An apparatus for measuring the permeability of a circulating band, in particular of a dewatering band in a papermaking machine, having a nozzle from which a measuring fluid flows onto the band. In order to avoid undesired lifting of the nozzle off the band due to pressure peaks, the apparatus according to the present invention has a nozzle which can be pressed onto the circulating band with a constant contact pressure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the permeability of a circulating band, in particular of a dewatering band in a papermaking machine, having a nozzle from which a measuring fluid flows onto the band.
2. Description of the Related Art
Permeability measurements on circulating bands generally have to be carried out with a high pressure of the measuring fluid in order that the stream of measuring fluid can penetrate the band. It is therefore necessary to press the nozzle correspondingly firmly against the band, since the volume flow of the measuring fluid produces a correspondingly high reaction force on the nozzle, and thus forces the nozzle away from the band. In particular, when pressure fluctuations occur in the volume flow of the measuring fluid, there is the risk that the nozzle is lifted off the band by the reaction force acting on it, which can result in an erroneous permeability measurement.
What is needed in the art is an improved apparatus where the nozzle is prevented from lifting off the band in the event of pressure peaks as a result of pressure fluctuations in the measuring fluid.

Apparatus for measuring the permeability of a circulating band in a paper machine


A display processing device includes a face image detecting unit detecting the user's face image based on imaging data output from a camera unit provided on a cabinet, a position/angle change detecting unit detecting a change in the position of the user's face image and a change in the face angle, and a display control unit that displays a predetermined image on a display unit, moves the position of the display image in accordance with a change in the position of the detected user's face image, the change occurring in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, performs enlargement/reduction processing based on a position change in the Z-axis direction, performs rotating processing in accordance with a change in the face angle so that an image viewed from the face angle is obtained, and displays the obtained image on the display unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display processing device, a display processing method, a display processing program, and a mobile terminal device that can be used for a terminal device provided with a camera function, where the terminal device includes, for example, a mobile phone, a personal handyphone system (PHS) phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) device, a mobile game machine, a note-type and/or desktop-type personal computer apparatus, and so forth, and particularly relates to a display processing device, a display processing method, a display processing program, and a mobile terminal device that detect, for example, a change in the orientation and/or the position of the user's face based on the image of the user's face, the image being picked up through a camera unit, and perform the display processing corresponding to the detection result in real time, the display processing including, for example, changing the display direction and/or the display size of an image displayed on a display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-181939 discloses a display device which automatically enlarges part of a display screen image and/or displays the entire image by detecting actions unintentionally performed by a person without mechanically operating a mouse or the like.
According to the above-described display device, the distance between a user and a liquid crystal display is measured through a sensor. When the measured value indicates that the distance between the user and the liquid crystal display is large, image data stored in a memory is displayed on the liquid crystal display as a reduced image. If the measured value indicates that the distance is small, the image data stored in the memory is displayed on the liquid crystal display as an enlarged image.

Display processing device, display processing method, display processing program, and mobile terminal device


An electrochemical, measuring probe, for measuring a chemical or physical, measured variable, of a measured medium, wherein the measuring probe comprises: at least one measuring half cell and at least one reference half cell, and the reference half cell includes: a housing of electrically insulating material, in which a reference electrolyte chamber containing a liquid, reference electrolyte is formed, and which has in a housing wall a diaphragm permeable for the reference electrolyte for providing electrolytic contact between the reference half cell and the measured medium; a potential indicating element extending into the reference electrolyte; and a supply opening opening into the reference electrolyte chamber for supply of reference electrolyte into the reference electrolyte chamber. The reference half cell has a check valve blocking exit of reference electrolyte from the reference electrolyte chamber through the supply opening, especially a check valve arranged at least partially within the supply opening.

Reference half cells serve in electrochemical measuring probes, for example, in measuring probes of potentiometric sensors, to deliver a constant reference potential for measurements with one or a plurality of measuring half cells. They are frequently applied in many fields of application as rod-shaped reference electrodes or combined with a measuring electrode to form a so-called single-rod, measuring chain. Measuring electrodes, with which the reference electrodes are applied in combination, are, for example, pH glass electrodes, pH semiconductor electrodes or ion-selective electrodes for determining concentration of cations, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, or anions, such as chloride, fluoride, nitrate and carbonate, in a measured medium. Such electrode combinations serve, for example, for determining corresponding ion concentrations in aqueous solutions or water-containing, measured media, such as natural waters, swimming pools, waste waters or product streams.
It is known, that that part of the reference electrode or reference half cell, which is brought in contact with a measured medium in performing the determining must assure an electrolytic contact of the reference electrolyte located in the reference electrode with the measured medium. The terminology, "electrolytic contact", means here a liquid contact between the reference electrolyte of the reference electrode and the measured medium, such that an exchange of ionic charge carriers is permitted. Such a contact can be accomplished by a diaphragm arranged in the housing wall of the reference half cell for permitting diffusion both from the reference electrolyte into the measured medium as well as also in the opposite direction. The term, "diaphragm", refers here to any contact location allowing such a diffusion. This can be formed, for example, by a ceramic, synthetic material or plastic body, a plug of crosslinked hydrogel, a slit, one or a number of bores, or a ground glass.
Reference electrodes comprise, typically, a reference electrolyte accommodated in a reference electrolyte chamber. Such is frequently an aqueous KCl solution, into which extends a potential indicating element coated with a difficulty soluble salt of the reference electrolyte, e.g. a silver wire coated with AgCl. In the case of such reference electrodes, basically, there is the problem that they do not really have a constant potential, this being due to diffusion processes at the diaphragm, i.e. through diffusion of the reference electrolyte accommodated in the reference electrolyte chamber into the measured medium or from diffusion of the measured medium into the reference electrolyte. Furthermore, also a plugging of the diaphragm is possible, for example, through the crystallizing of difficulty soluble salts. This likewise influences the stability of the potential of the reference electrode.
An opportunity for improving the stability of the potential is to supply the reference half cell with a positive pressure relative to the environment of the reference half cell housing. Reference electrolyte then flows through the diaphragm into the environment, e.g. into the measured medium, into which the reference half cell extends during measurement operation. In this way, on the one hand, continuously very small amounts of reference electrolyte enter into the measured medium, while, on the other hand, the reference half cell remains in proper condition and the diaphragm is cleaned and internally rinsed by the continuous flow of electrolyte solution. Thus, clogging of the diaphragm or a poisoning of the reference electrolyte by substances diffusing from the measured medium into the interior of the reference electrolyte chamber is effectively prevented or at least markedly delayed.
The positive pressure can result from the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid column of the reference electrolyte within the reference electrode. Since the reference electrolyte continuously escapes from the reference electrode, correspondingly, either a relatively large liquid electrolyte reservoir is required within the reference electrode or else there must be a regular refilling of reference electrolyte solution into the reference half cell.
In DE 20 2006 017 215 U1, measuring probes with glass electrodes for pH measuring are described, which have a refillable electrolyte reservoir, also referenced as a paunch or bladder, for accommodating liquid electrolyte. The electrolyte reservoir has an opening, through which a pressurizing medium can enter into the electrolyte reservoir, so that a continual flow of the electrolyte from a diaphragm is assured, in order to avoid penetration of measured medium into the electrode interior. As described in DE 20 2006 017 215 U1, such electrodes require special assemblies, by means of which they can be connected to a process container. An opportunity, in situ, i.e. during measurement operation, to replenish electrolyte into the electrolyte reservoir, is not provided.
In DE 20 2005 009 297 U1, a coupling apparatus for a reference electrolyte supply from an external supply to a reference media container of a potentiometric sensor is described. The coupling apparatus includes a first supply side, coupling body and a second sensor side, coupling body connectable releasably mechanically therewith. Each of the coupling bodies has a reference electrolyte duct, wherein the reference electrolyte duct of the second coupling body is sealed by means of an elastic sealing element. The first coupling body has a hollow needle, which, when the coupling bodies are mechanically connected with one another, pierces through the sealing element, in order to assure a flow connection between the two reference electrolyte ducts of the two coupling bodies sealed relative to the environment. If the coupling bodies are separated from one another, the sealing element should reduce leakage of reference electrolyte from the potentiometric sensor.
The handling of the coupling apparatus described in DE 20 2005 009 297 U1 is, indeed, simple and little susceptible to error. However, in the connecting and separating of the coupling bodies, a leakage of electrolyte from the supply side coupling element is not suppressed, so that there is the danger of a contamination of the environment, or a service person, by escaping reference electrolyte. On the whole, construction of the coupling apparatus is relatively complicated, which correspondingly increases the piece costs of the individual potentiometric sensors.
In DE 39 40 948 A1, a method for continuous electrolyte supply to a reference electrode system and a corresponding reference electrode system are described. In such case, an electrode insert held sealed in an outer seating tube and removable from the seating tube is provided, wherein, by the removal motion, an inner valve mechanism is closed, through which otherwise the liquid, reference electrolyte is fed via the outer seating tube to the electrode insert. In the case of the reversed introductory movement of the electrode insert, the valve mechanism is reopened. The structure of the valve mechanism includes a tube insert connected with the outer seating tube and provided with an electrolyte supply duct, relative to which a rotary sleeve coupled with the electrode insert via a driving pin is rotatable upon removal, or introduction, of the electrode insert. Through the twisting of a transverse bore in the rotary sleeve relative to the electrolyte supply duct in the tube insert upon the removal, or introductory, movement, a connection between the electrolyte supply duct and the interior of the electrode insert is interrupted, or produced, as the case may be.
The described mechanism is very complicated and complex to manufacture. Furthermore, in the case of removal of the electrode insert, only the electrolyte supply relative to the environment is sealed; the opening of the electrode insert, via which electrolyte is fed into the electrode interior, remains, however, open. Thus, also in the case of this construction, the risk of leakage is not excluded in satisfactory manner.

