A degreasing method and system which subjects dirty and oily parts to a bath of relatively impure solvent and thereafter rinsing such parts in relatively pure solvent. The rinsing is performed above the bath so that the relatively pure solvent used as a rinse falls into the bath and recharges it. The relatively pure solvent is continuously obtained by distilling a portion of the solvent from the bath in a closed continuous flow system. The novel solvent used is a mixture of esters of low molecular weight aliphatic carboxylic acid and a normally liquid branched chain alkane.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a liquid phase degreasing method, a system and apparatus, and solvent therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of contaminates in the form of lubricants, including petroleum products, water soluble oils and synthetic or semisynthetic fluids, are employed in metal working and in the repair of metallic objects such as automobile parts. Some of these fluids pose difficult problems for removal of these contaminants from the surface of the objects. Many of these problems are associated with environmental concerns both from an atmospheric pollution and waste disposal standpoint.
The prior art solutions to these cleaning problems have been directed to vapor degreasers using chlorinated solvents such as 1, 1, 1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene or methylene chloride. The term "degreaser" is a term of art for removing all manner of contaminants from solid surfaces such as oil, grease, welding flux, water surfactants, metal salts and the like.
However, the prior art vapor degreasers pose significant environmental problems. The chlorinated solvents frequently break down and form corrosive hydrochloric acid in the presence of water. The vapor phase operation requires the use of expensive vapor recovery systems without which there would be significant atmospheric pollution. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,990 to Barday illustrates the complicated means needed in a closed system to perform the steps of a vapor degreasing method.
It is thus apparent that a need exists for a degreasing method and system which minimizes the dangers of waste disposal and atmospheric pollution in a simple cost effective manner. However, the prior art, when considered as a whole, neither taught nor suggested to those of ordinary skill in this art at the time the present invention was made how such need could be fulfilled.


The present invention provides a plasticized dehydrated or freeze-dried bone and/or soft tissue product that does not require special conditions of storage, for example refrigeration or freezing, exhibits materials properties that approximate those properties present in normal hydrated tissue, is not brittle, does not necessitate rehydration prior to clinical implantation and is not a potential source for disease transmission. The invention replaces water in the molecular structure of the bone or soft tissue matrix with one or more plasticizers allowing for dehydration of the tissue, yet not resulting in an increase in brittleness of the plasticized product, and resulting in compressive and/or tensile properties similar to those of normal hydrated bone. Replacement of the chemical plasticizers by water prior to implantation is not required and thus, the dehydrated bone or soft tissue plasticized product can be placed directly into an implant site without significant preparation in the operating room.

Bone tissue is a homogeneous material comprised of osteoid and minerals. The osteoid is a viscous gel-like material comprised primarily of type I collagen (approximately 90%), proteoglycans, and various sulfated and non-sulfated mucopolysaccharides. The mineral component consists primarily of a crystalline form of calcium phosphate, hydroxy apatite, with amounts of calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, and smaller amounts of other forms of mineral salts. This bone tissue is laid down around cells called osteocytes and these cells are found in small interconnected channels (lacunae) which are interconnected through a series of channels comprising the Haversian canal system. At the level of the microscope, it is possible to observe that bone tissue is organized into osteons of compact bone made of concentric, perivascular layers of highly coaligned mineralized collagen fiber bundles. The predominant orientation within a single layer varies with respect to the vascular axis and various combinations of orientation in successive lamellae result in variable overall collagen orientation within each osteon. Differences in overall collagen orientation are directly reflected in differing mechanical behavior of single osteons. Transversely oriented collagen results in better resistance to compressive loading along the axis, whereas predominant longitudinal orientation results in better resistance to tensile stress. The predominant orientation of collagen within a cross-section of long bone is not random, but matches the expected distribution of mechanical stress across the section, and its rotational shift along the whole shaft. More transverse collagen is deposited at sites of compressive loading, and more longitudinal collagen is deposited at sites of tensile stress. These structural oriented bone tissues in a load bearing bone are presumed to be laid down by the osteocytes present in the bone and bone remodeling mediates mechanical adaptation in compact bone.
A bone is typically comprised of bone tissue in the form of cortical and trabecular bone. Cortical bone is frequently referred to as compact bone and is the major load-bearing part of a bone. Trabecular bone is present in what is typically referred to as cancellous bone where it appears as a densely interconnected structure of "spongy" bone. Spongy bone in a typical bone contains the hemotopoietic cellular elements which is called bone marrow. Trabecular bone can be described as forming a cross-bracing lattice between cortical bone in a bone. It is important to emphasize a need to differentiate between "a bone" and "bone" (as a tissue). A bone is comprised of bone tissue present as cortical and cancellous (spongy) bone.
The mineralized osteoid typical of bone tissue is hydrated along the organic molecular structure and is an essential element of the mineral structure. Hydrating molecules of water form complex molecular associations with these organic and non-organic elements of bone tissue and can be described as being tightly bound, loosely bound, and free. Free water and loosely bound water can frequently be removed from bone tissue with only minor changes in the overall mechanical characteristics of the bone tissue. Tightly bound water can be removed only under extreme conditions and results in significant changes in the physical and mechanical properties of bone tissue. In fresh bone, water serves a solvating function in bone tissue allowing proper orientation and molecular spacing of the collagen fibrils which maintain structural alignment of the mineral phase in association with the organic phase.
Bone tissue in the form of bone grafts for implantation into a patient, is typically preserved and provided in a dehydrated state. Dehydration of bone tissue through drying, whether by air drying or sublimation as in freeze-drying, results in alteration of the molecular structure of the bone tissue and as a result of the reorientation of the collagen fibrils and the crystalline mineral phase, stress accumulates in the bone tissue. This stress can be relieved by rehydration or by the occurrence of small or large dislocations of structure. Small dislocations are designated micro fractures and are not usually visible to the naked eye. Large dislocations are designated fractures and are usually visible to the naked eye.
In a long bone, for example a femur, tibia, fibula, or humerus, the shaft separates the proximal and distal ends of the long bone. The shaft serves to focus loads applied to the whole bone into a smaller diameter than found at the proximal and distal ends of the long bone and the shaft of a long bone is typically of a cylindrical shape and is comprised of compact (cortical) bone. Loads applied along the axis of the shaft require that the cortical bone maintain a constant circumference, i.e. the tendency to failure would distort the bone tissue perpendicular to the axis of load application. Thus, the orientation of the collagen fibers should be such that tensile stress is resisted along the axis of loading and compressive stress is resisted perpendicular to loading. Drying of shaft portions of long bones results in reorientation of collagen fibers and the mineral phase such that changes in the circumferential orientation create stress within the bone matrix which can be relieved only by rehydration or occurrence of a fracture which allows a reorientation approximating the original orientation. In dehydrated cortical ring grafts cut from shafts of long bones, this stress release can present as a fracture along the long axis of the bone shaft leaving a circumference which approximates the circumference of the cortical ring graft prior to drying. By rehydrating bone grafts prior to implantation, the potential for fracture formation which can compromise the function of the bone product can be reduced, but not eliminated. Fractures as discussed above can occur in dehydrated bone prior to rehydration and result in a graft having compromised biomechanical properties, which in turn can result in graft failure when implanted in a patient.
Load-bearing soft tissue grafts such as ligaments, tendons, and fascia lata are frequently provided in a freeze-dried state. Such grafts must be rehydrated prior to clinical implantation. Such soft tissue grafts typically contain collagen, elastin, and assorted proteoglycans and mucopolysaccharides. The collagens and elastins are the load-bearing component(s) of these soft tissue grafts and the assorted proteoglycans and polysaccharides serve to bind the fibrillar collagens into a matrix-like structure. The structural organization of fascia lata is similar to dura mater in being somewhat isotropic in load-bearing properties (Wolfinbarger, L, Zhang, Y, Adam, B L T, Homsi, D, Gates, K, and Sutherland, V, 1994, "Biomechanical aspects on rehydrated freeze-dried human allograft dura mater tissues, J. Applied Biomaterials, 5:265-270) whereas tendons (for example the Achilles tendon) or ligaments (for example the Anterior cruciate ligament) are typically anisotropic in load-bearing properties. In these types of load-bearing soft tissue grafts, the tensile properties of the tissues depend on the flexibility of the collagenous structures to stretch under load and return to their original dimensions upon removal of the load.
A wide variety of bone and soft tissue products are used in veterinary, medical, orthopaedic, dental, and cosmetic surgery applications. These bone and soft tissue products can be used in load-bearing and non-load bearing applications and the bone and soft tissue products can be supplied under a variety of forms. Bone products are provided as fresh-frozen, freeze-dried, rehydrated freeze-dried, air-dried, organic solvent preserved, or provided preserved by other similar types of preservation methods. Each method of preservation of bone products possesses selected advantages and disadvantages and thus the method of preservation is generally modified to select for specific needs of a given bone graft. Soft tissue products are typically provided as fresh-frozen or freeze-dried and each method of preservation of soft tissue products possess selected advantages and disadvantages and thus the method of preservation is generally modified to select for specific needs of a given soft tissue product.
Bone and soft tissue products preserved and stored by methods involving freeze-drying (removal of water by sublimation) yield a bone or soft tissue product which is significantly more brittle than normal bone and has a tendency to fracture into numerous small pieces, which ultimately can result in graft failure. Specifically, freeze-drying causes grafts to be brittle and typically causes shrinkage where the shrinkage is often not uniform, thereby causing graft failure; solvent preservation using for example, acetone or alcohol, can cause irreversible denaturation of proteins, and solubilization of solvent soluble components, including for example, lipids. These alterations in materials properties of the bone and soft tissue products necessitates a rehydration step in preparation of the bone and soft tissue product for implantation. However, rehydration does not solve the problem, grafts can fracture prior to rehydration, thereby making rehydration futile, and if there are micro fractures prior to rehydration they remain after rehydration. These grafts are more likely to fail regardless of whether they are rehydrated. Even after rehydration the materials properties do not approximate the materials properties of normal bone.
Bone and soft tissue products are generally separated into load bearing and non-load bearing products. Examples of non-load bearing bone products are ground demineralized bone which are used for inducing new bone formation in a particular implant site. Load-bearing bone products are rarely demineralized and are used at implant sites where the bone graft will be expected to withstand some level of physical load(s). It is therefore important that load bearing bone products not fail during normal movement(s) of the implant recipient and that the bone product not stimulate a pronounced physiological response. The majority of bone products are provided in either the fresh-frozen or freeze-dried format. The fresh-frozen format is undesirable because it includes donor derived bone marrow and is thus immunogenic and a source of disease transmission. The freeze-dried format is less of a problem than fresh-frozen grafts in the potential for disease transmission, however a freeze-dried bone graft is significantly more brittle than normal bone, more brittle than fresh frozen bone, and must be rehydrated prior to clinical usage. In that clinicians typically do not have time to adequately rehydrate bone graft products in the operating room, it is advantageous to provide a dehydrated or freeze-dried bone product which does not need rehydration, possesses adequate materials properties, and is not a potential source for disease transmission.

