A technique is provided for controlling operation of motors of different sized or ratings. Components used to apply and interrupt current to the motors may be shared in control devices for the different motors. The components may include contactors or circuit interrupters, and instantaneous trip devices. The components may be sized for the higher rated motors, and be oversized for the lower rated motors. Control circuitry permits the devices to be controlled in accordance with the characteristics of the particular motor to which the devices are applied, providing accurate circuit interruption while reducing the number of different components and component packages in a product family for the various motors.

The present invention relates generally to the field of electric protective devices, such as for providing overload protection for motors and other loads.
In the field of electrical protective devices, a range of devices are known and are presently in use in various combinations. For example, in a typical arrangement for applying power to a load, such as an electric motor, the circuitry may include fuses, circuit breakers, thermal overload tripping devices, contactors, and so forth. In a typical application, the components are selected and assembled based upon the current ratings and other operating parameters of the load. For example, motor protective circuitry is typically selected based upon the motor full load current rating. A thermal overload device may be selected to provide tripping at a first level, such as 6 to 10 times the full load of current rating, with faster, higher current tripping being provided by an electromagnetic device, such as a circuit breaker.
While such arrangements provide adequate protection for loads, they are not without drawbacks. For example, many separate and differently rated components are generally provided and associated with one another in various combinations, depending upon the nature and rating of the load. Little effort has been made in the field for reducing the number of components or the number of product offering by extending the ratings of the components and circuits. There is a need, however, in the field for product offerings that can service a range of loads, such as motors of different sizes, while providing both thermal and instantaneous trip performance for larger loads, and smaller loads equally. Such products are not currently available on the market.

Motor overload tripping system and method with multi-function circuit interrupter


Branched organosilicon compounds bearing aliphatic multiple bonds, prepared by reacting a branched organosilicon compound having Si-bonded hydrogen atoms with an organosiloxane or organopolysiloxane having terminal aliphatic multiple bonds and optionally equilibrating with further organopolysiloxanes are useful as antimisting additives in the high speed coating of substrates with crosslinkable silicone compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the use of antimisting additives for reducing the formation of aerosol in crosslinkable silicone coating compositions.
2. Background Art
A trend within the silicone coating industry is to increase machine speed in order to raise productivity. Where silicone coatings are applied to the substrate at relatively high speeds, of more than 300 m/min, for example, fine spray mists of the silicone coating system may be formed. This aerosol is formed at the silicone applicator unit. The formation of this spray mist proves to be a serious problem in the context of further increases in the coating speed.
The formation of this spray mist can be reduced by adding what are known as antimisting additives to the silicone coating system.
EP-A 716 115 (Dow Corning Corp.) describes antimisting additives obtained by reacting an organosilicon compound, a compound containing oxyalkylene groups, and a catalyst.
The addition of these oxyalkylene-functional reaction products to crosslinkable silicone coating systems reduces the formation of aerosol in rapid coating processes.
The antimisting additives containing polyglycol groups, though, have the drawback of poor miscibility with the crosslinkable silicone coating compositions.
WO 01/98420 (Dow Corning Corp.) discloses a liquid silicone antimisting composition, which is obtained by reacting    a) an organohydropolysiloxane having at least two Si—H groups (SiH) with    b) an organoalkenylsiloxane having at least three alkenyl groups (C═C) in    c) the presence of a platinum catalyst and if desired    d) an inhibitorin a ratio of C═C/SiH≧4.6.
An extremely large excess of organoalkenylsiloxane (C═C) is necessary in order to prevent gelling. This excess influences the release properties of the base system, the crosslinkable silicone coating composition. Furthermore, an inhibitor has to be added to prevent gelling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,145 (Wacker-Chemie GmbH) describes organopoly-siloxanes containing aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals which are branched and whose organopolysiloxane blocks are linked by hydrocarbon bridges.

Branched organosilicon compounds as antimisting additives for silicone coating compositions


A method for monitoring precision of placement of semiconductor wafers in a semiconductor processing apparatus includes measuring thickness of an insulating film on a surface of a semiconductor substrate before etching a portion of the insulating film from the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes re-measuring the thickness of the insulating film to determine etch rates for the film at selected locations on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and based on the determined etch rates, determining misalignment of the semiconductor wafer.

The present application relates generally to semiconductor device processing and equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring the precision of wafer placement alignment when processing semiconductor devices.
Processes to define electronic devices and interconnect on and near the surface of semiconductor substrates or wafers are well known. Such processes including patterning the surface using photoresist and possibly with a hardmask material such as polysilicon or silicon dioxide, etching materials formed by photolithography using wet or reactive ion chemistry, ion implantation to define devices, chemical-mechanical polishing for planarization, and film deposition and patterning for interconnect. These processes are generally well understood and are under constant refinement to improve yield. Yield is the percentage of good semiconductor chips produced from a substrate. Good semiconductor chips are those which pass all electrical, operational and other tests and may be sold as products to customers. Yield is an important parameter of manufacturing quality. These and other processes are always being refined to allow definition of ever smaller geometries.
Two methods for achieving smaller geometries are by defining more vertically oriented devices and by improving the electrical isolation between devices. Both these methods can be employed by etching deep trenches in the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The trenches define silicon islands where devices such as transistors may be formed. In subsequent process steps, the trenches can be filled with different materials to achieve desirable effects.
For example, a trench filled with insulating material such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride will electrically isolate adjacent silicon islands, reducing the electrical interaction of devices built therein. The deep trench can be narrower in cross section than conventional junction isolation, in which a reverse-biased diode is formed to electrically isolate adjacent areas. With the use of narrow trenches, therefore, more of the surface area of the silicon die can be used for active devices, or the total area of the die is reducing. Thus, by using the vertically-etched trench, smaller geometries are obtained.
As another example, a trench filled with a conducting layer such as polysilicon which is separated in the trench with a thin insulating dialectric can form a charge storage capacitor for a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The plates of the capacitor are thus oriented vertically, or perpendicular to the plane of the silicon surface. This is compared to conventional metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors formed by defining a polysilicon plate on the wafer surface and separated from the silicon substrate by a very thin layer of gate oxide. By using the vertical capacitor, smaller horizontal geometries result for the capacitor and many more capacitors, and therefore DRAM storage cells, may be built on a single semiconductor die.
Deep trenches may be formed in a silicon wafer using a deep trench silicon etch tool. One conventional method of forming deep trenches on semiconductor surfaces is by plasma etching. Plasma etching occurs in an evacuated chamber in which a wafer is placed on an electrostatic chuck (ESC) which forms the cathode of a parallel plate plasma reactor. The ESC is cooled internally by liquid cooling systems to manage the temperature of the wafer. Due to slow response time of a liquid cooling system, temperature control is frequently supplemented with a controlled cooling gas pressure on the backside of the wafer for a faster and more precise temperature control. Heat is thus carried away from the back side of the wafer through the chuck while the front side is being etched. Gases are introduced to the chamber to provide a source of ions for the etching process. Radio frequency energy is applied to drive the generation of ions and thus the formation of plasma and the etching process. A focus ring may be added to focus or concentrate the reactive ions. A computer based recipe controls the operation according to a program of instructions which reflects the required times, temperatures and other processing conditions required for etching particular films. The process may be even further automated by adding a robot which places wafers in the chamber from a previous process or storage location and removes the wafers after etching for a subsequent process step. A well designed etching process will commonly produce very high yields across the entire wafer surface.
In semiconductor processes, while reduction in yield loss is always one goal of process improvement, small levels of yield loss have been tolerated as normal. For example, yield loss is expected at the edge of the wafer, where dice are formed in the yieldable edge exclusion zone. Because of non-uniform processing conditions at the wafer edge and for other reasons, dice near the edge fail more frequently and the yield can be reduced compared to other regions of the wafer. As long as the yield loss is within acceptable tolerance, the use of the processing equipment continues. A large yield loss which is out of tolerance is not tolerated and processing equipment will be taken off line while a yield problem is isolated and corrected. In the case of intermediate yield losses, attempts at resolution are made by various unscheduled maintenance procedures. For example, in a plasma etching process, adjustments to back side cooling pressures or process gases can temporarily improve the problem.
As more aggressive process technology has extended the yieldable edge exclusion zone to less than 2 mm from wafer edge, process control on the extreme edge of the wafer has gained critical importance. For deep trench (DT) technology, control of a DT silicon etch tool is one of the most critical parameters required to achieve good edge yields. DT etch hardware limitations in particular configurations are such that the process is most aggressive on the extreme edge of the wafer. Given that DT etch has the highest aspect ratio (meaning the ratio of the depth of the trench to its cross-section width), and that both the duration and etched depth of the process are more than twice of all other DRAM etches combined, even a 1-2% difference in across wafer performance is enough to cause significant yield loss. The systematic yield loss on the edge of the wafer is further influenced by wafer placement inside the chamber when the process characteristics are such that a systematic relationship exists between process parameters such as etch rate and wafer radius.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method for reducing process yield loss in semiconductor processing.

