An arc baffle includes a first baffle member having a number of first venting holes disposed therein, each being structured to receive ionized gases produced by an arcing event; a second baffle member having a number of second venting holes disposed therein; a section of porous material disposed between the first baffle member and the second baffle member; and a cover disposed adjacent the second baffle member on the opposite side of the section of porous material. The first venting holes are laterally spaced from the second venting holes by a predetermined distance such that ionized gases produced by the arcing event passing through one of the first venting holes must travel at minimum the predetermined distance generally along the section of porous material before passing through one of the second venting holes.

1. Field
The disclosed concept pertains generally to electrical switching apparatus and, more particularly, to arc baffling devices for use in such switching apparatus.
2. Background Information
Electrical switching apparatus, such as circuit breakers, provide protection for electrical systems from electrical fault conditions such as, for example, current overloads, short circuits, and abnormal level voltage conditions.
Circuit breakers, for example, typically include a set of stationary electrical contacts and a set of movable electrical contacts. The stationary and movable electrical contacts are in physical and electrical contact with one another when it is desired that the circuit breaker energize a power circuit. When it is desired to interrupt the power circuit, the movable contacts and stationary contacts are separated. Upon initial separation of the movable contacts away from the stationary contacts, an electrical arc is formed in the space between the contacts. The arc provides a means for smoothly transitioning from a closed circuit to an open circuit, but produces a number of challenges to the circuit breaker designer. Among such challenges is the fact that the arc results in the undesirable flow of electrical current through the circuit breaker to the load. Additionally, the arc, which extends between the contacts, often results in vaporization or sublimation of the contact material itself. Therefore, it is desirable to dissipate and extinguish any such arcs as soon as possible upon their propagation.
To facilitate this process, circuit breakers typically include arc chute assemblies which are structured to attract and break-up the arcs. Specifically, the movable contacts of the circuit breaker are mounted on arms that are contained in a pivoting assembly which pivots the movable contacts past or through arc chutes as they move into and out of electrical contact with the stationary contacts. Each arc chute includes a plurality of spaced apart arc plates mounted in a wrapper. In operation, as the movable contact is moved away from the stationary contact, the movable contact moves past the ends of the arc plates, with the arc being magnetically drawn toward and between the arc plates. The arc plates are electrically insulated from one another such that the arc is broken-up and extinguished by the arc plates. Examples of arc chutes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,034,242; 6,703,576; and 6,297,465.
Additionally, along with the generation of the arc itself, ionized gases, which can cause excessive heat and additional arcing and, therefore, are harmful to electrical components, are formed as a byproduct of the arcing event. The ionized gases produced during an arcing event can undesirably strike to the ground and create ground fault issues. Additionally, debris, such as, for example, molten metal particles or plasma, may be created during the arcing event and thus may be readily transported by the ionized gases. The uncontrolled release of such ionized gases and molten particles can be extremely harmful to components and/or personnel positioned nearby the circuit breaker during an arcing event.
There is a need, therefore, to provide mechanisms which control and defuse the ionized gases and plasma before leaving the housing of the circuit breaker.
Accordingly, there is room for improvement in arc baffles for arc chute assemblies, and in arc chute assemblies for electrical switching apparatus, such as circuit breakers.


An adjustable spanner for quickly turning an object includes a moving member, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a grip. The moving member is movably joined to the grip. The first jaw is adjustably jointed to the moving member. The second jaw is pivotally joined to the grip and cooperates with the first jaw to clamp the object. A user grasps the grip when using the adjustable spanner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable spanner, and particularly, to an adjustable spanner for quickly turning an object.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,384 shows an adjustable wrench for quickly turning an object. The adjustable wrench includes a main body, a slide block, a movable jaw and a grip. The main body includes a jaw section and a hollow section in which the slide block and the movable jaw are disposed. The grip is pivotally connected with the hollow section. A movable retaining block is disposed on one side of the top end of the grip and is opposite to a leaning section of the slide block. The retaining block can be switched, whereby when the grip is wrenched in different directions, the retaining block pushes the leaning section of the slide block so as to change the one-way wrenching direction of the adjustable wrench during repeated wrenching operation for an object. However, since the retaining block is movable and an engagement between the leaning section of the slide block and the retaining block is not secure, it is difficult to prevent the retaining block from moving relative to the slide block. Likewise, a detent ball, which is biased by a spring, is liable to disengage from a recessed section of the grip and the arrangement may not be suitable where relatively large torque forces are required. Also, assembly of this adjustable wrench may be different.
One or more embodiments of the present invention may address these and/or other aspects of the prior art.


A jet clean nozzle having multiple spray openings which increase the scan density of pressurized water sprayed against the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The jet clean nozzle includes a nozzle body for attachment to a nozzle adaptor that communicates with a water jet pump. Multiple spray chambers extend into the nozzle body, and a spray opening communicates with each spray chamber. In use, pressurized water is forced through the respective spray openings and ejected from the spray chambers as multiple water jets.

In the fabrication process for semiconductor devices, numerous fabrication steps, as many as several hundred, must be executed on a silicon wafer in order to complete integrated circuits on the wafer. Since the processing of silicon wafers requires extreme cleanliness in the processing environment to minimize the presence of contaminating particles or films, the surface of the silicon wafer is frequently cleaned after each processing step. For instance, the wafer surface is cleaned after the deposition of a surface coating layer such as oxide or metal. A frequently-used method for cleaning the wafer surface is a wet-scrubbing method.
In cleaning a wafer surface by a wet scrubbing method, a wafer is rotated at a high speed, i.e., at least about 200 RPM and preferably, about 1,000 RPM, simultaneously with a jet of high-pressure de-ionized water sprayed on top or back surface. The water jet is normally sprayed at a pressure of about 5 to about 10 MPA. The water movement on top of the wafer surface displaces any contaminating particles that are lodged on the wafer surface.
A cleaning process is widely used after a deposition step. The fell-on particle (particle on deposition surface) after deposition such as metal or oxide layer deposition can be removed by a jet scrubbing method. By using high-pressured de-ionized water, the particle on a flat film (deposition surface) will be easily removed.
The pressure of de-ionized water can be controlled to maintain a particle removal rate by adjusting a jet pump pressure. The higher pressure achieves a better particle removal rate. On the other hand, higher pressure may induce damage on a wafer surface. A limitation pressure is set up to avoid this situation. In order to improve a particle removal rate, extending the process time is the only way to achieve such a goal. Although extending the process time will increase the production duration. A novel jet clean nozzle having multiple spray openings is introduced to provide a high particle removal rate and efficient productivity.
FIG. 1 illustrates a silicon wafer 10 the upper surface of which is scanned in a water jet scrubbing method using a conventional wafer scrubbing apparatus 8. The wafer 10 is normally positioned on a wafer platform 17 which is typically rotatably mounted on a wafer stage 16. The wafer platform 17 rotates the wafer 10 at a predetermined rotational speed, which may be between typically about 200 RPM and about 2,000 RPM.
The wafer scrubbing apparatus 8 typically includes a nozzle adaptor 26 which is mounted on a support rack 28. A nozzle 30, having a single nozzle opening 32, is provided on the nozzle adaptor 26, as shown in FIG. 1A. A jet pump (not shown) is connected to an inlet end 27 of the nozzle adaptor 26 to pump water through the nozzle adaptor 26 and nozzle 30. A water jet 22 of de-ionized water is ejected onto the upper surface of the wafer 10 from the single nozzle opening 32 of the nozzle 30. The water jet 22 has a water pressure of typically about 50 kg/cm2.
As it strikes the surface of the wafer 10 at an angle of typically about 45°, the water jet 22 is scanned along a top of the wafer surface by a lateral sweeping motion of the water jet nozzle 26 to define a generally curved or arcuate trace 12 which normally traverses the center 14 of the wafer 10, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The surface of the wafer 10 is scanned by the water jet 22 at least once, and preferably, several times. Centrifugal force acting on the water flow on the surface of the wafer 10 due to the rotating wafer platform 17 and wafer 10 removes contaminating particles or films from the surface of the wafer 10.
It has been found that horizontal movement of the wafer stage beneath the water jet nozzle during the scrubbing process provides a more uniform dispersement of the sprayed water along the entire surface of the disc. This has been found to substantially improve removal of organic particles from the wafer which would otherwise tend to remain at the wafer center due to reduced centrifugal force at the center, as well as reduce the water spray-induced damage to low-density film coatings at the wafer center by spreading the impact energy of the spray across a larger surface area on the wafer.
The cleaning efficiency of the water jet 22 ejected from the nozzle 30 depends on various factors including the pressure and size of the water jet 22, as well as the scan density of the water jet 22 on the wafer 10. It is well-known that ejecting a water jet of high scan density onto the surface of a wafer effectively removes particles from the wafer. However, the scrubber cleaning cycle for each wafer is typically subjected to a timing limitation. This timing limitation, which is typically about 45 seconds, depends mainly on the size of the jet pump used to force the water through the nozzle adaptor 26 and out the single spray opening 32 of the nozzle 30.
Frequently, the typically 45-second scrubber cleaning cycle time of the wafer scrubbing apparatus is inadequate to sufficiently remove particles from a wafer. Thus, the wafer must be subjected to a second scrubber cleaning cycle time to remove the remaining particles from the wafer. However, this adversely affects wafer throughput. Accordingly, a jet clean nozzle having multiple openings is needed to increase the scan density of water jets on a wafer during a scrubber cleaning process and increase the wafer-cleaning efficiency during a scrubber cleaning cycle of typically limited duration.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel jet clean nozzle having multiple openings.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel multi-aperture jet clean nozzle which is capable of increasing the scan density of water ejected against the surface of a wafer.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel jet clean nozzle which enhances the wafer-cleaning efficiency of a scrubber cleaning apparatus.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel jet clean nozzle which is capable of contributing to an enhanced yield of IC devices fabricated on a semiconductor wafer.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel jet clean nozzle which contributes to the thorough cleaning of a wafer surface within a scrubber clean cycle of limited duration.

