a vehicle includes a flange of a turbine housing connected to a front cone of the WCC which reduces an exhaust gas emitted from an engine. A through hole is formed in the flange, through which the exhaust gas flows. An extending portion, which extends in a direction in which the exhaust gas flows from the through hole, is formed and surface-contacts the front cone. The front cone is welded to the extending portion to connect the flange to the front cone.

A warm-up catalytic converter (WCC)of a vehicle purifies exhaust gas emitted from a vehicle engine has an inlet portion welded to a turbine housing.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, a flange 101 of a turbine housing is welded to inlet portions of front cones 102 and 102′ of a WCC, such that exhaust gas emitted from a turbine of the turbocharger enters the WCC.
A method for welding the front cones 102 and 102′ to the flange 101 can be divided into an inner peripheral welding method as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and an outer peripheral welding method as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.
The inner peripheral welding method fixes the front cone 102 to the flange 101 by inserting the inlet portion of the front cone 102 into a through hole formed in the flange 101 and then welding the front cone 102 to the flange 101 within the through hole. The inner peripheral welding method is made when an interval G1 between the flange 101 and an outer peripheral surface of the front cone 102 is narrow, and thus, a welding tool may not enter into the interval therebetween. As a result, the exhaust system can be minimized A catalyst may be activated in the early stage by improving dynamic stiffness, improvement in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), and shortening an exhaust passage due to the small size of the exhaust system. However, as a welded portion 103 is directly exposed to a high-temperature exhaust gas, contraction and expansion stress may apply to the flange 101, thus decreasing durability against thermal fatigue.
In the outer peripheral welding method, the inlet portion of the front cone 102′ is inserted into the through hole of the flange 101 and then welding is applied at which an outer peripheral surface of the front cone 102′ meets the flange 101. The outer peripheral welding method can reduce an exposure temperature and disperse the contraction and expansion stress due to the welded portion 103 formed at outside the exhaust passage, but may reduce a catalyst capacity and may deteriorate the dynamic stiffness and the NVH due to an increase in sizes of the exhaust passage and the front cone 102′.

Welding structure of warm-up catalytic converter


A mask management and bar code reading apparatus thereof are disclosed. The mask management method comprises providing a bar code reading apparatus, scanning a mask bar code on the mask by the bar code reading apparatus, transferring scanned information to a mask management system, producing a box bar code, moving the mask to a mask pod from a mask protective case, sticking the box bar code on the mask pod, inputting the data recorded in the box bar code into an exposure equipment, and exposing the mask by the exposure equipment. The bar code reading apparatus includes at least a clamping element to clamp the mask protective case, at least a reading head disposed on the clamping element to read a mask bar code, and a first light source providing a first light to irradiate the mask protective case to increase reading accuracy of the reading head.

The invention relates to a mask management method and bar code reading apparatus thereof, and in particular to a bar code reading apparatus for managing mask bar codes.
FIG. 1 is flowchart of a conventional mask management method. A mask and a mask protective case are provided (step S11). The mask is contained in the mask protective case. As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, the mask 100 in the mask protective case 200 has mask bar codes 110 and 120 thereon. The mask protective case 200 is a transparent box with red, blue or colorless colors according to different brands, materials, and transmittance. The conventional mask management method requires a list of mask bar codes provided by suppliers. Then box bar codes are printed (step S12) according to the list. An exposure equipment requires to use a standard-sized mask pod for automatic exposure process. In a clean room, a mask 100 is taken out of the mask protective case 200 and disposed into a mask pod (step S13). And then, a box bar code is stick on the mask pod (step S14) to indicate different mask information thereon. During exposure, the mask pod is disposed in an exposure equipment (step S15), and the exposure equipment automatically scans the box bar code and inputs the scanned information step S16. And then the exposure equipment utilizes the mask for exposure process (step S17).
Another mask management method is shown in FIG. 2, in which a step of sticking the box bar code on the mask pod is omitted. After a supplier provides a mask and a mask protective case (step S21), the mask protective case is changed to a mask pod (step S22) such that the mask is moved from the mask protective case to the mask pod. The mask pod and the mask therein are disposed in the exposure equipment (step S23). After automatic scanning the mask bar code and inputting scanned information (step S24), the exposure equipment starts exposure process (step S25).
According to the mask management method in FIG. 1, since the box bar code is produced from a list of information from suppliers, mistakes due to human-errors sometimes occur. For example, the list of mask information from the supplier does not correspond to the masks in the mask protective case. In addition, during box bar code manufacturing process, mistakes can cause inconformity between the box bar codes and the mask bar codes. Moreover, the mask management mask in FIG. 2 omits the step of sticking the box bar does. It is difficult for mask management since some masks could be mistakenly put in the mask protective case during mask moving process. Also, during exposing process, subsequent procedure management can be interrupted and equipment could be crashed because of using wrong masks, wasting lots of money and time.
Furthermore, most of current exposure equipment only reads one-dimensional bar codes. Thus, if the bar code is two-dimensional, the exposure equipment cannot recognize two-dimensional bar codes, and unable to input the masks, interfering production process. In addition, if the step of matching the box bar codes with the mask bar codes is omitted, serious manufacturing and material losses can be resulted because of using a wrong mask.
Thus, the conventional mask management methods still cost significantly with limited bar code reading ability, as yet the conventional method still cannot accurately provide correct mask for exposure process.

