Methods of making fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) parts by compression and injection molding. The compression molding method generally includes the initial steps of placing a quantity of bulk molding compound into a female die of a mold, and pressing a male die of the mold onto the female die so as to displace the bulk molding compound throughout a cavity formed between the female and male dies, so as to form the part. The injection molding method general includes an initial step of injecting a quantity of bulk molding compound into a cavity of a mold. In both methods, the bulk molding compound is a mixture which includes pre-ceramic resin, fibers, and, if desired, filler materials. Once the part has been formed by either method, the mold is heated at a temperature and for a time associated with the pre-ceramic resin which polymerizes the resin to form a fiber-reinforced polymer composite structure. The part is then removed from the mold, and heated a second time at a temperature and for a time associated with the polymerized resin which pyrolyzes it to form the finished FRCMC structure. These methods can also be modified to allow for the molding of heterogeneous FRCMC parts wherein different portions of the part contain different types of fiber and, if desired, different filler materials, so as to vary the characteristics exhibited by each portion thereof.

1. Technical Field:
This invention relates to methods of forming structural and mechanical parts from fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) materials, and more particularly, to the compression and injection molding of these parts.
2. Background Art:
Composite material structures are very popular for various uses. Typically, these structures constitute a matrix of "cured" organic resins with some type of fiber dispersed throughout. More recently, fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) structures have been made available for use where due to high temperatures organic composites are not suitable. A typical FRCMC structure comprises fibers of various types and lengths disposed throughout a ceramic material formed from a pre-ceramic resin. While organic composites will burn readily, FRCMC, being a ceramic, withstands heats that can destroy even metals. For example, a FRCMC material can withstand continuous temperatures up to about 1000.degree. F., cyclical temperatures up to about 2000.degree. F., and short-term exposure to temperatures up to about 3500.degree. F.
FRCMC structures are made by combining the aforementioned pre-ceramic polymer resin, such as silicon-carboxyl resin sold by Allied Signal under the trademark BLACKGLAS or alumina silicate resin (commercially available through Applied Poleramics under the product description CO2), with fibers. Examples of types of fibers which might be employed include alumina, Altex, Nextel 312, Nextel 440, Nextel 510, Nextel 550, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, HPZ, graphite, carbon, or peat. These fibers can be supplied in rigid or binderized preforms, woven or braided preforms, random mat preforms, fabric, tow (thread), or chopped tow or fabric. The resin-fiber mixture is formed into the shape of the desired structure and heated for a time to a temperature, as specified by the material suppliers (typically between 1,500.degree. F. and 2,000.degree. F.), which causes the resin to convert into a ceramic material.
There are many methods which can be used to form the FRCMC structures. For example, a resin transfer molding (RTM) process is described in a co-pending application entitled METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE LINED AUTOMOBILE PARTS AND FIBER REINFORCED CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE AUTOMOBILE PARTS by the inventors herein and assigned to the common assignee of the present application. This co-pending application was filed on Aug. 16, 1995 and assigned serial number 08/515,849. The RTM method described in the co-pending application generally involves forming a preform in the shape of the part from the aforementioned fibers; placing the preform in a cavity of a mold having the shape of the part; forcing a liquid pre-ceramic polymer resin through the cavity to fill the cavity and saturate the preform; heating the mold at a temperature and for a time associated with the pre-ceramic polymer resin which transforms the liquid pre-ceramic polymer resin-saturated preform into a polymer composite part; removing the polymer composite part from the mold; and, firing the polymer composite part in a controlled atmosphere at a temperature and for a time associated with the pre-ceramic polymer which transforms it into a ceramic, whereby the polymer composite part is transformed into a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite part.
The RTM method of forming FRCMC structures works well for its intended purpose. However, this method requires the use of a fiber preform which must be placed in the mold prior to the structure being formed. These preforms add to the expense of producing the FRCMC structure, not only due to the cost of the preform itself, but also because of the extra processing steps required to install the preform into the mold.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of making FRCMC parts that is conducive to mass producing these parts at a faster pace and at a reduced cost in comparison to other methods, such as RTM processes.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide such a method of making FRCMC parts via a compression molding process wherein instead of having to employ fiber preforms such as with a RTM process, chopped fibers are mixed with a pre-ceramic resin prior to placing the mixture into a compression mold.
Wherefore, it is another object of the present invention to provide such a method of making FRCMC parts via an injection molding process wherein instead of having to employ fiber preforms such as with a RTM process, chopped fibers are mixed with a pre-ceramic resin prior to being injected into an injection mold.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a method of making FRCMC parts having heterogeneous structures wherein various portions of the part included different fiber types and potentially different filler materials which impart characteristics desired to be exhibited by a particular portion of the part.

Compression/injection molding of polymer-derived fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite materials


A method of manufacturing an index device of a machine tool includes providing a jig having an outer periphery of the same outer diameter as an outer diameter of a motor for driving the index device, inserting the jig into a casing configured to house the motor for driving the index device prior to setting the motor into the casing, filling a material with higher thermal conductivity than the air into gap space created between the casing and the outer periphery of the jig through an opening provided in the casing; removing the jig from the casing when the material filled in the gap space becomes solidified; and setting the motor into the casing with the jig removed therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an index device of a machine tool having a motor built therein and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent machine tools such as machining centers use rotating table type index devices including a so-called direct drive structure in which a drive motor is directly coupled to the rotating shaft (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-248242). A direct drive index device is described with reference to FIG. 1.
A rotating table 11 for placing a workpiece (not shown) thereon is attached to a shaft 10 of a motor M that is contained in a casing 13 for housing the motor of an index device. The motor M includes a stator 17 and a rotor 16. The stator 17 has a stator coil 18 wound around a case 14 of the motor at the inner peripheral side thereof. The rotor 16 is attached to the shaft 10 that is rotatably journaled at the inner side of the stator 17 by a bearing 20 attached to a bracket 12 and a bearing 20 attached to a bracket 19. The index device having the motor M built therein is fixed to the table of a machine tool.
As depicted in FIG. 1, a recess is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the casing 13 for housing the motor M of the index device, such that gap space 15 is created in conjunction with the outer peripheral surface of the case 14 of the motor M so as to facilitate fitting of the motor M. Air is filled in the gap space 15.
As described above, in an index device having a motor built therein for use in a machine tool, gap space, i.e., back clearance, exists between the outer periphery of the motor and the inner periphery of the motor housing casing for the sake of assembly. Since the gap space is filled with the air, the thermal conductivity is lower, which could cause heat generated during the operation of the motor to be retained within the motor, accelerating rise in temperature of the motor. The motor becomes susceptible to overheat due to acceleration of temperature rise of the motor, which may decrease the continuous rated power of the motor.
Generally, forced cooling of the motor is conducted by circulating coolant in the gap space between the outer periphery of the motor and the motor housing casing so as to suppress rise in temperature of the motor. However, this involves, for example, additional provision of piping and pumps for circulating the coolant, as well as a temperature conditioner for managing the temperature of the coolant, causing increase in complexity of the structure of the index device and thus the costs therefor.

Method of manufacturing index device of machine tool


There is disclosed a method for controlling the position of a mobile host in a local area network (LAN), whereby the movement of the mobile host out of a certain LAN can be quickly detected even when the mobile host transmits no frames and invalid traffic can be reduced. A server 3 duplicates a learning function table in a bridge device 2 at each specified time. Location confirmation is performed for the currently connected mobile host based on this duplicated information at each specified time. If the mobile host gives no response to the location confirmation, the movement of this mobile host is determined and the learning function table in the bridge device 2 is renewed. Thus, even when the mobile host is moved out of the LAN and no frames are transmitted therefrom, the movement of the mobile host can be quickly detected and invalid traffic can be reduced.

