A mobile ad hoc network may be established between a plurality of devices that have common contacts on their contact lists. The contact lists may be conventional contacts stored in a list of contacts on a scheduling and information management or other software packages in one embodiment. Information about common contacts between a plurality of devices may be progressively shared, using a bucket brigade technique of sharing information between in-range devices. Status information about the devices in the network may be similarly shared in a bucket brigade fashion. Thus, the network is dynamic in the sense that at any given time, it may be determined whether any given device in the network is active. Moreover, the links are established between a manageable number of devices defined by having common contacts with one another.

This invention relates generally to communication systems and particularly to establishing links between individuals on a wireless communication network.
A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is an autonomous system of mobile routers and associated hosts connected by wireless links, the union of which forms an arbitrary graph. The routers are free to move randomly and organize themselves arbitrarily. Thus, the MANET wireless topology may change rapidly and unpredictably. Such a network may operate in a stand-alone fashion or may be connected to a larger Internet.
A MANET consists of mobile platforms called nodes that are free to move about arbitrarily. MANET nodes may be equipped with wireless transmitters and receivers using antennas which may be omnidirectional (broadcast), highly directional (point-to-point), steerable, or some combination thereof. Generally MANETs are bandwidth-constrained variable-capacity links. Often the nodes are energy-constrained since they may be portable and rely on battery power.
An implicit assumption within a MANET is that every node within the network may wish to communicate with every other node within the network. The MANET protocol defines all devices as routers, and then goes about trying to comprehend how each router maintains real time knowledge about the existence of other routers within the network. This becomes an exponential task to manage as the network increases in size. This problem is compounded by the ability of the nodes to dynamically enter or leave the network in an "ad hoc" fashion. The ad hoc nature of the network creates an onerous network management problem, flooding the network with status packages requiring constant updates.
There are a number of postulated causes for MANET network failure. The network updates may not be received fast enough to keep up with dynamic changes. The information about which nodes are currently connected to the network may become so out of date that it is no longer trustworthy. The network updates may consume so much of the available bandwidth that there may be insufficient residual bandwidth for actual data to traverse the network. The battery life of each node may be insufficient because of the volume of update traffic, which requires the node to be almost permanently communicating with other devices in order to obtain network status information. A routing table that contains the information about how to traverse from one node to another may become so large that it may not be stored in the available memory capacity of nodes within the network.
Thus, there is a need for better ways to manage a mobile ad hoc network.

Establishing communications between devices within a mobile ad hoc network


Lubricant and functional fluids, and additive concentrates, are composed of a) at least one overbased zinc dialkyldithiophosphate characterized in that (i) each of the alkyl groups is a primary alkyl group containing from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, (ii) the overbased to neutral ratio of the dithiophosphate is 0.96 or above as determined by .sup.31 P nmr, (iii) the integrated .sup.31 P nmr spectrum of the dithiophosphate shows less than about 0.25 area percent phosphorus at about 80 ppm, (iv) the integrated .sup.31 P nmr spectrum of the dithiophosphate shows essentially no phosphate species at about 5 to about 15 ppm, and (v) the dithiophosphate exhibits a copper weight loss in ASTM Test Method D2619 of 0.70 maximum; b) at least one hindered phenolic antioxidant or at least one aromatic secondary amine antioxidant; and c) at least one overbased alkaline earth metal sulfurized alkyl phenate having a TBN as determined by ASTM Test Method D2896 of at least 200 or at least one alkaline earth metal alkyl aromatic sulfonate. Preferred zinc dithiophosphates are further characterized in that the integrated .sup.31 P nmr spectrum of the dithiophosphate shows essentially no phosphorus species at about 95 to about 98 ppm. High thermal and oxidative ability is achieved.

Additive compositions based on zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphates have been extensively used in the past. However the performance capabilities of prior low ash additive compositions based on zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphates can vary to a considerable extent.
A need has arisen for a low ash antiwear additive composition which exhibits high thermal and oxidative stability even when used at very low treat levels in lubricating oil base stocks. This invention is deemed to fulfill this need in an effective and economical manner.


A passive transponder may be encoded with a number or code of up to 64 binary bits and then mounted to virtually any prosthesis implanted in a human, such as a breast implant. After implantation, the transponder's code may be conveniently read with a hand held electromagnetic reader which may merely be brought within proximity of the transponder. The encoded transponder may thus be read in a non-invasive procedure and without the use of any sophisticated or potentially harmful medical equipment or technology such as X-ray. The information encoded in the transponder may correspond to patient demographics and implant data to aid in tracking the implant's manufacturer and use for medical as well as legal reasons.

With the advance of medical technology, there are a number of medical prostheses and devices which are implantable in humans for re-constructive and/or cosmetic purposes. These include breast implants; penile implants; musculature and other soft tissue implants; pace makers; valves; artificial joints and limbs such as knees, shoulders, legs, fingers, etc.; pins; screws; plates; rods; nails and other braces and supports. In order to ensure the continued safety and health of patients receiving these implants, the Safe Medical Device Act of 1990 has been enacted which dictates that manufacturers of Class III implantable medical devices institute a device registry for tracking of their devices, notification of patients, and otherwise monitoring these implants after they have been placed in a patient. Compliance with this Act has been proposed through a method of tracking which requires the surgeon who implants the device to complete and return a form or card with patient demographic data and implant data to the manufacturer or to a third party registry service. This method requires careful accumulation of data by a surgeon or his staff as well as secure inventory control procedures in order to ensure that the data is properly associated with the correct implant. Additionally, there is a risk of loss of the data entirely resulting from misdirected or lost communications. Furthermore, access to this data can be impeded in the event of an emergency situation or other circumstances which interfere with a patient's ability to recall or report the proper information which medical personnel may then use to access the registry and data contained therein.
There have been some suggestions in the prior art of marking the implants themselves with, for example, a radiopaque marker or other marker which contains the information relating to the implant. Ideally, this data could then be viewable by X-ray or some other non-invasive manner. However, there are difficulties with these prior art approaches. First of all, a breast implant with a radiopaque marker would at least partially obscure or mask tissue which is desired to be viewed in order to detect artifacts relating to tumors or the like for diagnosing cancer. Obviously, this is highly undesirable as the incidence of breast cancer presents a significant risk to many females. Additionally, repeated exposure to X-ray is not generally considered healthful or desirable and represents at least an added inconvenience entailing some degree of expense to recall or access the implant data. Therefore, radiopaque markers have not been viewed as a suitable long-term solution to this problem.
In order to solve these and other problems in the prior art, and in order to provide a convenient, fool proof marker secured to the implant itself and yet readable in a non-invasive manner, the inventors herein have succeeded in designing and developing an implant which incorporates a passive transponder which may be encoded and subsequently accessed with a hand held electromagnetic reader in a quick and inexpensive procedure. The passive transponder may be secured to the implant by any convenient means. For example, in a breast implant, the multi-layered shell for the implant may be laminated around the transponder to thereby be permanently and securely fixed to the implant. The transponder may be laminated in the sidewall of the shell, or between layers which comprise the seal patch which is applied to the shell to seal the mandrel opening. Similarly, the transponder may be laminated onto the surface of most other implants in an unobtrusive location. In some other implants, the transponder may be inserted into a hole or inlay and sealed in place.
As passive transponders are commercially available in a cylindrical shape sized at 2 mm in diameter and 11 mm in length, the patient will not sense any discomfort or even the presence of the transponder. Also, the transponder may be encoded with any suitable encoding scheme. A commercially available transponder presently provides for the storage of up to 64 binary bits of data. This data capacity may accommodate the direct storage of much, if not all, of the information desired to be recorded and maintained in a device registry. Furthermore, the storage capacity of the transponder is expected to be increased as further development occurs over time. Alternately, a number, collection of numbers, combination of numbers and letters, or other indirect code may be stored which after reading may be used to access a data bank which itself contains the desired information. Of course, if information is directly stored in the implant, it becomes immediately available upon reading the transponder. This provides ready access to information in emergency situations. Alternately, with the widespread availability, accessibility, and use of computers over telecommunications networks including telephone lines, it is not generally considered to be unduly limiting to provide that the code read from the transponder be then used to access an appropriate data bank in order to obtain the patient demographics, manufacturer's name, date of manufacture, surgeon's name, date of implantation,
A companion hand held electromagnetic reader is also commercially available which emits a low frequency magnetic field to activate the passive transponder and thereby cause it to transmit its encoded data to the reader. With this particular commercial device, no battery or other source of electrical power need be included in the passive transponder. This further reduces the size required for the transponder and renders it particularly suitable to this application.
While the principal advantages and features of the present invention have been described above, a more complete and thorough understanding of the invention may be attained by referring to the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment which follow.