Mask management method and bar code reading apparatus thereof


The invention relates to a combination double bottom hook block in which two pulley blocks (2, 3) each with a plurality of pulleys are connected to one another by means of a rocker (1), a load hook being mounted in a pivotable manner on the rocker. If use is made here of two lifting cables, each of these lifting cables is led over a pulley block (2, 3) and, in order to achieve the same loading capability if use is made of just one lifting cable, the latter is led, in addition, over a floating pulley (2) which is mounted between the two pulley blocks (2, 3), the two pulley blocks (2, 3) also being secured against tilting.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a combination double bottom block of a block and tackle arrangement in which two pulley blocks, each with several small pulleys, are connected to each other by a rocker, and where a load hook is supported on the rocker.
2. Description of the Related Art
Depending on the various combinations of working loads and boom lengths, crane operators have been forced until now to use a double bottom block in certain working load situations.
In the case of short boom systems, however, the operator can also work with a single hoist winch.
In the case of conventional bottom blocks, conversion of the conventional double bottom block leads to a halving of the working load which can be lifted.
If the operator wants to lift working loads of more than 50% of the nominal working load on the boom, he must use an additional, larger single bottom block or work with a double bottom block.
Double bottom blocks, however, require two pulley blocks, which are a certain distance apart and connected to each other by a rocker.
When two hoisting cables are being used, this rocker with the double bottom blocks makes it possible for balancing operations to occur within the hook block.
These pulley blocks can be converted to a half-size single bottom block by shifting one of the pulley blocks to the center of the bottom block and by removing the other pulley block.
As a result, however, the nominal working load is cut by 50%, e.g., from 320 tons to 160 tons.
If the two pulley blocks are locked to allow the use of a single hoisting cable, the gap remaining between the pulley blocks must be bridged.
This usually leads to large angles of deflection, which can be reduced only by increasing the distance between the pulley block on the crane and the bottom block.
This leads to an undesirable reduction in the possible lifting height.
Furthermore, with each receiving arrangement care must be taken to ensure that the moments are in equilibrium around the center axis of the block.
It has been found repeatedly that it is highly favorable for a small pulley to be located in the geometric center of the block.
This behaves neutrally with respect to the moment relationships of the receiving.
The two pulley blocks of a double bottom block thus almost always have an odd number of small pulleys.
If the double bottom block is now locked, what is created out of the two pulley blocks, each with, for example, 5 small pulleys, is one large single block with an unfavorable 10 small pulleys and a gap in the geometric center of this hook block.
The task of the invention is to eliminate this problem.


A compression member is used to press a first outer surface of a negative pressure generating member which contacts a surface of a partition wall and to press a second outer surface of the negative pressure generating member which contacts an inner surface of a first recessed portion located opposite the partition wall. The negative pressure generating member is placed in the first recessed portion with releasing the pressure exerted on the first outer surface while maintaining the pressure exerted on the second outer surface. After the negative pressure generating member is placed in the first recessed portion, the pressure exerted on the outer surface of the negative pressure generating member is released.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a liquid container in which any of various liquids is contained, such as an ink tank in which ink is contained.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a liquid ejection apparatus using a liquid ejection head capable of ejecting a liquid such as ink, a liquid container in which a liquid is contained is connected to an upstream side of a supply system for supplying the liquid to the liquid ejection head. For example, in an ink jet printing apparatus (liquid ejection apparatus) using an ink jet print head (liquid ejection head) capable of ejecting ink, an ink tank (liquid container) in which ink is accommodated is removably connected to an upstream side of an ink supply system.
Some ink tanks in such ink jet printing apparatuses include a first chamber R1 in which an ink absorber as a negative pressure generating member 1 (1A and 1B) is accommodated, and a second chamber R2 in which ink is directly accommodated, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The first and second chambers R1 and R2 are in communication with each other via a communication portion 2A formed in a partition wall 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank in which no ink is contained. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the ink tank in which ink is contained.
As a method for filling ink into such an ink tank, a filling method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-48490 is known. In the filing method, first, an ink supply port 3 and an atmospheric communication port 4 are closed. Then, a pump 5 is used to discharge air from the ink tank in a direction of arrow A through an ink filling hole 6 and a valve 7, thus reducing the pressure in the first and second chambers R1 and R2. Thereafter, the valve 7 is closed, and a pump 8 is used to feed ink 20 from an ink reservoir 9 in a direction of arrow B to fill the ink 20 into the second chamber R2 through a valve 10 and the ink filling hole 6. At this time, the ink 20 permeates only a part of a surface of the negative pressure generating member 1 in the first chamber R1 through a communication portion 2A. Then, the valve 10 is closed, and the pump 8 is used to feed the ink 20 from the ink reservoir 9 in a direction of arrow C to fill the ink 20 into the first chamber R1 through a valve 12 and the ink supply port 3. The ink 20 in the first chamber R1 is absorbed and held by the capillary force of the negative pressure generating member 1. Thereafter, the ink supply port 3 is closed, and the atmospheric communication port 4 is opened to completely cancel the reduced pressure state in the first and second chambers R1 and R2 (the first and second chambers R1 and R2 are open to the atmosphere). A ball 11 then close the ink filling hole 6.
The ink supply port 3 of the ink tank with the ink thus filled therein is connected to an ink jet print head (not shown in the drawings). The ink 20 absorbed and held in the first chamber R1 by the negative pressure generating member 1 is supplied to the print head, with a negative pressure applied to the ink 20. As the ink 20 is supplied, the ink in the second chamber R2 is fed into the first chamber R1 through the communication portion 2A. A corresponding amount of air is fed from the atmospheric communication port 4 into the second chamber R2 through an atmospheric introducing channel 13 and the communication portion 2A.
However, when the ink is filled into the ink tank, a portion P permeated by the ink 20 mixed with air may be generated near the partition wall 2 in the negative pressure generating member 1. Such a phenomenon occurs when the first and second chambers R1 and R2 are opened to the atmosphere, that is, when the atmospheric communication port 4 is opened to completely cancel the reduced pressure state in the ink tank, causing the ink 20 in the first chamber R1 to be pressed downward in FIG. 6 by the atmospheric pressure. That is, the ink in the first chamber R1 mainly flows from a position near the partition wall 2 through the communication portion 2A into the second chamber R2. To make up for the ink 20 having flown into the second chamber R2, the ink gathers at the position near the partition wall 2 from the entire negative pressure generating member 1. At this time, if a portion of the negative pressure generating member 1 which is located near the partition wall 2 fails to have the appropriate density, the portion offers reduced flow resistance, thus increasing the speed at which the ink 20 flows into the second chamber R2 through the portion and the communication portion 2A. The air having entered the first chamber R1 through the atmospheric communication port 4 flows into the portion near the partition wall 2 so as to be entrained in the ink flowing in at high speed. As a result, the ink 20 and the air are mixed together in the portion P of the negative pressure generating member 1 which is located near the partition wall 2.
If immediately after ink filling or during a distribution process after shipment, an impact is made on the ink tank with the ink 20 and the air mixed together in the portion P of the negative pressure generating member 1 as described above, a gas-liquid exchange is likely to occur through the communication portion 2A so as to fill the portion P with the ink. That is, the air present in the portion P is likely to be exchanged with the ink 20 in the second chamber R2 through the communication portion 2A. If such a gas-liquid exchange occurs, the volume of air bubbles 30 present in the second chamber R2 increases.
The air bubbles 30 present in the second chamber R2 expand with a rise in temperature or a decrease in atmospheric pressure. Thus, an amount of the ink 20 in the second chamber R2 corresponding to the expanded volume flows into the first chamber R1 and is absorbed by the negative pressure generating member 1. However, if the amount of the ink 20 flowing into the first chamber R1 exceeds the amount of the ink absorbed by the negative pressure generating member 1, the ink may leak from the ink supply port 3 when a seal (not shown in the drawings) is torn off to allow the use of the ink tank to be started. Thus, when the ink tank is shipped, the volume of the air bubbles 30 present in the second chamber R2 needs to be appropriately managed. However, if the amount of the air bubbles 30 increases as a result of an additional amount of air from the portion P with the ink and the air mixed therein, the amount of the air bubbles 30 may exceed the range of values within which the amount can be appropriately managed.
A possible measure for preventing generation of the portion P with the ink and the air mixed therein is to increase the duration of the operation of opening the chambers to the atmosphere when the ink is filled into the chambers. That is, the reduced pressure state in the ink tank may be gradually canceled to reduce the force of the atmospheric pressure pressing the ink and thus the speed at which the ink 20 flows from the first chamber R1 into the second chamber R2 is downed so that the ink 20 can be fed from the entire negative pressure generating member 1 into the second chamber R2. However, to achieve this, the duration of the operation of opening the chambers to the atmosphere needs to be set to at least several tens of seconds. This reduces the efficiency of the ink filling operation and thus the productivity of the ink tank.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing liquid container