Jet clean nozzle with multiple spray openings

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


The invention provides a friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism having a construction suitable for applications in which it is used to continuously change the speed of an output shaft for driving a high speed rotating body, such as the vane wheel of a centrifugal blower or the like.. This continuously variable speed changing mechanism comprises an input shaft 11 internally contacted by a plurality of cones 27 held for rotation and revolution, an output shaft 15 externally contacted by the plurality of cones 27, a pressing spring 19 for applying an elastic pressing force between the input and output shafts 11, 15 and the plurality of cones 27, and a speed changing ring 26 slidably pressed against the cones 27, the arrangement being such that the power is transmitted between the input and output shafts 11, 15 through the rotation and revolution of the cones 27 and the speed at which the power which is being transmitted is continuously changed by the sliding movement of the speed changing ring 26, said continuously variable speed changing mechanism further includes a cone holder 28 which comprises a cone supporting shafts 30, and a holder body 29 in which the cone supporting shafts 30 supporting the cones 27 are integrally disposed equally spaced circumferentially.

The present invention relates to a friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism and particularly it relates to a friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism used as a speed increaser in centrifugal blowers, centrifugal compressors, and the like.
As for a device which provides large speed ratios, the 3K planetary gear mechanism is generally known, and FIG. 16 shows a 3K friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism which has said planetary gear mechanism applied thereto. FIG. 16 shows an application in which this continuously variable speed changing mechanism is used as a speed reducer; however, when it is used as a speed increaser, the input and output shafts 6 and 7 will change places with each other.
In this type of continuously variable speed changing mechanisms, planetary cones 1 are in contact with three traction members, i.e., an input disk 2, a cam disk 3 and a speed changing ring 4, one place for each traction member, totaling three places. The planetary cones 1 are constructed to be dynamically balanced by normal forces acting at said three contact places.
In this case, speed change is effected by moving the speed changing ring 4 in the directions of the input and output shafts. The reason why the balance of normal forces at the three contact places can be maintained irrespective of the axial movement of the speed changing ring 4 is that since the contact portions of the input disk 2 and the planetary cone 1 are formed by surfaces having quadric curvatures, the direction of the normal force acting on the contact portions of the input disk 2 and the planetary cone 1 changes with the axial movement of the speed changing ring 4. Thus, a cone holder 5 has the function of simply holding the planetary cones 1 circumferentially equispaced, not supported by the other members.
In this connection, the construction of the contact portions of the planetary cone 1 and the input disk 2 by using contact surfaces having quadric curvatures increases the influence of the spin. Further, in the case of using the continuously variable speed changing mechanism shown in FIG. 16 as a speed increaser, when the output shaft is rotated at high speed, this leads to the input disk 2 rotating at high speed, resulting in a large moment of inertia of the output shaft system and a large loss of power due to the large peripheral speed and spin in the contact portions, a fact which means that this type of continuously variable speed changing mechanism is not suitable for use with a centrifugal blower which rotates at high speed.
Further, the aforesaid contact portions have to be finished to have a fine surface roughness as by grinding or super-finishing in order to achieve the formation of a satisfactory oil film. Thus, in a case where the contact portions are formed by curved surfaces having quadric curvatures as in the case of the planetary cones 1 of the continuously variable speed changing mechanism shown in FIG. 16, it is difficult to finish them to have a fine surface roughness as by grinding or super-finishing, increasing the manufacturing cost.
Further, though not shown, there is another type of continuously variable speed changing mechanism in which both of the generatrices possessed by the conical surfaces in the contact portions of the input shaft traction portion and the cone and also in the contact portions of the output shaft traction portion and the cone are slightly inclined to the axis of the input and output shafts. It is such shape of the traction portions and an axial force loaded by a pressing spring that produce the normal forces necessary for transmission of power at the contact portions.
The normal force loading mechanism using said pressing spring has the merit of being simple in construction, but the pressing force is constant at all times irrespective of an increase or decrease in transmission power. Since the spring force is set on the basis of the greatest transmission power, it follows that in a case where the transmission power changes in a wide range, normal forces which are excessively large relative to the power will be produced during transmission of the lowest power. As a result, the decrease in transmission efficiency for lower transmission power becomes remarkable.

Friction type continuously variable speed changing mechanism


A process for preparing unsaturated esters useful as intermediates for HDAC inhibitors, by reacting an aldehyde or ketone having the following formula I:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process for preparing histone deacetylase inhibitors, as well as intermediates thereof.
2. Related Art
Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are promising compounds for the development of anti-cancer, as well as anti-malarial drugs. HDAC inhibitors include simple fatty acid compounds such as sodium butyrate, phenylbutyrate, and valproic acid, up to more complex cyclic tetrapeptide antibiotics such as apidicin, trapoxin B and depsipeptide. Most of the known HDAC inhibitors are hydroxamic acids or derivatives thereof such as trichostatin A (TSA) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). See Wang et al., "QSAR Studies of PC-3 Cell Line Inhibition Activity of TSA and SAHA-Like Hydroxamic Acids," Bioorg, & Med. Chem. Lett., 14 (2004): pp. 707–11.
The most potent HDAC inhibitor discovered so far is TSA. TSA is a relatively rare natural product that was originally isolated from Streptomyces hygroscopicus. See Tsji et al., "New Antifungal Antibiotic, Trichostatin," J. Antibiot., 29 (1976): pp. 1–6; Yoshida et al., "Trichostatin-A and Trapoxin—Novel Chemical Probes for the Role of Histone Acetylation in Chromatin Structure and Function," BioEssay, 17 (1995): pp. 423–30. TSA has been previously synthesized as both racemic and enantiomerically pure forms. See Fleming et al., "The Total Synthesis of (+/−)-Trichostatin-A—Some Observations on the Acylation and Alkylation of Silyl Enol Ethers, Silyl Dienol Ethers and a Silyl Trienol Ether," Tetrahedron, 39 (1983): pp. 841–46; K. Mori et al, "Synthetic Microbial Chemistry: Synthesis of Trichostatin-A, a Potent Differentiation Inducer of Friend Leukemic-Cells, and its Antipode," Tetrahedron, 44 (1988): pp. 6013–20. However, these prior syntheses for TSA require a significant number synthesis steps (e.g., upwards of 20 synthesis steps), and are therefore relatively inefficient and impractical to economically produce TSA. Because these prior syntheses for producing TSA are inefficient, impractical and costly, others have searched for alternative HDAC inhibitors. Indeed, because of the difficulty in synthesizing TSA and the relatively high cost of TSA (e.g., ˜$100/mg.), TSA is used today mainly as a reference substance in the research for new HDAC inhibitors.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a process for synthesizing TSA, including intermediates thereof, as well as other HDAC inhibitors, that: (1) requires fewer synthesis steps; (2) is more practical, (3) is more efficient; (4) is less expensive; and/or (5) has the processing flexibility to prepare a wide variety of HDAC inhibitors, and their respective intermediates, by using the same or similar processing steps.

