An improved rotating pipe joint for use in the sootblower system of a rotary regenerative air heater employs a ball and socket type construction floating seal assembly. The ball and its associated seal rings rotates within the socket to allow a slide pipe of the sootblower system to deviate from the vertical position while maintaining sealing. The improved rotating pipe joint also accommodates rotary, axial and lateral motion between the moving and stationary parts of the air heater.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a rotating pipe joint which permits two substantially axially aligned joined pipes to move axially, laterally and rotationally relative to one another and, in particular, to a rotating pipe joint which has an improved floating seal assembly which permits an amount of angular misalignment between the rotating and stationary pipes while still providing an acceptable seal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention responds to the continuing need in the air heater industry for an effective seal assembly for sealing the fluid conveying duct to the sootblower of a Rothemuhle air heater while permitting the two joined pipes to rotate relative to one another. The invention is applicable wherever a rotating pipe joint is required in a hostile environment and a less than complete seal is satisfactory.
In a Rothemuhle air heater, the heat transfer surfaces comprise a stationary stator, which is too large to be desirably rotatable. A hood above the stator and a hood below the stator rotate in unison, connected by a single, axial, hollow, rotating, centering post. Aligned rotating portions of the upper and lower hoods provide one passageway for gas through the air heater heat transfer surfaces. The remaining hood portions provide another passageway. The rotating hood portions may conduct flue gas or air, depending on the needs of a particular installation. The remaining hood portions conduct whichever fluid the rotating hood portion does not conduct. As the hoods rotate, the heat transfer surfaces are alternately heated by flue gas and cooled by incoming combustion air.
The flue gas deposits deleterious materials, such as carbon, fly ash, etc., onto the heat transfer surfaces, reducing their ability to transfer heat. Periodic removal of these materials from the heat transfer surfaces is required to obtain efficient operation and long life from the air heater. Sootblowers have long been used for cleaning air heaters while they are in service. In a Rothemuhle air heater, the sootblower is attached to the upper or lower rotating hood so that it rotates in unison with the rotating hood. In some cases a separate sootblower is attached to each rotating hood. The sootblower orifices are aligned to blow high pressure fluid, customarily air or dry steam, into the heat transfer surfaces of the air heater to dislodge the accumulated deleterious materials. Typically a single sootblower is provided on the "cold" side of the air heater, but in some cases a sootblower may also be provided on the "hot" side as well. The air heater hoods rotate in the range of about 1 to about 2 rpm.
A rotating centering post provides a common drive for the upper and lower hoods, serves as a pipe which conveys the fluid to the sootblower, and is connected to a stationary inlet pipe; as such, the rotating joint between them must accommodate this rotation and provide an acceptable seal. The joint must survive in the hostile environment of the air heater where temperatures of 650.degree. F. or more are typically encountered. In addition, the rotating joint is inaccessible while the air heater is in service, and is difficult to reach in any event.
The air heater is most conveniently removed from service for maintenance during regularly scheduled boiler maintenance, typically scheduled once a year. If the air heater must be removed from service while the boiler is operating, as would be required if the sootblower fails because the sliding seal or the expansion joint has failed, several undesirable effects occur. The air heater must be allowed to cool, which increases unit downtime. More importantly, the boiler itself must usually be removed from service if the air heater is stopped for maintenance. Skilled workers must enter the air heater, discern the cause of the sootblower failure, and replace the defective parts. The sliding seal itself could cost several thousand dollars, and the additional costs incurred in an unscheduled shutdown of the air heater and boiler make failure of the sliding seal especially expensive and undesirable.
One solution to the above-identified problems is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,114 to Gerber--ROTATING PIPE JOINT HAVING A FLOATING SEAL, assigned to The Babcock & Wilcox Company. A sketch of this floating seal assembly is provided in FIG. 1 of the present disclosure. As set forth therein, the rotating pipe joint 10 includes a stationary inlet pipe 12 and slide pipe 14 slidably and rotatably connected via a housing 16 to a rotating centering post 18. The housing 16 is defined by a thrust plate 20, spacer plate 22, and a flange 24. The flange 24 is fixedly connected to the rotating centering post 18 by means of a support pipe 26, bolts 28, and a base 30. The housing 16 encloses a floating seal 32 comprising a collar 34, preferably having a plurality of compression rings 36 which are inwardly biased against the slide pipe 14 to provide a seal between the slide pipe 14 and the collar 34. Rotational and axial movement, the latter due to thermal expansion, are accommodated between the slide pipe 14 and the compression rings 36. A limited amount of lateral movement, in the range of 3/4" to 11/2" from the vertical centerlines of the two pipes 12 and 18, is accommodated by an aperture 38 in the thrust plate 20 and by virtue of the fact that the outside diameter of the collar 34 is smaller than the inside diameter of the housing 16, which defines an inner chamber 40. Gaps 42 and 44 vary in size, depending upon the degree of pressurization of the chamber 40. In operation, the upper surface of collar 34 is thrust against thrust plate 20, eliminating gap 42 and sealing the joint. At this point, most relative rotation occurs between the collar 34 and the slide pipe 14, since the collar 34 tends to stick to the thrust plate 20.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show various known constructions of the collar 34 shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, for example, collar 34 is provided with the aforementioned compression rings 36 seated in grooves 46, gaps 48 occurring at the ends of the compression rings 36 being staggered to further reduce leakage. In FIG. 3, another known construction for the collar is shown, designated therein as 34', wherein aperture 50 is tapered about 5.degree., although tapers of 3.degree. to 15.degree. are acceptable, to accommodate toggling of the slide pipe 14 within the collar 34' without adversely affecting the seal.
While the construction of U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,114 represents an advance in the art, room for further improvement exists. Accordingly, it has become desirable to develop a rotating pipe joint which has an improved floating seal assembly which permits an amount of angular misalignment between the rotating and stationary pipes while still providing an acceptable seal.


An arithmetic unit and an arithmetic method that output no information necessary for decryption or encryption to the outside and can perform a self-protecting function when an illegal attack is made. A command monitoring part (44) monitors input command sequences. In a first sequence, a process key in a first stage is calculated from a hardware key (Khd) and is then written to a key storing part (47). In each of the following sequences, a process key in a next stage is calculated from a process key stored in the key storing part (47). When commands of predetermined contents are inputted in predetermined order, a content key is calculated and then written to the key storing part (47). Encrypted data is decrypted with the content key, and the result is outputted from data output means (63). When an illegal attack is made, initialization is performed by selecting fixed value data (Kf) as key data (Ksl) and selecting fixed value data (Df) as input data (Ein).

A device as shown in FIG. 4 as an encrypting and decrypting device is considered. An encryption and decryption processing unit 50 is shown as a part exclusive of interfaces, a CPU, and the like of the encrypting and decrypting device integrated into an IC (Integrated Circuit). The encryption and decryption processing unit 50 includes an encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51, a hardware key generating part 53, a key storing part 55, and a key selecting part 57. The key selecting part 57 is externally supplied with an input command. The encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51 is externally supplied with input data. The encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51 outputs output data to the outside.
The hardware key generating part 53 within the encryption and decryption processing unit 50 subjects secret key data serving as a fundamental basis written in a ROM to an operation, for example. The hardware key generating part 53 thereby generates a hardware key as primitive secret key data and then inputs the generated hardware key to the key selecting part 57.
By inputting an input command, the key selecting part 57 first selects the hardware key from the hardware key generating part 53. The encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51 subjects the hardware key to an operation with input data to calculate a process key in a first stage. The process key in the first stage is written through an output line 59 to the key storing part 55.
Next, the process key in the first stage read from the key storing part 55 is selected by the key selecting part 57 and subjected to an operation with input data by the encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51. Thereby a process key in a second stage is calculated and then written to the key storing part 55 in place of the process key in the first stage.
The encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51 similarly calculates subsequent process keys in a third stage and following stages. The encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51 finally calculates a content key as secret key data for decrypting or encrypting data. The content key is written to the key storing part 55.
In this state, when a command for specifying a decryption mode is inputted as an input command, and encrypted data is inputted as input data, the content key read from the key storing part 55 is selected by the key selecting part 57 and subjected to an operation with the encrypted data by the encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51, whereby the encrypted data is decrypted. The plaintext data is outputted to the output line 59.
Similarly, when a command for specifying an encryption mode is inputted as an input command, and plaintext data is inputted as input data, the plaintext data is encrypted, and the encrypted data is outputted to the output line 59.
However, the above-described encrypting and decrypting device outputs the process keys and the content key to the output line 59, that is, to the outside of the encrypting and decrypting device from the encryption and decryption arithmetic part 51 in the process of decryption or encryption. These keys can be seen from the outside of the encrypting and decrypting device. Thus, secrecy of the secret key data, especially the hardware key whose secrecy is to be ensured is not ensured. In addition, it is possible that a person illegally attacking the device can have the content key calculated by inputting a combination of various commands and illegally decrypt data. Thus a sufficient level of security is not provided.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to realize an arithmetic unit and an arithmetic method that ensure security of data as a result of arithmetic processing.

