A testing jig for semiconductor components, mainly comprising a main jig body, wherein on its bottom is provided with a retrieving head. While on the center of the bottom of the retrieving head is provided with a concave space, around which is arranged a plurality of air holes which are connected with the internal airways and also connected with the air inlet on the top of the main body. Furthermore, on the bottom of the main jig body is provided with two buffer blocks on opposite sides, which can prevent the chip on the center of the base board from being contacted with external force or foreign objects in the process of retrieving the base board during testing.

The present invention generally relates to a jig for semiconductor components in the ball grid array (BAG) packaging, and more specifically to a testing jig employed in the Flip-Chip BGA base board to prevent chips from contacting with external force or foreign objects during testing.
In the prior art of plastic BGA packaging, a semiconductor base board is protected by a layer of molding compound coating so that the chip under test is not susceptible to damages. However, the new semiconductor product at present time is a base board packaged by FlipChip BGA (FCBGA) on which the chip is bare without the protection of the molding compound. If the traditional tools press down during test, the direct contact with the chip will damage the chip under test. Consequently, the object of the present invention is to prevent the chip from being damaged by external force or by the contact of foreign objects during test.
Static-Electricity is omnipresent, which may occur when two objects of different substances being rubbed together. The internal electric circuit in chips will be affected by the instantaneous high voltage which arises from contacting the objects with static-electricity. The damage caused by the Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) is the main potential factor in causing the failure of the electronic system. Consequently, the present invention also aims to avoid unnecessary contact between the chip and the testing set, and thus reduce the occurrence of ESD.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a jig which can improve the success rate of production for semiconductor components. Accordingly, an object is to prevent the contact between the main jig body and the chip in the center of the base board when the main jig body lifts the FCBGA base board. Consequently, no damage in the chip would occur when the jig retrieves or presses the chip during test and thus the success rate of production can be increased.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a jig which is equipped with the function of preventing static-electricity for semiconductor components. No contact occurs between the chip and all other objects when the main jig body lifts the FCBGA base board or conducts test. Consequently, the possibility of inducing static-electricity can be reduced, and the function of preventing static-electricity is accomplished.
The following detailed description will further elaborate the present invention with reference to the following figures and detailed descriptions so as to facilitate better understanding of the procedures and the details of the present invention.


A holding device (10) having a plurality of gripping devices (18) which are arranged displaceable relative to each other on a support structure (12) in such manner that by their displacement gripping devices (18) are adjustable to a free-form surface. The support structure (12) comprises a plurality of mutually associated movable support elements (22) on which are arranged gripping devices (18), wherein a plurality of support elements (22) are arranged in a row and are connected to form a carrying chain (24) such that the carrying chain (24) is form-adjustable by the movement of the support elements (22) relative to each other.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a holding device.
2) Description of the Related Art
Holding devices typically include a plurality of gripping devices movable relative to each other, whose spatial arrangement overall can be adjusted to the desired free form. Such holding devices are used for example to fix workpieces with uneven surfaces, for example to clamp them during their handling. A clamping device is known for example from DE 10 2013 201 765 A1. This clamping device comprises a plurality of tappets axially displaceable with respect to a basic structure with gripping devices arranged at their free ends respectively. By axial displacement of the tappets, the gripping devices viewed as a whole can closer follow the profile of a desired surface.
Holding devices with a plurality of relatively movable gripping devices can also be used in the handling of flexible and/or two-dimensional and/or mat-like workpieces such as textiles, fiber mats, foils or flexible sheets. Thus, for example, when manufacturing fiber composite parts, the cut sheet-like material pieces must be removed from the generally flat initial configuration and transferred to a usually three-dimensional curved target shape. This must be precise in the series process, carried out reproducibly and reliably. Complex holding devices with individually driven tappets can thereby prove sluggish and expensive.

Holding device for gripping workpieces with complex shapes or deformable surfaces


A system for unifying heterogeneous multimedia tuners. The system produces a unified channel lineup and coordinates multiple diverse tuners to perform multimedia tasks associated with the unified lineup. In one implementation, tuner allocation policy allows behind-the-scenes tuner assignment and on-the-fly tuner swapping so that the user experience is seamless, access quality is continuously optimized, and tuners with the most bandwidth are kept available.

As shown in FIG. 1, multimedia enthusiasts typically connect a collection of different electronic devices in different boxes together to make a modular entertainment center. Ignoring purely audio equipment, the video aspect of the entertainment center may have a television set (TV) 100 that displays multimedia content drawn in from various sources. Channels available via an "over-the-air" (OTA) transmission source 102 and antenna 104 on the receiving side are usually accessed by a tuner inside the TV 100 itself. Additional channels are available by procuring one or more extra set-top boxes to tune different channel lineups, such as a first set-top box 106 to tune a digital channel lineup received via satellite 108, a second set-top box to tune another digital channel lineup received via cable 112, and perhaps a personal video recorder (PVR) 114 to manipulate digital recordings of the received channels. A PVR 114 may exert local influence over one of the set-top boxes 106. Also, some PVRs 114 may include dual identical tuners ("homogenous tuners") so that a user can view and record at the same time. A user, then, may have a number of different tuners ("heterogeneous tuners") in the home, distributed in TVs, VCRs, and other set-top boxes. The various tuners are typically uncoordinated, or coordinated manually by the user through a host of remote controllers 116.
"Access quality" refers to the fidelity (faithfulness to original color, sound, or data); precision; resolution; reliability; speed; capability, etc., with which a tuner can access video, audio, and/or a stream of data distributed with the video and/or audio. Access quality does not include "access quantity," that is, the number of channels that a tuner can access, i.e., the tuner's bandwidth. In other words, in some circumstances the tuner with the highest access quality may only be capable of accessing the least number of channels of any tuner in a group of multiple tuners. This distinction is described more fully below with respect to some implementations of tuner allocation policy. One policy may try to assign a tuner with high access quality first, and another policy may try to assign a tuner that accesses the least number of channels first, if that tuner can get the job done. The latter policy conserves system resources for potential future demands.
"Homogeneous" as used above means that the tuners are identical in supporting the same channel lineup and accessing the identical lineup with the same access quality. For example, a cable system might use a splitter to form two identical signal sources that can be input into two identical tuners to impart the same capabilities to both tuners.
"Heterogeneous" as used above means that multiple tuners support different channel lineups, or the same channel lineup with different levels of access quality. For example, a household might have both cable 112 and OTA antenna 104 channel sources. The channel lineups available through these two sources are likely very different, thus the tuners are considered heterogeneous.
A "tuner" is a conceptual entity that allows a user to access a channel. TVs usually have one, or sometime two tuners. VCRs usually have one tuner. Some set-top boxes and/or PVRs 114 may have two tuners, as mentioned above. Various removable cards may have one or two tuners. For example, a dual tuner card may have a National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) tuner and an Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) tuner that work dependently or independently of each other.
A "head-end" is the provider of a channel lineup, for example, San Francisco DirecTV; Seattle Comcast Digital Cable; FM Radio, etc. "Transport" is the delivery method for a multimedia signal, e.g., cable, satellite, Internet, OTA, etc. "Format" describes characteristics of the signal, e.g., analog, digital standard definition, digital high-definition, etc.
For electronic program guides (EPGs), an "interlaced" or "interleaved" guide view has multiple guide lineups that are interwoven and sorted in some manner (e.g., by channel number), while a "merged" guide view has multiple lineups that are merged but the same channels are collapsed where they overlap.
A given PVR 114 may enlist a computing device for digital management or the PVR 114 may comprise a computing device. The computing device usually provides the operating system for one or more hard drives and therefore aids primarily in the storage and retrieval of multimedia content that is in the form of stored digital files.
For users with computerized or non-computerized entertainment center platforms, a framework or architecture is needed to support and unify an arbitrary number of homogeneous and heterogeneous tuners. In other words, a framework is needed to seamlessly receive and distribute multiple TV signals in order to unify a user's "multiple-TV/multiple-VCR" experience.

Systems for unifying heterogeneous multimedia tuners


Methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treatment of inflammation and arthritis using protease nexin-I as an active ingredient are disclosed.

