A honing tool holder that provides a capability for automatically feeding the honing elements or stones when in the bore of a work piece, and for automatically stopping the feeding when a particular condition such as a bore size, is reached, so as to enable use of an in-process adjustable feed honing tool in a machine tool, machining center, or the like, lacking a feed mechanism or system. The holder can also include apparatus to automatically prevent feed past a limit. Both the feed force and feed limit can be adjustable, including by simple movements of the tool holder by the machine tool.

U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/384,947, filed Sep. 21, 2010, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Machine tools and machining centers, hereinafter sometimes jointly referred to by the term "machine tool", including, but not limited to, milling machines and the like, include rotatable spindles configured for holding tools such as milling cutters, drills, reamers, and the like, for performing machining operations, such as but not limited to, milling, drilling, boring, and reaming. Such tools are typically removably held in the spindle by tool holders, which allow quickly changing the tools, for instance, by an automatic tool changing apparatus. Honing is a machining operation that can impart a much more precise size, shape, and finish to work piece bores, but many traditional honing tools require a feed mechanism or system for adjusting a feed position and/or feed force of honing elements, e.g., abrasive stones, of the tool, in process, as those elements are urged against the surface of a bore of a work piece for honing the bore. Known machine tools and machining centers lack the required feed system or mechanism, and thus the traditional in process adjustable feed honing tools have not been used on machine tools.
Several honing tools that have an in-process feed capability designed for use in machine tools lacking a feed system or mechanism, are known. Many machine tools have a through-the-spindle coolant delivery system, and it is known to use the pressure of this coolant to directly or indirectly force the honing elements or abrasive stones of the honing tool against the surface of the bore. Reference, Hyatt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,252, which discloses a honing tool designed for use in a machine tool having through-the-spindle coolant. By means of passages the coolant pressure is supplied directly to chambers behind the abrasive stones to provide direct force. However this type of tool allows each abrasive stone to feed independently, which has been found to lack an ability to reliably improve the roundness of a bore, which is often a goal of the honing process. In the traditional in-process adjustable feed honing tools, roundness is usually improved by having the honing elements or abrasive stones fed or moved by a single wedge element that keeps all of the honing elements or stones advancing or retracting in unison.
Reference also Becksvoort, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,739,949 B2, and 7,070,491 B2, which disclose an alternative to a traditional in-process adjustable feed honing tool, by having a wedge style feed element that is moved or fed by the pressure of coolant delivered through the machine tool spindle. However, neither these patents or Hyatt et al. discloses a manner of detecting when the honing operation has achieved the desired bore size. Typically, honing is done for a set period of time or some external means of in-process bore gauging is employed to determine when the desired bore size has been reached.
Reference also a 2010 technical paper, titled Integration of a Honing Tool into a Combination Machining Centre, by Paffrath and Biermann, which describes a "honing" tool for use in a machine tool. However, the disclosed tool is not a honing tool in the traditional sense. It consists of stones that are moved in the manner of a boring tool radially into the wall of a bore which requires significant rigidity and therefore is ill-suited to any bore except those that are very short relative to their diameter. In contrast, traditional honing tools are self supported in the bore by their honing elements or stones and possibly shoes that contact the bore in multiple angular locations, and the tools expand by changing diameter, which offers a significant advantage in the control of size and bore geometry.
None of the above referenced prior art discloses a manner of using traditional in-process adjustable feed honing tools on the spindle of a machine tool or machining center.
Thus, what is sought is a honing tool holder that provides a capability for automatically feeding the honing elements or stones when in the bore of a work piece, and for automatically stopping the feeding when a particular condition such as a bore size, is reached, to enable use of an in-process adjustable feed honing tool in a machine tool, machining center, or the like, lacking a feed mechanism or system.

Honing tool holder with integral in-process feed system


A solder with ground bar includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit includes a first ground bar and a first solder layer attached to one side of the first ground bar. The second unit includes a second ground bar and a second solder layer attached to one side of the second ground bar. The first unit and the second unit are arranged in such a manner that the first solder layer and the second solder layer face each other. The first solder layer and the second solder layer are partially joined together.