Calculation device and calculation method


A vortex type gas lamp comprising a base and an axially extending-transparent shield. Gas is supplied near the bottom end of the shield. The shield is formed of a plurality (preferably two) axial curved sections which overlap one another at their axial edges to form tangentially directed port. Combustion of the gas with atmospheric oxygen admitted through the ports results in an axial vortex of burning gas useful for illumination, decoration and heat.

Combustion flames have historically been used for their radiant and convective heating effects, and for illumination. Hearth fires, campfires, and fire rings are classical examples. The combustion of wood, coal, natural gas and bottled gas is generally the source of the flame.
The shape of the flame is rarely of interest in most applications where warmth, mood and "coziness" are the principal objectives. The flame itself usually will be in a confined (but vented) region, and much of the heat from the reverse side of the flame will be re-radiated by surrounding surfaces. However, much of the light and some of the radiant heat will be dissipated or hidden from view. In addition, the height of the flame may be quite low, and its illumination effect will be minimized. Gas lamps are not usually tall enough to provide effective illumination. As a consequence, most gas lamps, lanterns, or "tiki torches" are mounted on poles or suspended from an overhanging support, which limits their placement.
This invention provides an attractive, surprisingly tall disciplined flame as a generally cylindrical vortex, providing an extended light source useful for decoration and for illumination and heating. It is a safe structure. The flame is inside a transparent shield which remains surprisingly cool to the touch. Furthermore the inside of the shield is kept clean by the flame and the air flow.
The lamp of this invention is very inexpensive. It comprises sections of curved plastic material that can even be folded neatly for storage or shipment, but which springs back to its curved shape. It is elegantly simple, does not require a blower to create the swirling flame, and needs no side support.


A compact optically-pumped solid-state laser designed for efficient nonlinear intracavity frequency conversion into desired wavelengths using periodically poled nonlinear crystals. These crystals contain dopants such as MgO or ZnO and/or have a specified degree of stoichiometry that ensures high reliability. The laser includes a solid-state gain media chip, such as Nd:YVO4, which also provides polarization control of the laser; and a periodically poled nonlinear crystal chip such as PPMgOLN or PPZnOLT for efficient frequency doubling of the fundamental infrared laser beam into the visible wavelength range. The described designs are especially advantageous for obtaining low-cost green and blue laser sources.

Compact, efficient, and low-cost laser sources in the visible and ultraviolet spectral regions have long been desired for a variety of applications. These applications include laser-based projection displays, optical storage, bio-analytical instrumentation, semiconductor inspection and spectroscopy. Semiconductor lasers, which provide a low-cost, compact, and efficient platform, rely on material systems such as InGa(AI)P that lase most efficiently in the near-infrared spectral region. Efficient operation down to ˜650 nm (red color) can be achieved without serious technological challenges and some semiconductor laser designs can be extended down to ˜635 nm with however decreasing efficiency and reliability. On the shorter wavelength side of the visible region, GaN systems have been developed in recent years and lasers in the violet (˜400 nm to ˜445 nm) spectral range have been commercialized. However, achieving wavelengths >470 nm in an efficient and reliable way represents a nearly insurmountable challenge. Thus, the majority of the visible spectrum (i.e., from ˜470 nm blue to ˜635 nm red) does not currently have an efficient semiconductor laser solution.
Of these colors (wavelengths), the absence of green is perhaps the most notable since this color corresponds to the peak sensitivity of the human eye. Indeed, no direct solution for a green semiconductor laser is currently available. The indirect solution, commercialized since the 1990s, has been based on nonlinear frequency doubling (also known as second-harmonic generation, or SHG) of neodymium (Nd)-based solid-state lasers, such as Nd:Y3Al5O12 (Nd:YAG) or Nd:YVO4. These solid-state gain materials can be pumped by infrared semiconductor lasers (e.g., at ˜808 nm) and produce laser radiation at ˜1064 nm wavelength. This 1064 nm radiation can then be frequency doubled into the green 532 nm wavelength using nonlinear crystals such as Potassium Titan Phosphate (KTP) or Lithium Borate (LBO). A similar technique can be used to obtain the blue color, e.g. 473 nm by frequency-doubling a 946 nm solid-state laser. A review of such approaches can be found in the book by W. P. Risk, T. R. Gosnell and A. V. Nurmikko, "Compact Blue-Green Lasers", Cambridge University Press (2003). Furthermore, the low-cost platform can be achieved by using so-called microchip technology, where the gain chip and non-linear crystal are bonded to form a monolithic laser cavity. The microchip concept was apparently first proposed by Mooradian (U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,539).
However, the currently available microchip lasers lack the efficiency and flexibility required in many applications, especially at higher power levels, e.g. from several hundred milliwatts up to several Watts. This is mainly due to the frequency conversion inefficiency of conventional nonlinear materials such as KTP. In order to obtain hundreds of milliwatts of green color from a KTP-based microchip laser, one has to provide a significant power margin for the fundamental infrared laser, which imposes thermal, size, and cost limitations on the overall laser system design. Furthermore, traditional bulk nonlinear materials such as KTP are restricted as to their scope of frequency conversion. For example, KTP is used for frequency doubling into the green color but cannot be practically used for frequency doubling into the blue color, so one has to search for different nonlinear materials with their own limitations in efficiency, reliability, and cost.
Laurel (U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,711), proposed that many of such limitations can be overcome by the use of periodically poled nonlinear crystals. These crystals can be engineered to provide high nonlinearity for the desired conversion wavelength. Therefore, such a laser design implemented in a microchip architecture, could address many of the restrictions associated with conventional bulk nonlinear materials.
However, embodiments of that invention suffer from serious limitations, which, to our knowledge, have prevented commercialization of this platform, and, to this day, visible wavelength microchip lasers continue to rely on bulk nonlinear materials such as KTP and KNbO3, the latter material being used to produce the blue color (see, e.g., World Patent Application WO2005/036,703). The origin of such limitations lies in the choice of periodically poled nonlinear crystals proposed in Laurell's invention, i.e. KTiOPO4 (KTP), LiNbO3 (LN), and LiTaO3 (LT). These materials possess high nonlinearity and can be readily poled into periodic structures for frequency doubling. However, the practical use of these materials is very limited. Like bulk KTP, periodically poled KTP can only perform well at low power levels (a few milliwatts or possibly even tens of milliwatts in the visible) but suffers from passive and induced absorption ("gray tracking") at higher power levels. In addition, KTP crystal production is not easily scalable to mass production quantities at low cost as is required by some applications such as consumer-electronics displays. LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 are scalable to high-volume production and can be readily periodically poled, but suffer from visible-light-induced degradation ("photo-refractive damage") that makes it impossible to use these crystals to produce even milliwatts of visible light without severe degradation. The photo-refractive damage can be reduced at elevated temperatures (>150° C.). However, this requires using ovens for maintaining the nonlinear crystals at a high-temperature. Such ovens are incompatible with a low-cost, efficient laser fabrication, especially in a microchip geometry. Thus, the laser designs described by Laurell, cannot be implemented in a high-power, low-cost, compact, and efficient architecture. Similarly, Brown (US Published Patent Application 2005/0,063,441), proposed designs for compact laser packages, which would appear to be suitable for low-cost applications. However, the Brown teaching is still centered on conventional nonlinear materials such as KTP and LBO. The possible use of PPLN and PPKTP is mentioned but it is not taught how one can overcome the limitations of these crystals, especially their afore mentioned reliability limitations.
It is known that congruent LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 suffer from photo-refractive damage due to visible light, and several ways to overcome this problem have been proposed. The high-temperature operation, mentioned above, partially solves the problem, but is not suitable for most applications. Another proposed solution is doping the congruent material during the crystal growth to suppress photo-refractive damage mechanisms (T. Volk, N. Rubinina, M. Wöhlecke, "Optical-damage-resistant impurities in lithium niobate," Journal of the Optical Society of America B, vol. 11, p. 1681 (1994)). Growing bulk crystals with a high degree of stoichiometry has been proposed as another method to suppress photo-refractive damage (Y. Furukawa, K. Kitamura, S. Takekawa, K. Niwa, H. Hatano, "Stoichiometric Mg:LiNbO3 as an effective material for nonlinear optics," Optics Letters, vol. 23, p. 1892 (1998)).
However, none of the prior art workers have taught a means of achieving a high output power, stable ambient temperature operable frequency doubled laser suitable for producing green and blue light in a low-cost, mass-manufacturable design. We have found that if periodically poled LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 crystals are within 0.05% of stoichiometric they do not require any dopant to be stable at high output powers of up to 500 mW. For crystals that are within 0.6% of stoichiometric, doping with from about 0.1 to about 0.6 mole % of ZnO or MgO achieves substantially the same beneficial results as are obtained with stoichiometric, periodically poled LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 crystals. The present invention teaches a compact, efficient, and low-cost frequency-converted laser based on periodically poled materials that contain as dopants MgO or ZnO and/or have a specified degree of stoichiometry that ensures high reliability for these materials. ZnO or MgO-doped stoichiometric LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 are very different materials from their congruent counterparts and their altered ferroelectric properties make these materials exceedingly difficult to pole into the short-periods, several-micron-length domains required for frequency conversion into the visible spectral range. The technological challenges in producing periodically poled ZnO or MgO-doped and stoichiometric LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 have recently been overcome and these new materials shown to be manufacturable. Crystals with poling periods suitable for laser conversion into blue, green, and longer wavelength ranges have been produced and the technology for such production process is described in copending, commonly assigned Published US Patent Application 2005/0,133,477 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
In short, known technical approaches cannot provide a reliable, cost-effective, and compact frequency converted laser. The present invention solves this problem and discloses a low-cost, efficient, and reliable solid-state laser architecture that is based on periodically poled LiNbO3 or LiTaO3 that contain dopants such as MgO or ZnO and/or have a specified degree of stoichiometry that ensures high reliability for these materials. The present invention also describes a compact, efficient, reliable, and low-cost solid-state laser, frequency converted into wavelength ranges, not available through direct semiconductor lasers, i.e. into the blue, green, yellow, orange, and near-ultraviolet wavelength regions, i.e., into wavelengths of about 275 nm to 635 nm. The present invention teaches a method of manufacturing compact and efficient visible or near-UV laser sources having output power levels of at least several hundreds of milliwatts and even higher, which levels are not achievable with existing technologies.