The structure and recombinant production of protease nexin-I are described in European patent application 251505, published Jan. 7, 1988, and incorporated herein by reference. The contents of this publication are substantially the same as those of above-referenced Ser. No. 07/025,450, which case is allowed and involved in an interference. As disclosed in these documents, protease nexin-I occurs naturally in two closely related forms, PN-I.alpha. and PN-I.beta., which result from alternate splicing events in the mRNA message encoding the protein. PN-I.alpha. and PN-I.beta. consist of 378 and 379 amino acids, respectively, and differ only in that the arginyl residue at position 310 of PN-I.alpha. is replaced by a thr-gly sequence in PN-I.beta.. PN-I.alpha. and PN-I.beta. can be prepared individually using recombinant means or the natively produced protein can be isolated from various tissue sources such as human fibroblasts or glial cells. Methods for purifying protease nexin-I to apparent homogeneity from fibroblasts have been described by Scott, R. W., et al., J. Biol Chem (1985) 260:7029-7034.
The ability of protease nexin-I to inhibit various anticlotting factors such as urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator is well established. It is also known that protease nexin-I stimulates the growth of neurites. It has now been demonstrated that protease nexin-I is effective in preventing degradation of connective tissue and in the treatment of. inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

Pharmaceutical dosage unit for treating inflammation comprising protease nexin-I


Provided are a polycarbonate resin composition comprising a polycarbonate resin, pentaerythritol tetrastearate, a black dye, and a blue dye, and an optical molded product comprising same.

Polycarbonate resins are excellent in physical properties such as impact strength, dimensional stability, heat resistance, and transparency, and thus are used in many applications such as for exterior materials of electronic and electrical products, automobile parts, building materials, optical parts, and the like.
Recently, as the field of application of these polycarbonates has expanded, there has been a need to develop novel polycarbonates having improved thermal stability and optical properties while maintaining the physical properties inherent to polycarbonates.
In particular, when applied to optical products, since it is important to maintain a desired level of optical properties (excellent shielding rate or transmittance) without deformation of the product even under high temperature conditions, the development of technologies for simultaneously improving thermal stability and optical properties is needed.
Accordinaly, attempts have been made to introduce monomers having different structures into the main chain of polycarbonates by copolymerizing aromatic diols having different structures, or to obtain desired physical properties by using additional additives.
However, most technologies have a high production cost, and have limitations, for example, when the chemical resistance, heat resistance, and the like are increased, conversely, the optical properties are deteriorated, and when the optical properties are improved, the chemical resistance, heat resistance, and the like are decreased.
In addition, it is necessary to adjust the transparency of the polycarbonates depending on the applicable product group. For example, when applied to an optical product (for example, a lens) or the like, it is necessary to reduce the transmittance in a specific wavelength range in accordance with the purpose of use.
Therefore, there is still a need for research and development of a novel polycarbonate having excellent heat resistance while satisfying desired optical properties (excellent shielding rate or transmittance) depending on the products to which polycarbonate is applied.

Polycarbonate resin composition and optical molded product including the same


A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a first frame for supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developer bearing member for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with a developer, and a second frame having a developer containing portion containing the developer for developing the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and detachably mountable to the first frame. The mounting and dismounting direction of the second frame with respect to the first frame is transverse to an axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process cartridge removably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a developer container, a waste developer container, a method for assembling such a process cartridge, a method for replenishing developer in such a process cartridge, a support frame used in such a process cartridge and a method for assembling such a support frame.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus in which an image is formed on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming system. Such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus may be an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (laser beam printer, LED printer or the like), an electrophotographic facsimile, an electrophotographic word processor or the like.
The process cartridge incorporates therein a charge means, a developing means or a cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum as a cartridge unit which can removably be mounted to the main body. The process cartridge may incorporate therein at least one of a charge means, a developing means and a cleaning means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum as a cartridge unit which can removably be mounted to the main body, or may incorporate therein at least one of a developing means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum as a cartridge unit which can removably be mounted to the main body.
2. Related Background Art
In conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic image forming process, a process cartridge, in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally incorporated into a cartridge unit which can removably be mounted to the main body of image forming apparatus has been utilized. By using such a process cartridge, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without any expert, and thus the operability of the apparats is considerably improved. Thus, process cartridges have become widely used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.
In such process cartridges, there has been proposed a technique in which a toner (developer) container containing new toner can be detachably mounted to a main body of the process cartridge (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-257146).

Process cartridge, developer container, waste developer container, method for assembling process cartridge, method for replenishing developer in process cartridge


A sensor assembly for measuring force along an axis (F) comprises an inductance coil extending around the axis (F) for establishing a loop of magnetic flux looping axially through the coil and extending around the axis (F) to define a donut shaped ring of magnetic flux surrounding the axis (F). A core of magnetostrictive material provides a primary path for the magnetic flux in a first portion of the loop of magnetic flux and a magnetic carrier provides a return path for magnetic flux in a second portion of the loop of magnetic flux as the magnetic flux circles the coil through the core and the carrier. A first interface extends radially between the core and the carrier whereby the core and the carrier are urged together at the interface in response to a force applied parallel to the axis (F). Various embodiments or combinations of the core and carrier are illustrated in FIGS. 3–7.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a magnetostrictive strain sensor for measuring a strain along an axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such magnetostrictive strain sensors are known and examples are disclosed and claimed in Ser. No. 10/423,317 filed Apr. 25, 2003 (DP-307303) and Ser. No. 10/313,660 filed Dec. 6, 2002 (DP-308459), both assigned to the assignee of the subject invention and both incorporated into this disclosure. An inductance coil extends around an axis for establishing a loop of magnetic flux looping axially through the coil and extending around the axis to define a donut shaped ring of magnetic flux surrounding the axis. A core made of a magnetostrictive material, such as a Nickel-Iron alloy, provides a primary path for the magnetic flux in a first portion of the loop of magnetic flux. A magnetic carrier provides a return path for the magnetic flux in a second portion of the loop of magnetic flux as the magnetic flux circles the coil through the core and the carrier. The permeability of the magnetostrictive core, thus the inductance of such a device, is a function of the strain applied to the core along the axis. The coil inductance therefore provides a useful signal.
The coil can be excited with an AC voltage or AC current to induce an alternating magnetic field in the core. This field loops around the coil, and will possibly travel through other elements and materials, such as airgaps, and other matter.

Magnetostrictive strain sensor (airgap control)


An alignment error measurement pattern includes a plurality of wiring patterns and a plurality of opening patterns formed in an insulating film covering the wiring patterns. The edges of the wiring patterns and the opening patterns correspond to each other to constitute sets, and distances between them are all different from one set to another. Corresponding wiring pattern and opening pattern in the same set are or are not in contact with each other depending on the alignment error between them. Therefore, the alignment error between the wiring pattern and the opening pattern can be electrically measured by checking the conduction state between them. Hence, an alignment error of a semiconductor device can be measured at high precision, and easily even after the manufacture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern and method for measuring an alignment error in the lithography process employed in the manufacture of a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the integration degree of a semiconductor device increases, the minimum design rule decreases, and the resolution of the lithography technique increases accordingly. Along with an increase in resolution, the alignment precision between a pattern preformed on a wafer and a projection image projected through an exposure mask used in the lithography process also increases. High precision is therefore required in measurement of an alignment error.
Regarding a method of measuring an alignment error, a method of comparing a lower pattern for alignment error measurement and an upper pattern with an optical microscope, a method of forming an opening as an upper pattern in an insulating film, and observing a lower pattern under the insulating film through the opening, thereby comparing the lower and upper patterns, and the like are conventionally proposed.
With the method of comparing the lower pattern for alignment error measurement and the upper pattern with the optical microscope, sufficiently high precision cannot be obtained due to the limitation in resolution of the optical microscope. An alignment error in a semiconductor device of the half micron or submicron generation cannot therefore be measured at high precision.
A scanning electron microscope has a higher resolution than that of an optical microscope and is used in the lithography process to measure the width of patterned line or the diameter of opening. However, the scanning electron microscope allows to observe an image formed by secondary electrons generated from the surface of an observation target. When the lower pattern is covered with an interlayer insulating film or the like, this lower pattern cannot be observed. Therefore, it is difficult to measure an alignment error by using the scanning electron microscope.
With the method of forming an opening as an upper pattern in the insulating film and observing the lower pattern under the insulating film through the opening, thereby comparing the lower and upper patterns, when an interlayer insulating film or the like is formed on the opening, it is also difficult to measure an alignment error by using a scanning electron microscope.
With any conventional methods, an alignment error cannot be electrically measured. Therefore, an alignment error in a semiconductor device cannot be easily measured after the manufacture.