Implant with electrical transponder marker


A semiconductor integrated circuit that handles the input/output of a signal with an external circuit. The circuit includes a transistor transmitting a signal between the external circuit and an internal circuit with a drain/source therebetween at a given gate voltage. A first gate voltage supply circuit supplies a voltage at the gate of the transistor when supplied with a first power voltage at a first level of a control signal. A second gate voltage supply circuit supplies a voltage at the gate of the transistor when supplied with a second power voltage that is lower than the first power voltage at a second level of a control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit including an interface circuit that enables handling of the input/output of a signal to and from an external circuit operating at a different power voltage, and particularly, to a semiconductor integrated circuit that cuts the operation of the interface circuit at a no access mode when no access is effectuated with the external circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there has been a trend towards lower voltages and higher integration in semiconductor integrated circuits like ICs and LSIs used in electronic equipment to enable low power consumption and high speed operation of various types of electronic equipment. However, considering the characteristics of each type of device, it is extremely difficult to change all of the operation voltages of semiconductor integrated circuits to a lower level simultaneously. Therefore, the need arises for interconnecting these semiconductor integrated circuits through internal interface circuits to account for operating a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits at different power voltages.
For example, it is conceivable that in a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) card for use in personal computers, the power source voltage of the card itself is 3.3 V, and that the power source voltage of other cards connected to a bus line connecting the PCI card is 5 V. In that case, an interface circuit is required, that allows inputting an output signal from an external circuit operated at 5 V to an IC of a PCI card operated at 3.3 V without causing any problems.
In general, the absolute value of the maximum rated voltage (hereafter referred to as the withstanding voltage) between the drain and the gate of the MOS transistor in semiconductor integrated circuits operated at 3.3 V will be higher than the power source voltage of 3.3 V, but to conform with high speed operation, will be lower than the withstanding voltage of the MOS transistor in the semiconductor integrated circuit operated at 5 V, and thus, is often lower than 5 V. In such a case, it will not be possible to input the output signal of a semiconductor integrated circuit operating at 5 V into a semiconductor integrated circuit operating at 3.3 V.
Here, an interface circuit is proposed that solves the problem of the withstanding voltage when connecting an external circuit operated at a different power source voltage. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing part of the configuration of such a conventional interface circuit. As shown in FIG. 4, this interface circuit includes an external input/output terminal (pad) PD, an input buffer IB, and an n-channel MOS transistor QN10 having a drain/source connected between the pad PD and the input buffer IB.
A power source voltage of 3.3 V is supplied to the input buffer IB, and the gate of the transistor QN10. On the other hand, a signal of 0 V to 5 V is input at the pad PD. The transistor QN10 functions as a transfer gate or a transmission gate that exchanges the output signal of the 5 V circuit adjusting it to the 3.3 V circuit.
FIG. 5 is a view showing the relationship between the pad potential and the input/output potential of the transfer gate. In FIG. 5, the lateral axis shows the pad potential VPD, the vertical axis shows the drain potential VD and the source potential Vs of the transistor QN10 that functions as a transfer gate. In the case where the pad potential VPD changes in the range between 0 V and 5 V, the drain potential VD of the transistor QN10 changes following the former.
On the other hand, the source potential Vs of the transistor QN10, in the case where the threshold voltage of the transistor QN10 is shown as VTN, does not exceed (3.3−VTN) V, even if the pad potential VPD exceeds 3.3 V. Accordingly, the transfer gate exchanges the output signal of the 5 V circuit into a potential that is lower than the potential of the 3.3 V power source potential, and it can thus be safely supplied to the input buffer IB.
Here, in the case where the pad potential VPD is 5 V, the voltage VDG between the drain and the gate of the transistor QN10 is 1.7 V, and in the case where the pad potential VPD is 0 V, the voltage VDG between the drain and the gate of the transistor QN10 is −3.3 V. On the other hand, the withstanding voltage of the transistor QN10 being larger than 3.3 V, the transistor QN10 will not be destroyed.
However, to attempt to further lower the electrical power consumption of the semiconductor integrated circuit, it is conceivable to reduce the power source voltage of the internal circuits other than the interface circuit to for example 1.8 V, while keeping the power source voltage of the interface circuit at 3.3 V. In the case of such a semiconductor integrated circuit, in the no-access mode where no access takes place to and from the external circuit, the supply of a 3.3 V power source is interrupted, so as to stop the interface circuit from operating, which is advantageous from the point of view of lowering the power consumption.
However, when using an interface circuit such as the interface circuit shown in FIG. 4, a problem such as the one described below arises. That is to say, as shown in FIG. 6, when the power source supply of 3.3 V is interrupted, the gate potential of the transistor QN10 becomes 0 V, and thus, in the case where the pad potential VPD is 5 V, the voltage VDG between the drain and the gate of the transistor QN10 also becomes 5 V. On the other hand, the withstanding voltage of the transistor QN10, even though larger than 3.3 V is smaller than 5 V, thus leading to the deterioration or destruction of the transistor QN10.
As a related art document, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-77996 (First Page, FIG. 2), an interface circuit, that is a voltage tolerant circuit, is disclosed for preventing a leak current, this being a substantial problem in whichever voltage transition status. However, nothing is disclosed with respect to preventing the deterioration and destruction of the transistor when the main power source supply to the interface circuit is interrupted.
In view of the above issues, the present invention is intended to prevent the deterioration and destruction of the transistor when the main power source supply to the interface circuit is interrupted in a semiconductor integrated circuit including an interface circuit that allows handling of the input and output of signals with an external circuit that operates at a different power source voltage.

Semiconductor integrated circuit that handles the input/output of a signal with an external circuit


A water-based ink for ink-jet recording includes: a water-soluble colorant; water; a water-insoluble liquid; a nonionic surfactant; and an ionic surfactant having a polarity same as that of the water-soluble colorant. The water-insoluble liquid is dispersed stably in the water by the nonionic surfactant and the ionic surfactant having the polarity same as that of the water-soluble colorant.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-based ink for ink-jet recording, an ink cartridge and a method for producing a water-based ink for ink-jet recording.
Description of the Related Art
There is a suggestion to provide a new function to a water-based ink by adding a water-insoluble liquid to the water-based ink. For example, to increase a drying property of a water-based ink, a specific water-insoluble liquid may be added to the water-based ink. To disperse an oil dye in the oil-in-water type emulsion ink, a specific water-insoluble liquid may be used as a dispersant in the oil-in-water type emulsion ink.
For adding the water-insoluble liquid as described above to the water-based ink, however, it is necessary that the water-insoluble liquid is made to disperse in the water-based ink, and further that the dispersed state of the water-insoluble liquid in the water-based ink is maintained for a long period of time. In view of this situation, an object of the present teaching is to provide a water-based ink for ink-jet recording wherein the water-insoluble liquid is dispersed stably in the water-based ink.

Water-based ink for ink-jet recording, ink cartridge and method for producing water-based ink for ink-jet recording


The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for identifying highly sensitive modules and taking a remediation or preventative action if such modules are accessed by malicious software. For example, the likelihood that a module is used for an exploit, and is thus sensitive, is categorized as high, medium, or low. The likelihood that a module can be used for an exploit can dictate whether, and to what degree, an application accessing the module is “suspicious.” However, in some instances, a sensitive module may have legitimate reasons to load when used in certain non-malicious ways. The system may also consider a trust level when determining what actions to take, such that an application and/or user having a higher trust level may be less suspicious when accessing a sensitive module as compared to an application or user having a lower trust level.

An exploit is a piece of code, software, data, or a sequence of commands that takes advantage of a bug, glitch, or vulnerability in order to cause unintended or unanticipated behavior to occur on computer software, hardware, or any other electronic component. Exploits are usually intended for malicious purposes and pose threats that can compromise a computing system or device, for example, by hijacking normal execution of a process and directing the code flow towards a zone of memory where exploit code resides. For instance, exploit code may launch a new process or manipulate an existing process to perform a malicious exploit. Prevention of software exploits from executing code is a paramount security concern for system users and administrators.
Exploits may take advantage of highly sensitive modules, such as modules that provide the kernel and executive layers of the operating systems kernel space. Such modules may be responsible for various system services such as hardware virtualization, process, and memory management. One particular example would be an executable file that is most often associated with instantiating the operating system during boot-up. While the use of these highly sensitive modules may be necessary to enable execution of the operating system, the use of these modules by other processes tends to be extremely dubious. For example, malicious applications may attempt to map or load such components of the operating system into a user-mode process for the purpose of identifying sensitive kernel information using such highly sensitive modules.
One approach to stop such malicious applications is to identify applications that use the highly suspicious module and prevent the module from running outside of operating system use. Non-malicious applications, however, may have legitimate reasons to load, execute, or otherwise access the highly sensitive module, and the universe of non-malicious applications that have legitimate reasons to run the highly sensitive module may not be known. Accordingly, preventing such non-malicious applications from running may negatively impact the user experience.
It is with respect to these and other general considerations that aspects of the technology have been made. Also, although relatively specific problems may be discussed, it should be understood that the examples should not be limited to solving the specific problems identified in the background or elsewhere in this disclosure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Managing the loading of sensitive modules


An amplifier control system for regulating the gain of a controlled amplifier. The control system comprises a first signal source for generating a first reference signal. A replica amplifier representative of the controlled amplifier generates an output signal in dependence on the first reference signal. A second signal source generates a second reference signal representative of the product of the first reference signal and a worst case value of the gain of the controlled amplifier. A comparator generates an error signal in dependence on any difference between the second reference signal and the output from the replica amplifier. A negative feedback loop varies the gain of the controlled amplifier and the replica amplifier in dependence on the error signal.