A novel magnetic fastener is realized that utilizes a pair of multipole magnets rotatable relative to each other, allowing the holding force to be selected for ease of operation, namely closing and opening. Each multipole magnet includes a striped pattern of alternating polarity (north and south poles), with the striped patterns having the same pole spacing or pitch. When the stripes of alternating north and south poles are oriented lengthwise, the stripes of the south poles can judiciously align with the stripes of the north poles from the other magnet, creating a strong magnetic force between them to form a fastener. However, when the striped pattern of alternating north and south poles are oriented substantially orthogonal, the stripes are mutually being alternating attracted and repelled, allowing the magnets to be easily separated to effect opening.

Various devices have been used for fastening a wide variety of materials, such as fabric, leather, plastic and wood. For example, magnetic snap fasteners used for fabric and leather employ male and female sections that are magnetically coupled, usually with a solid projection adapted to fit within a hole of a circular magnet. Various configurations have been designed to enhance opening and closing of the fastener. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,111,737; 5,933,926; and 6,170,131, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Although magnetic fasteners are well suited for fabric and leather, it is also common to use Velcro® fasteners that consist of two strips of velvet material. Typically, one strip has many nylon hooks, and the other strip has thinner loops that the hooks can cling to when the two strips are pressed together. A force of considerable magnitude is required to separate the two strips. It is well known that it is much easier to peel rather than to pull them apart. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,717,537 and 3,009,235, which are also incorporated herein by reference.
For doors and cabinets constructed of plastic and wood, magnetic latches are preferred. A strong magnet is recessed into a steel circular or rectangular enclosure that is attached to a surface, and a corresponding strike metal plate attached to the other surface. In close proximity, the strike plate is attracted to the magnet to effect secure closure with a holding force of several pounds. Flush mounting can be effected by counterboring a hole in one or more of the surfaces, if desired.
While magnetic and Velcro® fasteners have become ubiquitous, and perform satisfactorily, it would still be desirable to have an alternative fastening device having potentially greater applications.


A steel sheet for a heat-shrink band, which is to be thermally expanded and fitted over the outer periphery of the panel portion of a cathode ray tube, which has at least a 20% elongation at an ambient temperature and at least a 40 kg/mm.sup.2 stress of yielding point after the heating and cooling, in particular one comprised by a dual phase cold rolled steel sheet comprising a ferrite phase and a martensite phase or a cold rolled steel sheet containing a retained austenite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steel sheet for a heat-shrink band.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a color cathode ray tube (CRT), in order to have the electrons emitted from an electron gun strike the fluophors on an inner surface of a panel portion of the CRT so as to cause them to emit the desired light, the interior of the tube comprising the panel portion and a funnel portion joined to this is evacuated to a high vacuum of about 1.0.times.10.sup.-7 Torr so as to prevent the flight of the electrons from being hindered by any gas remaining in the inside. When the tube is evacuated, the panel surface is deformed to a concave shape in comparison with the state before evacuating the interior of the tube due to the air pressure.
In this state, the positions of the fluophors provided inside the panel portion shift in comparison with the state before the evacuation of the interior of the tube, therefore the landing points of the electron beams relative to the fluophor panel shift, so color deviation is caused. Further, if the panel surface is deformed to the concave state, there is a risk of implosion.
In order to prevent this, a heat-shrink band obtained by shaping a sheet of steel into a band is provided around the periphery of the panel portion. The inner circumferential length of the band at an ambient temperature becomes slightly smaller than the length of the periphery of the panel portion.
In order to fit this heat-shrink band around the periphery of the panel portion, the band is first heated to about 500.degree. C. to cause it to expand, then the band is fit over the periphery of the panel portion and simultaneously rapidly cooled by means of blowing air etc. This rapid cooling causes the heat-shrink band to shrink. The deformation of the panel surface due to the air pressure is corrected by the resultant tension. As this heat-shrink band, conventionally use is made of a sheet of steel material having a stress of yielding point of about 24 kg/mm.sup.2 (elongation of 30%) in view of the balance of the formability and tension.
However, a heat-shrink band has to provide a tension large enough to correct the deformation of the panel surface due to the air pressure as described above. With conventional materials, there has been the problem that they are heavy in weight--over 700 g even for a 21 inch cathode ray tube. If it is attempted to use a high tensile strength steel sheet having a high stress of yielding point as the heat-shrink band in order to solve such a problem, there is the problem in that with sheets of steel, there is the generally the tendency that the higher the stress of yielding point rises, the smaller the elongation becomes (for example about 10%), so the formability when shaping the heat-shrink band by the press process or the like becomes remarkably poor and cracks or splits will occur in the bent part.
In the above description, the heat-shrink steel band for the CRT was discussed, the above disadvantages can be applied to other objects.