Pattern and method for measuring alignment error


Systems for providing dual resolution control of display panels are provided. A representative system incorporates two pairs of shift registers, each of the shift registers outputting a shifting signal; two pairs of logic gates; and a switching network coupled among the shifting registers and the logic gates. In a low resolution mode, the switching network causes the shift registers to output shifting signals, with corresponding pulses of the shifting signals of the shift registers of the first pair temporally overlapping with corresponding pulses of the shifting signals of the shift registers of the second pair; and wherein, responsive to the shifting signals, the logic gates output panel control signals, with corresponding pulses of the panel control signals of the logic gates of the first pair not temporally overlapping with corresponding pulses of the panel control signals of the logic gates of the second pair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dual resolution control of display panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display panels are driven by a series of panel control signals, such as the panel control signals 105˜108 depicted in FIG. 1. These panel control signals provide a series of pulses, which are used to switch data signals into correct data lines for correct pixels, and to load data signals into pixels on each scan line. Panel control signals are usually generated from shifting signals, such as the shifting signals 101˜104 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing part of the conventional control circuit 200 for generating panel control signals. The control circuit 200 comprises shift registers, logic gates and a switching network 100. Each of the shift registers SR1˜SR4 receives clock signals CK1 and CK2, as well as a corresponding shifting signal (101˜104) from a previous shift register. Each of the shift registers also outputs its own shifting signal to a next shift register, to a corresponding logic gate, and to a next logic gate. The clock signals CK1 and CK2 have the same frequency and are always in opposite phases, as depicted in FIG. 3. Each of the logic gates G1˜G4 receives two shifting signals and outputs a panel control signal (105˜108). The logic gates G1˜G4 in the control circuit 200 are AND gates to generate panel control signals with high pulses. Thus, logic gates G1˜G4 generate the panel control signals 105˜108 according to the shifting signals 101˜104, which are generated from switching network 100.
For many applications, it is desirable to have display panels support two resolutions, usually a high resolution, such as the VGA (video graphic array) resolution of 640 columns by 480 rows, and a low resolution, such as the QVGA (quarter video graphic array) resolution of 320 columns by 240 rows. In this regard, low resolution typically is achieved by filling identical data into adjacent pixels, so that four adjacent pixels are consolidated into a larger pixel. To implement such low resolution, panel control signals typically are synchronized into pairs, such as shown by the panel control signals 401˜404 in FIG. 4. Notably, the interconnection among shift registers and logic gates typically has to be adjusted for changing resolution. The adjustment is usually implemented with a switching network.
Regarding switching network 100, in some conventional designs, half of the existing shift registers may not used when the display panel scans upward or downward in the low resolution mode. Unused shift registers are in a floating state and tend to accumulate charges. If the voltage generated by accumulated charges is higher than the highest operating voltage of the display panel or lower than the lowest operating voltage of the display panel, there can be errant operations in the display panel, potentially causing abnormalities.


A shifting apparatus is disclosed for use with an automatic transmission that is situated within a closely confined area within a vehicle. The transmission is of the type that includes an externally mounted shift position select lever that shifts the transmission from a present transmission shift position to a desired transmission shift position. The shifting apparatus includes an operator input means adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment. It also includes a motor drive assembly adapted to be mounted within the vehicle at a location remote from the closely confined area. Through a flexible cable, the motor drive assembly engages the shift position select lever to impart rotational movement thereon to shift the transmission to a desired shift position.

The street rod industry has grown allowing many popular street rods to be built based on classic car or truck designs. In many cases, the basic design of a car serves as the foundation for a xe2x80x9cstreet rodxe2x80x9d. In the case of a street rod, various departures are usually made from the design of the original vehicle, such as using higher performance engine or different transmission, parts of which may be left exposed rather than being covered, using a modem suspension and tires, etc. Often, it is the goal in the design of a street rod to increase performance characteristics through the use of after-market parts that were never available at the time of the classic car or truck design. An industry has developed for supplying such after-market parts for these street rods.
In many cases, the after-market parts are reproductions of the corresponding original equipment parts, though modern materials, such as fiberglass, are often used in their construction. Other after-market parts, which may not be reproductions of original parts, provide modern technologies and capabilities not available at the time of the design of the original classic car or truck. These after-market parts may not be reproductions of original parts, but rather, are intended to provide certain conveniences, performance enhancements, and/or safety enhancements that the original parts did not provide. Examples of such after-market parts are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,011 (Haller) entitled High-Rise Intake Manifold For Performance Engines And Method For Manufacturing Same; U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,129 (Olsen) entitled Inner Fender Liner; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,679 (Pazik) entitled Vehicle Gas Tank.
In many instances, motor vehicles and water craft are not designed to provide additional space to accommodate the installation of after-market parts. To the contrary, available space for installation of such parts within motor vehicles and water craft is usually scarce and often is closely confined. Additionally, access to available space within such vehicles may be difficult making installation of such parts difficult, time consuming and/or expensive. Thus, installers of after-market parts often must be creative in identifying suitable locations for installation of these parts. For example, after-market parts are frequently installed in the vehicle""s trunk, under passenger seats, on the ceiling of the passenger compartment, etc. To address this challenge, designers of after-market parts endeavor to design these parts in ways that enables their installation in a number of alternative locations within a vehicle such as a street rod in the event that installation within a first desired location is not possible. By designing after-market parts with this flexibility, their attractiveness to after-market installers increases, thus increasing sales. An after-market installer will be more likely to purchase an after-market part if that part can be installed in any one of a number of alternative locations within the motor vehicle rather than in just one location.
The commonly owned ""476 patent application entitled xe2x80x9cA Shifting Apparatus For An Automatic Transmission Including A Vehicle Security Systemxe2x80x9d discloses a shifting apparatus that includes a key pad module, an actuator module and a controller. The key pad module is adapted to be positioned on the dash board of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle for convenient access by the driver. The actuator module is arranged for rotating the transmission""s shift position select shaft which, in turn, operates internal devices within the transmission to position the transmission in a plurality of transmission positions such as park, neutral, drive, reverse, etc. Under the ""476 application the actuator module is arranged for affixation directly to the transmission housing in proximity to the transmission""s shift position select shaft. There are no other locations disclosed in this application for mounting the actuator module. Since this portion of the transmission housing is often closely surrounded by other internal components of the motor vehicle, it is within a very confined space that is difficult and often expensive to access. Furthermore, in order to remove the actuator module mounted of the ""476 application from the automatic transmission housing, many other components in close proximity to the installation of the actuator module that block access must first be disconnected and removed before disconnecting and removing the actuator module.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a transmission shifting apparatus that includes an actuator module that provides flexibility in that can be mounted in places in a motor vehicle (and vehicles such as water craft) where available space is found. In other words, it would be beneficial to provide a transmission shifting apparatus that does not need to be mounted directly to the automatic transmission housing where space is severely limited and access is difficult. It would also be beneficial to provide such a transmission shifting apparatus that could be installed as part of the manufacture of a new motor vehicle or could be installed as an after-market part.
These and other objects of this invention are achieved by providing an automatic shift apparatus that is adapted for use with an automatic transmission that is situated within a closely confined area within a vehicle. The transmission is of the type that includes an externally mounted shift position select lever that selectively shifts the transmission from a present transmission shift position to one of a plurality of desired transmission shift positions. The shifting apparatus includes an operator input means adapted to be mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The operator input means is arranged to respond to actuation by the vehicle operator and generates an operator signal representative of a desired transmission shift position. A motor drive assembly is adapted to be mounted within the vehicle at a location remote from the closely confined area in which the transmission is located. The motor drive assembly is operatively connected to a flexible cable. The flexible cable extends from the remote location and engages the shift position select lever to impart rotational movement thereon. A processor means determines the present transmission shift position and operates in response to receipt of the operator signal to energize the motor drive assembly to induce rotational movement of the shift position select lever to a position corresponding to the desired transmission shift position.
In a variation of the first exemplary embodiment, the flexible cable is sleeved, the flexible cable being moveable within the sleeve.
In another variation of the exemplary embodiment, the motor drive assembly comprises a substantially rigid mounting plate, a motor driven actuator assembly including an output shaft, and means for mounting the motor driven actuator assembly to the mounting plate. The output shaft is operatively connected to a translational member, the driven translational member being operatively connected to the flexible cable.
In another variation of the exemplary embodiment, the axis of the output shaft is substantially parallel to the axis of the driven translational shaft.
In another variation of the exemplary embodiment, the motor driven actuator assembly includes a housing through which the output shaft extends.
In another variation of the exemplary embodiment, the sleeve is affixed to the transmission housing.
In another variation of the exemplary embodiment, the sleeve is affixed to said mounting plate.