Compact solid-state laser with nonlinear frequency conversion using periodically poled materials


A method for the production of a supporting basket (1) for an end winding of a stator winding of an electrical machine includes preassembling the supporting basket (1), mounting electrically insulated round connectors (6) on the supporting basket (1), immersing the supporting basket (1) with the mounted round connectors (6) in an impregnation agent bath (12), evacuating the impregnation agent bath (12), and removing the supporting basket (1) with the mounted round connectors (6) from the impregnation agent bath (12), and drying, curing, or both, the impregnation.

1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to a method for production of a supporting basket with round connectors for an end winding of a stator winding of an electrical machine, and also relates to a supporting basket having round connectors for an end winding of a stator winding of an electrical machine.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Large electrical machines such as generators and electric motors which are used in power stations have a stator with an electrical stator winding. This stator winding is passed out of the stator, at least at one axial end of the stator, where it forms an end winding. An end winding such as this is formed in particular by end sections of conductors, which are in the form of bars, of the stator winding, which are angled in the radial direction and in the circumferential direction such that the end winding is in the form of a truncated cone, which widens as the distance from the associated end-face stator end increases. A supporting basket is normally provided in order to support the end winding. This supporting basket may have a plurality of supporting brackets which are distributed in the circumferential direction and are arranged radially externally on the end winding. An axial support for the end winding can be provided, for example, via these supporting brackets at the associated front-side end of the stator. A supporting basket such as this normally has one or two supporting rings, which extend in the circumferential direction and to which the supporting brackets are attached. In this case, the supporting rings can support the supporting brackets radially, and thus allow them to absorb radial supporting forces.
In order to allow the stator winding to be electrically connected to an electrical system, for receiving the current produced by a generator and/or for providing the current required by an electric motor, the winding bar sections of the end winding are electrically connected at their bar ends, in a complex, predetermined manner, to a plurality of so-called round connectors, which themselves form electrical connections to the end winding. The stator winding can be connected to the electrical system via these connections, which are formed with the aid of the round connectors. The round connectors which are used in this case must be electrically insulated and must also be impregnated, in order to prevent the ingress of moisture.
In principle, it is possible to insulate the round connectors wet or dry as individual parts, for the production of the end winding. Wet-insulated round connectors are likewise dried and cured as individual parts. Wet insulated ground connectors in principle do not require any impregnation. In contrast to this, dry-insulated round connectors must additionally be impregnated. To do this, it is in principle possible to impregnate the dry-insulated round connectors individually and then to dry and cure them. An appropriate impregnation tool can be used for this purpose. In the case of long round connectors, it may be necessary to mechanically separate them before dry insulation, then to impregnate them and only then to join them together again, for example by welded joints or soldered joints. The weld or solder points must then be locally wet-insulated and dried, and cured.
For fitting of the end winding, it is also necessary to fit the supporting basket to the respective stator end, that is to say, to fit the supporting brackets and the supporting rings to the stator end. The completely insulated, and possibly impregnated, round connectors can then be fitted to the supporting basket, using appropriate attachment devices for this purpose. When the round connectors are being fitted, they can be moved along the supporting brackets. In order to prevent damage to the insulation and impregnation during this process, wet cushions can be used here. After the round connectors have been fitted, the attachment devices that are used are also locally wet-impregnated. The associated drying and curing of these local impregnation points can be carried out, for example, in the course of a heat treatment of the stator. Overall, a production process such as this is comparatively complex.

Method for production of supporting basket for an end winding


A full-featured data access arrangement (DAA) for connecting a modem to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) includes a bridge current loop circuit, a line in use detection circuit, an off hook relay, a loop current sense circuit, and an extension/remote event detector circuit. The off hook relay is connected in series with the current loop circuit to enable the DAA to detect external off hook and on hook events when the modem is in an on hook state. The DAA is configured to detect the off hook and subsequent on hook status of an extension telephone at a location even though the modem and a handset sharing a line connector with the modem are both in an on hook state. The DAA is also capable of detecting an off hook state of an extension telephone even though the modem is in an off hook state. In addition, the DAA can detect when a remote telephone device that initiates an incoming call is placed on hook.

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the Electronics Industry Association (EIA) from time to time promulgate non-binding technical standards for equipment sold in the telecommunications industry. While compliance with these standards by product manufacturers is generally voluntary, the practical importance of producing equipment in compliance with TIA/EIA standards is becoming increasingly important. In addition, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) from time to time publishes binding regulations governing the telecommunications industry to ensure safety, compatibility, and to minimize problematic interference among various electrical devices and components sold in the telecommunications industry.
In particular, Part 68 of the FCC Guidelines, incorporated herein by this reference, relates to such matters as, for example, the requirement that telephones and other telephone devices be electrically isolated from the telephone network to prevent shock, fire, and other environmental hazards from effecting the users of such equipment. In this context, the term "telephone device" can refer to telephones, modems, personal computers (PCs), fax machines, telephone answering machines (TAM), and the like, which are typically connected to a telephone line through a conventional RJ-11 telephone jack.
Recently, TIA/EIA Standards Proposal No. 3131-A was approved and published as TIA/EIA-695 which relates to, inter alia, various functions to be supported by data access arrangement (DAA) devices, also commonly referred to as direct access arrangement devices. In particular, a DAA is a device which connects a telephone device, e.g., a modem, to an RJ-11 type jack, to thereby provide an interface between the modem and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The DAA suitably includes an appropriate opto-electric or other isolation device to isolate the PSTN (which typically operates in the range of 42-200 volts) from the modem (which typically operates in the range of about 1 to 3 volts peak to peak). The transformer circuit within the DAA which performs this voltage step-down function is often referred to as the primary transformer, or simply as a "T1" device.
One of the principle functions of a conventional DAA surrounds the ability of the DAA to detect an incoming ring signal. When a ring signal is detected in a conventional telephone handset, the user can simply lift the telephone handset from the receiver, whereupon the telephone is said to go "off hook". Upon assuming the off hook position, the "off hook" relay within the DAA closes, thereby establishing a connection between the telephone handset and the telephone device which generated the incoming call. When the telephone call is finished and the user places the handset back onto the receiver, the handset is said to go back on hook, whereupon the off hook relay within the DAA is open, terminating the connection.
In a modem context, upon detection of a ring signal, the DAA may be configured to transmit a ring detect signal to a controller associated with the modem or with the PC with which the modem is associated, whereupon a control signal is applied to the DAA's off hook relay, closing the relay. Upon closure of the off hook relay, a data communications path is established between the modem and the telephone device which generated the incoming call.
Many modems in use today, particularly modems associated with PCs, also include a local handset connection, such that both the data modem and the telephone handset are connected to the telephone network through a single, shared RJ-11 phone jack or other interface device. In this context, it will be understood that the term "telephone handset" can include audio speakers, a headset, a voice activated speaker phone, a condenser microphone, or virtually any other audio configuration which permits voice or audio transmission. Moreover, it will also be understood in the context of the present invention that the term "local handset" or "local device" refers to a telephone or other device which shares a common RJ-11 type device with a modem, whereas the term "extension handset" or "extension device" refers to a telephone device which is connected to a common telephone line (for example, in another bedroom of the same home) but which has its own RJ-11 type phone jack (i.e., the extension telephone device does not share a common RJ-11 connection).
DAAs for use with a modem having a local handset are generally well-known, for example as described in Chapter 6 of the "K-Series Design Manual" published by Silicon Systems, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by this reference. Presently known DAAs, however, are unsatisfactory in several regards. For example, while a presently known DAA associated with a modem may detect an extension telephone device off hook condition while the modem is off hook, many known DAAs are unable to detect an extension device off hook condition while the modem is on hook. Moreover, to the extent a presently known DAA is able to detect when an extension device goes off hook while the modem associated with the DAA is on hook under certain circumstances, the DAA is unable to ascertain when the extension device goes back on hook.
A full featured DAA which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art is thus needed.
The present invention provides a full-featured DAA for use with a modem which overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art.