The present invention relates to host position control among a plurality of local area networks (referred to as LANs, hereinafter) in a system in which the LANs are interconnected by a bridge, and more particularly to a method and a system for controlling a mobile host which uses a radio medium.
In a bridge device for interconnecting LANs, a mobile host connected to these LANs is confirmed by monitoring a transmission originating address SA (Source Address) for a frame flowing on each of the LANs. The bridge device provides efficient frame transfer based on information regarding the position of the mobile host, which is obtained in the above-described manner.
Referring to FIG. 7 which illustrates the constitution of a bridge device 13, the bridge device 13 shown includes a learning function table 14, an exchanging/learning control section 15 and line connecting sections 16 and 17. The line connecting sections 16 and 17 perform connection with each LAN. The learning function table 14 registers the address of each mobile host connected to LANs (1) 11 and (2) 12. The exchanging/learning control section 15 absorbs a difference in protocol between the LANs and controls address registration performed by the learning function table 14.
When each LAN as a network is constituted by using a multiple address medium, for instance Ethernet presented by Xerox Company of US, frame transfer is performed under the following rules.
1. If the destination address DA (Destination Address) of a received frame is a multiple address, multiple address transfer is performed for all LANs other than a LAN which has received the frame.
2. Regarding a mobile host specified by the destination address DA of a received frame, if a LAN to which the mobile host is connected is determined and this LAN is discovered to be different from a LAN which has received the frame, transfer is performed for the LAN to which the specified mobile host is connected.
3. Regarding a mobile host specified by the destination address DA of a received frame, if a LAN to which the mobile host is connected is determined and this LAN is identical to the LAN which has received the frame, since all the nodes of this LAN can receive the frame, this received frame which needs not to be transferred is canceled.
4. Regarding a mobile host specified by the destination address DA of a received frame, if a LAN to which the mobile host is connected is not determined, transfer is performed for all LANs other the LAN which has received the frame.
If a mobile host is moved among LANs, the bridge device determines that the mobile host is connected to a plurality of LANs. Consequently, a contradiction occurs in positional information. Efforts have been made to solve this problem. For example, referring to JP-A-217141/1992 or JP-A-154335/1992, there is disclosed a bridge device, which monitors a frame flowing through segments and renews information regarding the position of a mobile host immediately after detection of the movement of the mobile host.
However, in the case of the LAN using a radio medium, a destination which the mobile host has reached may be outside the range of radio transmission or the mobile host itself may not send any frames. In such a case, in the prior art, positional information is not renewed and useless radio traffic is produced because of the continuance of frame transfer by the bridge device. Consequently, radio wave resources are wasted for nothing.
Such a situation occurs because if the mobile host is not under the control of the bridge device, unnecessary frame transfer is not recognized. Therefore, wasteful consumption of power by the bridge device has been another problem to be solved.

Method and device employing location confirmation by a server or a bridge for controlling mobile host position in local area network


A resettable breakaway apparatus may include: a housing having an aperture. A plunger may extend through the aperture, and the plunger may be movably coupled to the housing. The plunger may have a plunger head, and the plunger head may be movable between a first position, in which the plunger head is relatively farther from the housing, and a second position, in which the plunger head is relatively closer to the housing. A tensioner may tension or compress the plunger head in the first position. The apparatus may further include a receiver having a receiver head. The housing may be coupled to a first object and the receiver may be coupled to a second object, and the apparatus may be configured to removably couple the objects together by engaging the plunger head with the receiver head so that the plunger head may be positioned between the first and second position.

In the cross-country phase of the Olympic equestrian sport of eventing, a horse and rider pair traverse a pre-determined track along which obstacles are placed that the pair must successfully negotiate (jump). On occasion it is possible for the horse and/or rider to make a mistake and "miss" the jump. An injurious result is possible. In particular, the impact of the horse at the obstacle can lead to a rotational fall whereas the horse and rider rotate over the obstacle with the horse potentially landing on its head or neck, or on its back and on top of the rider. To mitigate such falls, designers have begun to implement frangible fences at the high levels of competition and training. The safety concept is to minimize the amount of horse and rider momentum that can be converted to rotational momentum when an impact occurs by allowing the obstacle to "break" when an impact exceeds a preset limit. The current state of the art for frangible fences employs "fusible link" mechanisms employed on each side of an obstacle. The intent is for the apparatus to only break when the horse and rider meet the obstacle with an impact sufficient to result in a rotational fall. For all other impacts, the apparatus should not break (e.g., glancing hoof strikes). As an example of the current technology: a log is held above the ground on top of pins that are inserted into support structures. The pins break if there is sufficient downward impact to the log, causing the log to drop. Other devices used for frangible fences include deformable logs and MIM™ clips. Many horse and rider pairs approach a cross country obstacle during the obstacle's life. The goal is to always jump over the obstacle without horse or rider touching any component. In reality horses can stop in front of a jump with some frontal impact, have glancing hoof blows (either front or rear hoof) as they pass over, or some other impact that would not produce a rotational fall. Each of the current implementations are subject to fatigue caused by impacts that do not lead to rotational falls. The resulting fatigue may then cause the apparatus to break in unintended circumstances. Unintended breaks are not desirable as they can unfairly penalize a horse and rider during competition, and they can lead to incorrect training of the horse.
Therefore, there exists a need for a novel resettable breakaway apparatus for use in the equestrian sport of eventing and other activities having a barrier in which participants must traverse across and/or over.


There is disclosed a single crystal obtained by a single crystal pulling method, wherein an interval of striations incorporated into the single crystal due to temperature fluctuation of crystal melt at the time of crystal growth is controlled, and a method of growing a single crystal according to a single crystal pulling method, wherein a growth rate and/or a temperature fluctuation period are controlled so that V×F/sin θ may be in a certain range when a growth rate at the time of growing a single crystal is defined as V (mm/min), a temperature fluctuation period of crystal melt is defined as F (min), and an angle to the level surface of a crystal-growth interface is defined as θ. Thereby nanotopology characteristics can be improved from aspects different from the processing conditions of the surface of the wafer and there can be provided a single crystal which can produce a wafer excellent in nanotopology characteristics, especially in nanotopology characteristics measured in 2 mm×2 mm square, and a method of growing a single crystal for growing the single crystal.

An epitaxial wafer is one of the material used for a semiconductor device. The epitaxial wafer is, for example, the wafer wherein epitaxial growth of silicon is conducted on a silicon single crystal wafer, and has been widely used for many years as a wafer for manufacture of an individual semiconductor, a bipolar IC, or the like because of the outstanding characteristics. Moreover, MOS LSI have also been used as a microprocessor unit or a flash memory device since they are excellent in a soft error and latch up characteristics. An example of excellent characteristics of the epitaxial wafer is that a deterioration in reliability of DRAM or the like may be decreased since there is substantially no so-called Grown-in defect introduced at the time of manufacture of a single crystal in an epitaxial layer, and thus the need for it has been increasingly expanded.
Especially importance of an epitaxial wafer wherein epitaxial growth is conducted on a low resistivity wafer having a resistivity of 0.1 Ω·cm or less as a substrate has been increasingly raised, since it is excellent in latch up characteristics and the substrate has a gettering capacity.
On the other hand, in recent years, when metal wiring is formed on a wafer, an insulator film is formed on it, the insulator film is made plane by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and a metal oxide film and the 2nd metal wiring are formed on it in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor-device, it has been considered that unevenness of nano meter order in a very small area called nanotopology which exists on the polished surface of the above-mentioned wafer (which is also called nanotopography) is one of causes of loss of uniformity in a thickness of an insulator film and a poor breakdown voltage and it has come to be regarded as a problem among device makers.
The nanotopology is a shape of surface of a wafer within frequency longer than microroughness and shorter than flatness, and covers unevenness within a wavelength of around 0.1 mm to 20 mm and an amplitude of around several nm to 100 nm.
Moreover, as to planarity of the surface of the wafer, planarization has been progressed by request of lithography. With a tendency that a line width of lithography becomes finer as 0.18 μm or less due to high integration of a semiconductor device in recent years, nanotopology has been come into question. Furthermore, also in the case that STI (Shallow Trench Isolation) is filled with an insulator film and a surface is polished, it has been becoming indispensable to improve not only homogeneity of polishing of the CMP itself but also the nanotopology of a wafer itself.
Therefore, research and study of nanotopology are performed at any place not only at a device maker, but also at a material maker, a public organization and academic circles, and active argument has been developed as to a method for measuring, a quantitative definition or the like at present. However, although the nanotopology is recognized as above, it has not come to the stage where the completely unified official standard as to a measuring method and a quantitative definition of nanotopology are established.
One of the evaluation methods of the nanotopology mainly performed now is a method of evaluating difference of elevation of the unevenness on the surface of a wafer (P-V value: Peak to Valley) in the region of about 0.1 to 10 mm square or in the region of a circle with a diameter of about 0.1 to 10 mm (which is also referred to as WINDOW SIZE or the like). The P-V value is also called Nanotopography Height or the like. In evaluation of the semiconductor wafer by the nanotopography, it is especially desired that the maximum of the unevenness which exists in a plane of the wafer is small, measurement is usually performed in two or more block areas of 2 mm×2 mm square, and the maximum of the P-V value is used to evaluate the wafer. If the maximum of the P-V value is smaller, the wafer is evaluated as more excellent in quality.
Such measurement of nanotopology has been performed by WIS-CR83-SQM or NanoMapper manufactured by ADE Corporation, Surfscan-SP1-STN manufactured by KLA-Tencor Corporation, DynaSearch manufactured by New creation Corporation, NanoMetro manufactured by Kuroda Seikosha Corporation, or the like. In all of these apparatuses for measurement, measurement of unevenness is conducted optically using reflection from a surface.
Generally, such nanotopology on a surface of a wafer is considered to be determined by etching conditions, polishing conditions, or the like in a processing process of the surface of the wafer. Therefore, improvement of nanotopology characteristics is attempted mainly by studying processing conditions of the surface of the wafer, since it has been recognized to be the problem of CMP in processing of the surface of the wafer, for example, as indicated in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (kokai) No. 2002-141311, and it is hardly attempted from the point other than processing condition of the surface of the wafer.
From now on, still severer nanotopology characteristics will be required as standard as a device size becomes still finer. Especially as to the material which bears the next generation, it is clear that it is used in the line of the latest very fine lithography, and that the wafer which has an excellent nanotopology characteristics comes to be requested inevitably.
Therefore, it is necessary that nanotopology characteristics is improved not only by the processing conditions of the surface of a wafer as before, but also from other aspects, to manufacture the wafer with very excellent nanotopology characteristics.