Shifting apparatus for an automatic transmission that is adapted to provide installation flexibility where space is limited within a motor vehicle


An all-terrain vehicle including a frame having longitudinally-spaced ends defining a first longitudinal axis, and an engine supported by the frame. The engine includes a crankshaft defining a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis.

Generally, all terrain vehicles ("ATVs") and utility vehicles ("UVs") are used to carry one or two passengers and a small amount of cargo over a variety of terrains. Due to increasing recreational interest in ATVs, specialty ATVs, such as those used for trail riding, racing, and cargo hauling have entered the market place. Most ATVs include an engine including between one and three cylinders. Generally, the engine is mounted in the frame of the ATV in an east/west or lateral orientation in which the crankshaft of the engine is parallel to the front or rear axles of the ATV. Most ATVs include a straddle or saddle type seat positioned above the engine. Depending on the engine size and the number of cylinders, the width of the engine may become substantial, thereby requiring a wider seat. A wider seating surface may become uncomfortable for the rider, particularly shorter riders who may have trouble reaching the floorboards. ATVs having east/west mounted engines may have a transmission such as a continuously variable transmission (CVT) directly coupled to the crankshaft thereby adding additional width, or may have a differential type mechanism transferring power to a transmission mounted elsewhere.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, an all-terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a first longitudinal axis. A pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels are operably coupled to the frame. An engine is supported by the frame and includes a plurality of cylinders and a crankshaft driven by the plurality of cylinders. The crankshaft defines a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis. A transmission is operably coupled to the engine and is configured to transmit power to a rear transmission shaft for driving the front wheels in motion, and to transmit power to a rear transmission shaft for driving the rear wheels in motion. The front transmission shaft is laterally spaced from, and extends parallel to, the rear transmission shaft.
In a further illustrative embodiment, an all-terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a first longitudinal axis. A plurality of wheels are operably coupled to the frame. An engine is supported by the frame and includes at least one cylinder and a crankshaft driven by the at least one cylinder. The crankshaft defines a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis. The engine includes a cross-sectional profile configured to be received within a perimeter defining trapezoid having a height of approximately 432 millimeters (approximately 17 inches), an upper width of approximately 229 millimeters (approximately 9 inches), and a lower width of approximately 432 millimeters (approximately 17 inches).
According to another illustrative embodiment, an all-terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a first longitudinal axis. A plurality of wheels are operably coupled to the frame. An engine is supported by the frame and includes at least one cylinder and a crankshaft driven by the at least one cylinder. A transmission is operably coupled to the engine and is configured to transmit power to a transmission shaft for driving the wheels in motion, the transmission including a starting clutch operably coupled to, and positioned in spaced relation to, the engine.
In yet another illustrative embodiment, an all-terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a first longitudinal axis. A plurality of wheels are operably coupled to the frame. An engine is supported by the frame and includes at least one cylinder, a crankshaft driven by the at least one cylinder, and an exhaust conduit. A transmission is operably coupled to the engine and includes a plurality of vanes configured to force cooling air through the housing and across the exhaust conduit.
In a further illustrative embodiment, an all-terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a first longitudinal axis. A plurality of wheels are operably coupled to the frame. An engine is supported by the frame and is operably coupled to the wheels. The frame includes an upper frame member having a removable member configured to provide access to the engine.
In another illustrative embodiment, an all-terrain vehicle includes a frame including longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a longitudinal axis, a straddle-type seat operably coupled to the frame, a pair of front wheels operably coupled to the frame, and a pair of rear wheels operably coupled to the frame. A handlebar assembly is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels for steering the vehicle. An engine is supported by the frame and is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels for propelling the vehicle. A pair of footwells are laterally positioned on opposite sides of the seat and include laterally spaced-apart inner and outer edges, wherein the ratio of the distance between inner edges of the footwells and the distance between the outer edges of the footwells is less than about 0.64.
According to a further illustrative embodiment, an all terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced apart ends defining a first longitudinal axis, a pair of front wheels operably coupled to the frame, and a pair of rear wheels operably coupled to the frame. A straddle-type seat is operably coupled to the frame, and a handlebar assembly is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels for steering the vehicle. An engine is supported by the frame and includes a plurality of cylinders and a crankshaft driven by the plurality of cylinders. The crankshaft defines a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis. The frame include an upper frame member having a removable member configured to provide access to the engine.
In a further illustrative embodiment, an all terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a vehicle longitudinal axis. A pair of front wheels are operably coupled to the frame, each of the front wheels defining a front wheel center axis. A front track width is defined laterally between the front wheel center axes. A pair of rear wheels are operably coupled to the frame, each of the rear wheels defining a rear wheel center axis. A rear track width is defined laterally between the rear wheel center axes. An engine is supported by the frame and is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels. A front suspension includes right and left lower control arms, each lower control arm having an inner pivot coupling operably coupled to the frame and an outer pivot coupling operably to one of the front wheels. Each lower control arm has a control arm length between the inner pivot coupling and the outer pivot coupling, the sum of the control arm lengths of the right and left lower control arms defining a combined control arm length. The ratio of the combined control arm length to the front track width is at least about 0.84.
According to yet another illustrative embodiment, an all terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a vehicle longitudinal axis. A plurality of laterally spaced wheels are operably coupled to the frame, each of the wheels defining a wheel center axis. A track width is defined laterally between the wheel center axes. An engine is supported by the frame and is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels. A suspension includes right and left lower control arms, each lower control arm having an inner pivot coupling operably coupled to the frame and an outer pivot coupling operably coupled to one of the wheels. Each lower control arm has a control arm length between the inner pivot coupling and the outer pivot coupling. Each lower control arm is angled from horizontal by less than about 30 degrees and has a control arm length greater than about 423 millimeters (about 16.65 inches).
In a further illustrative embodiment, an all terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a vehicle longitudinal axis. A straddle-type seat is supported by the frame. A pair of front wheels are operably coupled to the frame, each front wheel being rotatable about a rotational axis, and defining a front wheel center axis extending perpendicular to the rotational axis. A front track width is defined laterally between the front wheel center axes. A pair of rear wheels are operably coupled to the frame, each rear wheel defining a rear wheel center axis. A rear wheel track width is defined laterally between the rear wheel center axes. An engine is supported by the frame and is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels. A front suspension includes a pair of upper and lower pivot couplings operably coupled to each front wheel, the upper and lower pivot couplings defining a king pin axis about which the front wheel may be rotated by steering the vehicle. The king pin axis of each front wheel is offset from the front wheel axis, as measured along the rotational axis, by less than 30 millimeters (approximately 1.18 inches).
According to still another illustrative embodiment, an all terrain vehicle includes a frame having longitudinally spaced-apart ends defining a vehicle longitudinal axis, and a straddle-type seat supported by the frame. A pair of laterally spaced front wheels are operably coupled to the frame, each front wheel having an outer diameter of at least 355 millimeters (approximately 14 inches). An inflatable tire is supported by each wheel, and a handlebar assembly is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels. An engine is supported by the frame and is operably coupled to at least one of the wheels for propelling the vehicle. Each front wheel is operably coupled to the frame by an upper pivot coupling and a lower pivot coupling. The upper and lower pivot couplings define a king pin axis about which the front wheel may be rotated for steering the vehicle. The pivot couplings are laterally received within the wheel, in a direction from the vehicle longitudinal axis, by at least 48 millimeters (approximately 1.89 inches).
The above mentioned and other features of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present invention.


