A method for improving current carrying capacity of a second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape, which includes: stretching the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape in a high-temperature environment, and carrying out an oxygenation heat treatment on the stretched second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape The atmosphere of the high-temperature environment is oxygen, or an inert gas, or a mixture thereof, and a temperature of the high-temperature environment is 450-650° C.; and a strain for stretching ranges from 0.1% to 1%, and a time for stretching ranges from 1 minute to 100 hours. The method of the present invention is a post-processing technique for the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape with a simple treatment process and a controllable result, and by stretching, current carrying capacity of the superconducting tape is improved and anisotropy of superconductivity is reduced.

With high critical transition temperature, high current carrying capacity and high irreversible field, the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape, a practical superconducting material, can be used in a wide range of temperatures and applied magnetic fields. In order to meet the needs of different applications, the improvement of the current carrying density and the reduction of the anisotropy of superconductivity of the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape have become the research focus in the art. By far, there are two main technical solutions. The first method is to introduce a non-superconducting second phase as magnetic flux pinning center during the deposition of the superconducting layer (in-situ deposition or ex-situ deposition). The second method is to introduce some defects as magnetic flux pinning centers by applying a fast neutron radiation on the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape to improve the current carrying capacity. Though the former has been extensively studied, the content of the second phase and the control of the distribution and geometry of the second phase still needs to be further improved to increase the current carrying capacity of the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape; and the latter is limited by the technical conditions that the production scale cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, a simple and operable method for improving the current carrying capacity of the second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape is of great importance.

Method for improving current carrying capacity of second-generation high-temperature superconducting tape


In general, the invention relates to a method for transferring funds. The method includes receiving a request to initiate a secure fund transfer, where the request specifies a sender, a recipient, and an amount of funds to transfer from the sender to the recipient. The method further includes sending a request to verify that an account associated with the sender comprises at least the amount of funds to be transferred, receiving notification that the account comprises at least the amount of funds to be transferred, requesting a reservation of funds in the account corresponding to the amount of funds to be transferred, receiving notification of the reservation, notifying the recipient that the amount of funds to be transferred is reserved, initiating a transfer of funds, to the recipient, in the amount of the reserved funds, and receiving acknowledgment that the transfer of the funds is complete.

Commonly in business, two parties in different locations will require a transfer of funds as part of a business transaction. The funds are typically transferred using one of the following methods: physical check, fund transfer through an online bank, and electronic fund transfer (EFT) using a network for financial transactions (NFT). Each of these methods is described below.
If the funds a transferred using a physical check, the person sending funds to the recipient for goods or services typically mails a physical check to the recipient. Depending upon the method of delivery (e.g., regular mail, express mail, and/or other common couriers), the check may take a number of days to deliver. In the interim, the only surety the recipient has that payment will be made is the integrity of the sender; therefore, the recipient refrains from performing services or delivering goods until the check is received. Alternatively, the recipient performs before receipt of the check, but risks not receiving payment.
Online banks allow any person holding a credit card and/or a physical bank account to register with an online bank. After registration has been completed, the person is provided with an online bank account and may perform electronic transactions with any person other registered with the same online bank. With respect to transferring funds between parties, the online bank is able to electronically transfer funds from the physical bank account and/or credit cards into an online bank account. Further, the online banks are able to transfer funds between online bank accounts.
Similar to online banks, NFT provides an alternative to physical methods of payment. A NFT requires that the financial institutions involved in a NFT transaction (e.g., an EFT) be registered with the network. A NFT transaction is initiated by an Originator requesting authorization from a Receiver. Upon receipt of authorization from the Receiver, the Originator creates a NFT entry to be sent to the Originating Depository Financial Institution (ODFI). The entry is then passed to a NFT Operator, which upon receipt, sends the entry to the Receiving Depository Financial Institution (RDFI). Provided there are adequate funds in the ODFI and the entry is authorized, the RDFI will clear the transaction.

Method and system for using an electronic check system


An optical disc is provided with: a signal track formed on a signal recording surface of the optical disc; and a plurality of cross-talk detection areas each formed on a portion of the signal track and including pits for detecting a cross-talk. The signals are recorded on areas of the signal track other than the cross-talk detection areas. An apparatus for reproducing the signals recorded on the optical disk, is provided with: a device for receiving the reflected light and for generating read signals; a device for detecting the cross-talk detection areas, and for extracting signal components of the pits for detecting the cross-talk; a device for performing a predetermined operation on the extracted signal components and for generating a control signal; and a device for receiving the read signals and the control signal and for deriving a reproduced signal in which the cross-talk is eliminated.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention generally relates to optical discs and an apparatus for reproducing signals recorded on optical discs. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an optical disc in which signals for canceling a cross talk are recorded on a plurality of signal tracks, and an apparatus for reproducing signals recorded on such an optical disc in which a cross talk is canceled using the signals read from the plurality of signal tracks.
2. Description of the Related Art:
As one of various types of optical discs, there is an optical disc in which a signal pit string formed on its signal recording surface is spirally arranged from an inner side of the optical disc to an outer side thereof. A plurality of tracks are formed by a plurality of turns of the signal pit string. In order to enhance the recording density and thus obtain a large storage capacity, several approaches may be taken. For example, the recording density can be improved by arranging an increased number of pits in a direction of tracks. It is also possible to improve the recording density by narrowing the size of a laser beam used for reading information recorded on the optical disc. It is also possible to increase the recording density by decreasing the track pitch.
The track pitch has a limited value dependent on the size of a light spot converged on the optical disc. If the track pitch is decreased without a change in the spot size, signals recorded on adjacent tracks will be read together with a signal recorded on the target track. Hence, the cross talk increases and it becomes difficult to reproduce only the signal recorded on the target track.
In order to reduce the influence of the cross talk as described above, the following method has been proposed. That is, three light spots are concurrently projected onto three respective adjacent tracks, and signals are read from the tracks by using lights reflected thereby. A cross talk mixed with the read signal of the center track is tried to be cancelled by using the read signals of the other two tracks. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 3-40225 discloses a cross-talk cancelling method using a variable frequency filter. In this method, a frequency characteristic (filter coefficients) of the variable frequency filter is varied to find an optimum point to reduce the cross talk component in the output signal thereof. Another cross-talk cancelling method has been proposed in which cancelling coefficients (filter coefficients) are calculated so that the signals read from the adjacent tracks would have no correlation (see "NIKKEI ELECTRONICS", Nikkei BP company, No. 495, Mar. 19, 1991, pp. 98-99).
However, the above cross-talk canceling methods have a disadvantage in that it takes a long time to obtain optimal filter coefficients and thus it is difficult to rapidly respond to a change in the state of the optical disc. Further, the above-mentioned cross-talk canceling methods are not capable of eliminating the influence of an asymmetrical aberration of a lens system (coma aberration) and a warp of the optical disc. Hence, in these cases, it is difficult to effectively reduce cross talk.

Optical disc and apparatus for reproducing signals recorded on the same


A method and apparatus for splitting non-metallic substrates includes a laser for generating a laser beam. An integrated cracking devices receives the laser beam and directs the laser beam onto a non-metallic substrate to define the heat affected zone and quench the substrate at a quenching region contained within the heat affected zone. This integrated cracking device includes a housing and optics fitted within the housing for receiving and directing the laser beam onto the substrate. A quenching nozzle is mounted on the housing for quenching the substrate at a quenching region defined within the heat affected zone.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for precisely separating non-metallic materials into a plurality of smaller pieces, and more particularly, this the invention relates to a method and apparatus for splitting non-metallic materials by controlling internal forces and propagating a microcrack to separate a material along a desired path.
Propagating a microcrack in a brittle material by using a laser has-been known for at least three decades by those skilled in the art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,871 to Lumley, the disclosure which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, ceramic substrates are parted by reflecting a focused laser beam off a mirrored surface so that the focal point of the beam impinges upon the lower surface of the substrate of an extreme edge. After a localized fracture, the substrate is displaced, relative to the laser beam, to intercept the beam before it is reflected from the mirrored surface. The laser beam is intercepted by the upper surface of the substrate before the beam reaches its focal point, resulting in the beam energy being distributed over a larger area. As displacement continues, the localized fracture is controllably propagated.
This technique has not yet become commercially viable for many applications because of slow process speeds, complicated laser modes, poor understanding of laser scribing mechanisms, and time consuming, archaic two-step processes (e.g. scribe and break), which generate particulate and microcracks, thus counteracting a primary advantage of laser separation.
To overcome these and other known disadvantages, fast, reliable laser scribing, single step separation, and efficient use of a device that is simple yet powerful are desirable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus that separates non-metallic materials through highly controlled propagation of a microcrack and precise splitting.
The present invention is advantageous and includes features that enable fast process speeds, full separation, increased accuracy, highly controlled thermal gradients, improved edge quality, effective crosscutting, reduced edge effects, a simplified design, and increased flexibility and reduced cost.
The present invention is advantageous and provides a method and apparatus for splitting non-metallic substrates such as silicon or ceramic as non-limiting example, and comprises the steps of initiating a microcrack within a substrate and scribing the substrate with a laser beam at a heat affected zone that has been imparted onto the substrate by the laser beam. The microcrack is quenched at a quenching region that is contained within the heat affected zone by passing fluid from a quenching nozzle onto the substrate. A force is applied onto the substrate at a location behind the quenching region to break the substrate while maintaining residual forces below a critical breaking force in front of the quenching region.
The microcrack can be initiated with a mechanical initiator. In one aspect of the present invention, the laser beam is directed around the quenching nozzle via mirrors associated with the quenching nozzle. The fluid that is passed from the quenching nozzle can be a liquid and/or gas. A vacuum can also be drawn through the nozzle to remove any residual liquid and control gas flow. The temperature of the substrate can be elevated in a programmed manner before scribing, such as passing laser light through one of either a faceted or difractive optical lens element.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the substrate is scribed with a laser beam via an integrated cracking device. The quenching nozzle is integral with the integrated cracking device. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the integrated cracking device includes a housing with the quenching nozzle mounted on the housing. Optics are fitted within the housing for receiving and directing the laser beam onto the substrate. In one aspect of the present invention, the optics include a mirror and single element lens fitted within the housing. The single element lens can comprise a double asymmetric cylinder lens element.