Conventionally, amplifiers are used in wide range of electrical applications. The output of an amplifier for a given input is determined by a transfer function or gain of the amplifier. A problem associated with conventional amplifiers is unwanted variation in gain. Such unwanted variation can arise for a range of reasons, including changes in supply voltages and changes in temperature. It would be desirable to provide an amplifier in which unwanted variation in gain is minimised.

International Business Machines Corporation


A multi-elements radiation detector provides isolation plates each having a uniform light reflectance on the surface, excellent reproducibility and uniform performance for enhancing an X-ray spatial efficiency and a light transmission efficiency and is intended to improve a detection efficiency and an S/N of a reconstructed image so that the detector may be used for a digital X-ray imaging system, in particular, an X-ray computed tomography system. In the multi-elements radiation detector, each isolation plate isolating the adjacent elements from each other includes a thin plate made of Mo. On the surfaces of the thin plate, there are provided organopolysiloxane membranes obtained by hydrolyzing and condensing organosilicate such as CH.sub.3 Si(OCH.sub.3).sub.3 so that those surfaces are formed to be specular-reflective. On the films, there are formed reflective multi optical thin films composed of a combination of Al, MgF.sub.2 and TiO.sub.3. The isolation plate uses Mo as its material for improving its X-ray spatial efficiency. Further, the light reflectance on the surface is made as high as 85%, so that the light absorption is reduced on the surface of the isolation plate, thereby improving a light transmission efficiency and a detection efficiency. This leads to improving an S/N of an image reconstructed by an X-ray computed tomograpy system.

The present invention relates to a digital X-ray imaging system and more particularly to an X-ray computed tomography system for medical use and a multi-elements solid-state radiation detector used for an X-ray scanography system, a bone mineral densitometer, a baggage inspection system, and the like.
In recent days, the needs have being risen for improving the quality of an image displayed in a digital X-ray imaging system, in particular, an X-ray computed tomography system used for an X-ray computed tomography for medical use, an X-ray scanography system, a bone mineral densitometer or a baggage inspection system. To improve the quality of an image, it is indispensable to enhance the performance of an X-ray detector served as a key component of such, a device. Today, the main stream of the X-ray detector is an xenon ionization detector, the performance of which has been improved up to a limit in light of the operating principle and structure. In practice, therefore, it is quite difficult to enhance the density and the sensitivity of the xenon ionization detector. As such, in place of the xenon ionization detector, today, a high-performance multi-elements solid-state radiation detector has been proposed. This detector is arranged to have a plurality of X-ray detection elements, each of which is composed of a scintillator and a photodiode served as a photoelectric conversion element. Remarks have been focused on this detector in that it can provide a more excellent S/N of an image than the ionization detector. FIG. 2 shows one example of a fundamental structure of a multi-elements solid-state radiation detector to which the present invention relates. The radiation detector is comprised of a scintillator 2 for converting X-ray 6 incident to the detector into light, a photodiode 3 for converting the light into an electric signal, an isolation plate 1 for isolating the adjacent X-ray detection elements from each other, a reflective plate at front window 5 for transmitting incident X-ray, cutting off light incoming from the outside of the detector, reflecting the light applied from the scintillator 2 and guiding the reflected light into a photodiode 3, and a print circuit board 4. The performance of the detector is evaluated by its quantum efficiency. To enhance the quantum efficiency, it is important to enhance the light collection efficiency of the scintillator 2, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photodiode 3, the X-ray spatial efficiency of the detector, and the light transmission efficiency inside of the detector.
To enhance the X-ray spatial efficiency, it is necessary to reduce a ratio of dead space to overall space on the detector, that is, an area except the scintillator 2 in which no contribution is made to detecting an incident X-ray, concretely, the isolation plate 1 for isolating the adjacent elements from each other as shown in FIG. 2. To enhance the light transmission efficiency, it is important to reduce absorption of light inside of the scintillator 2 and on the surface of the isolation plate 1 and the reflective plate at front window for the purpose of efficiently guiding light to the photodiode 3.
The spatial resolution on a reconstructed image formed by the X-ray computed tomography depends on a width of an X-ray detection element of the detector (a spacing between the isolation plates in FIG. 2). Today, many of X-ray computed tomography systems have a width which is as narrow as 1 mm or less for improving the spatial resolution. A narrower width of an X-ray detection element results in making radiation dose incident to each detection element smaller, thereby reducing an output signal of the detection element according to the radiation dose, and lowering its S/N. To keep lowering of the S/N to a minimum, various results are required to be achieved.
As the width of the X-ray detection element is made narrower, the quantity of light applied from the scintillator 2 directly to the photodiode 3 is made smaller. As the light is travelling to the photodiode 3 through a light path, the light is reflected on the surface of the isolation plate 1 and the surface of the reflective plate at front window 5 in various directions and is refracted lot of times within the scintillator 2. As such, it is impossible to keep a reflectance on the surface of the reflective plate at front window 5 and the isolation plate 1 to 100%. Each reflection entails light absorption, so that the detection efficiency may be inevitably lowered. In a case that, therefore, the reflectance on the surface is made lower, the absorptive quantity of light is increased so that the detection efficiency is made lower accordingly. It is therefore necessary to enhance the reflectance on the surface of the reflective plate at the front window and the isolation plate.
Consider that the surfaces of the reflective plate at the front window 5 and the isolation plate 1 have fine concaves and convexes and serve as diffusible reflectors. On the diffusible reflector, the reflected light is scattered so that it may be expanded in the light path. This results in increasing the number of reflections on the surface, thereby lowering the detection efficiency. Hence, it is preferable that the isolation plate 1 has so smooth a surface that it may be specular-reflective. However, it is quite difficult to obtain direct reflection on the surface of the isolation plate 1. It means that the performance of the isolation plate 1, that is, the performance of the detector depends on how much its surface comes closer to specular reflection.
As prior art for enhancing an X-ray spatial efficiency and a light transmission efficiency, proposals have been made in JP-A-1-202684 and JP-A-58-219471. In the former proposal, for obtaining the isolation plate 1, a metallic thin film made of Ta, W or Wo is chemical etched to a predetermined form. A different metal from that of the isolation plate, such as Cu, Ni or Cr is plated on the etched metal film and is made mechanically smoother. On the resulting film, there is formed a light reflective film for improving a reflectance of the surface. In the latter proposal, a reflective isolation plate is formed by filling a mixture of a light reflective agent (barium sulfate, titanium dioxide, etc.) and an adhesive agent between the adjacent X-ray detection elements.

Radiation detector having reflective isolation plates


A method is provided for protecting a virgin surface of a tire innerliner from contamination by a release agent during curing. A pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA)-coated thermoformable film is pressed onto an exposed virgin surface of a green tire innerliner to adhere the PSA to the virgin surface and thereby form a protected green innerliner. The PSA is based on a rubber that is compatible with the rubber of the tire innerliner. The protected green innerliner is then exposed to the release agent, and cured. By virtue of the PSA, the film stays reliably in position. The thermoformable film is then removed to reveal the cured virgin surface substantially free of the release agent.