Apparatus and method for downhole formation fluid sampling include conveying a carrier into a well borehole that traverses a subterranean formation of interest, the carrier having a port and placing the port in fluid communication with the subterranean formation of interest. The method includes urging a fluid into the port using a fluid control device, the fluid containing a formation fluid and a contaminant, generating a first signal indicative of a first fluid characteristic of the fluid using a first test device in communication with the fluid, and generating a second signal indicative of a second fluid characteristic of the fluid using a second test device in communication with the fluid. The first signal and the second signal are processed using a processing device to estimate a level of contamination in the fluid, and a control signal is generated when the estimated level of contamination meets a predetermined value, the control signal actuating the fluid control device to direct fluid having a level of contamination at about or below the predetermined value to a fluid sampling chamber carried by the carrier.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to well bore tools and in particular to apparatus and methods for downhole fluid sampling.
2. Background Information
In the oil and gas industry, formation testing tools have been used for monitoring formation pressures along a well borehole, obtaining formation fluid samples from the borehole and predicting performance of reservoirs around the borehole. Such formation testing tools typically contain an elongated body having an elastomeric packer and/or pad that is sealingly urged against a zone of interest in the borehole to collect formation fluid samples in fluid receiving chambers placed in the tool.
Downhole multi-tester instruments have been developed with extensible sampling probes for engaging the borehole wall at the formation of interest for withdrawing fluid samples from the formation and for measuring pressure. In downhole instruments of this nature an internal pump or piston may be used after engaging the borehole wall to reduce pressure at the instrument formation interface causing fluid to flow from the formation into the instrument.
Formation fluid sampling during drilling operations requires a clean-up process for removing contaminants, such as borehole fluid containing drilling fluid and formation fluid, from the fluid entering a sampling tool. Likewise, sampling processes using wireline tools need to remove contaminants from fluid samples. Once the clean-up process is complete, a sampling process may begin where clean formation fluid is transferred to sampling chambers. Traditionally, an application engineer at the well site sends a command to switch over from the clean-up process to the sampling process. The clean-up process is sometimes a timed process whereby the application engineer waits a predetermined length of time and assumes that the fluid stream entering the tool is free of contaminants at the end of the time period for clean-up. Some sampling processes include fluid measurements that are interpreted by an application engineer who then decides when to switch from the clean-up process to the sampling process. Pump rates are typically selected as a fixed rate low enough to maintain pressure above the fluid bubble-point during the draw down.

Automated formation fluid clean-up to sampling switchover


A method adjusts a pose of a projector with respect to a display surface. A homography HD,P is determined between a display surface and a projector. The homography HD,P is decomposed into rotation and translation parameters expressing a pose MP of the projector. An ideal pose M0 of the projector corresponding to an ideal homography H0 is determined. A pose adjustment MA is determined according to MA=M0(MP)−1. The pose adjustment MA is decomposed into rotation and translation adjustment parameters. Then, the projector is adjusted mechanically to the ideal pose M0 according to the rotation and translation adjustment parameters.

Image projectors are common. These projectors are aimed at a vertical display surface to show a "slide" presentation or a video. Many of these projectors use transmission LCDs, and typically have a single lens. The projectors can display images one at the time or as a sequence of images.
These projectors are typically designed so that undistorted images are displayed on the display surface only when an optical axis of the projector is aligned perpendicularly to a center of the display surface. If the above assumption is violated, then the resulting output image may not be rectangular, and will be, at best, a trapezoid, and at worst an arbitrary quadrilateral. This problem is called keystoning.
With prior art projectors, the one way to correct keystoning is to tediously adjust the physical position of the projector by moving it around by translating and rotating the projector until a rectangular image is displayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,357, "Keystoning and focus correction for an overhead projector," issued to Appel et al. on Aug. 18, 1998, describes a system where a test slide is displayed. A user identifies line pairs most parallel to each other. The line pair identification activates a distortion correction program that uses the oblique angle between the horizontal plane through the projector and the viewing screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,046, "Method for pre-compensating an asymmetrical picture in a projection system for displaying a picture," issued to Woo on August 1998, describes a system where the projection angle, and the trapezoidal error, is compensated for by the user entering in positional information into the system via a keyboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,647, "Automatic keystone correction for projectors with arbitrary orientation," issued to Raskar on Feb. 18, 2003, describes a method that corrects keystoning in a projector arbitrarily oriented with respect to a display surface. An elevation angle, a roll angle, and an azimuth angle of an optical axis of the projector are measured with respect to the display surface. A planar projective transformation matrix is determined from the elevation, roll, and azimuth angles. A source image to be projected by the projector is warped according to the planar projective transformation, and then projected onto the display surface.
However, digitally warping an image results in a degradation of image quality, because pixels have to be re-sampled, and some pixels are discarded.

System and method for mechanically adjusting projector pose with six degrees of freedom for image alignment

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.


A whip dampener mounting bracket assembly is disclosed having a whip dampener member mounted between the brake caliper of a vehicle and the brake master cylinder. The bracket assembly utilizes the preexisting frame bracket of the vehicle and an auxiliary bracket mounted thereto coupled by a flexible spring to a second auxiliary bracket. The whip dampener member is mounted on the second auxiliary bracket. The flexible hose of the assembly passes from the caliper, through the whip dampener, through the first auxiliary bracket and the vehicle frame bracket to the brake master cylinder. This assembly allows the use of preexisting tubing between the vehicle frame bracket and the brake master cylinder without need for coiling the tubing coupling the assembly to the master cylinder. The flexing of the hose is increased.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to vehicle braking systems; and, more particularly, to a vehicle brake hose system with a whip dampener for eliminating pulsation and uneven wear of vehicle brake systems that meets Department of Transportation standards.
2. Description of the Related Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,247, the teachings of which are incorporated herein of interest, I disclose a hose system for brakes of vehicles adapted to replace the flexible hose of a vehicle that extends from the pre-existing brake caliper of a vehicle through a bracket and to the pre-existing brake master cylinder of the vehicle. The system includes a flexible hose of stainless steel braid protected extruded Teflon material having a whip dampening member mounted on the hose receivable in the pre-existing bracket of the vehicle.
In the system in my 5,460,247 patent, which works quite well, there is a need for providing a portion of flexible hose between the whip dampener and the rigid tubing of the vehicle coupled to the brake master cylinder. This rigid tubing must be coiled to provide the necessary flexing of the system. Thus, preexisting straight rigid tubing cannot be used.
There is a need for providing a bracket assembly for a whip dampener system wherein preexisting straight tubing of a vehicle may be used while retaining the flexing required to carry out the whip dampening desired.

Whip dampener bracket assembly for vehicle brake hose system


A connector has a housing (10) with cavities (13) for receiving terminal fittings (20) and a front retainer (30) that can be mounted on a front surface of the housing (10). A short projection (24) and a long projection (37) are formed at a front end of a guide (18) that receives a stabilizer (21) of the terminal fitting (20). Locking projections (35, 36) are formed on the front retainer (30) and can be locked respectively to the short and long projections (24, 37). Thus, the connector has a simple construction and is compact. The housing (10) also has a lance (22) that can be locked to the terminal fitting (20). The lance (22) constitutes part of an outer surface of the housing (10). Thus, the connector can be even smaller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-123890 discloses a connector with a housing formed with a cavity for receiving a terminal fitting. A lance is formed in the housing and projects sufficiently into the cavity to lock the terminal fitting therein. However, the lance can deflect into a flexible space in the housing so that the terminal fitting can be inserted into the cavity or removed from the cavity.
A retainer is mounted to the front end of the housing and is movable between a temporary locking position and a main locking position. The retainer is outside the flexible space of the lance when the retainer is at the temporary locking position. Thus, the terminal fitting can be inserted into the cavity and removed from the cavity when the retainer is at the temporary locking position. However, the retainer enters the flexible space of the lance and prevents the lance from deflecting when the retainer is at the main locking position.
A temporary locking groove and a main locking groove extend transversely into a front part of the housing. A temporary locking projection and a main locking projection are formed on an inner surface of the retainer at positions spaced longitudinally from one another. The temporary locking projection engages the front end of the temporary locking groove when the retainer is at the temporary locking position. Conversely, the main locking projection engages the front end of the main locking groove when the retainer is at the main locking position.
A guide groove extends longitudinally in the cavity for guiding a stabilizer of the terminal fitting. The need for a longitudinally extending guide groove and transversely extending locking grooves results in a complicated construction.
The invention was made in view of the above-described situation, and it is an object of the invention to provide a connector with a simple construction.

Connector having slits for guiding terminal fittings and locking retainer


A sampling assembly has an inner expandable packer, and an outer layer formed by rings may be disposed about and/or may be positioned on the outer surface of the inner expandable packer member. Drains may be positioned between the rings and may be located under ports positioned between the rings. Flowlines may be connected to the drains, may be positioned in the rings and may extend through the rings. For each of the ports, a plate may be positioned between the port and the laterally adjacent port. The flowlines may be connected to a downstream component, such as a fluid analysis module, a fluid containment module and/or the like.