Electrochemical measuring probe, filling arrangement and maintenance system

ENDRESS + HAUSER CONDUCTA GESELLSCAHFT FUR MESS- UND REGELTECHNIK MBH + CO. KG


A method of controlling the allocation of transmission resources to wireless terminals within a radio access network, which resources are required for the provision of an IP Multimedia service to the terminals. The method comprises, in the event of a requirement to change the allocation of transmission resources to a given wireless terminal, sending a resource allocation request from a control node of the IP Multimedia Subsystem to the radio access network, the request causing a resource control node of the radio access network to change the allocation of access network resources to the wireless terminal.

IP Multimedia (IPMM) services provide a dynamic combination of voice, video, messaging, data, etc. within the same session. By growing the numbers of basic applications and the media which it is possible to combine, the number of services offered to the end users will grow, and the inter-personal communication experience will be enriched. This will lead to a new generation of personalised, rich multimedia communication services, including so-called "combinational IP Multimedia" services which are considered in more detail below.
IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is the technology defined by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to provide IP Multimedia services over mobile communication networks (3GPP TS 23.228 and TS 24.229 Release 5 and Release 6). IMS provides key features to enrich the end-user person-to-person communication experience through the integration and interaction of services. IMS allows new rich person-to-person (client-to-client) as well as person-to-content (client-to-server) communications over an IP-based network. The IMS makes use of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to set up and control calls or sessions between user terminals (or user terminals and web servers). The Session Description Protocol (SDP), carried by SIP signalling, is used to describe and negotiate the media components of the session. Others protocols are used for media transmission and control, such as Real-time Transport Protocol and Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTP/RTCP), Message Session Relay Protocol (MSRP), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). IMS requires an access network which would typically be a 2G/3G General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)/Packet Switched (PS) network, but which might be some other access network such as fixed broadband or WIFI. FIG. 1 illustrates schematically how the IMS fits into the mobile network architecture in the case of a GPRS/PS access network.

Method and node of controlling the allocation of transmission resources to wireless terminals within a radio access network


Various embodiments provide semiconductor devices including high-K dielectric layer(s) and fabrication methods. An exemplary high-K dielectric layer can be formed by providing a semiconductor substrate including a first region and a second region, and forming a first silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate in the first region. The semiconductor substrate can then be placed in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber to repeatedly perform a selective ALD process. The selective ALD process can include an etching process and/or a purging process in the ALD chamber. By repeatedly performing the selective ALD process, a first high-K dielectric layer can be selectively formed on the first silicon oxide layer in the first region, exposing the semiconductor substrate in the second region.

With continuous development of integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing technology, feature size of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors becomes smaller. As process node shrinks, thickness of gate dielectric layers (e.g., silicon oxide) is continuously reduced. The increased thickness of the gate dielectric layer increases the leakage current of the MOS transistors exponentially. Therefore, using silicon oxide as a gate dielectric layer no longer meets requirements for high-speed IC development. Gate stack structures including a high-K dielectric layer and a metal gate electrode have been introduced into the MOS transistors to replace gate stack structures based on a silicon oxide layer and a polysilicon electrode.
Existing methods for forming a high-K dielectric layer include a physical vapor deposition process (PVD) and a chemical vapor deposition process (CVD). The CVD process includes an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).
An ALD process for forming a high-K dielectric layer, e.g., a high-K hafnium oxide layer, may include: placing a semiconductor substrate in an ALD chamber; pulsing a first precursor, such as H2O, into the ALD chamber; purging residues of the first precursor and a first reaction product; introducing a second precursor, such as hafnium tetrachloride, into the ALD chamber; and purging residues of the second precursor and a second reaction product. This process is repeatedly performed until a high-K dielectric layer of hafnium oxide forms on the semiconductor substrate.
However, when such existing ALD process is used to form high-K dielectric layers, it is difficult to form high-K dielectric layers with different thicknesses at different regions of a semiconductor substrate, unable to satisfy the requirements for manufacturing semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor device and fabrication method

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL CORP.


A driver assistance system for motor vehicles, including a locating system for locating preceding vehicles and a longitudinal guidance module for controlling the longitudinal movement of the host vehicle as a function of location data of located objects. The longitudinal guidance module includes a driving path module, for defining a driving path ahead of the host vehicle, and an adaptive cruise control function, which adjusts a time gap between the host vehicle and a target object located within the driving path to a setpoint value. The longitudinal guidance module includes a dynamic function which, under certain conditions indicating that the target object will leave the driving path, modifies the longitudinal guidance function within the context of a more rapidly commencing acceleration in response to a command of the driver.

A locating system may, for example, be formed by one or multiple angle-resolving radar sensors or by a video system and is able to also identify transverse movements of the located objects, in addition to distances and relative velocities. In particular, it is thus possible to identify whether an object is situated inside or outside the driving path. The adaptive cruise control function only responds to objects inside the driving path, and, among these objects, selects the one that has the smallest distance as the target object with respect to which the distance is adjusted. In general, the spatial distance between the vehicles is not directly regulated, but rather the time gap, i.e., the temporal distance, by which an automatic adaptation of the spatial distances to the particular driving speed is achieved.
The width of the driving path is equal to the width of the host vehicle, plus a certain safety margin, so that objects situated outside the driving path may, in any case, be safely passed.
In a clear travel situation, i.e., when no target object is located, the speed of the host vehicle is adjusted to a desired speed selectable by the driver. When the host vehicle then approaches a slower preceding vehicle inside the driving path, the adaptive cruise control function becomes active, and the system transitions into a following travel mode in which the preceding vehicle is followed at an adequate safety distance. In general, the driver is able to select the time gap within certain limits, which defines the safety distance.
When the driving path is dimensioned to be relatively narrow, there is the risk that a target object is temporarily lost in curves or during random course deviations of the preceding vehicle. This results in an agitated and uncomfortable driving mode, with alternating accelerations and decelerations. To ensure sufficient target object stability, the width of the driving path is therefore, in general, selected to be relatively large.
When, in a following travel situation, the slower preceding vehicle pulls out into another lane, the consequence of selecting a wide driving path, however, is that the host vehicle is first accelerated again with a certain delay since the adaptive cruise control function only releases the target object when it has left the relatively wide driving path. In certain situations, for example when the preceding vehicle pulls out into a gap between trucks on the slower adjoining lane, this may result in an impediment since the passing maneuver takes so long that the driver of the passed vehicle has to reduce his or her speed so as not to pull up to the next truck too closely. With a higher traffic volume, an impediment of the traffic flow thus occurs.
In principle, the driver always has the option with a driver assistance system to override the adaptive cruise control function by actively actuating the gas pedal. Even though a higher acceleration is thus temporarily achievable, this greater acceleration only remains in effect while the driver actuates the gas pedal. The improvement in the comfort which is actually to be achieved by the driver assistance system is thereby limited.

Driver assistance system for motor vehicles


The invention relates to a hydraulic actuating device for a movable component of a vehicle, in particular a closure element for closing an opening in a vehicle body, such as for example a movable roof, such as a folding roof or a retractable hard top. The hydraulic actuating device according to the invention has hydraulic actuating means for driving a first control valve assembly, which hydraulic actuating means comprise at least one hydraulic control connection which is in communication with a second connection of a hydraulic actuator, and which hydraulic actuating means are designed to ensure that, when a first hydraulic pressure is present at the second connection, which first hydraulic pressure is the consequence of a connection being formed between the second connection and a pressure port of a pump, a first connection of the actuator is connected to a reservoir, and that when a second hydraulic pressure is present at the second connection, which second hydraulic pressure is the consequence of a connection being formed between the second connection and the reservoir, the first connection is connected to the pressure port of the pump.