Method and apparatus for separating non-metallic materials


There is provided a highly efficient virtual image projection device in a small size that displays images of high luminance in which an illumination system is reduced in size with no degradation in an effective luminous light beam. A virtual image projection device that shows video to a human eye includes a virtual light source surface (116) that emits a light beam in a predetermined angular distribution, an image forming lens (117) that condenses the light beam from the virtual light source surface (116), and a display (120) that creates video. When the virtual light source surface (116) is disposed at a nearly focal position on the front side of the image forming lens (117), the display (120) is disposed at a nearly focal position on the rear side of the image forming lens.

Conventionally, a virtual image projection device that is referred to as a head mounted display (in the following, which is abbreviated to HMD), which is mounted on the head of a user by the user, is known. The user visually recognizes the virtual images of moving images or still images that are displayed by the HMD, and thus the user can acquire various pieces of information.
In order to enable the use of the HMD under various environments, there is a request to carry the HMD. In order to carry the HMD, the HMD has to be in a small size. In order to carry and drive the HMD, a form is thought in which a battery is mounted for use. In order to increase the luminance of images and to prolong drive time, it is necessary to increase the discharge capacity of a battery. More specifically, in a binocular HMD, when images displayed on each of the left and the right eyes by simultaneously lighting a light source to create the images, the power consumption of the light source is increased. A battery that withstands a large power consumption and has a large discharge capacity is increased in size, and the HMD is also increased in size.
In regard to this, PTL 1 discloses a virtual image display device in which a video light beam is guided by a prism-shaped member to create an intermediate image and thus the overall optical system can be reduced in size.


An amplifier comprises an amplifier circuit which comprises a first inductor as an impedance element for degeneration, and a control circuit which has a second inductor electro-magnetically connected to the first inductor, and changes a control current flowing through the second inductor to change an inductance value of the first inductor, thereby changing amplification characteristics of the amplifier circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a variable inductor, and more particularly to a variable inductor which uses a circuit constituted of an active element and a plurality of interconnected inductors to change inductance.
Additionally, this invention relates to an oscillator having an inductor, and a radio terminal having an inductor, and also relates to improvements in a circuit designing technology of an amplifier and a radio terminal and a gain varying method of the amplifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in order to vary characteristics of an electronic circuit, characteristics of an active element or a value of a passive element included in the circuit is changed. For the active element, the characteristics of the active element can be changed by changing a bias voltage applied to the active element. For the passive element, a passive element, for example, a variable resistive element can be easily realized by using ON resistance of a MOSFET, and a variable capacitive element can be easily realized by using a pn junction.
For an inductor as a passive element, it is generally considered difficult to vary inductance while maintaining good characteristics. A method which uses an active element to constitute an inductor and varies inductance is disclosed in ELECTRONICS LETTERS 2nd January, Vol. 28, No. 21, pp. 78 to 80, 1992. However, there is a problem of bad characteristics of noise or distortion because of use of the active element for the inductor.
Thus, various technologies have been presented, which vary inductance without constituting an inductor of an active element. However, all of these technologies have problems in practical application. For example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-162331 discloses a method which inserts a switch into the middle of an inductor, and turns the switch ON/OFF to change inductance. This method has a problem that ON resistance of the switch deteriorates performance of the variable inductor.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-223317 discloses a method which physically changes a shape of an inductor by a laser beam. This method necessitates a physical adjustment of the inductor after it is manufactured. Thus, there are problems of high manufacturing costs and a difficulty of changing inductance in a situation where a circuit is operated.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 7-320942 discloses a technology which constitutes a variable inductor by using interconnection of a plurality of inductors. According to this method, a shape of the inductor is physically changed in order to change a coupling coefficient. Thus, there are problems of miniaturization and low costs of a circuit which constitutes the variable inductor.
Further, D. R. Pehlke et al. have presented, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,985, a technology which uses a directional coupler to separate an input signal into two, and controls amplitudes and phases of signals flowing through two interconnected inductors to change inductance. However, since the directional coupler is not generally suited for integration, there is a problem that it is difficult to realize a variable inductor by an integrated circuit.
By realizing the variable inductor, it is also possible to control even a voltage-controlled oscillator (VOC) which includes an LC resonant circuit (inductor: inductance L, capacitor: capacity C). An oscillation frequency (f) of the voltage controlled oscillator which includes this LC resonant circuit is generally represented by f=½[2π(LC)½]. If the inductance l or the capacity C is controlled, the oscillation frequency (f) is controlled. However, in the conventional LC resonant circuit, it is difficult to realize a variable inductor as described above. Generally, therefore, the capacity C is varied, for example, a reverse bias application voltage to a pn junction diode is changed to vary the capacity C and, by changing this capacity, the oscillation frequency is changed.
If such a voltage controlled oscillator is formed as an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate, i.e., IC formation, a parasitic capacitance, e.g., a parasitic capacitance of the inductor, a drain parasitic capacitance of a MOS transistor, a gate parasitic capacitance of the MOS transistor or the like, is generated. Generation of such a parasitic capacitance is inevitable, and thus there is a problem that such a parasitic capacitance reduces a fluctuation width in a variable capacity C of the LC resonant circuit. For example, if a fluctuation amount of the capacity C is ΔC, a parasitic capacitance amount is added to a denominator as a non-fluctuation portion while a design fluctuation rate is assumed to be ΔC/C. Thus, in practice, there is a problem that the fluctuation rate becomes small, i.e., ΔC/(C+parasitic capacitance). Though it is dependent on a circuit design or the like, if the capacity C and the parasitic capacitance are about equal, a change rate is reduced to about ½.
Because of the presence of such a parasitic capacitance, a ratio of the capacity value of the LC resonant circuit occupied by the variable capacity C is inevitably reduced. Thus, compared with a change rate of the variable capacity C, a change in the capacity value of the LC resonant circuit is reduced and, consequently, a variable range of an oscillation frequency is narrowed.
Today, however, a frequency band used for a portable telephone, a radio LAN device or the like has been widened, and there is a case where a plurality of frequency bands are dealt with by one device. Thus, there has been an increase in demand for expansion of a change width of the oscillation frequency. From this viewpoint, realization of a variable inductor is desired.
The variable inductor can be applied to an amplifier provided with an inductor. For example, in an amplifier which comprises the inductor for degeneration, if its inductance is reduced, distortion characteristics are deteriorated while a gain and noise characteristics of the amplifier are improved. Conversely, if the inductance is increased, a gain and noise characteristics are deteriorated while distortion characteristics are improved. Because of this trade-off relation, an inductance value is decided to obtain desired characteristics when the amplifier is designed.
Generally, realization of low distortion characteristics while maintaining a high gain and low noise characteristics is dealt with by increasing the amount of a current. In the amplifier used for a receiver of a radio terminal, characteristics necessary for the amplifier are different depending on a sized of a received signal. Generally, since it is considered important to amplify a signal at low noise if the received signal is small, a good gain and good noise characteristics are required of the amplifier. On the other hand, if the received signal is large, good distortion characteristics are required.
In the conventional amplifier which comprises the inductor for degeneration, since inductance is fixed, the amount of a supplied current is controlled in order to change the characteristics of the amplifier. That is, to improve distortion characteristics, a current is controlled so as to increase the amount of a supplied current. However, an increase in the amount of a current made to change the characteristics of the amplifier creates a problem of increased power consumption.
Further, there is disclosed a circuit example of a variable gain amplifier in Dual-Band High-linearity Variable-Gain Low-Noise Amplifier for Wireless Applications K. L. Fong, "Dual-Band High-Linearity Variable-Gain Low-Noise Amplifier for Wireless Applications," IEEE ISSCC99, pp 224 to 225, 1999. In this variable gain amplifier, a first-stage common emitter circuit constituted of a first transistor Q1 is always operated, and gain switching is realized by switching second to fourth transistors Q2 to Q4 which constitute a first-stage common base circuit. Since the first transistor Q1 is operated, input impedance is not greatly changed even if a gain is switched. However, a fixed current is always consumed, and distortion characteristics are substantially constant.
However, in the conventional circuit disclosed in Dual-Band High-Linearity Variable-Gain Low-Noise Amplifier for Wireless Applications K. L. Fong, "Dual-Band High-Linearity Variable-Gain Low-Noise Amplifier for Wireless Applications," IEEE ISSCC99, pp 224 to 225, 1999, there is a problem that a large current is consumed even when a gain is low, and distortion characteristics are about similar to those when the gain is high. To realize an amplification stage of a basically high gain and good distortion characteristics, current consumption is necessary to a certain extent. In the case of a gain which is not so high or to attenuate a signal, it is possible to realize an amplification stage of good distortion characteristics without consuming a current so greatly. However, if a plurality of amplification stages are switched, there is a problem of a change in input impedance.
As described above, the variable inductor of the conventional art has a problem in electric characteristics, and there is a problem that it is difficult to realize miniaturization, low costs and an integrated circuit.
In the radio terminal such as a portable telephone, there is a strong demand for making an adaptive characteristic change of amplifier characteristics in accordance with a received signal level, while lower power consumption is similarly demanded strongly. In the amplifier which uses a fixed inductor for degeneration, the only way to improve distortion characteristics is to increase the amount of a current, which brings about an increase in power consumption.

