The present invention relates to a method and a system for selecting a drug customized on the basis of individual protein information by using individual genome sequences. The method and the system of the present invention can predict the individual side effects or danger of a certain drug by analyzing the sequence of the exon region of a gene encoding various proteins involved in the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of a predetermined drug or drug group, and have high reliability and are widely applicable and universal.

With the advancement of biotechnology, at present, it is possible to predict a disease of each individual and provide personalized prevention and treatment of disease by analyzing whole genome sequence of human.
Recently, as a result of comparison of individual genome sequences, it was found that different bases may be present at the same position in chromosomes. Accordingly, such a difference in a sequence has been used to predict an individual difference in drug response. For example, drug metabolism may be slow or rapid depending on a specific individual genome sequence information, and, thus, each individual may have different therapeutic effects or side effects of drug.
Accordingly, there has been an increase in a demand for personalizing drug selection which is capable of selecting a drug and a dose suitable for a patient by using a difference of the individual genome sequence. Also, pharmacogenetics or pharmacogenomics, which uses genomic information, for example, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), as a marker and correlation between the marker and drug response/drug side effect, has emerged.
Pharmacogenetics is the study of predicting differences in metabolism of drugs or chemicals and response thereto in a general population or between individuals by genetic analysis. Some individuals may show unexpected drug responses. Such drug side effects may be due to severity of a disease under treatment, drug interaction, ages, nutritive conditions, liver and kidney functions of patients, and environmental factors such as weather or nourishment. However, they may be also caused by drug metabolism-related genetic differences, for example, polymorphism of drug metabolizing enzyme gene. Therefore, the study thereof has been conducted.
For example, Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2007-0111475 discloses a technology relating to biomarkers for identifying efficacy of tegaserod in patients with chronic constipation, and uses pharmacogenetics to evaluate the effect of polymorphisms in selecting candidate genes on the response of patients with chronic constipation to tegaserod (Zelmac®/Zelnorm®).
Meanwhile, it is not easy to find a disease predicting marker by using statistics on investigating correlation between an individual genome sequence variation and a disease. This is because most of the single nucleotide polymorphisms showing statistical significance have an insignificant effect on development of disease (odds ratio of 1.1 to 1.5) and are positioned in introns and intergenic regions, and, thus, it is difficult to deduce a functional correlation thereof (Hindorff et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 2009; 106(23):9362 to 9367).
Accordingly, beyond a method based on a result of population observational studys using a marker such as single nucleotide polymorphism, a method for providing personalized drug selection information which is more useful and reliable by directly using individual genome sequence variation information and conducting theoretical deduction on protein damage caused thereby and biological effect thereof strongly needs to be introduced.

Method for personalized selection of a drug for a subject


A model vehicle control apparatus. A button controls an aspect of the model vehicle system, or multiple aspects, such as both sound and control. The button is configured to provide more than two outputs depending upon the manner of activation by a user based on pressure or position (more than ON/OFF). Signals corresponding to those outputs are then transmitted to a model vehicle, accessory, or other apparatus in the system. In one embodiment, the button is a pressure-sensitive button. Variations in the pressure select among multiple different possible outputs. For example, a number of sounds can be stored in a memory, with varying pressures selecting different sounds to be played. These sounds can vary non-linearly, not just getting louder, but also changing in type, pitch, etc. Thus, by a variation in pressure, a user can play the sound like a musical instrument. A second embodiment would allow for control of speed and direction of model vehicle, engines and accessories.

The present invention relates to control systems for model vehicles, in particular, model trains, and more particularly to variable control using a single button.
A typical model train controller includes a throttle, which may be in the form of a dial, a slider or a rotating arm. The controller will typically have a series of buttons that can activate a brake, boost, change of direction, bell, and a whistle or horn. Different sounds can be stored and replayed automatically upon the activation of either of the bell, brake, throttle, or whistle/horn button. An example of a patent illustrating different model train sounds is U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,851. U.S. Pat. No. 5,754,094 shows multiple sounds stored in the memory with their selection being based up the speed of the train. Other patents describing train sounds include U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,017 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,681.
A system for horn/whistle control was contemplated in the LIONEL trainmaster system, where two horn commands were supplied in the protocol to trigger two different horn/whistle sounds. The control was expected to use either a two position switch or two separate switches. The controller for this feature was never developed.
In the area of music keyboards, pressure-sensitive keys can be used to reproduce desired music. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,999 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,705.
In other technology areas, such as computer peripherals, pressure-sensitive buttons that do not move significantly, but rather are slightly depressed, are used.
Some mice and other input devices also include force-sensitive inputs. Interlink U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,334 shows a microstick mounted on a Force Sensing Resistor® (a registered trademark of Interlink Electronics).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,144 shows a mouse with an integrated touchpad. The touchpad can include an elongated portion which acts as a slide-bar, allowing analog control. The touchpad can also detect varying pressure to provide another input dimension.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,473, issued to inventor Brad Armstrong, shows a computer mouse with a pressure-sensitive depressible button. The button can be used to provide scrolling, with the speed of the scrolling varying with the applied pressure. The button is an elastomeric dome-cap button in which the dome-cap collapses to come in contact with a compressible, partially conductive element, which is a carbon in an elastomeric or rubber binder. The more pressure applied to the conductive element, the more electricity it will conduct.
One type of pressure-sensitive input element is a resistor which senses force, such as the Force Sensing Resistor® force-sensitive resistor (FSR®) available from Interlink Electronics. Such a force-sensitive resistor typically includes two conductors mounted on spaced apart substrates, with the substrates being compressed to close the gap and provide contact between the conductors. The signal output varies in accordance with the area of contact. An example is set forth in Interlink U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,936. Interlink advertises use of such input elements on remote controls for TVs, PC products and videoconferencing systems. They are also used for mice and keyboards.
Another pressure-sensitive force transducer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,302.


A system providing a driver of an electric vehicle with the ability to exchange a depleted battery with a charged battery. Information regarding the status of an electric battery is transmitted to service stations, and information is returned to a driver indicating the location of a service station with a charged battery. The driver enters the station and is automatically positioned next to a rotating carousel. A robotic arm removes the depleted battery from the vehicle and pulls it onto the carousel, which rotates and deposits the battery onto a return conveyor belt, which carries the battery to a transportation platform for movement to a battery rack for charging. The transportation platform removes a charged battery from the battery rack and carries it to an outgoing conveyor belt, which carries it to the carousel, which rotates until the battery is next to the vehicle for insertion by the robotic arm.

The widespread adoption of vehicles powered by electrical batteries has been impeded by their limited mobility. An owner can use an electrically-powered vehicle (hereinafter "electric vehicle") to drive to work, to shop, and to perform errands, but he must keep in mind his distance from his power source, which is typically his garage. The vehicle's battery is plugged into the home's power source in the evening so that it can be charged overnight. While the vehicle serves its purpose for commuting and for local trips, presently it cannot be depended upon by a driver to use when driving long distances or when taking a vacation away from home.
A need exists for roadside stations which enable the owner of an electrical vehicle to exchange his vehicle's discharged or depleted batteries with charged batteries, in a short amount of time.