Process for preparing histone deacetylase inhibitors and intermediates thereof

Abstract: wherein R1 is an aromatic group or a combined aliphatic and aromatic group; X is —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OOC—, —CONR7—, or —R7NCO—; L1 an aliphatic linking group, an aromatic linking group, or a combined aliphatic and aromatic linking group; R2 and R3 are each independently hydrogen, a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an amino group, a carboxyl group, an amide group, an ester group, a carbamate group, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a combined aliphatic and aromatic group, R2 and R3 together are ═O, or one of R2 and R3 form a double bond with one of R4 and R5; R4 and R5 are each independently hydrogen, a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an amino group, a carboxy group, an amide group, an ester group, a carbamate group, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a combined aliphatic and aromatic group, or one of R4 and R5 form a double bond with one of R2 and R3; R6 is hydrogen, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, or a combined aliphatic and aromatic group; R7 is hydrogen, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, or a combined aliphatic and aromatic group; m is 0 or 1; n is 0 or 1; and p is 0 or 1; with an ester having the following formula II:

Abstract: wherein R8 is an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, or a combined aliphatic and aromatic group; R9 and R10 each independently hydrogen, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a combined aliphatic and aromatic group, or one of R9 and R10 form a double bond with L2; R11 and R12 are each an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, or a combined aliphatic and aromatic group; L2 is an aliphatic linking group, an aromatic linking group, or a combined aliphatic and aromatic linking group; A is P or As; and p is 0 or 1.


Devices, systems and methods for detecting surface characteristics of a sample surface are disclosed. The exemplary system may have a conveying device for moving a sample surface and a light source for reflecting a beam of light off the sample surface. A light detector may receive the beam of light reflected from the sample surface. The area of the beam of light may be unequal to an area of a light detection surface of the light detector. A reference analyzer may determine the optical surface based on a comparison of the reflected light received with known reflected light values for known sample surfaces.

During the paper making process water, refined pulp and other additives are combined to give the finished paper the desired properties. The mix is spread over a mesh screen which forms the paper and lets the water be extracted. The paper then travels through different processes and machines designed to remove the water from the paper. After the paper is dry, the paper is run between drums to give the desired smoothness. This process may be referred to as calendering the paper. The more times paper is calendered the less bulk it has but the smoother the finish of the paper. To create glossy paper, uncoated paper may be coated with a paint-like product and buffed by rollers under very high pressure, to create a shiny appearance. This process may be referred to as supercalendering. Additional varnish layers may be applied to paper during the printing process to provide a gloss surface on the paper. The gloss surface may also protect the paper from the surrounding environment. During the various manufacturing process a continuous roll of paper weaves throughout the machinery of the press. Rolls and presses are used to move the paper between the various manufacturing processes.
To ensure that the paper surface has received the correct amount of gloss, sensors are used to measure the gloss of sample surfaces. Referring to FIG. 1A, sensor 100A may have light source 102A for providing light beam 104A to illuminate sample surface 106A at a pass-line. Light beam 104A is reflected off sample surface 106A. The intensity of the reflected light is measured with light detector 108A. The reflected light is measured by light detecting surface 110A of light detector 108A to determine the light intensity of the reflected light. The gloss level is calculated by determining the ratio of the reflecting light beam intensity to the intensity of the illuminating light beam. The intensities of the reflected light are compared with known values of intensity for various gloss sample surfaces.
Referring to FIG. 1B, as the paper moves along the manufacturing process, sample surface 106B of a web of paper may flutter or wave due to vibration imparted by the rolling devices, applicators, and other machinery used in the manufacturing process. The flutter or wave may cause the sample surface 106B to move to a new sample surface location 112B. The movement of the sample surface 106B may cause errors to the measured gloss values because the optical arrangement of the gloss sensor system may require a very precise geometry in order to operate in a correct manner.
If sample surface 106B moves from the optimal measurement position, some part of the reflected light rays may be lost and the measured signal will be erratic. The current state of the art may provide for precise measurements in a laboratory setting when the sample position can be easily controlled but, as explained above, such control is not easily obtained in a manufacturing environment.
In paper and board manufacturing, non-touching measurement principles are be preferred over sensor techniques that make contact with the paper web. In addition, paper web stabilization techniques such as mechanical sheet stabilizers are also not preferred. For example, the use of mechanical sheet stabilizers can cause unwanted visible markings or scoring on the product surface. Due to such markings, it may be impossible to use sheet stabilizers in certain applications. Also, sheet stabilizers may tend to increase dust and dirt problems by rubbing the moving web. The cross-direction profiles of paper and board webs can have many types of deviations from a straight line. For example, the base cross profile can be warped in many different directions. Because warping or scoring of paper the optimal position of the paper web for on-line gloss measurement is very difficult and sometimes impossible to guarantee.
Accordingly, an efficient and effective device, method, and system is needed for detecting surface characteristics of a sample surface. In addition, the system and method may provide detecting surface characteristics of a moving sample surface.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A loudspeaker module in the form of a ribbon element, where the module can be equipped with a membrane, 50 millimeters in width or narrower, and with any length from 50 millimeters to 2500 millimeters. The magnet system is equipped with so called booster-magnets in order to reduce loss of magnetic flow in the soft iron pole pieces and in order to equalize and in order to even the magnetic flow at the magnet ends. The signal-feed is designed in the form of passive current-feeding, whereby the inductance's negative impact of the frequency response up to the 1/f point is eliminated. Above the 1/f point, the ribbon membrane is compensation fed from a separate circuit consisting of R and C, whose values have been chosen in such a way that the resulting frequency response is flat over the whole operating area.

1. The Area of the Invention
The invention refers to advantageous constructions of ribbon-type loudspeakers.
2. Prior Art
The working principle of the ribbon speaker is well known. Inside a magnetic field, a ribbon made from an electrically conducting material is stretched, on both sides surrounded by powerful elongated permanent magnets. When an AC current within the audio band is applied to the ribbon, the membrane will start to oscillate in pace with the input signal.
The ribbon speaker technology suffers from two major problems: On one hand the linearity of the magnetic field is not homogenous; (typical solutions are glued ferrite magnets),—on the other hand the frequency response is not flat but decreasing with rising frequency, the last mentioned depending on the ribbon's mass/inertia and the inductance of the ribbon and the signal feeding cables. Last but not least, the width of the membrane has a serious impact on the ribbon amplitude. A wider ribbon results in a higher radiation resistance, i.e. a better coupling to the air, which means lower membrane amplitude which is essential if low frequencies with a satisfactory sound pressure level are to be reproduced.
Electrical Limitations:
The low electrical resistance of the ribbon speaker and its physical extension in space result in an inductance that seriously affects the frequency response and, most important, create serious phase errors. The preferred invention solves this problem by utilizing passive current feeding over the whole operating area below 1/f and also by a separate passive compensation feeding for the frequency range above the 1/f point.
The physical mass of the ribbon together with the strength of the magnetic field determines where the critical 1/f point occurs. This point is defined as the point where the ribbon goes from velocity-controlled to mass-controlled condition. Above this point, the ribbon output no longer is linear but decreasing with increasing frequency.
Mechanical Limitations:
The physical mass of the ribbon, combined with the strength of the magnetic field, determine, as earlier stated, where the critical 1/f point occurs. This point is defined as the point where the ribbon goes from velocity-controlled to mass-controlled condition. Above this point, the ribbon output no longer is linear but decreasing with increasing frequency.

Universal ribbon element-module for two or more membrane-widths with optimized flow and drive


A disk storage unit according to the present invention has a head driving member for driving a float type head so that a head can be separated from a disk while the disk stops rotating and approached to the disk when the disk starts to rotate, and a head driving mechanism for driving the head driving member. Incidentally, the head driving mechanism may be made of shape memory alloy or piezoceramic.

The present invention relates generally to magnetic disk storage units, and more particularly to a magnetic disk storage unit with a magnetic head separating mechanism for separating a float type magnetic head from a magnetic disk.
In a conventional magnetic disk storage unit using a contact start and stop (abbreviated CSS hereafter) method, a float type magnetic head contacts a magnetic disk while the disk stops rotating, and floats therefrom by 0.4 to 0.5 .mu.m to write data thereon and/or read data therefrom as it rotates at a high speed of about 3000 to 3500 rpm and generates an air flow. However, this type of magnetic disk storage unit has the following disadvantages:
1. The disk in the disk storage unit under high temperature and high humid cannot be rotated because of an adhesion phenomenon which strikingly increases a coefficient of static friction.
2. Since a bulky and heavy spindle motor for rotating the disk with a large amount of torque against the static friction force is needed to start rotating the disk, the disk storage unit cannot be miniaturized and made light. In addition, such a motor makes the disk storage unit consume a large amount of power.
3. Since the disk rotates while contacting the head, until its rotating speed is high enough to create the air flow, the disk gets damaged because of a head crashing phenomenon related to dust, located between the disk and head, which scratches the disk and destroys data stored on it.
4. If a sensorless spindle motor which often inversely rotates during starting time is used, the head crashing phenomenon easily occurs.
Accordingly, a disk storage unit having either a cramping mechanism or a solenoid mechanism which respectively separates the head from the disk while the disk stops has been proposed, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,785.
However, the above cramping mechanism proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,785 has a disadvantage in that the head often shakes because of a loose-jointed connecting part of the cramping mechanism; thus an edge of the head damages the disk when the head lands on the disk. Respectively, the above solenoid mechanism has disadvantages in that the solenoid generally actuates so quickly that each component of the head is impacted thus shortening the life of the head. If a damper mechanism or electrical feed back mechanism for absorbing impacts is provided, the disk storage unit is prevented from being simply constructed, miniaturized, and being made light and inexpensive.