Method and apparatus for monitoring precision of water placement alignment


A lamp changer assembly for an overhead projector includes a reflector bracket and a lamp support bracket mounting two lamps. The reflector mounting bracket includes a slot and the lamp support bracket has attached thereto a slide which rides in the slot. Contact between the end points of the slot and the slide determines the position of the lamps relative to the reflector bracket and the reflector mounted thereon.

Overhead projectors are devices which produce magnified images on a screen or wall of indicia-bearing transparencies, typically clear plastic sheets including textual and/or graphical information. The projector includes a light source and a lens system which directs the light through the transparency to the screen for viewing by a group. The light source is typically a high-intensity lamp. These lamps generate significant heat and are thus relatively short lived.
In order to avoid a long delay in a presentation because of lamp failure, overhead projectors are typically supplied with a mechanism which includes two or more lamps, one of which is positioned for use and the other of which is retained as a spare. When the lamp in use fails, the user need only operate a knob or similar actuating device to remove the failed lamp from the use position and insert the spare lamp in its place.
Although lamp changing mechanisms have been designed which operated successfully, these mechanisms have typically been unduly complex and did not always achieve proper alignment of the lamps with the lens system of the projector.

Lamp changing assembly for overhead projector

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum frustescens plant named ‘Argyelsin’ characterized by its compact growth habit, yellow flower color, deep green foliage color, and short peduncles.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Marguerite Daisy plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Argyelsin.'
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The new cultivar 'Argyelsin' is compact growing with upright plant habit and yellow flowers.
The new Argyranthemum originated from an open-pollination conducted in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in 2002 of a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as code number 'E0138-2,' not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Argyranthemum frutescens as the male, or pollen, parent.
The cultivar 'Argyelsin' was discovered and selected as a single plant within the progeny of the stated open pollination in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands in August 2003. Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands since August 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

Argyranthemum frutescens plant named ‘Argyelsin’


A cloud computing operating system is described. The system, in one aspect, includes a plurality of core data structures (100) each configured to define basic attributes that elements of the system contain. The system also including an indexing data structure (104) inherited from one of the core data structures (100) configured to index any number of core data structures (100) or elements inherited from a core data structure (100) and an encapsulating data structure (110) inherited from the indexing data structure (104) and configured to encapsulate any number of core data structures (100) or elements inherited from a core data structure (100). Each core data structure (100) is encapsulated within one encapsulating data structure and includes a reference to its encapsulating data structure. Other aspects of the cloud computing operating system are also described.

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
In the last few years, the software services industry has seen a shift in product delivery from desktop applications to complex online applications accessed through a web browser. This capability is enabled through advancements in networking capacity, improvements in web browser technology as well as the availability of remotely accessible, commodity, aggregated computer hardware resources known as 'cloud computing'. From a technological perspective, these aggregated resources present virtually as a single massive computing entity. This capability has enabled single applications to scale to huge numbers of concurrent users—many millions being common.
There remains the issue, however that users interact directly with applications hosted directly on the virtualised hardware. Application experience varies wildly: each may require separate logins, while data incompatibility and application vendor lock-in are commonplace. From a cloud perspective these issues arise partly because, from a virtual perspective, the applications run directly on the hardware—there is no user operating system layer to deliver a consistent experience across the applications. Consequently, a cloud operating system is desired which can deliver a coherent user experience, and significantly increased application compatibility in the web application domain.
Also recently, there has been a growing focus in capabilities that may be afforded by 'crowdsourcing'—leveraging the capabilities of the mass of connected individuals afforded by the web to achieve large outcomes in a short time. The problem of application silos previously described represents a barrier to realising the greater potential of these mechanisms. The free interaction of users and applications that could be afforded by the common substrate of an operating system is not present. Consequently, the delivery of a cloud operating system upon which users are able to self-organise into groups arbitrarily, build and deploy applications, as well as being able to actively maintain and evolve the system via these structures would represent a significant opportunity for advancement of the power of the world wide web. An operating system offers a means of organising its users, and a cloud operating system would have the unique opportunity to utilise the scale of its potential user base for the significantly more complex scenarios being exposed through crowdsourcing.
There has also been a recent focus on social reward and reputation structures within applications to incentivise behaviour and establish trust networks. The potential for such structures, once the artificial boundaries of application and user silos are removed, and once complex collaboration capabilities are delivered is tremendous. In combination, these structures may represent a truly significant advance in the organisational utility of the web.

Cloud computing operating system and method


A high carbon content and high strength heat-treated steel rail including by weight 0.80-1.20% carbon, 0.20-1.20% silicon, 0.20-1.60% manganese, 0.15-1.20% chromium, 0.01-0.20% vanadium, 0.002-0.050% titanium, less than or equal to 0.030% phosphorus, less than or equal to 0.030% sulfur, less than or equal to 0.010% aluminum, less than or equal to 0.0100% nitrogen, and iron. The steel rail has excellent wear resistance and plasticity and can satisfy the requirement for overloading. A method for producing the steal rail by heating a slab to a heating temperature, multi-pass rolling, and accelerated cooling, wherein a maximum heating temperature (° C.) of said slab is equal to 1,400 minus 100[% C], [% C] representing the carbon content (wt. %) of said slab multiplied by 100.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the metallurgical field and, more particularly, to a high carbon content and high strength heat-treated steel rail with excellent wear resistance and plasticity as well as a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the effective methods for prolonging the service life of steel rails is to improve the strength thereof. Pearlite, tempered martensite, and bainite are common structures for producing steel rails, among which pearlite structures are widely used due to good wear resistance, a simple production process, their low cost, and stable properties. However, for a pure pearlitic steel rail, the strength thereof hardly exceeds 1,330 MPa and the surface hardness hardly exceeds 380 HB. That is to say, the rail strength has very limited room for improvement.
Carbon is an effective element for improving the wear resistance of steel rails. Improvements in the cementite content of lamellar pearlite can improve the wear resistance. It is well known in metallurgic sciences that when the carbon content of a steel exceeds 0.77%, a proeutectoid cementite (secondary cementite) first forms under equilibrium. However, if the cooling rate is accelerated during the transformation of steel from austenite structures to pearlite structures, even if the carbon content exceeds 0.77%, a pseudo-eutectoid pearlite forms rather than the proeutectoid cementite. With the acceleration of the cooling rate, the upper limit of the carbon content of the pseudo-eutectoid pearlite increases. In use, railheads generally wear to a depth of 20 mm. To ensure safe use of the rails, the carbon content of the steel rails must be enhanced so that the pearlite structures are distributed to a depth of at least 25 mm from the railhead surface.
Conventional methods for producing high strength heat-treated steel rails employ eutectoid steel with a carbon content of 0.60-0.82%. The high strength is achieved by generating fine pearlite structures. However, if the rails have a low carbon content, the density of the cementite structures in the steel is low, and the tensile strength is low, generally less than 1,330 MPa. Thus, the rails have a poor wear resistance and short service life.
In the prior art, methods for producing steel rails with good wear resistance make use of hypereutectoid steel with a carbon content of 0.85-1.40%. The good wear resistance is achieved by generating fine pearlite structures and increasing the cementite density in the pearlite lamella. However, the methods have the following disadvantages. First, the obtained steel rails still have a low strength, generally less than HB 380, and the tensile strength is generally less than 1,330 MPa. Second, because the pearlite structures are distributed to a depth of only 20 mm from the surface, phase segregation occurs. The proeutectoid cementite structures, therefore, precipitate, which deteriorates the rail properties and provides a source for fatigue cracks and brittle fractures. Third, conventional cooling rates are generally less than 10° C./s, usually 2-5° C./s. To improve the rail strength, a high cooling rate (5-15° C./s) is required, which would require the existing production lines to be updated, incurring a high investment. Finally, nitrogen is harmful for rail properties, but conventional methods have no way of reducing this harm.
As the carbon content increases, the plasticity and toughness of the rails decrease. Thus, compared with common pure pearlite structures, the hypereutectoid rails have a much lower plasticity and toughness, which means the rails may break when use in cold regions with temperatures below zero. Although the prior art discloses that plasticity and toughness may be enhanced by cooling different portions of the rails with different modes, the operation is complicated and has a high cost.
Thus, it is urgent to develop a high carbon content and high strength hot rolling steel rail with good wear resistance and plasticity and a method for producing the same.

High carbon content and high strength heat-treated steel rail and method for producing the same

PANGANG GROUP RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.

PANGANG GROUP PANZHIHUA STEEL & VANADIUM CO., LTD.


Cobalt dihalodihydroxydisulfophthalocyanines are useful in the extraction of low molecular weight mercaptans from petroleum (e.g., crude oil) or gas condensate.