Single crystal, single crystal wafer, epitaxial wafer, and method of growing single crystal


Many users of handheld computer systems maintain databases on the handheld computer systems. To share the information, it is desirable to have a simple method of sharing the information with personal computer systems. An easy to use extendible file synchronization system is introduced for sharing information between a handheld computer system and a personal computer system. The synchronization system is activated by a single button press. The synchronization system proceeds to synchronize data for several different applications that run on the handheld computer system and the personal computer system. If the user gets a new application for the handheld computer system and the personal computer system, then a new library of code is added for synchronizing the databases associate with the new application. The synchronization system automatically recognizes the new library of code and uses it during the next synchronization.

People have come to rely more and more upon computer devices to organize their lives. For example, people use computers to maintain to-do lists, address lists, and calendars. Many people store this information on desktop personal computers. However, when the person is away from their personal computer this valuable information is not available since it is stored in the desktop personal computer system. To accommodate this situation, a new class of portable handheld computer systems has emerged.
Many handheld computer systems operate as stand alone units wherein the user enters all the information into the handheld unit and the information is retrieved out of the handheld unit alone. Other handheld computer systems operate in conjunction with personal computer systems such that the two systems can transfer data back and forth.
FIG. 1 illustrates a handheld computer system and a personal computer system that act together. The handheld computer system 110 is connected to the personal computer system 150 through some type of communication link 140. The communication link 140 often consists of a direct serial data line but may consist of any type of link that will allow the two systems to transfer information back and forth. In the example of FIG. 1, the handheld computer system 110 is running a calendar application program 115 and the personal computer system 150 is running a complimentary calendar program 155. In an ideal arrangement, a user should be able to enter information into either the handheld computer system 110 or the personal computer system 150 and the information will be shared by the two calendar applications.
FIG. 2 illustrates a first method of transferring information between a handheld computer system 110 and a personal computer system 150 that is employed by some existing handheld computer systems. The method of FIG. 2 consists of a simple file transfer system. In the handheld computer system 110 in FIG. 2 a first file transfer program 210 is located on the handheld computer system to manage file transfers from the handheld computer system. The file transfer program 210 on the handheld computer system communicates with a local file system 220 that is responsible for creating and storing files. The file transfer program 210 on the handheld computer system communicates across the communication link 140 to a PC file transfer program 250 that runs on the personal computer system 150. The PC file transfer program 250 communicates with a PC file system (such as Microsoft DOS) on the personal computer system 150. To invoke the file transfer system of FIG. 2, a user must execute the file transfer program 210 on the handheld computer 110 and the PC file transfer program 250 on the personal computer system 150.
The file transfer system 210 illustrated in FIG. 2 operates only on individual files in the two computer systems such that no individual record analysis is done. For example, the PC file transfer programs on both computers can compare the dates of files on each system and transfer the more recent version from one system over to the other. However, if the files have been modified on both side then the simple file transfer program can not reconcile these changed files.
FIG. 3 illustrates a more sophisticated method of synchronizing files on a handheld computer system and a personal computer system that can reconcile changes within a file. In the transfer system illustrated in FIG. 3 there are several matching application programs in the personal computer system 150 and the handheld computer system 110. For example, there is Application 1 (311) which corresponds to PC Application 1 (361) on the personal computer system 150. Similarly, there is Application 2 (321) and Application 3 (331) on the handheld computer system that match up with PC Application 2 (371) and PC Application 3 (381) on the personal computer system 150 correspondingly.
Since there is a matching application on both the handheld computer system and the personal computer system in the method of FIG. 3, the two matching applications can share information on a record level. For example, an address book containing names, phone numbers, and addresses of people in records can be merged at a record level. Thus, if the handheld computer system 110 is taken on a road trip and the user adds a few new records to the address book program, when the handheld computer system 110 and the personal computer system 150 are later synchronized the address book application on the handheld computer system and the address book application on the personal computer system can transfer the added records from the handheld computer system to the personal computer system. Similarly, if while the main user was on the road and a secretary adds records to the personal computer address book application on the personal computer, 150 those new records can be transferred from the personal computer system 150 to the handheld computer system 110.
However, to accomplish this sophisticated synchronization system, the application on the handheld computer system and the application on the personal computer system must communicate with each other directly. If a user has several applications running on the handheld computer system 110 and the personal computer system 150 that need to be synchronized, then the person must run each pair of matched applications one-at-at-time to perform the synchronization for the different applications. Running each matched pair of applications separately and requesting a file synchronization can be a laborious process and thus limits the user's ability to quickly and easily synchronize the two computer systems.

Extendible method and apparatus for synchronizing multiple files on two different computer systems


A method of powering up a printing device having a component that employs a warm-up operation, the method including, upon receiving power to the printing device, detecting delay indicia, and selectively delaying the warm-up operation based on the detected delay indicia.

Power interruptions are a relatively common occurrence, and may cause any of a number of problems in business and industrial settings. Interruptions can be either unplanned, such as those caused by severe weather or a power grid failure, or planned, such as rolling blackouts necessitated by power shortages. In either case, an interruption may completely shut down all electrically powered devices in the affected area, possibly causing loss of productivity, as well as problems during subsequent power-up of the devices.
One problem that may occur during power-up is excessive loading of a power supply circuit by the simultaneous power-up of many devices. Upon restoration of power after an interruption, many of the affected devices may restart automatically, and thus simultaneously, as soon as power is restored. Some of these devices may draw large amounts of current during power-up. For example, printing devices that print an image using toner typically have a component known as a fuser for fusing the individual grains of toner to the page and to each other. A fuser typically includes one or more heated rollers that melt the toner grains with a combination of heat and pressure. Fusers may be found in many different types of printing devices, such as laser printers, copiers and facsimile machines, etc.
Before these printing devices can be used to print, the fuser must be warmed up. This process can potentially take a long time. Therefore, to speed up the warm-up process, some printing devices use large currents to heat the fuser. If multiple printing devices are powered up at the same time on a single power line, the current drain may be large enough to cause the electrical breaker on the power supply circuit to trip, or may actually damage some equipment. This may cause power to all the devices on the power line to again lose power, increasing the down time of the devices and increasing the amount of employee time wasted in bringing the affected devices up and running again.

Printing device with delayed warm-up operation

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A driver circuit is to be used with an attachment unit interface in a network system and receives complementary data signals and an enable signal from constant current source and a differential transistor pair which includes a pair of differential transistors and a pair of load resistors. Each of the differential transistors has a gate terminal which receives one of the complementary data signals, a drain terminal which is connected to one of the load resistors, and a source terminal which is connected to the constant current source. A switch network is connected to the drain terminal of the differential transistors and is activated by the enable signal so as to generate a differential voltage output. Each of a pair of source followers has a gate terminal connected to the switch network and a source terminal The source followers receive the differential voltage output from the switch network. A switching transistor has a gate terminal which receives the enable signal, and source and drain terminals which are connected to the source terminal of a respective one of the source followers and which are further connected to a respective external pull-down load resistor. The source and drain terminals of the switching transistor are to be connected to the attachment unit interface.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a driver circuit, more particularly to a driver circuit for an attachment unit interface used in a network system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In IEEE 802.3 Ethernet applications, a data terminal equipment (DTE) (1) is connected to a media attachment unit (MAU) (5) through an attachment unit interface (AUI) (3), as best illustrated in FIG. 1 The AUI (3) carries encoded control and data signals between the physical layer signaling sub-layer of the DTE (1) and the physical medium attachment sub-layer of the MAU (5) and provides for duplex encoded data and control signal transmission. The AUI (3) often serves as a drop cable between the DTE (1) and the transceiver on the Ethernet tap. All signals in the AUI cable are differential. The AUI signals are driven by conventional differential drivers capable of driving the specified 78 .OMEGA. cable. A detailed description of the electrical characteristics of the AUI signals can be found in the IEEE 802.3 specification. The major characteristics of the AUI signals are summarized briefly in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a graph which illustrates the amplitude requirement of the transmitted signals in the AUI cable. The maximum rise and fall times is 5 nsec, and the maximum signal overshoot is V1. The ringing of the signals is limited between V2 and V3.
FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating the signal requirement for the AUI driver when the driver ends its active state and enters into its idle state. The AUI driver should be able to maintain a high level output for at least 2 bit times (one bit time is 100 nsec) after the last low-to-high signal transition. The AUI driver should then transit to its idle state with a maximum 40 mV offset voltage within 80 bit times. The undershoot during the transition to the idle state, if any, should be less than 100 mV.
The conventional differential driver circuits that are used to drive the AUI signals are usually implemented in emitter coupled logic (ECL) circuitry. Some of the drawbacks of conventional ECL drivers include difficulty in providing a low idle offset output voltage and the generation of a relatively large undershoot during the active-to-idle transition especially when an inductive load, such as the AUI cable, is driven. Furthermore, conventional ECL drivers are complicated and suffer from large power consumption.