Carcasses of pneumatic green tires are built as a series of layers of flexible high modulus cords encased in a low modulus rubber. An innerliner is positioned to form the innermost surface of the tire. The green tire is cured in a curing press using a curing bladder, which forces expansion of the tire. During curing, the innerliner expands with the carcass, which is forced against the indentations in the curing mold to form the tread of the tire, and all components are co-cured so as to provide a substantially cohesive bond between one and another.
The innerliner for a pneumatic tubeless tire is typically formed from a compound containing a high proportion by weight of a halobutyl rubber due to its good barrier properties. Before the tire is cured, the entire inner surface of the innerliner and/or the outer surface of the curing bladder are coated with a release agent. The release agent is commonly referred to as a "lining cement" when used on the surface of the innerliner, and as a "bladder lube" or "bladder spray" when used on the curing bladder. The release agent facilitates removal of the curing bladder from the innerliner after curing so that the innerliner is not damaged. The innerliner (or squeege) for a pneumatic tube-type tire is typically a thin layer of ply coat stock to protect the tube from direct contact with nylon. These innerliners normally do not contain halobutyl rubber since barrier properties are not required.
Tires are often required to have a rubbery component bonded to a portion of the tire's innermost surface, i.e., the innerliner. For example, some tires are dynamically balanced by adhering a laminar pad of rubbery material, referred to as a "balance pad", symmetrically about the circumferential center line of the interior surface of the cured tire. In another example, smart tires include an electronic monitoring device secured to the innermost surface of the tire. The electronic monitoring device is used to record the operating history of a tire, including temperature and pressure, distance traveled, impact sustained, and other data, to transmit the data to the driver or to a designated receiving station, and to do so without taking the tire out of service. A requirement of these components is that they be securely mounted within the tire so as to tolerate any condition to which the tire is subjected without being dislodged. Thus, a strong bond to the innerliner is essential for these components.
Prior to bonding a component, such as a balance pad or electronic monitoring device, to the cured innerliner, the innerliner must be cleaned to remove contaminants present on the innerliner surface from the molding operation. In particular, the release agent must be removed from the innerliner surface. Solvents have typically been used for this cleaning operation. Solvents effective for removing the release agents contain hazardous air pollutants. These solvents are thus subject to environmental regulations, which have become more stringent in the recent past. It would thus be desirable to eliminate the need for solvent cleaning of the innerliner surface in order to comply with strict environmental regulations. In addition, solvent cleaning is labor intensive and costly due to its hazardous nature, such that significant cost savings may be realized by elimination of the solvent cleaning process.
One solution for eliminating the solvent cleaning process is disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0103967. A barrier film is removably adhered to the innerliner surface to protect that surface from contamination by the release agent. While the protective barrier initially sticks well to the green innerliner, it has a tendency to separate or shift during the high pressure lining cement spray and/or during shaping by the curing bladder, and thus, may not completely prevent contamination of the innerliner surface. For example, the lining cement may spray underneath the splice of overlapped film, causing the film to come off. There is thus a need to improve the reliability of protective barriers for the innerliner surface such that these barriers can effectively replace the solvent cleaning process.

Method for protecting tire innerliner using thermoformable film coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive


Embodiments provide rule-based application configuration using a network service. A configuration parameter associated with an application includes a rule that specifies configuration data based on one or more criteria, such as by selecting a configuration value from a plurality of available configuration values. A request for configuration data corresponding to the configuration parameter is received from a client. The request includes one or more criteria describing a user associated with the client. Customized configuration data is determined based on the rule and the criteria of the request, and the customized configuration data is provided to the client. The client executes the application (e.g., a game) based on the customized configuration data.

Some games and applications (hereinafter referred to as "applications") use configuration data to perform functions. Configuration data for an application includes, for example, the difficulty of an enemy character in the game, the number of levels in a maze, and/or the reward provided to a player for completing an action. Some applications also use configuration data to send different data (e.g., images or text strings) to the user based on the native language of the user and/or the location from which the user is accessing the application.
In some existing systems, the application manages the configuration data. The application includes logic for selecting from among the possible values, determining which values are relevant for the current user, and displaying only those values to the user. For a different user interacting with the same application, a completely different set of values may be appropriate. The application is responsible for distinguishing between what data is appropriate for one user, and what data is appropriate for another. To modify the logic used to select configuration values, the provider of the application modifies application code, creates an application update based on the modified code, and publishes the application update. The modification becomes effective for each client only when the application update is installed at the client.

Application configuration using binary large objects


A spool assembly and a cable management assembly are provided for supporting cables in a rack or housing. A mounting member is provided having a spool opening for receiving a spool. The spool opening has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension where the longitudinal dimension is greater than the transverse dimension. A detent extends from a longitudinal side edge of the spool opening toward a second longitudinal side edge of the spool opening to define a first open portion and a second open portion. In one embodiment, the first open portion and second open portion can be substantially same size and have a substantially circular configuration. In another embodiment, the first open portion can have a dimension greater than a dimension of the second open portion.

Relay racks provide an efficient method of providing structure for a variety of cross-connect applications. The racks are typically used in a termination closet for the management of wiring systems such as telecommunication wiring systems and computer systems. Employing a channel in conjunction with the relay rack facilitates the handling, routing, and organizing of wires, such as cables and optical fibers.
Current cable management assemblies include channels that are mounted on the sides of the relay rack. The channels hold bundles of wires that are connected to various cross-connect products held within the center of the relay rack. The channels are mounted by using nut and bolt type fasteners to couple the relay rack to the channels. In addition, nut and bolt type fasteners are commonly used to make any attachments to the channels, such as for securing covers over the front compartments of the channels. The nut and bolt type fasteners to secure the channels and the covers increases costs and creates inefficiency in securing and using the channels.
The construction of the current channels can result in the channels breaking during shipping and storage because they are not sufficiently durable. The construction of the channel hinders loading and accessing wires in the front and rear compartments of the channel.
The current channels do not provide efficient securing and organizing the numerous wires, making it difficult for an operator to access the wires and the cross-connect products on the rack.
Various devices are known to assist in positioning and organizing cables in a housing structure. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,003,890 to Donowho et al. that includes a repositionable spool assembly for cable routing. The device includes a mounting bracket with a mounting plate. The spool has a base with a stub, cylindrical shaft extending from the base and a gate arm perpendicular to the shaft. The shaft has a plurality of spring detents that are received in an opening in the base to attach the shaft to the base and allow rotation of the shaft with respect to the base.
While the prior devices are generally suitable for their intended purpose, there is a continuing need in the industry for improved devices for cable management.

Cable management spool mounting assembly


An inventive array substrate for the transflective liquid crystal display device includes a pixel electrode, a reflective electrode, and an interposed insulation layer. When the pixel electrode is under the reflective electrode, the sum of the thickness of the insulation layer and the reflective electrode is less than 0.5 micrometers. In other embodiments, upper surfaces of the reflective and pixel electrodes are on the same plane. This results from adjusting the thickness and changing the structure such as adopting a drain supplementary electrode extended from the drain electrode of the thin film transistor or positioning the pixel electrode within the transmitting hole of the reflective electrode.