The present invention relates to petrochemistry, specifically to a method for the extraction of mercaptans from petroleum and gas condensates, and may find application in the petroleum, natural gas, petroleum-processing and petrochemical industry.
Known methods for the extraction of mercaptan from oil and gas condensates involve their treatment with an 18 to 25% aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, ethyl alcohol, ketone and formaldehyde, with the subsequent release of the purified product (see Russian Author's Certificates Nos. 1567598 and 1579927 issued in 1990).
Another known method for the extraction of mercaptan from gas condensates is by a process which involves treatment with a sodium salt of arylsulfinic acid with the subsequent release of the purified product (see Russian Author's Certificate No. 1810377 issued in 1993.)
The principal drawbacks of the known methods consist in the great amount of scarce and costly reagents which must be consumed in the process (namely, ketones, aldehydes, sulfinic acids), since during the extraction of the mercaptan from the raw material, the cited reagents which are applied enter into a permanent, irreversible reaction with the mercaptan, resulting in the formation of unregenerable organic compounds containing oxygen and sulfur.
A method is also known for the extraction of mercaptan from petroleum and petroleum byproducts by means of processing the raw material with a cuprate of the naphthene in the oil with the weight ratio of the copper salt to the mercaptan in the raw material falling within the range of from 3 to 4:1 (see Russian Author's Certificate No. 1616959 issued in 1990.)
The principal disadvantages of the aforesaid method are: the high rate of consumption of the scarce reagent involved, especially when purifying petroleum with a high content of sour sulfur (mercaptan sulfur), the difficulty of separating the resulting precipitate from the purified product, the formation of a waste byproduct (a precipitate) which is difficult to utilize, as well as the loss of the purified product together with the discarded residue.
The method which most closely resembles the method of the present invention both in its technological essence and the obtained result is a method for the extraction of mercaptans from petroleum distillates by processing with the oxygen of the air in an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, in the presence of a cobalt octocarboxytetraphenylphthalocyanine catalyst, in an amount of 0.005 to 0.2 weight percent, as calculated with respect to the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide (see Russian Author's Certificate No. 1824421 issued in 1991). The principal disadvantages of this method are to be found in the insufficiently high degree of mercaptan extraction from the raw material as well as the low stability of the catalytic activity of the catalyst.
It is an object of the present invention to increase the degree to which the raw material is purified and the mercaptan extracted, to increase the stability of the catalytic activity of the catalyst under the conditions of the purification of petroleum and gas condensate.


Resource allocation in a wireless data system determines a load condition of the system and adapts a target quality of service (QoS) characteristic, accordingly. Data transmission parameters may be assigned, or adapted, for the wireless units based on the adapted target QoS characteristics. Resources are allocated to data transmissions between wireless units based on these parameters. As the system load decreases, the target QoS characteristic is adapted so that more resources will be allocated to the wireless unit, and the QoS will improve. The adapted QoS threshold may be a data error rate or target fill efficiency for each wireless unit.

Quality of service (QoS) is an important aspect of wireless data system performance. Characteristics such as transmission rates and error rates are indicators of the QoS provided to individual users. Better QoS can generally be achieved for each user when the system is experiencing a lighter load because there is less contention for shared resources such as power, hardware, spreading codes, etc. During periods of heavy loads, however, the system may need to sacrifice the QoS provided to its users in order to increase overall system performance in terms of throughput and efficiency.
In order to ensure that each user is offered the highest possible QoS, a wireless data system may employ conventional resource management and scheduling algorithms to automatically adjust the resources allocated to each user based on a current level of contention and/or user fairness criteria. However, when the load decreases to a certain point, such algorithms are no longer able to adjust the allocation of system resources in order to improve user QoS.

Method for allocating resources in a wireless data system based on system loading


A MOSFET includes a semiconductor substrate having a trench formed in a main surface, a gate oxide film, a gate electrode, and a source interconnection. A semiconductor substrate includes an n-type drift layer and a p-type body layer. The trench is formed to penetrate the body layer and to reach the drift layer. The trench includes an outer peripheral trench arranged to surround an active region when viewed two-dimensionally. On the main surface opposite to the active region when viewed from the outer peripheral trench, a potential fixing region where the body layer is exposed is formed. The source interconnection is arranged to lie over the active region when viewed two-dimensionally. The potential fixing region is electrically connected to the source interconnection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device manufacturing method, and more particularly to a semiconductor device capable of fixing a potential at a surface portion of a semiconductor layer located outside an active region and a semiconductor device manufacturing method capable of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Higher efficiency and lower loss of a power device used for conversion or control of electric energy have recently be demanded. For a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) serving as a power switching device, lowering in ON resistance or the like by improving an element structure or selection of a material has been studied, and for example, a trench (groove) type element structure instead of a planar (plane) type element structure has increasingly been adopted. The trench type element structure refers to an element structure characterized by formation of a channel region along a wall surface of the trench formed in a surface of an element.
Since a MOSFET serving as a power switching device is used for conversion, control, or the like of a high voltage, it is required to achieve high efficiency and low loss as well as a high breakdown voltage. With a trench type element structure, lower loss of an element owing to lowering in ON resistance is achieved, while a breakdown voltage of an element may lower due to a defective shape of a formed trench or the like. Specifically, local electric field concentration occurs in a portion where a defective shape of a trench is present, and resulting high electric field is likely to break a gate insulating film formed on a wall surface of the trench. In order to suppress such lowering in breakdown voltage of an element due to a trench structure, for example, a MOSFET adopting such a structure that a region to serve as an active region of an element is surrounded by a trench different from the trench in the active region has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-322949).
In the MOSFET proposed in PTL 1, by causing a trench surrounding an active region to function as an electric field relaxing portion, a breakdown voltage of an element can be improved. With this MOSFET, however, for example, when a high voltage of approximately 1 kV (kilovolt) is applied, it is difficult to exhibit a sufficient electric field relaxing function. Therefore, in order to obtain resistance of an element against application of such a high voltage, further improvement in element structure is demanded.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing semiconductor device


The technology disclosed relates to a platform for ultra-fast, ad-hoc data exploration and faceted navigation on integrated, heterogeneous data sets. The disclosed method of declarative specification of visualization queries, display formats and bindings represents queries, widgets and bindings combined on a dashboard in real time, with flexible display options for analyzing data and conveying analysis results.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to implementations of the claimed inventions.
Businesses need the ability to query and to view query results in real time, for large data sets being analyzed, in order to make informed business decisions. The disclosed technology relates to a platform for ultra-fast, ad-hoc data exploration and faceted navigation on integrated, heterogeneous data sets.
Existing systems do not typically provide business analytics "live" for large volumes of data. The disclosed apparatus and methods for visual data analysis with animated informational morphing replay provide live data rendering on a live dashboard, with flexible display options for analyzing data and conveying analysis results. Other aspects and advantages of the technology disclosed can be seen on review of the drawings, the detailed description and the claims, which follow.

Declarative specification of visualization queries


An energy absorbing mounting bracket for a rail mounted airbag inflator is provided. The mounting bracket has a circular section and at least one base leg. The circular section entraps an airbag inflator and the base leg is rigidly attached to the circular section and mounted to a vehicle rail. The base leg positions the circular section of the mounting bracket a specific distance from the rail, for the purpose of allowing the section to deflect in a direction towards the rail when an impact force is exerted on the section. One embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a circular section entrapping an airbag inflator and a first base leg, a second base leg and an intermediate leg. The first base leg is located adjacent to the vehicle rail when the bracket is mounted to the rail and is rigidly attached to the intermediate leg. The intermediate leg is rigidly attached to the circular section and the second base leg is also rigidly attached to said section. The first base leg in combination with the intermediate leg and the second base leg position the circular section a specific distance from the rail. The distance from the rail coupled with the design of the base legs and the intermediate leg allow for the circular section to deflect in a direction towards the rail when it experiences an impact force. In this manner, an energy absorbing mounting bracket for a rail mounted airbag inflator is provided.

Many modern automotive vehicles include side airbags which, upon inflation, protect the vehicle occupants from injury during a side impact or rollover. Many of these airbags are mounted on a rail above the window. An inflator is connected with each of the side airbags in order to inflate the airbag when needed. The inflator typically is comprised of a metal cylinder containing compressed gas and is also mounted to a rail above the window. An outlet at one end of the inflator is then fluidly connected through appropriate valving means to the airbag.
With reference to FIG. 1, a typical location of a side impact airbag is shown by the section 4-4. FIG. 2 shows a typical inflator 2 having an outlet conduit 4. The outlet conduit, in turn, typically includes one or more ports 6 which are fluidly connected to the airbag (not shown). Upon actuation of the inflator 2, the rapid flow of a compressed gas from the inflator 2 imposes a rotational torque on the inflator as illustrated by arrow 8. For that reason, it is necessary to rigidly secure the inflator to the automotive rail 9 to prevent rotational movement of the inflator 2 upon actuation.
The inflator 2 is typically concealed from sight by a garnish on the interior of the automotive passenger compartment. Such garnishes are constructed of a flexible material so that, in the event of an impact of a passenger's head or other body member against the garnish during an accident, the garnish will collapse outwardly and thus towards the inflator 2.
Governmental regulations dictate that the garnish within the automotive vehicle provide a specified amount of cushion with respect to an impact from a passenger's head. However, with previously known structures, the amount of space between the garnish and the inflator 2 is relatively small. Consequently, in the event of an impact on the garnish, for example by the head of a passenger during a vehicular accident, the collapse of the garnish is stopped by the inflator 2. This results in a high impact force and thus inadequate protection for the vehicle occupant. Therefore, a mounting bracket for an airbag inflator that can absorb energy from an impact is desired.