The present disclosure generally relates to a sampling assembly having an inner expandable packer. An outer layer formed by rings may be disposed about and/or may be positioned on the outer surface of the inner expandable packer member.
Hydrocarbons, such as oil and natural gas, are obtained from a subterranean geologic formation by drilling a wellbore that penetrates the hydrocarbon-bearing formation. A sealing system, such as a packer, may be deployed in a wellbore. A packer is a device having an initial outside diameter which is smaller than a wellbore in which the packer is implemented. The packer is positioned at a desired location within the wellbore. Then, a sealing element of the packer is expanded to create an increased outside diameter which forms an annular seal between the packer and a surrounding outer surface, such as a casing string or a wall of the wellbore.
The annular seal isolates the wellbore sections above the packer from the wellbore sections below the packer and may provide a mechanical anchor which prevents the packer from sliding inside the wellbore. Alternatively or additionally, the packer may have slips which are components which engage the surrounding outer surface to anchor the packer in position. Mechanically anchoring the packer is known as "setting" the packer.
A packer may be set in a cased wellbore or an uncased wellbore. After a particular operation is complete, the sealing element and/or the slips may be retracted to enable the packer to be removed or moved to another location in the wellbore.
It remains desirable to provide improvements in packers and methods of setting packers.

System and method for sampling assembly with outer layer of rings


A membrane cover is mounted at the surface of a wastewater reservoir. The membrane cover has a flexible buoyant impermeable membrane affixed to the perimeter walls of the reservoir and loosely laid over the wastewater level inside the reservoir. An array of weight lines is anchored to the perimeter walls and is loosely laid over the impermeable membrane. The array of weight lines defines a rectangular herringbone pattern. An array of drains is also provided. Each drain is disposed along one of the lateral weight lines. The membrane cover also comprises an array of troughs formed therein under the array of weight lines. A water ballast having the continuous herringbone pattern is contained within the troughs. Because of this water ballast, the membrane cover is kept taut and stable during a rainstorm and a surface thereof exposed to uplifting wind forces is minimized.

This invention pertains to drainage systems for flexible floating covers covering large wastewater reservoirs, and particularly it relates to a drainage system for accumulating rainwater on a membrane cover in a controlled manner and for draining excess rainwater into the wastewater reservoir.
Membrane covers are mounted over settling ponds, clarifiers and other wastewater reservoirs to contain and collect fermentation gases of mill effluent for example. The maintenance of a membrane cover floating on a large wastewater reservoir represents certain difficulties in that the cover is exposed to the elements and to the movement of the liquid under the cover. For example, a slight accumulation of rainwater over a cover tends to create puddles, mounds and relaxed segments at random locations on the cover. These puddles, mounds and especially the relaxed segments catch the wind and promote waves along the cover and into the liquid under the cover. The movement of liquid under the cover causes tangential stresses and constant movement in the membrane cover itself. These movements and stresses could cause fatigue, localized elongation and rupture of the cover. The formation of mounds, puddles and relaxed segments on a membrane cover is amplified where the content of the covered reservoir contains gases or is able to generate gases that tend to create gas pockets at the surface of the wastewater under the membrane cover.
Although the formation of rainwater puddles and mounds over a floating cover is a natural phenomenon that will remain an inherent characteristic of a flexible membrane cover, it will be appreciated from the following disclosure that there are numerous advantages which can be derived from an accumulation of rainwater over a floating membrane cover when the accumulation and drainage of rainwater are effected in a controlled manner.
It is believed that the prior art is short on suggestion with regards to a drainage system to advantageously control the accumulation of rainwater on a membrane cover. Examples of the drainage systems of the prior art for floating covers are described in the following documents:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,898, issued on Nov. 28, 1950 to R. C. Ulm, discloses a floating roof with a flexible deck and a central weight mounted on the deck. The central weight causes the deck to curve downward such that rainwater flows downward toward the central weight. Rainwater is evacuated through a drain at the centre of the weight and through a hose extending from the drain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,691, issued on Jun. 16, 1987 to DeGarie et al. discloses a flexible membrane cover having weight lines thereon to promote the accumulation of rainwater under the weight lines. Rainwater is evacuated by evaporation or by the use of sump pumps placed directly on the membrane cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,743, issued on Sept. 7, 1999 to I. S. Hashmi, discloses a pool cover having a drain hole at the centre thereof. A flexible conduit extending from the drain pipe carries rainwater outside the pool.
Although the drainage systems of the prior art deserve undeniable merit, there is no known prior art that discloses, teaches or suggests a drainage system to control the accumulation of rainwater on a membrane cover such that the cover is less susceptible of being exposed to destructive stresses from wind-induced liquid movement under the cover.
In the present invention, there is provided a membrane cover and a drainage system therefor whereby rainwater is quickly accumulated during the early stages of a rainstorm to provide a water ballast on the membrane cover to keep the cover taut and to limit the formation of randomly spaced puddles, mounds and relaxed segments that can deform the cover and create destructive stresses in the cover structure.
In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wastewater reservoir having a membrane cover mounted thereon. The membrane cover has a flexible buoyant impermeable membrane affixed to the perimeter walls of the reservoir and loosely laid over the wastewater level inside the reservoir. An array of weight lines is anchored to the perimeter walls of the reservoir and is loosely laid over the impermeable membrane. The array of weight lines comprises a longitudinal weight line and a plurality of spaced-apart lateral weight lines extending perpendicularly from the longitudinal weight line on both sides of the longitudinal weight line. An array of drains is also provided. Each drain is disposed along one of the lateral weight lines and extends through the impermeable membrane. The membrane cover according to the present invention also comprises an array of troughs formed therein under the array of weight lines. The troughs are connected to each other. A water ballast is contained within the connected troughs and a level of water in this water ballast is controlled by the drains. The water ballast defines a herringbone pattern extending over a major portion of the cover.
A first advantage of the membrane cover having the water ballast thereon is that is the cover is kept taut and stable during a rainstorm and a surface thereof exposed to uplifting wind forces is minimized.
In another aspect of the present invention, the membrane cover comprises a flexible buoyant layer affixed to the perimeter walls of the reservoir and loosely laid over the wastewater level inside the reservoir. The impermeable membrane is also affixed to the perimeter walls and is loosely laid over the flexible buoyant layer. In this aspect of the invention, the membrane cover has a substantial thickness. Each drain has a straight pipe extending above the upper surface of the membrane cover for accumulating a level of rainwater in each trough and for maintaining a water connection between the troughs. The drains are located in a one-quarter portion of the width of the cover nearest one of the perimeter walls.
The water ballast contained in the troughs is advantageous for its expanse and shape. The water ballast covers a major area of the membrane cover without having large cross dimension exposed to up-lifting wind forces. Because of the drains, the water ballast remains present on the impermeable membrane for extended period of time following a rainstorm.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the membrane cover cooperates with the drains to maintain the level of the water ballast higher than the level of wastewater inside the reservoir, for draining rainwater in excess of the effective level of the water ballast.
Another advantage of the structure of the membrane cover is that the flexible buoyant layer, the impermeable membrane and the array of weight lines constitute three separate layers that are loosely laid over each other. These three separate layers are therefore free to slide upon each other and flex to follow the movement of the wastewater inside the reservoir without generating any destructive tangential stress in the membrane cover.
In another feature of the present invention the membrane cover further has an array of ridges formed thereon each of which being disposed between two of the lateral weight lines. These ridges are advantageous for offering gas passages to evacuate off-gases that are often generated by the wastewater inside the reservoir.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

Drainage system with membrane cover and method for covering wastewater reservoir


A fire protection apparatus for an oil cooler in an aircraft auxiliary power unit compartment adapted to at least partially cover the oil cooler to thereby at least partially block flames from directly impinging the oil cooler in the event of a fire in the compartment. An associated means and method are also disclosed.

Auxiliary power unit nacelle compartments must be carefully ventilated to avoid "dead air" zones where flammable gases may undesirably collect and thus pose a potential fire threat. The compartment, however, despite the best efforts of designers does inevitably have zones where the ventilation is less than ideal, and thus fireproofing measures are not only desirable, but government regulations also require certain levels of fireproofing be present. Thus, for example, when a fire is detected in the compartment, typically a fire-suppressing liquid (such as halene) is dispensed into the compartment to control the flames. Fire resistant materials are also used in construction. For example, oil coolers in such systems are often constructed of stainless steel or the like, to provide fire protection should a fire occur in the compartment while the auxiliary power unit is in operation. The stainless steel provides better heat resistance (relative to generally preferred lighter-weight materials like aluminium, etc.) to the oil in the cooler in the presence of the high temperatures of a nearby fire. Such measures add weight to the overall design, however, and thus it would be desirable to provide improved, lighter weight measures for providing fire protection.