Magnetic disk storage unit with magnetic head separating mechanism for separating float type magnetic head from magnetic disk


In this application are disclosed a method for producing nutraceutical chips, comprising the steps of: preparing a viscous liquid by use of at least one selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds which may have been heat-treated in advance as desired or as required, and a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material, spreading the viscous liquid into thin layers, applying an aqueous calcium salt solution onto the thin layers, whereby the calcium-coagulable edible polymer material is caused to gel, and heat-drying or/and vacuum-drying the resulting thin-film gel products, and a method for producing nutraceutical chips, comprising the steps of: preparing a gel by use of at least one selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds which may have been heat-treated in advance as desired or as required, a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material, and a calcium salt, molding the gel into thin films, and heat-drying or/and vacuum-drying the resulting thin-film gel products, according to which methods new nutraceutical chips are provided which improve the shelf life and processability of the raw material vegetable, fruit, seed, nut, seaweed or the like, use no fats and oils, and are suitable for the health, nutrition and palatability of consumers.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a health-appealing food which has improved shelf life of vegetable, fruit, seed, nut, seaweed and the like and has characteristics that it is rich in calcium and dietary fiber, that it is oil-free and that it is low in calories. Further, the present invention also relates to a method for producing snack food chips which can conform to a variety of requests associated with the health, nutrition, preference and the like of consumers, from vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, seaweeds and the like. In addition, the present invention also relates to a snack food which incorporates a poly-γ-glutamic acid so as not only to retain calcium and increase the content of calcium but also to enable calcium to be efficiently absorbed into a living body, in other words, enhance absorbability of calcium.
2. Related Art
A variety of processed foods are produced and sold which take advantage of the characteristics of raw materials such as vegetables and fruits of various types, i.e., being naturally occurring materials and being good for health. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 45769/1992, a method of producing a healthy snack food using a large quantity of vegetables such as spinach, burdock and pumpkin and fruits such as apple, pineapple and banana, is disclosed. However, according to this production method, fats and oils are added to the paste-like material in a proportion of 5 to 15% so as to impart crunchiness to the target healthy snack food, so that the resulting healthy snack food becomes high in calories.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 178422/2001, a fish-egg processed food sheet produced by forming fish eggs into a sheet with the use of a film forming edible polymer material is proposed. This claims that the processed food sheet is rich in calcium and dietary fiber and low in calories. However, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds other than fish eggs are not studied. Further, no mention is made of the absorption of in-taken calcium.
[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
It is an object of the present invention to provide a processed food (snack food) made from vegetable, fruit, seed, nut, seaweed or the like which improves the shelf life and processability of the vegetable, fruit, seed, nut, seaweed or the like, uses no fats and oils, has crispiness, and is rich in calcium and dietary fiber and low in calories. Another object of the present invention is to provide a snack food in respect of which the absorption of the calcium contained therein can be accelerated.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present inventors have made intensive studies so as to achieve the above objects. As a result, the they have found that the objects can be achieved by processing vegetable, fruit, seed, nut, seaweed or the like with the use of a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material or a poly-γ-glutamic acid in addition to the calcium-coagulable edible polymer material. The present inventors have completed the present invention based on these findings.
Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing nutraceutical chips, comprising the steps of:
preparing a viscous liquid by use of at least one selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds which may have been heat-treated in advance as desired or as required, and a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material,
spreading the viscous liquid into thin layers,
applying a calcium salt aqueous solution onto the thin layers, whereby the calcium-coagulable edible polymer material is caused to gel, and
heat-drying or/and vacuum-drying the resulting thin-film gel products.
A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing nutraceutical chips, comprising the steps of:
preparing a gel by use of at least one selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and seaweeds which may have been heat-treated in advance as desired or as required, a calcium-coagulable edible polymer material, and a calcium salt,
molding the gel into thin films, and
heat-drying or/and vacuum-drying the resulting thin-film gel products.
The second aspect method is equivalent to the first aspect method.
And, a third aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing nutraceutical chips according to the first or second aspect method, wherein a poly-γ-glutamic acid is additionally used.

Nutraceutical chips and production method thereof


Determination of steam quality by passing one or more laser beams through steam in a steam chamber and directly determining a total number of vapor molecules and a total number of water molecules based on absorption of radiation in the one or more laser beams by the water vapor phase and the liquid water phase in the steam. Specific volumes of water vapor phase and liquid water phase in the steam using the total numbers of water vapor and liquid water molecules are determined and the quality of the steam is calculated based on the specific volumes of the water vapor phase and the liquid water phase in steam. One embodiment comprises a narrow linewidth laser for measuring steam quality and another embodiment comprises multiple broadband lasers for measuring steam quality.

Steam is used in many industrial applications such as heating and power conversion. Under some circumstances, steam includes a water vapor phase, which is gaseous water, and a liquid water phase, which is small droplets of water suspended in the water vapor phase. The amount of liquid water phase relative to the water vapor phase is also called the "wetness factor" or "steam quality" and affects performance of steam in some applications.
For example, steam quality affects performance of steam turbine generators. Specifically, turbine blade performance affects steam turbine generator performance. The thermodynamic and aerodynamic performance of turbine blades are determined in part by the surface finish and shape of the blades which can be affected by steam quality. A steam turbine operating in wet steam conditions has lower thermodynamic efficiency then when operating in dry steam. According to "Baumann's Rule," an increase in steam wetness decreases turbine efficiency. Water droplets from the liquid water phase of steam impact the surface of turbine blades at a high velocity and corrode the blades. Corrosion of turbine blades result in thermodynamic and aerodynamic losses in turbine operation and reduces power output of the steam turbine generator.
Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to measure the quality of steam being used to drive a steam turbine generator as the steam turbine generator is operating. Methods for measuring steam quality exist. One method includes measuring the temperature of wet steam with calorimeters and measuring pressure of the wet steam with pressure gauges. Specific volumes of liquid water and water vapor are determined from steam tables and the steam quality is calculated from those specific volumes.
Therefore, there is a need for an effective and economical apparatus and method for directly measuring steam quality while steam is being used in applications such as in a steam turbine generator.

Apparatus and method for measuring steam quality


The present invention is directed to a dispensing machine and method for making a beverage. The dispensing machine of this invention has a delivery means which can deliver beverage precursor and beverage enhancing component with a single pump. The method results in a beverage, such as a tea-based beverage, that has superior quality, and the dispensing machine is quieter and more energy efficient than standard beverage dispensing machines.

Methods for preparing ready-to-dispense beverages, like tea beverages, are known. For example, many food establishments have brewing systems that dispense tea-based beverages ready for consumption. Typically, such systems operate by mixing an instant tea or a brewed tea concentrate with hot water to produce a hot water composition that is combined with cold water to thereby produce a tea beverage that is ready to drink.
Unfortunately, however, when preparing beverages, like tea beverages, from a beverage precursor in the manner described above, the beverages often have, for example, flavor and aroma characteristics that do not meet desired consumer expectations, especially when the beverage precursor employed has aged. This is true because beverage enhancing components, like flavor- and aroma-generating compounds found in beverage precursors, typically degrade within the beverage precursor, a direct result of their unstable nature in the presence of conventional beverage precursor components.
In view of the above, ready-to-drink tea dispensing machines, for example, have been modified to post dose flavor and aroma compounds. Such tea dispensing machines are energy inefficient, difficult to refill and often noisy since they require a first pump to pump beverage precursor and a second pump to pump the flavor and aroma compounds.
It is of increasing interest to develop a beverage dispensing machine that comprises a delivery means for efficiently delivering a beverage enhancing component (not formulated within a beverage precursor) to a beverage precursor. This invention, therefore, is directed to a beverage dispensing machine comprising a delivery means suitable to deliver a beverage enhancing component to a beverage precursor, whereby the beverage enhancing component is drawn into the beverage precursor from negative pressure created by the beverage precursor pump of the beverage dispensing machine. Such an apparatus unexpectedly produces a beverage of superior flavor and aroma while at the same time being lighter, easier to refill, quieter and more energy efficient than conventional machines. The beverage dispensing machine of this invention pumps beverage precursor and beverage enhancing component with a single pump.

Unilever Bestfoods North America, division of Conopco, Inc.