Variable inductor, oscillator including the variable inductor and radio terminal comprising this oscillator, and amplifier including the variable inductor and radio terminal comprising this amplifier


The invention relates to compositions useful for bone repair and methods of preparing the same. The invention is particularly suitable for bone repair of large bone defects. In an aspect of the invention, the compositions comprise a biocompatible polymer and a clay that form a scaffold. In a further aspect of the invention, the multiple scaffolds can be configured together to form scaffold blocks.

A significant number of people require bone defect-related medical treatments each year. These treatments can be due to bone fractures or disorders and medical conditions that affect bone tissue. Further, the incidence of bone disorders and conditions has increased in recent years and is expected to continue to increase. Bone defect-treatments are not limited to humans, but also affect animals.
Fractures can vary from minor fractures requiring little medical attention to severe fractures requiring surgery and other extensive treatments. Severe fractures that encompass significant bone loss, crushing or multiple fractures do not self-heal (nonunion bone defects) and require surgical procedures to repair the bone defect. Nonunion bone defects are found more often in victims of trauma such as car accidents, farming and industrial accidents, war injuries, and sports injuries, for example, where it is reported that over 50% of bone fractures in the proximity of open wounds and 10% of fractures as a result of internal injuries are nonunion type bone defects. Nonunion bone defects are more complex, and require substantially more healing time, have a greater chance of near-term and long-term complications, and carry a disproportional amount of expense as compared with the 'simpler' fractures. Existing treatments for bridging of nonunion bone defects include the use of metallic plates, rods, and screws or by grafting bone tissue from other regions of the body, from a cadaver, or an animal. For the patient to return to normal functionality it is important for the patient to have as near as possible a restoration of structural integrity of the injured bone. These existing procedures, e.g., use of metallic inserts or grafted bone, have limitations and downsides.
Metallic inserts can have issues with stress shielding where the mismatch of mechanical properties can cause deterioration of surrounding bone, problems with anchoring (especially in cases where bone fragmentation occurs, and where anchoring is most crucial), higher risks of infections, chronic pain, issues with long-term performance. The long-term concerns with metallic inserts are particularly problematic for use in children due to the necessary longevity of the repaired bone.
Bone grafting also suffers from limitations and downsides. Generally, there are three types of bone grafting—autogenous, allogenic, and xenogenic. Autogenous grafts (often referred to as autografts) employ the patient's own bone removed from another section of their body. Advantages of autogenous bone grafting is that there is substantially little risk of tissue rejection and the tissue contains living cellular material that is beneficial for healing. A significant disadvantage is that it requires an additional surgery and the removal of bone from that site. For some patients, autogenous bone grafting is not a possibility at all. Allogenic bone grafting employs bone tissue removed from a cadaver. Xenogenic bone grafting employs bone tissue removed from another species, e.g., use of a cow's bone tissue in a human patient. Allogenic and xenogeneic bone grafting suffer several problems including difficulties in tissue matching and potential rejection and the lack of living cellular material in the bone itself. Due to the lack of living cellular material in allogenic and xenogenic bone tissue, the grafted bones are unable to grow and merely serve as a framework for other tissue to grow over.
There has been investigation into alternative sources for bone tissue engineering. One such avenue has been the investigation of polymeric scaffolds. However, many polymeric scaffolds have proven unsuitable due to poor mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elastic modulus, compression, the pore size and hierarchy of pores.
Thus, there is a need for alternative bone grafting materials. Further, there is a need for bone grafting materials that have an ability to integrate with adjacent tissue. Additionally, it is desirable to provide bone grafting materials that can employ living cellular material.

Block-scaffolds for bone regeneration using nano-clay polymer scaffolds


A tilt detector and tilt detecting method of detecting a tilt amount by using a tracking error signal, for example, a push-pull signal, obtained from the difference in quantities of light received by a photo detector halved in a direction vertical to the track direction, and correcting an error of tilt amount detected by the imbalance of the light beam on the mirror surface.. An optical recording medium for emphasizing the asymmetricity to the track center of the tracking error signal by changing a spatial frequency in the direction vertical to the track at a specified portion to the spatial frequency in the direction vertical to the track at another portion.. An optical disk drive and tilt correcting method including the steps of calculating an off-track amount which is proportional to a tilt amount detected by a tilt detector, giving the off-track calculated by the off-track calculating means to an optical recording medium by an actuator, and maintaining the center of the light beam intensity at the track center.

The present invention relates to an optical recording medium such as an optical disk and a magneto-optical disk capable of recording information in each track formed by a land and a groove provided between the lands, a tilt detector of optical recording medium, an optical disk drive, and a tilt detecting method and tilt correcting method of optical recording medium.
Optical disks include, aside from a read-only optical disk such as a CD-ROM, a direct read after write optical disk capable of recording additionally, a rewritable magneto-optical disk, and a phase change type disk, among others, and larger capacity and higher density are demanded recently along with the progress of the electronic society.
To increase the memory capacity of an optical disk, it has been attempted to shorten the wavelength of the laser beam used for the light beam, and to increase the numerical aperture (NA) of the lens used in the emission of the light beam and the reception of its reflected light. As a result, however, the tolerance for tilt (inclination of an optical disk) has now been narrowed.
In conventional measures for detecting tilt, the light beam was emitted to the optical disk, the tilt amount of the optical disk was detected from the difference in the quantities of light received by two photo sensors mounted on the periphery of the emission lens, and the lens, actuator, entire carriage or the spindle itself was inclined depending on the detection signal, thereby decreasing the tilt amount.
This method was applied, however, only in the optical disk drives not requiring high speed access, such as video discs, and since the mechanism itself is inclined, the response time is slow, and it could not be applied in optical disk drive requiring a high speed access, such as those used in computers.

Optical recording medium, tilt detector, optical disk drive, tilt detecting method, and tilt correcting method


In a gear pump, an outer inner wall surface of a suction port which is located on a downstream side in a rotor rotation direction, that is, a first inner wall surface, is located inward of a bottom land between internal teeth of an outer rotor, and the suction port has a shallow portion extended inward from the first inner wall surface on the downstream side in the rotor rotation direction, and a deep portion that is formed so as to be continuous with the shallow portion and that is deeper than the shallow portion. Communication between an inter-tooth chamber and the suction port is cut off with the inter-tooth chamber facing only the shallow portion.