Apparatus and method for providing fireproofing to an aircraft auxiliary power unit


The invention provides a thermally foamable micro-sphere whose shell is formed of a polymer that is obtained by the polymerization of a polymerizable monomer and a crosslinkable monomer at a proportion of greater than 1% by weight up to 5% by weight based on the polymerizable monomer and which has a maximum expansion ratio of at least 5. The invention also provides a process for the production of a thermally foamable microsphere having a maximum expansion ratio of at least 5 by the suspension polymerization of a polymerizable mixture containing a crosslinkable monomer at a proportion of greater than 1% by weight up to 5% by weight based on the polymerizable monomer.

Thermally foamable microspheres, also called thermally expansible microcapsules, are now put into practical use in various fields, for instance, in the form of fillers for paints or plastics added with a view to weight reduction purposes, to say nothing of foaming inks.
Thermally foamable microspheres have usually volatile liquid foaming agents microcapsulated with polymers. Such foaming agents are also called physical or volatile foaming agents. If desired, a chemical foaming agent that is decomposed upon heating to generate gases may often be used.
Generally, the thermally foamable microspheres may be produced by the suspension polymerization in an aqueous medium of a polymerizable mixture that at least contains a foaming agent and a polymerizable monomer. As the polymerization reaction goes on, a shell is formed by the resulting polymer, yielding a thermally foamable micro-sphere having a structure wherein the foaming agent is wrapped up and encapsulated in the shell.
For the polymer that forms the shell, thermoplastic resins having satisfactory gas barrier properties are generally used. The shell-forming polymer softens upon heated. The foaming agents used are selected from those that gasify at temperatures lower than the softening point of the polymer.
As the thermally foamable microsphere is heated, the foaming agent is vaporized to generate expanding force acting on the shell. At the same time, however, there is a drastic drop of the modulus of elasticity of the shell-forming polymer. For this reason, drastic expansion occurs at a certain critical temperature that is referred to as the foaming temperature. In other words, the thermally foamable microsphere expands by itself upon heated to the foaming temperature, forming a closed cell (cellular particle).
Taking advantage of the ability to form closed cells, thermally foamable microspheres have currently found a wide range of applications in the form of aesthetic improvers, functionality givers, weight reducers, etc. As the performance demanded for each application grows, the level demanded for the thermally foamable microspheres grows, too. Among the properties demanded for the thermally foamable microspheres, there is an improvement in processability.
For instance, there is a method for obtaining formed articles or sheets whose weight is reduced or whose aesthetic properties are improved by subjecting a composition comprising a thermoplastic resin blended with thermally foamable microspheres to kneading, calendering, extrusion or injection molding during which the thermally foamable microspheres are foamed.
As the thermally foamable microsphere undergoes volume expansion during foaming, however, the shell-forming polymer layer becomes thinner and thinner. In addition, the modulus of elasticity of the shell-forming polymer drops drastically under the influences of high processing temperature and high shear force with the result that the shell becomes soft and so the thermally foamable microsphere breaks down easily. It is thus very difficult to achieve the desired object.
Another problem with the thermally foamable micro-sphere is that the proper processing temperature range is very narrow because of an increased temperature dependency of the modulus of elasticity of the polymer that forms the shell.
Further, conventional thermally foamable microspheres are poor in resistance to polar solvents and plasticizers (solvent resistance and chemical resistance), and so have only limited applications in fields where, for instance, polar organic solvents are used.
JP-A 11-60868 discloses a soft vinyl chloride resin composition for foaming extrusion molding, in which thermally expansible microcapsules are blended with a plasticizer-containing vinyl chloride resin.
JP-A 2000-17103 discloses a resin composition production process comprising the first step of kneading at 100° C. or lower a resin composition comprising a thermoplastic resin having a melting or softening point of 100° C. or lower and a thermally expansible microcapsule that expands at 100 to 200° C., and the second step of kneading or molding the resultant resin composition with the addition of a thermoplastic resin thereto.
In order that thermally foamable microspheres are actually applicable to such foaming extrusion molding or kneading/molding, they must have a shell that has high foaming temperature and improved heat resistance. To add to this, the modulus of elasticity of the polymer that forms the shell must have a decreased dependency on temperature, a wide range of proper processing temperature, and improved resistance to polar solvents, plasticizers, etc.
To produce thermally foamable microspheres having high heat resistance, a process for forming a shell-forming polymer layer by the polymerization of a polymerizable monomer comprising a vinyl monomer with the addition of a crosslinkable monomer thereto has already been put forward (see JP-B's 42-26524 and 5-15499, patent No. 2894990 and JP-A 5-285376). By use of the crosslinkable monomer, it is thus possible to introduce a crosslinked structure into the shell-forming polymer, thereby making improvements in the heat resistance and melt flowability of thermally foamable microspheres.
As the degree of crosslinking of the polymer that forms the shell becomes high, however, the thermal expansibility of thermally foamable microspheres is impaired. For this reason, each of the examples in these prior arts merely shows that the crosslinking agent is used at a very low proportion of 1% by weight or less, and preferably 0.2 to 0.6% by weight of the polymerizable monomer.
At such a low proportion of the crosslinking agent it is impossible to obtain thermally foamable microspheres having sufficiently improved processability. Shells formed of conventional crosslinked polymers, too, are found to have a large dependency of their modulus of elasticity on temperature and, hence, have a very narrow range of proper processing temperature or be inferior in processability. Further, the shells formed of conventional crosslinked polymers are insufficient in terms of resistance to polar solvents and plasticizers.
Furthermore, the shells formed of conventional crosslinked polymers are actually limited to a polymer having a specific composition, and so it is difficult to design thermally foamable microspheres having improved compatibility with the thermoplastic resin used.

Thermally foamable microsphere and production process thereof


In order to enhance the fatigue resistance and the anti-seizure property while maintaining the. embeddability, there is provided a plain bearing comprising a bearing alloy layer, an intermediate layer and an overlay layer which are formed on the inner surface of a back metal in this order. The inner surface of the bearing alloy layer is provided with a recess groove xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d extending in the circumferential direction, so that the inner surface is made into a textured uneven condition. The recess groove xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d has a bent portion which is bent relative to the circumferential direction, so that a foreign substance X entering between a mating shaft and the plain bearing is moved in the circumferential direction owing to the rotation of the shaft, the foreign substance X runs against a side edge of the recess groove xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d and moves along the side edge, thereby the embedding of the foreign substance into the overlay layer is promoted. If the foreign substance fails to be adequately embedded, the foreign substance leaves the side edge again at the bent portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plain bearing, and more particularly to a plain bearing having a bearing alloy layer of which the inner surface is in a textured uneven surface and coated with an overlay layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a plain bearing of the type in which a bearing alloy layer is bonded to a back metal and an overlay layer made from a soft material such as a Pb-Sn alloy is provided on the inner surface of the bearing alloy layer so as to enhance the conformability and the embeddability for a foreign substance. There is also known a plain bearing of the type in which an intermediate layer made of Ni or the like is provided between the bearing alloy layer and the overlay layer so as to prevent components contained in the overlay layer from diffusing into the bearing alloy layer and improve adhesiveness of the overlay layer.
In those types of bearing, when the overlay layer wears to the extent that the hard intermediate layer extends widely, a mating shaft would directly slide on the hard intermediate layer and thus the seizure would be liable to occur abruptly. Therefore, there is also known a plain bearing of the type in which a plurality of recess grooves 64 are formed in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the bearing alloy layer 61 by boring, and an intermediate layer 62 and an overlay layer 63 are further provided on the recess grooves 64, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, so that even when the overlay layer 63 wears, the intermediate layer 62 and/or the bearing alloy layer 61 does not extend widely but intermingles with the soft overlay layer 63 in the recess grooves 64 so as to maintain the anti-seizure property.
However, since the recess grooves 64 formed by boring extend in parallel with each other in the circumferential direction, when a foreign substance X such as a chip or a deterioration product of lubricant is introduced between the shaft and the plain bearing during the operation, the foreign substance is frictionally moved in the circumferential direction while leaving a long scar (or damage) on the surface of the overlay layer. As a result, the anti-seizure property of the bearing is reduced, and the damage may cause the spread of a fatigue crack. Therefore, it has been impossible to provide a plain bearing excellent both in the anti-seizure property and the fatigue resistance.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a plain bearing excellent both in the anti-seizure property and the fatigue resistance.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a plain bearing of the type in which a recess groove formed on the inner surface of a bearing alloy layer has a bent portion so that when a foreign substance introduced between a mating shaft and the plain bearing is moved in the circumferential direction in accordance with the rotation of the shaft, the foreign substance runs against a side edge of the recess groove and moves along the side edge, and thereafter leaves the side edge again.
According to this aspect of the invention, when a foreign substance enters between the shaft and the plain bearing, it is moved in the circumferential direction while being embedded in the soft overlay layer by the pressing force of the shaft. After that, the foreign substance runs against a side edge of the recess groove and moves along the side edge while being pressed against the side edge. The pressing force promotes the embedding of the foreign substance into the overlay layer. Moreover, since the foreign substance which is failed to be adequately embedded into the overlay layer leaves the side edge at the bent portion and moves in the circumferential direction until it runs against the next side edge, the foreign substance does not bite on a side edge of the recess groove.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the recess groove is formed into a ring configuration corresponding to the inner surface of the bearing alloy layer. According to a third aspect of the invention, the recess groove is formed into a spiral configuration with respect to the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the bearing alloy layer.
The bearing alloy may be made of a Cu alloy or an Al alloy, for representative examples. The overlay layer may be made of one selected from the group of Pb, a Pb alloy, Sn, a Sn alloy, and a known sliding resin such as PTFE and PFA, for example.
Moreover, the bearing alloy layer may be directly covered with the overlay layer. Alternatively, the intermediate layer such as Ni or Ag may be provided between the bearing alloy layer and the overlay layer so as to enhance the adhesiveness and prevent components contained in the overlay layer from diffusing into the bearing alloy layer, as claimed in claim 2. The intermediate layer may be made of one selected from the group of Ni, Ag, a Ni alloy, Cu, a Cu alloy, Co, a Co alloy, Sn, a Sn alloy, an Ag alloy, Zn and a Zn alloy, for example.
The overlay layer may be made of a lead-tin alloy, for a representative example. However, the overlay layer may be made from other soft material such as a resin and a tin base alloy.
In the first aspect of the invention, a recess groove is formed in a bent shape so that when a foreign substance introduced between sliding surfaces of a shaft and a plain bearing is moved in the circumferential direction in accordance with the rotation of the shaft, it runs against a side edge of the recess groove and moves along the side edge, and thereafter leaves the side edge again. Further, the inner surface of the bearing alloy layer is made into a textured uneven condition owing to the recess groove formed thereon in the circumferential direction, and the overlay layer is provided on the inner surface of the bearing alloy layer to fill the recess groove, whereby there is provided a plain bearing excellent in the anti-seizure property and the embeddability for a foreign substance.