Plasticized bone and soft tissue grafts and methods of making and using same


An optical access network employs a ring topology in which connections between the network units and between the network units and the optical line terminal are via a protection switch. The protection switch monitors connections from the optical network units to detect a loss of signal and, on detecting a loss of signal from an optical network unit, switches the respective optical network unit out of the ring, thus maintaining continuity of the ring topology.

Optical access networks provide optical fiber connections between public networks and end-users. They offer an important solution for the implementation of broadband access networks. They combine a large transport capacity with the capability of serving a wide geographical area. They support connections from central network entities like local exchanges to residential network units and thus can be used to deploy concepts like fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC). Passive optical networks (PONs) have been studied for many years but, until now, successful commercial deployment was growing slowly.
One possible structure that has been suggested for optical access networks is the point-to-point structure, in which a separate fiber connection is provided between a central office and an optical network unit at each user end-point. This is conceptually simple and it is relatively simple to deal with failures in the fiber connections or in the end-point equipment, since a failure in one connection or one optical network unit does not affect users connected to other optical network units by other connections. However, the point-to-point structure, in some circumstances, suffers from the disadvantage that there may be very many fiber connections terminating in the same central office. For example, for a group of 32 optical network units, there would need to be 32 or 64 fibers connected to the central office, depending on whether the fiber connections were duplex connections, and 32 optical transceivers at the central office, one for each optical network unit.
It has been suggested to provide a single fiber connection (one or two fibers) from the central office to an optical switch situated outside the central office at a suitable location near the user end-points, a so-called "curb switch", with individual connections between the curb switch and each user's optical network unit. This means that there is only one fiber connection to the central office and one optical transceiver at the central office but, in the case of 32 end-points, the curb switch would need 33 optical transceivers, one for each optical network unit connection and one for the connection to the central office. Also, an optical switch is a sophisticated piece of apparatus, consuming a considerable amount of power and requiring management to monitor and, when necessary, rectify performance, so there are disadvantages in locating such a switch outside the central office. Furthermore, such equipment represents a considerable investment, and levels of use at the outer fringes of the network are likely to be low.
It has also been proposed to use a tree-and-branch topology, in which one fiber connection from an optical line terminal at a central office is connected to a passive optical splitter/combiner, which is in turn connected to optical network units by separate fiber connections. As with the curb switch, one fiber connection to the optical line terminal at the central office serves a number of end-users, but in this case the only equipment situated outside the central office is a passive device requiring little maintenance and no power supply. However, the number of user end-points that can be accommodated is limited because of the use of power splitters; the more optical network units there are, the less the power that reaches each one. Also, for upstream packet transmissions using time domain multiple access, synchronization is required to prevent collisions of packets and loss of data. U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,032, for example, shows a technique for synchronizing the clocks on such a network.
Another known network topology is the ring topology. In a ring network, the network units are connected in a series. There is a one-way connection from a line terminal at the central office to the first network unit in the series, one-way connections from each of the network units to the next in the series, and a one-way connection from the last network unit in the series back to a line terminal at the central office. It is a simple matter to prevent collisions between packets, for example by using a token ring arrangement, such as the IEEE 802.5 standard. Also, each network unit acts as a repeater. However, although the ring topology is useful for computer networks, where all the network units are accessible to central management, it is not currently favored for optical access networks, because the failure of one user's network unit causes a break in the ring and adversely affects all the users on the ring. Also, unauthorized or malicious usage is something that known ring topology networks cannot protect against.

System and method for a protected optical access ring network


A method for selecting an engine operating point in a multi-mode powertrain system includes monitoring a desired axle torque based on an operator torque request and vehicle speed. When an aftertreatment device used to purify regulated constituents within an exhaust gas feedstream output from the engine is determined to require an exhaust gas feedstream temperature to be increased to a predetermined temperature, an intrusive engine operation mode is enabled to increase the exhaust gas feedstream temperature to the predetermined temperature. A plurality of engine power is retrieved, wherein each engine power loss corresponds to respective ones of a plurality of intrusive engine operation points each achieving the predetermined temperature of the exhaust gas feedstream. A desired engine operation point is selected corresponding to one of the intrusive engine operation points having a lowest total power loss.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
A powertrain includes a torque generative device, providing torque to a rotating member. A hybrid powertrain utilizes at least two torque generative devices, for example an internal combustion engine and one or more electric machines. A hybrid transmission is employed and configured to selectively receive and transmit torque through the various gear members and change gear states to establish a relationship between a rotational input to the transmission and a rotational output of the transmission.
It is known to employ diesel combustion engines due to their ability to produce desirable torque utilizing air-fuel ratios that are lean of stoichiometry. While the lean air-fuel ratios provide increased fuel economy compared to gasoline engines, emissions efficiency is reduced due to increased levels of NOx and hydrocarbons output from the diesel engine. Accordingly, if the diesel engine is optimized to obtain the greatest fuel efficiency, increased levels of emissions may result. Additionally, fuel economy can be reduced indirectly if aftertreatment systems require frequent cleaning and regeneration. However, aftertreatment devices of exhaust aftertreatment systems that are required to purify regulated constituents within an exhaust gas feedstream need to be periodically cleaned and must be operated at or above a threshold temperature to ensure efficient operation.
It is known to increase the exhaust gas feedstream temperature to carryout required cleaning and/or heating events of aftertreatment devices by increasing the load and/or operating the engine rich of stoichiometry. Sub-optimization of the diesel engine is often required to maintain desired axle torques in response to increased injected fuel masses utilized to increase the exhaust gas feedstream temperature. For instance, sub-optimization can include retarding the combustion phasing from an ideal combustion phasing, and/or operating auxiliary components of the vehicle such that an alternator is depleted to take on extra torque provided by the engine. Sub-optimizing the engine can reduce fuel economy and drivability of the vehicle.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Diesel engine aftertreatment heating and cleaning hybrid operation


An example method for a programmable infrastructure gateway for enabling hybrid cloud services in a network environment is provided and includes receiving an instruction from a hybrid cloud application executing in a private cloud, interpreting the instruction according to a hybrid cloud application programming interface, and executing the interpreted instruction in a public cloud using a cloud adapter. The method is generally executed in the infrastructure gateway including a programmable integration framework allowing generation of various cloud adapters using a cloud adapter software development kit, the cloud adapter being generated and programmed to be compatible with a specific public cloud platform of the public cloud. In specific embodiments, identical copies of the infrastructure gateway can be provided to different cloud service providers who manage disparate public cloud platforms; each copy of the infrastructure gateway can be programmed differently to generate corresponding cloud adapters compatible with the respective public cloud platforms.

According to latest trends in networking, the future enterprise information technology (IT) infrastructure is a hybrid cloud. The hybrid cloud is a cloud computing environment where some computing resources are managed in-house by an organization and other computing resources are provided and managed externally. For example, the organization may use a public cloud service, such as Amazon® Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3™) for archived data and continue to maintain in-house storage for operational enterprise data. In a general sense, the term "cloud" includes a collection of hardware and software forming a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, services, etc.) that can be suitably provisioned to provide on-demand self-service, network access, resource pooling, elasticity and measured service, among other features. The hybrid cloud approach can allow organizations to scale computing resources in a cost-effective manner, allow for disaster recovery, and provide additional storage (among other advantages) through the public cloud computing environment without exposing mission-critical applications and data to third-party vulnerabilities.