Conventionally, a gear pump having a separation protrusion that separates an downstream end of a suction port into an inner end facing external teeth of an inner rotor and an outer end facing internal teeth of an outer rotor, a shallow flat surface formed to have a greater length in the circumferential direction as it extends closer to the outside in the radial direction from a protruding end portion of the separation protrusion, and a tilted bottom surface connected to an upstream edge of the shallow flat surface is known as this type of gear pump (see, e.g., Patent Document 1). In this gear pump, liquid that flows from the outer end of the suction port into the internal tooth side of an inter-tooth chamber whose communication with the suction port is about to cut off is limited by the shallow flat surface, and the liquid is made to flow from the inner end into the external tooth side of the inter-tooth chamber, thereby suppressing cavitation on the inner side of the external teeth.
Conventionally, a rotary pump is also known which has a suction port having an opening added in a linear portion connecting a small arc-shaped surface and a large arc-shaped surface at a terminal end in the rotation direction of an inner rotor (see, e.g., Patent Document 2). In this rotary pump, the opening is completely closed in an inner peripheral portion of the suction port by an end face of the inner rotor immediately before capacity of an inter-tooth chamber (space) is maximized. Moreover, a rotary pump is also conventionally known which has a suction port in which a linear portion connecting a small arc-shaped surface and a large arc-shaped surface at a terminal end in the rotation direction of an inner rotor to form a closing portion in the rotation direction is located on an extended line of a straight line passing through or near the center of an outer rotor, and a shape using a straight line, an arc, a trochoid curve, etc. is added to a portion defined by a trochoid curved surface of the inner rotor and an inscribed circle in each trochoid curved surface so that the edge wall of the suction port almost extends along the line defining the portion (see, e.g., Patent Document 3). In this rotary pump, the portion added in the shape using a straight line, an arc, a trochoid curve, etc. to the suction port is completely closed in an inner peripheral portion of the suction port by an end face of the inner rotor immediately before capacity of the inter-tooth chamber (space) is maximized. A volume pump is also conventionally known in which an outer edge in the radial direction has a suction port (intake port) formed so as to be located inward of the outer side of a gap between an inner gerotor and an outer gerotor (a bottom land between internal teeth) (see, e.g., Patent Document 4). In this volume pump, since the outer edge is located radially inward, fluid that has flown into the inter-tooth chamber prevents stirring of fluid returning to the suction port by a centrifugal pressure.

Gear pump including an inner rotor having a plurality of teeth


A high-frequency incision instrument for an endoscope configured to project forward and retreat, through a forward end portion of a flexible over tube, a rod electrode disposed close thereto by remote operation from an operating unit connected to a proximal end portion of the over tube. The high-frequency incision instrument includes a fixed stopper and a movable stopper located close to a forward end portion of the over tube and to a proximal end portion of the rod electrode respectively, to be butted to each other to define a maximum projection length of the rod electrode from the forward end portion of the over tube. The movable stopper is axially movable with respect to the rod electrode, and the operating unit includes a stopper position adjuster that adjusts by remote operation a distance between a farthest end portion of the rod electrode and the movable stopper.

The present invention relates to a high-frequency incision instrument for an endoscope.
A high-frequency incision instrument for an endoscope is inserted through an instrument insertion channel of the endoscope for incising a mucous membrane or another part of a human body when put to use, and is generally configured to project forward and retreat, through a forward end portion of a flexible over tube, a rod electrode disposed close thereto by remote operation from an operating unit connected to a proximal side of the over tube.
In such operation, the incision depth of the mucous membrane or another part varies depending on the state of the affected part to be incised, the environment of use of the high-frequency incision instrument and so forth. Accordingly, some high-frequency incision instruments are configured such that a maximum projection length of the rod electrode from the forward end portion of the over tube can be adjusted as desired, thereby enabling incising the affected part to a safe and optimal depth, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2002-113016 (hereinafter, referred to as '016 publication).
The high-frequency incision instrument according to '016 publication includes a pair of stoppers respectively disposed at a forward end portion of the over tube and a proximal end portion of the rod electrode so as to be butted to each other to thereby determine a maximum projection length of the rod electrode from the forward end portion of the over tube, and the control of the maximum projection length of the rod electrode is executed by adjusting a position of a forward mouthpiece screw-fitted on the forward end portion of the over tube.
However, the forward end portion of the over tube where the rod electrode is disposed is inserted into the body through the instrument insertion channel of the endoscope when the high-frequency incision instrument is in actual use. Accordingly, for adjusting the maximum projection length of the rod electrode in accordance with the state of the affected part, the high-frequency incision instrument has to be drawn out once through the instrument insertion channel, which often leads to troubles such as repeated adjustment procedures and losing track of the affected part.
To alleviate such troubles, it might be an option to provide a variable stopper that controls the maximum projection length of the rod electrode on the operating unit close to the operator, however when the high-frequency incision instrument is inserted through the endoscope which is serpentinely inserted in the body, the adjustment of the stopper performed on the proximal side is not correctly reflected in the resulting projection length of the rod electrode from the forward end portion of the over tube. Providing the stopper at a proximal position, therefore, is not effective in accurately adjusting the maximum projection length of the rod electrode.

High-frequency incision instrument for endoscope


A medical system for treating an internal tissue opening can include a closure device and associated delivery device. The closure device can include a body portion operatively associated with a first anchor and a second anchor. The body portion can include a plurality of segments defining a multi-cellular structure. The closure device can be configured to apply lateral force to tissue of the internal tissue opening to bring tissue together. The closure device can have a substantially flat aspect, and have a depth thickness that is substantially greater than the thickness or width of a majority of the members forming the closure device to reduce out of plane bending. The closure device can also include a member adapted to induce tissue growth.

Physical malformations or defects that are present at birth can be detrimental and even lethal when left uncorrected. A PFO is an example of a cardiac birth defect that can be problematic and even result in death when combined with other factors such as blood clots or other congenital heart defects. A PFO occurs when an opening between the upper two chambers of the heart fail to close after birth.
Some of the problems associated with a PFO can occur when a blood clot travels from the right to the left atria of the heart through the PFO, and lodges in an artery that feeds blood to the brain. A blood clot in the left atrium can be passed through the aorta and travel to the brain or other organs, and cause embolization, stroke, or a heart attack. A PFO can be treated by being closed by a surgical procedure. Additionally, other similar defects (e.g. septal or otherwise) where some tissue needs to be closed in order to function properly can include the general categories of atrial-septal defects ("ASDs"), ventricular-septal defects ("VSD's") and patent ductus arteriosus ("PDA"), and the like.
FIGS. 1A-1C depict various views of a heart having a PFO. The heart 10 is shown in a cross-section view in FIG. 1A. In a normal heart 10, the right atrium 30 receives systemic venous blood from the superior vena cava 15 and the inferior vena cava 25, and then delivers the blood via the tricuspid valve 35 to the right ventricle 60. However, in the depicted heart 10 a septal defect, which is shown as a PFO 50, is present between right atrium 30 and left atrium 40.
The PFO 50 is depicted as an open flap on the septum between the heart's right atrium 30 and left atrium 40. In a normal heart 10, the left atrium 40 receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via pulmonary artery 75, and then delivers the blood to the left ventricle 80 via the mitral valve 45. In a heart 10 having a PFO 50 some systemic venous blood can also pass from the right atrium 30 through the PFO 50 and mixes with the oxygenated blood in left atrium 40, and then is routed to the body from left ventricle 80 via aorta 85.
During fetal development of the heart 10, the interventricular septum 70 divides the right ventricle 60 and left ventricle 80. In contrast, the atrium is only partially partitioned into right and left chambers during normal fetal development, which results in a foramen ovale fluidly connecting the right and left atrial chambers. As shown in FIG. 1B, when the septum primum 52 incompletely fuses with the septum secundum 54 of the atrial wall, the result can be a tunnel 58 depicted as a PFO 50.
FIG. 1C provides a view of the crescent-shaped, overhanging configuration of the septum secundum 54 from within the right atrium 30 in a heart 10 having a PFO 50. The septum secundum 54 is defined by its inferior aspect 55, corresponding with the solid line in FIG. 1C, and its superior aspect 53 represented by the phantom line, which is its attachment location to the septum primum 52. The septum secundum 54 and septum primum 52 blend together at the ends of the septum secundum 54. The anterior end 56a and posterior end 56p are referred to herein as "merger points" for the septum secundum 54 and septum primum 52. The length of the overhang of the septum secundum 54, which is the distance between superior aspect 53 and inferior aspect 55, increases towards the center portion of the septum secundum as shown.
The tunnel 58 between the right atrium 30 and left atrium 40 is defined by portions of the septum primum 52 and septum secundum 54 between the merger points 56a and 56p which have failed to fuse. The tunnel 58 is often at the apex of the septum secundum 54 as shown. When viewed within right atrium 30, the portion of the septum secundum 54 to the left of tunnel 58, which is referred to herein as the posterior portion 57p of the septum secundum, is longer than the portion of the septum secundum 54 to the right of tunnel 58, which is referred to herein as the anterior portion 57a of the septum secundum 54. In addition to being typically longer, the posterior portion 57p also typically has a more gradual taper than the anterior portion 57a as shown. The anterior pocket 59a is the area defined by the overhang of the anterior portion 57a of the septum secundum 54 and the septum primum 52, and it extends from the anterior merger point 56a toward the tunnel 58. Similarly, the posterior pocket 59p is the area defined by the overhang of the posterior portion 57p of septum secundum 54 and the septum primum 52, and it extends from the posterior merger point 56p toward the tunnel 58.
Conventional treatments for PFO, and other related conditions have generally involved invasive surgery, which also presents risks to a patient. Although there are some less invasive treatments for PFO, such treatments have been less efficient at closing the PFO opening than techniques involving invasive surgery.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Devices for reducing the size of an internal tissue opening


A wire guiding device includes a base and a guide portion for streamlining the flow of coiled wire from a storage container. Side walls may be included to bridge the distance between the device and the storage container to prevent wire from rising upward around the outside of the wire guiding device. As the amount of wire in the bin decreases, the wire guiding device will float downward maintaining constant downward pressure on the coil of wire. Wire in the storage container will therefore be drawn out in a smooth manner limiting or substantially preventing tangles. Protrusions may also be formed around the peripheral edge of the wire guiding device for preventing the wire from rising up and over the wire guiding device.