Electric vehicle carousel battery exchange/charging system


An electrophotographic photosensitive member is provided minimizing the absorption of image exposure having a short wavelength in a surface layer and keeping good electrophotographic properties including resolving power. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate, and a photoconductive layer and a surface region layer sequentially superimposed on the conductive substrate. The surface region layer is composed of a non-single-crystal silicon nitride film containing an Group element in the periodic table and a carbon atom and using at least a silicon atom and a nitrogen atom as base materials. In the surface region layer, the Group 13 element content with respect to the total amount of constituent atoms has distribution having at least two local maximum values in the thickness direction, and an the average concentration of nitrogen atoms is 30 atm % to 70 atm %.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member. In particular, the present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member optimum for a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, or the like using light having a relatively short wavelength of 380 nm or more and 500 nm or less for exposure.
2. Related Background Art
In the field of image formation, a photoconductive material in a photosensitive member is requested to have properties including the following properties:
1. High sensitivity and a high SN ratio (photo current (Ip)/dark current (Id))
2. An absorption spectrum suited for the spectral characteristics of an electromagnetic wave to be applied
3. High photoresponsiveness and a desired dark resistance value
4. Harmlessness to a human body at the time of use
In particular, it is important for an electrophotographic photosensitive member to be incorporated into an electrophotographic device to be used as a business machine in an office to be pollution-free at the time of use.
Amorphous silicon (hereinafter, abbreviated as a-Si) is a photoconductive material exhibiting excellent properties satisfying the above-described properties, and has been attracting attention as a photoreceptive member of an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
A photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer composed of a-Si is generally formed on a conductive substrate heated to 50° C. to 350° C., by a film forming method such as a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, an ion plating method, a thermal CVD method, a photo CVD method, or a plasma CVD method. Of those methods, a plasma CVD method has been suitably put into practical use, involving: decomposing a raw material gas by means of a high-frequency wave or through microwave glow discharge; and forming an a-Si deposition film on a substrate.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H05-150532 or the like discloses an a-Si photosensitive member composed of a substrate, a barrier layer, a photoconductive layer, and a surface protective layer. The photosensitive member is brought into the reverse bias state of a p-i-n junction by: using SiH4, H2, N2, and B2H6 as raw material gases; and specifying the flow rate ratio of each raw material gas.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-171220 discloses an electrophotographic photosensitive member including: a conductive substrate; and a photoconductive layer composed of a-Si and a surface layer composed of amorphous silicon nitride on the substrate, in which the outermost surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member has an element composition ratio N/Si in the range of 0.8 to 1.33 and an element composition ratio O/Si in the range of 0 to 0.9.
In addition, in order to satisfy the recent demand for an increase in image quality, the high definition of an electrostatic latent image as well as a reduction in particle size of toner has been increasingly requested. One possible method of satisfying the demand in, for example, a digital copying system is a method involving reducing the spot diameter of laser to be used for image exposure. To this end, a reduction in wavelength of laser has been requested. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-258938 proposes an image forming apparatus in which a photosensitive layer is formed of an a-Si hydride and which uses an ultraviolet violaceous laser beam oscillator having, as an exposure wavelength, a predominant oscillation wavelength at 380 nm to 450 nm.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-311693 proposes an electrophotographic device using an a-Si-based photosensitive member in which: an electric field to be applied to the photosensitive member upon exposure with an image forming light beam is 150 kV/cm or more; and the image forming light beam has a wavelength of 500 nm or less.
Examples of a method of charging an a-Si photosensitive member include: a corona charging system in which corona discharge is employed; a roller charging system in which charging is carried out through direct discharge by the use of a conductive roller; and an injection charging system in which a contact area is sufficiently extended by means of magnetic particles or the like and charging is carried out through the direct injection of charges into the surface of a photosensitive member.
Of those, in each of the corona charging system and the roller charging system, a corona product is apt to adhere to the surface of a photosensitive member because each of the systems employs discharge. In addition, an a-Si photosensitive member has a surface layer having a hardness much higher than that of an organic photosensitive member or the like, so the surface layer is difficult to abrade and a corona product is apt to remain on the surface. In that case, the corona product and water bind to each other owing to moisture adsorption of water in a high-humidity environment or the like to reduce the electrical resistance of the surface, hence the charges of the surface is apt to move. As a result, an image deletion phenomenon may occur. To cope with the foregoing, various devices such as a method of rubbing the surface and a method of managing the temperature of the photosensitive member are required in some cases.
In contrast, the injection charging system is a charging system which does not actively employ discharge and involves directly injecting charges from a portion in contact with the surface of a photosensitive member. Therefore, it is difficult for a phenomenon such as the above-described image deletion to occur.
In addition, the injection charging system as contact charging is of a voltage control type while the corona charging system is of a current control type. Therefore, the injection charging system is advantageous in the respect that the unevenness of a charging potential is relatively easy to reduce.
The properties of a conventional a-Si-based electrophotographic photosensitive member such as electrical, optical, and photoconductive properties (such as a dark resistance value, photosensitivity, and photoresponsiveness), service environment properties, stability over time, and durability have been improved. However, at present, there is room for the conventional a-Si-based electrophotographic photosensitive member to be improved for enhancing comprehensive properties.
In particular, in recent years, digitalization and colorization have been rapidly promoted. As a result, there has been a growing demand for an increase in image quality of an electrophotographic device (such as high resolution, high definition, the absence of density unevenness, or the absence of image defects (for example, a void or a black spot)).
In a digital full-color copying machine, negative toner as color toner is used in combination with an image exposure method (a method involving exposing an image portion) having high controllability of a latent image and suited for an increase in image quality and a photosensitive member to be negatively charged. In an a-Si-based photosensitive member for negative charging, the improvement of the properties depends on how well the function of inhibiting the inflow of charges from the surface as much as possible works.
In addition, demands for an increase in speed and an increase in durability have been growing rapidly. Therefore, an electrophotographic photosensitive member is requested to improve in electrical properties, photoconductive properties, and uniformity, to reduce image defects, and to significantly improve in performance such as durability or environmental resistance (adaptability to a change in temperature or humidity).
Not only toner having a small particle size but also a reduction in the spot diameter of laser light for image formation is effective in increasing the resolution of an image. Examples of a method of reducing the spot diameter of laser light include an increase in the accuracy of an optical system for irradiating a photoconductive layer with laser light and an increase in the opening ratio of an imaging lens. However, the spot diameter can be reduced only up to a diffraction limit determined by the wavelength of laser light and the opening ratio of the imaging lens. Therefore, for reducing a spot diameter with the wavelength of laser light kept constant, an increase in the size of a lens, an improvement in machine accuracy, or the like must be performed, so increases in the size and cost of an apparatus are hardly avoided.
In view of the foregoing, in recent years, a technique for increasing the resolution of an electrostatic latent image in which the wavelength of laser light is shortened to reduce the spot diameter has been attracting attention, based on the fact that the lower limit of the spot diameter of laser light is in direct proportion to the wavelength of the laser light.
In a conventional electrophotographic device, laser light having an oscillation wavelength of 600 to 800 nm is generally used in image exposure. By shortening the wavelength, the resolution of an image can be increased. In recent years, a semiconductor laser having a short oscillation wavelength has been rapidly developed, and a semiconductor laser having an oscillation wavelength at around 400 nm has been put into practical use.
An a-Si photosensitive member in which resolution is as high as 2,400 dpi and a semiconductor laser having an oscillation wavelength of about 400 nm is used for image exposure has been desired.
In addition, toner having a small particle size to be used for a high-resolution digital full-color copying machine tends to present problems such as a transfer residue on the surface of a photosensitive member and a cleaning residue. Improvements to cope with the problems have also been requested.
In order for the resolution of an image to be increased by means of any one of the approaches exemplified above, a material for, in particular, the surface region of a photosensitive member has been requested to be further improved so that light having a wavelength in a short wavelength range around 400 nm can be applied to the photosensitive member.
For example, an a-Si-based photosensitive layer has a peak sensitivity at around 600 to 700 nm. The photosensitive layer can have a sensitivity even at around 400 to 410 nm under devised conditions, although the sensitivity is inferior to the peak sensitivity. Therefore, for example, the photosensitive layer can be used even when laser having a wavelength as short as 405 nm is used. However, the sensitivity at around 400 to 410 nm may be about half the peak sensitivity, so it is preferable that almost no absorption of light is present in the surface region of a photosensitive member.
However, with an amorphous silicon carbide (hereinafter, a-SiC) based material or an amorphous carbon (hereinafter, a-C) based material that has been suitably used for a surface layer heretofore, the absorption tends to be large at around 400 to 410 nm. In the case of the a-SiC-based material, the tendency can coped with through an increase in transmittance under devised conditions or a reduction in thickness of the surface layer to some degree. However, the surface layer is gradually abraded inevitably owing to rubbing in a copying machine, so the layer must secure at least a certain thickness. Accordingly, an increase in absorbed amount due to an increase in thickness and sensitivity unevenness due to abrasion unevenness may present a problem in some cases when high-resolution images are to be stably outputted.
In contrast, a film having good transmittance can be formed of the a-C-based material under some conditions. In this case, however, the film has a structure close to that of a polymer, and its hardness may be low or its resistance value may be too high. Therefore, the a-C-based material may establish a trade-off relationship between transmittance and hardness or resistance.
It has been found that an amorphous silicon nitride (hereinafter, a-SiN) based material can be used instead of those materials. However, a film made of such material can be hardly used for the surface layer of a photosensitive member, and it has not been put into practical use yet. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-171220 shows that various advantages and disadvantages appear depending on a raw material gas of a-SiN. The document shows that a specific condition must be selected for obtaining suitable conditions for a surface layer.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-171220 discloses optimum values for the N/Si element composition ratio and O/Si element composition ratio of the outermost surface of a photosensitive member and conditions for generating the values. However, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-171220, only a wavelength to be used for exposure up to 550 nm is taken into consideration. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-171220 describes that a thickness of a surface layer in excess of 0.8 μm results in a reduction in sensitivity. That is, a thickness of the surface layer in excess of 0.8 μm results in a reduction in sensitivity even at an exposure wavelength of 550 nm. Therefore, light is expected to be absorbed to some extent at a wavelength of, for example, around 400 nm, ans a sufficient sensitivity may not be obtained.
That is, a first important point is that almost no exposure light at a wavelength as short as about 400 nm is absorbed in the surface region of a photosensitive member. A second important point is that the photosensitive member has a sufficient function of blocking the injection of charges from its surface. A third important point is that the photosensitive member is high in resolution so that it can take advantage of a small spot diameter and toner having a small particle size.