Programmable infrastructure gateway for enabling hybrid cloud services in a network environment


A Christmas tree bag is an apparatus which allows a user to easily carry and transport a Christmas tree and the like on a vehicle roof top while providing protection to a vehicles surface. The apparatus is comprised of a rectangular tarp like configuration that allows the user to enclose a Christmas tree within the tarp. The Christmas tree is placed on the tarp and the side edges are then brought together around the tree. The tree bag is secured around the Christmas tree with the attached straps. The outer surface includes a hand strap affixed for ease of carrying. The Christmas tree bag is then placed on a vehicle roof top and secured.

The present invention relates to a bag for a Christmas tree and the like securing it to the top of a vehicle. The tree bag is designed to provide protection to a vehicles surface when transporting a Christmas tree and the like as well as to provide ease to the handler.
The use of Christmas tree bags is known in the prior art as Christmas tree bags heretofore were utilized for the purpose of storing a Christmas tree and/or covering Christmas trees to collect the fallen needles while simultaneously acting as a tree skirt as well as being devised for transporting the Christmas tree by means of a transport system on wheels to pull it behind a person or to transport by means of a satchel to carry over ones shoulder.
Christmas trees and the like are commonly heavy, bulky and are prone to shed needles and secretions from the tree. These properties are likely to make it cumbersome for the person transporting the tree as well as likely to cause damage to a vehicle roof top.
By way of example, the prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,075,185 B2 to Hecht an original Christmas tree transport system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,775 to Carter discloses a Christmas tree transport and storage satchel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,999 to Phair discloses a Christmas tree bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,520 to Blackburn discloses a cover for a Christmas tree.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,906 to Bolanz discloses a Christmas tree cover.


A solar cell assembly for focusing incident radiation on a solar cell. The assembly comprises a reflective member having first and second opposite surfaces. The first surface is transparent to allow incident radiation to pass into the reflective member. The second surface has a plurality of reflective portions positioned to receive the radiation and reflect and focus the radiation toward the first surface. The radiation strikes the first surface at an angle greater than a critical angle of the first surface and is reflected and focused back toward the second surface. The assembly further comprises a solar cell positioned at least proximate to the reflective member to receive the radiation reflected and focused from the first surface of the reflective member and generate electric current from the radiation.

Photovoltaic solar cells are used to generate electricity from impinging radiation such as solar radiation. Solar cells are typically formed from semiconductors such as silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, gallium arsenide and copper indium diselinide. When subjected to impinging radiation, cells comprised of the above semiconductor materials generate an electric current.
One problem with semiconductor solar cells is that the materials comprising the solar cells are typically expensive. As a result, it is difficult to generate electricity with solar cells which is competitively priced with electricity generated by other means, such as hydroelectric power or fossil-fuel combustion. One approach to reducing the costs of semiconductor solar cells has been to make the cells extremely thin, thereby reducing the amount of material required to form each cell. Another method for improving the efficiency of semiconductor solar cells has been to use refractive lenses to focus radiation on the cell, thereby reducing the cell surface area required to receive a given amount of radiation. Such a method and associated device are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,736 to Cole.
One drawback with the conventional methods and devices described above is that the lenses used to focus incoming radiation are typically bulky and nonuniform, resulting in solar cell assemblies which are difficult to handle and which collect dirt and other debris, thereby reducing the efficiency of the solar cells. A further disadvantage of the devices described above is that separate semiconductor solar cells must be electrically coupled to generate electrical current sufficient for typical applications. Electrically coupling the separate solar cells requires the use of additional materials and process steps, thereby increasing the cost of the solar cell assembly.
One approach to addressing the foregoing drawbacks has been to use reflection rather than refraction to direct incident radiation toward the solar cells. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,337, to Mitchell, discloses a photovoltaic module having a concave lower surface which directs radiation by total internal reflection toward adjacent solar cells. U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,643, to Amick and U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,023, to Stephens, disclose facets which direct radiation by total internal reflection toward an array of circular solar cells. U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,928, to Shepard, Jr., discloses a plate having a regular pattern of uniform indentations which reflect radiation toward a solar cell. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,994 to Redfield discloses a solar cell having a grooved lower surface which reflects radiation by total internal reflection back and forth between upper and lower surfaces of the solar cell. One drawback of the foregoing devices and methods is that they do not efficiently collect incident radiation and direct the radiation to solar cells. Accordingly, the foregoing methods and devices require a relatively large solar cell surface area to receive a given amount of incident radiation.

Reflective concentrating solar cell assembly


A single-chip scanning probe microscope is disclosed, wherein the microscope includes an isothermal two-dimensional scanner and a cantilever that includes an integrated strain sensor and a probe tip. The scanner is operative for scanning a probe tip about a scanning region on a sample while the sensor measures tip-sample interaction forces. The scanner, cantilever, probe tip, and integrated sensor can be fabricated using the backend processes of a conventional CMOS fabrication process. In addition, the small size of the microscope system, as well as its isothermal operation, enable arrays of scanning probe microscopes to be integrated on a single substrate.

A scanning probe microscope (SPM) is a tool that enables formation of an image of a surface with angstrom-scale vertical and lateral resolution. There are many types of SPMs, including atomic-force microscopes (AFMs), ballistic electron emission microscopes (BEEMs), scanning thermal microscopes (SThMs), scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs), and many more. Each of these SPM types interrogates a surface and/or scans the surface in a different manner; however, in each, a probe tip is scanned over the surface and records the value of a surface parameter at myriad discrete locations. These parameter values are then mapped to form the image of the surface.
Dynamic AFM is, by far, the most widely used modality of scanning probe microscopy. In dynamic AFM, a sharp probe tip is moved very close to the surface under study (typically within Angstroms) and the probe is then raster scanned across the surface. The probe tip is connected to a resonator that is driven into oscillation during measurement. An image of the surface is then constructed from the force interactions between the tip and the surface during the scan. Dynamic AFM may be performed in the non-contact regime (in which tip-sample interaction forces are strictly attractive) or in the intermittent contact regime, in which the tip-sample interaction forces may be repulsive. If the probe is not operated in resonance, the modality is known as contact AFM, or static AFM. Contact AFM operates in the repulsive regime.
The force interactions between the tip and surface are determined using one of two common techniques—amplitude-modulation AFM (AM-AFM) or frequency-modulation AFM (FM-AFM). In AM-AFM, the force interactions between the tip and surface are determined by measuring the change in amplitude of the oscillation at a constant frequency—typically, just off the resonant frequency of the cantilever. In FM-AFM, the change in frequency of an oscillator that incorporates the resonator is measured using a feedback circuit (usually using a phase-locked loop), while the sensor is driven at its characteristic resonance. In cases where the cantilever is not in resonance, its static deflection can be used to determine tip-sample interaction forces; however, at significantly reduced sensitivity.
Typically, prior-art SPMs rely on the use of piezoelectric actuators. Unfortunately, piezoelectric actuators have several drawbacks with respect to their use in these applications. Piezoelectric actuators are relatively large but provide only a small range of motion. Their large size leads to bulky scanner designs that are susceptible to thermal drift, external vibration, and shock. In addition, piezoelectric actuators notoriously exhibit creep and hysteresis that, in an SPM, manifests as image distortion.
The large size and mass of piezoelectric actuator-based SPMs also limits mechanical bandwidth, which, in turn, limits imaging rate. Arrays of SPMs for performing distributed measurements have been suggested for alleviating the bandwidth bottleneck. Unfortunately, as arrays are scaled upwards, scanning speed declines to accommodate larger payloads.
MEMS-based thermal actuators offer the promise of overcoming some of the drawbacks of piezoelectric actuators for SPM applications, since they can be small yet still generate considerable force with a large range of motion. In addition, a thermal actuator can respond quickly to a control signal. Unfortunately, prior-art thermal actuators also have significant drawbacks that limit their utility in SPM applications.
First, many thermal actuators have a tendency to buckle out-of-plane when operated in a compressive mode.
Second, the response of a conventional thermal actuator is typically controlled via Joule heating that is induced by passing electric current through the device. In such operation, however, the temperature distribution within the device is difficult to control.
Third, thermal actuators are normally fabricated using low-stress material systems, such as Silicon-on-Insulator, where the structural material of the device comprises the substantially zero-stress silicon active-layer material. This avoids the high residual stress, as well as stress gradients that normally characterize thin films deposited on a substrate. As a result, most MEMS-based thermal actuators are poorly suited to fabrication using conventional high-volume foundry processes such as CMOS fabrication. The inability to fabricate actuators in a CMOS foundry, for example, impairs the ability to integrate thermal actuators with high-performance electronic circuitry.
Another challenge for prior-art SPM applications is measuring the tip-sample interaction forces with high bandwidth and resolution. Typically, these forces are measured using external optics (e.g., a laser-based displacement sensor) having a large free-space path. Such optical systems tend to be quite large, in and of themselves. In addition, they are expensive and cumbersome to align, adding significantly to the high cost of state-of-the-art SPM systems. Further, their large size and expense makes them difficult to implement in arrayed SPM systems.
Small, preferably single-chip, inexpensive, fast, stable and independent SPMs that do not incur bandwidth penalties upon array scaling would, therefore, be a significant advance in the state of the art.