Mounting bracket for rail mounted airbag inflator

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A logging-while-drilling tool is adapted for incorporation with a drill string having a longitudinal axis. The drill string is further adapted for drilling a wellbore penetrating a geological formation. The drilling tool includes a tool body having a central axis disposed in parallel relation with the longitudinal axis of the drill string and an external, circumferential surface spaced radially outward from the central axis. The tool also includes a measurement apparatus for measuring resistivity of a borehole fluid in the wellbore. The measurement apparatus has an electrode array including a current emitting electrode disposed on the circumferential surface. The current emitting electrode is adapted to emit current into a target region of the wellbore spaced laterally between the circumferential surface and the walls of the wellbore. Further, a current receiving electrode is disposed on the circumferential surface and spaced apart from the current emitting electrode. The current receiving electrode is adapted to receive current propagated from the current emitting electrode into the target region. The electrode array occupies an arcuate section of the circumferential surface that extends less than about 180° about the central axis.

The present invention relates generally to the drilling and exploration of a geological formation for the ultimate purpose of extracting hydrocarbons therefrom. More particularly, the invention relates to a system, apparatus, and method of conducting measurements from a wellbore or borehole penetrating the formation. The inventive system, apparatus, and method described herein are particularly suited for measuring a resistivity of a conductive formation fluid or mud in the borehole.
Formation fluids typically enter the borehole when the pressure in the formation exceeds the hydrostatic pressure. If the pressure differential is relatively large, the influx of formation fluids may be uncontrollable. This presents a danger of a well "blowout, which is of particular concern when the formation fluids include flammable hydrocarbons. Moreover, considerable expense is incurred in addressing the unsafe condition and restoring the well to a stable, and then operable condition. It is, therefore, desirable to monitor the borehole for such influx.
The resistivity of the formation fluid (i.e., oil, gas, and water) is typically different from that of the drilling fluid. Accordingly, measurement of borehole fluid resistivity during drilling allows for possible detection of a change in resistivity corresponding to an influx of formation fluids. Early detection provides time for corrective action to be taken. Corrective action entails mechanically sealing the well to prevent the escape of the formation fluids and/or increasing the weight of the drilling fluid by adding weighting material.
Borehole fluid resistivity measurements are also used in evaluating the geological formation adjacent the borehole. Typically, a geological formation that contains hydrocarbon has a higher resistivity than a formation that contains water. In a known method of detecting hydrocarbon-bearing formations, sensors adapted to measure resistivity of the formation are incorporated into the drilling apparatus so as to provide a continuous recording of formation resistivity during drilling. The sensors are designed to measure the resistivity of the formation; but are also affected by the resistivity of the fluid content of the borehole ("borehole fluids"). Accordingly, techniques are employed to correct formation resistivity measurements due to the influence of borehole fluid resistivity. Referred to as "borehole correction" methods, these methods require an estimate of the resistivity of the fluid entering the borehole. This estimate of borehole fluid resistivity may be obtained from knowledge of the chemical composition of the drilling fluids. Alternatively, this estimate may be obtained by measuring, at the surface, the resistivity of a sample of the drilling fluid taken from the borehole.
Borehole fluid resistivity sensors are included in some wireline logging tools. An example of such prior art borehole fluid resistivity sensors is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,371, which has been assigned to the Assignee of the present application. The disclosure of the '371 patent serves as a good source of background information for the present invention. To facilitate the description of the present invention and to further highlight the present invention's contribution to the current art, the '371 patent is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes and made a part of the present disclosure.
FIG. 1 provides one example of a prior art well logging apparatus used in measuring borehole fluid resistivity for borehole correction methods. Specifically, FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a prior art Auxiliary Measurement Sub (AMS sub) that is connected to a top of a well logging apparatus tool string, as originally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,605 to Chandler, et al. (which is also hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes and made a part of the present disclosure). The AMS sub includes a sub body 10 disposed in a wellbore 12 and defining an annular space 14 between the sub body 10 and a wall 16 of a formation penetrated by the wellbore 12. A multiple pin connector head 17 (typically, a 31 pin head) is connected to a top of the body 10 and another multiple pin connector head 19 is connected to a bottom of the body 10. The heads 17 and 19, which must withstand a high mud external pressure, are each very expensive to manufacture, costing about ten thousand dollars each. A conductive mud 18 is disposed within the annular space 14. The sub body 10 includes a recess 20 which is inwardly disposed relative to an outer wall of the sub body 10. A set of electrodes A1, M1, M2, and A2 are disposed within the recess 20. The electrode A1, called a current emitting electrode, is adapted to emit a current into the conductive mud 18, the current propagating through the mud 18 and being received by the electrode A2, called a current receiving electrode. The electrodes M1 and M2, called measurement electrodes, are disposed between the A1 electrode and the A2 electrode and measure a voltage potential drop which exists in a region 23 which is enclosed by a pair of equipotential lines 21, the region 23 including the conductive mud 18 in the wellbore 12 and formation penetrated by the wellbore 12. The voltage potential drop in region 23 of FIG. 1 is supposed to be representative of a resistivity (Rm) of only the conductive mud 18 in the annular space 14. However, a problem exists: the voltage potential drop in region 23 of FIG. 1 is actually representative of the resistivity of both the mud 18 and the formation penetrated by the wellbore 12. In order to avoid this problem, in FIG. 1, the AMS sub was purposely manufactured with the recess 20 so that the electrodes A1, M1, M2 and A2 could be placed within that recess 20. The reason for the recess 20 is as follows. When the electrodes were placed on the outer wall 10a of the sub body 10, the current being emitted from the current emitting electrode A1 would cross an interface (wall 16) which exists between the conductive mud 18 and the formation penetrated by the wellbore 12 thereby adversely affecting the accuracy of the measurement of the resistivity (Rm) of the conductive mud 18. When the electrodes A1, M1, M2, and A2 are placed in the recess 20, a much smaller quantity of the current, being emitted from the emitting electrode A1, is able to cross the interface 16 between the mud 18 and the formation. Consequently, that part of the voltage potential drop in region 23 resultant from the current flowing in the formation penetrated by the wellbore 12 was reduced; and, as a result, the adverse effect of the measurement of the resistivity (Rm) of the mud 18 in the wellbore 12 was reduced. However, as shown in FIG. 1, some current 22, called "crossing current" 22, from the emitting electrode A1 still crosses the interface 16 and flows in the formation penetrated by the wellbore. As a result, the voltage potential drop in region 23 of FIG. 1 enclosed by the pair of equipotential lines 21 and measured by the measurement electrodes M1 and M2 still includes both the potential drop of the conductive mud 18 and the potential drop in the formation penetrated by the wellbore 12. Therefore, when using the AMS sub of FIG. 1, the adverse effect of the crossing current 22 on the mud resistivity (Rm) measurement still exists and, as a result, the mud resistivity measurement is not as accurate as desired.
The specification of the '371 patent describes a prior art measurement probe 26 for measuring borehole fluid resistivity that is disposed adjacent the bottom of a wireline tool string, as shown in FIG. 2. The measurement probe 26 includes a current emitting electrode A0, and measurement electrodes M1, M2, and current receiving electrode A1. In operation, current I0 emitted by the emitting electrode, A0, is propagated from the electrode array in a downhole direction 24c that is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis 24b of the probe 26 (and the wellbore). The current I0 is therefore directed into the wellbore space below the wireline tool as opposed to the direction of the formation. In this way, some of the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, as disclosed in the '605 patent and/or illustrated by FIG. 1, are addressed. Specifically, the "crossing currents" and thus the influence of the formation on the borehole fluid resistivity measurements are reduced or eliminated.

System, apparatus, and method of conducting borehole resistivity measurements


An apparatus for removing heat energy from a work piece comprises a copper plate having a support surface for holding a work piece during cutting or grinding operations. A pump propels cooling fluid, such as antifreeze, through a fluid delivery hose and into a channel formed in the copper plate, adjacent the support surface. After passing through the channel, the fluid passes out of the copper plate through an exit port and along a fluid return hose to a cooler. The cooler cools the fluid as the fluid circulates back to the pump along the fluid delivery hose. The pump returns the cooling fluid to the copper plate.