Wire is frequently packaged and stored in drums for delivery to an end user. In particular, wire such as that used for welding or soldering, is wound in coils as it is placed in the drums. Once shipped to the end user, the wire is dispensed from the container for use in numerous processes. In many instances, the wire is left in the container and metered out as needed without removing the entire coil. Suppliers frequently incorporate a twist in the wire as it is fed into the drum, which helps the wire emerge without rotating as it is drawn back out.
However, dispensing wire from coils presents the problem of unwinding the wire uniformly without intertwining or forming knots, which can lead to defects or breaks in the wire resulting in costly downtime. The wire may tangle in any number of ways. For example, multiple loops of wire may be drawn from the top of the coil at the same time entangling the wire as it drawn from the drum. In other instances, loops of wire may unravel and fall behind the coil causing the wire to intertwine.
Solutions intent on obviating these problems have been previously implemented using a payout ring having an aperture for guiding the wire during the unwinding process. The ring is placed inside the container and on top of the coil. An end of the wire is fed through the aperture. The aperture in the payout ring is typically smaller than the inner diameter of the coiled wire bundle. When the wire is drawn from the coil, it contacts the payout ring around the edge of the aperture. However, the payout ring does not provide a gradual transition surface over which the wire may smoothly flow. Rather, the planar nature of the payout rings causes the wire to break over a relatively sharp edge as it drawn from the container.
What is needed is a device that allows coiled wire to be dispensed from a container without tangling and kinking. The embodiments of the subject invention obviate the aforementioned problems by providing a wire guiding device that limits or substantially prevents the wire from binding and tangling as it is drawn out of the container or drum.