Scanning probe microscope comprising an isothermal actuator


A (DS3) network interface unit (NIU) by-pass architecture places the NIU on its own circuit card and exclusive of by-pass switching (and relay) components, which are installed in the equipment shelf, proper, so that physical removal of the NIU card will leave the by-pass circuitry intact. The by-pass circuit responds to an abnormality of the NIU card, such as malfunction or physical removal of the NIU from its card slot, and also to a power supply failure. It also contains an indicator to draw attention to a failed NIU, increasing the likelihood that someone will notice a damaged card.

Equipment shelves of telecommunication service providers often contain communication circuit performance monitoring equipment, such as (DS3-associated) network interface units (NIUs). These devices are used to identify problems of a (digital) communication circuit to which they are coupled, owing to the ability of an NIU to be looped up and down, monitor line conditions, and execute performance monitoring duties. However, due to the possibility of an NIU card failure or some external event such as a power interruption, adding an NIU to the monitored circuit constitutes a potential failure point. As a consequence, it has been proposed to incorporate by-pass relay circuitry into the NIU card, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1.
In accordance with this NIU by-pass implementation, signal paths through respective network and customer transceiver circuits 11 and 13 of an NIU circuit card 10 are coupled to a first set of connection terminals 21, 26 and 31, 36 of a pair of associated relay-controlled switches 20 and 30. These switches have their contact arms 22, 24 and 32, 34 coupled to network line node pair 23, 27 and customer line node pair 33, 37. The switches are arranged to be controllably switched between the connection terminals 21, 26 and 31, 36 and connection terminals 25, 28 and 35, 38 by selective operation of a common relay coil 40. Energization current for the relay coil 40 is derived from a prescribed energizing DC voltage (e.g., 5 VDC) supplied by a DC—DC converter 45, that is coupled (through a fuse 47) to receive a prescribed DC voltage (e.g., −48 VDC) from a separate power supply path.
When energized (by the DC power supply 45), the relay coil 40 causes its contact arms to couple network equipment circuit paths 41, 51 to the NIU's network transceiver circuit 11 and customer equipment circuit paths 43, 53 to the NIU's customer transceiver circuit 13. In the event of a loss or absence of power to energize the relay, (the condition depicted in FIG. 1), the relay's contact arms by-pass the NIU transceiver components and, instead, connect the network circuit paths 41, 51 to the customer equipment circuit paths 53, 43, respectively, so as to minimize an interruption of (DS3) service.
Now, although the NIU-associated switching architecture of FIG. 1 will perform its intended by-pass functionality should there be a power supply failure, because the NIU by-pass relay 40 is physically installed on the same card containing the NIU components, the monitored (DS3) circuit will be undesirably interrupted should it become necessary to remove a damaged or malfunctioning NIU card from its housing or shelf. Moreover, as long as the power supply voltage is available to operate the relay, the architecture shown in FIG. 1 will not provide NIU by-pass, even if the NIU fails to work properly. In other words, in the prior art circuit architecture of FIG. 1, the only way to by-pass the NIU is to interrupt or remove the power supply.

Equipment shelf-resident network interface unit by-pass circuit


Computer-implemented methods, computer-program products, and systems instantiate a resource comsumption optimizer framework (RCOF) for a plurality of sub-process associated with a process. A plurality of sub-processes are loaded into a memory in accordance with a calculated optimized resource comsumption pattern. Each sub-process is associated with an agent that communicates with the RCOF. A particular sub-process is executed and the execution start is gated by an associated agent based upon at least a determined buffer value. The RCOF is notified of the particular sub-process execution completion.

Organizations implement parallel processing environments in order to increase the efficiency of a process by dividing the process into a number of sub-processes to be executed simultaneously with the goal of solving a problem in less time or solving a larger problem in the same time. Parallel processing environments implement resource control systems to handle/account for critical system resources such as memory, central processing unit (CPU) consumption, network bandwidth, file input output (I/O) limitations, memory speed, etc. during processing or the critical system can be improperly delayed by other non-critical processes. Often these resource control systems use a brute force methodology to ensure availability of the critical system resources. Regardless of a process' actual sub-process dependencies, the brute force methodology introduces latency into an overall parallel-processing time of the process. The introduced latency necessarily impacts the process' efficiency and affects an organization's provision of business applications and/or necessary data for use by customers. As a result, customers may choose more efficient alternate solutions.

Framework for critical-path resource-optimized parallel processing


In a tailgate for a motor vehicle, which comprises a lower tailgate body (18), on which a rear window (22) is mounted, on whose upper area a supplemental brake light (24) is provided, the rear window (22) is lowerable into the tailgate body (18), wherein the rear window, at least when the vehicle is driven, is lowerable only so far that its upper area provided with the supplemental brake light (24) upwardly projects from the tailgate body.

A tailgate is known from DE 195 37 594 C1, in which a circumferential frame projects upwardly from a lower tailgate body, which frame together with the upper edge of the tailgate body encompasses an opening; a rear window is disposed in the opening. The edge area of the rear window is provided with a non-transparent band that visually conceals the frame and that is shaded with rasterized dots over its entire illumination surface in the area of a supplemental brake light, which is mounted on the inside and at the upper edge of the rear window, so that the light of the supplemental brake light can pass through the window.
A supplemental brake light, which is mounted on the inside and in the upper area of a rear window is also known from DE 91 09 578.6 U, which supplemental brake light is connected via light conductors with at least one of the side brake lights.

Tailgate for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle having such a tailgate


A system, apparatus, method and article to converge a communications system receiver are described. The apparatus may include an interference canceller to receive an interference signal and to produce an adaptive signal. The interference canceller is adapted by a first adaptation module. An equalizer is coupled to the interference canceller. The interference canceller is located before the equalizer. The equalizer receives an input signal formed of a sum of a received input signal and the adaptive signal. A slicer is coupled to the equalizer and to the interference canceller. The slicer receives an equalized version of equalizer coefficients and produces a slicer error. The first adaptation module adapts the interference canceller utilizing a convolution of the interference signal with the equalizer coefficients, and multiplying the results by the slicer error. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

High speed communication systems capable of higher throughput data rates are emerging. Gigabit Ethernet networks may communicate information at 1 gigabits-per-second (Gbps) or higher over high speed channels. These high speed channels, however, typically realize a corresponding increase in error rates. Techniques such as forward error correction may be used to decrease the error rates. Such techniques, however, may require a communication system to communicate additional overhead in the form of error correcting information. The additional overhead may decrease the effective throughput for a communication system.
A typical physical communication channel, such as an Ethernet cable, for example, introduces inter-symbol interference (ISI) in a received data signal. To minimize the adverse effects of ISI and to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), it is customary to include a filter in the receiver known as an "equalizer." In some receivers, the entire equalizer may be adaptive. In such cases, however, convergence of the equalizer may be rather slow. In other receivers a fixed equalizer may be used in combination with an adaptive equalizer to provide improved convergence. Even with use of a combination of fixed and adaptive equalizers, however, convergence of the adaptive equalizer may be slower than desirable.
A communications system that includes passing a signal through a channel which introduces ISI and at least one additional interference signal (e.g., an echo signal, transmitted by near-end transmitter device, which has passed through an echo channel) in addition to jitter of the sampling clock at the analog-to-digital (A/D) converter in the receiver, results in a time-variant interference channel. This time-variant interference channel requires the adaptation of an interference canceller. An adaptive interference canceller adaptively filters a noise reference input to maximally match and subtract out noise or interference from a primary input signal (e.g., desired signal plus noise). In order to meet communications system performance requirements, it may be necessary to perform equalization and adaptation in order to reduce the ISI in the system. In addition, it may be necessary to include an interference canceller (e.g., an echo canceller) to cancel the interference described above. The interference canceller may be adapted using one of multiple adaptation processes and/or algorithms. For example, adaptation may be implemented using any of the well-known methods (e.g., least-mean-squares or LMS, recursive least squares or RLS, or Fast RLS).
These methods are well known adaptation algorithm. Briefly, an LMS adaptation algorithm, for example, uses an instantaneous estimate of a gradient vector of a cost function to generate an approximation of the steepest descent algorithm. The instantaneous estimate of the gradient is based on sampled values of a tap-input vector and an error signal. The algorithm iterates over each coefficient in the filter and moves it in the direction of the approximated gradient. The LMS algorithm requires a reference signal that represents the desired filter output. The difference between the reference signal and the actual output of the transversal filter is known as the error signal. An adaptation process employing the LMS algorithm determines a set of filter coefficients that minimize the expected value of a quadratic error signal, i.e., to achieve the least mean squared error (thus the name). As the LMS, RLS, and fast RLS are well known, no further details of these adaptation techniques are necessary for an understanding of the embodiments and examples described and illustrated herein.

Techniques to converge and adapt a communication system receiver


A power-generating electric motor (1) which is very excellent in the energy efficiency and capable of taking out an electric energy for a prolonged period of time, which motor comprises a rotor (2) made of a permanent magnet; an armature (11) disposed coaxially with the rotor (2) with an air gap therebetween and comprising a suitable number of field cores (13) provided each with a field coil (12); and a brushless control circuit, characterized by a high BH.sub.max permanent magnet (8) disposed inside the base portion of each magnet pole (5) of the rotor (2) and an induction coil (15) for an electric power generation disposed adjacent each of the field coils (12) of the armature (11).