A cooling system for removing heat energy from a part being worked, i.e., a "work piece," must be able to remove a sufficient amount of heat energy from the work piece to prevent heat-related damage to the work piece. Heat-related damage includes partial or complete melting of portions of the work piece resulting in plastic deformation. Another form of heat-related damage results when excessive heat distorts the work piece or the tool by causing portions of the work piece or the tool to physically expand in size. When portions of the work piece or tool expand in this way it can make it extremely difficult to adjust cutting tolerances to compensate for the material expansion especially when the work piece or tool comprise materials with different thermal expansion coefficients.
Current systems that cool work pieces typically employ a lubricant fluid bath. Such fluid baths control heat build-up in a work piece by reducing the friction generated between a cutting element, such as a grinding surface, a drill, a lathe or a saw, and the work piece. Fluid baths also dissipate heat by convective heat transfer, i.e., by absorbing heat energy and carrying it away from the work piece.
Fluid baths of this type also carry away fragments of the work piece--fragments that have separated from the work piece in the process of being worked. The fluid must, therefore, be filtered to remove these fragments. In addition, work pieces that have been worked while being cooled by such a bath must, in most cases, be cleaned to remove the cooling fluid before the finished parts can be put to their intended use. Properly reclaiming, disposing of and otherwise accounting for fluids used in these cooling bath systems in an environmentally responsible manner can be difficult, expensive and time-consuming.
At least one fluid bath-type cooling system avoids the problem of filtering fragments by circulating cooling fluid within the work piece itself. U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,538 issued to Wolters et al. on Apr. 30, 1985 discloses a cooling system in an apparatus for superfinishing thin-wall metal work pieces. With this system a fluid coolant directly contacts a surface of a work piece, i.e., an interior surface directly opposite the work piece surface being machined.
Another type of system that has been disclosed for cooling work pieces circulates a fluid coolant through the tool that works the work piece. Because tools of this type typically must move in relation to supporting machine elements, it can be difficult, time consuming and expensive to design, construct and maintain systems that circulate fluid in and out of such tools without leakage.
An example of a system that circulates fluid through a tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,196 issued to Morimoto et al. on Jul. 7, 1992. The cooling system disclosed in this patent is used in an -apparatus for planarizing a dielectric formed over a semiconductor substrate. A fluid coolant is circulated in and out of a machining tool in the form of a hollow grinding table. The fluid cools an abrasive upper surface of the grinding table from within the table. The table rotates in relation to the semiconductor substrate and its abrasive upper surface grinds the dielectric-coated face of the substrate.
Another example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,652 issued to Walsh on May 29, 1984. The Walsh patent discloses a cooling system for an apparatus that polishes semiconductor wafers. Similar to the Morimoto et al. patent, this system passes cooling fluid through a grinding tool in the form of a turntable with an upper abrasive surface for grinding wafers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,571,978 issued to Day et al. on Mar. 23, 1971 discloses a lapping machine having a lapping tool in the form of a hollow pressure plate through which a cooling fluid is circulated. The work to be lapped is placed between the pressure plate and a lapping table.
What is needed is a system that cools work pieces without wetting any surface of the work piece and without including a fluid coolant circulation system within the work piece or the tool that works the work piece.

Method and apparatus for cooling parts that are being worked


A mold for vulcanizing an unvulcanized tire blank comprises: two axial members each carrying a molding surface for molding a sidewall of the tire, at least one of the axial members being movable between a position for molding the sidewall and a position for unmolding the tire; at least one molding member for molding a channel in a tread of the tire, the molding member being movable between a channel-molding position and a channel-unmolding position; and axial movement means for axially moving the channel-molding member between its molding and unmolding positions. The axial movement means include releasable connection means between the channel-molding member and the axial member.

A tire generally comprises a tread forming a surface of revolution about an axis of rotation of the tire. The tread includes in particular a design for providing the tire with good grip.
Wear of the tread causes the design to wear away, thereby reducing the grip performance of the tire.
In the particular circumstance of a tire for a vehicle of the heavy goods type, it is known to form channels in the mass of rubber forming the tread specifically for the purpose of limiting the loss of tire grip as the tread wears away. Wearing down the rubber of the tread causes the channels to become flush in the surface of the tread. The flush channels then form grooves that serve to replace at least in part the initial design of the tread that has been worn away.
It is known to fabricate a tire by vulcanizing an unvulcanized blank in a mold comprising:                top and bottom axial members (also known as "shells"), each carrying a surface for molding a sidewall of the tire; and        radial segments, each carrying a surface for molding the tire tread (which molding surface is also referred to as a "liner").
At least one sidewall-molding member is movable axially between a sidewall-molding position and a tire-unmolding position, in particular so as to enable said tire to be extracted.
In order to form the channels mentioned above, the mold generally includes top and bottom sets of channel-molding members, as described for example in JP 2002 307442A. Each set of channel-molding members is axially movable between a channel-molding position and a channel-unmolding position.
In the mold described in JP 2002 307442A, the top and bottom sets of channel-molding members are secured respectively to the top and bottom axial members. Thus, moving the axial members between their sidewall-molding positions and their tire-unmolding positions causes the sets of channel-molding members to move between their channel-molding and channel-unmolding positions.
The mold described in JP 2002 307442A further includes means for guiding the channel-molding members in the mold. These guide means comprise female slides provided in the radial segments of the mold.
Each mold segment described in JP 2002 307442A comprises top and bottom halves connected respectively to the top and bottom axial sidewall-molding members by means that allow for axial relative movement between the segment halves and the axial members for molding the sidewalls.
The female slides for guiding the top set of channel-molding members are arranged in the top halves of the segments, and the female slides for guiding the bottom set of channel-molding members are arranged in the bottom halves of the segments.
The axial relative movement of each segment half relative to the corresponding axial member for molding a sidewall is limited so as to prevent the channel-molding members from disengaging from their guiding slides when the channel-molding members are moved from their molding positions to their unmolding positions.
Thus, when the mold described in JP 2002 307442A is open, the axial movement of the sidewall-molding axial members enables the vulcanized tire to be withdrawn from the channel-molding members without disengaging the channel-molding members from the guide slides.
Nevertheless, in order to open the mold, it is necessary to move each sidewall-molding axial member together with the radial segment path to which it is connected. In addition, when closing the mold, it is necessary to take care that the junction between the radial segment halves is properly sealed. This makes the mold relatively complex to handle.

Mold for vulcanizing an unvulcanized tire blank


A frame for holding a cap of the type having a bill and a front crown. The frame includes an inner subframe having an inner band and an outer subframe having an outer band. The inner and outer bands are hingedly joined on one end so that the outer band may be selectively folded between an open position wherein the outer band is spaced from the inner band and a closed position wherein the outer band is disposed adjacent the inner band. Latch mechanisms are provided for selectively securing the outer band in the closed position. Spaced apart support arms extend upwardly from the inner band. Spaced apart clamp arms extend upwardly from the outer band. When the outer band is in the closed position, an outer opening defined between the clamp arms is disposed adjacent an inner opening defined by the support arms, and the clamp arms are disposed adjacent respective support arms for clamping portions of the crown of the cap therebetween. Each of the support arms includes a reinforcing rib integrally formed therein. A bill support platform is secured to and extends forwardly of the outer band and away from the inner band. At least one tooth is formed on a support arm and/or a clamp arm and extends toward the adjacent support arm or clamp arm when the outer band is in the closed position.

In the conventional manufacture of caps (e.g., baseball caps) bearing embroidered logos on the front of the cap crown, each finished cap is mounted on a frame and the frame is mounted on or in an embroidery machine. The frame is intended to hold the front crown in place with minimal movement, stretch, or distortion during the embroidery operation.
An example of a conventionally available frame is the Tajima/Melco available from Tajima of Japan. The frame includes a rigid, arcuate rear subframe and a flexible front subframe. The subframes are connected at one end by a hinge so that they may be selectively folded into a closed position wherein the rear subframe is partially covered by the front subframe which bends to the arcuate shape of the rear subframe. The frame may be tightly secured in the closed position by a latch on the end opposite the hinge. The subframes each have a bottom cross band, a top cross band and a pair of spaced, vertical uprights extending between the crossbands. The uprights and crossbands together define an opening. The crossbands, uprights, and openings of the front and rear subframes are each in registry with the corresponding component of the other. In use, the crown of the cap is placed over the rear crossbands and uprights such that the portion of the cap to be embroidered overlies the opening, the cap brim extending forwardly. Notably, the top crossband of the rear subframe is disposed within the cap and thus at or near the area to be embroidered. The front subframe is clamped down into the closed, latched position, creating a frictional fit between the subframes and portions of the cap. Rubber may be positioned on the surfaces of the frame contacting the cap to enhance the frictional fit. Notably, the crossbands of the front subframe extend across the upper and lower parts of the crown, thereby reducing the sewable area.
The frame as just described suffers from several significant drawbacks in use. Because the top crossband of the rear subframe is positioned within the cap at or very near the area to be embroidered, the sewable area of the crown is limited. Also, the frame must be adjusted to accommodate caps of different crown heights. In addition to the inconvenience of effecting the adjustment, the provision of means for adjusting (e.g., a plurality of holes in the uprights, the uprights mounted to the bottom crossband by removable screws) generally adds to the complexity of the frame and the number of parts likely to become loose or misaligned in use. Also, even with rubber coatings, the frictional fit is often not sufficient to prevent displacement of the cap or relaxation of the desired stretch across the opening. Further, because no provision is made to support the cap's brim, there is a tendency for the brim to tilt downward, causing the crown to distort.
There exists a need for a frame for holding a cap for embroidery by an embroidery machine, such frame providing a more secure holding of the cap. In particular, the frame should more securely prevent displacement, relaxation, and distortion of the held cap. Further, there exists a need for a frame which does not unduly limit the sewable area of the cap's crown.