A motorcycle fairing comprised of plastic or composite material fabricated and assembled to form: a front, substantially hemisphere shaped fender or nacelle fairing section which substantially encloses the front wheel of the motorcycle and is affixed to the upper front fork assembly of the motorcycle allowing the front wheel to be turned laterally independent of the attitude of the main frame of the motorcycle; and a frame mounted fairing which intersects and substantially encompasses the hemispherical front wheel fender section within a matching hemispherical shaped socket located in the frontal portion of said frame mounted fairing, which fairing then extends rearward along, and substantially parallel to the main frame of the motorcycle, with both fairing sections together substantially enclosing the front wheel, headlight, and engine of the motorcycle.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the field of motorcycle fairings, and specifically a means of combining into this invention and improving upon the superior aerodynamic efficiency, and subsequent increased fuel efficiency and performance characteristics attendant to the historical dustbin fairing (substantially enclosing front wheel and fork assembly) design found on road racing motorcycles in Europe of the historical period ranging from approximately 1953 to 1957 when said dustbin designs were relative common usage in competitive motorcycle road racing in, while incorporating the front wheel and fork lateral turning ability of existing fairing types legally suitable for operation upon public roads.
2. Background of the Invention
Existing motorcycle fairings are designed to decrease the negative effects of aerodynamic drag upon the motorcycle and rider, thereby increasing, speed, efficiency, and/or rider comfort. However, all existing fairing types (prior art) suitable for public 'road legal' use are only marginally effective in achieving these goals owing to compromises made in aerodynamic efficiency, in order to accommodate turning of the motorcycle. As the purpose of the new invention is to dramatically overcome the aerodynamic limitations of existing fairings, but in a design also suitable for practical, everyday use—it is necessary to first describe the types of prior art in existence. These fairing types mostly fall into two general categories, both of which encompass motorcycles designed for use on hard, smooth, street or track surfaces. The first general category will be identified as 'road legal', and which will contain motorcycle frontal fairings designed for legal use on public roads. The second general category will be identified as 'specialty fairings,' and will describe motorcycle fairings designed for competitive sport racing; speed record attempts; and fuel, efficiency, and general research testing. A third type of fairing has been proposed by this inventor, in patent application Ser. No. 11/653,452 filing date Jan. 16, 2007, which is an alteration of elements of the first two types, but which is not in substantial use as of the date of this specification. Therefore the following discussion will most emphasize the first two fairing category types noted above, with a discussion of this third type to follow.
Beginning with the road legal category of motorcycle fairings, the types of frontal fairing found on motorcycles designed for legal use on public roads can be generally described as belonging to one of two types, dependant upon the location of the points of attachment used to secure the fairing to the motorcycle. These two attachment-point described types of categories can be described as either: in the first instance—the fork-mounted type; and in the second instance—the frame mounted type. In regard to second type, the frame mounted type has been common in the post World War II period, and the fork mounted type is most probably nearly as old as the existence of the motorcycle itself, having been a natural evolution from the first rudimentary motorcycle windshields developed early in the twentieth century.
In the fork-mounted type, the fairing is generally less expensive, more simple, smaller, and most notably—the fairing is attached to the front forks, and/or handlebar in a rigid fashion, as such as when the motorcycle operator executes a turn by rotation of the handlebar, this type of fairing turns laterally in concert with the front forks, handlebar, and front wheel assembly; and independently of the main frame of the motorcycle comprising the engine, drive assembly, rear wheel, fuel tank, etc. Although the fork-mounted type does provide some marginal degree of wind protection for the rider, the overall value of the fork-mounted fairing is negligible in terms of decreasing aerodynamic drag, and thus increasing efficiency and performance. Because the fork-mounted fairing is not affixed in the forward-most position on the motorcycle, but rather is located above and behind the exposed front wheel, brake(s), fender, headlight, and fork tubes—which together comprise the actual leading edge of the motorcycle into the oncoming air stream—the oncoming airflow encountered by the fork-mounted fairing is already turbulent, 'rough' air. Therefore any opportunity to establish a smooth, or laminar flow of air around such a relatively rearward mounted type of fairing are lost. Further,as the distance between the rear portion of the fork-mounted fairing and the upper torso and head of the rider is a relatively large one—the resultant gap leads to yet more turbulent air which not only reduces the efficiency and performance of the motorcycle, but also increases the buffeting, noise, and general discomfort experienced by the rider.
The second general type of fairing used on road legal motorcycles—the frame-mounted fairing, is attached rigidly to the main frame of the motorcycle, and thus when the motorcycle operator executes a turn by rotation of the handlebar, the fairing does not turn laterally with the front forks, handlebar, and front wheel assembly. As in the fork-mounted type described above—the principal functions of the frame mounted fairing are to decrease the aerodynamic drag and its effects upon the motorcycle and the rider/operator, thus increasing the performance and efficiency of the motorcycle, while also increasing the wind and weather protection for the rider.
Unlike the handlebar-mounted type fairing which is mounted above and somewhat behind the leading edge of the front wheel—the frame-mounted type, although also located above and behind the leading edge of the front wheel—the frame mounted type additionally encloses some of the lower portions of the main frame of the motorcycle, often including the engine, transmission, and portions of the engine air intake and exhaust components.
However, like the handle-bar mounted type, the frame mounted type also does not enclose the aerodynamic leading edge of the front wheel, forks, and brake assembly which encounter the oncoming headwind. Nor does either of these types cover more than a very small fraction (if any at all) of the area of the total lateral diameter of the front wheel and tire assembly, This lateral area being the total circular area of the combined front wheel assembly visible when said assembly is viewed from either side of the motorcycle.
Although in most cases a fender (also known as a mud-guard) does cover a portion of the exterior circumference of the front wheel and tire assembly, the portion of the total lateral area of front wheel and tire assembly that is covered by the fender is marginal (if any at all), and if any aerodynamic drag reduction does result from the shape of the fender, it is generally incidental to the intended primary function and design of the front fender which is to protect the motorcycle engine components, and rider from foreign objects and water propelled upward as the result of the rotating front tire's interface and contact with the road surface, and foreign object thereupon. Although in a few instances of road legal motorcycles, some fenders or mud-guards have been designed with some very small degree of aerodynamic efficiency in mind, in no case are the fenders an integral part of the fairing itself, but rather a completely separate part or component.
Although generally covering a larger area of the motorcycle, than the fork-mounted type; as the frame-mounted type of fairing does not extend to, nor cover the front wheel, brake, fender, and fork assembly—thus leaving these latter components again to act as the leading edge of the motorcycle into the oncoming air stream. Therefore although the frame-mounted type of fairing may provide a somewhat decreased level of aerodynamic drag when compared with the fork-mounted type, or the motorcycle sans any fairing—like the fork-mounted type—the rearward leading edge of the frame-mounted type again results in the airstream that encounters the fairing to be a turbulent, rough airflow that again makes smooth or laminar airflow over the fairing virtually impossible. Although it is true that the frame-mounted type does generally provide better aerodynamic drag reduction as compared to a fork-mounted type, or motorcycle without any fairing at all—it is still only a marginally efficient aerodynamic shape due to the fact that the leading edge of the entire vehicle is comprised of the rough and irregular shapes and edges of the front wheel, brake, fender, and fork assembly. In terms of aerodynamic efficiency then, the shape of the leading edge of any airfoil is critical—thus the rough and irregular shapes of the leading edges of the motorcycle, cannot be efficiently overcome to any large degree, no matter how smooth the frame-mounted fairing exists over the medial and posterior parts of the motorcycle. In other words, the front wheel, brake, fender, and fork assembly of a motorcycle must be wholly or substantially enclosed to attain the most of aerodynamic drag reduction benefits.
The frame-mounted type fairing is also further designed to allow for the flow of the oncoming airflow to contact the engine fluid cooling units, in the form of both the coolant radiator, and/or the engine oil cooler, at an angle of attack which is directly perpendicular to the direction of travel of the motorcycle and the resulting oncoming airflow. Although this does allow for maximum cooling efficiency of the radiator and/or engine cooler, it also dramatically the aerodynamic drag effect upon the vehicle, thus reducing overall efficiency and performance. An analogous example in nature which approximates the frame-mounted fairing would be the salmon. If one envisions a healthy salmon traveling up a river into the current, one can easily appreciate the smooth, efficient sleek design of the body of the fish. If one were to then imagine the salmon swimming up the same stream into the same current—but now with its mouth wide open—one can appreciate both the effect upon the progress of the fish (or the similar shape of a motorcycle equipped with a frame mounted fairing), when the very efficient latter portion of the body of the fish (or said motorcycle), is largely negated by the blunt open mouth.
Turning to the Specialty category of motorcycle fairings as opposed to the road legal types described above—these special types of fairing can be differentiated and categorized into two basic types, with the determinate criteria not being the method of attachment (as is the case with the road legal type) but rather by the degree or amount of the motorcycle which is either partially or fully enclosed by the respective fairing type.
The first of these two types is commonly known as the streamlined, or fully enclosed type. This type of fairing usually is constructed as a single fully enclosed body, which resembles, and is constructed similarly to that of a modern low drag/high speed aircraft fuselage. In this type, the outer surface or skin of the fairing is generally cylindrical in shape, with only small openings at the front and rear wheel locations of the motorcycle to allow for minimal, vertical protrusion of the front and rear wheels to a distance minimally sufficient for clearance of the lower main body of the fairing from the ground surface. Additionally, small holes or openings may exist for engine cooling, intake, or exhaust functions. A small aircraft style enclosed canopy, or aerodynamically designed open-topped windscreen is usually also incorporated into the fairing's upper surface, to allow the operator a visual portal to control the vehicle, while also minimizing frontal surface area. This type of fairing is used almost exclusively for competitive speed record attempts, wherein the vehicle is not required to make any significant turns, but rather travel only in a straight line, at the highest possible speed. As the design of this type of fairing is designed for maximum aerodynamic reduction, but is not concerned with the turning necessary of practical everyday transportation, it can be, and is made as narrow as possible, with the rider being fully enclosed within the fairing after entering the vehicle through a door or moveable panel, which is located on the top or side of the fairing. Therefore although this type of fairing is truly very aerodynamically efficient, the inability of the front wheel to turn laterally, to any practical degree, combined with the inability of the rider to extend his legs and feet outside the vehicle when coming to a full stop—render this type of fairing essentially useless for public road or practical use.
The second of these special fairings, is commonly known as the dustbin fairing. The name of which traces its origin to the decade of the 1950's, wherein the fairing's appearance (when viewed from the side), strongly resembled the shape of the common dustbin with handle, used domestically as a household tool in conjunction with the common broom, to remove floor sweepings. The most apparent, and defining characteristic of the dustbin style fairing, it the shape of the front of the fairing, which substantially encloses the front wheel and tire assembly, with the fairing attached. This type of fairing was used from approximately 1953 until 1956 in closed course motorcycle road racing, principally in Europe, and most notably in Grand Prix motorcycle racing circuit, until the dustbin was banned in European competition by the sanctioning body of those events. In addition to the substantial enclosure of the front wheel and tire assembly, the dustbin fairing was attached to the motorcycle by attachment points located on the main frame of the motorcycle, and protruded forward from the main frame to enclose most of said front forks, wheel and tire assembly. As such the dustbin fairing was not directly attached to the front forks or handlebars of the motorcycle, but rather frame mounted in the same fashion as the previously described road legal frame-mounted type.
Although this configuration allowed some lateral turning of the front forks and wheel and tire assembly by laterally rotating the handlebar, such turning was limited to only a few degrees of rotation to either the left or right, as the enclosed wheel and tire assembly, as well as the handlebar and front forks, would come into almost immediate contact with the interior of the sides of the frontal portion of the fairing encompassing the front wheel, which severely limited the ability for the rider to execute any turn of more than a few degrees, thus rendering the motorcycle equipped with the fairing to be extremely difficult to use for any purpose other than competitive road racing, and thus inconvenient and wholly unsuitable as a means of practical transportation. Further in an effort to provide these dustbin fairings with this small degree of ability to turn, a large opening or hole would be incorporated to allow the front wheel to turn laterally. Although this did marginally allow for some ability to turn the motorcycle laterally—the opening itself allowing such movement, was itself a deleterious to the dustbin design, as the opening greatly increased drag and turbulence on the under side of the fairing, as smooth, laminar airflow over the nose of the fairing became turbulent, rough air upon encountered the large gap found to either side of the front wheel, brake, fender, and fork assembly, on the bottom of the fairing.
A final characteristic of the dustbin fairing which is notable, was the effect of cross winds upon the stability of a dustbin equipped motorcycle, especially at high speed. As the dustbin fairing's surface area extended forward of that of the non-dustbin frame-mounted, fairing—the location of the center of pressure resulting from a crosswind blowing laterally from a perpendicular direction upon the dustbin fairing, would more forward, than that of the location of the center of pressure on a non-dustbin motorcycle fairing. However, because of the relatively light weight of the dustbin fairing in relation to the combined weight of the motorcycle and rider, a the lateral aerodynamic center of pressure is moved forward, while the center of mass of the total weight of the vehicle did not move forward to a corresponding amount. Therefore the front of the dustbin fairing equipped motorcycle, was said by contemporaneous accounts to have had an increased tendency to be turned away from the intended straight-line direction of travel, in a lateral fashion, in direct reaction to, and as a direct result of the crosswind imparting a moment of force upon the more forward located, lateral center of aerodynamic pressure found in the forward extending dustbin type. This last characteristic resulted in the dustbin style fairing being given a reputation, as least as far as historical accounts go, as being harder to control in windy conditions than either non-dustbin style fairing equipped motorcycles, or motorcycles without any fairings. Thus from the historical reports from the decade of the 1950', the dustbin type fairing was generally reported, and thus thought to be more dangerous to use in racing conditions in any type of intemperate weather, which, was cited as a major contribution to its exclusion from competitive motorcycle racing in Europe in 1957. However, the principal competing motorcycle manufacturers of the period, may have also had additional, unrecorded reasons for the elimination of the dustbin fairing, owing to both production costs, and aesthetic considerations.
The third general type of fairing which is currently the subject of patent application Ser. No. 11/653,452 and submitted by this inventor on Jan. 16, 2007 is the Aerodynamic Articulated Motorcycle Fairing, which as described in that patent application is a combination of, and improvement upon some of the characteristics of both the frame and fork mounted fairing types. The purpose of that proposed invention, is to combine the aerodynamic advantages of the dustbin style faring with the ability to turn the front wheel as found on a conventional motorcycle. That invention is designed to achieve those ends by allowing the frontal fairing section enclosing the front wheel to turn independently of the frame mounted section by arranging the interface of the two fairing sections, and the frontal fairing rotation, to be arranged such a way as to be perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the front wheel and fork assembly.
3. Objects and Advantages
The overall objectives of the invention described in this patent are to reduce the negative effects of aerodynamic drag upon the motorcycle and rider for the purpose of increasing the fuel efficiency and performance of the motorcycle, while simultaneously increasing the comfort and safety of the rider. More specifically, the objects and advantages of the present invention are to provide aerodynamic drag reduction superior to that of the historical frame-mounted dustbin fairing, which encloses the front wheel and fork assembly, and also that of motorcycles with existing frame-mounted fairings, by additionally improving the aerodynamic efficiency and safety over that of the historical dustbin fairing; while also providing the necessary and practical, lateral turning ability of motorcycles equipped either without any fairing, or with only fork-mounted fairings; and additionally achieving these goals to a degree superior to the fairing type which was submitted in patent application Ser. No. 11/653,452 by this inventor—by the following objects and advantages of the present invention:
To provide the superior aerodynamic leading surfaces attendant to the enclosure of the leading edge of the front wheel and fork assembly and handlebar, by an aerodynamic, hemisphere shaped, frontal fairing section attached directly to the front fork assembly, with a frame mounted fairing shaped and extending forward to form a socket around the front fork assembly and sides of the motorcycle, between the upper and lower frontal fairing sections without significant gap or spacing.
To provide the ability for the rider to execute a turn of the motorcycle to a degree found on any other road legal motorcycle, equipped with or without a fairing. By mounting the frontal fairing portion only to the front fork assembly, and by positioning the above noted frame mounted fairing hemispherical, socket shaped interior edge to the opposing hemispherical shaped edges of the frontal fairing section, and by shaping these edges to be positioned in relation to the axis of rotation of the front fork assembly, to thus allow the frontal section—when the rider rotates the handle bar laterally to execute a turn—to freely rotate independently of the frame mounted fairing section within the socket, and to return to then return to its original position with the frame mounted fairing socket section once the handle bar is returned to its original position, thereby allowing the rider to execute any turn, with full freedom of lateral rotation of the handlebars in either direction.
and to further provide that ability to turn without the large lateral hole or opening found on the bottom of the historical dustbin fairing located to both sides of the front wheel, which is eliminated in this invention by the fairing section enclosing the front wheel, being mounted only to the front fork assembly, thus turning in common laterally with the front fork and wheel assembly, thus allowing for very close lateral spacing between the front wheel and the fairing, which again results in a more aerodynamic and efficient surface.
to provide increased linear stability of the motorcycle from the effects of crosswinds, by moving the center of mass of the motorcycle forward by utilizing the void created by the fairing enclosure above the front wheel, to install auxiliary motorcycle components such as the battery, headlight, toolkit, radiator, and cooling fluid reservoir, this alternately would have the effect of increased linear stability of the motorcycle in crosswind conditions by moving the lateral center of air pressure rearward in relation to the lateral center of mass, and thus creating a weather vane effect, wherein the center of lateral air pressure, having moved further to the back of the motorcycle in relation to the center of mass, thus resulting in cross winds having a tendency to push the rear of the motorcycle downwind from the front of the motorcycle, thus at least partially negating the effect of crosswinds upon the lateral direction of the front of the motorcycle,
to provide improved lateral stability and cornering adhesion of the front tire, by moving the location of the auxiliary components noted above, from the more customary rearward mounting locations to the more forward area within the spatial void created there above the socket portion of the fairing approximately above the front hemisphere fairing and wheel.
to provide further increases in the aerodynamic efficiency of the fairing by incorporating the front turn signals into the surface and contours of the fairing;
to provide superior wind and weather protection for the rider, and especially for the rider's legs and lower body;
to provide reduction of wind buffeting and noise, by the superior smooth aerodynamic shape of the invention over the rough exposed surfaces created by the many forward-located components not enclosed on other types of motorcycle fairing;
to provide increased front wheel traction and stability by increasing aerodynamic down forces upon the front wheel of the motorcycle.
to increase storage area by using that space under the seat that is most commonly used for items such as the battery and took kit from that traditional location under the seat of the motorcycle, thereby creating an additional storage space.