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 1999-59600, filed on Dec. 21, 1999, under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to a transflective LCD device.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, liquid crystal displays are divided into transmissive LCD devices and reflective LCD devices according to whether the display uses an internal or external light source.
A typical transmissive LCD device includes a liquid crystal panel and a back light device. The liquid crystal panel includes upper and lower substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The upper substrate includes a color filter, and the lower substrate includes thin film transistors (TFTs) as switching elements. An upper polarizer is arranged on the liquid crystal panel, and a lower polarizer is arranged between the liquid crystal panel and the backlight device.
The two polarizers have a transmittance of 45% and, the two substrates have a transmittance of 94%. The TFT array and the pixel electrode have a transmittance of 65%, and the color filter has a transmittance of 27%. Therefore, the typical transmissive LCD device has a transmittance of about 7.4% as seen in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a transmittance (in brightness %) after light passes through each layer of the device. For this reason, the transmissive LCD device requires a high, initial brightness, and thus electric power consumption by the backlight device increases. A relatively heavy battery is needed to supply a sufficient power to the backlight of such a device. However, this presents a problem in that the battery can not be used for a lengthy period of time.
In order to overcome the problem described above, the reflective LCD has been developed. Since the reflective LCD device uses ambient light, it is light and easy to carry. Also, the reflective LCD device is superior in aperture ratio to the transmissive LCD device.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a typical reflective LCD device. As shown in FIG. 2, the reflective LCD device includes upper and lower substrates 8 and 10 with a liquid crystal layer 12 interposed. The upper substrate 8 includes color filter layers 4a, 4b and 4c (e.g., red, green, and blue) and a common electrode 6. The lower substrate 10 includes a switching element (not shown) and a reflective electrode 2.
Ambient light 100 passes through the upper substrate 8 and the liquid crystal layer 12 and is reflected on the reflective electrode 2. When electrical signals are applied to the reflective electrode 2 by the switching element, the phase of the liquid crystal layer 12 varies. Then, reflected light is colored by the color filter layers 4a, 4b and 4c and displayed in the form of images.
However, the reflective LCD device is affected by its surroundings. For example, the brightness of ambient light in an office differs largely from the light outdoors. Even in the same location, the brightness of ambient light depends on the time of day (e.g., noon or dusk).
In order to overcome the problems described above, a transflective LCD device has been developed. FIG. 3 shows a conventional transflective LCD device. As shown in FIG. 3, the conventional transflective LCD device includes a gate line arranged in a transverse direction and a gate electrode 52 extended from the gate line 50. A data line is formed in the direction perpendicular to the gate line 50. A source electrode 62 extended from the data line 60 is overlapped with the gate electrode 52.
A drain electrode 64 is formed spaced apart from the source electrode 62. The drain electrode 64 contacts the pixel portions 68 and 70 formed of different materials, via a contact hole 66. The pixel portions have a reflective electrode 68 of substantially non transparent material and a pixel electrode 70 of transparent conducting material. The reflective electrode 68 includes a transmitting hole 72, which can have a rectangular shape. The pixel electrode 70 is larger than the transmitting hole 72 of the reflective electrode 68.
FIGS. 4A to 4D illustrate manufacturing process in cross section taken along line IVxe2x80x94IV of FIG. 3. FIG. 4A shows a gate electrode 52 on the substrate 1. The gate electrode 52 is made of a material chosen from tungsten(W), Chrome(Cr), or aluminum alloy.
FIG. 4B shows a gate insulation layer 80 and the semiconductor layer 82 and source and drain electrodes 62 and 64 stacked in this order.
FIG. 4C shows a protection layer 84 on the source and drain electrodes 62 and 64. The protection layer 84 has a drain contact hole 66 at a corresponding position of the drain electrode 64. The protection layer is made of a material chosen from silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and so on. The pixel electrode 70 is formed on the protection layer 84. The pixel electrode 70 has indium tin oxide and contacts the drain electrode 64 via the drain contact hole 66.
FIG. 4D shows formation of a reflective electrode 68. An insulation layer 86 of benzocyclobutene (BCB) is deposited on the pixel electrode 70 and patterned to expose a portion of the pixel electrode 70 near the drain contact hole 66. Afterwards, the reflective electrode 68 is formed on the insulation layer 86.
FIG. 5 schematically shows a transflective LCD device in cross section. The portion of the transmitting hole, the pixel electrode and the reflective electrode are emphasized in the drawing.
The transflective LCD device in FIG. 5 is operable in transmissive and reflective modes. First, in reflective mode, the incident light 110 from the upper substrate 106 is reflected on the reflective electrode 68 and directed toward the upper substrate 106. At this time, when electrical signals are applied to the reflective electrode 68 by the switching element (not shown), phase of the liquid crystal layer 100 varies and thus the reflected light is colored by the color filter 104 and displayed in the form of images.
Further, in transmissive mode, light 112 generated from the backlight device 102 passes through portions of the pixel electrode 70 corresponding to the transmitting holes 72. When the electrical signals are applied to the pixel electrode 70 by the switching element (not shown), phase of the liquid crystal layer 100 varies. Thus, the light 112 passing through the liquid crystal layer 100 is colored by the color filter 104 and displayed in the form of images.
As described above, since the transflective LCD device has both transmissive and reflective modes, the transflective LCD device can be used without regard to the time of day (e.g., noon or dusk). It also has the advantage that it can be used for a long time by consuming low power.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d portion of FIG. 5. Distance between the upper surface of the pixel electrode 70 and the upper surface of the reflective electrode 68 is designated as xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d, which is caused mainly by the insulation layer 86. Since an equipotential surface is formed along surfaces of the electrodes, distortion occurs in the electric field at the interface portion xe2x80x9cFxe2x80x9d of the two electrodes 68 and 70.
FIG. 7 illustrates a simulation graph showing equipotential lines and the direction of liquid crystal molecules in case of adopting the insulation layer 86 of 2 xcexcm. The simulation result reveals that the electric fields are much in disarray near the interface between the reflective and pixel electrodes 68 and 70. The liquid crystal molecules in the transmitting hole 72 do not have a uniform arrangement direction 85, which is mainly affected by the equipotential line 67. In a case of dark lighting conditions, since the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules in the transmitting hole or portion 72 does not have symmetry and uniformity, the light from a back light device which leaks out though an optimized polarizer is adopted, resulting in a lowering of the contrast ratio.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a transflective liquid crystal display device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
It is an object of the invention to provide a transflective LCD device having an improved contrast ratio.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, in one aspect the invention provides an array substrate for a transflective LCD device including a substrate; a thin film transistor having gate, source and drain electrodes on the substrate; a protection layer on the thin film transistor and the substrate; a pixel electrode on the protection layer, the pixel electrode contacting the drain electrode of the thin film transistor; a reflective electrode contacting the drain electrode, the reflective electrode having a first transmitting hole; an insulation layer having a thickness between the pixel and reflective electrodes, the insulation layer having a second transmitting hole corresponding to the first transmitting hole; and wherein a distance between upper surfaces of the reflective and pixel electrodes is less than 0.5 micrometers.
In another aspect, the invention includes an array substrate of a transflective liquid crystal display device, including: a substrate having a switching region and a display region; a thin film transistor on the switching region of the substrate, the transistor having gate, source, and drain electrodes; a drain supplementary electrode extended from the drain electrode to the display region of the substrate; a protection layer covering the transistor and the drain supplementary electrode and having a first drain contact hole exposing a portion of the drain supplementary electrode; a pixel electrode on the display region of the substrate, the pixel electrode contacting the drain supplementary electrode via the first drain contact hole; an insulation layer on the pixel electrode and covering the transistor, the insulation layer having a second drain contact hole exposing a portion of the drain electrode; and a reflective electrode on the insulation layer, the reflective electrode contacting the drain electrode via the second drain contact hole, having a transmitting hole exposing the insulation layer over the display region of the substrate, and having a thickness such that sum of the thickness of the insulation layer and the thick of the reflective electrode is substantially the same as the thickness of the pixel electrode.
The upper surface of the reflective electrode and that of the pixel electrode can be in the same plane.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Transflective liquid crystal display device


According to one embodiment, a die is provided with a stationary die and a movable die. When the movable die is combined with the stationary die, a biscuit section, a product section in which a product is to be cast, a main runner configured to guide a molten metal from the biscuit section toward the product section, a main gate provided between the main runner and the product section, a sub-runner diverging from the main runner and extending along a side edge part of the product section, and a sub-gate provided between the sub-runner and the product section are formed between the stationary die and the movable die. The sub-gate is connected to the side edge part in an end portion of the product section. The sub-runner extends beyond the product section in a direction in which the side edge part extends.

1. Field
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a technique associated with die casing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cold-chamber die-casting die is provided with a biscuit section, product section, main runner, and main gate. The biscuit section receives a molten metal from an injection apparatus of a casting machine. The product section is a space in which a product is to be cast. The main runner guides the molten metal from the biscuit section toward the product section. The main gate is provided between the main runner and the product section and has a sharply reduced thickness such that the flow (i.e., stream) of the molten metal can be accelerated.
Since the solidification time of the molten metal of, for example, a magnesium alloy is very short, the die-casting die of which the cross-sectional flow area (i.e., cross-sectional area of a space into which the molten metal is to be poured) is small may possibly fail to fill the molten metal into every corner of the product section, thereby causing insufficient filling. Therefore, some die-casting dies that are liable to insufficient filling are provided with sub-runners and sub-gates that laterally support the flow in the product section, in addition to the main runner and the main gate.
A die that is provided with sub-gates around a product section is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-48047. In this die, the sub-gates are arranged beside the product section. A molten metal is poured into the product section directly and also through the sub-gates.
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for die-casting products with further reduced thicknesses, e.g., thicknesses of 0.6 mm or less.
In order to meet the above demand, the inventor hereof is trying to develop dies for thin-wall casting. In this process, the inventor found that air in one such thin-wall casting die was easily left between molten metal introduced through a main gate and molten metal introduced through sub-gates, and that defective casting, involving mold cavities, incomplete filling, or molten metal wrinkles, was liable to occur.
Since the die described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-48047 is provided with the sub-gates that surround the product section, air is easily left in the product section, so that it is difficult to reduce defective casting in this die.

Die and method of manufacturing cast product


In a method of producing metallic iron by reducing and melting a raw material, which contains an iron oxide-containing material and a carbonaceous reducing agent, by heating, the raw material for producing metallic iron is supplied after a powder and granular atmosphere control carbonaceous material is spread on a hearth of a heat-reducing furnace. In this case, a non-resolidificable carbonaceous material is used as the atmosphere control carbonaceous material, and thus a phenomenon that the powder and granular carbonaceous material is resolidified into a rice-cracker-like shape can be suppressed, thereby permitting solid-phase reduction with high efficiency and stable operationality.