The invention relates to a hydraulic actuating device for a movable component of a vehicle, in particular a closure element for closing an opening in a vehicle body, such as for example a movable roof, such as a folding roof or a retractable hard top.
The applicant is aware of a hydraulic actuating device as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b.
FIG. 1a shows a hydraulic actuating device comprises an actuator 1, with the first working chamber 6 being in communication, via a first connection 4 and a first connecting line 15, with pressure port 11 of pump 10. A second working chamber 7 is connected to a second connecting line 16 via a second connection 5. In this connecting line 16 there is a control valve assembly 19. This control valve assembly 19 ensures that the second working chamber 7 can be connected either to the pressure port 11 of the pump 10 or to a reservoir 12. The control valve assembly 19 is driven by a control device 50.
If, in the known hydraulic actuating device shown in FIG. 1a, it is desired to retract piston rod 3 of the hydraulic actuator 1, the control device 50 switches the control valve assembly 19 in such a manner that the second connecting line 16 connects the second working chamber 7 of the actuator 1 to the reservoir 12. However, if it is desired to extend the piston rod 3, the control device 50 has to switch the control valve assembly 19 in such a manner that the connecting line 16 connects the second working chamber 7 to the pressure port 11 of the pump 10. It can be seen from FIG. 1a that the pressure which is applied by the pump 10 in that situation acts on both sides of piston 2 of actuator 1. On account of the difference in active surface area of the two sides of the piston 2, which difference is caused by the presence of piston rod 3, a low resulting force remains, allowing the piston to move in such a manner that the piston rod 3 is extended.
One significant drawback of this hydraulic actuating device is that the resulting force with which the piston rod is extended is low, since during the extension the pressure acting on the piston on the piston rod side counteracts the pressure acting on the piston from the base side. The effective surface area of the piston on which the hydraulic pressure acts is therefore limited, when the piston rod is being extended, to a surface area equal to that of the cross section of the piston rod.
To overcome this drawback, it has in the past been proposed that a control valve assembly 18 identical to the control valve assembly which is present in the second connecting line also be incorporated in the first connecting line as is shown in FIG. 1b. This control valve assembly 18 is driven by control device 50. However, this makes the actuating device more expensive and more complex to drive. A hydraulic actuating device of this type is known, for example, from EP 1052127.


An isolated cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL), said CTL being a tolerance inducing cell and substantially depleted of alloreactivity, and wherein said CTL does not comprise a central memory T-lymphocyte (Tcm) phenotype, the CTL being transduced to express a cell surface receptor comprising a T cell receptor signaling module, is disclosed. Methods of generating same and using same are also disclosed.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to genetically modified tolerance inducing anti-third party cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) transduced to express a cell surface receptor and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to the use of same in immunotherapy.
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a therapeutic procedure in which lymphocytes (e.g. T cells) are administered to patients in order to treat cancer or viral infections.
This approach requires the ex vivo generation of tumor- or viral-specific T cells and infusion of same to patients. In order to support the acceptance of the T cells, the patient is typically also treated with conditioning protocols, for example, preconditioning protocols (e.g. irradiation or chemotherapy) and/or administration of lymphocyte growth factors (such as IL-2). Many methods have been described for generating tumor specific lymphocytes with the two main approaches being expansion of antigen specific T cells or redirection of T cells using genetic engineering.
According to one approach, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) are isolated from a patient's own tumor mass (e.g. melanoma or renal cancer), are expanded ex vivo and are re-infused back into the patient. TILs are a promising source of cells as they are a mixed set of the patient's own cells that have T-cell receptors (TCRs) specific for the tumor associated antigens (TAAs) present on the tumor. However, they are only applicable in cases where T cells can be isolated from a tumor mass.
This approach has been promising in treating metastatic melanoma.
According to another approach, gene modification is used to redirect lymphocytes against tumors via the use of transgenic TCR chains or chimeric receptors. Currently, retroviral or lentiviral, or electroporational transfer of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) whose target recognition is dependent on a single-chain variable region domain of a monoclonal antibody (scFv) or that of a T-cell receptor (TCR) is typically used for stable production of therapeutic T cells (CAR-T cells or TCR-T cells, respectively) [Fujiwara, Pharmaceuticals (2014) 7: 1049-1068].
The TCR transgenic cells (TCR-T) require a specific HLA molecule for recognition of the target antigen (i.e., HLA restriction) and have the ability to recognize intracellular proteins, providing a broad array of target tumor-associated antigens or viral antigens. The therapeutic quality of the TCR-T cells is dependent on their avidity. To create higher avidity several strategies have been implemented, including, the use of selected TCRs from immunized human HLA transgenic mice with relevant epitopes and/or insertion of targeted mutations in CDR regions 2 or 3 in the variable regions of the TCR α/β chains that interact with the HLA/epitope complex [Fujiwara, Pharmaceuticals (2014) supra].
Alternatively, CAR-T cells are not HLA restricted. The construct of the chimeric receptor (chimeric antigen receptor—CAR) is typically composed of an extracellular antigen-binding domain, a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic signaling domain. The original chimeric receptor (i.e. 'first-generation') was composed of a scFv fragment fused to an intracellular domain from the CD3 ζ-chain.
A 'second generation' chimeric receptor was also generated which adds an intracellular signaling domain, from various co-stimulatory protein receptors (e.g. CD28, CD137, 4-1BB, ICOS), to the cytoplasmic tail of the CAR to provide additional signals to the T cell. Preclinical studies have indicated that the 'second generation' CARs improved the anti-tumor activity of T cells. A "third-generation" CARs was recently generated which combine multiple signaling domains, such as CD3zeta-CD28-4-1BB or CD3zeta-CD28-OX40, to further augment potency.
Tumor specific CARs targeting a variety of tumor antigens are being tested in the clinic for treatment of a variety of different cancers. Examples of these cancers and their antigens that are being targeted includes follicular lymphoma (CD20 or GD2), neuroblastoma (CD171), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (CD20), lymphoma (CD19), glioblastoma (IL13Rα2), chronic lymphocytic leukemia or CLL and acute lymphocytic leukemia or ALL (both CD19). CARs demonstrating activity against solid tumors including ovarian, prostate, breast, renal, colon, neuroblastoma and others are under investigation. Virus specific CARs have also been developed to attack cells harboring virus such as HIV. For example, a clinical trial was initiated using a CAR specific for Gp100 for treatment of HIV (Chicaybam, Ibid).
A major objective is to apply ACT, including genetically modified T cells, using fully or partially mismatched allogeneic cells without resorting to bone marrow transplantation.
Various approaches have been contemplated for modifying T-cells for adoptive cell therapy, some are described in Gilham et al., Human Gene Therapy (2015) 26:276-285; in Sharpe and Mount, Disease Models and Mechanisms (2015) 8:337-350 and in Gouble et al. Blood (2014) 124(21) 4689.
Various approaches have been contemplated for generation of tolerance inducing cells devoid of graft versus host (GVH) activity and the use of same for graft transplantation, some are summarized infra.
One approach developed to generate veto CTLs devoid of GVH activity was described by Reisner and co-workers, in which CTLs were stimulated against 3rd-party stimulators in the absence of exogenous IL-2. This approach was based on the observation that only activated cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTLp) were capable of surviving the IL-2 deprivation in the primary culture (IL-2 starvation results in apoptosis of non-induced T cells). This method was shown in vitro and in vivo to deplete GVH reactivity from the anti-3rd party veto CTLs [PCT Publication No. WO 2001/049243, Bachar-Lustig et al. Blood. 2003; 102:1943-1950; Aviner et al. Hum Immunol. (2005) 66:644-652]. Introduction of these anti-3rd party veto CTLs into a recipient (along with a transplant) prevented graft rejection without inducing graft versus host disease (GVHD) (PCT Publication No. WO 2001/049243).
PCT Publication No. WO 2010/049935 discloses an isolated population of cells comprising non-GVHD inducing anti-third party cells having a central memory T-lymphocyte (Tcm) phenotype, the cells being tolerance-inducing cells and capable of homing to the lymph nodes following transplantation.
PCT Publication No. WO 2013/035099 discloses new methods of generating an isolated population of cells comprising anti-third party cells having central memory T-lymphocyte (Tcm) phenotype, the cells being tolerance-inducing cells and/or endowed with anti-disease activity, and capable of homing to the lymph nodes following transplantation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Genetically modified veto cells and use of same in immunotherapy


Provided is a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) device (1) that can efficiently cool a hot zone during HIP processing while restraining temperatures in the lower part of a high-pressure container. This HIP device (1) is provided with the following: gas-impermeable casings (3, 4) that surround an object to be processed (W); a heating unit (7) that is disposed inside these casings and forms a hot zone around the object to be processed (W); a high-pressure container (2); and a cooling unit that guides a pressure-medium gas cooled on the outside of the casings into the hot zone to cool the hot zone. The cooling unit comprises the following: a gas introduction unit that introduces the pressure-medium gas that has been cooled on the outside of the casings (3, 4) into the hot zone; and a cooling promotion unit (37) that cools the pressure medium gas by causing the pressure-medium gas that has been cooled on the outside of the casings to exchange heat with a base (11) of the high-pressure container (2).