Full featured data access arrangement for use with modems


A method for separating and recovering oxygen-rich air from the air, comprising, using a gas separation membrane module where a laminate consisting of a permeate-side spacer for forming a permeate gas channel communicated with a hollow section in a core tube for collecting and discharging a permeate gas and two flat-film gas separation membranes sandwiching the spacer and a feed-side spacer for forming a feed gas channel are spirally wound around the core tube such that the laminate and the feed-side spacer are alternately superimposed, vacuuming the hollow section of the core tube to 95 kPaA (absolute pressure) or less by vacuuming means while feeding the air into the feed gas channel by air feed means such that a maximum feed-air flow rate and a maximum static pressure divided by an effective membrane area of the gas separation membrane are 100 m3/min·m2 or less and 4000 Pa/m2 or less, respectively, to separate and recover oxygen-rich air from the hollow section of the core tube. Oxygen-rich air can be separated and recovered from the air by this method with high separation efficiency.

A spiral type gas separation membrane module in which a flat-film gas separation membrane is wound around a core tube generally has a configuration where a permeate-side spacer for forming a permeate gas channel is sandwiched between flat-film gas separation membranes, which are adhered to the core tube such that the permeate gas channel communicates with a hollow section in the core tube and are wound around the core tube together with a feed-side spacer for forming a feed gas channel.
Such a spiral type gas separation membrane module has a simple structure and can be easily manufactured, but gives a low concentration of a separated/recovered gas because of a lower separation efficiency in comparison with a hollow fiber type gas separation membrane module. It has not been, thus, necessarily preferentially used in practice.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 6-262026 has disclosed that in a spiral type gas separation membrane module for separating the air, a permeate gas channel is gradually made thicker from the initiation to the end of winding in order to prevent performance deterioration due to a pressure loss. However, this separation membrane module is provided for separating and recovering highly enriched nitrogen by feeding a pressurized air. The publication has not disclosed a method for separating and recovering oxygen-rich air from the air where a feed side is substantially at atmospheric pressure while a permeate side is under reduced pressure.
Separation and recovery of oxygen-rich air from the air using a gas separation membrane module inevitably involves discharge of nitrogen-rich air. In a method where a pressurized air is fed to a gas separation membrane module, oxygen-rich air at substantially atmospheric pressure is obtained in a permeate side while nitrogen-rich air under high pressure is obtained in a non-permeate side. That is, in the method of feeding pressurized air, nitrogen-rich air which is resultantly co-produced must be compressed as a feed air. Nitrogen is contained about four times as much as oxygen in the air. Therefore, in the light of an energy for compressing the nitrogen-containing feed air, the method of feeding pressurized air is energetically considerably inefficient and disadvantageous. Furthermore, for applying pressure to the feed side in the spiral type gas separation membrane module, the separation membrane module must be placed in a pressure-resistant vessel having nozzles of a feed side, a non-permeate side and a permeate side, or alternatively at least the outermost part of the separation membrane module must be of an adequately pressure-resistant structure or member. In addition, pressure regulating means such as a valve must be disposed at a given position in a gas channel for maintaining a feed-side pressure. Thus, the method requires extra components and/or structures.

Method for separating/recovering oxygen-rich air from air, its apparatus and gas separation membrane module


An active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display includes an active-matrix substrate and an opposing electrode substrate on which opposing electrodes are formed. The opposing electrodes are formed into a combination of stripe electrodes each for collecting an electric field originating from the associated data line conductor, and display electrodes each corresponding to the associated pixel electrode. The stripe electrodes are connected with the associated display electrodes outside display areas. There are provided on the opposing electrode substrate a black mask formed of a photosensitive resin in which pigment of black is dispersed. The opposing electrodes may also be formed in an assembly of stripe electrodes each correspondingly to the associated pixel electrodes, no opposing electrode being disposed above the data line conductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly to an active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display using a thin film transistor (TFT).
2. Description of the Prior Art
An up-to-date active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display has been greatly improved, and actively applied to a processor system such as a laptop personal computer in view of aspects such as high quality and pixel density of an image.
The active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display includes an active-matrix substrate and an opposing electrode substrate. There are formed an array of drive elements such as thin film transistors (TFTs) on the active-matrix substrate, and opposing electrodes over the display area on the opposing electrode substrate, respectively.
FIG. 13 is a plan view of a conventional active-matrix substrate, and FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 13. In FIGS. 13 and 14, reference numeral 1 denotes a glass substrate; 3 a data line conductor; 4 a gate bus strip; 5 a thin film transistor; 6 a pixel electrode; 7 a passivation layer; and 10 an alignment film.
FIG. 15 is a plan view of a conventional opposing electrode substrate, and FIG. 16 is a opposing electrode substrate, and FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 15. In FIG. 15, the figures or contours defined by generally rectanglar shapes 8a are representative of openings of black mask 8. In FIG. 16, reference numeral 2 denotes a glass substrate. There are formed on one of the major surfaces of the glass substrate 2 the black mask 8 comprising a thin film of a metal such as chromium (Cr), and over the display area an opposing electrode 9 comprising ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) and alignment film 12, respectively.
The active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display comprises an assembly of those two substrates in their combination in which a liquid crystal is contained in a space 14 formed between the two substrates.
FIG. 17 is a plan view of a conventional active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display, and FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 17. As can be seen from FIGS. 17 and 18, wiring areas of the data line conductors 3 and the gate bus strips 4, and areas of the thin film transistors 5 on the active-matrix substrate 1 are optically shaded by the black masks 8 on the opposing electrode substrate 2.
There are two objects of providing the black masks 8, one of which is to shade the thin film transistor channel area so as to suppress a photoelectric effect due to incident light from the side of the opposing electrode substrate. The other object is, as described in references: (1) A. Lien, "Two-Dimensional Simulation of the Lateral Field Effect of a 90.degree. TN LCD Cell" I. D. R. C. Eurodisplay '90 Digest, pp. 248-251; (2) T. Onozawa, "Influences on Director Alignment of the Lateral Bus-Line Field in an Active-Matrix-Addressed Liquid Crystal Display" Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 29, No. 10 (1990) pp. L1853-L1855; (3) E. Takahashi, et al, "Alignment Control for TFT-LCD" The 16th Liq. Cryst. Symp. Digest, pp. 212-213 (1990); and (4) Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 38263/1990, to shade the areas or portions, depicted with the hatchings in FIGS. 17 and 18, in which areas liquid crystal molecules are activated in response to the electric field established between the data line conductors 3 and gate bus strips 4, and the opposing electrodes 9. For instance, in the case of a twisted nematic liquid crystal display (TN-LCD), transmissivity of such areas cannot be controlled. Thus, if such areas are not shaded by the black masks, then a quality of display will be degenerated because of a lower contrast ratio.
Now, it will be described more in detail hereinafter how the liquid crystal molecules are activated in response to the irregular electric field between the data line conductors 3, gate bus strips 4, pixel electrodes 6 and the opposing electrodes 9. FIG. 19 is a view showing the distribution of lines of electric force set up between each two of the data line conductors 3, the pixel electrodes 6 and the opposing electrodes 9 in the conventional active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display. FIG. 20 is a view showing the distribution of lines of electric force established between each two of the gate bus strips 4, the pixel electrodes 6 and the opposing electrodes 9 in the conventional active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal display.
As shown in FIG. 19, lines of electric force start from the data line conductor 3 and reach the opposing electrode 9 and the pixel electrodes 6. Particularly, a shorter distance between the data line conductor 3 and the opposing electrode 9 induces a stronger electric field therebetween, and thus transverse components of the electric field have more effects on the liquid crystal molecules. As a result, an optical leakage may be caused by irregular action of the liquid crystal molecules in the regions above the opposite, elongated sides of the data line conductors 3, and/or a disclination line may be caused by a reverse tilt on the pixel electrodes 6. This is similar also as to the matter of the gate bus strip 4 shown in FIG. 20.
According to the references (1) and (2) noted above, an electric field distribution is obtained by means of a simulation so as to locate the disclination. Further, according to the reference (3), it is obtained by an experience that such a phenomenon is involved in a tilt angle.
However, these prior art documents fail to disclose specific countermeasures against the drawbacks mentioned above. Particularly, the countermeasures disclosed in the reference (4) are disadvantageous in that a viewing angle at which the lightest view is available is apt to be varied. Further, in order to suppress the above-mentioned drawbacks even with the liquid crystal display device with a larger viewing angle available, in other words, in order to obtain a display device with a wider viewing range with high contrast in an oblique direction with respect to the display screen, the black mask 8 is required to extend over portions of the pixel electrodes 6. According to the references (1) and (2), the extending portions were required to be in the order of at least 20 .mu.m. However, the ratio of apertures to the whole area, or aperture ratio, of the black mask 8 is smaller with the higher pixel density of the liquid crystal display. Therefore, there was such a problem that although the extended portions of the black mask 8 are preferably smaller, they were not accomplished.
In addition, since the reverse tilt disclination line 11, FIG. 21, appears due to the electric field distribution set up between either two of the data line conductors 3, the gate bus strips 4, the pixel electrodes 6 and the opposing electrodes 9, invading into the effective pixel areas at a corner of the pixel electrodes 6, it extends into the aperture from the extending portions of the black mask 8, and thus it will be a cause of the degradation in a quality of display. If these areas are shaded with the black masks, the effect of the disclination can be eliminated. However, there remains such a problem that a brightness of an image displayed is lower owing to a further decreased aperture ratio of the black mask area.