In a method for displaying mammography images, an identification of the mammography images is first inputted via a user interface of a computer system. A host is employed to receive the identification for activating the mammography images and reading a header of the mammography images. The host reads a plurality of displaying rules previously configured for comparing with the header of the mammography images. The host then automatically selects one of the plurality of displaying rules that is best conformed to the header of the mammography images. The host automatically classifies the mammography images according to the selected one displaying rule. Finally, a monitor displays the classified mammography images.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for displaying mammography images.
2. Description of Related Art
Mammography is an essential screening tool to diagnose the early breast cancer. The prior mammograms are negative-film images obtained by a mammography machine with an ionizing radiation passing through breasts. In practice, one examination may take mammography on the same breast at different directions in order to obtain various sections of mammography images. Next, a doctor can manually suspend a plurality of mammograms on a plurality of light boxes in a consulting room to inspect and compare one by one for any abnormal findings. Sometimes, the mammograms in a previous examination or other mammograms are inspected for reference. Otherwise, for convenient comparison, an order and direction of suspended mammograms are adaptively adjusted. When more parallel mammograms are required, it is not satisfactory because the number of light boxes or the place is limited. Such manually suspending way and demand of the light boxes are inconvenient, time-wasting, expensive, and difficult to increase the diagnostic efficiency.
Accordingly, a special suspending method for the mammograms is provided to meet with the habitual behaviors of people and individual in use, the medical environments, and the operation procedures. However, the effectiveness is limited due to the manually suspending way, even the special suspending method is provided.
Therefore, it is desired to provide a method for displaying mammography images for improving the above displaying method without changing the old suspending habit, so that the practice and completeness are satisfied.

Method for displaying mammography images


Utility meter readings generated at low sampling rates are disaggregated to identify consumer usage activities. Time intervals between readings can include a plurality of consumer usage activities. By employing a model which recognizes associations among consumer usage activities, effective disaggregation is possible using only aggregated consumption data and interval start times. Consumers and utility managers can design and assess conservation programs based on the disaggregated consumption usage activities.

Sustainability and design of sustainable technologies have become an important priority for cities given the unprecedented level of resource demand—water, energy, transit, healthcare, public safety—to most if not every service that makes a city attractive and desirable. At the same time, digital reification of the cyber-physical world has been possible with widespread penetration of sensing and monitoring technologies. These two important catalysts have fuelled significant interest and cross organizational collaboration among researchers, industries, urban planners, and government. Research has focused on leveraging information from such digital reification of cyber-physical world to help manage various services more efficiently.
Real-world deployments of smart meters are designed for utility billing and some basic analysis requirement, but many of them are not suitable for consumption disaggregation. Smart meters transmit consumption readings using wireless protocols, which consume battery and have dependency on physical environments. Although the meters can sample at a rate even higher than 1 MHz, many existing deployments have chosen to accumulate data at 15 min or even longer ( 1/900 Hz or longer) intervals to ensure reliable data transmission. However, physical environment may still affect the data transmission.
Research on disaggregating electricity or water load has been conducted on smart meter readings with fine granularity (mainly between 1 Hz˜1 MHz). Existing approaches identify appliances/fixtures based on analyzing steady state or transient state change in real-time consumption.

Utility consumption disaggregation using low sample rate smart meters

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


According to one configuration, an inductor device includes a first electrically conductive path; a second electrically conductive path, the first electrically conductive path electrically isolated from the second electrically conductive path; first material, the first material operative to space the first electrically conductive path with respect to the second electrically conductive path; and second material. The second material has a substantially higher magnetic permeability than the first material. An assembly of the first electrically conductive path, the second electrically conductive path, and the first material resides in a core of the second material.

Conventional switching power supply circuits sometimes include an energy storage component such as an inductor to produce an output voltage that powers a load. For example, to maintain a magnitude of an output voltage within a desired range, a controller controls switching of input current through one or more inductors.
In general, a conventional inductor is a component comprising wire or other conductive material, which is shaped as a coil or helix to increase an amount of magnetic flux through a respective circuit path. Winding a wire into a coil of multiple turns increases the number of respective magnetic flux lines in a respective inductor component, increasing the magnetic field and thus overall inductance of the respective inductor component.
In certain instances, conventional electronic devices include multiple magnetically coupled inductor devices known as transformers. Mutual inductance is where the magnetic flux of two or more inductors are coupled so that voltage is induced in one coil proportional to the rate-of-change of current in another. Thus, a transformer is a type of inductor device made of two or more inductors, and is driven via by varying current, which results in an AC voltage across the second inductor.


Interaction of a user with external data sources related to the research and analysis of terms and content for improved indexing by search engines may be provided. One or more elements of the content may be used to return an analysis of those elements to the user within the experience of a word processing application environment. Systems and methods also may be provided for determining the relative competition of a term or terms to quantitatively derive the number of pages within a corpus that may be actively engaged to improve the indexing of the pages by information retrieval systems, such as search engines. Systems and methods may be further provided for determining the relative ranking of a term or terms based on the frequency and placement of the term or terms within a structured page.

A user that wishes to optimize their content for better search engine indexing will employ a number of manual heuristic processes. These processes include manual inspection of index counts from commercial search engines to gauge competition online and a visual inspection of content to review the placement of terms within the content.

Systems and methods for keyword research and content analysis


The present disclosure relates to a flight recorder, having a memory, a control device, which is coupled to the memory and which is configured to record flight data during the flight of an aircraft and to store said flight data in the memory, a transceiver device, which is coupled to the control device and which is configured to accept stored flight data signals from the control device and to convert them into acoustic signals, and an acoustic transducer, which is coupled to the transceiver device and which is configured to emit the acoustic signals of the transceiver device into a body of water, the control device being configured to receive control signals via the transceiver device and, depending on the control signals, to retrieve partial data areas of the stored flight data from the memory and to transfer them to the transceiver device.

According to the current standard, flight recorders are generally rigidly connected to the aircraft, the flight data of which is to be recorded. In the case of a crash over bodies of water, these flight recorders sink together with the aircraft wreck to the bottom of the body of water. In order to recover the flight recorders, considerable efforts and a great deal of time are sometimes necessary, in particular in the case of deep bodies of water such as oceans.
To help in locating the flight recorders, underwater locating apparatuses can be used, which can periodically emit locating signals, which can be received and evaluated by locating systems such as locating ships, buoys or locating aircraft to simplify and accelerate the finding of the flight recorder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,492 B2 discloses, for example, a flight data recording apparatus of this type that is suitable for underwater, can record flight data and can transmit locating signals by means of an ultrasonic transducer after an aircraft crash below water.
In order to reach the flight data more quickly and more reliably, it may be possible to install communications devices in the flight recorder, which communications devices, even in the damaged state, can emit flight data from the bottom of the body of water for reception by a receiving system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,005,584 B1 discloses, for example, a flight data collection system of this type, from which flight data can be read out via of a communications system, when it is located underwater after aircraft damage.
However, there is a need for improved flight recorders and methods for communicating therewith, which provide a lower implementation outlay and extended communications possibilities with the flight recorder.

Flight recorder, aircraft with flight recorder and method for reading out flight data from a flight recorder


An assembly, a disposable foil tank, and method for providing a liquid including a plurality of chemicals for vapor administration. The assembly comprising a disposable tank with a first end and a second end, a foil seal, and an airflow ring. The disposable tank includes a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion. The first tubular portion defines a liquid container and a liquid container aperture at the second end of the disposable tank. The second tubular portion defines an air passage and an air passage aperture at the second end of the disposable tank. The foil seal is applied to the second end of the disposable tank, and the foil seal seals the liquid container aperture and the air passage aperture. The airflow ring includes a piercing element, the piercing element operable to puncture the foil seal when the airflow ring is attached to the second end of the disposable tank.

Vaporization devices use electrical energy to heat a material to form an inhalable substance. In some example implementations, components of vaporization devices may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco or marijuana and/or components derived from tobacco or marijuana. Vaporization devices also can be characterized as being vapor-producing articles or medicament delivery articles. Thus, such articles or devices can be adapted so as to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and/or pharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. Alternatively, inhalable substances can be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). For purposes of simplicity, the term "vapor" as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases and aerosols of a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible, and whether or not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like.
Vaporization devices typically comprise some combination of a battery, at least one control component (such as a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller), a heating element (such as an electrical resistance heating element), a liquid chamber for holding a liquid capable of yielding a vapor upon application of sufficient heat, and a mouthpiece or tip for allowing a user to draw upon the vaporization device for inhalation of the vapor.
Some vaporization devices are reusable and other vaporization devices are disposable. In either case, if a user does not intend to use all the liquid in a liquid chamber in one use of the vaporization device, an assembly is needed cover a disposable tank after a foil seal has been punctured. Leakage of the liquid is a waste of material.