Conventionally, the HIP method, which is a pressing method using a hot isostatic pressing device, has been known. In this HIP method, the following processing is performed: a workpiece such as a sintered product (ceramics and the like), a casting, or the like is heated to a temperature higher than a recrystallization temperature of the workpiece in an atmosphere of a pressure-medium gas that is set at a high pressure of several tens to several hundreds of MPa. Therefore, the HIP method is characterized in that residual pores in the workpiece can be extinguished. The HIP method, therefore, has been recognized to have effects such as the improvement of mechanical properties, the reduction of variations of properties, and the improvement of the yield, and has become used widely in industries in these days.
Incidentally, in real production sites, speedup of processing has been desired earnestly, and it is considered that, for this purpose, it is necessary and indispensable to carry out the cooling step in a short time, which is a time-consuming step among the steps for HIP processing. To cope with this, for the conventional hot isostatic pressing device (hereinafter referred to as a "HIP device"), various methods for improving the cooling speed while holding the inside of a furnace in a thermally uniform condition have been proposed.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a HIP device that includes the following: a high-pressure container that houses a workpiece; a gas-impermeable inner casing that is provided so as to surround the workpiece in the inside of the high-pressure container; a gas-impermeable outer casing that is provided outside the inner casing so as to surround the same; and a heating means that is provided inside the inner casing so as to form a hot zone around the workpiece. The hot zone is formed inside the inner casing, and is held in a heat insulated manner by the inner casing and the outer casing. The isostatic pressing processing is performed by using a pressure-medium gas stored in the hot zone.
This HIP device further includes a cooling means that cools the workpiece in the hot zone by circulating the pressure-medium gas in the inside of the high-pressure container. This cooling means includes a first cooling means and a second cooling means.
The first cooling means performs the cooling by circulating the pressure-medium gas in such a manner that the pressure-medium gas forms a first circulating flow. In this first circulating flow, the pressure-medium gas is cooled while being led so as to flow between the inner casing and the outer casing from below to above, guided from an upper part of the outer casing toward the outside of the outer casing, and further guided from above to below along an inner circumference surface of the high-pressure container. The pressure-medium gas thus cooled is returned from below the outer casing to between the inner casing and the outer casing.
The second cooling means cools the pressure-medium gas by circulating the pressure-medium gas in such a manner that the pressure-medium gas forms a second circulating flow. In the second circulating flow, the pressure-medium gas in the hot zone is guided to the outside of the hot zone so as to join the pressure-medium gas that is forcibly circulated by the above-described first cooling means, whereby the pressure-medium gas is cooled. In this way, the circulation of the pressure-medium gas is performed so that a part of the pressure-medium gas thus cooled is returned to the hot zone.
In the above-described hot isostatic pressing device of Patent Document 1, a part of the pressure-medium gas composing the first circulating flow is caused to join the second circulating flow from a lower part of the hot zone with use of a fan and an ejector, and the pressure-medium gas thus joining cools the hot zone while circulating in the hot zone. This makes it possible to eliminate a temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the furnace that occurs in the cooling process, thereby effectively cooling the inside of the furnace.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a hot isostatic pressing device that carries out a cooling step in a short time by taking out a pressure-medium gas in a high-pressure container to outside the container, cooling the same outside the container, and thereafter returning the same into the container.
In the case of the HIP device disclosed in the Patent Document 1, the high-temperature gas in the hot zone is guided toward above outside the heat-insulation layer, the high-temperature gas and an inner surface of the container are caused to exchange heat while this high-temperature gas goes down through the clearance between the container and the heat-insulation layer whereby the temperature of the high-temperature gas falls, and the gas having a lower temperature as a result is circulated in the hot zone, all of which makes it possible to quickly cooling the hot zone. In particular, it can be considered that in the HIP device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the pressure-medium gas forming the first circulating flow is sufficiently cooled to such a low temperature that the soundness of the pressure container and the like can be maintained.
This prior art, however, involves a problem that the temperature of electrical components and the like provided in a lower part of the high-pressure container cannot be dropped enough. To describe more specifically, in the lower part of the high-pressure container, there are a fan and a motor having a rotation control function for promoting the circulation of gas, a valve for gas flow control, and an actuator for the same, or contact points for an electric heater and a thermocouple for measuring temperature, and the like, and it cannot be considered that the temperature of the lower part of the high-pressure container is sufficiently low from the viewpoint of the heat-resisting properties of these members. Accordingly, there is a possibility that these electrical components are burnt out.
This problem tends to be more serious when, as is the case with the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the low-temperature pressure-medium gas that forms the first circulating flow, and the high-temperature pressure-medium gas that forms the second circulating flow are caused to join first, and the pressure-medium gas after the joining is caused to go down along an inner circumference surface of the high-pressure container.
For example, in a quick cooling method that has been performed conventionally, only the pressure-medium gas that forms the first circulating flow, which goes down along the inner circumference surface of the high-pressure container without forming the second circulating flow, thereby coming to have a lower temperature, is guided into the hot zone, and the pressure-medium gas thus having a higher temperature is guided again to the inner circumference surface of the high-pressure container. In such a quick cooling method, the circulation flow rate itself is small. Therefore, the temperature of the circulation flow after going down along the inner circumference surface of the high-pressure container is low, and is already cooled to such a temperature that electrical components should not be burnt out. In the case where the pressure-medium gas that forms the first circulating flow and the pressure-medium gas that forms the second circulating flow are mixed first and the pressure-medium gas thus formed by mixing is caused to flow down along the inner circumference surface of the high-pressure container so as to be cooled, however, the flow rate of the circulation gas is large, and there is a possibility that the temperature of the pressure-medium gas does not fall sufficiently. This makes the possibility higher that the high-temperature pressure-medium gas flows to the lower part of the high-pressure container, and causes the electrical components to be burnt out.
Such a cooling method that pressure-medium gases are mixed first are cooled is used often in the case where the amount of circulation of the pressure-medium gas that forms the first circulating flow is increased so that the cooling speed is increased, as is the case with the HIP device of Patent Document 1. The HIP device of Patent Document 1, therefore, has a problem that there is a greater possibility that electrical components are burnt out depending on driving conditions.


A luminescent material is provided, which comprises a crystalline phase including Y, Si, O and N, and an activator comprising Tb and Ce.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a luminescent material and also to a light-emitting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A light-emitting diode (LED) is generally constituted by a combination of an LED chip acting as an excitation light source with a luminescent material and emits various luminescent colors depending on the combination. In the case of a white LED device which emits white light, there is employed a combination of an LED chip which emits light having a wavelength ranging from 360 to 500 nm with a luminescent material. For example, there is employed a combination of an LED chip which is capable of emitting light in the ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet region with a mixture of luminescent materials. This mixture of luminescent materials may be composed of a blue luminescent material, a green or yellow luminescent material and a red luminescent material. It is required that the luminescent material to be used in a white LED device is not only capable of effectively absorbing the light ranging from the near-ultraviolet to blue regions, i.e., a wavelength of 360-500 nm which corresponds to the emission wavelength of the LED chip acting as an excitation light source but also capable of efficiently emitting visible light. However, these white LEDs are used in combination with a luminescent material exhibiting a wideband emission spectrum having a half band width of 80 nm or more. For this reason, the white LEDs are limited in color rendering and emission efficiency.
JP-A 2003-96446 (KOKAI) describes a Ce-activated yttrium silicon oxynitride luminescent material. This luminescent material is formed of a composition represented by Y2Si3O3N4:Ce.
Although they do not belong to yttrium silicon oxynitride, a Tb-activated La3Si8O4N11 luminescent material and a Tb-activated La3Si8−xAlxO4−xN11+x luminescent material are proposed in JP-A 2005-112922 (KOKAI). According to these luminescent materials, the practical excitation band of Tb3+ is limited to the range from the excitation spectrum shown in the drawing to an ultraviolet region in the vicinity of about 300 nm. For this reason, even if a light-emitting element which emits light ranging from near-ultraviolet to the blue region is employed as a light source, it would be almost impossible to obtain the emission of light.
Further, in the case of the ultraviolet LED, since the wavelength of light to be emitted therefrom is too short to use for illumination, the resin in which the luminescent material is dispersed would be prominently degraded. Moreover, the ultraviolet LED which emits light having a wavelength of about 300 nm is accompanied by problems that the manufacturing cost thereof is higher than that of the LED chip which emits light having a wavelength ranging from 370 to 440 nm and that the conversion efficiency of electricity into light is low.


In an automatic beam-axis adjustment system, a beam-axis of a headlight is gradually swivel to a position determined based on a steering angle of a steering wheel. The beam-axis returns to the initial position and a swivel control is inhibited when a vehicle is at a stop or slowly moving in an intersection, regardless of the steering angle. The swivel control is restarted after the vehicle starts running straight ahead. In other words, the swivel control is not restarted until the vehicle stats running straight ahead even when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value. Therefore, the movement of the headlights does not disturb a driver.

In a known automatic beam-axis adjustment system, a beam-axis of a vehicular headlight is horizontally swiveled according to a steering angle of a steering wheel. When a vehicle is at a stop or slowly moving in an intersection to turn, the beam-axis returns to an initial position, which is a straight-ahead position, regardless of the steering angle. The beam-axis is instantaneously swiveled to a position that is determined based on the steering angle. Such a movement of the headlight may disturb a driver.

Automatic beam-axis adjustment system for vehicular headlights


A method of making LSO scintillators with high light yield and short decay times is disclosed. In one arrangement, the method includes codoping LSO with cerium and another dopant from the IIA or IIB group of the periodic table of elements. The doping levels are chosen to tune the decay time of scintillation pulse within a broader range (between about ˜30 ns up to about ˜50 ns) than reported in the literature, with improved light yield and uniformity. In another arrangement, relative concentrations of dopants are chosen to achieve the desired light yield and decay time while ensuring crystal growth stability.

Lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO), or Lu2SiO5 activated with cerium (Ce3+), is a well-known crystal scintillator material and widely used for medical imaging, such as gamma-ray detection in positron emission tomography (PET) as well as other applications. Due at least partly to its relatively high light yield and short decay time, LSO is considered to be one of the most suitable materials for molecular imaging applications specifically for time-of-flight PET (TOF PET).
LSO scintillators are typically made of single-crystal LSO grown from a melt using for example, the Czochralski process. For scintillator applications, it is often desirable to be able to grow large single-crystals of LSO with specific optical performance parameters. The size and quality of the grown crystals can be significantly affected by the growth stability.
While LSO scintillators in general have been well developed, efforts are on going to develop LSO scintillators with improved properties for specific applications.

Rare-earth oxyorthosilicate scintillator crystals and method of making rare-earth oxyorthosilicate scintillator crystals


In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided apparatus, systems and methods for optimizing DSL line configurations and parameters in a DSL system. For example, such a system may include means for: interfacing to a currently operating Digital Subscriber Line (“DSL line”) operating within a DSL system having a plurality of DSL lines operating therein; evaluating an active configuration of the currently operating DSL line by collecting operational data for the DSL line during operation of the DSL line; determining a plurality of candidate configurations for the currently operating DSL line, the plurality of candidate configurations being operationally compatible with the currently operating DSL line; selecting one of the sub-set of the plurality of candidate configurations as the selected configuration for the DSL line based on a preferred operational characteristic; and transitioning the currently operating DSL line from operating using the active configuration for the DSL line to operating using the selected configuration for the DSL line. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to embodiments of the claimed subject matter.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technologies provide potentially large bandwidth for digital communication over existing twisted-pair telephone lines to subscriber locations, such as businesses, residences, etc. These twisted-pair telephone lines are sometimes referred to as loops, DSL lines, or the "copper plant."
Despite their original design for only voice-band analog communication, these twisted-pair telephone lines are nevertheless capable of providing bandwidth in-line with expectations of modern Internet users, when the lines are configured and managed appropriately.
Generally speaking, a default or template DSL line configuration is applied to a DSL line and that configuration then controls the operation of the DSL line in perpetuity. Using conventional DSL implementations, the DSL configuration is only modified on an as-needed basis, for instance, by a service technician responding to a service call from a customer due to poor performance of the DSL line. Such a strategy is inefficient in terms of human resources as the technician must manually review and modify the configuration, and such a conventional strategy also fails to fully utilize the operational potential of a DSL line which may yield greater customer satisfaction for DSL subscribers and in turn yield improved profit potential for DSL service providers and DSL operators.
The present state of the art may therefore benefit from systems, methods, and apparatuses for optimizing DSL line configurations and parameters in a DSL system as described herein.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for optimizing DSL line configurations and parameters in a DSL system

Adaptive Spectrum and Signal Alignment, Inc.


A control system for a flow adjusting valve, it uses rotation of a motor as the power force to move a terminal output axle and then to change the openness of the latter; and further includes a magnet and a magnetic inductive element in opposition to the magnet to count the number of rotating turns of the terminal output axle to obtain different fed back signals, thus the openness of the flow adjusting valve can be known; clutch gears are provided between the motor and the terminal output axle, when the clutch gears generate a getting off action, the maximum and the minimum states of the openness of the flow adjusting valve can be known by rotating forwards and backwards of the motor, this can be a reference method to have the frequency signals of the control system for the flow adjusting valve set zero for correction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a control system for a flow adjusting valve, and especially to a flow control system used for a combustor to do gas flow adjusting and control, the system can even do combusting gas-flow adjusting on a combustor with two lines of fire to accurately control the power of the fire on the combustor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional mechanical flow adjusting and control methods generally use linear sensors or variable resistors etc. to adjust and feed back signals of positions, the linear sensors always have the defects including wearing in using, inability of having long life of use and complication of their control systems, as well as hardness in simultaneous correctly controlling the flow adjusting valves having two outlets each.


A PZT grounding connection to the stainless steel substrate of a suspension flexure includes an oversized void or via in the insulating layer of the flexure, copper being plated onto the stainless steel within the void with an intermediate layer of nickel therebetween, and conductive adhesive electrically and mechanically bonding the copper within the void to the PZT. The connection provides a high quality, low resistance ground path from the PZT to the stainless steel substrate without plating gold onto the stainless steel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of disk drive suspensions. More particularly, this invention relates to the field of microactuator grounding in disk drive suspensions.
2. Description of Related Art
Magnetic hard disk drives and other types of spinning media drives such as optical disk drives are well known. FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an exemplary prior art hard disk drive and suspension. The prior art disk drive unit 100 includes a spinning magnetic disk 101 containing a pattern of magnetic ones and zeroes on it that constitutes the data stored on the disk drive. The magnetic disk is driven by a drive motor (not shown). Disk drive unit 100 further includes a disk drive suspension 105 to which a magnetic head slider (not shown) is mounted proximate a distal end of load beam 107. Suspension 105 is coupled to an actuator arm 103, which in turn is coupled to a voice coil motor (VCM) 112 that moves the suspension 105 arcuately in order to position the head slider over the correct data track on data disk 101. The head slider is carried on a gimbal which allows the slider to pitch and roll so that it follows the proper data track on the disk, allowing for such variations as vibrations of the disk, inertial events such as bumping, and irregularities in the disk's surface.
Both single stage actuated disk drive suspensions and dual stage actuated (DSA) suspension are known. In a single stage actuated suspension, only voice coil motor 112 moves suspension 105. In DSA suspensions such as the DSA suspension 105 of FIG. 1, in addition to voice coil motor 112 which moves the entire suspension, at least one microactuator 114 is located on the suspension in order to effect fine movements of the magnetic head slider to keep it properly aligned over the data track on the spinning disk. The secondary microactuator(s) provide much finer control and much higher bandwidth of the servo control loop than does the voice coil motor alone, which is only capable of effecting relatively coarse movements of the suspension and hence the magnetic head slider. The microactuators are commonly linear piezoelectric devices, particularly lead zirconate titanate (PZT) devices. The microactuators will henceforth be referred to herein as PZTs for simplicity of discussion, it being understood that the microactuators can be other types of devices as well.
Recent designs locate the PZTs on the suspension gimbal which holds the read/write head, or to a position in which the PZTs act directly on the gimbal. Such suspensions are called gimbal-based DSA, micro DSA or GSA suspensions. GSA suspensions do not have as great an arm length through which the PZTs act, and hence do not exhibit as much movement of the head slider in response to a unit of voltage input to the PZT microactuators, as do more traditional DSA suspension designs in which the PZTs are mounted at the mount plate such as in the suspension of FIG. 1. However, as data tracks have become narrower and narrower, hence reducing the need for as great a movement of the head slider, GSA designs have become a more attractive option to suspension designers.
Without admitting that FIG. 2 is "prior art" within the legal meaning of that term, FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the distal portion of a GSA suspension flexure 20 according to a previous design by the present applicant. As used herein, the term "bottom view" or "bottom plan view" means viewing the suspension from the side on which the slider is mounted. The flexure 20 is usually welded near the distal end of a load beam such as load beam 107 in FIG. 1. With the flexure 20 of FIG. 2 which includes two PZT microactuators 14, those PZTs would eliminate the need for the two PZTs 114 show in FIG. 1.
Two PZTs 14 are affixed to a rigid and non-gimbaled portion of the suspension at their proximal ends. As used herein, the term "proximal" means closest to the actuator arm at which the suspension is mounted, i.e., toward the left in FIG. 2, and "distal" means closest to the cantilevered end of the suspension, i.e., toward the right in FIG. 2. PZTs 14 act directly on the gimbaled portion of the suspension which includes PZT connecting arms or connectors 30 which are attached to the distal ends of the PZTs 14, and slider tongue 52 which carries head slider 54. Flexible connectors 30 act as connectors to transmit tensile and compressive forces, and thereby transmit push/pull movement of PZTs 14 to the gimbaled portion or the flexure specifically to the slider tongue 52 to which head slider 54 is mounted, the connectors 30 being flexible enough to allow the gimbal to pitch and roll relatively freely and thus not interfere with the normal gimbal action as head 54 slider pitches and rolls in response to surface irregularities in the surface of the data disk. Such a suspension is generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,879,210 which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. Details of the electrical and mechanical connections to the PZTs 14 are omitted from the drawings of the present application for simplicity of illustration.
The term "stroke" or "stroke length" or "stroke sensitivity" refers to the effective amount of expansion that a PZT exhibits in response to an applied input voltage. There are advantages to high stroke length. One advantage is that a greater stroke length means that the read/write head can be servo actuated through a greater distance over the data platter, and hence can read a greater amount of data from the disk, using only the PZT microactuators which have a high servo bandwidth without needing to actuate the VCM which has a comparatively low bandwidth. Greater stoke length therefore translates into greater seek and read speeds.
If the power and ground electrical connections to the PZT microactuator are less than ideal, actuation voltage potential is lost across those connections and hence stroke length suffers. It is therefore a design goal to minimize electrical resistance of the PZTs' power and ground connections.
Without admitting that FIGS. 3 and 4 are "prior art" within the legal meaning of that term, those figures show two different grounding schemes that have been proposed by the assignee of the present application. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along section line 3-3′ in FIG. 2. The PZT bottom electrode is electrically connected to a driving voltage by conductive epoxy 32 which extends to copper signal pad 34 having gold plating thereon. As used herein, the term "bottom electrode" will refer to the electrode of the PZT that is farthest away from the flexure and closest to the disk platter, and the term "top electrode" will refer to the electrode that is closest to the flexure. The copper signal pad 34 is part of the flexure's flexible circuit. The ground connection is made through an area of the flexure which has no polyimide and no copper on it. The PZT top electrode is connected to ground through conductive epoxy 42 directly to the grounded stainless steel substrate 46, optionally with a layer 47 of gold plating on the stainless steel for corrosion resistance. Stainless steel substrate 46 is sometimes referred to as the stainless steel support layer of the flexure. The flexure is affixed to load beam 12.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing an alternative flexure grounding connection, also according to a prior design by the present applicant. Both copper signal pads 34, 36 are part of the flexure's flexible circuit, with copper pad 34 being connected to a driving voltage and copper pad 36 being connected to ground. In this design the ground connection to PZT 14 is made using conductive epoxy 42 adhered to copper contact pad 36 of the flexure over polyimide layer 38. Gold layer 37 is usually plated onto the copper contact pad 36 for corrosion resistance. The copper contact pad 36 is grounded at a ground connection contact point that is not shown through any of a variety of well known structures and methods for connecting copper contact pads 36 within a suspension flexure to ground.
Neither of those two prior designs is ideal. The design of FIG. 3 requires plating gold onto the stainless steel support layer, which requires a number of additional process steps such as dry film resist (DFR) lamination and development prior to plating, and subsequent DFR removal. Such additional steps increase the cost of the flexure.
The design of FIG. 4 can utilize the existing processes of the flexure manufacturing without requiring extra process steps for gold plating, and thus that design enjoys lower manufacturing cost. However, due to the extra thickness of the copper pad 36 and the polyimide layer 38 under PZT 14, and the elastic modulus of polyimide layer 38, the PZT stroke can be significantly compromised.