Dynamic frequency selection based on CR is provided. A CR BS detects an interference-free and unused frequency band. When sensing a new BS that has great signal strength and requires the frequency band during communications in the frequency band, the CR BS releases the frequency band and dynamically selects another frequency band to avoid interference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for allocating frequency resources in a Cognitive Radio (CR) wireless communication system, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for dynamically selecting frequency resources for frequency resource allocation.
2. Description of the Related Art
The rapid development of wireless communication systems and the emergence of a variety of services are a driving force behind the increasing demand for radio resources. However, radio resources, i.e. the frequency spectrum, has come to be seen as a public asset and managed under strict governmental regulations. Multiple applications have already occupied much of commercially available spectrum, which makes it difficult to deploy a new wireless communication system.
As a solution to this problem, CR has been proposed. The CR technology senses an allocated but unused frequency band and shares the frequency band efficiently.
The CR technology is promising for application to future-generation wireless communications under study. A wireless communication system adopting CR is called a "CR system".
If a primary system is to use a frequency band that the CR system now uses, the CR system has to immediately give it to the primary system. The primary system is a licensed wireless communication system legally authorized to use the frequency.
Therefore, it is critical to continue providing an ongoing service to Customer Premise Equipments (CPEs) in the CR system, despite the above situation. A CPE is defined as a terminal capable of communicating with a CR Base Station (BS). It is a generic term referring to a device that enables a user device to connect to a communication line of a public communication service provider. The BS communicates with the CPEs via a radio interface based on the CR technology and controls communications within its coverage area.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary case of local interference in a typical CR system.
Referring to FIG. 1, a CR BS 100 supports point-to-multipoint communications and manages CPEs 101 to 106 that want to receive a CR service. A primary BS 110 is within a primary system and manages primary users 111 to 116.
The primary BS 110 and the CR BS 100 are not aware of the existence of each other, although they operate in the same frequency band. The primary user 116 (user A) serviced by the primary BS 110 is free of interference from the CR BS 100.
In contrast, when the CPE 102 (user B) receives downlink data from the CR BS 100, it is affected by a downlink signal from the primary BS 110. Also, uplink data directed from user B to the CR BS 100 may interfere with user A.
If the downlink frequency band of the CR system is in a poor status or the signal strength of the primary system is greater than that of the CR system under a CR environment, communications may be impossible for the CPEs serviced by the CR system.

Method for dynamic frequency selection and system supporting the same in a cognitive radio wireless communication system


A medical retrieval device 10 is disclosed comprising an elongated cylindrical member 11 that includes a continuum of a material 40, preferably a metal such as stainless steel or nitinol, that forms both the resilient grasping members 13 of retrieval basket 54, snare 26, or grasper forceps 23, and the proximal portion 21 or shaft of the device. The elongated cylindrical member can include a metal cannula 60 or solid rod 62 into which a series of laterally adjacent longitudinal slots 15 are cut or formed in the distal portion 37 of the elongated cylindrical member to form a plurality of resilient grasping members. These slots may be cut in a spiral configuration to produce a helical basket 69. The resilient grasping members in the original compact shape 17 are formed into an enlarged shape 18 to create a workspace volume 28 for the capture, manipulation and/or retrieval of an object within a patient. An external constraining device 14, such as an outer sheath, is used for introducing of the device and to compress the resilient grasping members over a calculus 24 or other object into a substantially closed position 30. An internal actuating member 29 within the passage 12 of the elongated cylindrical member can provide an alternative method of opening and closing the retrieval device. Using a small thin-walled cannula, retrieval devices of the present invention can fit through the accessory channel 46 of a small endoscope, such as an ureteroscope 44 while still having a sufficient lumen size to accommodate an ancillary treatment device 25 such as a standard 200 micron laser fiber or lithotripsy wire. The present invention also includes a retrieval device made from a plastic tube 32 having encased reinforcement wires 31. By removing all material 66 except the reinforcement wires from the distal portion of the elongated cylindrical member, the exposed wires can become the resilient grasping members of a basket or forceps.