Driver circuit for an attachment unit interface used in a network system


A Kalman filter, for a dynamic system having a number N of different states and another number M of observational components, uses a fixed rectangular systolic array of N.times.(N+1) parallel data processing elements for a regular filter, and uses an array of (N+2).times.(N+3) processing elements for a fault-tolerant filter; the processing elements in either configuration are connected in a four-nearest-neighbors network. Each processor is capable of carrying out a commanded one of a plurality of different vector-data operations sets during each of eight passes through the array. The systolic array operates on the matrices in a pipeline manner, so that each pass through the processor array feeds the result back into the array to begin the next computation.

The present invention relates to real-time Kalman filters and, more particularly, to novel systolic array Kalman filters which perform parallel data processing in real time, using eight-pass processing in a two-dimensional (2D) array of processing elements of N.times.(N+1) size, where N is the number of states of the dynamic system being estimated by the Kalman filter; a fault-tolerant Kalman filter has a systolic array with an additional two columns and rows, i.e. a (N+2).times.(N+3) array.
The Kalman filter is well known to be an optimal recursive least-squares estimator for linear dynamical systems with white noise. A Kalman filter updates the state estimation based on prior state estimates and inputs of observed (measured) system variables. The system variables are measured in real-time (i.e. as they occur) so that system variable data can be directly input to the Kalman filter and need not be stored. The conventional filter requires input of all the associated matrices; the system dynamics, the measurement dynamics and the system noise behavior must all be known for a discrete time-varying Kalman filter to properly calculate the propagation of state estimates and error-covariance matrices between successive time samples. Many digital signal processing applications require the real time computation of the Kalman filter, e.g., tracking an aircraft with radar. Consequently, many papers have been published on the use of parallel processing technology in the form of systolic arrays for fast computation of the Kalman filter. Unfortunately, the Kalman filter cannot be pipelined since the result of the last equation is needed as input for the first equation. This results in an excess of hardware with many processors idle at any given time. In another approach (see e.g. Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Innovation Report NPO-17108/6624), the equations are reformulated such that eight applications of the Faddeev algorithm produce the desired result. Thus the systolic array is programmed for the Faddeev algorithm and the data flows through the array eight times during each iteration of the Kalman filter. However, the Faddeev algorithm requires doubling the dimension of the matrices (i.e. requiring the use of a 2N.times.2N systolic array of parallel processors), and consequently the systolic array takes more processing elements and time steps than necessary. It is desirable to provide a new systolic array implementation of the Kalman filter that is not excessive in either hardware (e.g. having about N.times.(N+1) processors in a fixed-size systolic array) or computation steps (i.e. having about 4N+6M computational steps, where M is the number of observational components).

Regular and fault-tolerant Kalman filter systolic arrays


A clutch for a vehicle may include a pressing member configured to interwork with a clutch pedal and move in one direction when the clutch pedal is stepped on; and an elastic member having an end portion in contact with the pressing member, and configured to apply elastic force to the pressing member in the other direction when the pressing member moves in one direction, and exert elastic force in one direction when the pressing member passes through a preset point to restrain the pressing member from being restored to its original condition.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clutch for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a clutch for a vehicle that may be maintained in a connected or disconnected state even when a clutch pedal is released.
Description of Related Art
In general, in automatic transmission vehicles, power output from an engine is transmitted to an automatic transmission by the medium of a torque converter, and the power-received automatic transmission joins or disconnects a plurality of clutch disks to implements various transmission levels.
The use of the torque converter is to absorb transmission impact that may be generated when an engine and a transmission are directly connected like a manual transmission, and a fluid included in the torque converter enables power transmission in a non-direct connection state with an engine.
However, for this reason, power is lost in the process of power transmission, and thus, a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) using a plurality of clutches obtaining all the advantages of a clutch of a manual transmission, while reducing transmission impact when a speed is changed was developed and has been applied to some types of vehicles.
The DCT uses a plurality of clutches, generally, two clutches, and clutches respectively used for even numbered gears and odd numbered gears are alternately connected to suppress impact generation when a speed is changed and minimize loss in power transmission.
However, in the DCT, while any one of the two clutches is maintained to be connected, the other should be disconnected, and here, in order to maintain the connected or disconnected state, hydraulic pressure should be continuously applied to the clutches, degrading fuel efficiency.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


Disclosed are various embodiments of a voice-based grading assistant. A first computing device can receive a voice command from a second computing device that identifies an assignment, a student, and a grade for the student for the assignment. The voice command is then processed by the first computing device to identify the assignment, the student, and the grade. Subsequently, the first computing device can enter a grade for the student for the assignment in a data store.

Educators often spend extensive time entering records. For example, educators may be required to keep attendance records, grade records for assignments (including different sets of records for different types of assignments), and potentially other records. These records are often recorded manually, either by hand in a notebook or ledger or keyed in manually through a computer-based record keeping application.


A queue management system and method which uses a computer to manage queue priorities and contact customers. The queue management system includes communication circuitry, and a processor for storing contact information of a customer in a list, for establishing a position of the customer in a queue, and for automatically causing the communication circuitry to wirelessly contact a personal communication device carried by the customer using the contact information if the position is first for service in the queue.

The present invention relates to queuing methods and more specifically to a queue management system and method.
Much specialized hardware and much labor is required to man and manage a traditional sign-in and queue area. A typical example is a restaurant queue system in which a customer arrives at the sign-in station, leaves a name, and receives a beeper. Restaurant personnel activate the beeper after a table becomes vacant, thereby notifying the customer to return to check-in in order to be seated at the vacant table.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide queue system that is more cost-effective.