Electric motor which converts an electric energy into a mechanical energy exhibits in general, due to an electromagnetic loss, such as the so-called iron loss by the hysteresis and eddy current in the iron core, and due to a mechanical loss by friction and vibration, not much better conversion efficiency. In order to maintain the motor operation, electric power enough to compensate such conversion loss should be supplied successively.
Heretofore, attempts have been proposed for increasing the conversion efficiency by, for example, improvement of the circuits included in the electric instruments and of the material of magnetic elements and by elimination or reduction of friction-causing portions, whereby nevertheless no satisfactory result has been attained.
One of the essential causes therefor resides in that there is a limitation in the characteristics of the permanent magnet indispensable for an electric rotary machine, such as motor or generator.
At present, the magnetic material exhibiting the highest magnetic energy product BH.sub.max (B=magnetic flux density, H=magnetic coercive force) is that of neodium iron magnet (Nd--Fe--B) which has a BH.sub.max value in the order of 36 MGOe. However, this magnetic material has a low Curie point and an inferior temperature characteristic of the magnetic flux density. This material is disadvantageous in the point that the coercive force is low, as seen from the demagnetization curve A of FIG. 1, in which the magnetic flux density decreases in proportion to the magnetic field strength. With such a magnetic material, a sufficient conversion efficiency cannot be achieved.
If the BH.sub.max value is high and the permeance coefficient is large, it means in itself that there is preserved a large amount of energy convertible into an electric energy or into a mechanical energy. Thus, if a magnetic material has a high BH.sub.max value combined with a large permeance coefficient, its magnetization becomes more difficult and a considerable amount of energy will be consumed for the magnetization, so that it can be assumed that a magnet with a high BH.sub.max value and a large permeance coefficient possesses in itself an amount of magnetic energy corresponding to that required for its magnetization.
Therefore, it would have been able to realize an electric motor or a power-generating motor which exhibits a very high energy efficiency, if the magnetic energy accumulated in a magnetic material as mentioned above was able to be utilized effectively. Thus, it was not a mere dream to realize a power-generative motor which can attain a long-term driving with a power regeneration by a lower energy input, if a permanent magnet having a sufficiently high BH.sub.max value combined with a large permeance coefficient (hereinafter denoted simply as a "high BH.sub.max permanent magnet") were provided. Nevertheless, such a magnet material had not been discovered.

Room No. 206 Arisukawa Residence, 14-1, 5-chome


A method of conversion of a single hull vessel to a double hull vessel is provided and has at least the steps of:. (a) positioning a section of a second hull shell beneath a first hull of a vessel; PA1 (b) raising the section of second hull shell to locate it adjacent the first hull; and PA1 (c) attaching the section of second hull shell to the first hull.. In a preferred method, the second hull shell is positioned in relation to the first hull by male and female locating members disposed on adjacent portions of the first and second hulls. The method is carried out in a dry dock or, alternatively, using a ship-lifting system. The second hull has side and end sections formed of substantially hollow steel blocks, and the bottom section has transverse ribs for additional strength. Thus, a double hull vessel of the present invention has substantially the same interior capacity as the single hull vessel before the conversion.

This invention relates to a method of conversion of a single hull vessel to a double hull vessel.
Owing to international concern over oil spillage from tankers, the International Maritime Organization is putting in place regulations which mandate double hull tankers. Existing single hull tankers will need to be converted to double hulls within a specified period. (See Marpol Regulations effective from Jul. 6, 1995 for crude oil tankers over 20,000 tons DWT and product tankers over 30,000 tons DWT). In addition, the U.S. Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires all existing tankers to have double bottoms by 1997.
It is therefore recognized that a method of converting vessels from a single hull to a double hull is required. Existing methods of conversion require the vessel to be docked in a dry dock, during which time the ship owners lose business. Known conversion techniques are carried out inside the vessel by adding a second hull within the existing hull. This has the disadvantage of reducing the available storage capability of the vessel.

Method of conversion of a vessel from single to double hull


An embodiment of the invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing liquid, which apparatus detects an object and controls the dispensing of liquid. The apparatus includes a first signal source which generates a first beam pulse and a second signal source which generates a second beam pulse and the propagation paths of the beam pulses intersect in relation to each other. The apparatus also includes a receiver which receives reflected parts of the first beam pulse and receives reflected parts of the second beam pulse, the parts reflected from the first and second beam pulses being reflected from the object which is located on the propagation path of the first and the second beam pulse. Furthermore, the system comprises a signal processing unit detects said object based on the parts reflected from the beam pulses and, based on this detection, controls the dispensing of liquid.

Detecting an object by means of light source measurement typically causes many problems, because different objects reflect light with different power intensity [W/m2]. This is the result of different objects having a different reflection coefficient. In practice, variation can be detected by the human eye such that different objects display in different colours. When using light source measurement, the position of the object can be determined by means of the power intensity reflected by the object.
Many techniques exist by means of which the object can be detected even though its reflection coefficient is unknown when performing the measurement. One of the known techniques is position sensitive measurement which is also known by the term position sensitive device (PSD). Usually, the PSD device comprises a light signal source and a signal receiver. When said light source emits light signals and light rays meet the object, at least part of said light signals are reflected back and meet the surface of the PSD receiver. The receiver does not conduct electricity in usual conditions, but the reflected light rays include photons which can release carrier particles in the PSD receiver and induce several electric currents in the PSD receiver. By measuring the position of the induced electric currents in the PSD receiver, the position of the object can be determined.
By means of this method comparing the position of electric currents, the position of the object can be determined even though the reflection coefficient of the object is unknown. The PSD device comprises various details related to microelectronics. Furthermore, said apparatus requires several amplifiers. Due to these issues, PSDs are too expensive for use in all such applications in which the aim is to detect an object.
Another technique for detecting an object is known. This technique utilises a light source and at least two separate receivers which are on the same plane with said light source. Into connection with each receiver is arranged at least one amplifier. When said light source emits light and light rays meet the object, at least part of said light signals are reflected back and meet the surface of one receiver. The angle between the transmitted light signal and the reflected light signal varies depending on the position of the object in relation to the light source and this has an effect on which receiver receives the reflected light signal. In the case of the object having been in some other position, at least part of the light signals would also in this case be reflected back and the angle between the transmitted light signal and the reflected light signal would have been some other. Due to this, the reflected light signal would meet the surface of another receiver.
Either in this arrangement, it is not necessary to know the reflection coefficient of the object in order to determine the position of the object. However, a problem of this arrangement is that it requires several receivers and amplifiers arranged into connection with them and this incurs extra costs for component manufacturers. Furthermore, the amplifiers have to be set in a predetermined position in order to guarantee the operation of said system. Therefore, the device requires a lot of space.
An additional known technique for detecting an object is an apparatus which includes several signal sources for transmitting signals and at least one receiver arranged to receive signals. The propagation directions of signals provided by the signal sources are parallel in relation to each other. When said object is in the propagation direction of these signals, at least part of said signals are reflected in the receiver which receives said signals. A problem of this known arrangement is that the difference in the power intensity of received signals is small, because the propagation paths of the signals are parallel in relation to each other. Due to this, several amplifiers are required and this increases the manufacturing costs of this known technique.


A method of performing a dielectric voltage-withstand test on a wire harness having a plurality of conductors includes applying voltage simultaneously to a first subset of the conductors. The first subset includes at least two of the conductors. An electrical characteristic of each of the conductors excluded from the first subset of conductors is measured. The applying and measuring steps are repeated for at least one additional subset of the conductors. It is decided whether the wire harness passes the test based upon at least one of the measuring steps.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to performing manufacturing and production line tests on a wire harness, and, more particularly, to performing a dielectric voltage-withstand test on a wire harness.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to perform tests on wiring harnesses after their manufacture in order to ensure the continuity and integrity of the wiring harnesses. PLC harness testers perform two primary functions; namely, verifying the continuity of each of the wires, and verifying the integrity of the insulation surrounding the wires. In order to verify the integrity of the insulation and ensure that no short circuits exist between the wires of the wire harness, an insulation dielectric voltage-withstand test is performed. More particularly, the testers perform the manufacturing and production line tests outlined by the testing requirements specified by Underwriters Laboratory for office furnishings, i.e., UL 1286.
The Dielectric Voltage-Withstand Test outlined in UL 1286 calls for a 40-70 Hz potential of 1200V to be applied to each wire of the wire harness for a duration of one second to determine whether an insulation breakdown has occurred. In essence, this test verifies the insulation integrity of all current-carrying conductors with respect to all other conductors including ground.
For the dielectric voltage-withstand test, the ground conductor does not have the dielectric voltage applied directly to it. This is because the ground conductor is connected to bare metal of the completed harness. With this, the total test time in terms of dielectric voltage-withstand is one second per conductor. Accounting for high-voltage control relay transitions, a typical eight-wire harness takes just under eight seconds to undergo the dielectric test.
What is verified during the eight-second dielectric test is that no conductor leaks any current to any other conductor or to bare metal of the harness assembly. The test sequence is as shown in FIG. 1. In the first test, voltage is applied only to wire 1. After this first test, voltage is then individually applied to each of wires 2-7 in sequence, as indicated by the second through seventh tests.
With this topology, the ground conductor connected to the bare metal is connected as wire number eight and will therefore never have the dielectric high-voltage applied to it directly as the live conductor of the high voltage potential. If any conductor hipots, i.e., short-circuits, to either bare metal or any other conductor, the hipot indicates a dielectric breakdown failure due to exceeding the current limit set by the dielectric high-voltage source.
Since voltage is applied to each of the seven conductors individually for at least one second, the total test time for a wire harness is in excess of seven seconds. This limits how quickly the wire harnesses can be tested.
What is needed in the art is a method of performing a dielectric voltage-withstand test on a wire harnesses that takes less time than known methods.
The present invention provides a method of shortening the time of a dielectric voltage-withstand test by testing multiple conductors simultaneously.
The method of the present invention reduces the number of discrete tests within the dielectric test regime from seven to three. This reduces the period of one dielectric test cycle from just below eight seconds to just over three seconds. This reduction is achieved by simultaneously applying the dielectric high-voltage to more than one conductor.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a method of performing a dielectric voltage-withstand test on a wire harness having a plurality of conductors. Voltage is simultaneously applied to a first subset of the conductors. The first subset includes at least two of the conductors. An electrical characteristic of each of the conductors excluded from the first subset of conductors is measured. The applying and measuring steps are repeated for at least one additional subset of the conductors. It is decided whether the wire harness passes the test based upon at least one of the measuring steps.
An advantage of the present invention is that less time is required to perform a dielectric voltage-withstand test on a wire harness.
Another advantage is that the method of the present invention is more sensitive to the actual monitored leakage current between the conductors of the wire harness.