Microactuator grounding through oversized via in a disk drive suspension flexure circuit


An apparatus for feeding preheated aggregate material, such as for the production of asphalt. A feed hopper includes a heater within its interior and positioned adjacent a slotted discharge opening at the lower end of the hopper. A tent-like cover is positioned above the heater to deflect aggregate material from contacting the upper portion of the heater and to transfer heat to the aggregate material in a uniform and efficient manner. The heater may preferably be a gas-fired radiant heater extending lengthwise parallel to and for the full length of the slotted discharge opening. A series of hoppers may be arranged in side-by-side relation and a common conveyor positioned beneath the individual feed conveyors of each hopper to direct the preheated aggregate material to a subsequent processing apparatus, such as a drum mixer or other dryer, used for the production of asphalt.

The raw materials for the production of asphalt, such as virgin aggregate or recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), are typically loaded from outdoor stockpiles into a plurality of individual hoppers and fed therefrom to a conveyor and then into a drum mixer. The drum mixer removes moisture and heats the aggregate. The heated aggregate may be coated with liquid asphalt either in the mixer or in a separate mixing chamber or pugmill.
In a typical mixer, wet aggregate enters the drum and is picked up and dropped through the hot gases and gradually cascades from one end of the drum to the other. The dwell time for material in the drum typically varies from as short as two minutes to as long as six minutes. The raw materials must absorb a relatively large amount of heat from the drum mixer for a satisfactory final product.
Since the moisture content of the raw materials affects the amount of heat that must be absorbed in the drum mixer, an effort is typically made to manage the stockpiles of raw materials to reduce moisture. Raw materials may be taken from the sections of the outdoor stockpiles which have benefitted most from drainage and natural heating and drying. For example, the moisture level for a typical aggregate material varies according to height above the ground surface with the material adjacent the ground having the highest moisture content. Therefore, a loader operator may be instructed to remove material from above the 3' level, for example. In addition, the stockpile may be positioned on a slight incline and the loader operator may also be instructed to remove material from the sunny side of the stockpile. Stockpiles may also be covered to reduce their moisture content. As disclosed in Productivity: "Producing Profits for the '80s", by J. Don Brock, Technical Bulletin No. T-106, 1984, it has been suggested that rising fuel prices may make it desirable to heat stockpiles with forced hot air generated by a water heat exchange system coupled to the exhaust gases from the baghouse of a typical asphalt plant.
Heating of raw materials is used in many different processes of a typical asphalt plant. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,445 to Sellers discloses a heater provided for a storage tank for the storage of fluids, such as asphalt or hot water. The oil fired burner is fitted into a flue container of a ceramic combustion chamber which has a thick wall and serves to shield the outside of the flue from overheating the asphalt for the length of the ceramic chamber. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,745 to Miller discloses dual extending heat exchangers positioned within a storage tank for asphalt or other liquids.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,583 to Martin is directed to maintaining the aggregate material in a storage bin free from a light freeze or frost condition. Martin discloses passing heated air through jackets on the walls of the bins to heat the aggregate only to an increment above the freezing point of water. The Martin patent teaches that it is not feasible to pass steam through the aggregate since the condensed steam thoroughly soaks the mass. On the other hand, if dry, flue gases from a heat generator are passed through the aggregate, contamination may result which is equally as unacceptable as steam soaking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,996 to Mendenhall discloses a batch plant using the Minnesota Heat Transfer Method of Recycling, in which a small amount of preheat is given to the RAP in a separate drum where the RAP is in direct contact with the combustion gases in order to reduce the amount of super heat required for mixing with the virgin aggregate material in the drum mixer.

Feed hopper for providing preheated aggregate material


An engine controller diagnostic system includes a cylinder identification (ID) comparison module and a synchronization diagnostic module. The cylinder ID comparison module compares a first cylinder ID associated with a first controller with a second cylinder ID associated with a second controller. The synchronization diagnostic module determines a synchronization status of the first controller based on a comparison between the first cylinder ID and the second cylinder ID.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
More than one engine controller may be used to control an internal combustion engine. For example, in an engine with dual controllers, each controller may control half of the cylinders. The controllers determine a phase relationship between a camshaft and a crankshaft separately during a synchronization process when the engine is started. Fuel injection and spark timing for a front bank of cylinders and a back bank of cylinders are determined based on the phase relationship. Improper controller synchronization may result in improper fuel injector and spark plug scheduling.
For an engine with a single controller, improper controller synchronization may prevent the engine from starting. However, for an engine with dual engine controllers, an engine may be started when only one controller is synchronized. Cylinders associated with the properly-synchronized controller may provide enough power to drive the other cylinders associated with an improperly-synchronized controller. Consequently, fuel injection and spark timing for the other cylinders may not be controlled based on a predetermined schedule.

Synchronization diagnostic systems and methods for engine controllers


An automatic sewing device for the sewing of workpieces of different size, such as collars, cuffs or the like, the workpieces having a seam section extending in a straight line where they differ in size, has a workpiece holding plate to press the workpiece on a bearing plate and to displace it on the bearing plate. The workpiece holding plate has two seam forming sections of maximum possible size and is made in one piece. Further devices are provided for shifting the workpiece holding plate after a 1st seam contour section has been sewn to move said workpiece holding plate with respect to said 1st seam contour section to a position of the workpiece holding plate where a second seam forming section corresponds to a second seam contour section.

An automatic sewing device is known from DE 32 16 528 C2, in which, prior to the actual sewing process, a workpiece holder is adjusted in size to match a workpiece to be sewn, for instance a collar or a cuff. For the purpose of automatically balancing the adjustment of size and the seam contour, the adjustment of size is detected as a measuring length and passed on to a control unit of the automatic sewing device. It is of disadvantage that an adjustment of size of the workpiece holder to match the size of each workpiece to be sewn in necessary prior to the sewing process. The workpiece holder adjustable in size has a complicated structure. The workpiece holder itself is huge and requires a correspondingly dimensioned sewing panel.
An apparatus is known from DE 89 06 434 U1 to be used in an automatic sewing device for automatically balancing the adjustment of size for collar sewing. In this case the size of a collar is detected by opto-electronic sensors, after the collar has first been put against a reference stop. Corresponding to the collar size detected, a workpiece holder consisting substantially of a stationary half-plate and of a second half-plate displaceable in longitudinal direction of the collar is automatically adjusted. This is comparatively expensive, too.
An automatic sewing device is known from DE 31 34 028 C2 to have a feeder with a workpiece holder. After a first seam contour section has been sewn, the workpiece holder is shifted on the workpiece; then a second seam contour section is sewn. The reason why the workpiece holder is shifted with the workpiece resides in that a seam contour is to be produced, of which the dimensions exceed the size of the sewing field available, i.e. the size of the area run over by the workpiece holder.


In an embodiment, a pluggable connector configured to removably couple an end of an optical cable to an optoelectronic module includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to engage a latch slot of the optoelectronic module to retain within the optoelectronic module a ferrule optically coupled to optical fibers of the optical cable. The second portion is configured to engage the ferrule to prevent removal of the ferrule from within the optoelectronic module when the first portion engages the latch slot.