Active-matrix-addressed liquid crystal with conductor collecting lines of force emanating from data electrode


A method is disclosed for forming a chamber in an electronic device, including the steps of preparing an outer surface on a solidified core material, the solidified core material in a depression formed in a substrate. The method further includes establishing a layer on the prepared outer surface of the solidified core material and a portion of the substrate surrounding the depression. The established layer and the substrate define a chamber.

Numerous semiconductor devices include a formed chamber utilized for a variety of reasons. For example, inkjet devices include chambers created to contain inks propelled by evolution of a bubble or the like. In fluid light engine devices, chambers are utilized that contain a fluid or gaseous material and various light control devices. Given the demand for such devices, there exists a need for large-scale, reliable methods of manufacture of such devices. It is desirable that methods of manufacture address problems that have been inherent in prior processes. Examples of such problems include but are not limited to control of material registration, material breakage, boundary leakage, and breakage caused by mechanical stress induced during assembly processes, such as staking and interface bonding stability.
Furthermore, some microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices utilize a fluid material contained in a defined cavity to facilitate function of the MEMS device. Device assembly processes include a fluid fill step or process. The fluid fill process can be complex in that optimal sealing of the cavity must occur without leaks, bubbles, and the like. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a process and a resulting electronic device in which a fluid or fluidizable material can be introduced during the assembly process in a manner that reduces leakage, bubbles, voids, and the like.

Method for forming a chamber in an electronic device and device formed thereby


At a predetermined location on a touch panel, a document image in a portrait direction, or a document image in a landscape direction is displayed according to a direction of the scanned document, while displaying a corresponding forwarding image in parallel, on the same screen. Since the direction of the scanning document and the direction of the document at the destination are displayed, it is possible to easily confirm how the scanning image is forwarded to the destination, thereby preventing an error of forwarding the document with the wrong direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multifunctional printer with a scanner function, and a method for displaying image data to be transmitted, using the multifunctional printer.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, multifunctional printers having printer/facsimile functions added to copiers are becoming very popular. In addition to the printer/facsimile functions, scanner functions have been added to some multifunctional printers.
However, the conventional technology has the following problem. When a direction of a transmitting document and the one of recording paper are different for facsimile transmission, the image is rotated in order to match the directions of the transmitting document and recording paper. This is performed by determining whether the directions of the transmitting document and recording paper are matched, regardless of the direction of an image on the transmitting document. When using a scanner function, it is more important to match the directions of the image on the transmitting document and the image on a personal computer, rather than matching the directions of the transmitting document and recording paper. In particular, there is a concern that the scanned image by the scanner will become captured with the wrong direction by the personal computer, when a user does not know which direction the scanned image will be displayed on the screen of the personal computer. Therefore, such user has to repeat making some mistakes until the image is captured with the right direction, thereby creating quite a cumbersome procedure.
In addition, for facsimile transmission, a destination can be pre-registered in a one-touch key or the like, or the number for a destination can be manually input using numeric keys. In contrast, when using a scanner, it is more convenient to have an address of a personal computer pre-registered, instead of manually inputting the personal computer address using the numeric keys, since the scanned image is forwarded to a specified personal computer address. However, there is a limitation of the number of addresses that can be pre-registered.

Multifunctional printer and method for displaying image data to be transmitted


The embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus, and systems for forming recessed features at high aspect ratios. Often, such features are formed in the context of fabricating a vertical NAND (VNAND) memory device. Various disclosed embodiments relate to process flows that involve depositing and shaping sacrificial posts on a metal seed layer that covers an underlying stack of materials, electroplating or electroless plating metal hard mask material around the sacrificial posts, removing the sacrificial posts, and etching the underlying stack of materials to form a high aspect ratio recessed feature.

With continued pressure to make increasingly dense devices, the semiconductor device industry is switching to the use of 3D memory structures. For instance, NAND flash memory has moved from a planar configuration to a vertical configuration (VNAND). This vertical configuration permits the memory devices to be formed at significantly greater bit density. One operation involved in formation of VNAND devices involves etching holes into a stack of alternating layers of materials. As the stacks of alternating layers of materials grow to include larger numbers of layers, this etching operation becomes increasingly difficult.

Plated metal hard mask for vertical NAND hole etch


The present invention provides a method of analyzing a gas sample for trace impurity concentration by atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectroscopy. In accordance with the present invention, moisture is removed from the gas sample before analysis by passing the gas sample through a dried bed of silica gel. The bed of silica gel is sufficiently dried so that remaining moisture present in the gas sample after passage through the bed is at a sufficiently low concentration such that the trace impurity concentration as analyzed by atmospheric ionization mass spectroscopy will not be effected by the remaining moisture.

The present invention relates to a method of analyzing a gas for trace impurities by atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectroscopy (APIMS). More particularly, the present invention relates to such a method in which moisture is removed from the gas prior to performing the analysis.
In ultra-high purity gas distribution systems it is necessary to ensure that the ultra-high purity gas retains its purity from the point of supply to the point of delivery. This is particularly important in the semiconductor industry because impurities present in an ultra-high purity gas being used in the manufacture of semiconductors can reduce yield of finished product.
In the semiconductor industry, APIMS has arisen as a principal technique in assuring the continued purity of ultra-high purity gases by being able to measure trace impurities in parts per billion and parts per trillion. The performance of an APIMS analysis is not however problem free in that moisture levels of as low as one part per billion can introduce substantial analytical errors when an ultra-high purity gas is being analyzed for the presence of trace impurities other than moisture. The errors arise from plasma saturation effects and from interference of moisture generated ions with signals of, for instance, trace levels of oxygen, methane and carbon dioxide ions.
In the prior art of moisture removal from gases materials such as alumina, organic solvents, sieving materials and etc. have been used. These techniques are not applicable to APIMS analysis because they either remove secondary trace impurities such as carbon dioxide and oxygen or they add impurities, such as organics. In order to overcome the problem of the presence of moisture in a gas sample to be analyzed by APIMS, the effect of moisture is compensated for in the results by numerical techniques. The problem with the use of numerical techniques is that they represent mathematical approximations and as such present an inherent margin of error.
As will be discussed, the present invention provides a method of performing an APIMS analysis in which moisture is removed from the gas sample to be analyzed before conducting the analysis so that numerical techniques do not have to be utilized in interpreting the results of the analysis.

Atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectroscopy method including a silica gel drying step


An agricultural device for controlled unloading of grain including an unloader conveyor including an enclosed housing having an inlet end including an opening for receiving grain, and an opposite outlet end including a discharge opening through which the grain can be discharged. An unloader conveyor element extends through the housing between the ends and operable for conveying the grain through the housing from the inlet end and discharging the grain through the discharge opening. The unloader conveyor element includes a substantially vertical unloader conveyor segment connected to a substantially horizontal unloader conveyor segment. An unloader drive selectably operates a portion of the conveyor element associated with the substantially vertical unloader conveyor segment in a disengaged mode in response to a sensed cumulative loading condition of the substantially vertical unloader conveyor segment and the substantially horizontal unloader conveyor segment exceeding a predetermined value.

Grain tanks of combines commonly have an associated unloader conveyor operable for conveying grain from the grain tank to another location such as to a grain truck or wagon. An unloader conveyor typically includes an elongate, enclosed tubular housing containing a helical auger and is oriented horizontally or at a small acute angle to horizontal. The unloader conveyor is typically pivotally supported in cantilever relation by a lower end of an upstanding or vertical lower unloader conveyor section including an inlet opening disposed in or adjacent to the grain tank. The unloader conveyor is typically pivotable between a stored position extending along the combine, and a sidewardly extending unloading position. The unloader can be of any length, but will typically have a length sufficient to extend just beyond the end of a header of the combine. Grain tanks additionally typically include at least one grain tank conveyor including an auger adjacent to the bottom of the grain tank and extending into the inlet opening of the lower unloader conveyor for conveying grain into the unloader.
After use, if the unloader is not cleaned out, grain remaining in the unloader conveyor has been observed to have a tendency to settle in the enclosed lower region of the upstanding or vertical unloader conveyor section around the lower end of the auger therein and the adjacent end of the grain tank conveyor auger extending into the inlet opening. As a result, a problem that can occur if the grain tank and unloader augers are started simultaneously, or the grain tank auger is started first, is that the grain tank auger can force or pack the grain into and against the grain in the lower unloader housing, thereby causing grinding, cracking of and other damage to the grain. Also, if the augers are commonly driven and loaded with grain, the start up torque and power required will be higher than if the augers are started separately. As another problem or shortcoming, if the unloader conveyor is loaded with grain when pivoted between the sidewardly extending unloading position and the stored position, greater loads and stress are placed thereon and on the supporting structure thereof compared to if the unloader is empty. As the width of combine headers increase, it is anticipated that the length of unloader conveyors will necessarily also increase as will the amount and weight of grain remaining therein after use. As a result, the stress on the supporting structure when the unloader is in the unloading position and moving thereto and therefrom will also be increased. As still another possible problem, if the unloader auger should stall, for instance, due to a mechanical problem with the unloader drive, formation or induction of a slug of grain in the unloader tube, and the grain tank auger continues to operate, the inlet of the unloader can be packed with grain, which can result in excessive grain damage and/or damage to the grain tank auger.
Thus, what is sought is a grain tank unloader control system which overcomes many of the problems and shortcomings set forth above.


The tread wear on a tire is measured while the tire is mounted on a wheel. Electromagnetic energy is transmitted to an internal space of the tire via a transmission element disposed in a tire tread element. That transmitted energy is detected inside the tire, and an energy variable from the detected electromagnetic radiation is determined which is used to determine a wear variable representative of wear on the tire tread element. A signal transmitter disposed within the internal space sends signals representative of the wear.