An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes an AC power source, a DC power source coupled to a DC bus, a load, a converter, an inverter and a controller. Responsive to the controller, the inverter receives power from the DC bus to supply the load a regulated voltage; the converter, operated in a hybrid mode, receiving power from the AC power source to supply the DC bus a regulated DC voltage in a double conversion mode or to supply the power to the load in a series-parallel mode, or a combination of the two modes. In the stored energy mode, with an additional bypass switch, both the converter and inverter receive power from the DC power source and jointly supply the load a high quality voltage. These configurations improve the efficiency and enable the UPS readily meet the VFI and the high quality output voltage requirements per IEC62040-3.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to power supplies, and more particularly to the structures and control method of uninterruptible power supplies.
2. Related Art
Uninterruptible power supply systems have been widely used to protect electrical equipments from damages or failures caused by utility power disturbances. There are ten commonly recognized utility power disturbances; nine of the disturbances are voltage related and one of the disturbances is frequently related.
International standard IEC62040-3 introduces a three step UPS classification code to standardize the UPS performance, which is briefly illustrated in "A New International UPS Classification by IEC 62040-3" (The 24th International Telecommunication Energy Conference, 2002.) by Wilhelm Solter According to the definition of IEC62040-3 STEP1, VFI represents that UPS output voltage is independent of the input supply voltage and frequency variations. VI represents that UPS output voltage is dependent on the input supply frequency variations, but is independent of the supply voltage variations. VFD represents that UPS output is dependent on the input supply voltage and frequency variations. IEC62040-3 STEP1 defines VFI as UPS classification 1, VI as UPS classification 2 and VFD as UPS classification 3. The double conversion UPS is the only structure to meet the VFI requirement.
However, though most double conversion UPS feature the VFI, the high power loss and poor efficiency resulted from their intrinsic series-series structures have inspired the invention of new UPS structure; for example, an UPS structure according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,768, an UPS structure according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,648 and in FIG. 1, a structure also known as the Delta conversion UPS.
All these structures can be regarded as a series-parallel structure which inherently generates less power losses and hence higher efficiency as it transmits real power from an AC power source to load only through one conversion. As shown in FIG. 1, this series-parallel structure uses a series converter 503 coupled between the AC power source 501 and load 502 of UPS, and an inverter 504 coupled between the DC power source 505 and load 502 of UPS. The series converter 503 is controlled to draw real power from input AC power source 501 and deliver it to the load 502; the inverter 504 generates a regulated voltage to the load 502. By the structure and control methods, the series converter 503 is able to compensate the voltage difference between the input and output voltage generated by the inverter 504, and draw a high power factor current from the AC power source 501; the inverter 504 is able to compensate the reactive power drawn by the load 502 and provide a regulated voltage to the load 502.
However, because the power of the AC power source is directly coupled to the load, the series-parallel UPS can function properly to receive power from the AC power source only when the frequency and phase between the AC power source and load of the UPS are tightly synchronized so that the converter and the inverter deliver in phase current to the load. If they are not synchronized, the inverter may deliver current while the converter draws current. This causes an overcurrent condition in the inverter or the shutdown of the converter. Because frequency regulation of the input AC power source is not provided, the series-parallel UPS falls in the VI (voltage independent) classification defined by IEC62040-3 STEP1. The series-parallel UPS is inferior to the double conversion UPS.
In addition to the VI characteristic, the prior art series-parallel structures have other disadvantages; the Delta conversion UPS needs a bulky and expensive line frequency (60/50 HZ) transformer, shown as T1 in the FIG. 1; the structure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,768 needs no line frequency transformer but, in buck mode operations as in the FIG. 6 and the FIG. 8 of the specification of the patent, it generates discontinuous or pulsating current to the AC voltage source (utility power) causing severe electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems; the structure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,648 doesn't draw pulsating current from the AC input power source but it also needs a transformer to avoid the buck mode operation. And still, one common disadvantage of the prior art series-parallel structure is in the normal mode operation when supplying power to a nonlinear load. A nonlinear load generates significant reactive power that is assumed by the inverter of the UPS of a series-parallel structure; this reactive power contributes to additional power loss and deteriorates the efficiency of the UPS compared with the same UPS with a linear load generating no reactive power. All these disadvantages make the series-parallel structure less appealing compared with the double conversion structure.
Nevertheless, IEC62040-3 is not all favorable to the double conversion structure. It is common that loads in a UPS draw high start up current when the loads are applied to the UPS. The start up current can several times higher than a rated current to be normally protected so that the output of UPS is compromised unless the UPS is designed with several times the overload capacity IEC62040-3 STEP3 defines three classes for the output voltage tolerances of UPS upon a linear and nonlinear step load. In terms of IEC62040-3 STEP3, the series-parallel UPS is better than the double conversion UPS in providing high quality output voltage because the converter and the inverter of the series-parallel UPS jointly provide power to the load. By comparison, the power to the load is solely provided by the inverter in the double conversion UPS.
Unless enhancing the overload capacity of the inverter circuit, the double conversion UPS will be inferior to the series-parallel UPS per IEC62040-3 STEP3. An example for illustration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,722, wherein the UPS structures according to the invention has an AC power source and a DC power source to supply the DC bus for the inverter to supply power to the load. Although the UPS has two power sources supplying power simultaneously, the power to the load is supplied solely by the inverter. Thus, the inverter itself became the bottleneck for supplying power to the load.

Methods and apparatus providing double conversion/series-parallel hybrid operation in uninterruptible power supplies


A circuit arrangement which is provided for a vehicle with an electronic anti-lock control system and is used to enhance the driving stability in critical driving situations includes circuits for the individual control of the braking pressure on the front wheels and for limiting the yawing torque following braking maneuvers on .mu.-split road surfaces. In defined, especially critical driving situations, in particular during driving maneuvers with an abrupt change in .mu.-conditions or during braking maneuvers on .mu.-patch road surfaces, when predetermined criteria for a critical driving situation of this type are satisfied, a special control is started to bring about braking pressure reduction on the HM-wheel for a predetermined period which is responsive to vehicle speed.

German patent application No. 39 25 828 discloses a circuit arrangement of this type. An anti-lock control system with individual control of the braking pressure on both wheels of an axle is described. The braking pressure difference on the two wheels of an axle is restricted to limit the yawing torque on split road surfaces, and the allowable braking pressure difference is determined as a function of the difference in friction coefficients and the magnitude of the lower coefficient of friction. In the event of exceeding of the allowable braking pressure difference, in consideration of the motional condition of the LM-wheel, that is the wheel on the lower coefficient side, the braking pressure on the HM-wheel, i.e. the other wheel of the same axle, is reduced. To determine the allowable pressure difference in this known anti-lock control system, the pressure introduced by the driver is measured on the right and the left wheel, and the nominal pressure is compared to the actual pressure in each case. The coefficient of friction is assessed on the basis of the braking pressure.
Further, German patent application No. 41 14 734 discloses a circuit arrangement for anti-lock control with an individual braking pressure control and yawing torque limitation which is based on the fact that a value, representative of the pressure difference on the two wheels of an axle, is constantly determined from the pressure reduction signals and, under .mu.-split conditions, the medium pressure increase gradient on the HM-wheel is varied as a function of the pressure difference and the vehicle deceleration and that the braking pressure on the HM-wheel is reduced by a value, which is responsive to the vehicle deceleration and the pressure difference, at the time of the occurrence of the so-called yawing torque peak.
The above mentioned, known provisions do not permit preventing the generation of yawing torques of a dangerous amount in defined, especially critical situations. For example, different wheel lock pressure levels in the individual wheel brakes occur on road surfaces having varying coefficients of friction, so-called .mu.-patch road surfaces, due to a changing dynamic axle load distribution and the related variation of the wheel vertical forces. When these variations occur on the right and the left road surface side, they cause yawing torques which may jeopardize the driving stability. Especially in vehicles having a short wheelbase and front-wheel drive, the rear axle alone cannot ensure that driving stability is maintained.
In principle, the previous solutions involve slowing down the occurrence of yawing torques during braking on .mu.-split road surfaces by a decelerated braking pressure rise on the front HM wheel to give the driver time for a reaction, i.e., for countersteering. However, when the coefficient of friction changes, in particular from a high value to a low value, the described effects will be encountered.

Circuit arrangement for a braking system with anti-lock control system


A kiln assembly (10) with a tunnel kiln (12) having an entrance (14) and exit (16). Two parallel guideways (18) are provided extending through the kiln (12), each adjacent a side wall of the kiln (12). A plurality of car members (20) are movable respectively along either of the guideways (18) carrying support members (24) extending therebetween. Ware is loaded on to the support members (24) at the entrance (14), and is unloaede at the exit (16), are provided. Return guideways (22) are provided extending around opposite sides of the kiln (12) such that the car members (20) from the respective guideways (18) pass around opposite sides of the kiln (12) in a different spacing from when travelling through the kiln (12).

In conventional tunnel kilns for firing ceramic and similar articles, a plurality of kiln cars are provided running on tracks through the kiln and on a return track from the kiln exit to the kiln entrance. The kiln cars comprise a considerable amount of refractory material required to inter alia protect the wheels upon which the car travels. Accordingly, a large amount of heat applied in the kiln is used in heating up the initially cold kiln cars rather than firing the ware carried by the cars. Furthermore, a considerable amount of space is required for the return track for the kiln cars. Also, kiln cars can be relatively difficult to load and unload thereby providing for a high labour requirement and also a relatively high risk of damage to items being fired.