Assembly for providing chemicals for smokeless administration, a disposable tank, and a method of using the same


A liquid dispenser has an augering screw that serves both a metering function and a valving function. The augering screw is axially movable between a position in which fluid can flow and a sealing position in which liquid flow through the nozzle is substantially prevented. The screw is preferably designed with a curved contour between the threads and with a plurality of thread-defining channels to allow liquid to fill more completely around the screw and to dispense more liquid with fewer screw turns than prior screw designs.

Different types of machines are used for dispensing small metered amounts of liquid for a variety of applications. In the assembly of surface mount printed circuit boards, one application is for dispensing many small dots of adhesive liquid on a circuit board for connecting components; another is for dispensing material over an area for encapsulating chips and/or for underfilling flip chips. Such dispensing machines are expected to run continuously to achieve high throughput, and are also expected to have a high degree of repeatability, i.e., to be able to dispense dots or areas with the same size within a very small tolerance.
Some systems for dispensing dots, including earlier designs, used bursts of high pressure on a container of liquid and had a separate valve for controlling flow. This type of system was improved upon with a system that used a positive rotary displacement pump instead of bursts of high pressure. In one model manufactured by Knight Tool Co., the assignee of the present invention, and distributed by CAM/ALOT under the name Camelot.RTM., an augering screw is housed in an augering chamber and is rotated to provide a carefully metered amount of liquid. A motor is coupled to the screw with a controllable electromagnetically operated clutch. The clutch has a top plate that is continuously rotated by the motor, and a bottom plate that is rotatably coupled to the augering screw through intermediate coupling members, including a metal bellows. The liquid to be dispensed is held in a cylindrical container, and is provided to the augering chamber under constant pressure of about 10 PSI, a pressure that is considered rather low.
To dispense liquid, a controller provides to the clutch a short, timed, electrical signal that induces magnetic attraction between the top and bottom plates. This attraction causes the plates to be engaged and to rotate together for a short period of time, thus causing the augering screw to rotate to dispense a small amount of liquid from the augering chamber through a nozzle. The controller also controls lead screw motors for moving the dispenser to a desired location along three mutually orthogonal axes.
Other systems that use a positive rotary displacement pump drive the pump with a stepper motor that has to be turned on and off frequently. Such motors, however, must be sufficiently durable so that they can start and stop many times without failure.
Dispensing system of this general type can be used to dispense an area of highly viscous liquid to cover the top of a semiconductor device for encapsulation, or to provide underfilling around and under a flip chip to provide thermal conductivity. When the liquid hardens over or around the device, it packages and protects the device. To cover the area, the dispenser can be moved in a selected pattern, such as a rastering pattern or a spiral pattern.
In such dispensing systems, the accuracy of the volume dispensed is critically important. The material used for encapsulation and underfill is filled with abrasive particles and has a very high viscosity, typically from 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.6 centipoise. Consequently, pressure of at least about 30 to 40 PSI is provided to the container that holds the liquid to overcome friction in the container and to dispense the liquid. If the pressure is insufficient to properly feed the augering screw, cavities of air can develop in the liquid, adversely affecting accuracy (this problem is known as "cavitation"). Because this pressure is relatively high compared to the dot dispensing systems, however, the liquid can bleed through the augering chamber and leak through the nozzle between dispensing cycles. Such leaked liquid can have a substantial detrimental effect on the accuracy.
To prevent such bleeding and leaking, some models of dispensers have a direct drive stepper motor with a reversible drive for drawing the liquid back after a dispensing cycle is completed. Reversing a motor quickly and frequently can adversely affect wear on the motor, however, and can also adversely affect accuracy.

Liquid dispensing system with improved sealing augering screw and method for dispensing


Fine powders of iron with less than 5% by weight graphite, copper, and an organic binder can be formed into shapes having a green density of up to about 7.4 g/cc and sintered in a hydrogen containing atmosphere to yield parts having minimum variations in physical properties. Incorporation of small quantities of copper, e.g. 1% or less by weight, negates variations in physical properties of sintered parts that were subjected to variations in the hydrogen content of the sintering atmosphere.

The present invention pertains to powder metallurgy and the preparation of ferrous metal powders and the use of such powders to produce near net shape components.
Powder metallurgy is becoming increasingly important these days for producing a variety of simple- and complex-geometry near net shape carbon steel components for the automobile and appliances industries. These components require close dimensional tolerances, good strength and surface properties such as hardness and wear resistance. Manufacture of the components involves pressing metal powders that have been premixed with graphite and organic lubricants into useful shapes, generally is referred to as as-pressed or green components, and then sintering the shaped components at high temperatures in a batch or continuous furnace in the presence of a controlled atmosphere. The sintered components can then be used as is or given minor surface finishing.
Carbon steel powder metal components are generally produced from metal powders containing a mixture of iron and graphite, which is added to the powder to provide strength, increase surface hardness, and control the dimensions of sintered components. The components pressed from these powders can be sintered in a continuous furnace operated above about 2,000.degree. F. (1093.degree. C.) in the presence of a controlled atmosphere containing primarily a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen. The amount of hydrogen present in the atmospheres varies between 2 to 15% depending upon the source and supply mode of the atmospheres.
The controlled atmospheres used for sintering carbon steel components are generally endothermic (produced by endothermic generators), pure nitrogen blended with endothermic generated atmosphere, dissociated ammonia or pure hydrogen. The endothermic atmospheres are produced by catalytically combusting a controlled amount of hydrocarbon gas, such as natural gas in air in endothermic generators. The endothermic atmospheres typically contain nitrogen (.about.40%), hydrogen (.about.40%), carbon monoxide (.about.20%), and impurities in the form of carbon dioxide, moisture and unreacted hydrocarbon gas. The atmospheres produced by dissociating ammonia contain hydrogen (.about.75%), nitrogen (.about.25%) and impurities in the form of moisture and unconverted ammonia.
The use of endothermically generated atmospheres for sintering carbon steel components have been known to cause undesirable cyclic carburization and decarburization of sintered components due to the presence of high levels of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and moisture. Therefore, endothermically generated atmospheres by themselves are rarely used to produce carbon steel components requiring close dimensional tolerances, good strength and consistent surface properties such as hardness and wear resistance. These atmospheres are, therefore, mixed with pure nitrogen to reduce (1) effective concentrations of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and moisture and (2) undesirable cyclic carburization and decarburization. For example, 20% of endothermically generated atmosphere is mixed with 80% nitrogen to provide an effective hydrogen concentration of about 8%, the resulting atmosphere used to produce carbon steel components with consistent quality and properties.
The use of dissociated ammonia atmospheres by themselves for sintering carbon steel components have been known to severely decarburize sintered components due to the presence of high levels of hydrogen. Therefore, these atmospheres alone are not used for sintering carbon steel components. They are mixed with pure nitrogen to reduce the effective concentration of hydrogen to about 12% prior to being used for sintering carbon steel components.
The presence of 8 to 12% hydrogen in blends of nitrogen and endothermic atmospheres and nitrogen and dissociated ammonia atmospheres often decarburizes surfaces of sintered components, thereby reducing their surface hardness and wear resistance. The extent of reduction in surface hardness or wear resistance varies with the amount of hydrogen present in these atmospheres. Because of these variations, it is difficult to pick the right source and supply mode of these atmospheres for sintering carbon steel components and produce sintered components with consistent quality and properties.
A small amount of an enriching gas such as natural gas, or any other hydrocarbon gas, can be added to these atmospheres to counter the decarburization effect of hydrogen. However, the selection of an improper amount of an enriching gas results in forming soot in the furnace and carburizing furnace components such as the muffle and belt, thus reducing their useful life. Therefore, there is a need to (1) reduce variations in the physical properties of sintered carbon steel components due to variation in the amount of hydrogen in the atmosphere and (2) produce carbon steel components with consistent quality and properties.
A number of workers in the field have proposed adding copper to iron-graphite powders to increase the properties of the pressed and sintered parts. For example R. L. Lawcock and T. J. Davies in a technical paper titled "Effect of Carbon on Dimensional and Microstructural Characteristics of Fe--Cu Compacts During Sintering" describe sintering of Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 1% or more of copper in 75% hydrogen and 25% nitrogen atmosphere. A technical paper by N. Dautzenberg and H. J. Dorweiler titled "Dimensional Behavior of Copper-Carbon Sintered Steels" describes sintering of Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 1% or more copper. J. M. Torralba, L. E. G. Cambronero and J. M. Ruiz in their paper titled "Influence of the Nature of Powders on Properties and Microstructure of Sintered Cu and Ni Steels" describe sintering of Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 2% or more of copper. C. Durdaller, describes sintering of Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 2% or more of copper in his publication titled "The Effect of Additions of Copper, Nickel and Graphite on the Sintered Properties of Iron-Base Sintered P/M Parts." Y. Trudel and R. Angers published a paper titled "Comparative Study of Fe--Cu--C Alloys Made From Mixed and Prealloyed Powders" in which they describe sintering of Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 2% or more of copper. Another paper by Y. Trudel and R. Angers titled "Properties of Iron Copper Alloys Made from Elemental or Prealloyed Powders" describe sintering of Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 1% or more of copper. In a technical paper by S. J. Jamil and G. A. Chadwick titled "Investigation and Analysis of Liquid Phase Sintering of Fe--Cu and Fe--Cu--C Compacts" the authors describe sintering of Fe--Cu and Fe--Cu--C compacts containing 10% copper.
None of the prior art workers disclosed Fe--Cu--C powders or parts made therefrom where the copper context was less than 1% by weight and the effects of atmosphere compositions on the as sintered part, especially on surface properties of the finished parts.