This invention relates generally to medical devices, and in particular, to medical retrieval devices for engaging and/or removing objects, such as calculi and the like, from the body.
Various organs and passages in the body are subject to the development of stones, calculi and the like. Gallstones are a common problem in the United States and are the most frequent cause of gallbladder inflammation. Calculi in other parts of the biliary system are also commonplace. Similarly, stones, calculi and the like can develop throughout the renal or urinary system, not only in the ureters and distal to them, but also in the renal tubules and in the major and minor renal calyxes. The calyxes are hollow collecting structures in the kidneys, extending from the renal pelvis, the minor calyxes in particular joining the renal pyramids. For simplicity, the calyxes can be considered as ducts extending from the connecting tubules of the renal nephrons to the ureters.
Minimally invasive surgical procedures have been developed for the removal of stones, calculi and the like from the biliary and urinary systems. Such procedures avoid the performance of invasive, open surgical procedures (such as, for example, the cholecystectomy) and can instead employ percutaneous access, in which stones, calculi and the like are removed through a percutaneously inserted access sheath. Several access routes are suitable, depending upon the specific system and the particular location in the system at which the stones, calculi or the like are found. Without regard to the access route, however, percutaneous removal is usually based upon the use of either forceps or basket-tipped catheters to engage and remove the stones, calculi, and the like.
A closed, wire tipped basket (helical or straight wire) permits entry of the stone or the like from the side of the basket, while an open ended basket allows a head-on approach to the stone or the like. Other retrievers and graspers can include forceps or can include a loop or snare for encircling the body to be removed, the loop or snare being made of, for example, round or flat wire. Flat wire has the advantage over round wire in that baskets incorporating flat wire exhibit better resistance to twisting during use. Moreover, while surgical techniques have advanced, and endoscope accessory channels of a relatively smaller diameter have been developed, efforts to reduce the diameter of round wires incorporated in stone extraction baskets have unfortunately not met with similar success. In practice, the lowest useful round wire diameter remains about 0.007 to 0.010 in. (about 0.178 to 0.254 mm). Because there is a significant amount of wasted space inside any sheath or cannula containing round or flat wires, this limit on useful wire diameter has prevented the development of useful stone extractors of small diameter, and in particular, of extractors having an outside diameter (that is, the diameter of the sheath or cannula containing the wires) below about 1.7 French (0.022 in. or 0.56 mm).
Another desirable feature of smaller retrieval devices, especially important for urological use, would be to have a device that works with a small diameter endoscope, such as an ureteroscope, that is capable of accommodating accessory instrumentation such as a laser fiber or hydraulic lithotripsy wire to break up stones or calculi for easier removal. The limited space and limited numbers of lumens available in the smaller scopes makes it advantageous to create devices that are capable of sharing the existing accessory channels of the endoscope without having to increase lumen diameter. While some small-diameter retrieval devices are capable of being introduced through a ureteroscope, the size and design of the wire precludes having an internal lumen through which accessory instrumentation, such that for performing a lithotripsy procedure, can be introduced into the workspace of the retrieval device.
The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved in an illustrative medical retrieval device which is particularly useful with an endoscope for engaging or capturing and removing, extracting, or retrieving objects such as stones, calculi, concretions, foreign bodies and the like from a variety of locations in the body. The disclosed embodiments of the present medical retrieval device can each be characterized as being formed from a single elongated member wherein the resilient grasping members of the distal portion of the elongated member each represent a continuum of a material that essentially extends the length of the device. The resilient members form either a basket or a forceps.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the individual grasping members result from longitudinally slotting the elongated member about one end. The elongated member can be a hollow cannula or a solid member, preferably cylindrical in shape. The slots are formed by removing material of the elongated member in the form of longitudinal, elongated slots. The resilient grasping members result about the circumference of the elongated member with the remaining material thereof. Alternatively, the members result from the removal of material to expose elements, such as reinforcement wires, that are already encased within the walls of the elongated member. Advantageously, the members can comprise a basket or snare when the grasping members are interconnected at the distal end of the device, or grasping forceps when they are not.
Basket-making methodology has previously involved soldering, welding, crimping, or otherwise attaching the basket wires to a separate shaft piece. By having the wires or resilient grasping members being continuous with the proximal shaft portion of the device, any joint is advantageously eliminated. Such a joint can be more subject to breakage, possibly resulting in the dangerous situation of having a loose broken wire within the patient. Another advantage of a retrieval basket, grasper, or forceps of the present invention made from a thin-walled cannula or tube is the large open lumen and a small relative O.D. This large open lumen advantageously permits lithotripsy procedures to be performed when the retrieval device is inserted through an utereoscope. The present invention is particularly advantageous over the prior art in that the device can have an overall outside diameter significantly smaller than the outside diameter of existing retrieval or extraction devices, wherein the joint between wires and shaft increases the outer diameter and/or the available inner lumen diameter. The retrieval device of the present invention can have an outside diameter as small as 1 Fr., although 2-3 French is a preferred size for use in conjunction with a ureteroscope and laser fiber or lithotripsy laser fiber. Smaller devices will be able to reach deeper inside the body to capture and retrieve stones and calculi. It should go without saying that the smaller diameter is also expected to reduce the risk of patient discomfort and the risk of inadvertent damage to tissue during introduction and manipulation of the device in the patient.
Visualization of the target object is essential when using a retrieval device. Endoscopes, used in most minimally invasive procedures to retrieve stones or calculi, typically have a second or third accessory channel or lumen for introducing ancillary devices to the treatment site. The smaller diameter endoscopes, such as a ureteroscope, have a very narrow accessory channel through which the retrieval device is fed. An advantage of the present invention is that the tubular design, with its large central lumen, allows the introduction of additional instrumentation useful to the procedure such as a guidewire that may be used for placement, or a device to break up a stone or calculus such as a laser fiber or electrohydraulic lithotripsy wire. Conventional basket or grasper forceps manufacturing techniques that require soldering basket wires to the device shaft and/or compacting the basket wires into a narrow diameter do not leave sufficient additional room for other devices within the narrow working channel. While the central lumen is useful for introducing instruments into the inner working area, alternative embodiments include filling the end of the cannula with solder or another material to form a tip that is less traumatic to tissue.
An additional advantage of the present invention is the relative simplicity of construction. Devices comprised of a metal cannula or cylinder can be formed by making a series of longitudinal slots through the cannula/cylinder to form individual resilient grasping members. The process results in perfectly aligned grasping members and, except for reforming the grasping members, eliminates much of the skilled hand work normally required to assemble a basket or grasper forceps. Plastic deformation or heat setting the resilient grasping members into the outwardly extending configuration of a basket or forceps advantageously removes bending stresses and puts the expanded device in a relaxed condition during deployment. Retrieval devices of the present invention can use an external constraining mechanism such as a coaxial outer sheath or endoscope to open and close the resilient grasping members which capture and retain the target object for removal from a patient. Alternative methods could include an actuating member disposed in the lumen of the device to open and close the basket or grasper forceps.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the retrieval device is formed from an elongated member comprising a plastic tube having reinforcement wire encased therein. These wires, each representing a continuum of material extending the length of the elongated member, are exposed within the distal portion of the tube that interconnects them, where they are then formed into the resilient grasping members for making a retrieval basket or grasping forceps.

Minimally-invasive medical retrieval device


A newspaper bagger system includes a bag support and a bag chute suspended around and from the bag support. The bag support includes a plurality of detachable bags that extend through the bottom of the chute. The bag chute includes a shoulder at an upper end of the chute to hang the bag chute from the bag support and can also include a vertical slot on a front side of the chute that extends down from the upper end of the chute about half the length of the chute. An upper stiffener is incorporated into the back of the chute and across the shoulder section of the chute and a lower stiffener is attached outside the chute and adjacent to a bottom of the chute. The bagger system is suspended from the interior of an automobile.

Newspapers and other publications must be bagged before delivery for many reasons. Snow, rain, advertisements and sales fliers are just some of the reasons. The delivery person is faced with the daunting task of bagging these newspapers, sometimes on a daily basis. Many times, the bagging needs to be accomplished before the delivery person can even start his delivery route. It is very difficult to bag the newspapers en route.
For those delivering from a bicycle or on foot, not much can be done to avoid bagging the papers before delivery. Without a protective cover, the unprotected newspapers would soon be destroyed. There is simply no room to carry the empty bags or the specialized equipment necessary to bag the newspapers while delivering. He must bag the newspapers before starting to deliver them.
Typically, the delivery person has a stack of bags that are attached to a header. The person must guide each paper into each bag carefully, so that the paper does not unroll and spring out of the bag.
Automobile-based newspaper delivery persons have an advantage, in that they have an enclosed space, the car, to protect the unbagged newspapers while en route, however in many cases, the papers still need to be bagged before delivery.
Thus, what is needed is an easy to use, inexpensive system and method for bagging newspapers for delivery.
It is intended that any other advantages and objects of the present invention that become apparent or obvious from the detailed description or illustrations contained herein are within the scope of the present invention.