Some data transmission involves the conversion of optical signals to electrical signals and/or electrical signals to optical signals. In some applications, the conversion occurs at a circuit board. For example, an optical cable carrying one or more optical signals may interface with an optoelectronic module such as a board-mounted optical assembly (BOA) such as an optical engine, or a pluggable optoelectronic module such as an XFP, a QSFP, an SFP+, or other pluggable optoelectronic module. At the BOA, the optical signals may be transduced from optical signals to electrical signals using optical receivers. The electrical signals may then be communicated along etched copper traces integrated into the circuit board to a destination. Likewise, electrical signals may be communicated along etched copper traces to the BOA. At the BOA, the electrical signals may be transduced to optical signals by optical transmitters. The optical signals may then be further communicated along the same or a different optical cable that interfaces with the optoelectronic module.
In some BOAs, a lens assembly may be configured to receive an optical interface such as a cable connector. The optical interface generally supports one or more optical fibers that communicate the optical data to and from the BOA. One difficulty with many such cable connectors, however, is that they lack the ability to be easily attached and removed in order to facilitate modular level testing of the BOA.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.


A magnetic sensing device that senses low frequency magnetic fields by using movable flux concentrators that modulate the observed low frequency signal. The concentrator oscillates at a modulation frequency much greater than the observed magnetic field being sensed by the device. The modulation shifts this observed signal to higher frequencies and thus minimizes 1/f-type noise. This is preferably accomplished by the oscillatory motion of a microelectromechanical (MEMS)xe2x80x94type magnetic flux concentrator operated with a magnetic sensor, preferably made on a common substrate. Such a combined device can be used in a magnetometer. Such a device is small, low-cost and has low-power-consumption requirements. The magnetic sensor can be a Hall effect or other type of magnetic sensor. At least one modulating flux concentrator is used with the magnetic sensor.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for Governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon.
The present invention relates generally to magnetic transducers, and more particularly, to magnetic sensors used with a flux concentrator that modulates the magnetic flux going to the magnetic sensor.
Interest is increasing in the development of miniature magnetic sensors for sensing low-frequency magnetic fields in terrestrial, extraterrestrial, industrial, biomedical, oceanographic, and environmental applications. The trend in magnetic sensor design and development is constantly toward smaller size, lower power consumption, and lower cost for similar or improved performance.
There are several types of magnetometers (magnetic sensors with external instrumentation) currently used. The least expensive and least sensitive devices have resolution of about 10xe2x88x921 Oersted (Oe)/Hzxc2xd and typically are Hall effect devices. These devices work by sensing a voltage change across a conductor or semiconductor placed in a magnetic field. Such devices are insensitive and do not lend themselves to applications requiring greater sensitivity, such as that required in brain scan devices and magnetic anomaly detection devices. Magnetoresistive-type magnetic sensors are suited for low-cost, medium-sensitivity applications and have a resolution of about 10xe2x88x925 Oe/Hzxc2xd. Using spin-dependent tunneling magnetoresistive sensors, one can observe 38% changes in the resistivity in fields of a few Oe, see D. Song, J. Nowak and M. Covington, J. Appl. Phys, 87, 5197 (2000).
More sensitive magnetometers exist, but they are typically limited to applications that can tolerate relatively high power size, weight and cost. The most common of these devices are flux gate magnetometers that have a resolution of approximately 10xe2x88x926 Oe/Hzxc2xd and SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometers that have a resolution of about 10xe2x88x9210 Oe/Hzxc2xd. Flux gate magnetometers use a magnetic core surrounded by an electromagnetic coil, and are difficult to microfabricate. Additionally, flux gate magnetometers require relatively large amount of power and accordingly do no lend themselves to low-cost, compact, portable design. Though SQUID magnetometers are the most sensitive magnetometers, the apparatus must include a means for cooling to cryogenic temperatures. This makes SQUID magnetometers extremely bulky and expensive to operate. Their size limits their utility because the active superconducting element cannot be placed directly adjacent to the source of the magnetic field, for example the brain. Accordingly, there is need for small, inexpensive, low power magnetometers that have sufficient sensitivity to be useful for a variety of magnetometer applications at low frequencies.
Magnetic sensors used to detect objects that move slowly typically exhibit considerable low-frequency 1/f-type noise (where f is frequency of operation of the magnetic sensor), an unwanted condition. In general, there is a tendency for such devices that have higher sensitivity to also exhibit higher 1/f-type noise. This generally occurs when using magnetoresistive-type magnetic sensors, see van de veerdonk et al. J. Appl. Phys 82, 6152 (1997).
A well-known way of increasing the sensed magnetic field by a magnetic sensor is by use of a flux concentrator, which can enhance a sensed magnetic field by as much as a factor of 50, see N. Smith et al., IEEE Trans. Magn. 33, p. 3358 (1997). An example of such a device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,895, entitled xe2x80x9cMagnetic field sensor and current and/or energy sensor,xe2x80x9d that use Hall sensors with flux concentrator components. The magnetization of flux concentrators increases in the direction of the field to be measured. This in turn increases the magnetic field flux at the position of the sensor and, thus, increases the output signal from the magnetic sensor.
The magnetization of the flux concentrator can change by domain wall motion or domain rotation. The latter is the preferred mode because it generates less 1/f noise. There are many different ways and materials that can used for the magnetic material. The overall objective is the largest possible increase in the magnetic field at the position of the sensor without increasing the magnetic 1/f noise.
A magnetic sensor (magnetometer) that addresses 1/f-type noise is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,237. This disclosure teaches of an apparatus for measuring magnetic fields, which change only at extremely low frequency. This apparatus uses a SQUID magnetometer that includes a superconducting flux transformer that inductively couples a detected signal into a d-c SQUID sensor. This magnetometer can optionally include a device for modulating the detected signal in a frequency range characteristic of low-noise operation of the SQUID. The modulation frequencies are generally above 1 Hz and optionally even above 1-kHz. Limitations of this device include need for cryogenic operation, which inherently do not lend themselves to relatively low cost, low power use.
Thus, there is need, for small, low-cost, low-power-consuming magnetic sensors having sensitivities capable of meeting the varied applications listed above for detecting low frequency signals and minimizing the 1/f-type noise.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a magnetic sensor with a modulating flux concentrator having sufficient sensitivity for a variety of applications that minimize effects of 1/f-type noise.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a magnetic sensor with a modulating flux concentrator that is inexpensive to manufacture, has a high sensitivity, yet not having to be concerned with 1/f-type noise associated with that type of sensor. Such devices can preferably be produced by microfabrication MEMS-techniques.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a magnetic sensor with a flux concentrator that uses relatively little power. An example would be a magnetic sensor with a flux concentrator that can be operated for long periods of time from batteries.
This invention results from the realization that a small and inexpensive yet extremely sensitive magnetic sensor, may be accomplished by oscillating a torsionally suspended flux concentrator or a flux concentrator that can rotate or oscillate about an axis.
The invention improves the sensitivity of magnetic sensors in general that operate at low frequencies by using flux concentrators that modulate an observed sensed, low-frequency, magnetic field, thereby shifting this observed field to higher frequencies where the noise of the sensor is smaller to minimize 1/f-type noise. This is preferably accomplished by providing a torsionally suspended microelectromechanical (MEMS)-type magnetic flux concentrator or a flux concentrator that can rotate or oscillate about some axis in combination with a magnetic sensor, preferably on a common substrate. Such a combined device is used in a magnetometer. Such a device is small, low-cost and has low-power-consumption requirements. The magnetic sensor can be a Hall effect or other type of magnetic sensor. At least one torsionally suspended or free-to-rotate MEMS-type fabricated flux concentrator is used with the magnetic sensor. The torsionally-suspended flux concentrator or a flux concentrator that can rotate or oscillate about some axis at a modulation frequency much greater than an observed lower frequency signal being sensed.
The signal to noise ratio is improved by this modulation technique if the flux concentrator has less 1/f noise than the magnetic sensor. Since flux concentrators are much simpler devices than magnetic sensors, there are fewer constraints in decreasing their 1/f noise. Several ways of making low noise flux concentrators are discussed herein. Thus, it should be possible to satisfy the condition that the 1/f noise is lower in the flux concentrator than in the magnetic sensor.

Magnetic sensor with modulating flux concentrator for 1/f noise reduction

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A charger having a controller with an input and an output, a first terminal for connecting a battery pack to the controller, a connecting line disposed between the first terminal and the input of the controller, a current source connected to the controller for providing power to the battery pack. The current source provides power to the battery pack via the connecting line. The controller sends a pulse signal unto the connecting line via the output, so that the controller can determine whether the battery pack is connected to the charger by the presence of the pulse signal in the input of the controller.

The battery packs for portable power tools, outdoor tools and certain kitchen and domestic appliances may include rechargeable batteries, such as lithium, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lead-acid batteries, so that they can be recharged rather than be replaced. Thereby a substantial cost saving is achieved.
It is preferable to provide a charger that recognizes when a battery pack has been connected in order to begin charging.