Finished cap frame for embroidery of logos


The present invention provides an improved technique for performing a near processing path exponent difference in an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) of a microprocessor. In one embodiment, an apparatus having a separate logic circuit for near processing path and far processing path subtraction generates exponent difference signals using only two least significant bits of exponents of the two floating point operands to perform the exponent difference.

Generally, a floating point operand consists of three elements, the first being a sign bit, the second being mantissa bits, and the third being an exponent. For example, a 32 bit floating point operand is represented according to the IEEE (institute of electrical and electronic engineers) standard as follows:
                    (                  -          l                )            S                      --                  -                      sign            --                              -        ×            1.                                      M                                      23                      --                  -                      mantissa            --                              -        ×            2              (                              E                                                                          8                    -          127                )                            --                  -                      exponent            --                              -
Typically, a floating point addition operation includes an arithmetic operation on two floating point operands. For example, the arithmetic operation on the two floating point operands includes the following steps:                1. Making the exponents of the two floating point operands (operands) same by downshifting the mantissa of the operand having a lower exponent.        2. Adding the mantissas of both the operands (with or without a rounding operation) and outputting an added number.        3. Downshifting the added number by one bit if the added number overflows (for example, in a 32 bit addition, the added number overflows if the added number exceeds 32 bits).
The above outlined floating point addition operation requires a full downshifter, an adder, and a one-bit downshifter.
Similarly, the floating point subtraction operation also generally includes an arithmetic operation on the two operands. Conventional techniques perform the subtraction operation using two parallel processing paths, referred to as the far processing path and the near processing path, and selecting the output of one of the processing paths as the subtraction result.
The near processing path operation is used, if the difference between the exponents of both the operands is one or zero. Since the exponent difference is one or zero, downshift operation of a maximum of one bit is needed to make the exponents equal. After making the exponents equal, shifted mantissas are subtracted from other remaining mantissas. In such an instance, the most significant bit (MSB) can be at any bit location in the subtraction result. As a result, one full upshifter may be required to bring the MSB to a 1st location (and the exponent is subtracted by the amount equal to an upshift). The 1st location is referred from the left side of the subtracted number. For example, in a 32 bit subtractor, the MSB of the result can be anywhere between the 32nd bit to the 1st bit. In such a case, the MSB has to be upshifted to a highest of 32nd bit location and this generally requires a 32 bit upshifter. Thus, near processing path subtraction can require a one 1 bit downshifter, a one 32 bit subtractor, and a 32 bit upshifter.
The far processing path operation is used if the difference between the exponents of both the operands is more than one. The exponent difference of the far processing path can be more than one and can be any number. As a result, a full downshifter is required to make the exponents of the two operands same by downshifting the mantissa. The mantissa of the operand having a smaller input exponent is then subtracted from the mantissa of the other operand. The subtracted result can then require a 1 bit upshift operation. As a result, the far processing path subtraction operation can require a full downshifter, a full subtractor, and a 1 bit upshifter. For example, a 32 bit far processing path subtraction can require a 32 bit downshifter, a 32 bit subtractor, and a 1 bit upshifter.
Therefore, the above near processing path floating point subtraction operation can either require an exponent subtractor or any other logic to detect the exponent difference of the two operands. The near processing path does the subtraction if the mantissa difference is 0, 1, or −1. This exponent subtraction logic time can be significant. During this time, the near processing path remains idle, i.e., it will be waiting for the outcome of the exponent difference logic. This can significantly add to the overall subtraction operation time when using the above-described near processing path and the far processing path technique. Further, operations, such as rounding, upshift error correction, underflow detection, and the downshifted mantissa select can also take significant amount of additional logic time when using the above far processing path and near processing path technique for the floating point subtraction.

Methods and apparatus for an efficient floating point ALU


An apparatus for rotatably connecting an actuator in a hard disk drive includes a housing coupled to a base of the hard disk drive and having an aperture for enabling rotation of the actuator. A pivot is positioned within the housing and provides a recess for connecting the actuator to the pivot. A lower ball bearing assembly positioned between the housing and the pivot includes: a lower outer wheel, a lower inner wheel and a first ball positioned between the lower outer wheel and the lower inner wheel. An upper ball bearing assembly positioned between the housing and the pivot at a spaced apart location from the lower ball bearing assembly includes: an upper outer wheel, an upper inner wheel and a second ball positioned between the upper outer wheel and the upper inner wheel. The apparatus is configured so that the actuator, the pivot, the lower inner wheel and the upper inner wheel are rotatable within the housing, the lower outer wheel and the upper outer wheel as the actuator extends outwardly from the pivot and the housing through the aperture.

The present invention relates to an actuator in a hard disk drive, and more particularly, to an improved actuator fixing apparatus for reducing the rotational inertia and the moving mass of an actuator body so that data access times are reduced.
A hard disk drive used as a memory device in a computer typically utilizes a rotatable actuator having a magnetic head on one end for reading and writing data from and to a surface of a magnetic disk. When the hard disk drive operates, rotation of the actuator must be carefully controlled in order to properly perform the read or write process. Rotation of the actuator is typically achieved through a voice coil motor that applies a torque upon a body of the actuator. In rotating the actuator, it is intuitive from classical physics that a greater moving mass produces a greater amount of rotational inertia. Accordingly, when designing actuator assemblies, it is desirable to minimize the moving mass of the actuator in order to retain greater control over the movement of the actuator.
One prior art reference directed towards this issue is U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,465 entitled Compliant Pivot Mechanism For A Rotary Actuator issued to Blanks. Blanks '465 discloses a pivot bearing structure for use in a rotary actuator that seeks to reduce the moving mass of the rotary actuator. In particular, tolerance rings are used to fix bearings to the actuator body to allow a thinner wall on the bore in the actuator body. Accordingly, the size of the completed assembly is reduced and the inertia of the actuator is lower. While this design possesses merit in its own right, we believe that an improved design can be contemplated.

Actuator fixing apparatus in hard disk drive


A luminaire housing (10) comprises a light chamber (15) at least partially delimited by a light-transmissive cover (30). The light chamber comprises a mounting region for mounting at least one solid state lighting element. The cover comprises at least one rounded corner section (31) in between two further sections (33), wherein the rounded corner section has an inner surface (311) having opposing inner endpoints (103, 105) and an outer surface (313) having opposing outer endpoints (113, 115). Each inner endpoint is positioned relative to the outer endpoint proximal to said inner endpoint such that no ray of light (301, 301′) emitted by the at least one solid state lighting element entering the light-transmissive cover via an inner surface (331) of a further section exits the light-transmissive cover from the outer surface of a curved corner section. A luminaire including such a luminaire housing, a design method and a manufacturing method for such a luminaire housing are also disclosed.

Solid state lighting (SSL), e.g. LED lighting, is becoming increasingly popular due to its much lower energy consumption and much improved lifetime compared to previous generation lighting, e.g. incandescent or fluorescent lighting. Nowadays, new luminaires are being designed with SSL elements in mind, such that the optical performance of the luminaire is tailored to the SSL elements.
However, in many cases, luminaires designed for previous generation lighting are being reused with SSL elements, for example by replacing the previous generation lighting. Consequently, the luminaire may no longer exhibit the desired optical performance due to the fact that SSL elements have a distinctly different optical characteristic compared to previous generation light sources such as (tubular) incandescent or fluorescent lighting.
For example, waterproof luminaires such as the Philips Pacific Performer WT360C typically comprise a transparent waterproof housing including a cover, which may be removable in order to provide access to the interior of the luminaire, e.g. to replace the light source therein. Such a cover typically comprises rounded corner sections for aesthetic, mechanical and/or optical reasons as well as for health and safety reasons, e.g. to prevent injury by sharp corners. Such a prior art luminaire is schematically depicted in FIG. 1, in which the elongate luminaire comprises a luminaire housing 10 including a base 20 and light-transmissive polycarbonate cover 30 having rounded corner sections 31 and linear (planar) sections 33. The cover 20 delimits an optical chamber 15 in which one or more fluorescent light tubes 25, e.g. T5 tubes, are mounted in a mounting region within the optical chamber 15, e.g. in fitting brackets or the like. Upon placement of one or more rows 21 of SSL elements 23 within such a housing 10, as schematically depicted in FIG. 2, e.g. within a transparent tubular body mimicking a fluorescent tube, optical artefacts in its luminous output can be clearly detected, in particular when the SSL elements are small relative to the diameter of the tubular body. Such optical artefacts include non-uniformity in the luminous distribution over the cross-section of the luminaire both in terms of colour and intensity, e.g. dark and bright lines as well as colour effects that become visible on the surfaces onto which the luminous distribution of such a luminaire is projected. Further optical artefacts may be caused by extrusion stripes in the extruded polycarbonate cover 30.
CN203421614U discloses an LED lamp shade that is hollow and is in a shape of a long square column. The inner wall of the bottom of the lamp shade is a curved surface, the inner wall surfaces of a first side edge and a second side edge which are opposite to each other of the inner wall of the side edge of the lamp shade are irregular saw-toothed refraction structures. The angles of saw teeth of the inner wall surfaces of the first side edge are increased gradually from the top of the inner side to the bottom of the inner side, and the angles of the saw teeth of the inner wall surfaces of the second side edge are increased gradually from the top of the inner side to the bottom of the inner side in order to achieve an even luminous distribution. However, it has been found that at least some of the aforementioned optical artefacts still exist for this lamp shade.