Carbon steel powders and method of manufacturing powder metal components therefrom


A ferroelectric material 44 is selectively poled using laser light 14 capable of being absorbed by the material 44, a shutter 18 for turning the light on and off, a variable attenuator 28, with a beam splitter 31 and an optical detector 31a, to set the laser power level, a lens 32 to provide focused laser light 14d, a mirror 36 driven by a motor 40 (mirror-scanner) to direct the light to the regions to be poled, and an electric field applied by electrodes 68, 70. A computer 24 provides automatic control over selective poling of the material 44 by controlling the shutter 18, variable attenuator 28, mirror 36 position, and the direction of the applied electric field. A temperature sensor 52 provides temperature feedback to ensure proper laser power and dwell time. In the alternative, the material 44 is covered with a mask 604 and scanned with the laser to provide selective pole reversal.

It is known in the art that the crystal orientation of ferroelectric materials such as lithium niobate (LiNbO.sub.3) or lithium tantalate (LiTaO.sub.3) exhibit an inherent polarization which describes the atomic orientation (or ferroelectric polarization axes) of the material structure. It is also known that the polarization dictates the sign of nonlinear effects of the material and when it is aligned in a certain way, the material is useful for performing functions such as optical frequency doubling of incident light (e.g., converting infrared light having a wavelength of 0.8 .mu.m to blue light having a wavelength of 0.4 .mu.m), or for surface acoustic wave generation.
As used herein, the terms "poling" and "poled" refer to the act of orienting the ferroelectric polarization axes of the material, or the process by which the orientation of these axes is changed. Also, unless otherwise specified, the term "polarization" refers to the aforementioned ferroelectric material characteristic.
In one optical application, i.e., optical frequency doubling, a light wave is launched into one end of a ferroelectric material which has a polarization aligned perpendicular to the travelling wave and regions of the material are poled in alternating directions. A layer of the material along its surface provides a waveguide for the light to travel within (e.g., 10 .mu.m thick). The changes in direction of polarization of the material creates an alternating pattern (also called spatially alternating periodic ferroelectric domains).
Three known fabrication processes for providing a polarization pattern on a material are: titanium indiffusion (Ti in-diffusion), dilithium oxide (Li.sub.2 O) out-diffusion, and electron beam bombardment. The Ti in-diffusion process comprises first applying titanium to the +z surface of the material (i.e., the +z-axis being normal to the surface being poled) and then heating the material by convection (i.e., in an oven) to a temperature of 950.degree. to 1100.degree. C. for LiNbO.sub.3. Heating the material causes the titanium to "in-diffuse" into the surface, thereby permanently reversing the polarization direction in the titanium in-diffused regions.
The Li.sub.2 O out-diffusion process comprises first applying an evaporation protective coating or mask with holes to the +z surface of the LiNbO.sub.3 and then heating the material to 1000.degree. C. in a dry inert atmosphere (e.g., argon (Ar)). Li.sub.2 O evaporates out of the material in the regions uncovered by the coating thereby reversing the polarization in that region.
The electron beam bombardment method comprises first attaching thin, e.g., 500 Angstroms (.ANG.) Nicrome (i.e., NiCr or Nickel Chromium) electrodes (i.e., one that passes electrons freely) on opposite ends of the material, e.g., top and bottom for a z-cut material, between which the polarization is desired, then placing a thin (approximately 4000 .ANG.) mask of gold on top of the top electrode, the mask having holes where polarization reversal is desired. The mask does not pass the electron beam (i.e., it absorbs electrons), thereby blocking the region of the material covered by the mask from exposure to the beam. Next, a voltage is applied across the electrodes such that an electric field of approximately 10 v/cm exists therebetween. While the electric field is applied, an electron beam is applied to the material in a vacuum. This beam creates a "transient vacancy" in the crystalline structure and allows the lithium atoms to move, thereby forcing the crystal to be poled in the direction of the applied electric field.
The aforementioned techniques provide selective poling along the surface of the material which does not extend uniformly from one side of the waveguide, along the z-axis, to the other (i.e., does not provide a "rectangular" grating) and thus they do not provide maximum performance efficiency for functions such as optical frequency doubling. Furthermore, these techniques must all be performed on pre-poled material, i.e., a material that has a predefined direction of polarization all pointing in the same direction. Thus, they provide alternating poled regions by merely reversing the existing polarization in certain areas and leaving other areas alone, thereby creating the desired bidirectional poling pattern having a controlled "period" between changes in direction. Moreover, these techniques are currently performed only on z-cut material, i.e., a material whose polarization axis (z-axis) is normal to the surface to be poled.
If selective poling of localized regions on non z-cut material were available, that obviated the aforementioned shortcomings, it would not only improve the efficiency of optical functions such as optical frequency doubling, but would also open up a whole new realm of possible applications yet to be discovered.
It is known that a bulk sample of non z-cut material may be poled using convection heating and an electric field. This technique comprises, first attaching electrodes to opposite ends of the material between which polarization is desired, then heating the material (e.g., in an oven) to a temperature above the Curie temperature (1150.degree. C. for LiNbO.sub.3 and 610.degree. C. for LiTaO.sub.3) which, as is known, unpolarizes the material (i.e., exhibits random orientation of the polarization axes) and allows the polarization to be set by the presence of an electric field. A voltage is applied across the electrodes thereby creating an electric field therebetween, and, while the electric field is applied, the temperature of the material is reduced below the Curie temperature which fixes the polarization in the direction of the electric field, i.e., the polarization in the material remains after the electric field is removed. Although this process may be used with either pre-poled or unpolarized material, an entire sample of material (i.e., bulk samples such as in boule form) must be poled all in the same direction. Thus, this process cannot be used to provide the aforementioned selective spatially alternating pattern which is desired for many applications.

Laser assisted thermo-electric poling of ferroelectric material

Uniphase Telecommunications Products, Inc.


A method of post-tensioning a truss of substantially conventional steel construction provided with concrete encasement or cladding of certain chords while the truss is in a fabrication yard or at ground level before erection and installation in which the structural steel truss is first assembled in a fabrication yard with certain of the chords being provided with formwork. Reinforcing steel and steel tendons are placed in the formwork and concrete is poured to encase the chords of the truss while the truss is positioned horizontally or vertically in the fabrication yard or at ground level. The steel tendons are then partially or fully post-tensioned to provide maximum load support capability. The cladded and partially or fully post-tensioned truss is then lifted to an installation point and a load deck placed on the truss with final post tensioning of the truss then being completed. The truss of the present invention can be used in situations where trusses are used to carry heavy loads over long spans such as bridges, stadiums, convention halls and the like and is especially beneficial when spanning a busy highway or waterway since the trusses are assembled, cladded with concrete and partially post-tensioned before being lifted and placed in an installation site.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of post-tensioning a truss of substantially conventional steel construction provided with concrete encasement or cladding of certain chords while the truss is in a fabrication yard or at ground level before erection and installation. Specifically, the invention relates to a method of making the truss as described above in which the structural steel truss is first assembled in a fabrication yard with certain of the chord being provided with formwork. Reinforcing steel and steel tendons are placed in the formwork and concrete is poured to encase the chords of the truss, the reinforcing steel and steel tendons while the truss is positioned horizontally or vertically in the fabrication yard or at ground level. The steel tendons are then partially or fully post-tensioned to provide maximum load support capability. The cladded and partially or fully post-tensioned truss are then lifted to an installation point and a load deck placed on the truss with final post tensioning of the truss then being completed. The truss of the present invention can be used in situations where trusses are used to carry heavy loads over long spans such as bridges, stadiums, convention halls and the like and is especially beneficial when spanning a busy highway or waterway since the trusses are assembled, cladded with concrete and partially post-tensioned before being lifted and placed in an installation site.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of trusses are well known with the trusses being supported in various manners to produce tension or compression forces in the components of the truss. It is also well known to encase or clad certain of the components of the truss in concrete for increasing the strength, insulation and fireproofing of the truss. In my above-mentioned copending application, a truss is erected at the installation site and formwork is associated with the components of the truss to be encased in concrete with the concrete cladding having reinforcements and steel tendons for post-tensioning with the cladding and post-tensioning being accomplished after the truss is at the installation site. However, prior truss structures do not include the concept of encasing the top and bottom chords or other components of the truss in concrete in the fabrication yard or at ground level prior to being placed at the installation site and then partially or fully post-tensioning the steel tendons while the truss is either in a vertical or horizontal position. The completed and cladded truss that is partially or fully post-tensioned then is lifted or otherwise placed in an installation site and a load deck or other load is placed thereon with the truss then being final post-tensioned.