Relatively new methods of producing metallic iron by heat-reducing an iron oxide source such as an iron ore or the like include a method of producing metallic iron comprising reducing iron oxide by heating, on a moving hearth, a mixed power containing an iron oxide source such as iron ore and a carbonaceous reducing agent such as a carbonaceous material, or a carbonaceous material-containing raw material agglomerated by pelletizing the mixture.
In carrying out this method, a known method is performed, in which in order to increase a reduction potential on the hearth for heating-reduction to improve a reduction efficiency, an atmosphere control carbonaceous material is spread on the hearth before the raw material is charged (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 11-106816, 11-106816, 11-172312, 11-335712, 2000-45008, etc.). The atmosphere control carbonaceous material is confirmed to effectively function to prevent direct contact between a hearth refractory and metallic iron and generated slag, which are produced by heating-reduction, and to suppress corrosion of the hearth refractory.
As a result of the advance of research on a method of producing metallic iron by using an atmosphere control carbonaceous material, the inventors found that the above-described conventional methods have the unsolved problems below.
The greatest problem pointed out in the conventional methods is that a powder and granular carbonaceous material used for controlling an atmosphere is fused and solidified into a rice-cracker-like shape in the step of heat-reducing the iron oxide-containing raw material to cause warping, depending on the type of the powder and granular carbonaceous material used, thereby significantly hindering a continuous operation. When such a phenomenon occurs on the hearth during an operation, the following various problems are caused.
(1) The metallic iron and generated slag produced by heating-reduction are generally solidified by cooling on the lowermost stream side of a production apparatus, and then discharged from the hearth by using a scraper device such as a screw or the like. However, the warped carbonaceous material resolidified into a rice-cracker-like shape is caught by the scraper device, thereby significantly inhibiting discharge of the metallic iron and generated slag from the hearth.
(2) When the carbonaceous material re-solidified into a rice-cracker-like shape is forcedly discharged from the hearth by using the scraper device, a large load is applied to the scraper device to cause a failure in the device. Also, the hearth refractory is damaged by the re-solidified carbonaceous material to significantly deteriorate durability.
(3) The metallic iron produced by reduction is partially contained in the re-solidified carbonaceous material, thereby deteriorating a recovery ratio of the metallic iron.
(4) When a resolidificable carbonaceous material is spread on the hearth before a raw material is charged, the carbonaceous material is re-solidified into a rice-cracker-like shape to cause warping. Therefore, when a raw material is supplied on the re-solidified carbonaceous material, the raw material flows toward a lower portion or drops into a crack of the carbonaceous material layer, thereby failing to charge the raw material in a uniform thickness.
Furthermore, most of the carbonaceous material discharged from the hearth still has high reduction activity. However, in the conventional technique, the carbonaceous material is discarded with substantially no further treatment, leaving room for improvement from the viewpoint of effective utilization of valuable resources.
The present invention have been achieved in consideration of the above-described situation, and an object of the present invention is to resolve the above various problems due to the rice-cracker-like carbonaceous material produced by re-solidification of a powder and granular carbonaceous material used for controlling an atmosphere. Another object of the present invention is to establish a technique for effectively recycling the used carbonaceous material still having reduction activity as a variable resource, to decrease the consumption of the atmosphere control carbonaceous material.


A method for fabricating field emitters from a conductive or semiconductive substrate. A layer of low work function material may be formed on the substrate. Emission tips that include such a low work function material may have improved performance. An etch mask appropriate for forming emission tips is patterned at desired locations over the substrate and any low work function material thereover. An anisotropic etch of at least the substrate is conducted to form vertical columns therefrom. A sacrificial layer may then be formed over the vertical columns. A facet etch of each vertical column forms an emission tip of the desired shape. If a sacrificial layer was formed over the vertical columns prior to formation of emission tips therefrom, the remaining material of the sacrificial layer may be utilized to facilitate the removal of any redeposition materials formed during the facet etch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to field emitters and methods of fabricating the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to forming field emission tips by the use of facet etching.
2. State of the Art
Various types of field emitters are used in a variety of devices, from electron microscopes to ion guns. However, one of the most prevalent commercial applications of field emitters is flat panel displays, such as cold cathode field emission displays ("FEDs") used for portable computers and other lightweight, portable information display devices.
As illustrated in FIG. 18, an exemplary flat panel cold cathode FED 200 comprises a flat vacuum cell 202 having a cathode 204 and an anode 206 spaced apart from one another in a mutually parallel relationship. The cathode 204 comprises a conductive or semiconductive first material 208, such as silicon, disposed on a substrate 212, such as a semiconductive or dielectric material, and an array of minute field emission tips 214 distributed across the material 208. The anode 206 comprises a conductive second material 216 disposed on an interior surface of a transparent plate 218, and a phosphorescent or fluorescent material 222 coated on the conductive second material 216. A conductive structural element, called a gate 224, is disposed in the space between the cathode 204 and anode 206. The gate 224 is generally formed atop a grid of dielectric material 226 deposited on the cathode 204. The field emission tips 214 reside within openings in the gate 224 and in the dielectric material 226, such that the gate 224 surrounds each field emission tip 214. The gate 224 acts as a low-potential anode (i.e., lower potential than the anode 206), such that when a voltage differential, generated by a voltage source 228, is applied between the cathode 204 (strong negative charge), the gate 224 (weak positive charge), and the anode 206 (strong positive charge), a Fowler-Nordheim electron emission is initiated, resulting in a stream of electrons 232 being emitted from the field emission tips 214 toward the phosphorescent or fluorescent material 222. The electron stream 232 strikes and stimulates the phosphorescent or fluorescent material 222. The stimulated phosphorescent or fluorescent material 222 emits photons (light) (not shown) through the conductive second material 216 and the transparent plate 218 to form a visual image.
FIGS. 19–23 illustrate a conventional method of forming a field emission tip. As shown in FIG. 19, a substrate of conductive or semiconductive material 252, such as silicon, is deposited or formed over a dielectric support 254. A mask material is patterned (such as by lithography) to define a mask element 256 at the position of the emission tip 258 to be formed. The conductive or semiconductive material 252 is then etched, such as by a wet etch or an isotropic dry etch, which "undercuts" the mask element 256 to form a sharp field emission tip 258 beneath the mask element 256, as shown in FIG. 20. The mask element 256 is then removed, as shown in FIG. 21. Although such a method is commonly used to form field emission tips 258, the method has drawbacks. For example, as shown FIG. 22, if the etching is halted too soon, inefficient, blunt field emission tips 262 are formed. Further, if the etching is not halted soon enough, the mask element 256 is undermined and the field emission tips 264 formed are short and may be ineffective, as shown in FIG. 23 (shown with the mask element 256 collapsed onto the conductive or semiconductive material 252). In other words, the short field emission tip 264 may not be close enough to a gate in a field emission display to generate a sufficient stream of electrons striking the phosphorescent or fluorescent material on the anode to stimulate the material and form a visual image.
Other field emission tip formation techniques which do not involve isotropic etching are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,514, issued May 17, 1994 to Kumar ("the Kumar patent"), relates to forming field emission tips by distributing a discontinuous etch mask material across an electrically conductive material layer. The discontinuity of the etch mask material forms random openings therein. The etch mask material is selected such that the electrically conductive material layer will etch at a faster rate than the etch mask material (at least twice the rate) when the electrically conductive material layer is ion etched. The ion etch is performed until all of the etch mask is removed, which results in v-shaped valleys in the electrically conductive material defining peaked field emission tips therebetween. Further, the Kumar patent discusses using a low work function material for the electrically conductive material layer and also discusses depositing a low work function material over the electrically conductive material after the formation of the field emission tips. Although the method taught in the Kumar patent eliminates the use of an isotropic etch to form field emission tips, it lacks control over the field emission tip distribution and dimensions. The discontinuous layer of etch mask material results in a nonuniform distribution of field emission tips, since the positions of the openings in the discontinuous layer cannot be controlled. Furthermore, the discontinuous layer of etch mask material results in non-uniform dimensions between the field emission tips, since the thickness difference across the discontinuous layer cannot be controlled. In other words, the field emission tips formed in areas where less etch mask material existed over the conductive material will be shorter than in other areas. Moreover, since the etch mask material is a discontinuous layer rather than a patterned mask, the size or diameter of the field emission tips formed cannot be controlled.
Thus, it can be appreciated that it would be advantageous to develop a technique which would result in novel field emission tips having uniform distribution and uniform, precise dimensions.

Field emission tips, arrays, and devices


An orthopaedic driving instrument including a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a central portion, intermediate the first and second end portions, comprising a central section having an outer diameter representing a maximum outer diameter of the driving instrument. The first end comprises a first driving interface sized and shaped to, in operation of the instrument, engage a screw interface of a screw for applying torque to the screw. The second end comprises a second driving interface sized and shaped as the size and shape of the first driving interface.

Spinal pathologies and disorders such as scoliosis, kyphosis, and other curvature abnormalities, degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis, stenosis, tumor and fracture may result from factors including trauma, disease and degenerative conditions caused by injury and aging. Spinal disorders typically result in symptoms including deformity, pain, nerve damage, and partial or complete loss of mobility.
Non-surgical treatments, such as medication, rehabilitation and exercise can be effective, however, may fail to relieve the symptoms associated with these disorders. Surgical treatment of these spinal disorders includes correction, fusion, fixation, discectomy, laminectomy and implantable prosthetics.
As part of these surgical treatments, spinal constructs such as vertebral rods are often used to provide stability to a treated region. Rods redirect stresses away from a damaged or defective region while healing takes place to restore proper alignment and generally support vertebral members.
During surgical treatment, one or more rods and bone fasteners can be delivered to a surgical site. The rods may be attached via the bone fasteners to the exterior of two or more vertebral members. A surgeon may stabilize the vertebra by using a driver to insert the bone fasteners into the damaged vertebral body and attach the fasteners to one or more rods to help support and stabilize the damaged vertebra.
Driver instruments are used to thread a screw into patient vertebrae. The same or another driver instrument, or tightening tool, can also be used to complete threading into a screw head a set screw to lock the rod into the head.
A provisional drivers can be used to start threading of the set screw into the screw before a final tightening. Provisional drivers, being simpler and smaller, can provide a surgeon with greater tactile feedback, providing useful feel for how tight the set screw is becoming in threading down onto the rod.
Conventional drivers including provisional drivers have shortcomings including in some cases being one-sided, requiring a user to always ensure that a driver-end is oriented distally. Drivers including provisional drivers can also be difficult to grasp. This disclosure describes an improvement over these prior technologies.