The present invention concerns a method of measuring, the wear, when stopped or running, on at least one tire mounted on a wheel, a tire and a wheel provided separately for implementing this method, and a tire/wheel assembly for a motor vehicle comprising the tire and the wheel. The invention also concerns methods of manufacturing the tire and a motor vehicle comprising at least one such tire/wheel assembly.
It is known how to provide wear detectors on the tread pattern elements of a tire tread for motor vehicles.
The British patent publications GB-A-2 330 808 and GB-A-2 268 715 disclose visual wear detectors consisting of layers of colored rubber reflecting light, which are disposed over the entire circumference of the tire, in the mass of the tread, and which are visible following a given amount of wear on the tire.
A major drawback of these detectors lies in the precarious nature of the wear information obtained, which can only be noted visually and possibly much after the critical wear threshold of the tire has been exceeded.
One aim of the present invention is to propose a method of measuring the wear on at least one tire comprising tread pattern elements and mounted on a wheel, which makes it possible to remedy this drawback.
To this end, the wear measuring method according to the invention comprises the step of assigning a wear variable representing the wear on the element or elements to an energy variable representing the energy of electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the external space to the internal space of the or each tire through at least one of the elements.
Tread pattern element, in the present description, means any element in relief which is intended to be in contact at one time or another with the ground, i.e. as soon as running starts, or after wear on this element has begun. This element can thus consist of a block, for example substantially parallelepipedal or cylindrical in shape, or a circumferential rib with a variable transverse section (i.e. extending over all or part of the circumference of the tread).
It should be noted that the tread pattern element according to the invention can advantageously consist of a "wear indicator," for example in the form of a block or rib with a height substantially less than that of the tread patterns intended to be in contact with the ground during ground contact.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the energy variable itself represents the fact that an electromagnetic radiation transmission means is flush with the top surface of the top of the element, the top surface of the tread pattern elements being intended to be in contact with the ground right from the start or at a subsequent time during running.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the method comprises assigning, to a value of the energy variable less than at least one predetermined energy threshold, of a value of the wear variable corresponding to wear on the element which does not extend as far as at least one predetermined wear threshold.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the allocation, to a value of the energy variable equal to or greater than the predetermined energy threshold, of a value of the wear variable corresponding to a wear on the element which has reached or exceeded the predetermined wear threshold.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the allocation, to a plurality of values of the energy variable reaching or exceeding the predetermined energy threshold, of the same number of values of the wear variable corresponding respectively to levels of wear on the element reaching or exceeding the predetermined wear threshold, so that the increase in wear on the element is measured continuously between the wear threshold and a maximum wear level.
Advantageously, the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the external space to the internal space consists of visible light, the tire or tires equipping the same motor vehicle.
Another aim of the present invention is to propose a tire for implementing this wear measurement method, the tire being delimited radially by an internal face and by tread pattern elements intended to be in contact with the ground by means of their respective tops from the very beginning or at a given moment in the running.
According to the invention, the tire comprises in its mass at least one electromagnetic radiation transmission means which is designed to be able to transmit, through at least one of the elements, incident radiation issuing from the space external to the tire to the space internal thereto, as from the time when the transmission means is flush with the surface of the top of the element.
The or each transmission means is preferably permeable to visible light (i.e. being translucent or transparent) and can be formed from one or more mineral or organic materials.
Tests carried out show that the rigidity and the area of the axial section (i.e. in the axial plane of the tire perpendicular to its median circumferential plane) of the transmission means determine the ability of the latter to remain in place during running in the course of the life of the tire. This is because a transmission means will have all the more tendency to be ejected from the tire when any local discontinuities of rigidity with the adjacent compositions of the tire are higher (i.e. this means will be more rigid), for the same area of the axial section characterizing it.
According to a first example embodiment of the invention, the or each transmission means consist of one or more relatively rigid materials each having a modulus of elasticity MA10 (at 10% deformation), measured in accordance with ASTM D 412 of 1998, which is between 1 GPa and 10 GPa (this material advantageously being based on glass, quartz or a plastic comprising a choice of a thermoplastic polymer such as a polystyrene, a methyl polymethacrylate, a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyester or a thermosetting polymer).
It is possible for example to use one or more optical fibers opening out in the internal space, which are each formed by a core based on glass, silica or quartz and a sheath based on a thermoplastic polymer or a glass, silica or quartz with a refractive index less than that of the core.
It is also possible to use one or more optical fibers which are each formed from plastics such as those mentioned (the sheath of the optical fiber or fibers being formed from a plastic with a refractive index less than that of the core).
It is also possible to use as transmission means one or more assemblies, rectilinear or not, of optical fibers with a very small cross-section (diameter between 50 μm and 100 μm) which are each embedded in a sheath consisting of a rubber composition designed to mechanically decouple each optical fiber assembly from the adjacent rubber compositions in the tire.
Each optical fiber assembly is advantageously of the same type as those used for producing the cables used as metallic or textile reinforcements in tires (i.e. twisted cables or cables with layers with a finite or infinite winding pitch), and each assembly has an increased resistance to breakage caused by the deformations in running on the crown of the tire. It is possible for example to use assemblies or bundles of fibers each comprising from around ten to around a hundred optical fibers.
It should be noted that these optical fiber assemblies are particularly advantageous for implementing the wear measurement method according to the invention, because on the one hand of the excellent light transmission coefficient of this type of material, which makes it possible to use assemblies with a diameter of less than 1 mm, and on the other hand the absence of changes in these assemblies over time and under the thermomechanical stresses caused during the life of the tire.
Preferably, the or each transmission means consisting of this relatively rigid material or materials will have an axial section with a very much reduced area (for example like that of an optical fiber), so as to minimize any discontinuities in rigidity with the adjacent compositions and thus remain durably in place, following prolonged running.
It should be noted that this minimization of the area of the axial section of the or each transmission means can be compensated for by the use of a very high radiation transmission coefficient for this transmission means and/or by providing a plurality of such transmission means in the tire, for a given quantity of energy transmitted.
According to a second preferential example embodiment of the invention, the or each transmission means consists of at least one rubber composition based on at least one elastomer having a modulus of elasticity MA10 (at 10% deformation), measured in accordance with ASTM D 412 of 1998, which is between 1 MPa and 20 MPa (this elastomer advantageously belonging to the family consisting of cross-linkable elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers, true polyurethanes and polyurethane derivatives, such as polyurethane/urea, polyureas, polyurea/urethane, polyurethane/isocyanurate, polyurea/isocyanurate or polyurethane/urea/isocyanurate).
Preferably, use is made of dienic elastomers which can either be vulcanized or cross-linked with peroxides. It is possible to cite for example polybutadienes, polyisoprenes or styrene/butadiene copolymers. It is also possible to use elastomers with a reduced number of double bonds such as EPDMs (ethylene, propylene and diene terpolymers) or butyl rubbers (isoprene and isobutylene copolymers), halogenated or not.
Even more preferentially, use is made of polyisoprenes, styrene/butadiene copolymers, isoprene/styrene copolymers or polybutadienes.
By way of translucent rubber composition which can be used in these transmission means consisting of rubber, use is advantageously made of compositions with no staining element and strong ingredients which are not soluble or dissolve only with difficulty in the translucent composition, which comprise:                paraffin oils by way of plasticizing oil, instead of the usual aromatic or even naphthenic oils,        non-staining phenolic antioxidants as an antioxidant, instead of the usual antiozonants which result in significant browning of the composition,        a reinforcing inorganic filler such as silica, in reduced quantities, by way of reinforcing filler instead of carbon black (which is excluded in these translucent compositions).
In the present application, "reinforcing inorganic filler", in known manner, is understood to mean an inorganic or mineral filler, whatever its color and its origin (natural or synthetic), also referred to as "white" filler or sometimes "clear" filler in contrast to carbon black, this inorganic filler being capable, on its own, without any other means than an intermediate coupling agent, of reinforcing a rubber composition intended for the manufacture of tires, in other words being capable of replacing a conventional tire-grade carbon black filler in its reinforcement function.
Advantageously, the entirety or at the very least a majority proportion of said reinforcing inorganic filler is silica. The silica used may be any reinforcing silica known to persons skilled in the art, in particular any precipitated or fumed silica having a BET surface area and a CTAB specific surface area both of which are less than 450 m2/g, even if highly dispersible precipitated silicas are preferred. Silica having BET or CTAB specific surfaces in the range of 80 m2/g to 260 m2/g are preferably used.
In the present specification, the BET specific surface area is determined in known manner, in accordance with the method of Brunauer, Emmet and Teller described in "The Journal of the American Chemical Society", vol. 60, page 309, February 1938, and corresponding to AFNOR-NFT-45007 (November 1987); the CTAB specific surface area is the external surface area determined in accordance with the same AFNOR-NFT-45007 of 1987.
"Highly dispersible silica" is understood to mean any silica having a very substantial ability to disagglomerate and to disperse in an elastomeric matrix, which can be observed in known manner by electron or optical microscopy on thin sections. As non-limitative examples of such preferred highly dispersible silicas, mention may be made of the silicas Ultrasil 7000 and Ultrasil 7005 from Degussa, the silicas Zeosil 1165MP, 1135MP and 1115MP from Rhodia, the silica Hi-Sil EZ150G from PPG, the silicas Zeopol 8715, 8745 and 8755 from Huber, and treated precipitated silicas such as, for example, the silicas "doped" with aluminum described in application EP-A-735 088.
The physical state of the reinforcing inorganic filler is immaterial, whether it be in the form of a powder, microbeads, granules or alternatively balls. Of course, "reinforcing inorganic filler" is also understood to mean mixtures of different reinforcing inorganic fillers, in particular of highly dispersible silicas as described above.
As reinforcing inorganic filler, there may also be used for example:                aluminas (of formula Al2O3), such as the high-dispersibility aluminas which are described in the European patent document EP-A-810 258, or alternatively,        aluminum hydroxides, such as those described in the international patent document WO-A-99/28376.
Also suitable are reinforcing inorganic fillers comprising carbon blacks modified by silica such as, for example, the fillers sold by CABOT under the name "CRX 2000", which are described in the international patent document WO-A-96/37547.
The translucent rubber composition according to the invention furthermore comprises, in conventional manner, a reinforcing inorganic filler/elastomeric matrix bonding agent (also referred to as coupling agent), the function of which is to ensure sufficient chemical and/or physical bonding (or coupling) between said inorganic filler and the matrix, while facilitating the dispersion of this inorganic filler within the matrix.
Advantageously, the or each transmission means based on this elastomer or elastomers can have an axial cross-section with a relatively large area, because of the fairly insignificant difference in rigidity compared with the adjacent rubber compositions, and can on the other hand have a relatively small coefficient of transmission for a given quantity of energy transmitted.
According to a preferential embodiment of the invention in accordance with this second example, the tire is such that all the rubber compositions situated radially inside the wear indicator or indicators (i.e. including the or each transmission means) are translucent, comprising neither carbon black nor darkening agent.
According to a third example embodiment of the invention, the or each transmission means can advantageously comprise a core intended to transmit radiation, based on at least one relatively rigid material, as defined above in the first example embodiment, which is enveloped with a compressible deformable sheath designed to mechanically decouple the core from the adjacent rubber compositions in the tire. This sheath is preferably based on a cellular rubber and has a modulus of elasticity MA10, measured in accordance with ASTM D 412 of 1998, of between 0.1 MPa and 1 MPa.
This transmission means comprising the core and the sheath has for example the form of a bar whose side surface (consisting of the sheath) can advantageously be cylindrical, prismatic, conical or pyramidal in shape.
It should be noted that this core can advantageously have both a high coefficient of transmission and an also large axial section area, like the second example embodiment.
The sheath is preferably based on a cellular rubber with closed cells in order to prevent the absorption of water and in particular the diffusion of inflation gas in the structure of the tire (in particular in the plies and cables of the carcass reinforcement).
By way of example, it is possible to use glass for the core and, for the sheath, butyl foam, polychloroprene, a butadiene and acrylonitrile copolymer (NBR), an ethylene, propylene and diene terpolymer (EPDM), or a rubber composition used in the tire which has been expanded.
The tires according to the invention can be manufactured as follows.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, each radiation transmission means is formed in the tire during manufacture, before the curing of the corresponding cover ("cover" means in the present invention the uncured tire, sometimes referred to as the "blank"). It is in this case necessary for the material or materials making up each transmission means to be able to withstand the curing temperature of the tire (typically around 170° C.) without damage.
According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, each transmission means is formed in the tire after the operation of curing the corresponding cover, preferably by the insertion and possibly adhesive bonding of the or each transmission means in a recess formed in the cured tire.
In accordance with this last preferred embodiment, the or each transmission means has substantially the shape of a drawing pin comprising a head provided with a stem at its center, the stem being contained in a radial recess formed from the internal face to the top of the corresponding tread pattern element, so that the head is in contact with the internal face and the free end of the stem is practically flush with the surface of the top, the head and part of the stem extending from the head being formed from the translucent rubber composition whilst the other part of the stem contained in the free end is formed from at least one opaque rubber composition, the interface radial height between the translucent composition and the opaque composition being designed to correspond to a wear threshold to be detected in the tread pattern element.
According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the tire comprises several radiation transmission means which have respectively different colors in the spectrum of the visible range.
Advantageously, the or each transmission means has a cross-section in the axial direction of the tire whose area increases continuously over a given wear height radially towards the inside of the tire, so that the quantity of energy of the radiation transmitted in the internal space increases continuously with the area of the section flush with the surface of the top of the element, when the latter wears.
According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the or each transmission means extends over the entire circumference of the tire.
Advantageously, the tire can comprise a plurality of transmission means whose respective heights, in the radial direction of the tire, correspond to various predetermined wear thresholds to be detected for the element.
In the aforementioned case in which the or each radiation transmission means comprises an optical fiber opening out in the internal space, the tire can be provided with at least one wear detection unit which contains:                in a radially uppermost upstream part passing through the internal face and ending in one of the tread pattern elements recessed from its top, the transmission means, which comprise one or more optical fibers parallel to each other which are each designed so as to be able to transmit incident radiation issuing from the space external to the tire to the space internal thereto and whose radial height or heights correspond respectively to one or various predetermined wear thresholds to be detected for the element, and        in a radially lower downstream part mounted in the space internal to the tire, a detection means connected to the optical fiber or fibers which is designed to detect the energy of the radiation transmitted to it by the fiber or fibers, from the time when at least one of the fibers is flush with the surface of the top of the tread pattern element.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the wear detection unit comprises, in the downstream part, a transmitter coupled to an antenna for transmitting electrical signals representing measurements of radiated energy and a microprocessor for processing the radiated energy measurements.
Another aim of the present invention is to propose a wheel comprising a rim intended to receive a tire as defined previously, for implementing the also aforementioned wear measurement method.
According to the invention, the wheel rim is provided with a means of detecting the energy of the radiation transmitted by the or each transmission means in the space internal to the tire, as from the time when the or each transmission means are flush with the surface of the top of the tread pattern element because of wear on the latter.
Advantageously, the wheel rim is also provided with a means of quantifying the energy of the radiation transmitted in the space internal to the tire and/or means of locating in the tire each radiation transmission means.
Also advantageously, the wheel rim is also provided with a means of discriminating the colors of the visible radiation transmitted.
According to a preferential embodiment of the invention, the detection means is contained in a wheel module which is mounted on the wheel rim and which is intended to monitor the operating parameters of the tire/wheel assembly, such as its internal pressure and temperature, the wheel module also comprising a transmitter coupled to an antenna for transmitting electrical signals representing measurements of radiated energy, temperature and pressure, and a microprocessor intended to process all the measurements of radiated energy, temperature and pressure.
According to one advantageous example embodiment of the invention, the wheel rim is also provided with means for picking up the radiation received at the surface of the rim in radial directions with respect to the rim surface, and for concentrating this radiation picked up by directing it practically along the rim surface to the radiation detector.
To this end, the rim is for example provided at its bottom with a collar for holding the wheel module, the radially uppermost face of the collar comprising the means for picking up and concentrating the radiation.
Another aim of the present invention is to propose a tire/wheel assembly for implementing the aforementioned wear measurement method, comprising a wheel and a tire mounted on the wheel.
According to the invention, the tire/wheel assembly is such that the tire and the wheel are as defined previously.
Another aim of the invention is to propose a motor vehicle which comprises at least one tire/wheel assembly according to the invention, this vehicle being provided with a receiver intended to receive the signals from the transmitter, a computer connected to the receiver which is intended to process these signals and a display installed in the vehicle cabin which is connected to the computer and which is intended to inform the vehicle driver of the state of wear of the tread pattern elements on the tire or tires.