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for reducing oxidative stress in a cell, increasing glutathione levels in a cell, increasing L-cysteine levels in a cell and reducing hepatocytotoxicity by contacting a cell with a sulfhydryl protected glutathione prodrug or a sulfhydryl protected cysteine prodrug.

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity is a major cause of new drug withdrawal from the market. It also limits further development of promising therapeutic agents even prior to clinical trials. Over-the-counter drugs are not exempt from hepatotoxic liability; for example, acetaminophen (ACP), a widely used (and misused) analgesic/antipyretic agent, when taken acutely in large doses, or chronically in greater than recommended dosages, can lead to liver and kidney damage. While individual pharmacogenetic profiles of hepatic cytochrome P-450 isozyme patterns, when correlated with chemical structures of the drugs and their possible metabolic activation pathways, hold promise as means to preclude susceptible subjects from drug exposure, the concept of therapeutic intervention or prevention methods have not yet attracted much attention, despite the fact that the standard clinical option for protecting the liver from ACP overdoses is to administer intravenous N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) within 8 hours of the overdose (1). NAC, following deacetylation in the liver (2), provides L-cysteine, the sulfhydryl amino acid required for the rate-limiting first step in the biosynthesis of glutathione (GSH) (3). GSH is the body's natural defense against endogenously generated reactive oxidant species as well as reactive species such as NAPQI produced in the metabolism of ACP (4).
Experimentally, the administration of high doses of ACP to mice produces fulminant hepatic necrosis, manifested by quantum elevations in serum transaminase levels and histological evidence of centrilobular necrosis leading eventually to death. Post-administration of NAC, a prodrug of L-cysteine, or other cysteine prodrugs that have been sulfhydryl-modified, effectively protect mice against this ACP-induced hepatotoxicity (5, 6, 7).
Using a 14C-glycine/HPLC assay method to determine the extent of incorporation of the cysteinyl moiety of the cysteine prodrugs into GSH in rat lens (8), a radioactive peak near GSH was discovered which appeared to be produced metabolically. This substance was tentatively identified as the mixed disulfide of L-cysteine with GSH, viz., L-cysteine-GSH disulfide (CySSG). CySSG is produced endogenously via a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction between GSH and L-cystine (9), and possibly, the reaction of L-cysteine with GSSG (the oxidized form of GSH). CySSG, postulated to be a storage form of L-cysteine (10), has been detected in small quantities (relative to GSH) in liver and kidney samples from rats, but is present in comparable amounts as GSH, cysteine and cystine in rat and human plasma (11, 12).
Except for the monoesters (on the glycyl moiety) and the diethyl ester of GSH, prodrugs of GSH (13) have not been systematically investigated as protective agents against xenobiotic-induced hepatotoxicity.
Currently, there is a need for agents to treat cellular oxidative stress and to increase glutathione and L-cysteine levels in a cell. Such agents would also be useful to treat hepatotoxicity associated with the administration of other therapeutic agents.

Methods for reducing oxidative stress in a cell with a sulfhydryl protected glutathione prodrug

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veteran Affairs


One embodiment of the present invention provides a gallium nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor light-emitting device (LED) which includes an n-type GaN-based semiconductor layer (n-type layer); an active layer; and a p-type GaN-based semiconductor layer (p-type layer). The n-type layer is epitaxially grown by using ammonia gas (NH3) as the nitrogen source prior to growing the active layer and the p-type layer. The flow rate ratio between group V and group III elements is gradually reduced from an initial value to a final value. The GaN-based LED exhibits a reverse breakdown voltage equal to or greater than 60 volts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the design and fabrication of gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor light-emitting devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods for fabricating GaN-based semiconductor light-emitting devices with ultra-high reverse breakdown voltages.
2. Related Art
Recent success in the development of gallium nitride-based light emitting devices (LEDs) and lasers not only extends the light-emission spectrum to the green, blue, and ultraviolet region, but also can achieve high light emission efficiency. This is because GaN materials have a large direct-band-gap to allow photonic emission in these spectra. Because of their high energy-efficiency, high brightness, and long lifetime, GaN-based semiconductor LEDs have been widely used in applications including full-color large-screen displays, traffic lights, backlight sources, and solid-state lighting.
A GaN-based LED typically includes a p-n junction structure. A GaN-LED can also include a GaN-based n-type semiconductor layer, a multiple-quantum-well (MQW) active region, and a GaN-based p-type semiconductor layer. During light emission, the p-n junction or MQW region is forward-biased at a voltage which causes a current to flow from the p-type layer to the n-type layer through the active layer. However, the LED can sometimes become reversely biased due to a number of reasons, for example, being subject to electrostatic discharge (ESD) or being accidentally connected to a reverse voltage source. Furthermore, an LED becomes reversely biased when an alternating voltage is used to drive the LED.
When the LED is reversely biased, little current (referred to as a "reverse current") flows through the p-n junction until the reverse voltage reaches the level of the reverse breakdown voltage of the GaN-based LED. When the bias voltage exceeds the breakdown voltage, even momentarily, the reverse current increases significantly which could lead to permanent damage to the LED. Note that a reverse bias due to ESD can be particularly harmful because the ESD voltage can be much higher than the typical reverse breakdown voltage of an LED, and the occurrence of an ESD event is often unpredictable. Conventional GaN-based LEDs typically exhibit low reverse breakdown voltages, and hence are vulnerable to these reverse breakdown risks.
It is generally desirable to fabricate GaN-based LEDs with high reverse breakdown voltage to increase the reliability of the LED. However, it has been difficult to achieve high reverse breakdown voltages in practice.

Gallium nitride light-emitting device with ultra-high reverse breakdown voltage


The present invention relates to a method for cleaning off-gas comprising the following steps:                1. Sulphur dioxide is separated from the off-gas by way of at least one first scrubber stage (c) by means of ammonia or ammonium compounds,        2. the off-gas is transferred into a second scrubber stage (d) and        3. in the second scrubber stage the sulphur dioxide not separated in the first scrubber stage (c), is oxidized to sulphuric acid and separated in at least one scrubber (d) and simultaneously, the ammonia released in the first scrubber stage (d) is separated by means of the formed sulphuric acid, whereby ammonium sulphate is formed,        4. the separated stream of the second scrubber stage (d) is transferred into the first scrubber stage (c).

This application claims priority to DE 10 2007 039 926.1 filed on Aug. 23, 2007. The entire disclosure of the prior application/applications is considered to be part of the disclosure of the instant application and is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention concerns a method and a device for the cleaning of flue gases, in particular for the separation of sulphur dioxide (SO2) from flue gas and at the same time prevention of the releasing of ammonia (NH3) and the formation of aerosols at ammonium sulphate resulting therefrom.
From the prior art several methods for the cleaning of waste gases are known. For example a process for the removal of sulphur dioxide from flue gases is described in DE 37 33 319 C2. It concerns a three-stage counter current scrubber process for the separation of sulphur dioxide, in which after a dust-filter and a quench scrubber step for the separation of hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid by means of washing with water the three-stage counter current device is set out. The first two steps of the sulphur dioxide scrubber process are operated by the addition of ammonia, in the third step sulphuric acid is added in order to separate released ammonia.
From DE 197 31 062 C2 a method for the separation of acidic gases from smoke gases is known, in particular from off-gases of power stations and off-gases of waste incinerators. A two-stage counter current scrubber process for the separation of sulphur dioxide is described. A dust filter and a quench/scrubber step are preset to the separation of sulphur dioxide for the removal of hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid by washing with water. In the scrubber cycle of the first stage, ammonium sulfite/hydrogen sulfite is oxidised to ammonium sulphate with oxygen-containing gas.
EP 0 778 067 B1 discloses a device for the cleaning of smoke gases with different amounts of acidic components and methods for the operation of the device. After a dust filter and a quench/scrubber step for the separation of hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid by washing with water a counter current scrubber process for the separation of sulphur dioxide is arranged.
EP 0 212 523 discloses a one-stage counter current scrubber process with the addition of ammonia and oxidation to sulphate by means of addition of air in the scrubber bottom.
The determination of SO2-concentration in off-gases by means of absorption in an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is described in the VDI Rule 2462, journal 2.
DE 40 36 899 C2 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,061 disclose a cleaning process of flue gas for the separation of SO2 by means of hydrogen peroxide whereby sulphuric acid is formed.
With the previously known scrubber methods exclusively by means of ammonia, the separation of sulphur dioxide succeeds only incompletely because low pH-values have to be used in order to prevent the release of ammonia. By means of the addition of sulphuric acid in a third scrubber stage (DE 37 33 319 C2), the ammonia released from the two preset ammonia scrubber stages can be separated. However, in the case of such acid scrubber solutions, nearly no separation of SO2 takes place. In addition to the costs for the necessary sulphuric acid, in particular the additional costs for cleaning and for disposal of the ammonia charge generated by means of the feeding of sulphuric acid, are disadvantageous. These economical facts are important in particular when using this method in waste incinerators.