A superalloy substrate, such as a turbine blade or vane, is fabricated or repaired by laser beam welding to clad one or more layers on the substrate. Laser optical energy is transferred to the welding filler material and underlying substrate to assure filler melting and adequate substrate surface wetting for good fusion. Energy transfer is maintained below a level that jeopardizes substrate thermal degradation. Optical energy transfer to the filler and substrate is maintained uniformly as the laser beam and substrate are moved relative to each other along a translation path by varying the energy transfer rate to compensate for localized substrate topology variations.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods for cladding superalloy components, such as service-degraded turbine blades and vanes, by laser beam welding. More particularly, the present invention methods weld one or more filler material layers to substrates along weld translation paths and regulate laser optical energy to compensate for localized substrate topology variations, facilitating uniform or deliberately modified energy transfer rates along the paths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
"Structural" repair of gas turbine or other superalloy components is commonly recognized as replacing damaged material with matching alloy material and achieving properties, such as strength, that are close to the original manufacture component specifications (e.g., at least seventy percent ultimate tensile strength of the original specification). For example, it is preferable to perform structural repairs on turbine blades that have experienced surface cracks, so that risk of further cracking is reduced, and the blades are restored to original material structural and dimensional specifications.
Repair of nickel and cobalt based superalloy material that is used to manufacture turbine components, such as turbine blades, is challenging, due to the metallurgic properties of the finished blade material. The finished turbine blade alloys are typically strengthened during post casting heat treatments, which render them difficult to perform subsequent structural welding. For example a superalloy having more than 6% aggregate aluminum or titanium content, such as CM247 ® superalloy, is more susceptible to strain age cracking when subjected to high-temperature welding than a lower aluminum-titanium content superalloy, such as X-750 ® superalloy.
Currently used welding processes for superalloy fabrication or repair generally involve substantial melting of the substrate adjoining the weld preparation, and complete melting of the welding rod or other filler material added. When a blade constructed of such a material is welded with filler metal of the same or similar alloy, the blade is susceptible to solidification (aka liquation) cracking within and proximate to the weld, and/or strain age (aka reheat) cracking during subsequent heat treatment processes intended to restore the superalloy original strength and other material properties comparable to a new component.
One known superalloy joining and repair method that attempts to melt superalloy filler material without thermally degrading the underlying superalloy substrate is laser beam welding, also known as laser beam micro cladding. Superalloy filler material (often powdered filler) compatible with or identical to the superalloy substrate material is pre-positioned on a substrate surface or sprayed on the surface during the cladding process. A "spot" area of focused laser optical energy generated by a fixed-optic laser (i.e., other than relative translation, laser and substrate have a fixed relative orientation during laser beam application) liquefies the filler material and heats the substrate surface sufficiently to facilitate good coalescence of the filler and substrate material, that subsequently solidify as a clad deposit layer on the substrate surface. Compared to other known traditional welding processes, laser beam micro-cladding is a lower heat input process, with relatively good control over melting of the substrate and rapid solidification that reduce propensity to cause previously-described solidification cracking. Lower heat input to the superalloy substrate during laser welding/cladding also minimizes residual stresses that otherwise would be susceptible to previously described post-weld heat treatment strain age cracking. While laser cladding welds have structural advantages over traditionally-formed welds, practical manufacturing and repair realities require larger cladding surface area and/or volume coverage than can be filled by any single pass applied cladding deposit.
To meet needs for adding volume to superalloy components, a laser-cladded deposit on a substrate can be formed from single- or two-dimensional arrays of adjoining solidified clad passes. Multiple laser-welded cladding passes and layers can be applied to build surface dimensional volume. Creating arrays of laser-clad deposits often results in microcracks and defects in the deposited material and underlying substrate in the heat affected zone material. Some defects are related to lack of fusion (LoF) that is common when there is insufficient localized laser optical energy heat input. As shown in FIG. 1, exemplary superalloy turbine blade 20 has a blade body 22. Original integrally-cast tip cap and squealer (not shown) are often damaged and eroded in service and require remnant cleanup removal to achieve a rework plane 23 at top of body 22. New separate tip cap 24 is machined from new matching cast material and placed on rework plane 23. The blade 20 then requires structural repair filling of the missing portion 28 along and to the right of the tip cap side 26 with a volume of superalloy filler, in order to restore the original structural dimensions of the tip cap and to fuse to both the tip cap side 26 and blade body 22 over rework plane 23. A two-dimensional filler weld array 30 of individually-applied laser clad deposits or passes 31-36 is formed by known laser cladding methods. The laser beam focus position and substrate surface are moved relative to each other after a single deposit (e.g., 31, etc.), formation to weld the next deposit (e.g., 32, etc.).
As noted in FIG. 1, the weld array 30 exhibits lack of fusion (LoF) at corners of every weld pass. The LoF is caused by combinations of one or more of localized variations in the blade 20′ substrate surface topology that require corresponding variations in laser optical energy transfer in order to maintain desired fusion, including: asymmetric heat sink properties; diminished power density; and surface reflectivity. Local surface topology 40 variations are shown schematically in FIG. 2. A previously applied solidified laser-clad deposit 50 has a curved surface 53 that is bounded by a high point 52 and an edge 54. The edge 54 is in contact with the substrate surface 42. The deposit 50 represents additional heat sink material that must be heated along with underlying substrate 40 when the next laser-clad deposit is formed in abutting relationship to create a continuous weld line. Additionally, the curved surface 53 spreads the laser beam energy transfer of the next adjoining deposit and reduces localized power density (e.g., watts) per unit area. Potentially the curved surface 53 also changes localized laser optical reflectivity, which may be compounded by non-uniform filler powder distribution, e.g., scattering away from the curved surface, adding additional reflectivity variance.
When the next laser cladding deposit 60 is applied in adjoining, overlapping relationship with existing deposit 50, a common uniformly applied power and/or filler powder distribution across the new laser focus zone would not apply sufficient localized fusion energy, causing a poorer than desired weld in the curved surface 53 portion within the overlapping region. An overall uniform increase in applied heat energy by the laser when forming deposit 60, in order to compensate for "worst case" lack of fusion in the curved surface portion 53 of the overlapping region, is more than required for good fusion of the substrate 40 to the right of the prior deposit edge 54. This results in over-melting, over-heating and over-stressing of the crack sensitive substrate material 40, which may unnecessarily instigate subsequent hot cracking and/or strain age cracking.
It is often desirable to build superalloy material dimensional volume in a newly fabricated or repaired service-degraded superalloy component, such as a turbine blade or vane. When known laser cladding methods are employed multiple pass layers are applied over previously deposited multiple pass layers to create the needed built up volume. Laser microcladding with fixed optics requires multiple passes to accomplish a typical repair buildup because the size of overall area to be repaired is large relative to the beam diameter at focus. Each pass overlap involves a challenge in ensuring that full fusion is achieved within each built-up layer and that full fusion is achieved with the previously-applied underlying layer. Typically in known fixed optic laser cladding processes weld solidification crystal alignment tends to shift from perpendicular to the substrate in the first few applied layers and then tends to shift at an increasingly skewed angle in subsequently applied clad layers. Microcracking often initiates upon such shifts in the inter-layer crystallographic orientation.
Thus, a need exists in the art for a laser welding method for cladding superalloy components, such as turbine vanes and blades, which facilities uniform welds with desired localized fusion along a translation path without degrading structural properties of the component substrate.
A need also exists in the art for a laser welding method for cladding multiple layers to superalloy components, such as turbine vanes and blades, that facilities formation of continuous welds along a translation path with desired localized fusion within each applied layer without degrading structural properties of the component substrate.
Another need exists in the art for a laser welding method for cladding superalloy components, such as turbine vanes and blades, that facilities uniform welds in multiple dimensions and/or layers with desired localized fusion within an applied layer without degrading structural properties of the component substrate or underlying previously applied cladding layers.
Yet another need exists in the art for a laser welding method for building up surfaces of superalloy components, such as turbine vanes and blades, by application of multiple laser cladding layers, that maintains epitaxial grain growth from the substrate through each successive layer, in order to reduce likelihood of microcracking that might otherwise occur with changes in clad inter-layer crystallographic orientation.

Superalloy laser cladding with surface topology energy transfer compensation


A balancing device for a drum washing machine is disclosed. The balancing device includes annular-shaped races provided on both sides of the a spin basket, and a plurality of movable bodies seated in the races. A spherical movable body is arranged to contact three inner sides of one race during rotation of the spin basket about a horizontal axis. Either one of the races includes first and second sides spaced apart by a specific axial distance and facing one another, and third and fourth sides spaced radially apart for interconnecting the first and second sides. Either the third side or fourth side of the race is formed at an acute angle relative to the axis, the angle being in the range of 0.5.degree. to 0.85.degree..

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a drum washing machine. More particularly, it relates to a balancing device for a drum washing machine realized as annular-shaped races that are provided to both sides of the washing machine's spin basket, and movable bodies seated in each race for the purpose of dynamically counteracting imbalances of the spin basket occurring during washing/dehydrating operation.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional drum washing machine is an electronic appliance that washes clothes using suds generated by the rotation of its drum-shaped spin basket. In the conventional drum washing machine, washing, rinsing and hydro-extracting tasks are automatically carried out according to a predetermined program. After the washing and rinsing of the clothes are finished, excess water is removed from the clothes by centrifugal force created by the spin basket rotating at high speeds during the dehydrating process. Abnormal vibrations and noise may be produced by the clothes not being evenly arranged in the spin basket during the dehydrating process. Consequently, a balancing device is essential for a drum washing machine to operate properly.
FIG. 3 depicts the construction of a conventional drum washing machine.
Referring to FIG. 3, the drum washing machine includes a housing 1, a tub 2 suspended by suspension springs 4a and shock-absorbing members 4b in the housing 1, and a spin basket 3 rotatably installed in the tub 2. The spin basket 3, which is rotated by an electric motor 5 installed on the bottom of the housing 1, includes a plurality of small holes 3a formed on all of its surfaces, and a plurality of lifters 3b protruded inward.
Water that is removed from clothes in the spin basket 3 by centrifugal force flows into the tub 2 through these small holes 3a, and lifters 3b raise the laundry and water to a constant height when the spin basket 3 rotates. In order to prevent the generation of vibrations during the washing/dehydrating process, counterweights 6a,6b, each of predetermined weight, are attached to the tub 2. The front counterweight 6a is provided to the front of the tub 2, and the upper counterweight 6b is mounted on the top surface of the tub 2. The front counterweight 6a is 11.4 kg, and the upper counterweight 6b is 12.2 kg. These counterweights 6a and 6b are made from cast iron and are joined to the tub 2 by bolts 7.
Such a conventional balancing device does not prevent production of the vibrations by laundry that is not evenly distributed in the washing machine, but rather only dampens the vibrations with the counterweights attached, thus having inferior balancing characteristics. Moreover, the conventional balancing device dampens the vibrations after they have already been transmitted to the tub, and is therefore incapable of controlling an imbalance at an early stage.