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a solder with ground bar and a coaxial cable array.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-203217 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology as follows. A plurality of coaxial cables are juxtaposed. Each outer conductor of each of the coaxial cables is partially exposed. The exposed portions of the outer conductors of the plurality of coaxial cables are interposed between two ground bars. A solder sheet is attached to each ground bar. The solder sheet is molten in order to adhere the two ground bars to the plurality of coaxial cables.

Method for manufacturing solder with ground bar and coaxial cable array


An electronic device is based on a single crystal semiconductor substrate. A cavity is formed in the semiconductor substrate. Further, a movably suspended mass is defined by one or more trenches extending from one side of the semiconductor substrate to the cavity. A first electrode layer is provided on the suspended mass. Further, a cover layer covering the suspended mass is provided. The cover layer includes a second electrode layer arranged opposite to the first electrode layer and spaced therefrom by a gap.

In the field of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), it is known to suspend certain elements of a semiconductor material, to thereby combine electronic functionalities with mechanical actions. Examples of such MEMS are accelerometers in which movement of a suspended mass is detected on the basis of capacitive coupling of an electrode on the suspended mass to a counter-electrode. Another example of such MEMS are energy harvesters in which movement of a suspended mass is converted to electric energy by utilizing electrostatic coupling of an electrode on the suspended mass to a counter-electrode.
However, in some cases such MEMS devices may be difficult to integrate with other circuitry, may suffer from excessive production costs, or may lack scalability. This may for example result from the requirement to, on the one hand, prepare the suspended mass from a semiconductor by utilizing sophisticated etching processes, while further requiring accurate positioning of electrodes or other circuit structures on the suspended mass or in proximity to the suspended mass. For example, in "DESIGN, MODELING, FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ELECTRET-BASED MEMS ELECTROSTATIC ENERGY HARVESTER", G. Altena et al., Transducers′11, Beijing, China, Jun. 5-9, (2011), an electrostatic energy harvester is described which is based on bonding three different wafers onto each other. In this structure, a seismic mass is prepared in an SOI (Silcon On Insulator) wafer, and a support wafer providing metal contact layers and an electret wafer are bonded to both sides of the SOI wafer.
Accordingly there is a need for techniques which allow for efficiently providing an electronic device equipped with a suspended mass.

Electronic device having a first electrode formed on a movable suspended mass opposing a second electrode formed on a cover layer


An inverter unit comprising component parts including at least an inverter and a filter which removes a high harmonic wave component from an output of said inverter, wherein said component parts are housed in an aluminum case having a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion, said filter includes a coil which is wound around a core extending straight and is arranged at a position closed to one end of said case, an end portion of said core being wound with said coil is arranged closed to an inner surface of said side wall portion of the case, and a ferromagnetic plate, which leads magnetic flux coming in and out said end portion of the core arranged closed to said wall portion of the case to the direction along the inner surface of the side wall portion of the case, is disposed between said end portion of said core and said inner surface of said side wall portion of the case.