The present invention provides a friction plate for a wet-type multi-plate clutch, to which a wet-type friction material is secured and in which there are provided an oil passage communicated with inner and outer peripheral edges, an oil groove opened toward the inner peripheral edge and having a terminal end disposed between the inner peripheral edge and the outer peripheral edge, and at least one circumferential groove communicated with the oil passage and extending in a circumferential direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a friction plate for a wet-type multi-plate clutch used as a brake or a clutch of an automatic transmission of a vehicle and the like.
2. Related Background Art
In a friction plate having good properties in which drag torque is reduced and the clinging in friction engagement at an initial stage during the friction engagement is prevented by providing an oil passage or an oil groove in a friction material of the friction plate, a technique in which an oil passage extending from an inner peripheral side to an outer peripheral side and a groove having a closed end and gradually narrowing from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side are provided has been proposed, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-76759.
In the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-76759, excessive lubricating oil which generates viscous resistance during an idle rotation is discharged via the oil passage, and a gap or clearance between friction surfaces is maintained properly by the groove having the closed end and gradually narrowing from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side, thereby reducing idle rotation drag and initial clinging torque.
Although such a friction plate is excellent in the points that the drag torque during the idle rotation is reduced and that the initial clinging of the friction engagement is eliminated, in such a friction plate, there is variation in an oil discharging ability from the friction surfaces during the engagement depending upon the difference or variation in the porosity of the friction material so that there is variation in coefficient of friction of each friction plate at the initial engagement.
Oil pressure for urging the friction plates of the automatic transmission is tuned in order to achieve smooth speed change; however, if there is great variation in the oil discharging ability from the friction surfaces of the respective friction plates, it is difficult to adjust individually, which may cause transmission shock.

Friction plate for wet-type multi-plate clutch


A high-speed cable includes first and second coaxial conductor sets which are disposed in mirror image fashion within a carbon-impregnated polymer jacket. Each coaxial conductor set includes a wire core surrounded by a dielectric layer and a ground conductor disposed along side the dielectric layer. The wire core, the dielectric layer and the ground conductor are themselves surrounded by a conductive shield layer. In addition to assisting in bleeding off accumulated electric charge, the polymer jacket also preserves conductor set alignment and planarity especially following handling, cutting, trimming and stripping operations. The cable is excellent for high-speed applications, is easily routed and preserves its electrical properties under various field conditions.

The present invention is generally directed to the construction of high-speed coaxial cables. More particularly, the present invention is directed to the structure and construction of individual cables having a pair of signal wires and is particularly directed to such cables which exhibit uniform and controllable resistance under a variety of field conditions. Even more particularly, the present invention is directed to a high-speed cable which is capable of operation at speeds in access of 25 MHz and which can be used in connection with pluggable connectors for insertion into circuit board connection sockets. The present invention is also directed to the construction of high-speed cables which may be employed in conjunction with cable connectors exhibiting densely packed linear spacing of less than 0.025 inches. Additionally, it is noted that the present invention is directed to the construction of a high-speed cable which is usable in a high-speed emulation engine and, in particular, which is usable for direct connections to and from printed circuit board connector sockets which are disposed around chips on a printed circuit board.
The construction of high-speed cables is difficult because the speed, tolerance and variability requirements are strict and severe. For example, a ribbon cable such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,082, issued to Yaegashi et al., is completely inappropriate for the high-speed cabling applications required by the present day emulation engines. In particular, it is noted that a ribbon cable is very difficult to route. It cannot be bent in sideways directions easily, and if indeed it is bent, there is a degradation in the uniformity of its electrical characteristics, particularly its electrical resistance. However, for purposes of the present invention, it is important that the electrical characteristics of the cabling be precisely controllable and consistent from one cable unit to the next and also that the characteristics be relatively constant over time particularly when the cabling is possibly subjected to handling and movement, even the kind that occurs during installation and set-up of a new machine in which the cable is deployed.
For example, FIG. 1 in the patent to Yaegashi et al. shows coaxial conductors embedded in an insulative material. However, in spite of the fact that the drawing therein illustrates a somewhat substantially constant-looking spacing for the conductors, in practice, such ribbon cables are difficult to manufacture with the stable electrical characteristics which are required for high-speed operation. In particular, the amount of insulative material which may be present between the various coaxial conductors is highly variable. For example, in the present invention, the applicant sought to create a cable with a variation in impedance of less than 10 percent in a 50 ohm cable. Not only is the impedance value difficult to produce consistently in a ribbon cable, but bending and routing of ribbon cables will distort the alignment of the conductors and will produce undesirable and unpredictable changes in the impedance value.
Another significant disadvantage of ribbon cabling for high-speed use is the variability that is introduced into the electrical properties of the cable when it is cut and/or when it is trimmed for purposes of exposing conductors for attachment to the other components in a high-speed connector or circuit. Furthermore, cutting of a ribbon cable such as is described by Yaegashi et al. introduces even further distortions and variations in the insulative material which is disposed between the different coaxial conductors in the ribbon. Furthermore, the ribbon cable arrangement shown in FIG. 1 of the patent to Yaegashi et al. does not provide good protection against nicking of the central signal conductor during cutting and stripping operations. This is particularly true at the left end of the ribbon cable shown therein. Thus, while it is desirable not to nick any of the conductors during cutting operations, it is seen that ribbon cable is, in fact, particularly sensitive to this kind of damage during cutting and stripping operations which are necessary to both cut the cable to its desired length and also to strip off material to expose the inner conductors.
Furthermore, it is noted that the alignment of the coaxial conductors in the patent to Yaegashi et al. will, in fact, be somewhat haphazard even as the ribbon cable comes from a manufacturer. This non-alignment situation is only aggravated when the cable is cut, stripped or bent. In particular, the planarity of the alignment suggested in their figure is, in fact, not preserved during ribbon cable cutting and trimming operations. In short, ribbon cable is impractical for use as a high-speed cable in emulator or mainframe computer systems. While ribbon cable is an appropriate conductive link in relatively low-speed personal computer applications, for truly high-speed applications, ribbon cable is an inappropriate and inadequate choice of conductor.

International Business Machines Corporation


Dynamic tuning of a tunable filter within the receiver of a pulse-echo ranging system. A filter tuning module compares a transmit signal and a filtered signal to obtain a phase difference indicative of any mis-match between the resonant frequency of the tunable filter and the transmit frequency. The filter tuning module outputs a phase correction signal corresponding to the phase difference and a controller uses the phase correction signal to determine any adjustments necessary to minimize the phase difference. Adjustments to the tunable filter may be made with each ‘shot’ or transmission.

Pulse-echo acoustic ranging systems, also known as time-of-flight ranging systems, are commonly used in level measurement applications. Pulse-echo acoustic ranging systems determine the distance to a reflector (i.e. reflective surface) by measuring how long after transmission of a burst of energy pulses the echo or reflected pulses are received. Such systems typically use ultrasonic pulses or pulse radar signals.
Pulse-echo acoustic ranging systems generally include a transducer and a signal processor. The transducer serves the dual role of transmitting and receiving the energy pulses. The signal processor is for detecting and calculating the distance or range of the object based on the transmit times of the transmitted and reflected energy pulses.
Since the transmitted energy pulses are converted into distance measurements, any timing errors arising in the circuitry of the device result in distance measurement errors which degrade the accuracy of the level measurements. In most cases, timing errors are a result of temperature drift and drift over time in the operating characteristics of the electronics in the device circuitry. Accordingly, it is necessary to re-tune time-of-flight ranging systems not only at installation, but on a periodic basis as well in order to ensure accurate level measurements.
While there is a need to periodically tune filters, the time-of-flight ranging systems are not always easily accessible after installation. In addition, there is a cost involved with a technician conducting calibration tests on an ongoing basis.
Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a system and techniques which facilitate dynamic tuning of a filter in pulse-echo or time-of-flight ranging systems while overcoming these and other perceived shortcomings.