An apparatus (pad) and method for wirelessly charging a receiver are disclosed. The pad includes one or more NFC antennas which can receive an NFC signal from the receiver. The pad also contains one or more charging coils. Measurement of the signal strength at each charging NFC antenna helps determine which charging coil(s) should be utilized to effect the most efficient charging of the receiver.

Many equipments or devices, including, for example, mobile phones and electronic equipment, to name but a few, contain rechargeable batteries. An increasingly popular method of recharging such rechargeable batteries is wireless or inductive charging. An example of the use of wireless charging is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,212,518. It is common to refer to the charging apparatus as the "transmitter" or "charging pad" or "pad" and to the device or equipment being charged as the "receiver". Both the receiver and the pad typically have respective coils between which the energy for charging the receiver's battery is transferred via inductive coupling.
In order to effectively charge the receiver, an adequate alignment between the coil of the receiver and the coil of the pad is necessary. Some pads employ fixed positioning in order to assure alignment between pad and receiver coils. Such alignment may be based upon the use of matching shapes or magnets in the pad and receiver.
Free-positioning pads allow the receiver to be positioned anywhere on the pad. Typically such a pad has an array of embedded charging coils. However, knowledge of the precise position of the receiver on the pad is required so that the appropriate coil(s) are energized in order to assure close inductive coupling between the pad and the receiver.

Wireless charging recognizing receiver movement over charging pad with NFC antenna array


A saddle-ride type vehicle includes a frame, an engine, a wheel support device, a wheel, upstream and downstream brake hoses, a brake device, a master cylinder, and a fluid pressure control device. The brake device is mounted to the wheel support device. The brake device is configured to brake the wheel by brake fluid being fed thereto from the downstream brake hose. The master cylinder is configured to feed the brake fluid to the upstream brake hose. The fluid pressure control device includes a brake hose connecting portion to which the upstream and downstream brake hoses are connected. The frame includes a head pipe, a main frame, a first down frame, and a second down frame. The fluid pressure control device is disposed either between the main frame and the first down frame, or between the main frame and the second down frame in the vehicle top view.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a saddle-ride type vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A well-known type of motorcycle is equipped with a fluid pressure control device for an ABS (Antilock Brake System). Brake hoses are connected to the fluid pressure control device, and respectively extend from a front wheel brake master cylinder, a rear wheel brake master cylinder, a front wheel brake caliper, and a rear wheel brake caliper.
A method of disposing the fluid pressure control device in a position rearward of a head pipe has been disclosed as a layout method of the fluid pressure control device (see Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2008-74206).
Specifically, Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2008-74206 describes a layout method in which the fluid pressure control device is disposed in a space enclosed by a pair of main frames and a pair of down frames. The main frames extend rearwardly from the head pipe, while extending outwardly to the right and left. The down frames are disposed under the main frames. Further, the down frames extend rearwardly from the head pipe, while extending outwardly to the right and left. The fluid pressure control device is a relatively heavy component. Therefore, the liquid pressure control device is disposed in the middle of the vehicle in the width direction. With this layout, the space defined rearward of the head pipe is effectively utilized.
However, in Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2008-74206, the head pipe is relatively short, and base end portions of the pair of main frames and those of the pair of down frames are disposed closely to each other. In other words, the space for disposing the fluid pressure control device is small. This causes a drawback that when connecting the brake hoses to the fluid pressure control device, the main frames and the down frames interfere with a tool, and thus, workability when installing the brake hoses is deteriorated. Such a drawback becomes remarkable when using a structure in which a single main frame extends straight rearward from the head pipe.
Moreover, when the fluid pressure control device is disposed under the main frames, a clearance is reduced between the fluid pressure control device and the engine. Therefore, accessibility to the upper portion of the engine deteriorates when the engine is mounted in the vehicle. In other words, maintenance performance of the engine inevitably deteriorates.


Provided is a palladium on carbon (Pd/C) catalyst obtained by using an ionic liquid, a method for preparing the same, and a method for hydrogenation of hydrofluorocarbon using the same. More particularly, palladium particles are supported on carbon particles by using an ionic liquid, and the resultant Pd/C catalyst is used for hydrogenation of hydrofluorocarbon. The catalyst includes palladium particles having a smaller particle size and a more uniform shape as compared to the existing Pd/C catalysts, and thus shows high catalytic activity.

Active studies have been conducted continuously to develop novel refrigerants substituting for the existing refrigerants due to the destruction of the ozone layer and the problem of global warming.
Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) compounds, which are not toxic to the human body and non-combustible, have high thermal and chemical stability, and thus are used widely in various industrial fields, including refrigerants, foaming agents, spraying agents, cleaning agents, or the like. CFC is also referred to as freon gas. CFC was discovered by Thomas Midgley (US) in 1928. However, since it was shown that CFC is broken into chlorine atoms by the solar UV rays to serve as a main cause of the destruction of the ozone layer, use of CFC has been restricted by the international regulation. Therefore, many studies which are conducted to develop novel refrigerants substituting for CFC have resulted in the finding of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC). HFC compounds include HFC-134a, HFC-152a, HFC-32, HJC-125, or the like. Among those, HFC-134a used widely as a refrigerant for cars has a low index of destruction of the ozone layer but is problematic in that it has a high global warming index, and thus EU prohibits the use of HFC-134a. It seems that the use of HFC-134a is gradually prohibited all over the world. Therefore, there has been a need for a novel refrigerant which does not adversely affect global warming as well as the destruction of the ozone layer. As an alternate refrigerant, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propene (HFO-1234yf), one of the HFC compounds, shows a low effect upon the destruction of the ozone layer and global warming, and thus is given many attentions as an eco-friendly refrigerant. HFO-1234yf is produced through a 4-step process including a hydrogenation of hexafluoropropylene (HFP) [K. Avril, B. Collier, U.S. Pat. No. 0,021,849 A1 (2011)]. Consequently, there is an imminent need for developing a high-quality catalyst for each step to accomplish cost-efficient production of HFO-1234yf.
Palladium is an active material used for various reaction steps and is used, for example, for a hydrogenation/dehydrogenation, removal of contaminants from car exhaust and cracking of petroleum [M. Fernandez-Garcia, A. Martinez-Arias, L. N. Salamanca, J. M. Coronado, J. A. Anderson, J. C. Conesa, and J. Soria, J. Catal., 187, 474 (1999); Y. Nishihata, J. Mizuki, T. Akao, H. Tanaka, M. Uenishi, M. Kimura, T. Okamoto, and N. Hamada, Nature, 418, 164 (2002); J. M. Thomas, B. F. G. Johnson, R. Raja, G. Sankar, and P. A. Midgley, Acc. Chem. Res., 36, 20 (2003)]. Particularly, palladium is used widely as a catalyst for organic synthesis reactions including a generation of a large amount of carbon-carbon bonds, such as Suzuki, Heck and Stille reaction [M. T. Reetz, and E. Westermann, Angew. Chem, Int. Ed., 39, 165 (2000); Y. Li, X. M. Hong, D. M. Collard, and M. A. EI-Sayed, Org. Lett., 2, 2385 (2000); S.-W. Kim, M. Kim, W. Y. Lee, and T. Hyeon, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 124, 7642 (2002)]. Herein, it is to be noted that the size and shape of a palladium catalyst become an important factor in determining the quality of catalyst for a reaction. For this, many studies have been conducted to provide palladium having various shapes. In most cases, many different organic solvents and surfactants are used. However, since such organic solvents are not eco-friendly, many attentions are given to an ionic liquid as a new eco-friendly solvent.
An ionic liquid is formed of ions only, and generally includes nitrogen-containing cations and relatively smaller anions. By virtue of such a structure, an ionic liquid has a low melting point, thermal stability, low volatility and high ion conductivity, and shows high solubility to metals, organic substances and organometallic compounds [P. Wasserscheid, and W. Keim, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 39, 3773 (2000); T. Welton, Chem. Rev., 99, 2071 (1999)].