Method and apparatus are provided for re-recording of a frame on magnetic tape (22) when a first recording of the frame is determined to be defective. A frame whose first recording is defective is re-recorded at a spare or reserved location on the tape. The reserved location is dedicated to re-recording of frames, and otherwise cannot have data stored therein. The tape contains a defect map frame (326) which is used to pair physical locations of defective frames with the reserved location whereat the frame is re-recorded. In one embodiment, the reserved location whereat a frame is re-recorded is a reserved physical frame on the same track in which the defective frame is recorded. In another embodiment, the reserved location is on a reserved portion of a track (TG39R) which is not the original track (TG39) upon which the frame is recorded. For embodiments having multi-channel or multi-track frames, the reserved location employs a corresponding plurality of tracks.

A portion of this disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to recording and reading information on magnetic tape, and particularly to error techniques for handling re-recording and/or reading a frame of information when it has been discovered that the frame was originally erroneously recorded or is unreadable from the tape.
2. Related Art and Other Considerations
In magnetic tape recording, a head unit having one or more head elements transduces information onto or from an elongated magnetic tape which is transported past the head unit. Information is typically recorded in units known as blocks or frames on tracks or stripes of the magnetic tape. The tracks or stripes are formed in dependence upon the transport direction of the tape and (in cases of helical scan recording, for example) any relative motion of the head unit relative to the tape. In view of factors including the transport of the tape, magnetic tape recording is conventionally viewed as a sequential recording technique, since the blocks or frames must be accessed one at a time and in order in a tape read process.
Many magnetic tape recording devices, sometimes known as drives or recorders, have the capability of reading back a block or frame soon after it is recorded in order to determine the fidelity of the recorded block or frame. This capability is generally referred to as "read after write" or "read while write", and is typically implemented by providing the head unit with a read element which follows a write element as it writes a track. If a block or frame as recorded as read back does not agree with what the drive intended to record or otherwise does not meet prescribed error correction criteria, the recorded block or frame is determined to be a bad block or bad frame.
Upon discovery of a defective frame, magnetic tape drives conventionally attempt to rewrite the frame in the next available physical location on the tape. Some techniques essentially involve the re-recording of frames which follow the re-recorded frame, since other frames may have been recorded before the drive detected the discovery of the recordation of the bad frame. See, for example, U.S. Patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,023 to Lounsbury et al.
Another technique is the re-recording of a frame or block in a subsequent user-available location on the tape. That is, the frame again appears in the output stream of the drive and is re-recorded in the course of recording subsequent blocks in a non-restricted, user-available portion of the tape. The subsequent location may be chosen to avoid potential media defects or may depend upon selection of one of a plurality of heads in the head unit. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,422 to Zook et al., which is incorporated herein by reference.
Magnetic disks have differing operation constraints and conditions than magnetic tape. Conventional practice in the magnetic disk technology is to reserve a portion of the disk for re-recording of bad sectors, the reserved portion of the disk being unavailable for access by the user's other data. The magnetic disk typically has a map of bad sectors, so that a disk drive knows to locate a sector in its bad sector map in the reserved portion of the disk. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,472 to Ogata et al.
Some magnetic tapes are specially prepared by the tape manufacturer to have a servo signal or the like permanently recorded thereon at a frequency which is outside the frequency range of the data which will be recorded on the tape by the user's tape drive. Such a servo signal, e.g, a buried servo signal, can serve to form demarcations or sectoring of the tape, known as hard sectors, such that the blocks or frames recorded on the tape each have a permanent physical location. In a hard sectored format, a tape may be used as a random access device allowing the host to select the location. For the host to be able to select the best locations, the partition geometry relative to the data locations must not be corrupted.
When using such a hard sectored tape with fixed physical locations for frames, and assuming the drive has read while write capabilities, there is a problem when one records or updates a frame and then discovers, during the read back of the frame, that the frame was erroneously recorded or is not readable from the tape. Standard techniques of rewriting the frame on tape at subsequent frame position on the tape cannot be employed, since that subsequent frame position has a fixed physical location which has already been allocated to another frame of the tape.
What is needed therefore, and an object of the present invention, is a technique for handling the re- recording and reading of frames which were erroneously recorded on hard sectored magnetic tape.

Handling defective frames on hard sectored magnetic tape

by Marie Contreras, legal representative


A semiconductor memory device of embodiments includes a semiconductor substrate having a first and a second region adjacent to the first region in a first direction, a laminated body including electrode layers laminated on the semiconductor substrate in a second direction, a first insulator splitting the laminated body at the second region in a third direction, and extending in the first and second direction, and branching into two insulator films at the first region, and enclosing continuously a first portion of the laminated body, a contact portion extending in the first portion in the second direction, and a memory portion extending through the laminated body and the first insulator in the second direction at the second region. A first width in the third direction of the first portion is wider than a second width in the third direction of at least one of the electrode layers at the second region.

A stacked semiconductor memory device in which memory cells are stacked in a three-dimensional manner is known. In recent years, for the stacked semiconductor memory device, a manufacturing method in which memory holes are formed at laminated bodies which are split with slits, and, further, memory cells are formed within the memory holes, has been known.
To realize higher speed of driving of the memory cells, a width of a contact portion is preferably large. Meanwhile, to arrange the memory cells in high density, it is preferable to finely split the laminated body with a number of slits. However, in this case, because a width of the laminated body becomes narrow, an area where the contact portion is to be formed becomes small. Therefore, there is a possibility that workability of the contact portion may degrade.