Dynamic filter tuning for pulse-echo ranging systems

Siemens Milltronics Process Instruments Inc.


An apparatus adapted to measure gaseous hydrogen concentrations in a mechanical vacuum pump (MVP) gas stream includes connection ports adapted to allow the apparatus to be connected to an MVP system and allow a gas stream sample to be taken from the MVP gas stream. The apparatus further includes a hydrogen concentration analyzer to measure H2 concentrations of the gas stream sample taken from the MVP gas stream.

The oxidizing chemistry environment of BWR reactor water is a key factor in promoting intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of stainless steel and nickel based alloys used to construct reactor coolant system piping and vessel internals. Intergranular stress corrosion cracking in BWRs is typically mitigated during power operation with hydrogen water chemistry (HWC) or noble metal chemical addition with hydrogen water chemistry (NMCA+HWC).
However, these methods are only completely effective when the reactor is at power. Hydrogen injection is not placed into service until the reactor is at operating temperature and at a power greater than about 5% to 30%, depending on HWC system design. Consequently, the reactor water, which initially contains high dissolved oxygen levels from exposure to atmospheric air during cold shutdown, is oxidizing during heatup and low power operation. As a result, the highest crack growth rates currently occurs during start up, after refueling outages, before HWC becomes effective. Further, electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP) is very high.
Data indicates that IGSCC rates are higher at intermediate temperatures during plant startup and shutdown processes than at operating temperature. As a result, cracking can initiate and crack growth can occur during the plant shutdown process and startup from refueling or mid-cycle outages, when hydrogen injection is not in service. For units with NMCA+HWC, crack growth during the startup and shutdown processes may result in crack flanking, in which existing cracks can continue to grow even after hydrogen injection is on.

Apparatus and method for obtaining gaseous hydrogen concentrations in a mechanical vacuum pump gas stream of a BWR


A process for treating a copper or copper alloy substrate surface with a composition and corrosion inhibitor solution to minimize defect formation and surface corrosion, the method including applying a composition including one or more chelating agents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, and then applying a corrosion inhibitor solution. The composition may further comprise a reducing agent and/or corrosion inhibitor. The method may further comprise applying the corrosion inhibitor solution prior to treating the substrate surface with the composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to copper (Cu) and/or copper alloy metallization in semiconductor devices with improved planarity and reduced defects. The present invention is applicable to manufacturing high speed integrated circuits having submicron design features and high conductivity interconnect structures with improved reliability.
2. Background of the Related Art
The escalating requirements for high density and performance associated with ultra large scale integration semiconductor wiring require responsive changes in interconnect technology. Such escalating requirements have been found difficult to satisfy in terms of providing a low RC (resistance and capacitance) interconnect pattern, particularly in applications where submicron vias, contacts and trenches have high aspect ratios imposed by miniaturization.
Conventional semiconductor devices comprise a semiconductor substrate, typically doped monocrystalline silicon, and a plurality of sequentially formed dielectric interlayers and conductive patterns. An integrated circuit is formed containing a plurality of conductive patterns comprising conductive lines separated by interwiring spacings, and a plurality of interconnect lines. Typically, the conductive patterns on different layers, i.e,. are electrically connected by a conductive plug filling a via hole, while a conductive plug filling a contact hole establishes electrical contact with an active region on a semiconductor substrate, such as a source/drain region. Conductive lines are formed in trenches which typically extend substantially horizontal with respect to the semiconductor substrate. Semiconductor "chips" comprising five or more levels of metallization are becoming more prevalent as device geometries shrink to submicron levels.
A conductive plug filling a via hole is typically formed by depositing an dielectric layer on a conductive layer comprising at least one conductive pattern, forming an opening through the dielectric layer by conventional photolithographic and etching techniques, and filling the opening with a conductive material, such as tungsten (W). Excess conductive material on the surface of the dielectric interlayer is typically removed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). One such method is known as damascene and basically involves forming an opening in the dielectric interlayer and filling the opening with a metal. Dual damascene techniques involve forming an opening comprising a lower contact or via hole section in communication with an upper trench section. The entire opening is filled with a conductive material, typically a metal, to simultaneously form a conductive plug in electrical contact with a conductive line.
Copper (Cu) and copper alloys have received considerable attention as candidates for replacing aluminum (Al) in interconnect metallization. Copper and copper alloys are relatively inexpensive, easy to process, and have a lower resistivity than aluminum. In addition, copper and copper alloys have improved electrical properties, vis-à-vis tungsten (W), making copper and copper alloys desirable metals for use as a conductive plug as well as conductive wiring.
An approach to forming copper and copper alloy plugs and wiring comprises the use of damascene structures. However, due to copper diffusion through dielectric layer materials, such as silicon dioxide, a diffusion barrier layer for copper interconnect structures is provided between copper or copper alloy interconnect structures and surrounding dielectric materials. Typical diffusion barrier metals include tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), titanium-tungsten (TiW), tungsten (W), tungsten nitride (WN), titanium-titanium nitride (Ti—TiN), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), tungsten silicon nitride (WSiN), tantalum silicon nitride (TaSiN) and silicon nitride for copper and copper alloys. The use of such barrier materials to encapsulate copper is not limited to the interface between copper and the dielectric interlayer, but includes interfaces with other metals as well.
In conventional CMP techniques, a wafer carrier assembly is rotated in contact with a polishing pad in a CMP apparatus. The polishing pad is mounted on a rotating turntable or platen, or moving above a stationary polishing table, driven by an external driving force. The wafers are typically mounted on a carrier which provides a controllable pressure urging the wafers against the polishing pad. Thus, the CMP apparatus effects polishing or rubbing movement between the surface of each thin semiconductor wafer and the polishing pad while dispersing a polishing chemical with or without abrasive particles in a reactive solution to effect both chemical activity and mechanical activity while applying a force between the wafer and a polishing pad.
It is extremely difficult to planarize a copper or copper alloy surface, as by CMP of a damascene inlay, without generating a high degree of surface defects, such as corrosion, scratches, pitting and embedded abrasive particles. A dense array of copper or copper alloy features is typically formed in a dielectric layer, such as a silicon oxide layer, by a damascene technique wherein trenches are initially formed. A barrier layer, such as a tantalum-containing layer, e.g., tantalum (Ta), or tantalum nitride (TaN), is then conformally deposited on the exposed surfaces of the trenches and on the upper surface of the dielectric layer. Copper or a copper alloy is then deposited, as by electroplating, electroless plating, physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on the barrier layer, typically at a thickness between about 8,000 Å and about 18,000 Å.
CMP is then conducted to remove the copper or copper alloy overburden stopping on the barrier layer followed by barrier layer removal, employing a mixture of a chemical agent and abrasive particles, to remove the barrier layer, or conducting CMP directly down to the dielectric layer. Copper or copper alloy overburden is material deposited on the substrate in excess of the required amount to fill features formed on the substrate surface. Buffing is optionally conducted on the dielectric layer surface to remove defects, such as scratches in the dielectric materials and further planarize the dielectric material, leaving a copper or the copper alloy filling the damascene opening. The resulting copper or copper alloy filling the dual damascene has an exposed upper surface typically having a high concentration of surface defects. These defects include corrosion, e.g., corrosion stains, microscratches, micropitting and surface abrasive particles. Copper and copper alloy wafers exhibit a much greater tendency to scratch during planarization than dielectric materials, such as oxides or nitrides. Copper and copper alloy surfaces corrode very easily and are difficult to passivate in low pH aqueous environments. Conventional wafer cleaning alone cannot completely eliminate such defects. Conventional practices for planarizing copper or copper alloys disadvantageously result in a high defect count subsequent to planarization. Such surface defects adversely impact device performance and reliability, particularly as device geometries shrink into the deep sub-micron range. Therefore, there exists a need for methodology enabling the planarization of copper and copper alloys with a reduced amount of surface defects. There exists a further need for such enabling methodology that is compatible with conventional polishing techniques and apparatus.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Planarized copper cleaning for reduced defects


A method for controlling a food processor is disclosed. During a heating process of the food processor, a temperature in a cup of the food processor is obtained at a predefined time interval. Whenever the obtained temperature in the cup reaches a current preset temperature threshold, the food processor starts a stirring operation for a first preset time period and stops after that, until the obtained temperature in the cup is greater than an upper limit of the preset temperature threshold. The preset temperature threshold is adjusted and defined as the current preset temperature threshold every time before the food processor starts the stirring operation. A heating control device for controlling the food processor is further disclosed, with the heating control method thereof to solve a problem of a low accuracy in heating control that is caused by an unbalanced temperature in the cup of the food processor during the heating process.