Aerodynamic hemisphere and socket motorcycle fairing


A process and apparatus for setting a working rate distribution along a work surface which is being AC plasma-enhanced reactively coated, or reactively or non-reactively etched in an AC plasma, and in which process a plasma volume of given volume is utilized, comprises placing the work surface in the plasma volume, positioning a setting surface of a distribution setting body opposite the work surface, the setting body being surrounded by the plasma volume substantially on all sides of the setting body, and setting the working rate distribution by selecting either the material of the setting surface, the quality of the setting surface, a distance relationship between the setting surface and the work surface, or the shape of the setting surface.

The present invention relates to a process for setting the working rate distribution along a work surface which is being AC plasma-enhanced, reactively coated, or reactively or non-reactively etched in an AC plasma, in which process a plasma volume is utilized which contains the surface. The invention also relates to an etching or plasma CVD apparatus having a vacuum receptacle, at least one electric generator for generating an AC plasma in a plasma volume (PL) in the receptacle, and a workpiece carrier surface for receiving at least one workpiece to be treated.
It is known to employ plasma-enhanced processes, for example in the fabrication of semiconductors, in order to deposit thin films or to etch workpieces, in particular semiconductor wafers. In this respect reference is made, for example, to S. M. Sze, VLSI Technology, McGraw-Hill, International Book Company, London 1983, pages 120, 303.
For etching poorly or non-conducting surfaces it is customary to use a plasma generated by AC energy, likewise for coating conducting substrate with non-conducting layers or of non-conducting substrate. In such plasma processes, furthermore, the problem is encountered that through local differences of the plasma density the working rate distribution on the workpiece becomes non-uniform. This is during the stated plasma etching operation, whether reactive or non-reactive, as well as during plasma coating, in particular also during reactive plasma coating with the stated AC-generated plasmas. It is, for example, known that the coating or the etching of a planar wafer is often significantly more intensive in the center than at the edge. It can, in principle, be assumed that the plasma density in the proximity of the surface decreases with respect to that in the remaining plasma volume, due to the absorption and recombination phenomena in surface regions whereby charge carriers are removed from the plasma. In addition, at the surface most often molecules are absorbed which are foreign to the process, i.e. which are desorbed and ionized by the plasma discharge. The negatively charged ions generated therein recombine with positive ones and, in turn, remove positive gas ions from the plasma.
For this reason one should endeavor to implement the distance between such a plasma-worked workpiece and surfaces to be as large as possible in order to avoid, in the workpiece region, a change of the plasma density through the stated surfaces.
In order to achieve as high a plasma density as possible in the plasma discharge volume, however, its dimensions must be large in comparison with the length of the free path of the ionized gas atoms. These are noble gas atoms in a non-reactive etching process, and reactive gas molecules in a reactive etching process or in a plasma-enhanced CVD coating process. The mean free path length of ionized atoms is, for example, approximately 6.4 cm at 10.sup.-3 mbars argon partial pressure.
One is consequently forced to implement the structural height of a vacuum receptacle, which defines the plasma volume above the workpiece to be worked, under consideration of the stated free path length to be relatively large, but for reasons of the entire receptacle volume to be made available one does not, for example, keep distances laterally between workpiece carrier and receptacle wall, which would permit the homogeneous working of the workpiece. The lateral distance between receptacle wall and workpiece surface or workpiece carrier is customarily chosen to be on the order of magnitude of the stated free path length or even smaller. This results, inter alia, in the more intensive surface working in the center of the workpiece surface.
Other surfaces, such as the electrode surfaces etc., also influence the working rate distribution. Generally, working rate inhomogeneities occur due to the finitely extending surfaces involved.
It is known to counteract the inhomogeneous working rate distribution by introducing the gas as uniformly as possible above the workpiece, whether it is a noble gas in a non-reactive process or a reactive gas in a reactive process, or even introducing the gas with specific distribution in order to counteract the stated inhomogeneities of the plasma distribution brought about by the wall.
Such an approach is only effective, however, with relatively large pressures, thus with pressures in which the free path length in any case is relatively small. In this connection reference is made, for example, to Wang, D. N. K., White et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,947.
Reference is furthermore made to: European Patent EP-A-0 040 081 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,409); EP-A-0 284 436; EP-A-0 200 133 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,464), U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,105; GB-A-2 100 759 (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,451,547, 4,507,375, 4,552,824, and 4,265,991); and EP-A-0 467 046.