There have been used an inverter unit for obtaining an AC voltage having a constant frequency (generally a commercial frequency) by using a generator driven by a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine as a power source. As shown in FIG. 6, an inverter unit for converting an output of an AC generator into an AC output having a constant frequency includes: an AC/DC converter CNV for converting an output of an AC generator into a DC output; an inverter INV for converting the output of the converter into an AC voltage of a constant frequency; and a filter FL. The filter FL is a low-pass filter having, for example, first and second coils L1, L2 and a capacitor C1, and is provided for removing a high harmonic wave component from the output of the inverter INV.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a structure of a conventional inverter unit 401 of this type. In FIG. 7, a reference numeral 402 shows a box-like case having a rectangular shaped bottom wall portion 402a, and a side wall portion comprising side walls 402b, 402c facing to the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall portion 402a and side walls 402d, 402e facing to the cross direction of the bottom wall portion 402a. In the case 402, there are housed component parts of the inverter unit, including the converter CNV, the inverter INV and the filter FL.
The first and second coils L1, L2 of the filter FL are wound around first and second bobbins B1, B2 mounted to first and second cores I1, I2, respectively. In order to maintain the stability of cut-off frequency of the filter with respect to the change of load current, a prismatic core being comprised of a laminated steel plate and extending straight is used as the cores I1, I2 being wound with the coils L1, L2, respectively.
The coils L1, L2 are arranged at a position close to the side wall portion 402b which is one end of the case 402 so that central axes of the coils coincide with each other, and an end portion I1b of the core I1 of the first coil L1 and an end portion (not shown) of the core I2 of the second coil L2 are respectively arranged close to the side walls 402d, 402e facing to the cross direction of the case 402. The capacitor C1 and the component parts of the converter CNV and the inverter INV are mounted to a printed board 403 which is arranged by the coils L1, L2.
It may be possible to arrange the coils L1, L2 at the central of the case 402. However, in this case, the structure of the unit becomes complicated, an outlet of an output line from the filter becomes complex, and the cost increases because of an increase in manufacturing processes, since it becomes necessary to divide the printed board 403 into two parts.
On the other hand, if the coils L1, L2 are arranged on the end portion of the case 402 as shown, it is possible to simplify the structure of the unit since it is unnecessary to divide the printed board 403. In addition, it is possible to make the outlet of the output line from the filter FL to outside easily in the case where the coils L1, L2 are arranged on the end portion of the case 402.
The inverter unit of this type often provides a function as a heat sink to the case 402 in order to improve heat radiation from the converter and the inverter. Also, for preventing the weight of the inverter becoming heavy, it is desirable to use a case as light as possible. Therefore, the case 402 is generally made from aluminum which not only has good heat conductivity but also is light weight.
Although it is not shown in the drawings, resin is cast into the case 402, and at least a part of the component parts of the unit is molded by the resin, so that the inverter unit has water-resisting and earthquake-resisting characteristics. An inverter unit of this type is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 11-122932.
An inverter unit shown in FIG. 7 includes an AC/DC converter CNV for converting an AC output of a generator into a DC output because it is assumed that an AC generator is used as power source. However, the AC/DC converter may be omitted in the case where an output of a DC power source such as a storage battery and a solar battery is converted into an AC output of constant frequency.
As shown in FIG. 7, if the coils L1, L2 are disposed at the end portion of the case 402 made of aluminum, and the end portions of the cores I1, I2 being wound with the coils L1, L2, respectively, are arranged closed to the inner surface of the side walls 402d, 402e of the case 402, the magnetic flux coming in and out the end portions of the cores I1, I2 flows through the side walls 402d, 402e of the case. If an AC magnetic flux flows through the side walls 402d, 402d of the case, eddy current flows at the side walls 402d, 402e. Then, since magnetic flux generated by the eddy current prevents an AC magnetic flux flowing through the cores I1, I2 from changing, magnetic resistance of the cores I1, I2 is increased, and inductance of the coils L1, L2 is decreased.
Therefore, it has been necessary for the conventional inverter unit of this type to make the coils L1, L2 have larger inductance than their needs, with making allowance for its possible reduction of inductance of the coils L1, L2. Thus, it was inevitable for the coils L1, L2 to be large and the cost to be expensive.
To avoid the reduction of inductance of the coils L1, L2, the distance between the end portions of the cores I1, I2 and the inner surfaces of the side walls 402d, 402e of the case 402 may be enlarged. However, in this case, the case 402 becomes large, which causes the inverter unit to become large.


A system for displaying images includes: (a) a base; (b) a movable, arcuate-shaped receptacle that rotates into and from the base; and (c) a display attached to the receptacle so that the display is visible when the receptacle is rotated from the base and the display is partially or entirely not visible when the receptacle is rotated into the base.

Display systems are currently available for permitting viewing of images thereon. They are commonly used in automobiles such as police cars, and aircraft for showing movies and the like. Such displays are available from a number of sources including Sanyo and Sony of Japan, and Philips in the Netherlands. Displays are also commonly used in laptop computers from a variety of manufacturers such as IBM. These types of displays demonstrate extreme drawbacks for many mobile applications in that they include sharp square edges which are unsafe in an accident and generally delicate if not carefully retracted into a closed position.
Although these currently available technologies are demonstrated as being satisfactory for rudimentary consumer purposes, they are not acceptable for use in value applications such as automobiles and aircraft where safety and ruggedness and low service costs are necessary and desirable. Therefore, a need exists for providing improved retractable display systems that are acceptable for widespread commercial adoption.