A blender with heating function is a new type of food processor, heating and stirring operation are provided simultaneously so that the food processing functions such as cooking porridge, rice paste and soybean milk that need to be heated can be accomplished. However, during the heating process, due to the position of a heater, as well as the accumulations of food in the stirring cup, the temperature in the cup is uneven and unbalanced, the temperature is higher at the regions that are near the heater, while the temperature is lower at the regions that are far away from the heater. If the temperature detecting device is installed near the region of the heater, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting device is a predetermined temperature T, the food temperature in the regions far away from the heater is far below the temperature T; if the temperature detecting device is installed far away from the regions of the heater, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting device is T, the food temperature in the regions near the heater may be far higher than T; thus the temperature in the cup is unbalanced, a local temperature would be very high while the other regions are at lower temperature, so the detected temperature by the temperature detecting device is not in conformity with the real temperature, resulting in the low accuracy of heating control of the blender and damaging the process of cooking the food.

Heating control method for controlling food processor and a heating control device thereof

GUANGDONG MIDEA CONSUMER ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A wheel hub and bearing assembly for use on the ends of a stationary axle and particularly on tractor and trailer axles. A wheel hub, a pair of bearings, a bearing spacer and seals are assembled and installed on the axle end. The bearing spacer is positioned between the pair of bearings and has one or more vanes mounted thereon for redirecting the flow of lubricant disposed in a cavity in the wheel hub between the bearings in a bi-axial flow direction towards each spaced bearing to lubricate and cool the bearings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved unitized wheel hub and bearing assembly for mounting on the ends of vehicle axles. More particularly, the improved assembly includes a pair of bearings, a bearing spacer, at least one seal and a wheel hub. By means of the assembly, the various elements may be pre-adjusted for controlling the bearing settings and, when two seals are used, may be prelubricated. Vanes are provided in the hub assembly to redirect lubricant motion from tangential to axial, as well as splitting the axial flow from unidirectional to bi-directional so as to improve lubricant distribution to the bearings to insure adequate cooling to extend their useful bearing life in the hub.
2. Description of Prior Art
In wheeled vehicles of all types, it is necessary to provide bearings for axles so that associated wheel hubs may rotate freely on the end of a relatively stationary axle. Such bearings must be lubricated and seals are required to retain the lubricating medium whether it be grease or oil. Frequently, wear sleeves are employed to prevent undue wear of the axle by the seals. Sometimes, such wear sleeves have been separate elements and sometimes they have been an integral part of a unitized seal.
Until quite recently, such bearing, seal and wheel hub means have been assembled piece by piece. The bearing races have been fitted to designated axle portions and corresponding portions of the associated wheel hub. The bearing elements are usually spaced as far apart axially as possible with a tapered axle portion between these elements. The assembly also includes one or two seals, depending upon the particular design. These wheel hub assemblies have typically provided long lasting performance when assembled properly. However, such an assembly process requires skilled personnel and proper equipment to achieve proper installation and operation. If repair or replacement of any part becomes necessary, correct positioning and adjustment of all elements becomes even more of a challenge and damaged parts are a quite likely result. Typical prior art assemblies are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,367 assigned to Garlock Inc. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,849 assigned to The Mechanex Corp.
A non-unitized wheel hub assembly requires the components to be assembled and installed on site by a mechanic working on an axle spindle. The nature of the assembling process, and the generally horizontal orientation of the spindle during assembly, makes it difficult to fill the assembly with a liquid such as oil and the non-unitized wheel hub assembly must be lubricated with packing grease or oil filled after installation. Therefore, there was a need for a unitized wheel hub assembly which allows the assembly to be pre-filled with oil to achieve superior lubrication characteristics in contrast to the non-unitized assemblies.
More recently, some efforts have been made to develop assemblies which permit more of the various elements to be pre-assembled and adjusted, thus resulting in less dependence on the skills of the field mechanic. One such attempt has been the SAF Euro-axle developed by the Otto Sauer Achsenfabric of Keilber, Germany. These units accomplish much in terms of allowing factory assembly and adjustments of sealed bearing units and avoidance of so much dependence on the skills of the field mechanic. However, these units are not constructed to allow prefilling with oil which is a preferred bearing lubricant as compared to grease. More significantly, a special axle is included in the assembly and the pre-assembled units cannot be adapted to the millions of existing axles presently in service.
Another recent effort at development of pre-assembled and pre-adjusted sealing bearing units has been made by SKF Sweden. However, as with SAF units described previously, the SKF units are not adapted to prefilling with oil lubrication and they are not adaptable to the millions of existing axis. Furthermore, since the bearing units are more closely located relative to one another, there can be a tendency toward lessened wheel stability in operation.
One recent effort at development of pre-assembled and pre-adjusted sealing bearing units which are prefilled with oil lubrication is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,275 assigned to Stemco Inc., the assignee of the present invention. These units also provide the advantage of being adaptable to the millions of existing axles. However, these units are installed onto the axle and held in axially proper position by the tightening of a spindle nut onto the axle spindle. The clamp load exerted from the tightening of the spindle nut is transmitted through a mounting sleeve to the spindle shoulder, wherein the degree to which the spindle nut is tightened should be within predetermined tolerances. However, the amount of clamp load exerted could undesirably vary from the desired tolerance range if the end user fails to comply. The thickness of the mounting sleeve wall is relatively thin as compared to the bearing inner races, and the tensile stresses resulting from the clamp load can cause damage to the mounting sleeve if the clamp load exceeds the design limits on the sleeve.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/604,196 filed on or about Apr. 18, 1996, now abandoned, and assigned to Stemco, Inc. also the assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed a unitized wheel hub and bearing assembly in which the bearing setting can be predetermined precisely by a spacer installed as part of the manufacturing process so that there is no variation in the bearing between different users installing the assembly, wherein the assembly can also be pre-filled with a lubricant. However, means must be provided to adequately direct oil to lubricate and cool the spaced and fixed bearings to prolong their useful life. This invention addresses this problem.

Unitized wheel hub and bearing assembly with lubricant distributing vanes


A roof module for automobile in which a function-intensive unit is mounted on a body of an automobile, electrical modules, and control circuits for the electrical modules, and the unit is combined with a formed ceiling to easily distribute the wire harness and easily mount functional electrical modules such as room mirrors, resulting in improved workability. The roof module for automobile comprises: a formed ceiling mounted to an inner surface of a ceiling portion of a vehicle; a function-intensive unit attached to a front driver's seat side of the formed ceiling, the function-intensive unit including a unit case with a plurality of functional parts and a control circuit board for the functional parts, and a unit side connector connected to the control circuit board at an upper surface of the unit case; a roof wire harness preliminarily locked to the formed ceiling through a preliminary locking member of the roof wire harness, the roof wire harness including a reception connector being connected to the unit side connector, and a fixing member for fixing the formed ceiling and the reception connector to the ceiling portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roof module for automobile, and more particularly to a roof module in which a function-intensive unit is formed to concentrate a variety of room fittings mounted on a body of an automobile, electrical modules, and control circuits for the electrical modules, and the unit and a roof wire harness are easily mounted with the aid of a formed ceiling which is mounted to a ceiling portion of the automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 24 shows a variety of parts which are mounted to a roof portion of a ceiling portion of an automobile. At the ceiling portion a are present a formed ceiling b, a roof wire harness c, room lamps d, and lamp covers e, as well as other parts such as rear-view mirrors, sun visors, switches, and magnetic sensors which are not illustrated in the figure.
At the mounting of those parts to the vehicle body, at first, the roof wire harness c is fixed to the ceiling portion a with many clips f, and after the formed ceiling b is mounted, parts such as the room lamps d, switches therefor, and the rear-view mirrors are secured to the vehicle body with screws or the like in such a manner as to be inserted into the formed ceiling b. At that moment, for electrical modules which are required to be connected to the roof wire harness c, connectors g are drawn out of holes b1 which are formed on the formed ceiling b, and are connected, for instance, to connector portions d1 of the room lamps d.
In the distributing work for the electrical wires and the assembling work for the fittings, a worker enters a narrow vehicle body, and he or she has to work therein in an upturning posture at all times, so that there is a problem that he or she becomes too tired to continue the works for a long period of time.
To solve the above-mentioned problem and to improve the productivity of the automobile through reduction of his or her wear, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. Heisei 1-307108, as illustrated in FIG. 25, a roof module has been proposed, in which circuit bodies i are built-in a formed plated h. With this conventional roof module, the wiring work for the wire harness is to be eliminated, however, mounting work of other electrical modules and connecting work for the roof module to connectors still remain, which does not provide improved workability. In this connection, the parts mounted to the roof portion are mostly located on the front side of the ceiling portion.