Disclosed is a holder for nail polish containers, including at least one ring portion configured to fit around a user's finger and having formed therein an opening slit, and at least one crown portion disposed above and interconnected with the ring portions. The crown has a cavity formed therein and an expandable opening configured to receive a nail polish container. The ring portions and the crown are portions of a unified body formed from a substantially pliable material.

The application of nail polish to one's nails can present certain challenges. For instance, one typically endeavors to complete the application of polish without allowing stray polish to contact surrounding items and surfaces, as it has a tendency to stain items and/or be difficult to remove. One must also endeavor not to tip over or otherwise allow the nail polish container to spill it contents. However, because one must frequently wet the nail polish brush, it is impractical (or in the case of a combined cap and applicator, impossible) to replace the nail polish container cap during the application process. Furthermore, placement of the nail polish container is preferably proximate to one's nails during the application process to ease the process and lessen the chance of errant polish. While in some situations placement of the container on a table or other flat surface is sufficient, in many other cases a user may be forced to place the polish container in an insecure location where it may be susceptible to spilling.
Certain hand-based holders for nail polish containers have been previously proposed. Examples include U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/862,583, entitled "Fingernail Polishing Device and Method of Use" and filed Apr. 15, 2013, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,231, entitled "Finger Supported Holder for Nail Polish" and filed Jan. 25, 1937. The disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/862,583 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,140,231 are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. However, previous solutions have proven impractical for a number of reasons. For instance, nail polish containers vary widely in their size and shape, and many solutions fail to adequately accommodate such variations. Other solutions force the user to maintain an impractical hand position. Despite the widespread use of nail polish in light of the problems above, the lack of a commonly-available holding apparatus is indicative that an effective solution has not been previously realized.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.


A metal construction unit comprising the connection of rail type channels with hat type channels. A plurality of such metal hat channels may be attached to a pair of such rail channels. Hat channels being "U" shaped with side extensions at the top of the "U" and the rail channels having a base portion with upright portions extending perpendicular to the base so as to divide the base into left, right and middle portions. Both side flanges of each hat channel in the group are connected to one of the flanges of each of the rails. Similar construction would take place on the other side of the top and bottom rail with another set of hat channels.

While there are metal framing methods in the prior art none of them are of the construction of the applicant's invention. Specifically the applicant's invention recites the use of two metal hat channels that are used in connection with a metal rail member in order to produce a novel metal framing unit.


This invention features a device for controlling the operation of a pneumatic actuator and a pneumatic actuator having such a control device. More particularly, the actuator control device of the instant invention includes a housing mounted to an actuator end cap, a solenoid valve disposed within the housing and a gas control valve that controls the pressurized gas admitted to and exhausted from the actuator for valve actuation. The gas control valve is responsive to the solenoid valve and is mounted to the housing. Preferably, the control device includes a position indication mechanism, disposed within the housing, that determines a prespecified position of the valve responsive to the movement of at least one and preferably two moveable actuator probes extending from the actuator end cap into the housing. The gas control valve is a spool valve that is pneumatically controlled by the solenoid valve. The position indication mechanism includes a mechanical switch or an inductive proximity switch, one for each actuator probe that determines the position of an end of each actuator probe that are each actuated by an end of an actuator probe as it moves within the housing responsive to the motion of the actuator.

In the operating facilities or plants found in the petrochemical and power industry, plant operators must have the ability to remotely control the operation of valves that are located throughout the plant from a main operating control room, from remote fixed control panels or from other locations remote from the locations of the valves. To accomplish this, some remotely controlled or remotely actuated valves are provided with pneumatic actuators that use a pressurized gas, such as pressurized air, as the energy source or the motive force to selectively position the valve in its open position, in its closed position or at some intermediate position.
The pneumatic actuator is typically a separate component that is attached or secured to the valve body and valve stem in such a fashion that the actuating mechanism will cause the valve stem to operate (e.g., causes valve stem to rotate) so as to cause the valve to change its position (i.e., cause the valve disc, plug or ball to stroke or move). In addition, it is common for the valve actuator to be provided with limit switches to sense the open/closed position of the valve as well as to interlock the valve actuator with other functions, as required, when the valve is in the open or closed position.
However, for these actuators the additional devices associated therewith such as the limit switches and the solenoid valve are individually constructed and each are separately mounted to the actuator. As such, special brackets must be designed and manufactured to secure each component to the actuator body. Additionally, the actuator must be designed with provisions or additional features so the brackets and components remain safely and properly secured to the actuator during the specified service conditions.
In addition to the mounting requirements, for on-site installation of these pneumatically actuated valves, the wiring providing power and control signals must be run to each separate device and an electrical termination made to each device. Further, there is typically, an electrical conduit or a flexible conduit and an associated connection for each electrical device mounted to the actuator particularly when there is a water or explosion proof design requirement imposed. Thus, the need for conduit and flexible connections for each electrical device, as well as the widely spaced wiring, makes installation of the pneumatic actuator expensive as well as creating a congestion of wiring and conduits proximate or about each pneumatic actuator.
The congested wiring, as well as the multiple conduit connections, makes maintenance of the pneumatic actuator and the related valve time consuming and expensive. For example, to remove a valve or its actuator each and every conduit connection and each and every electrical termination must be broken and the wiring and conduit/flexible conduit moved out of the way. Alternatively, the devices or components may be detached or disconnected from the actuator and left hanging from the conduit or wires while the actuator and/or valve is being removed/repaired.
Since the additional components (e.g., limit switches) are externally mounted to the actuator, each individual component must have a housing designed to meet the environmental or service conditions specified for the actuator. For example, if there was an explosion proof design requirement, each limit switch and solenoid valve mounted to the actuator would have to be constructed and designed to be explosion proof. As such, externally mounted components are generally more expensive because each component has to meet the rigorous design requirements of the actuator. In addition, this increases maintenance time and expense because these capabilities need to be maintained for each component (e.g., maintain explosion proof capability of each component housing). Generally components that are externally mounted to the actuator are also susceptible to damage, for example during installation or during maintenance activities.
There is, therefore, a need for a pneumatic actuator and an actuator controlling device that simplifies making electrical terminations and gas/air piping connections, which reduces the number of electrical conduits and which makes installation, operation and maintenance of the valve and actuator less expensive than for known pneumatic actuators. There is also a need for an actuator controlling device that simply and inexpensively can satisfy water and/or explosion proof design requirements as well as being a controlling device that can be simply and easily used for all size pneumatic actuators.

Pneumatic actuator having an end mounted control device


A medical catheter having an elongate body, a first expandable balloon and a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes an expandable filter having a first portion coupled to a portion of the medical catheter and a second portion positioned around at least a portion of the first expandable balloon to form a channel between the filter assembly and the first expandable balloon. The filter assembly can further include struts coupled to the second portion of the expandable filter, where the struts tether the second portion of the expandable filter to the elongate body adjacent the proximal end of the first expandable balloon. The first expandable balloon can be used in procedures to dilate blood vessels, including those that deploy stents, where the expandable filter assembly captures particles, including embolic particles, from the blood during the procedure.

Percutaneous transluminal devices have been successfully used in treating thrombotic or atherosclerotic lesions in blood vessels. These devices include those for directional atherectomy and coronary angioplasty with or without stent deployment. In addition to being used in angioplasty, stenting, and/or atherectomy in the tubular conduits (e.g., blood vessels), percutaneous transluminal devices have also been used in treating other vascular lesions associated with, for example, carotid artery stenosis, arterial occlusive disease (especially the aorta, the iliac artery, and the femoral artery), renal artery stenosis caused by atherosclerosis or fibromuscular disease, superior vena cava syndrome, and occlusive iliac vein thrombosis resistant to thrombolysis.
One complication common to use of percutaneous transluminal devices is the dislodgment of embolic particles that occur during the treatment of the lesion in the blood vessel. This dislodgement of embolic particles has the potential of occluding downstream vessels leading to ischemic (e.g., stroke) or infarct event occurring in the organ having the occluded vessel(s). These embolic particles include calcium, intimal debris, atheromatous plaque, and/or thrombi.
Presently, there is a need in the art to address dislodged embolic particles that occur during percutaneous transluminal procedures. While a variety of approaches have been suggested and/or attempted, the need for a percutaneous transluminal device to address the problem of dislodged embolic particles during the treatment of lesions in blood vessels still exists.