On an apparatus (10) for laser processing workpieces (18), and whereby a laser beam (11) is directed on to a portion (13) of a substantially perpendicular work surface (14), a jet (21) of shielding gas is fed over the work surface portion (13) crosswise in relation to the laser beam (11) and at such high speed as to substantially prevent any alteration of the physical and/or chemical properties of the gas. The jet (21) is supplied along a solid-walled conduit (26) comprising two transverse openings (29, 31) for the passage of the beam (11) on to the work surface portion (13); and a nozzle (32) for producing a gas jet (21) of appropriate speed.

Some laser processes, such as welding, require an inert gas atmosphere, such as helium, argon, etc., about the area subjected to the laser beam, to prevent a chemical reaction of the material caused by the combined action of heat and atmospheric gases, of which oxygen is the most reactive.
In certain cases in which the material is not negatively affected by nitriding, dry nitrogen may also be used successfully.
On known devices for feeding such gas over the workpieces, the laser beam is directed and focused inside a conical nozzle together with a jet of inert shielding gas, usually with no separation of the two, and the inert gas is directed freely on to the work area.
Devices of the aforementioned type present numerous drawbacks. One of these is that the gas remains contacting a frequently excessive portion of the laser beam over what is usually an excessive length of time. In this respect, it is important to bear in mind that a gaseous mixture is heated by a laser beam in proportion to its capacity to absorb radiation at the laser beam wave length; in proportion to the length of time it is subjected to such radiation; and in inverse proportion to its heat capacity. The first undesired effect of such heating is that it results in an irregular alteration of the refraction coefficient of the gas, thus distorting and impairing the focus of the laser beam, which is further impaired by the convective motion produced in the heated mixture.
Should heating persist long enough for the gas to reach first the thermal excitation and then the thermal ionization threshold, this results in highly dissipative phenomena, which absorb the energy of the laser beam. In extreme cases of almost total or predominant ionization, the energy of the beam may be almost totally absorbed by the gas, thus giving rise to what is known as "blanketing", whereby the laser beam is practically prevented from reaching the workpiece.
The shielding gas must therefore present a definite number of properties:
1) low radiation absorption coefficient at the laser beam wave length; PA1 2) high heat capacity; PA1 3) high thermal ionization threshold or ionization potential; PA1 4) minimum interaction or transit time (the length of time it is subjected to the laser beam); PA1 5) for shielding against thermochemical reactions, the gas must be immune to such reactions. For this, noble gases are preferred, especially helium (He), the ionization potential and heat capacity of which are among the highest, and which also presents a low absorption coefficient of the most commonly used industrial laser beams. PA1 Po+.DELTA.P>>Po and To+.DELTA.T>>To PA1 a) undesired, totally irregular stress; PA1 b) severe distortion; PA1 c) poor process efficiency; PA1 d) poor process repeatability; PA1 e) unsatisfactory correlation with available models.
In view of the above considerations, the most logical choice is helium, providing it is economically feasible, especially in Europe.
Another possibility is argon. In addition, however, to a higher radiation absorption coefficient at the wave lengths commonly used in industry, this also presents a low heat capacity and ionization potential as compared with helium. These drawbacks, however, may be overcome by proportionally reducing the interaction time, and by appropriate streamlining of the shielding gas jet.
Moreover, as ionization is predominantly thermal and, as such, governed by Saha's law, steps may also be taken to increase the pressure and reduce the temperature of the gas jet in the laser beam crossover region.
One of the major objectives involved, therefore, is that of achieving a uniform gas jet, the properties of which remain unchanged throughout its crossing of the laser beam, i.e. uniform refraction and parallel motion, no convective motion or excitation, and no ionization.
Moreover, the jet must present a poor thermophotochemical reaction with the shielded material. (Hence, no water, oxygen, hydrocarbons, acids, salts, alkalis, etc.).
The impact of the shielding gas, in the form of plasma, on the surface of the workpiece has been found to cause a considerable thermal alteration of the surface, accompanied by vapourization of a layer of material on either side of the weld bead. In particular, in cases where the gas jet is used firstly for cooling a lens, and is then directed, together with and penetrating the length of the laser beam, into a conical nozzle, the issuing jet is substantially ionized. What is more, being directed perpendicularly to the surface of the workpiece, upon impact, the jet not only reaches the high temperatures and pressures corresponding to impact velocity 0 (zero), but is also forced to restore the ionization energy by recombining it.
By combining these effects (high Po, high To) plus the enthalpic values corresponding to restoration of the ionization energy, i.e.
it follows that the material of the workpiece vapourizes, not beneath the laser beam, but at the edge where it is struck by the plasma jet.
Another point to note is that the high reflectivity of a metal surface at low temperature (practically until it becomes red hot) almost doubles the intensity of the laser beam on impact, thus resulting in ionization despite the low value of the incident laser beam.
This is further assisted by gas, free radicals and other adsorbed chemically active substances, which emit nonthermionic free electrons resulting in avalanching, and, if serious enough, even in blanketing, i.e. an unpredictable (catastrophic) increase in ionization at incident laser beam level, which prevents transmission of the beam on to the workpiece.
Ionization is always accentuated by, and very often in fact due to, the surface of the workpiece, which is inevitably reflective at low temperature, and therefore reflects part of the energy of the laser beam back towards the inert gas atmosphere, thus roughly doubling the intensity of the radiant energy field in the area close to the work surface.
If, on the other hand, the inert gas jet is directed on to the work surface together with the laser beam, it presents a high degree of ionization on impact with the workpiece, and, on bouncing back off the work surface, tends to mix with the atmosphere, thus reducing shielding efficiency. Moreover, ionization energy is taken from the laser beam, which therefore presents a lower power density for a given focal spot; and the variable density of the mixture so formed results in refraction and convection phenomena impairing the focus of the laser beam, thus further reducing its intensity and efficiency.
According to the known state of the art, the jet is supplied freely, often even using conical nozzles. Consequently, when supply pressure increases over and above a critical ratio value (corresponding to sonic velocity at the cone outlet, and characterised by an (outlet pressure)/(stagnation pressure) value of <0.528 for biatomic gases such as air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide, etc.), the jet, for lack of a stable law of motion, oscillates violently in direction (wobble) and axial velocity (pulsation). These effects amplify those caused by air mix and drag, and by possible laminar or turbulent boundary layers established inside the nozzle and affecting uniform outflow. In view of the size and distance of commonly used nozzles from the work surface, this combined alteration in outflow, due to the internal and, even more so, external aerodynamic factors involved (boundary layer, air mix and drag), is even more serious in the event oscillation (wobble, pulsation) is amplified by attempts to increase outflow velocity by increasing supply pressure. In the case of normal size subsonic nozzles, the instability caused by exceeding the critical pressure frequently results in such severe oscillation that the laser beam impact area is substantially uncovered, thus impairing shielding by the gas, which may be replaced by varying mixtures of air and gas. These alternate over the impact point of the laser beam, which is thus swept by a pulsating jet in which the percentage of shielding gas may vary enormously and in a random manner characteristic of this type of non-stationary phenomena.
Reliable control of a freely directed jet requires the use of supersonic nozzles, which, with a given configuration and pressure ratio (obviously, for a given type of gas or mixture), provide for a uniform jet. If the pressure ratio is other than nominal, however, this results in the formation, at the outlet, of what is known as Prandlt diamonds and Mach disks. Freely directed supersonic jets nevertheless provide for a better distribution of the field parameters (velocity, density, pressure, temperature), and, though subject to the above internal and external aerodynamic factors (boundary layers, air mix and drag), these are less marked and controllable.
In this case also, scale effects, expressed in Reynolds, Prandlt, Nusselt numbers, etc., must obviously be taken into account. The capacities, distances and sizes used in laser applications may result in field irregularities (the properties of the jet in terms of its parameters, including the incorporation of outside air) possibly affecting shielding efficiency in the laser beam-work surface impact area. Nevertheless, supersonic nozzles provide for achieving velocities and pressures otherwise unattainable using subsonic nozzles.
The latter, very often, are not only badly designed, but also employed with no regard whatsoever to the basic laws of aerodynamics.
Consequently, when the stagnation pressure of a freely directed jet, particularly a subsonic jet, is increased with a view to increasing crossover speed, ambient gas drag efficiency, and also surface pressure, for improving shielding efficiency, this more often than not results in uncontrollable situations the effects of which are quite the opposite to those expected. The commonest include uncontrolled ionization resulting in "nailheads" (irregular weld bead); vapourization and sublimation of the surface material, which often presents grooves on either side of the weld bead; and an irregular metallurgical structure, which often presents a central zone, and two surrounding zones reasonably attributable to the plasma jets on either side of the laser beam responsible for the central zone. This differs widely from the two surrounding zones, though all three are irregular. Structural and geometric irregularity clearly indicates, among other things:
The above introduction clearly indicates, therefore, the importance of correct utilization of the shielding gas, for improving the process in terms of efficiency, quality and repeatability.
Correct usage will also provide for a better correlation of the data involved, thus enabling a better understanding of the phenomenon and its control parameters, and more straightforward, effective models for predicting, achieving and maintaining the required results.
GB-A-2 045 141 discloses a method and apparatus for the control of shielding gas according to the preamble of claims 1 and 7, respectively, wherein a jet of shielding gas is directed from a nozzle across the worpiece surface and recirculated to the nozzle along a ducting, of which the nozzle defines an output.
The input of the circulation duct is spaced apart with respect to the nozzle, the shielding gas being therefore not guided within solid walls in the area of interaction with the laser beam and not separated from the ambient air. Even if the circulation duct is so well designed as to theoretically remove all the shielding gas erected by the nozzle, severe heating by laser beam in the interaction area, where a free boundary layer between such gas and ambient air exists, causes the flow to become inevitably unsteady, and the shielding gas to be mixed with ambient air, thus producing the drawbacks previously discussed, that is: recirculation and thereby long residence time resulting in heating and ionization of the easily ionizable gas mixture. FR-A-2 360 376 discloses a gas shielding apparatus wherein the shielding gas is fed to a cavity surrounding the welding area through a narrow passage. With this geometrical arrangement, supercritical flow conditions are easily reached; oscillations in flow speed and direction at the outlet of the passage are to be expected, and outflow irregularities are further amplified by laser heating, so that a random gas recirculation at low average speed in the cavity is established, which leads to gas ionization and laser beam defocusing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a straightforward, reliable gas shielding method and device designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