Method of performing a dielectric voltage-withstand test on a wire harness


A chair has a backrest and a pair of armrests. A pair of support struts for supporting the backrest is connected to a shaft of a base under a seat. The armrest is supported by an arm post. An operating lever is mounted on the upper front end of the arm post. When the backrest is tilted, it is held at a desired angle by pressing up the operating lever.

The present invention relates to a chair which comprises an operating lever, a cable and a tilting device for locking a seat or a backrest at an optional tilting angle and releasing it.
A conventional chair in which a backrest is locked at an optional stepwise angle usually has a tilting device in which a pin which projects on an operating lever rotatably mounted to a seat or an engagement lever related therewith is engaged with or disengaged from teeth formed on the outer circumferential surface of a sector gear which turns together with the backrest.
However, in the chair, the operating lever is located on the rear side. Especially when an armrest is provided, it is difficult to operate the operating lever since an arm of a person must be turned outward of the armrest.
In a home chair, under a seat, there are provided operating levers for adjusting a tilting angle of the backrest or the seat, height and promoting force. However, it is hard to operate the operating levers while a person sits in the seat. Especially, one has to adjust a tilting angle of the backrest, while the backrest is inclined downward with the person's back. Thus, as the tilting angle becomes larger, the operating lever goes away from the shoulder of the person thereby making the operation harder.

Tilting mechanism for a chair and chair having the same


The present invention provides a slider which is less likely to cause a drastic change in a contact state such as instantaneous disconnection. The slider according to the present invention has teeth 13 of a comb shaped like a narrow sheet being rectangular in cross section and making a contact at a tip of the teeth with a surface to be slid on. The slider has a slider body extending to a proximal end side of the teeth 13 of a comb, and the teeth 13 of a comb has at the tip thereof a projection 13a, which is narrower than the width dimension of a proximal end portion of the teeth of a comb. A slider having such teeth 13 of a comb will prevent a drastic change in a contact state such as instantaneous disconnection between the tip of the teeth 13 of a comb of the slider and a surface to be slid on from occurring, so that generation of noise in signals (or electric current) flowing through the slider and deterioration in resistance properties of the slider are prevented.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a slider, which is contacted with a surface to be slid on, in particular to a slider, which is employed with a potentiometer or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a slider, which is employed with a potentiometer for a position sensor or the like, it has been proposed, for example, one shaped like teeth of a comb provided with a plurality of rectangular tongues (teeth of a comb) as shown in FIG. 8 (See FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 275356/1994, FIG. 5 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 85937/1995, and FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 111916/1994). As shown in the figures, the tongues (teeth of a comb) of the sliders have flat end surfaces. The conventional sliders having such teeth of a comb are used with the flat end surfaces kept contacted across the full width thereof with a surface to be slid on.
In the meantime, sliding of a slider on a surface to be slid on produces abrasion powder and sometimes leaves the abrasion powder on the surface to be slid on. If the abrasion powder remains on the surface to be slid on, the slider will inevitably climb over the abrasion powder during sliding on the surface to be slid on. On this occasion, the contact state between the tip of the teeth of a comb of the slider and the surface to be slid on drastically changes, thereby for example causing instantaneous disconnection of a signal or electric current therebetween. Such a drastic change in a contact state is not preferable because it may cause noise generation in a signal or electric current flowing through a slider and may cause deterioration of the resistance properties of a slider.


A system measures an amount of wear in athletic footwear by measuring the amount of shock transmitted to a user. The measured shock is used to indicate an amount of how much cushioning has been lost by the footwear. The amount of wear is proportional to the loss of cushioning and an increase in transmitted shock to the user.

It used to be that a runner could tell when her running shoes were due for replacement just by seeing that the soles were worn away, the uppers were frayed and that the shoes were, generally, in pretty bad shape. With the improved materials used in today's shoes, however, it has become more difficult to visibly determine when a pair of running shoes has reached the end of its useful lifetime.
The materials used in the soles of running shoes today are so durable that, under most circumstances, they do not show much wear. Thus, the visible condition of the soles is no longer an accurate indication of a shoe's condition, especially where the concern is regarding the amount of cushioning that the shoe will continue to provide.
A running shoe, therefore, may look like it still has a few more miles in it when, in fact, the midsole has become so compressed that the shoe no longer provides a sufficient amount of cushioning for the user. Thus, the concern for a runner is to be able to tell when a pair of running shoes needs to be replaced.
As it is difficult to tell from a visual inspection when a pair of running shoes needs to be replaced, runners either have to be diligent in keeping records regarding the number of miles on each pair of shoes or wait for their knees and back to become so sore that it must be clear that the shoes need to be replaced. While there are certainly many runners out there who keep records for each pair of shoes as to the number of miles, the conditions the miles were run under, the times, etc., it is still not necessarily an accurate indication as to the actual conditions of the shoes. Sadly, many runners continue to use a pair of running shoes well past the point that would be recommended as healthy and only replace the shoes when they experience initial pain symptoms indicating personal physical degradation/damage, and/or can no longer tolerate the discomfort experienced typically in critical joint areas such as the knees and ankles.
What is needed, therefore, is an indicator to show how much cushioning capability is left in a shoe and to indicate to a user when a shoe needs to be replaced because it is not providing, or shortly will no longer provide, the appropriate amount of cushioning and/or energy rebound.


The present invention relates to antimicrobial compositons comprising (i) less than or equal to two percent by weight chlorhexidine or chlorhexidine salt; (ii) less than or equal to 1 percent by weight of a quaternary ammonium compound, such as benzalkonium chloride; and (iii) less than or equal to two percent by weight of parachlorometaxylenol. The antimicrobial compositions of the invention may be utilized in antimicrobial deterents, soaps, creams rinses, and emulsions for use in the medical community as well as general public use.

The antimicrobial agents chlorhexidine ("CHX"; 1,6 bis(N.sup.5 -p-chlorophenyl-N.sup.1 -biguanido)hexane), benzalkonium chloride ("BZK") and parachlorometaxylenol ("PCMX") have been used, individually, in antimicrobial compositions. For example, the well-known antiseptic scrubs Hibiclens.RTM., Ultradex.RTM. and Techni-care contain 4% CHX (Hibiclens.RTM.) and 3% PCMX (Ultradex.RTM. and Technicar.RTM.). The use of these scrubs, however, provides less than optimal antimicrobial protection, in that neither scrub is believed to be fully effective in rapidly inactivating pathogens or in reducing skin flora for an extended period of time. Furthermore, the relatively high levels of antimicrobial agents in these preparations are frequently associated with skin irritation.
Compositions which combine one or more of the foregoing antimicrobial agents with additional compounds are also known, as illustrated by the following references.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,666 by Murley, issued Sep. 14, 1993 ("the '666 patent") relates to an antiseptic scrub and wound disinfectant wherein a quaternary ammonium compound and a substituted phenolic compound are combined to produce enhanced antimicrobial activity at lower concentrations. The '666 patent states that the use of such combinations, together with degreasing emulsifiers, detergents, skin softeners and soothing agents is new. The compositions comprise about 3% (wt/wt) of a quaternary ammonium compound and about 3% of a substituted phenolic compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,659 by Bansemir et al., issued Jul. 9, 1991 ("the '659 patent") relates to disinfectant compositions comprising a quaternary ammonium compound, a biguanide, and a phenolic compound. The antimicrobial agent present in greatest concentration is the quaternary ammonium compound; the working examples of the '659 patent include compositions comprising 15-20% of the quaternary ammonium compound BZK.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,721 by Bansemir et al., issued Feb. 13, 1990, relates to liquid, aqueous disinfectants based on alcohol and hydrogen peroxide which comprise one or more C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 alcohols, hydrogen peroxide (or a compound which produces hydrogen peroxide), one or more carboxylic acids, one or more microbicidally active nitrogen-containing organic compounds (e.g., CHX or BZK), and one or more microbicidally active phenolic compounds (including polychlorinated xylenes).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,484 by Gorman et al., issued Dec. 13, 1983, relates to combinations of antimicrobial agents (such as CHX or BZK) with polyethylene glycol surfactant and betaine or amine oxide surfactant.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,125,628 and 4,022,911, by Goldhaft et al., issued Nov. 14, 1978 and May 10, 1977, respectively, relate to combinations of a quaternary ammonium compound, a phenol or derivative thereof, and formaldehyde.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,632 by McNamara et al., issued Feb. 1, 1972, relates to a synergistic antimicrobial composition containing 1,1'-hexamethylenebis [5-(2-ethylhexyl)biguanide] dihydrochloride and 4-chloro-2-hydroxyphenyl, 2,4-dichlorophenyl ether.
Larson et al., 1992, J. Emergency Med. 10: 7-11 discloses that in the presence of blood, topical antimicrobial products containing alcohol were associated with greater initial reductions in colonizing flora.
The number of antimicrobial preparations which have been developed illustrates the continuing search for a composition that rapidly and effectively provides antimicrobial activity without substantial adverse effects, such as skin irritation.