Medical device and method of intravenous filtration


A device for setting and leveling tile is provided that comprises an elongated straight edge. The straight edge includes a horizontal tile support flange and a vertical flange. A support leg is adjustably attached to the vertical flange adjacent each end of the straight edge and a bubble level is centered on the vertical flange between the support legs. The thickness of the horizontal support flange is sized so that after all the courses of tile are laid and the straight edge is removed, only a layer of grout is required to complete the installation. If the floor is not level, the support legs are adjusted to center the bubble in the level prior to laying the tiles. When leveling tile around a bathtub, an adjustable brace is affixed onto each of the support legs. Each brace includes and adjustment slot therethrough and a rubber boot secured on one end for engaging the bottom of the tub for supporting the straight edge on the edge of the tub.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for leveling wall tiles, and more particularly, relates to a floor-mounted device for leveling the first row of wall tile in a shower stall or a bathtub stall.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous devices have been used to aid in the installation of wall tiles so that the tiles are horizontally leveled and properly aligned. Typically a line is drawn along the wall or in the adhesive securing the tile to the wall and the tiles laid along the line. Another, common way of laying wall tile is to secure a straight edge device to the wall and lay successive rows of tile on the straight edge. After the tiles are set, the straight edge device is removed and tiles are laid over the area previously covered by the straight edge device.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,423 issued Mar. 21, 1995 to Allen L. Smith, a straight edge apparatus is shown for setting a level, second row of tile in the tub splash above an upper side edge of a tub. To ensure that the rows of tile are level even if the tub is not level, spaced adjustable length legs are clamped onto the straight edge to adjust the ends of the straight edge into alignment with a mark on the wall adjacent the lower end of the tub. The straight edge is held in place on the wall by mastic.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,260 issued Nov. 23, 1993 to Lee R. Smith teaches a tile leveler device that permits a tile setter to position the second row of wall tile in a desired pattern and continue to set the desired pattern using long setting cements. The device includes a support member with means for affixing to a wall and for supporting, aligning and centering tile with the support member. Spring biased arms extend out of both ends of the support member to engage the walls of a shower stall to hold the support member in position. Pins are provided in the ends of the arms to provide additional support. The pins penetrate the walls around the tub to securely hold the support member in place. Holes for pushpins are also provided at the ends of the arms so that the support member may be secured to the facing wall only. The ends of the support member are rested upon tiles resting on the top surface of a bathtub. A spirit level is provided on the support member so that the support member can be manipulated so that the second row of tiles are laid level before being secured to the walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,227 B1 issued Apr. 9, 2002 to Veyna teaches a tile setting rack in the form of a bridge for aiding in setting the first course of tile on a surface above a fireplace. The device includes a pair of horizontal elongated guide bars and a pair of vertical elongated support bars. The guide bars are adjustably connected together to form a single guide bar. A support bar is adjustably attached to each end of the single guide bar. The guide bar includes a leveling bubble to facilitate adjustment of the guide bar relative to the support bars so that the first course of tile placed upon the guide bar is laid level. The adjustable support and guide bars of the device allow the device to be used for setting tile on fireplace openings of various sizes.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


An arrayed waveguide grating for multiplexing or demultiplexing WDM optical signals is fabricated by forming an input waveguide, an input slab waveguide, arrayed waveguides, an output slab waveguide and output waveguides on a circuit substrate, and integrated with a thin film heater. Since the arrayed waveguide grating does not necessitate an independent component for controlling temperature, such as a thin heater or Peltier, and the structure thereof is simplified and unified.

The invention relates to an arrayed waveguide grating, which is widely used as a key device for constructing a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM, hereinafter ) optical communication system, and multiplexes or demultiplexes WDM optical signals in accordance with wavelengths of individual optical signals.
Hitherto, an arrayed waveguide grating for multiplexing or demultiplexing WDM optical signals is well known to all as a key device for constructing the WDM optical transmission system, such as an optical wave address network or an optical switching system.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view for showing a method for controlling temperature of a conventional arrayed waveguide grating, and a reference numeral 1 shows the arrayed waveguide grating, 2 shows a metallic plate, 3 shows a temperature-control unit, 4 shows a heat sink, 5, 6 show optical fiber arrays, 7 shows an optical fiber, and 8 shows a taped optical fiber.
In the arrayed waveguide grating 1, an input waveguide 12, an input slab waveguide 13, arrayed waveguides 14 composed of plural waveguides successively extending in a length by xcex94L, an output slab waveguide 15 and N output waveguides 16 are formed on a waveguide substrate 11. The arrayed waveguide grating 1 has the function of demultiplexing the WDM optical signals, which are composed of N optical signals having the wavelength of xcex1, xcex2, . . . , xcexn and supplied through the input waveguide 12, into the N individual optical signals and outputting them through the output waveguides 16 respectively corresponding to their wavelengths.
The temperature-control unit 3 is formed of Peltier or a thin heater.
An outline of the principle of the operation of the arrayed waveguide grating 1 will be explained for a case that this circuit is used as a demultiplexer as an example.
The WDM optical signals incident on the input waveguide 12 are diffracted by the input slab waveguide 13, divided among the arrayed waveguides 14, and propagate therethrough. Although each optical signal is in the same phase in the input end of the arrayed waveguides 14, since the arrayed waveguides 14 successively extend in a length by xcex94L, each optical signal undergoes a difference in a phase between the adjacent waveguides at the output end of the arrayed waveguides 14 depending on the wavelength thereof. When each optical signal is supplied to the output slab waveguide 15 from the arrayed waveguides 14 and propagates therethrough, each optical signal is focused on one of the output waveguides 16 at the output end of the output slab waveguide 15 depending on the wavelength thereof. The WDM optical signals are demultiplexed into the N individual optical signals in this way, and outputted through the output waveguides 16.
In the arrayed waveguide grating 1, an insertion loss of the optical signal supplied to one of the output waveguides 16 becomes the minimum at a certain center wavelength. In order to make the certain center wavelength coincide with a desired wavelength, it is necessary to control the phase difference of the optical signal between the adjacent waveguides at the output end of the arrayed waveguides 14 so as to coincide with a predetermined-value.
A main ingredient of the core of the waveguide through which the optical signal propagates is SiO2 in most cases, and a refractive index of SiO2 changes in accordance with temperature. Accordingly, it is necessary to control temperature of the arrayed waveguides 14 so as to maintain a predetermined value.
In the conventional arrayed waveguide grating 1, the temperature-control unit 3 for maintaining temperature of the arrayed waveguides 14 at a predetermined value is brought into contact with a reverse surface of the waveguide substrate 11 via the metallic plate 2 in order to make the center wavelength coincide with the desired wavelength.
A thin heater or Peltier is selected as the temperature-control unit 3 in accordance with operating temperature of the arrayed waveguides 14. Generally speaking, in case that an optical circuit is so designed that the center wavelength coincides with the desired wavelength at about 80xc2x0 C., which is higher than ordinary ambient temperature, the thin heater is adopted. In case that the optical circuit is so designed that the center wavelength coincides with the desired wavelength at a medium value of ordinary ambient temperature, Peltier is adopted.
In the aforementioned conventional arrayed waveguide grating 1, since the temperature-control unit 3 for maintaining temperature thereof at a predetermined value is brought into contact with the reverse surface of the circuit substrate 11 via the metallic plate 2 and thereby temperature of the arrayed waveguides 14 is kept to be a predetermined value, the temperature-control unit 3 formed into an independent component is indispensable. As a result, since it becomes necessary to join plural parts together to fabricate the arrayed waveguide grating 1 (a module, hereinafter at need), the module cannot be thinned, and is not resistant to vibration or shock. Accordingly, fabrication process becomes complicated, and cost of production increases.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrayed waveguide grating which does not necessitate a thin heater or Peltier to be combined with a module as an independent component, and has a thin, simplified and unified structure.
According to the feature of the invention, an arrayed waveguide grating comprises:
at least one input waveguide formed on a substrate,
an input slab waveguide formed on the substrate,
arrayed waveguides formed on the substrate,
an output slab waveguide formed on the substrate,
plural output waveguides formed on the substrate, and,
temperature-control means integrated with the arrayed waveguide grating
In the arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 2, the temperature-control means is formed on the arrayed waveguides.
In the arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 3, the temperature-control means is a thin film heater.
In the arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 4, the thin film heater is formed by means of evaporation.
In the arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 5, the thin film heater is formed of metal.
In the arrayed waveguide grating according to claim 6, the thin film heater is covered with a protective layer.


A method of providing programming to a portable wireless music player includes connecting to a music service provider from a remote client and defining a play list at the music service provider through user interaction at the remote client. The player connects to the music service provider over a wireless service network and downloads music to the player from the music service provider in accordance with the previously defined play list. The music or other programming is played at the player.

The use of wireless technology has become widespread. Some existing cellular phones include a plethora of features, with some of these phones having microbrowsers and messaging capabilities. Today's cellular phone is not just an ordinary phone anymore, but is packed with features. Similarly, sophisticated wireless personal digital assistants are also available. In addition to traditional calendar and planning software, these personal digital assistants include wireless capabilities to allow messaging, such as e-mail, as well as a form of limited web access.
Although many existing wireless devices including cellular phones and personal digital assistants have been commercially successful, many of these devices have many advanced features and the consumer is forced to pay a premium for the product even though many of the features may go unused. Because the wireless revolution is in its infancy, there is a need for improved wireless products. In addition, there is a need for a wireless device that provides the functionality demanded by a consumer while providing enough simplicity to keep the product cost low.

Portable wireless player and associated method