A method of fabricating an LED lens array which uses light of the constituent LEDs of the LED array as a light source for directly forming lenses on the LED array. This simplifies the fabrication process and decreases attenuation. The method involves depositing a mask in a desired pattern upon a substrate member bearing an n-type conductivity layer and, subsequently, forming a p-n junction therein by diffusion of an impurity into the n-type conductivity region to form a p-type conductivity region in a portion thereof. Following the application of electrodes and the deposition of a protective layer upon the resultant structure, a forward bias is applied to the electrodes. This results in the emission of light which is used to form a convex lens on the structure by optical chemical vapor deposition. Alternatively, the lens may be formed by first depositing a polymeric resin on a portion of the protective layer and upon the application of a forward bias to the electrodes light emitted at the p-n junction photoploymerizes the resin so as to cause hardening thereof in accordance with the intensity distribution profile of light emitted by the diode.

Electrophotographic optical printers using a laser light source have been in use for some time. Recently, the use of optical printers, which have an LED array as the light source, have gained considerable popularity. These printers require an LED device for modulating light emitted by the LED array to form an Heretofore, this end has been attained by combining the LED with a self-focussing lens, an optical fiber array, or a similar optical waveguide.
Unfortunately, these prior art arrangements suffer from certain inherent limitations caused by optical coupling which leads to a high degree of optical attenuation and an unsatisfactory output efficiency. Efforts to enhance optical input include the use of an optical chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) or photo polymerization process, each of which permits formation of lenses directly on LEDs. However, in order to fabricate a material that will constitute the lens at a designated position, it is necessary to expose that position to focussed light. In view of the fact that a typical light emitting diode array comprises several thousand elements, lenses prepared in this manner must be formed in many regions. This type of process is extremely time-consuming and inefficient.
Recently, efforts to overcome this difficulty have focused upon the preparation of an LED array head which forms a light source for exposure that may be used to simultaneously expose several thousand locations. However, such efforts have not been successful due to the fact that in those cases in which the exposure pitch varies from product to product, or lot to lot, the technique is not applicable.


A folding lampshade includes a lampshade fabric, a lower ring and an upper ring. The inner sides of both upper and lower edges of the lampshade fabric are respectively and movably connected to the lower ring and the upper ring. The upper ring includes three divided curved ring bodies, and the middle of the upper ring has a hardware connector, and the hardware connector is connected to the upper ring through the three support link-rods, and the support link-rod has an end rotatably installed onto the hardware connector and the other end connected to opposite free ends adjacent to the two curved ring bodies by a T-shaped hardware interface part. The structural design of this invention movably connects the lampshade fabric with the upper ring, so that the upper ring can be detachably connected to the hardware connector through the T-shaped hardware interface part.

Lampshade is an important part of a lamp, and its function not just improves the lighting effect only, but also serves as home decoration. To cope with the change in people's pursuit of beauty, new materials are introduced continuously to achieve the effects of controlling the cost, simplifying the manufacturing process, saving packaging and transportation fees and facilitating users' installation. Therefore, various different types of lampshades are introduced constantly.
A conventional lampshade generally includes a lampshade fabric, an upper iron ring and a lower iron ring, and the inner sides of the upper and lower edges of the lampshade fabric have a U-shaped rubber strip, and the U-shaped rubber strip has an inner groove curvature matched with the external circumference of the upper iron ring and the lower iron ring, and the upper iron ring is fixed to the lampshade fabric by the U-shaped rubber strip on the inner side of the upper edge of the lampshade fabric, and the lower iron ring is fixed to the lampshade fabric by the U-shaped rubber strip on the inner side of the lower edge of the lampshade fabric; and a Velcro tape is set on the left and right folding edges for connecting both left and right edges respectively; and the middle of the lower iron ring has an UNO plate mounted thereon for fixing a lamp holder, and the UNO plate is welded and fixed to the lower iron ring through the support link-rod. Although the support stand and cover of the lampshade of this kind can be detached easily, the total volume is still very large which incurs a larger transportation space and a higher transportation cost. Obviously, the conventional lampshade fails to meet the increasingly stricter requirements of modern industry and transportation and definitely requires further improvements.


The present invention provides a detection apparatus which detects an original mark on an original and a substrate mark on a substrate, the original mark and the substrate mark being arranged via a projection optical system, the apparatus comprising an optical system including an imaging device and configured to form an image of the original mark and an image of the substrate mark onto the imaging device, wherein the optical system includes a detection reference member having a first mark and a second mark, and is configured to form an image of the first mark onto the original, form an image of the second mark onto the substrate via the projection optical system and the original, and form the image of the first mark, and the image of the second mark onto the imaging device.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detection apparatus which detects a mark related to alignment between an original and a substrate, a measurement apparatus, an exposure apparatus, a method of manufacturing an article, and a measurement method.
Description of the Related Art
One of apparatuses used in the manufacturing process (lithography process) of a semiconductor device or the like is an exposure apparatus which transfers the patterns of a mask to a substrate via a projection optical system. The exposure apparatus is required to accurately align the mask and the substrate to transfer, at high overlay precision, the pattern of the mask to each of a plurality of shot regions formed on the substrate. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-32303 proposes a method of detecting the position of each mark provided on a substrate by using a TTL (Through The Lens) method, and aligning a mask and the substrate based on the detection result. The TTL method is a method of detecting the marks on the substrate via the mask and a projection optical system.
While detecting the plurality of marks on the substrate by the TTL method and obtaining information about arrangement of the plurality of shot regions formed on the substrate, the state of the projection optical system can fluctuate due to, for example, a change in temperature inside the projection optical system, the vibrations of optical members, or the like. In this case, the states of the projection optical system when detecting the plurality of marks on the substrate are different. As a result, the information about arrangement of the shot regions cannot be obtained accurately, making it difficult to accurately align the masks and the substrate when exposing the substrate.

Detection apparatus, measurement apparatus, exposure apparatus, method of manufacturing article, and measurement method


A method of installing a transmission line (such as an optical fibre telecommunications line) in the ground includes the steps of forming a tunnel in the ground using a mole constituted by a water-jetting head and piping for supplying pressurized water to the head, and positioning the transmission line in the tunnel. The head is guided along a pre-installed buried elongate member such as a twisted copper pair telecommunications line.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for, and a method of, installing a transmission line such as an optical fibre telecommunications line.
2. Related Art
In the United Kingdom, the telecommunications network includes a trunk network which is substantially completely constituted by optical fibre, and a local access network which is substantially completely constituted by copper pairs. Flexibility in the copper access network is provided at two points en route to the customer; firstly, at street-side cabinets serving up to 600 lines; and secondly, at distribution points serving around 10-15 lines. Eventually, it is expected that the entire network, including the access network, will be constituted by fibre.
The ultimate goal is a fixed, resilient, transparent telecommunications infrastructure for the optical access network, with capacity for all foreseeable service requirements. One way of achieving this would be to create a fully-managed fibre network in the form of a thin, widespread overlay for the whole access topography as this would exploit the existing valuable access network infrastructure. Such a network could be equipped as needs arise, and thereby could result in capital expenditure savings, since the major part of the investment will be the provision of terminal equipment on a `just in time` basis. It should also enable the rapid provision of extra lines to new or existing customers, and flexible provision or reconfiguration of telephony services.
In order to be completely future proof, the network should be single mode optical fibre, with no bandwidth limiting active electronics within the infrastructure. Consequently, only passive optical networks (PONs) which can offer this total transparency and complete freedom for upgrade, should be considered.
The most common passive optical network is the simplex single star, with point-to-point fibre for each transmit and receive path, from the exchange head end (HE) to the customer network terminating equipment (NTE). This network design has been used throughout the world and meets all the access criteria. It involves high fibre count cables, and unique electro-optic provision at HE and NTE for each customer. The resulting inherent cost can only be justified for large business users, who generally also require the security of diverse routing, which increases the cost still further.
The advent of optical splitters and wavelength-flattened devices has enabled the concept of the PON to be taken one step further. These passive components allow the power transmitted from a single transmitter to be distributed amongst several customers, thereby reducing and sharing the capital investment.
The use of splitter based PON architecture thus reduces the cost of fibre deployment in the access network. When compared with point-to-point fibre, savings will result from:
(i) reducing the number of fibres at the exchange and in the network; PA1 (ii) reducing the amount of terminal equipment at the exchange; PA1 (iii) sharing the cost of equipment amongst a number of customers; PA1 (iv) providing a thin, widespread, low cost, fibre infrastructure; and PA1 (v) providing a high degree of flexibility, and allowing `just in-time` equipment and service provision.
Additionally, PON architecture can be tailored to suit the existing infrastructure resources (duct and other civil works).
It will be apparent that upgrading the entire UK access network from copper to fibre will involve a major capital investment program. It is important, therefore, to minimize costs wherever possible. The specifications of our published International patent applications WO95/07475, WO95/07476, WO95/07477. WO95/07478 & WO95/107486 describe a fibre management system which aims to reduce the cost of providing fibre from local exchanges to the network nodes (equivalent to the distribution points of the copper access network) nearest the customers. The specifications of our published International patent applications GB95/00449 and GB95/00450 describe a way of minimizing the cost of getting fibre into a customer's premises via a customer lead in (CLI) provided in an external wall of the premises. The present invention is concerned with minimizing the cost of getting fibre from just outside a customer's premises to the nearest network node.
German,patent number DE3826513 discloses a method for laying a transmission line under the ground alternative to the established method of digging a trench in the ground along the intended route of the line, laying the line into the trench and then backfilling to bury the line. One embodiment of the apparatus has a pneumatically driven tunnelling head whose route is guided by a C-shaped guide attachment mounted on the end of an arm extending radially from the tunnelling head.
Published UK patent application number 2085670 discloses a device for loosening the earth around a previously buried cable. The device has a main body comprising inner and outer cylindrical sections, which are moved alternatively, by hydraulic means, relative to one another, such that the apparatus moves along the previously buried cable with a "shinning" movement. As the apparatus moves along the cable, water is supplied to the apparatus and is ejected through nozzles at the front of the apparatus to loosen the earth around the cable in front of the apparatus.