Semiconductor memory device and manufacturing method thereof


For introduction of the pistons with piston rings, bevels have to be arranged on the cylinder bore. These bevels are usually arranged on the cylinder top surface and are used to position a compressor. As a result, dead spaces which occupy a relatively large volume are formed in the region of the combustion chamber, in which dead spaces only inadequate combustion takes place, which may have an adverse effect on the raw emissions. According to the invention, there is provision for a run-up cone, which is used for introduction the piston and compression of the piston rings, to be fitted at the crankshaft-side end of the cylinder bore.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cylinder block for an internal-combustion engine, having bevels arranged at the cylinder bores for insertion of the cylinders.
2. Background Information
Since, in the uncompressed state, the piston rings have a larger diameter than the cylinder bore, the rings have to be compressed during the installation of the piston and have to be introduced axially into the cylinder in the compressed state. To ensure that the bearing surface of the cylinder bore and the piston rings are damaged as little as possible, compressors are fitted onto the top side (facing the cylinder head) of the cylinder block and are centered by means of a bevel arranged on the cylinder bore.
DE 39 20 845-C1 discloses a mounting tool for inserting pistons that are provided with piston rings into a cylinder. The tool is fitted onto the bevel of the cylinder bore. Making the bevel on the upper side of the cylinder is highly disadvantageous, since the bevel itself and the cavity which surrounds it between cylinder wall/piston ring/piston, on the one hand, and the gasket and cylinder head, on the other hand, represents a dead space in terms of flow, and the combustion in these areas only takes place incompletely. This leads to increased emissions of hydrocarbons.
According to the invention, it is provided that part of the crankshaft-side end of the cylinder bore is designed as a run-up cone (31) as shown in FIG. 3.
This inventive measure provides numerous advantages. Firstly, the bevel on the upper side of the cylinder block can be dispensed, or at most the cylinder edge may be slightly tapered. Consequently, the gasket can be placed closer to the cylinder bore wall, and accordingly the diameter of the combustion chamber in the cylinder head at this location can be brought closer to the cylinder bore wall. This reduces the dead space volume and considerably improves the raw emissions from the engine. Since the gasket between the cylinder bores must have a certain minimum web width, so that the sealing function is adequately ensured, and the gasket can now be positioned closer to the cylinder bore wall, overall the cylinders can be brought closer together. This allows the overall length of the engine to be reduced.
Moreover, there are manufacturing technology advantages. The bevel, which was previously arranged on the upper side of the cylinder block, always represented a stepped transition with respect to the installation tool. The piston rings were often damaged at this transition, and this damage is now avoided. Moreover, installation is simplified considerably. There is no need to fit and align the installation tool for each individual piston. Furthermore, unlike with a compressor, the piston rings are uniformly compressed over their circumference as a result of the introduction over the run-up cone. This also avoids damage to the piston rings. Finally, the engine is easier to repair, since pistons and piston rings can be fitted securely, if appropriate even after machining of the cylinder bearing surface.
The run-up cone may in particular have not just one included angle (xcex4) over its height h, but rather a plurality of such angles. In particular, the run-up cone may, from its lower crankshaft-side end toward the cylinder bearing surface, have a curved profile. In this case, a preferred form may include the cone having, at its lower end, a cylindrical attachment, with the result that the included angle of the run-up cone over the height increases from a value of close to zero to a maximum value (turning point) and then decreases back to close to zero toward the cylinder bearing surface. In this way, the risk of damage to the piston rings can be reduced still further.
Preferably, the height of the run-up cone in the axial direction of the cylinder bore is at least equal to the maximum distance of the uppermost piston ring from the piston top surface (measured at the outer circumference of the latter if the top surface is not planar).
Since the opening of the run-up cone at its lower end (B1) is greater than the maximum diameter of all the piston ringsxe2x80x94even if the piston rings are offset in the radial direction with respect to one another and/or with respect to the piston axisxe2x80x94the piston can be mounted reliably. The set minimum height ensures that the piston itself is initially guided in the run-up cone before the first piston ring enters the area of the lower opening of the run-up cone. This prevents the upper piston ring from jamming against the lower edge of the run-up cone.
It is also preferable for the maximum value of the included angle (xcex4) of the run-up cone not to exceed 45xc2x0. Setting the included angle of the run-up cone further improves the ease of installation of the pistons.
Further advantages, objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative embodiments of the invention.

Cylinder block for an internal combustion engine


A pressure sensor includes a detection unit 1 having capacities C1 and C2 varied by a predetermined external action, a reference detection 2 unvaried by the predetermined external action, a first oscillator 31 and 32 for generating a detection frequency signal according to the capacities C1 and C2 of the detection unit 1, a second oscillator 33 for producing a reference frequency signal according to the capacity of the reference unit 2, and measuring circuits 34, 35, 36 and 37 for measuring the number of the periods of the detection frequency signal within a predetermined period of the reference frequency signal to produce a measured signal. The sensor can minimize a detection error, and directly convert the change of capacity into a pulse signal (digital signal) without convertion into an analog, so that the circuit construction be simplified and realized at a reduced cost. The gas meter G includes a gas pressure introducing path 155 formed on a wall of a measuring chamber 154 within its meter body 150, and the pressure sensor S secured on a wall of the measuring chamber 154 through a sealing means the pressure receiving portion of which communicates with the gas pressure introducing path 155, whereby any specific gas introducing tube to introduce the gas into the pressure sensor S is not required and the problems of sealing at an insertion portion of the specific gas introducing tube toward the measuring chamber 156 are resolved.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pressure sensor including an electrostatic capacitance detection circuit for detecting a scalar quantity of a predetermined external action by utilizing an electrostatic capacity varied by the predetermined external action, and more particularly to an improved pressure sensor for detecting pressure of fluid to generate a signal in proportion to the detected pressure, which is suitable for installation to a gas meter.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There has been hitherto proposed a pressure sensor including a housing made of metal, a diaphragm supporting a movable electrode with soldering which is fixed by the housing with soldering, a ring spacer made of plastics fixed to the housing by a screw, and an iron plate serving as a stationary electrode which is fixed by a screw opposing to the movable electrode. Due to the construction in which the movable blade is fixed to the diaphragm by soldering, the selection of the material for the diaphragm is restricted and the application of the proposed pressure sensor is restricted. In a production line of the pressure sensor, a special equipment for soldering is necessary, so that the productivity of a mass production for the sensor is deteriorated. Since the sensor has the construction made by the pair of movable and stationary electrodes, the deterioration of the linearity in the sensor by an incidental capacity cannot be avoided. If the linearity is desired to be retained, the compensation by a unique microcomputer must be prepared, which is not suitable for a high-precision application. The sensor is impossible to be corrected about humidity, so that it is not suitable for industrial use.
There has been proposed another pressure sensor having a connector disposed on a diaphragm at its center for pushing a movable electrode, and a lead from the movable electrode. The construction guiding the lead from the movable electrode invites deterioration in its assembling efficiency. Moreover, if negative pressure is applied to the sensor, an excessive force is applied to a center of the diaphragm causing performance change or destruction thereof.
A conventional electrostatic capacity detection circuit includes a detection unit in which its electrostatic capacity is changed by an external action, such as pressure, acceleration, displacement, or the like, to detect the scalar quantity of the external action by measuring an absolute value of an analog electrostatic capacity. Recently a microcomputer is often employed to control a system based on the detected value and to display a digital value for the detected value. An analog signal obtained by measuring the electrostatic capacity is amplified to be converted into a digital signal by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for application to the microcomputer, whereby control of the system or digital display is executed.
Such a conventional electrostatic capacity detection circuit invites a bit error in the conversion from the analog signal into the digital signal. Accordingly, an expensive A/D converter having a large number of bits is necessary to decrease the bit error. Moreover, a high accurate amplifier for amplifying the analog signal with temperature compensation is required. Due to the design of measuring the absolute value of the electrostatic capacity, a measurement error is caused by imbalance of the relation between the scalar quantity of the external action and the electrostatic capacity which happens when a dielectric constant changes by circumstances of the detection unit.
As an application of a conventional pressure sensor, there has been proposed a gas meter including the pressure sensor, a seismoscope, and a judging circuit for controlling cut-off of gas by receiving a detected signal from the pressure sensor and the seismoscope, which are mounted on a common printed board to be installed in a meter body of the gas meter while a gas introducing pipe to be connected to the pressure sensor is inserted into a measuring chamber of the meter body in the gas meter. The pressure sensor of a board mounting type needs the gas introducing pipe to be connected with the sensor and the insertion of the pipe into the measuring chamber to be sealed by a sealing means presenting a sealing problem.