A hot rolled steel sheet has a chemical composition including, by mass %, C: 0.060% to 0.120%; Si: 0.10% to 0.70%; Mn: 1.00% to 1.80%; P: 0.10% or less; S: 0.010% or less; Al: 0.01% to 0.10%; N: 0.010% or less; Nb: 0.010% to 0.100%, wherein Nb is contained so that content of solute Nb is 5% or more relative to the total Nb content; the balance being Fe and incidental impurities. The hot rolled steel sheet has a microstructure containing ferrite of not more than 15 μm in average crystal grain diameter by a volume fraction of not less than 75%, the balance being low-temperature-induced phases. The hot rolled steel sheet can be suitably utilized for manufacturing a cold rolled steel sheet or hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more, excellent in material homogeneity and capable of giving excellent cold rolling property.

In recent years, for reducing the amount of CO2 emission in view of global environmental protection, there is a strong demand for improved fuel efficiency of automobiles. Thus, there is an active movement toward reduction of the vehicle body weight, by improving the strength of vehicle body members while simultaneously reducing the sheet thickness. To this end, high strength steel sheet having TS 590 MPa or more are widely utilized for manufacturing a cold rolled steel sheet and hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, which are formed into vehicle body members by press working. Moreover, in order to ensure satisfactory collision safety characteristics required for automobiles, enhanced absorption of the collision energy is mandatory. For improving the collision-energy absorbing property, an effective measure is to increase the yield ratio. The higher is the yield ratio, the more effectively can the collision energy be absorbed even with a small volume of deformation.
In this regard, as the mechanism for reinforcing the steel sheet to have a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more, it is known to harden ferrite as the matrix phase or utilize a hard phase such as martensite. Among other things, precipitation-strengthened, high strength steel sheet obtained by adding carbide-forming elements, such as Nb, makes it possible readily to improve the yield ratio and reduce the amount of alloying elements that are required for realizing a predetermined strength, thereby lowering the production cost.
However, there is a problem associated with a high strength cold rolled steel sheet of precipitation-strengthened type that, in the annealing step after hot rolling and subsequent cold rolling, precipitates become sparsely coarse thereby causing a large fluctuation in strength or elongation property. Incidentally, the shape fixability significantly deteriorates by high strengthening the steel sheet and reducing its thickness. Thus, press molds are generally designed taking into consideration an estimated deformation amount of the pressed parts upon their removal from the molds after the press formation. In this instance, if the tensile strength of the steel sheet fluctuates considerably, deviation from an estimated deformation amount based on a constant tensile strength becomes large and tends to cause shape defects requiring each member to be corrected one by one by sheet metal working, etc., thereby leading to significantly low mass-production efficiency. Thus, there is demand for minimizing fluctuation especially in strength of the cold rolled steel sheet and hot-dip galvanized steel sheet, i.e., for achieving an excellent material homogeneity.
As noted above, there are demands for minimizing fluctuation in strength and elongation properties of the cold rolled and hot-dip galvanized steel sheets, and improving the cold rolling property. Further, high strength cold rolled steel sheet is significantly affected by the steel sheet structure and precipitated amounts in the hot rolled steel sheet, so that it would be effective to realize a higher strength of the hot rolled steel sheet. In relation to hot rolled steel sheet, Patent Literature 1 (JP 3767132 B2) discloses a method for manufacturing a hot rolled steel sheet having excellent ductility and material homogeneity by controlling the Nb and Ti contents. On the other hand, Patent Literature 2 (JP 2000-212687 A) discloses a hot rolled steel sheet having improved material homogeneity and hole expansion formability by controlling the Ti content.

Hot-rolled steel sheet and method for producing same


An apparatus and method for compensating the gain of an Automatic Gain Controller (AGC) for stabilizing the reception power of discontinuously transmitted packet data in a mobile communication system are disclosed. A compensation controller receives an AGC value from the AGC, sampling the AGC value by a predetermined sample number for a predetermined period, and obtains an AGC compensation gain by comparing a predetermined value with the difference between a sampled AGC value with a reference gain for the predetermined period. A compensator compensates the AGC value with the AGC compensation gain, thereby correcting errors generated in view of the nature of the AGC.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an automatic gain control apparatus and method, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for compensating the gain of an automatic gain controller (AGC) in order to stabilize the received signal power of discontinuously transmitted high-rate packet data in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communication systems for high-rate packet data transmission (hereinafter, referred to as a high-rate packet transmission mobile communication system) usually support only data channels or support both data and voice channels. The former is referred to as an International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) Evolution-Data Only (1xEV-DO), while the latter is referred to as an IMT-2000 Evolution-Data and Voice (1xEV-DV).
To realize high-rate data transmission, a plurality of users share the same channel for Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) in the high-rate packet transmission mobile communication systems. A base station receives feedback forward channel state information from a mobile station and if the channel state is acceptable, the base station transmits data in a high-order modulation scheme such as 8 Phase Shift Keying (PSK), 16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), or 64-QAM to achieve a higher data rate. Since a forward packet channel is shared among a plurality of users in TDM, the base station assigns all available transmission power to one or two particular users in a time slot assigned to the users.
Because packet data is usually generated discontinuously, there exist periods where packets are not transmitted e.g., non-packet transmission periods. Hence, if the received signal level of packet data is not kept constant, the use of a high-order modulation such as 64-QAM leads to poor packet reception quality. A typical solution is to use an AGC. The structure of the AGC and the level variations of a signal received at a receiver will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 2C.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical AGC for keeping a received signal level constant.
Referring to FIG. 1, the AGC comprises a gain controlled amplifier (GCA) 10 for receiving a signal s(t) from an antenna (not shown), an accumulator 20 for accumulating the output of the GCA 10 for a predetermined period, an adder 30 for adding the output of the accumulator 20 to a target reference voltage AIM_AMP, and a feedback loop filter 40 having a predetermined bandwidth, for filtering the output of the adder 30.
The GCA 10 is an amplifier controlled by a feedback signal.
During operation, an input signal is fed to the GCA 10. The output of the GCA 10 is divided into two parts and one of part of the output is fed to the accumulator 20. The adder 30 adds an accumulated signal received from the accumulator 20 to the reference voltage AIM_AMP with a negative value. That is, the adder 30 computes the difference between the output of the accumulator 20 and the reference voltage AIM_AMP. The feedback loop filter 40 filters the signal of the difference and the GCA 10 amplifies the input signal with the filtered signal.
The level variations of a signal received from a base station will be described in connection with the structure of the AGC.
FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are timing diagrams illustrating transmitted power level variations and received power level variations for discontinuous packet transmission. More specifically, FIG. 2A illustrates base station transmission power Ior, FIG. 2B illustrates the level of a received signal Îo—AGC controlled by the AGC, and FIG. 2C illustrates a control signal Vc(t) for controlling the GCA in the loop of the AGC according to the variation of the base station transmission power Ior. It should be noted that the base station transmission power Ior reaches a maximum value Pmax during a transmission period from t1 to t3, but falls to a normal value Pnormal during a non-packet transmission period.
However, the controlled received signal level Îo—AGC is not kept constant due to the rapid variation of the transmitted signal at the transmission start point t1 or the transmission end point t3 because the AGC generally operates in a loop control manner. Thus, some time is taken until the AGC loop is stabilized. It is an evitable AGC error under the assumption of an ideal AGC. Therefore, most high-rate packet receivers face the same problem in relation to discontinuous packet transmission.
High-rate packet data transmission involves a high-order modulation like QPSK/8-PSK or a higher-order modulation scheme such as 16-QAM/64-QAM. Demodulation performance is greatly degraded if the AGC error caused by discontinuous packet transmission makes the power level of an input signal inconstant.
Moreover, the AGC error lasting until the stabilization of the AGC during the discontinuous packet transmission changes the received power level in one slot, which significantly affects the demodulation performance of 16-QAM/64-QAM. Therefore, there is a need for an algorithm for reducing the power level variation of a signal output from the AGC in one slot.

Apparatus and method for compensating gain of an automatic gain controller


A sensor mounting structure for mounting sensors onto sensor mounting portions formed on a case body includes: an elastically deformable mounting flat spring mounted on the case body so as to cover outer surface part of the case body, allowing the sensors to be mounted on the sensor mounting portions by pressing the sensors from outside. The mounting flat spring includes sensor pressing portions for pressing the sensors, a pair of pressed portions being pressed in directions nearing each other from outer surface sides by predetermined members, and engaging portions for engaging with the case body in a direction orthogonal to the directions in which the pressed portions are pressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technical field on sensor mounting structures and image capture apparatuses.
2. Description of Related Art
In video cameras, still cameras and the like used as image capture apparatuses, various types of lenses, such as a zoom lens and a focus lens, which are movable in an optical-axis direction are provided (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP 2002-107598).
Positions of these lenses are determined by detecting rotational positions or the like of, e.g., a zooming motor, a focusing motor, and the like using sensors such as photo interrupters. Accordingly, the sensors such as photo interrupters are mounted on sensor mounting portions formed on a case body which holds the zooming motor, the focusing motor, and the like, and the rotational positions or the like of the zooming motor, the focusing motor, and the like arranged in side the case body are detected by the sensors.
In image capture apparatuses of related art, the sensors have been mounted on the sensor mounting portions of the case body with an adhesive.

Sensor mounting structure and image capture apparatus