Carbon-based palladium catalyst obtained by using ionic liquid, method for preparing the same and hydrogenation of hydrofluorocarbon using the same

KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A double-contact switch includes: a first and second tubular vacuum switching chamber formed as partial switching chambers of a switching tube; an electrode fixed in the switching tube and arranged between the first and second vacuum switching chambers and having a first fixed contact projecting into the first vacuum switching chamber and a second fixed contact projecting into the second vacuum switching chamber; a first electrode arranged in the first vacuum switching chamber and movable within the first vacuum switching chamber in an axial direction thereof, the first electrode having a region which bears a contact and is closed off in a gastight manner relative to an exterior of the first vacuum switching chamber; a second electrode arranged in the second vacuum switching chamber and movable within the second vacuum switching chamber in an axial direction thereof, the second electrode having a region which bears a contact.

International patent application WO 2015/091105 A1 discloses a hybrid switching arrangement for a hybrid switching device; in this document see FIG. 1. In order to switch high DC currents in the range above 500 amps while ensuring galvanic isolation after switching-off operations, a hybrid switch with a mechanical contact arrangement in the form of a special vacuum switching chamber is suitable, as has been presented in WO 2015/091096 A1. In this advantageous switching arrangement, two serially arranged contact pairs are connected via two independently actuated movable switching electrodes actuated independently of one another (in this document see FIG. 2). In a switching operation, one of the two contact pairs (the "commutation contact") is used to commutate the load current onto a semiconductor switch, preferably in the form of an IGBT, where this current is then brought down to zero within a very short time, while the second contact pair (the "isolating contact") finally ensures the galvanic separation of the parallel arrangement of commutation contact and semiconductor switch responsible for current disconnection.
In order to ensure as high a functional reliability as possible, in particular when switching currents in the range of a few hundred amps, care must be taken among other things in the design of such switches or switching arrangements that when such high currents are switched on permanent welding of the switching contacts does not occur. A welding of switching contacts can occur above all during the mechanical bounce at the moment of re-contacting.
In case of the aforementioned hybrid switching arrangements, a welding of in particular the commutation contacts can be successfully prevented by briefly activating the parallel-arranged power semiconductor during the switching-on phase so that the load current flows exclusively through said power semiconductor. During this phase which is critical for the welding of contacts, the commutation contact thereby remains load-free.
Under certain circumstances, a welding of the contact pair of the first circuit-breaker to which no semiconductor switch is connected in parallel can occur, for example when it closes at approximately the same time that the commutation contact closes. Since the isolating contact and the commutation contact are arranged in series both electrically and mechanically, a welding of the isolating contact is possible in principle during the phase of the switch-on bounce if, at the moment of its brief lifting, a load current is already flowing through the commutation contact or even through the semiconductor switch.
Japanese Utility Model JP S52 113371 U describes a double-contact switch with vacuum switching chambers and stop means which limit the path of movable contacts.

Double-contact switch having vacuum switching chambers


The invention relates to a method for setting an operating parameter in a peripheral IC. In this method, the operating parameter is transmitted from a central IC via a bus connection to the peripheral IC. The method is characterized in that the operating parameter is initially buffered in a preregister in the peripheral IC, and in that the buffered operating parameter is transferred into a working register only if a transfer signal is sent from the central IC via the bus connection. This method has the advantage that, for example in the case of rapidly changing receive conditions in a send/receive unit, adjustment of the send or receive gain setting is very flexible, and it is easy to avoid an incorrect setting due to a detected signal fluctuation. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out said method.

There is a continuous and even growing trend to increase the digitization of electrical devices in the household and in the field of consumer electronics. As part of this development, much effort is also being made to network the different digital devices in the household and thereby further increase their functionality. Wire-based bus systems such as the IEEE1394 bus, Powerline bus, USB bus, Ethernet, etc. are already specified and have been available for quite some time.
However, intensive work is also being conducted into standards for wireless networking of devices in the household. The so-called HIPERLAN Type 2 is cited as an example of a system which allows wireless networking of devices. In fact, this system has already been specified in an ETSI/BRAN standard. The exact title of this ETSI standard is Broadband Radio Access Networks (BRAN); High Performance Radio Local Area Network (HIPERLAN) Type 2. The complete standard comprises a number of parts, each of which can be ordered from ETSI in its latest version. Transmission of data as per this system takes place in the 5 GHz range. HIPERLAN2 devices contain a corresponding HIPERLAN2 interface which offers both send and receive functionality. The maximum speed of data transmission on a single channel is 32 megabits per second. This is achieved using a powerful Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFAM) transmission method. The following digital modulation methods can be used for the various subcarriers: BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM, and optionally 64QAM. With these digital modulation methods, it is vital when receiving that the signal amplitude at the demodulator input is set in a defined manner. Since the HIPERLAN2 interface is essentially constructed with two integrated circuits, one of which (the so-called front-end IC) is an analog IC, with the tuner and the mixer circuits, and the other of which (the baseband processor) is a digital IC, the actual signal amplitude is determined in the digital IC, but the receive gain has to be set in the analog IC. For this purpose, it must therefore be possible to transmit data from the digital IC to the analog IC. Fluctuations in the gain setting as the result of applying setting values which transpire to be unreliable should also be avoided whenever possible. There is also a requirement for a simple bus connection between the digital IC and the analog IC, with as few wires or lines as possible. Since it is preferable for the gain setting to become effective without lengthy delays, data transmission must also be very fast.

Method for setting an operating parameter a peripheral IC and device for carrying out said method


A system and methods for providing service assurance using real-time monitoring, management and maintenance capabilities to provide customers and vendors with information related to the state of the service. The service assurance domain implements end-to-end functionality with a level of granularity sufficient to diagnose issues to the device and call/session level.

The mobile telephone industry has been associated with tremendous growth over the last several years. Today's mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc.) can be utilized as full-service computing mechanisms. For example, many of the most recent and advanced mobile devices can be associated with word processing software, web browsing software, electronic mail software, accounting software, and various other types of software. In general, applications heretofore available only by way of computing devices and/or Internet protocol (IP) based network devices are now available on such mobile devices. This expansion in capability of mobile devices has largely been effectuated by the recent fixed-mobile convergence.
The rapid growth of the telecommunications industry has fueled a strong competition for market share in mobile-IP communication devices and communication service plans. The growing need for expanded products and services has led to different vendors combining products, services and applications to meet the demands and the timetable of the market. As the complexity of the online mobile system has grown the requirement for maintaining the system and providing vendors and customers enough information to operate and use the mobile system has increased dramatically, the market now requires mobile communications vendors to provide guaranteed levels of performance and availability. Accordingly, a new or evolved service assurance system. Further, the new service assurance system must be capable of spanning the products and services of different vendors without placing an undue implementation burden on any one participant. In this fashion, the new assurance system must be capable of implementation on different system platforms and be able to share information across platforms so this information may be consolidated and reported to the benefit of the mobile system, the vendors and the customers.
As the mobile communication market increases, the number of mobile subscribers increase, and the voice and data demands of such subscribers evolve and become more complex, the support networks provided by legacy voice and next generation data services must evolve as well. To meet this ever growing need, the mobile system must evolve to provide better incident management, problem management, lifecycle management and greater inter-domain coupling and automation. Accordingly, network architectures must adapt as numbers of subscribers and demands of such subscribers increase and evolve.

Systems and methods for real-time service assurance


Systems and methods for facilitating gaze tracking based on multiple images are disclosed. A gaze tracking system includes an optical module configured to receive illumination from a target and provide a background and tracking channel outputs, the background channel including ambient illumination and the tracking channel including ambient and controlled added illumination at a targeted range of wavelengths. The background and tracking channel outputs are provided to an imaging module configured to provide an associated set of background and tracking images to a processor module to facilitate gaze tracking. Controlled illumination of the target may be provided by an illumination element, in conjunction with the processor module, to facilitate gaze tracking.

In many applications it is desirable to track the movement of an object such as a person's eyes to determine where the person is looking. For example, it may be desirable to track eye movement of a computer user to determine where on the computer screen the user is looking. Eye tracking can be used to provide information to a computer or other device about an area of a display the person is viewing, potentially replacing other user interface devices such as mice or trackballs, and can also be used for a wide range of other applications.
Systems for tracking eye movement, also known as eye-gazing trackers, are known in art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,102, incorporated by reference herein, describes a single video camera based system for eye gaze tracking in the presence of ambient light, such as sunlight.
There are, however, a number of problems with current gaze tracking systems. These include compensating for variations in ambient light, variations in user aspect presented to the system, target distance from the system, system cost, as well as other problems.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved gaze tracking systems and methods to address the above and other problems.