A data storage system head slider and a method of making the same are disclosed. The head slider includes a slider body and an accelerometer formed integrally with the slider body. In preferred embodiments, the accelerometer includes a cavity formed in the slider body. A structural beam extends over the cavity such that the structural beam deflects in response to acceleration of the head slider. A piezo transducer formed on the structural beam provides a transducer output signal indicative of a magnitude of the acceleration of the head slider.

The present invention relates generally to data storage system head sliders. More particularly, the present invention relates to a head slider having an internal accelerometer for providing improved servo performance and shock sensing.
In magnetic disc drive data storage devices, digital data are written to and read from a thin layer of magnetizable material on a surface of one or more rotating discs. Write and read operations are performed through a transducer which is carried in a slider body. The slider and transducer are sometimes collectively referred to as a head, and typically a single head is associated with each disc surface. When the transducer is a magnetoresistive (MR) type sensor, the combination of the slider and the transducer are frequently referred to as an MR head. The heads are selectively moved under the control of electronic circuitry to any one of a plurality of circular, concentric data tracks on the disc surface by an actuator device. Each slider body includes an air bearing surface (ABS). As the disc rotates, the disc drags air beneath the ABS, which develops a lifting force that causes the head to lift and fly several microinches above the disc surface.
The performance of disc drives is highly dependent upon the performance of the track following servo system. Conventional disc drives use a position only feedback system. As the magnetic track widths are reduced, it becomes increasingly difficult for the servo system to perform. If the servo is overdamped, the response time is compromised. If the servo is underdamped, servo over shoot can occur causing degraded servo performance.
It is possible to use the actuator input current as a measure of force and acceleration. However, the actuator coil is located at the end of the load arm carrying the recording head. Along this distance, there are mechanical loss points due to hysteresis and stick slip (the force required to overcome static friction before the bearings move). Therefore, better methods of measuring force and acceleration of the head slider are desired.
Currently, some disc drives such as those used in mobile computer applications are built with shock sensors in the drive to provide data integrity. For example, if the disc drive is given a mechanical shock during operation, it is possible that data will be incorrectly written on the disc. The shock, if large enough, can cause the head to move off track. If the disc drive is writing data at the time of the shock, the head will write this data over an adjacent track. Then, when an attempt to retrieve the data is made, it will not be found in the intended location. Additionally, it is likely that the data will have been written in an area where other data previously existed. To prevent this occurrence, the mobile class of disc drives incorporate the separate shock sensors into the disc drive.

Internal accelerometer for improved servo performance and shock sensing on high performance disc drive heads


An apparatus and method for dispensing a cool beverage which includes a metal cold plate which is cooled by ice in an ice bin of the apparatus. The beverage dispensing conduit extends through the cold plate so as to be cooled thereby, and a cooling conduit also extends through the cold plate so that a cooling medium may be passed through the cooling conduit to supplement the cooling provided by the ice. In a preferred embodiment, the cooling medium utilizes a portion of the chilled glycol of an otherwise conventional refrigerated beer dispensing system.

Beverage dispensers are used throughout the world in public facilities such as cafeterias, bars, restaurants, arenas and stadiums to dispense carbonated beverages, water, and other beverages to consumers. These dispensers usually employ either mechanical refrigeration systems or bulk refrigerants, such as ice, to cool the beverages before dispensing.
In many locations where the beverages are sold, such as ball parks, picnics, and carnivals, it is either impossible or impractical to use a large mechanical refrigeration system, and in these instances, bulk refrigeration is desirable because the bulk refrigerant, e.g. ice, is potable so that it can be included in the drink after the beverage is dispensed into the cup.
When beverages are cooled by bulk refrigeration, an ice bin is typically provided with a "cold plate" which forms the bottom of the ice bin. The ice is placed within the bin on the top of the cold plate so that the ice is accessible to the user to include in the drink. The cold plate is generally constructed of an aluminum casting having stainless steel tubing imbedded therein in serpentine shaped fluid passages within which the beverages and/or beverage components (syrups and water) are passed before they are dispensed. The ice on top of the cold plate thus cools the beverages and/or beverage components traveling through the serpentine passages via the heat conducted through the aluminum cold plate. Commonly, two beverage components, such as carbonated water and syrup, are mixed at the dispensing valve. With this arrangement, the consumer is provided with a chilled beverage and a source for ice to include in the beverage. A beverage dispensing apparatus of this general type is further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,045, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
Although bulk refrigeration is a common method of cooling carbonated beverages, this method does have several drawbacks. For example, the heat transfer from the beverage to the ice is limited because of the ice surface area in contact with the cold plate surface. This is due to the physical design limitations of the ice bin, and air pockets between the ice cubes, which prevent the cubes from completely covering the cold plate surface.
Another drawback of bulk refrigeration is that the volume of beverages that can be cooled by this refrigeration method necessarily depends on the physical size of the cold plate. Because the beverages and/or beverage components must travel through the cold plate prior to dispensing, the number of lines that can pass through the plate is a function of the width, height and thickness of the plate. Thus, the number of fountain dispenser valves and the number of customers served is limited by the size of the cold plate. In many business establishments which dispense large quantities of beverages, increasing the size of the cold plate is not an option because of space limitations.
In an effort to solve the problems of bulk refrigeration, some systems, such as the system disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 4,856,678, attempt to precool the cold plate by collecting the melted ice water from the ice bin, and then passing the melted ice water through the cold plate. Although such systems may improve the performance of the beverage dispenser, they do not address the problems of increased volume demand and customer service associated with counter space and cold plate physical limitations. Indeed, some of these systems likely increase the cost to the retailer of operating and maintaining the systems because of the increased counter space required by the systems.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient bulk refrigeration system for a beverage dispenser, which is capable of dispensing a large volume of chilled beverages in multiple flavors and which is designed to minimize the operating and maintenance costs of the system to the retailer and minimize the counter space requirements.

Apparatus and method for dispensing a cool beverage