Method and device for gas shielding laser processed work pieces

10020 Moncalieri (Italy) Viale dei Castagni


In a method for cleaning a first paint remained in a painting apparatus with thinner when said first paint is changed to a second paint, the cleaning time of the first paint is varied in accordance with the difference between a predetermined property of the first paint and that of the second paint. First, a table of a plurality of cleaning patterns according to the predetermined property of paint to be utilized in the painting apparatus is prepared. Next, when the current paint is changed to next paint, the current paint and the next paint are classified into a plurality of classes by the predetermined property, and a cleaning pattern corresponding to the class of the current paint and the class of the next paint is selected from the table. Then, the current paint is cleaned with thinner according to the selected cleaning pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a painting apparatus, which cleans paint remained in the painting apparatus, e.g., passages when the paint is changed to another color or to another type for next work, e.g., automobiles.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a typical painting apparatus. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a color switching painting apparatus. The color switching painting apparatus 1 comprises a first manifold 2, paint reservoirs 3, 3' each containing paint having a different color, volumetric force feeding pumps 4, 4' for supplying the paint from the paint reservoirs 3, 3' to the manifold 2 through paint supply pipes 5, 5', solenoid valves 6, 6' placed on the paint supply pipes 5, 5', a thinner reservoir 7 containing thinner, a force feeding pump 8 for supplying thinner from the thinner reservoir 7 to the manifold 2 though a thinner supply pipe 9, a solenoid valve 10 placed on the thinner supply pipe 9, a gas supply 11 for supplying air, nitrogen and others, a gas supply pipe 12, a solenoid valve 13 placed on the gas supply pipe 12, a first painting robot 14 connected to the manifold 2 with a hose 15, second and third manifolds 2', 2" to which the same members as the first manifold 2 are connected, a second painting robot 14' connected to the manifold 2' with a hose 15', a third painting robot 14" connected to the manifold 2" with a hose 15", a robot control device 16 to which the first, second and third painting robots 14, 14', 14" are connected with control signal cables 17, and a color switching control device 18 to which the first, second and third manifolds 2, 2', 2" are connected with control signal cables 19. The control signal cables 19 are connected to the solenoid valves 6, 6', 10, 13, the volumetric force feeding pumps 4, 4', the force feeding pump 8 and others through the manifolds 2, 2', 2", which are not shown in detail in FIG. 1.
There is a painting chamber 20 in which a work W is painted in the color switching painting apparatus 1. In the painting chamber 20, the work to be painted W is mounted on a dolly 22 shown in FIG. 2 and transferred to the painting chamber 20 along a transferring line 21. Provided at the head 22a of the dolly 22 is a removable paint color indicating plate 23 having paint color indicating holes 24. There provided a light emitting device 25 and a light receiving device 26 opposed to each other at the entrance of the painting chamber 20 in the transferring line 21.
In order to change the paint color for the next work W, a light emitting unit 25 emits light and when a light receiving unit 26 receives the light coming through the paint color indicating holes 24, it generates a signal. The generated signal is applied to the robot control device 16 and the color switching control device 18, and then the robot control device 16 and the color switching control device 18 start cleaning the paint remained in the painting apparatus for the next work after the painting of the current work is finished.
The paint color indicating plate 23 has one or a plurality of the paint color indicating holes 24 corresponding to the paint colors. For example, forming two color indicating holes 24 shown in FIG. 2 is meant that the paint color is white. One light source for emitting thick beams can be used as the light emitting unit 25, and a plurality of the light receiving unit 26 are arranged corresponding to the plurality of the paint color indicating holes 24. In the case of FIG. 2, two light receiving units 26 receive the light emitting from the light emitting device 25 through the paint color indicating holes 24, so that the paint color can be distinguished as white. Therefore, the paint color indicating holes 24 indicate the paint color by the number of holes 24. Alternatively, the paint color indicating holes 24 can be arranged in one line so as to be binary digits (hole is 1: no hole is 0). In this case, if the used number of the paint color indicating holes 24 is zero to four for the four binary digits, sixteen colors can be distinguished. In the case of the five binary digits, zero to five paint color indicating holes 24 are used and thirty two color can be distinguished.
When the paint color is changed to another color in the painting apparatus, the paint remained in the passages of the painting apparatus has to be cleaned, e.g., with thinner. Conventionally, when the paint color is changed to another color, the same cleaning method is applied for all types of paint, which will be described next.
First, the solenoid valve 13 is opened for four seconds to pass air, nitrogen and others from the air supply 11 through the gas supply pipe 12. Accordingly, the paint remained in the manifold 2, the hose 15 from the manifold 2 to the painting robot 14, the painting robot 14 and others are blown away for four seconds, which is the paint removing gas ejection.
Next, the solenoid valve 10 is opened for three seconds to supply thinner of the thinner reservoir 7 to the manifold 2 through the thinner supply pipe 9 and the force feeding pump 8. Then, the paint remained in the manifold 2, the hose 15 from the manifold 2 to the painting robot 14, the painting robot 14 and others are cleaned by thinner for three seconds, which is the first thinner cleaning.
Thereafter, the solenoid valve 13 is opened for four seconds to supply air from the gas supply 11 to the manifold 2 through the gas supply pipe 12. The thinner remained in the manifold 2, the hose 15 from the manifold 2 to the painting robot 14, the painting robot 14 and others are blown away by gas for four seconds, which is the first thinner removing gas ejection.
Next, similar to the first thinner cleaning, the second thinner cleaning is operated that the paint remained in the manifold 2, the hose 15 from the manifold 2 to the painting robot 14, the painting robot 14 and others are cleaned by thinner for three seconds.
Thereafter, similar to the first thinner removing gas ejection, the second thinner removing gas ejection is operated that the paint remained in the manifold 2, the hose 15 from the manifold 2 to the painting robot 14, the painting robot 14 and others are blown away by gas for 4.5 seconds.
Next, the solenoid valve 6 (or 6') is opened for 4.5 seconds to supply the paint from the paint reservoir 3 (or 3') to the manifold 2 through the volumetric force feeding pumps 4 (or 4') and the paint supply pipe 5 (or 5'). Then, the paint to be used next is filled in the manifold 2, the hose 5 from the manifold 2 to the painting robot 14, the painting robot 14 and others, which is the next-paint filling and which completes the paint color switching.
The total cleaning time in this case is 23 seconds. After the paint color switching is completed, the painting robot 14 is operated by the robot control device 16 to paint the work W.
In the conventional cleaning method, although there are many types of paint, the same cleaning method is applied for all types of paint, which may make the cleaning operation longer and which may increase the manufacturing cost.