Method and system for measuring wear on a tire


A hydraulically damping mount for mounting a motor vehicle unit on a motor vehicle body includes a support and a support mount which are interconnected by a support spring made of an elastomeric material. In embodiments, a support spring limits a working chamber which is separated from a compensating chamber by a separating device, wherein the working chamber and the compensating chamber may be filled with a fluid and may be connected to one another via a damping channel included in the separating device, wherein the separating device may include two nozzle discs between which a first membrane and a second membrane are arranged, and wherein one of the membranes has at least one through-hole.

A hydraulically damping mount of the type mentioned above is also known as a hydromount and is used to support a motor vehicle unit or a transmission on a motor vehicle body in order to dampen the vibrations caused by the uneven road surface and to isolate acoustic vibrations.
The damping of the high amplitude and low frequency vibrations induced by the motor vehicle unit is achieved by a hydraulic system formed by the fluid-filled working chamber, the fluid-filled compensating chamber and the damping channel. The induced vibrations cause the support spring to move, thus building up hydraulic pressure within the working chamber. As a result of this pressure, the fluid flows from the working chamber via the damping channel into the compensating chamber. Due to the small diameter of the damping channel and the associated high mechanical transmission ratio resulting from the equivalent, displaced cross-section of the support spring in relation to the damping channel cross-section, the induced vibrations are damped or absorbed.
The damping of high-frequency, small-amplitude vibrations, i.e. in the acoustically relevant range, is achieved by a membrane arranged between two nozzle discs. The membrane vibrates at high-frequency, small-amplitude vibrations and thus decouples the damping via the damping channel. This reduces an increase in the dynamic rigidity of the mount.
DE 198 01 277 C2 discloses a hydraulically damping mount with a membrane having a cavity which is limited by a wall of elastic material, a spacer device inhibiting the collapse of the cavity being provided in the cavity.
The present disclosure provides a hydraulically damping mount which has an improved decoupling of the vibrations in the acoustically relevant range.
A hydraulically damping mount with the characteristics, such as described further herein, is disclosed.
Advantageous embodiments of the hydraulically damping mount are also disclosed herein.


An absorbent article, such as a feminine care product, includes a liquid permeable top cover, a generally liquid impermeable outer cover, and an absorbent structure disposed between the top cover and outer cover. A band of spaced apart deposits of a barrier substance material, such as a phase-change liquid, are defined on the top cover (inner or outer surface) along a portion of opposite lateral sides of the article. The deposits have a desired height of topography with respect to a surface of the top cover. The deposits are defined such that areas of the top cover are exposed within the band, the band thereby being permeable to bodily fluids insulting the article within the band or from above the band while acting as a fluid barrier against lateral flow of bodily fluids across the band.

Feminine care absorbent articles, such as sanitary napkins and pantiliners, typically include an absorbent structure enclosed between a body facing liquid permeable top cover and a liquid impermeable outer cover. The top cover and outer cover may extend laterally beyond the absorbent and be bonded together to form a peripheral seal around the article. The articles are positioned in the crotch portion of an undergarment for absorption of bodily exudates.
A concern with conventional feminine care articles is leakage of fluids when using the articles, particularly from around the side edges of the article. Such leakage may lead to embarrassment for the consumer and a general loss of confidence in use of the articles. Various attempts have been made in the art to incorporate structure in the articles to reduce or prevent leakage, including embossed walls or channels, polymeric or other liquid impermeable barrier walls, and the like. However, such attempts have not been completely successful at eliminating the leakage problem. Certain proposed solutions may even exacerbate the problem. For example, polymeric film barriers have been used along the side edges of feminine pads on each lateral side of a central insult area. However, due to any number of factors, including slippage of the product in use, relatively heavy menstrual flow, etc., there may often be times when menstrual fluid impacts or insults the pad on the film barriers. The fluid cannot permeate through the polymeric film barrier and is directed either towards the inboard insult area or to the side edges of the article thus resulting in leakage. Also, the fluid smears across the film barrier resulting in significant and potentially embarrassing staining of the article.
EP 0 746 296 B1 describes a sanitary napkin incorporating longitudinally directed barrier structures between the centerline of the product and each edge. The barrier structures are formed by a liquid impermeable substance, such as a wax, and may have the shape of a continuous line, or series of dots or dashes, disposed between the product centerline and longitudinal side edges. The width of the barrier structures is between 1 mm and 20 mm, particularly 3 mm. This type of barrier structure is relatively wide and acts as a dam to the laterally outward flow of fluid and requires a "safety margin" of absorbent core material between the structure and edges of the article.
Accordingly, the art is continually seeking methods and devices for improved leakage protection in feminine care articles, particularly sanitary napkins and panty liners.

Feminine care absorbent articles having guides for improved fluid handling