Method of post-tensioning steel/concrete truss before installation


A control module with interrupt function for an electric circuit breaker has a voltage input for a control voltage, an output carrying the control voltage to which output an interrupter for the circuit breaker can be connected, an input for the control voltage fed back from the interrupter, a terminal for the circuit breaker, said terminal being connected to the input, and a measuring unit for measuring current and/or voltage at the input and at the output. An electric protection system has an electric circuit breaker, an interrupter and a control module. In a method for operating a control module, the circuit breaker is supplied during its operation with voltage and current via the terminal, the measuring unit determines currents and/or voltages at the input and the output, the control module transmits currents and/or voltages to an evaluating unit for determining a characteristic value which correlates to the quality of the interrupter, the evaluating unit determines, from currents and/or voltages, a characteristic value which correlates to the quality of the interrupter.

Electrical consumers with high power ratings, for example, electric motors in electric drive systems for industrial production technology are not usually connected with their terminals directly to a power network, but are connected thereto via an electric circuit breaker. Therefore, for example, the aforementioned electric motors are connected to a 380V three-phase power network as circuit breakers known as "contactors". Thus, for rapid and reliable complete separation of the consumption from the power network, the circuit breaker is opened.
The circuit breaker is usually operated with a control voltage of 24V, that is, it is closed, to connect the electrical consumer to the network, by applying the control voltage of 24V. For various reasons, for example, safety considerations, a circuit breaker of this type has an interrupter, for example, in the form of an emergency-stop switch or a limit switch. In the event of an emergency or a fault with the load, the interrupter is activated, interrupting the control voltage to the circuit breaker, so that the circuit breaker opens and thus reliably disconnects the electrical consumer from the power network. The circuit breaker and the interrupter together comprise an electrical protection system for the electrical consumer.
A number of solutions are currently available for protection systems. It is known, for example, to connect circuit breaking electronics having digital inputs to which the interrupter is connected, on the line side of the circuit breaker. Herein, the interrupter does not actually interrupt the control voltage of the circuit breaker, but merely triggers a signal for the circuit breaking electronics, which then performs this task. A design of this type has the disadvantage, for example, that in the event of an error in the circuit breaking electronics, even with the interrupter triggered, the circuit breaker does not open.
In other variants of protection systems, therefore, the interrupter is connected as the first element to the supply lead for the control voltage. By triggering the interrupter, the circuit breaker is reliably disconnected from the control voltage and it opens. By this means, however, all the other components, for example a plant control system, that are also supplied by the control voltage, are likewise rendered power-free. Therefore, following renewed closing of the interrupter, the whole system including the plant control system must be restarted, which can result in equipment having a very long recovery time. The power-free plant control system is therefore unable to perform any other functions during the equipment idle time, but is switched off entirely.
An arrangement of this type involves a high level of wiring effort, since a relatively large plant may, for example, have a plurality of interrupters distributed throughout it and the control voltage must be fed right through the plant via all the interrupters in series until it reaches the plant control system itself or the individual circuit breaker.

Control module for an electric circuit breaker, method for operation thereof, and electric protection system


The hydraulic system for a work vehicle includes a main hydraulic pump, a main supply circuit through which pressurized oil from the main hydraulic pump flows, a sub hydraulic pump, and a sub supply circuit through which pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump flows. The main supply circuit supplies pressurized oil to a hydraulic travel motor that drives a travel device and a service actuator that is disposed in an attachment with which the work vehicle is detachably furnished. The sub supply circuit merges with the main supply circuit and supplies pressurized oil to the service actuator. The hydraulic system for a work vehicle further includes a flow amount adjustment valve that adjusts the flow amount of the pressurized oil from the sub supply circuit that merges with the main supply circuit.

The present invention relates to hydraulic systems for work vehicles such as backhoes.
Conventionally, work vehicles such as backhoes are furnished with a pair of left and right hydraulic travel motors, a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, and service ports that can supply pressurized oil to the actuator (service actuator) for externally detachable attachments, and also are furnished with a hydraulic system that can simultaneously operate these hydraulic actuators. The hydraulic system includes a tank for storing pressurized oil, a main hydraulic pump and a sub hydraulic pump that can be driven by the engine, and a plurality of supply circuits that connect the hydraulic devices, hydraulic pumps, and the tank. The supply circuits are switched in accordance with the working conditions in order to supply a suitable amount of pressurized oil to each hydraulic actuator.
In one such common hydraulic system, if the travel motors are not to be driven, then the pressurized oil from the main hydraulic pump is supplied to the other hydraulic actuators excluding the travel motors, and if the travel motors are to be driven, then the pressurized oil from the main hydraulic pump is supplied only to the travel motors and the sub hydraulic pump supplies pressurized to the other hydraulic actuators.
In recent years, however, attachments that are attached and detached from the outside and furnished with service actuators that require more pressurized oil than in the past have been developed, and along with this there have been proposals for a hydraulic system that allows the pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump to be combined with the pressurized oil that is supplied by the main hydraulic pump to the service actuators during times when the travel motors are not driven.
There have been proposals for such a hydraulic system in which it is possible to select whether or not to combine the pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump in accord with the amount of oil that is required to drive the service actuator of the attachment that has been attached to the work vehicle.
For example, JP H11-36378A proposes a hydraulic system for a work vehicle that is provided with a switching means for switching between combining and not combining the pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump with the pressurized oil that is supplied to the service actuator by the main hydraulic pump, and the switching means is provided with a switch valve for switching, under pilot pressure, between combining the pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump with the pressurized oil from the main hydraulic pump and draining the pressurized oil of the sub hydraulic pump into the tank, and a stopcock that connects and disconnects a pilot control circuit for supplying the pilot pressure to the switch valve.
With the above hydraulic system, however, the switching means switches between combining and not combining the pressurized oil that is supplied by the sub hydraulic pump with the pressurized oil that is supplied by the main hydraulic pump to the service actuator in order to adjust the amount of pressurized oil that is supplied to the service actuator. For this reason, it was difficult to adjust the pressurized oil amount to an ideal amount for any one of various types of attachments, and this led to cases where various types of attachments could not be operated appropriately.
Further, with the above hydraulic system, the pilot control state of the switch valve is switched by opening and closing the stopcock, and through pilot actuation of the switch valve in the pilot control state, the switch valve is switched between a state of merging pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump with the pressurized oil from the main hydraulic pump and a state of draining the pressurized oil of the sub hydraulic pump into the tank. Thus, not only was it not possible to switch between the state of merging pressurized oil from the sub hydraulic pump with the pressurized oil from the main hydraulic pump or the state of draining it into the tank by opening and closing the stopcock alone, but the structure of the device was needlessly complicated as well, and this led to problems such as a larger valve unit and an increase in cost.


Methods, systems, and devices are described for reference signal design in wireless communications. A base station may select a reference signal density scheme from a set of available density schemes associated with a port count. The reference signal density scheme may also be selected based on the category of the mobile device receiving the reference signal transmissions. The reference signal density scheme may be a higher density reference signal density scheme or a lower density reference signal density scheme, where the higher density reference signal density scheme includes more reference signal resource elements per subframe. The mobile device may determine the reference signal density scheme based on characteristics of a channel. The higher density reference signal density scheme may provide additional channel estimation opportunities for the mobile device. In some cases, the mobile device sends the channel estimated based on the received reference signals to the base station.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to reference signal design for wireless communications and, more particularly, for enhanced machine-type communications in Long Term Evolution wireless communications.
Description of Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UE). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
The UEs may be of different categories, including categories that have limited or reduced capabilities with respect to other categories, such as being configured to use reduced communication resources compared to other categories. UEs may also operate in restricted environments, such as basements, equipment closets, and the like. And UEs may be limited by certain narrow bandwidth operations. Machine-type communication (MTC) devices, for example, may be affected by these considerations. Certain coverage enhancement (CE) techniques may, however, provide more operating flexibility for UEs, such as MTC devices.

Reference signal design for wireless communications