Rotatably retractable image display system


A brewing cartridge adapter includes a base, a passage wall, and an entry port. The base includes a floor. and a base wall extending from the floor and having an outer edge opposite the floor, defining an enclosed interior. The passage wall is arranged outside the wall and defines an enclosed extraction passage. The passage wall is closed at a bottom and extends to an outlet port proximal to the outer edge. The entry port is arranged between the extraction passage and the interior. The extraction passage is arranged in fluid communication with the interior through the entry port, and in fluid communication with an exterior of the base through the outlet port. At least a portion of the extraction passage is separated from the interior by the wall at the outer edge of the wall. The outlet port is arranged in a plane defined by the outer edge.

Automated beverage brewing machines are well known, and, for example, single-serving coffee makers, using a disposable or a reusable cartridge, have become very popular. Such coffee makers and similar beverage brewers are in wide use and a large variety of brewing cartridges have become available for them. Typical of such beverage brewers are those in which a disposable brewing cartridge is inserted into a brewing chamber of the brewer. An injection needle in the lid of the beverage brewer punctures a foil cover on the disposable brewing cartridge and injects liquid into the disposable brewing cartridge, which contains beverage brewing material, typically ground beverage material. An extraction needle in the base of the brewing chamber punctures a base of the disposable brewing cartridges and receives the brewed beverage from the cartridge, for delivery to a drinking cup or other container. An example of a popular single-serving beverage brewer is the coffee maker sold under the trademark KEURIG®, which uses a single-serving disposable brewing cartridge sold under the trademark K-CUP®.
Reusable cartridges have also been developed for the KEURIG® single-serving coffee maker and other beverage brewers. The reusable cartridges typically include a permanent opening in a lid of the reusable cartridge to receive the injection needle, and are designed to avoid being punctured by the extraction needle. The sides and/or bottom of the reusable cartridge include passages allowing brewed drink to flow from the reusable cartridge into the brewing chamber of the beverage brewer and then into a cup below the brewing chamber. The reusable cartridge thus alters the flow of brewed beverage to avoid the extraction needle, but still works very well in the beverage brewer.
The example described above utilizes a vertical flow of liquid. That is, water is provided to the cartridge from above via the injection needle, and brewed beverage flows from the bottom of the cartridge, either via the extraction needle or via another passage in the bottom of the cartridge.
A conventional single-serving beverage brewer having a horizontal orientation receives a generally horizontal brewing cartridge. The horizontal beverage brewer includes parallel injection and extraction needles that both penetrate a foil cover of the horizontal brewing cartridge. Unfortunately, neither the single-serving disposable brewing cartridge sold under the trademark K-CUP® nor the very common disposable cartridges made for other single-serving coffee makers can be used in the horizontal beverage brewers, depriving users of cartridge selection and requiring the use of a more expensive disposable cartridge. An example of a single-serving horizontal coffee maker is the coffee maker sold under the trademark VUE®, which uses disposable horizontal brewing cartridges sold under the trademark VUE®.
A disposable or reusable beverage cartridge that could be used in a beverage brewer having a horizontal orientation, for single-serving or multiple-serving use, would be beneficial to users of the brewers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present application relates to AC driven control systems that attains high level of functional integrity at one or more location. The present application discloses an AC driven control system that implements the technique of segregating domains of plurality of AC supply based functions using DC encoding thereby attaining high level of functional integrity of load devices that are being remotely operated.

Railway signalling systems are described by way of example as an electrical system that feeds AC supply over cables from one location for operating load device(s) located at another location(s). In railway signalling systems, amount of AC leaks due to cable faults across the line and line capacitance, and amount of induced AC from high voltage circuits over cable lengths, can be large enough to lead to variety of problems. For example, a fault across the line may draw the adequate current and power indicating that the load device to be operated is working, whereas the load device may not be working. By way of another example, a line connecting the control point and the load device may have an induced voltage of 110VAC/km in 25kV Locomotive Traction area, which can overlap with 110VAC Lit LED Signal command, and thus may result in un-intended operation of the LED load device.
Further, using AC supply in control systems can have numerous disadvantages such as:                (i) the connecting medium between control point and the load device may get affected by external factors in a manner that it affects the operation of the load;        (ii) in AC driven control systems after command signal and AC supply to operate a load device is sent from the control location, and after the load device performs the operation, the load device may be required to send feedback signal to the control location. In such instances, it is customary to provide a first transmission medium for carrying the command signals and the feedback signals while a second transmission medium is used for carrying the AC supply; as attaining segregation between the AC supply, the command signal and the feedback signal is difficult. By way of an example a load device may get the command signal for its operation from the control location through a fiber optic cable, derive the AC supply from a separate pair of conductors (provided between the control location and the load device) and then send feedback signal to the control location through the same optical fiber. The use of fiber optic cable for carrying the command signals and the feedback signals and use of a separate pair of conductors that provides the AC supply to the load significantly increases the cost; and        (iii) adding a conventional code to the operating power, for example, adding a phase shift keying to the AC supply, may not prove helpful as the code may get effected by the external factors and noise.
Thus, there exists a need to overcome one or more of the aforesaid disadvantages thereby to arrive at AC driven control system that attains high level of functional integrity at one or more locations.