The Trustees of Columbia University in the city of New York


An analog-to-digital converter is provided. Each pre-amplifier provides a pair of differential outputs according to a pair of differential analog input signals and a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage from a resistor chain, wherein the first reference voltage is different from the second reference voltage. Each dynamic comparator provides a first comparing signal and a second comparing signal according to the pair of differential outputs of the pre-amplifier. Each pre-amplifier includes a first calibration unit for calibrating a first offset voltage from the pre-amplifier at the pair of differential outputs at a specific temperature, and a second calibration unit for calibrating a second offset voltage from the corresponding dynamic comparator at the pair of differential outputs.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to flash analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and more particularly to offset calibration of flash analog-to-digital converters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are widely used in a variety of applications, such as medical systems, audio systems, test and measurement equipment, communication systems, and image and video systems. The most common ADC construction comprises flash ADCs, pipeline ADCs and successive approximation register (SAR) ADCs, wherein the flash ADCs and the pipeline ADCs are faster than the SAR ADCs.
High-speed low-resolution flash ADCs are widely used in current circuit systems, such as these for disk drive read channels, DVD playback, and communication receiver systems. In general, an ADC converts a continuous quantity (e.g., voltage) into a digital representation (e.g., binary code that represents the voltage). Theoretically, an ideal ADC has a one-to-one mapping, also known as its transfer function. For example, an ideal ADC converts a unique voltage value into a unique digital code. Non-idealities can arise from environmental changes, such as changes in power supply voltage or operating temperature, or operational changes, such as changes in input signal voltages, converter resolutions or offset error.
An ADC may comprise multiple comparators for conversion of the analog data into digital data. In order to accurately convert the analog data, it is desirable that the comparators exhibit very little electrical variation from ideal operation even in the presence of "offsets". Many sources exist for offsets including mismatch between two devices (for example transistors, resistors, capacitors, etc.) which, though it is intended that they be identical, vary to one degree or another due to limitations in the fabrication processes.
Therefore, offset calibration with temperature resistance in a flash ADC is desired.

Circuit and method for calibration of analog-to-digital converter


The invention relates to heat power engineering, in particular, to methods that use a working medium for producing useful work from heat of an external source. The method comprises interaction of the working medium with an energy source and interaction of the working medium with an additional low-temperature energy source in the form of the positron state of the Dirac's matter by means of bringing the working medium into quantum-mechanical resonance with said state. The quantum-mechanical resonance is initiated by changing at least one of the thermodynamic parameters of the working medium, while the value of spontaneous fluctuations of the variable parameter in the vicinity of the line of absolute instability in the state diagram of the working medium is predetermined, and the change step for the thermodynamic parameter is set to be lower than the predetermined value of said fluctuations.

A method for converting thermal energy of an external source into mechanical work is known (RU, 2078253, F03G7/06, 20.04.97) that increases the efficiency of a thermal generating set up to a value close to unity, i.e. up to complete conversion of heat into mechanical work.
A method is known (RU, 2162161, F03G7/06, 20.01.2001) that provides the highest efficiency of a thermal generating set through complete conversion of the working medium heat generated by an external source into mechanical work. This method comprises interaction of the working medium with the thermal energy source, in particular, imparting thermal energy from the external source to the working medium flow, expansion of the flow by mechanical work, and performing energy exchange with an additional low-temperature thermal energy source, for the purpose of which a part of the general flow of the working medium having an increased density is used. This method actually implements the process of energy transmission inside the system "working medium—additional low-temperature energy source". The method allows achieving the efficiency of thermo-mechanical transformations close to unity and using low-temperature thermal energy sources. However, this is possible only due to the application of a special, rather complex system of recovering thermal energy of the working medium expanded after the mechanical work is performed.
A method is known according to international application WO 2004/046546 (Patent RU, 2213256, F 03G 7/06, 21.11.2002) that is most similar to the one being claimed and that comprises interaction of a working medium with an additional low-temperature thermal energy source in the form of the positron state of the Dirac's matter, said interaction performed by bringing the working medium into quantum-mechanical resonance with said state of matter. The energy transmission according to said method is carried out inside the system "working medium—positron state of the Dirac's matter". The method is based on the comprehension of the positron state of the Dirac's matter disclosed in details in the study "The Principles of Quantum Mechanics by P.A.M", Dirac, Second Edition, Oxford, 1935 [1]. The study asserts that the temperature of the said state of matter is close to −273° C., which allows considering said state as being close to the ideal low-temperature energy source, the so-called "physical vacuum".
Exposures of the working medium needed to create quantum-mechanical resonance cause polarization processes in the positron state of the Dirac's matter and generate two material particles, an electron and a positron, thereby confirming that "the physical vacuum is the fifth state of matter". Further positron and working medium interaction releases energy, including that in the form of heat, which can be converted into useful work.
The mechanism of phase transition of the working medium to the fifth state of matter during the quantum-mechanical resonance process with absorption or emission of a substantial amount of energy is disclosed in the studies "Mechanisms of First-Type Phase Changes in Metals and Semiconductors under the Influence of High Pressure and Electrostatic Field", G. R. Umarov et al., High Pressure Physics and Engineering, 1990, No. 33 [2] and "Theory of Phase Transitions and Structure of Solid Solutions", A. G. Khachaturyan, Moscow, Nauka, 1974 [3].
The above studies point out that in first-type phase transitions there are phase stability fields, in which fluctuations of the positron state of the working medium per se cannot lead to spontaneous creation of positrons and quantum-mechanical resonance with energy generation. The quantum-mechanical resonance occurs in the working medium that is on the verge of stable state and precedes phase transition, the development of which is conditioned by overcoming the state of absolute instability.
However, the process of energy release in phase transition of the working medium overcoming the state of absolute phase instability develops like an avalanche. A short-term energy outbreak occurs, which does not always serve the task of the creators of the heat engine according to this method. In some cases a heat engine is required that performs work in a stable manner during a given period of time including a rather long one.

Method for converting thermal energy into useful work


There is provided a front side illuminated (FSI) semiconductor structure with improved light absorption efficiency which is configured to provide a reflecting layer on a bottom of the FSI semiconductor structure to enhance the light absorption efficiency, wherein the reflecting layer is manufactured in the packaging process or the semiconductor process.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure generally relates to a semiconductor structure and, more particularly, to a front side illuminated semiconductor structure with improved light absorption efficiency and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a conventional front side illuminated semiconductor structure is absorbing light, the light beam not entering light sensing elements or the light beam not being totally absorbed in passing the light sensing elements for the first time is not reused. Accordingly, the conventional front side illuminated semiconductor structure has low light absorption efficiency.

Front side illuminated semiconductor structure with improved light absorption efficiency


The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for cell reselection. The method includes: receiving threshold information for enabling cell reselection measurement sent by a network side device, where the threshold information for enabling cell reselection measurement includes at least one power threshold for enabling cell reselection measurement and corresponding preset speed range information, the preset speed range information being used to indicate a movement speed range of a preset terminal; obtaining a movement speed of the terminal and a first received power measurement value of a downlink reference signal received by the terminal in a cell to be camped on; and determining, according to the movement speed, the threshold information for enabling cell reselection measurement, and the first received power measurement value, whether to enable the cell reselection measurement.