British Telecommunications public limited company


A Method and Apparatus for Surgical High-speed Follower Jamming Based on Selectable Target Direction is disclosed. The system and method of the present invention automatically detects and jams sudden, short duration communications signals in near real time, in a compass direction selected by the user on the battlefield. Such a system is unique in the number and type of input parameters it uses to allow the operator to tailor its jamming results. The system solves the efficiency, fratricide, and latency issues of prior art systems and greatly enhances the operational capabilities of the modern military unit by allowing the unit to kill all enemy transmitters in any specified sector of the battlefield. The system embodies the addition of real time direction-finding methods to the invention of application Ser. No. 10/912,976. The system has all the abilities of the system described in the '976 application, but is further able to automatically detect the direction of the incoming signals (relative to the user), and thereafter to add that information to the jamming decision logic. Finally, the preferred system provides a user interface that enables operators to set up the system to jam on enemy signals based upon the direction to those enemy signals.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to advanced military grade communications jamming systems and, more specifically, to a Method and Apparatus for Surgical High Speed Follower Jamming Based on Selectable Target Direction.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern military grade communication systems today employ short, burst type transmissions that constantly cycle through a secret sequence of frequencies in order to prevent detection and jamming. Such systems are commonly known as frequency hoppers. Typically, these systems (both foreign and domestic) only transmit on a particular frequency for no more than a few milliseconds at the most. This creates a problem for those who want to detect and jam such transmissions as they happen so quickly.
The continuing development of modern military frequency-hopping systems magnifies the complexities of electronic warfare. Today's frequency-hopping technology is advancing quickly, allowing frequency-hopping communication nets to use many frequencies (hop sets), much faster than ever before (hop speeds). A fundamental change in RF detection and jamming efficiency is needed for the modern military force to achieve and maintain electronic warfare dominance in the theater of war. The modern military force needs the capability to detect and combat any and all enemy communications in a specified sector of the battlefield, no matter how fast they hop frequencies to attempt to avoid detection.
Practically, it is not feasible to simply "splash" the radio frequency spectrum with random noise in order to jam such transmissions. The reasons are that it requires an unpractical amount of power to apply sufficient RF energy to wash out all transmissions. In addition, there may be friendly transmissions that should not be jammed. Also, since the duration of the target transmissions is so short, it is not practical to have (for instance) a CPU that is programmed to evaluate signals, make a determination, and then command transmitters to jam. There is simply not enough time to engage the frequency hopping signals before they have moved on to a new frequency.
Jamming systems attempt to solve the short cycle problem in one of three ways:    1. Barrage jamming: This type of jamming involves "splashing" a segment of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum with random or distributed noise in order to jam frequency-hopping transmissions by brute force. Barrage jamming is impractical for several reasons, including the amount of power needed to apply sufficient RF energy to wash out all transmissions. This is extremely inefficient, since jamming energy is often applied to areas of the RF spectrum where there is no enemy communications traffic, thus the energy is wasted. Also, fratricide of friendly transmissions that are near to the enemy communications is another problem of barrage jamming.    2. Follower jamming: this type of jamming, also called "fast-reaction" jamming, requires the reception of signals and the automatic selective jamming of those signals soon thereafter for as long as the enemy transmission is active. Follower jamming also has the drawback that any and all signals detected within its dynamic range will be jammed, regardless of whether it is emanating from a friend or from an enemy. The follower jammer keys off of the simple presence of signal energy at a particular frequency; there is no discrimination between friend and enemy. Thus, there are fratricide issues and inefficiency issues with wasting jammer signal energy on friendly communications.    3. Surgical follower jamming: Surgical follower jamming that is afforded by this invention is the only practical jamming method known to date for effectively jamming enemy fast frequency-hopping transmissions and preventing fratricide. Prior to the present invention, however, no follower jammer was responsive and/or had surgical accuracy adequate to truly defeat frequency-hopping transmitters.
The prior-art of FIG. 1 shows the effect of a present-day barrage jamming system. It is a drawing of several plots of RF power at a certain frequency range. Each plot depicts the same power and frequency ranges, but at different instants in time. The time order of the plots is as follows: 1, 1+x, 2, 2+x, 3, 3+x; x being the reaction time of the barrage jammer (assumed to be much smaller than one time unit). Thus the top row of plots shows the spectrum while the jammer is in the "look-through" state, while the bottom row shows the spectrum while the jammer is in the matching "attack" state.
As depicted in the upper set of graphs, an enemy signal transmission is detected at a frequency very close to a friend. As T=1 moves to T=2 and T=3, the enemy transmission frequency is "hopping" to the left and right (up and down in frequency) as compared to the friendly transmitter.
The lower set of graphs depicts the operation of a Barrage jammer. Barrage jammers essentially choose a band or segment of frequency on which to transmit the jamming signal. During the barrage jammer's attack phase, a segment of the RF spectrum is "splashed" with noise in an attempt to disrupt enemy transmissions in that segment of the spectrum. Periodically, the jammer stops jamming to see if any signals are still present in the frequency segment being focused upon. Such an operation is called a "look-through" and is necessary in case the target transmissions have moved to a new segment of the spectrum.
Such a traditional setup is suitable for the jamming of relatively long duration communication signals such as voice or a low speed data links. But this simple system has several drawbacks including the fact that a massive amount of RF power is necessary to splash any sufficiently wide segment of the RF spectrum. As the figure shows, an overwhelming percentage of this power is wasted. Another drawback is that any friendly transmissions in the segment of focus will also be jammed. A third drawback is that the power of the jamming signals is usually lower than the target signal, so that the target signal may not actually be disrupted at all.
The prior-art of FIG. 2 shows the effect of a present-day follower jamming system. This system solves the power issues of the barrage jamming system, but it has its own drawbacks. The main drawback of the follower jamming system is the fratricide problem pictured here. Since the follower jammer does not discriminate between friendly and enemy transmissions in a particular frequency segment, it will transmit jamming signals on any frequency in the segment of interest where a transmission is detected, whether friend or enemy. As a result, while the follower jammer is jamming enemy communications, friendly communications are also jammed, just like the barrage jamming system.
What is needed therefore in order to feasibly detect and jam modern fast-hopping transmissions as efficiently as possible is a System that has not only has: 1) The near-real time ability to jam detected signals, but also 2) The ability to identify the specific compass direction, or sector, of the source of the frequency-hopping transmissions, also in near real time. The user of such a system could then surgically jam enemy transmissions simply by specifying the compass sector of the enemy transmission source to be jammed. The direction of the enemy transmitters is usually known; many current and possible theaters of war are in littoral (coastal) terrain, where the direction of enemy transmitters is trivially known.

Method and apparatus for surgical high speed follower jamming based on selectable target direction