The invention provides positive-acting chemically-amplified photoresist compositions that can provide excellent lithographic performance as well as significantly enhanced storage stability. In one aspect, photoresist compositions are provided that comprise a solvent that is free of hydroxy groups (i.e. non-hydroxylic solvent), a resin binder and a photoactive compound that exhibits enhanced and long-term solubility in the solvent. In a further aspect, resists are provided that are formulated in a hydroxyl-containing solvent such as ethyl lactate and that contains a sulfonium salt photoactive compound that includes a sulfonate counter anion that can provide enhanced storage stability for the resist.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new photoresist compositions that can exhibit significantly improved shelf life and lithographic performance.
2. Background Art
Photoresists are photosensitive films for transfer of images to a substrate. They form negative or positive images. After coating a photoresist on a substrate, the coating is exposed through a patterned photomask to a source of activating energy such as ultraviolet light to form a latent image in the photoresist coating. The photomask has areas opaque and transparent to activating radiation that define a desired image to be transferred to the underlying substrate. A relief image is provided by development of the latent image pattern in the resist coating. The use of photoresists is generally described, for example, by Deforest, Photoresist Materials and Processes, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York (1975), and by Moreau, Semiconductor Lithography, Principals, Practices and Materials, Plenum Press, New York (1988).
More recently, certain "chemically amplified" photoresist compositions have been reported. Such photoresists may be negative-acting or positive-acting and rely on multiple crosslinking events (in the case of a negative-acting resist) or deprotection reactions (in the case of a positive-acting resist) per unit of photogenerated acid. In other words, the photogenerated acid acts catalytically. In the case of positive chemically amplified resists, certain cationic photoinitiators have been used to induce cleavage of certain "blocking" groups pendant from a photoresist binder, or cleavage of certain groups that comprise a photoresist binder backbone. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,075,199; 4,968,851; 4,883,740; 4,810,613; and 4,491,628, and Canadian Patent Application 2,001,384. Upon selective cleavage of the blocking group through exposure of a coating layer of such a resist, a polar functional group is provided, e.g., carboxyl, phenol or imide, which results in different solubility characteristics in exposed and unexposed areas of the resist coating layer.
With the desire to produce high-density semiconductor devices, there is a movement in the industry to shorten the wavelength of exposure sources and use deep U.V. radiation. Such photoresists offer the potential of forming images of smaller features than may be possible at longer wavelength exposure. As is recognized by those in the art, "deep UV radiation" refers to exposure radiation having a wavelength in the range of 350 nm or less, more typically in the range of 300 nm or less such as radiation provided by a KrF excimer laser light (248 nm) or an ArF excimer laser light (193 nm).
An important property of a photoresist is image resolution. A developed photoresist image of fine line definition, including lines of sub-micron and sub-half micron dimensions and having vertical or essentially vertical sidewalls is highly desirable to permit accurate transfer of circuit patterns to an underlying substrate. However, many current photoresists are not capable of providing highly resolved fine line images.
Another important property of a photoresist is photospeed, which can be defined as the exposure time coupled with the exposure energy required to activate the photoactive component, e.g. to generate a sufficient amount of photoacid to provide the desired solubility differential between exposed and unexposed areas of a photoresist coating layer.
It can be critical that a resist's photospeed is within an acceptable and consistent range or value to permit desired processing of the resist. For instance, sufficiently high photospeed is important in many processes, e.g. where a number of exposures are needed such as in generating multiple patterns by a step and repeat process, or where activating radiation of reduced intensity is employed. Sufficiently high photospeed also permits reduction in the concentration of the radiation sensitive component in the photoresist. On the other hand, a resist that is "too fast", i.e. has too high photospeed, also can be undesirable. For example, an extremely high photospeed may compromise resolution of the patterned resist image, or exposure equipment may not be well suited to image such a fast resist.
Additionally, a consistent resist photospeed can be critical, e.g. so that a device manufacturer can use the same imaging conditions and obtain consistent results despite lot-to-lot differences of a resist product (such as precise amount and/or nature of the photoacid generator, polymer, etc.) that may frequently occur, particularly in large scale resist manufacturing processes. However, many current resists do not exhibit such consistent photospeed, and consequently a device manufacturer may either realize inconsistent results as different lots of a resist formulation are used, or the device manufacturer may be forced to carefully test the photospeed of each new lot of resist and then adjust the parameters of the exposure equipment to provide for consistent processing. Clearly, either alternative is undesirable.
Photospeed variations during storage also are indicative of resist degradation. For example, decreased photospeed of a resist upon storage can indicate degradation of the photoactive compound or other resist components. Storage stability is typically of high importance for a photoresist. Generally, after photoresist manufacture, a resist is stored for several months or more prior to use by a device manufacture. Any resist degradation during storage typically will only compromise lithographic properties.
It thus would be desirable to have new photoresist compositions that could provide highly resolved fine line images. It would be further desirable to have such new photoresist compositions exhibit consistent photospeed. It would be particularly desirable to have such new photoresists that show good storage stability, e.g. as indicated by consistent photospeed over time.

Photoresist compositions and methods and articles of manufacture comprising same