With the development of the Internet of Things, cellular technologies of the Internet of Things represented by the cell-based Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) become an important means for implementing the Internet of Everything. A basic standard of the NB-IoT has been completed in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
When cell reselection measurement is performed on an NB-IoT terminal and when a received power value of a downlink reference signal of an idle NB-IoT terminal in a neighboring cell is less than a set threshold power for enabling the cell reselection measurement, cell reselection is determined. However, because the power threshold for enabling the cell reselection measurement by the idle NB-IoT terminal is still a power threshold of LTE for enabling cell reselection measurement, and because the power threshold for enabling cell reselection measurement of the LTE is relatively small, the NB-IoT terminal may be far away from a cell to be camped on. In addition, when the NB-IoT terminal enters a coverage area of the neighboring cell (that is, the received power of the NB-IoT terminal for the downlink reference signal in the neighboring cell has far exceeded a received power value of a downlink reference signal in the cell to be camped on), the NB-IoT terminal still cannot be reselected for the neighboring cell. In this case, when the terminal initiates a service (including initiates paging in the cell to be camped on when the terminal initiates a service request in the cell to be camped on and when a downlink service of the terminal arrives at the network side), it cannot be ensured that the terminal operates in an optimum cell.
With regard to the foregoing problem, in an existing method, the foregoing power threshold for enabling cell reselection measurement is increased, so that the terminal enables the cell reselection earlier. However, an increase in the threshold power for enabling cell reselection measurement results in frequent cell reselection measurement by some terminals (such as the NB-IoT terminal with a relatively low speed or in a static state) that do not need to perform cell reselection, thereby increasing power consumption of the terminals.

Method and apparatus for cell reselection

CLOUDMINDS (SHANGHAI) ROBOTICS CO., LTD.


To provide a semiconductor substrate whose columnar member for alignment is difficult to fall off and a manufacturing method thereof. An alignment mark 24 (columnar member for alignment) and protection posts 26 surrounding the alignment mark 24 to protect the alignment mark are disposed in an alignment mark forming region 14 of a semiconductor wafer 101 (semiconductor substrate). Each of the protection posts has a diameter (maximum diameter) of, for example, 0.6 μm. The protection posts 26 are arranged such that the diameter of each of the columnar protection posts 26 is greater than a diameter (for example, 0.2 μm) of the alignment mark 24. That is, the protection posts 26 are arranged such that the contact area between each of the protection posts 26 and an underlayer thereof (dummy wire layer 22) is greater than the contact area between the alignment mark 24 and an underlayer thereof (dummy wire layer 22).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor substrate, that is referred to as a semiconductor wafer, having a plurality of semiconductor elements formed thereon in a batch manner such that the semiconductor elements are later separated from one another by dicing to obtain individual elements, and also relates to a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
On a semiconductor substrate referred to as a semiconductor wafer, a plurality of semiconductor elements are formed in a batch manner and are then separated from one another by dicing to obtain individual elements. At the time of dicing, it is necessary to perform alignment. To this end, an alignment mark (symbol-impressing: columnar member) is provided on the semiconductor substrate (for example, Patent document 1).
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 2007-220870

Substrate including alignment columnar member and plural protection columnar members, and method of making the same


A method for welding together electrically conductive members, comprises detecting step for detecting a removal of an electrically insulating member between a first electrically conductive member and a second electrically conductive member, and welding step for welding together the first electrically conductive member and the second electrically conductive member by an electricity through them to be fixed to each other, after the removal of the electrically insulating member therebetween is detected.

The present invention relates to a method for welding together electrically conductive members with an electrically insulating member therebetween.
In a conventional method for welding together the electrically conductive members with the electrically insulating member therebetween, an electric current value for energizing electrically the electrically conductive members to be welded together, a timing and period for applying the electric current to the electrically conductive members and a force for pressing the electrically conductive members against each other and compressing the electrically insulating member therebetween are fixed constantly or not adjusted in a welding process.

Method for welding together electrically conductive members


The invention relates to a liquid toner and imaging apparatus provided with an imaging surface having a liquid toner image formed thereon on fibrous toner particles and carrier liquid. The fibrous toner particles can be composed of a polymer portion and pigment dispersed therein, where the polymer portion comprises a surface of the fibrous toner particles and is insoluble in the carrier liquid at temperatures below 40° C., so that the polymer portion will not dissolve or solvate in storage. The polymer portion also is solvatable by the carrier liquid only at temperatures above 50° C. The carrier liquid has, as a major component, first liquid hydrocarbon having a first rate of evaporation, and, as a minor component, second liquid hydrocarbon having a second rate of evaporation which, at room temperature, is at least an order of magnitude less than the first rate of evaporation.

The use of an intermediate transfer member in electrostatic imaging is well known. Generally, toner materials for use with such blankets are similar to those used for direct transfer from a photoreceptor to a final substrate, such as paper.
Various types of intermediate transfer members are known and are described, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,862,848, 4,684,238, 4,690,539, 4,531,825, 4,984,025, 5,047,808, 5,089,856, 5,335,054, U.S. patent applications U.S. Ser. No. 08/116,198, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING USING AN INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER MEMBER, filed Sep. 3, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,349; U.S. Ser. No. 07/400,717, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING USING AN INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER MEMBER, filed Aug. 30, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,185; U.S. Ser. No. 08/115,803 LIQUID DEVELOPER IMAGING SYSTEM HAVING A HEATED INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER MEMBER, filed Sep. 3, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,274; U.S. Ser. No. 07/351,546 COLOR IMAGING SYSTEM, filed May 15, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,376 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/321,538 filed Oct. 11, 1994 titled IMAGING APPARATUS AND INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER MEMBER THEREFOR to David EDAN et al., the specifications of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Removable intermediate transfer blankets for attachment to a drum for use in electrostatic images are described in a number of the above referenced patents and applications.
It has been found that the lifetime of such blankets appears to be limited at least in part by loss of surface properties of the blanket. In particular, such blankets are generally coated with a release layer, preferably a silicone release material. It appears that the release properties of the release material deteriorates with use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,638, the specification of which is incorporated herein in its entirety, Landa et al introduced a new liquid toner comprising a carrier liquid such as a light mineral oil and pigmented toner particles having fibrous extensions. The mineral oils described in the above referenced patent were ISOPAR L and M (TM) type saturated hydrocarbon liquids having a high Kauri-Butanol number and a high resistivity. Many other mineral oils such as MARCOL 82 or other carrier liquids for liquid toner as are known in the art, are also suitable for the toner type of U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,638, depending on the overall characteristics specified for the toner. MARCOL 82 has a very low volatility and images produced from toners that use Marcol 82 generally have poor abrasion resistance.
A characteristic of these toners is that they solvate the carrier liquid at elevated temperatures but are substantially insoluble in the carrier liquid at room temperature. Other patents and publications that describe preferred embodiments of this toner type and additives useful in the toner are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,300,390; 5,286,593; 5,208,130; 5,266,435; 5,264,313; and 5,225,306 and in PCT publications WO 94/02887 the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Imaging apparatus and improved toner therefor

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method of producing a light emitting apparatus including a light emitting element, a light emitting element housing having a recess for housing the light emitting element, and a translucent substrate placed on the light emitting element housing is disclosed. The disclosed method includes a fluorescent-substance-containing resin forming step of forming a fluorescent-substance-containing resin on a first side of the translucent substrate which first side is opposite to a second side of the translucent substrate which second side faces the recess. In the fluorescent-substance-containing resin forming step, luminance and chromaticity of light that is emitted from the light emitting element and then transmitted by the fluorescent-substance-containing resin are measured and a thickness of the fluorescent-substance-containing resin is adjusted based on the measured luminance and chromaticity so that light emitted from the light emitting apparatus attains the specified luminance and chromaticity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of producing a light emitting apparatus, and more particularly relates to a method of producing a light emitting apparatus which method makes it possible to adjust the luminance and chromaticity of light emitted from the light emitting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional light emitting apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 1, a light emitting apparatus 100 includes a light emitting element housing 101, through-vias (plugs) 102, a light emitting element 103, a translucent substrate 106, and a fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107.
In the light emitting element housing 101, a recess 108 for housing the light emitting element 103 and through holes 109 are formed. The through-vias 102 are formed in the through holes 109 of the light emitting element housing 101. The light emitting element 103 is electrically connected to the through-vias 102 by way of bumps 111.
The translucent substrate 106 is placed on the light emitting element housing 101 so as to close the recess 108. The fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107 is formed on a side 106A (the side facing the light emitting element 103) of the translucent substrate 106.
The light emitting apparatus 100 is preferably configured so that the light emitted from the light emitting element 103 and transmitted by the fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107 (light emitted from the light emitting apparatus 100) has desired luminance and chromaticity.
As described above, the through-vias 102 are formed in the light emitting element housing 101 and the light emitting element 103 is electrically connected to the through-vias 102. The light emitting apparatus 100 is produced by bonding the translucent substrate 106, on which the fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107 is preformed, onto the light emitting element housing 101 having the above structure (see, for example, patent document 1).
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-110146
Meanwhile, when there are multiple light emitting elements 103, their characteristics (such as luminance and chromaticity of emitted light) may not necessarily be the same. Therefore, when producing multiple light emitting apparatuses 100, it is necessary to adjust the thickness of the fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107 for each of the light emitting apparatuses 100 to obtain the desired luminance and chromaticity of emitted light.
However, since the fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107 is formed on the side 106A of the translucent substrate 106 which side 106A faces the light emitting element 103, it is difficult to adjust the thickness of the fluorescent-substance-containing resin 107 so that the light emitted from the light emitting apparatus 100 attains the desired luminance and chromaticity. Also, this difficulty results in a low yield rate of the light emitting apparatus 100.

Method of producing light emitting apparatus