Process for setting a working rate distribution in an etching or plasma CVD apparatus


An LED package structure and a method for making the same are described. The LED package structure has at least one LED die, at least one metallic frame relating to the LED die, and an insulative body packaging the LED die and the metallic frame. The metallic frame has a first contact corresponding to the LED die and a second contact being relative to the first contact. The first and the second contacts inside the insulative body are electrically isolated from each other. The first contact has at least one recess around the LED die, and the second contact has at least one groove formed thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a LED package structure, and particularly relates to a LED package structure adapted for lead-free solder technology in order to prevent a short circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
LEDs (Light Emitted Devices) are broadly applied to various electronic products. The LEDs are small and highly reliable, and can be mass produced and adapted for various displays, such as an indication light with low efficiency or outdoor advertising and traffic lights with high efficiency. In comparison with conventional lights, the LEDs have no filaments, have no toxic materials (mercury), have a low power consumption, and have a long service life. A conventional method for packaging the LEDs includes following steps. A plurality of metallic frames, connected one by one at intervals, are punched. A silver layer is electro-plated on the metallic frames, and LED dies are disposed on the frames as light sources. An anode contact and a cathode contact are formed on a respective one of the metallic frames by connecting at least two wires between the frame and the respective LED die. After that, the LED die with the frame is covered with epoxy as a whole transparent package. The European Union has adopted a directive (2002/95/EC RoHs announced) to restrict the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipments starting in Jul. 1, 2006, to minimize their threat to human health. The hazardous substances include lead, cadmium and mercury, and ploy-brominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) using the same. As a result, every country has started to institute bans on these materials, and lead-free alloy is a basic requirement for electronic products. For information and electronic industries, the ban on hazardous substances has a huge influence on manufacturing, such as using solder without lead, guiding the lead-free solder technology into the processes for PCB and the contacts of components, and considering the lead-free joints inside the components. The conventional proportion for tin-lead solder is usually 63:37, and the melting point of this alloy is about 183° C. In contrast, the new lead-free solder has corresponding temperature characteristics, such as pure tin solder (Sn), tin solder with silver and copper (SnAgCu), tin solder with copper (SnCu) or tin solder with silver (SnAg), and has a melting point higher than that of the conventional solder. Not only must the relative profile of the heating process be modified corresponding to the new solder, but also the standards for tests and verifications must be altered to meet the environmental requirements. The most important point is that the wetting velocity of the lead-free solder is much higher than that of the conventional tin-lead solder, so that both the heating profile during the processes and the structure design of the component must be modified to overcome the shortages. The conventional package structure of the LED is given as an example, and is illustrated in FIG. 1. The LED has first and second contacts 1a and 2a separated from each other. A LED die 3a is disposed on the first contact 1a. Two wires 4a and 5a are connected between the LED die 3a, the first contact 1a and the second contact 2a. A package body 7a encloses the LED die 3a, and the first and the second contacts 1a and 2a, at the same time. If there is any seam or crack between the package body 7a and the first contact 1a or between the package body 7a and the second contact 2a, the lead-free solder permeates the package body 7a due to the too-high wetting velocity thereof. A short circuit or a failure mode will occur when the lead-free solder contacts the LED die 3a, or when the first and the second contacts 1a and 2a conducted with each other via the lead-free solder.

LED package structure and method for making the same


An optical structure comprising an optical resonator is provided. The optical resonator comprises a first set of nested closed optical regions, forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index, and a second set of nested optical regions, forming a distributed feedback resonator structure with a direction of radially alternating optical refractive index. Each optical region of the second set is interrupted by a first gap region with a lower refractive index, wherein the first gap regions substantially overlap in the direction of radially alternating optical refractive index. The first set is arranged nested within the second set and the optical structure further comprises a first optical waveguide optically coupled to the optical resonator via a first waveguide portion reaching into the first gap regions and being arranged coplanar to the optical resonator.

The invention relates to an optical structure, more particularly to an optical structure comprising an optical resonator that can for instance be a circular Bragg resonator, with an improved coupling to a waveguide.
Various photonic functionalities can be implemented on the basis of an optical resonator. Prominent examples thereof are spectral filters, light sources such as lasers, electro-optic modulators (EOMs), and all-optical switches.
For many applications, e.g. chip to chip or on-chip optical interconnects, a higher physical integration density of such optical resonator-based functionalities is desirable. Integrated micro-resonators can be very useful. Such integrated optical structures typically make use of waveguides coupled to the micro-resonators. Therein the coupling efficiency is a critical parameter.
In M. A. Kaliteevski et al., J. of Modern Optics 46, 875 (1999) "Bragg reflectors for cylindrical waves" the electromagnetic field in a dielectric structure with circular cylindrical symmetry is described.
In Ochoa et al., Phys. Rev. B 61, 4806 (2000) "Diffraction of cylindrical Bragg reflectors surrounding an in-plane semiconductor microcavity" a model is described for finding the resonant modes of a microcavity bound by a circular Bragg reflector.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,083 devices for controlling and guiding waves, such as electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves, and the like are disclosed which include at least one wave-transmitting medium and a diffraction grating, associated with the transmitting medium, for coupling wave energy into or out of the waves propagating in the grating. The device may take the form of a "sandwich"-type or thin film waveguide, in which case the grating medium has at least one curvi-planar boundary, or it may take the form of a "rod"-shaped or cylindrical waveguide, in which case the grating medium has a substantially cylindrical boundary. A wave propagating in the grating medium is coupled to an unguided free-space type wave mode which is perpendicular to the grating medium. This is achieved by at least part of the grating being of second order in terms of its periodicity. For example, in the case of a planar medium and a circular grating in that medium this corresponds to coupling from the plane of the grating to an unguided wave propagating in a direction perpendicular to that plane.
US 2005/0135453 is directed to a grating-outcoupled microcavity disk resonator that has whispering gallery modes existing in a nearly circular resonator. Light is outcoupled by providing a grating region in the plane of the grating-outcoupled microcavity disk resonator. The grating region provides an outcoupling mechanism that symmetrically interacts with the clockwise and counterclockwise whispering gallery modes, thereby making the resonator capable of surface emission.
J. Scheuer et al., IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quant. Electron. 11, 476 (2005) "InGaASP Annular Bragg Lasers: Theory, Applications, and Modal Properties" discusses a class of circular resonators, based on a radial defect surrounded by Bragg reflectors.
In M. Toda, IEEE J. of Quantum Electronics 26, 473 (1990) "Single-Mode Behavior of a Circular Grating for Potential Disk-Shaped DFB Lasers" a coaxial circular grating resonator for a DFB laser application is described wherein the periodicity and the position of the grating are so chosen that all of the reflections from each refractive index step are superimposed in phase so as to be consistent with the resonant behavior of the fundamental mode wave.
In X. H. Zheng et al., IEEE J. of Lightwave Technology 8, 1509 (1990) "Mode Coupling in Circular-Cylindrical Systems and Its Application to Fingerprint Resonators" a circular resonator with implanted taper-like structures is described. The taper structures are used for realizing energy input and output, similar to a small probe in a classic microwave resonator.
C. Wu et al., Electronics Letters 27, 1819 (1991) "Optically pumped surface-emitting DFB GaINAsP/InP Lasers with circular grating" examines the lasing action in DFB lasers with circular gratings.
In "High-finesse disk microcavity based on a circular Bragg reflector", D. Labilloy et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 1314 (1998) it is described how disk-shaped microcavities are bounded by reflectors made of circular concentric deep-etched trenches.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for the preparation of a random diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer is disclosed, which method comprises polymerizing. (A) a mixture or polymerization reaction product of PA1 (B) a cyclic diorganosilazane of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group, R.sup.2 is hydrogen or a monovalent hydrocarbon group and n is 3 or 4, the polymerization being carried out in the presence of cesium hydroxide.. (a) a hexaorganodisiloxane and PA2 (b) a cyclic diorganosiloxane with

Based on the hydrolyzability of the diorganosilazane unit, diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymers have been proposed as water repellents for powders, fibers, and inorganic substrates. The following methods, for example, have been proposed for the preparation of diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer:
(a) the preparation of diorganosiloxane-diorganocyclosilazane copolymer has been proposed by means of a co-condensation reaction between 1,3-bis(dimethyllithiumoxysilyl)tetramethylcyclodisilazane and diorganopolysiloxane having silicon-bonded chlorine at both molecular chain terminals (Journal of Paint Technology. PA1 (b) the preparation of diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer has also been proposed by the reaction, in ammonia or primary amine, of a mixture of diorganodihalosilane and diorganosiloxane having silicon-bonded chlorine at both molecular chain terminals (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open (Kokai or Unexamined) Number Sho 60-145815 (145,815/1985). PA1 (A) a mixture or polymerization reaction product of PA1 (B) a cyclic diorganosilazane with the general formula ##STR2## where R.sup.1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group, R.sup.2 is hydrogen or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and n=3 or 4, PA1 (C) cesium hydroxide.
42 543 220,1970); and
However, the preparative method proposed in the Journal of Paint Technology article requires the use of difficult-to-handle butyllithium and can produce only block-type diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer. The method proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Number Sho 60-145815 requires isolation of the product from the large quantity of ammonium chloride that is produced during the reaction process. In addition, this method again can produce only block-type diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer.
In pursuit of the preparation of straight-chain diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer in which the diorganosiloxane units and diorganosilazane units are randomly dispersed, the present inventor experimented with the equilibration polymerization of cyclic diorganosiloxane and cyclic diorganosilazane using basic catalysts such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. It was found, however, that diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer could not be obtained even with heating up to the boiling point of the starting materials.

Method for the preparation of diorganosiloxane-diorganosilazane copolymer