A method and apparatus for controlling access to a detachably connectable computer device using encryption is disclosed. The method and apparatus include a connector for coupling the device to a computer, an input for receiving a password from a user, encrypting logic for encrypting the password and comparing logic for comparing the received password with a key. The key is determined by encrypting a user-assigned password and storing it as the key. Further included is circuitry for determining whether the received password corresponds to the key, and circuitry for sending an enable signal to configuration logic of the detachably connectable computer device, upon a determination that the received password corresponds to the key.

Modern personal computers are, in many cases, more modular and can accommodate more add-on features than their predecessors. Detachable battery packs, mice, modems and keyboards, user-installable add-on cards, and processors and removable disk drives have all become common features of computer systems today.
With this modularity and the detachably connectable nature of many of these add-on devices, theft has become a problem. Because these detachably connectable devices are relatively easy to carry away and they are often designed to work with a variety of different computers, they are frequent targets for theft and misuse.
The field of laptop and notebook computers provides a good example of this problem. In the field of laptop and notebook computers, the demand for portability and functionality of components continues to play a powerful role. Consumers require small, lightweight components with functional capabilities rivaling those of traditional, stationary counterparts.
Especially important to portable computers are peripheral input/output devices such as modems, facsimile machines, local area networks (LANs), and memories. A modem, for example, allows a user to communicate with other computers over telephone lines. Such a modem may provide access to data at a base office from a portable computer without the need for storing that data in the portable computer.
A portable computer device, such as a modem, is often arranged on an internal board within the portable computer. Some portable computer configurations provide separate devices which may be carried by a user and attached to the portable computer when needed. Some peripheral devices, such as modems, have been designed to plug directly into sockets recessed within the body of the portable computer. Traditionally, a portable computer includes a separate socket and separate internal circuitry for each peripheral device. This requires extra space in the internal circuitry of the portable computer.
A modern portable computer, however, may have one or more sockets, each being able to accept a variety of peripheral devices. For example, a single socket on a portable computer may be able to interface with a modem, facsimile machine, LAN, and/or an external memory. Such a configuration obviously reduces the amount of space required within the computer.
In September of 1991, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), jointly with the Japan Electronics Industry Development Association (JEIDA), introduced an international standard, which defines the physical and electrical interface specifications for the interchangeability of memory and input/output cards. The assignee of the present invention, Intel Corporation, has additionally issued, on Dec. 20, 1991, a specification referred to as an Exchangeable Card Architecture (ExCA.TM.) specification. (ExCA is a trademark of Intel Corporation.) The ExCA specification describes interfaces which allow memory and input/output cards for portable personal computers of different manufacturers to be interchanged.
An integrated circuit card as referred to in this specification is an electronic device that is adapted for use with a personal computer and that generally is capable of performing one or more specific functions such as providing increased hard disk storage, providing local area network (LAN) communications or providing facsimile transmission and receipt capabilities. A card built to the PCMCIA standard is just one example of an integrated circuit card as described in the present invention. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, however, that IC cards, modules and boxes that do not comply with the PCMCIA standard may also be used with the present invention.
An integrated circuit (IC) card designed and manufactured according to the PCMCIA specification, has a sixty-eight pin connector located at one end of the card for the sending and receiving of signals by the card. The IC card can be placed within a recessed socket within the computer, for example, to protect the card with the body of the computer surrounding the interface circuitry. Each IC card can be connected, used, and removed from a socket, interchangeably with other IC cards.
Along with the convenience and enhanced functionality of these IC cards lies a security problem. As discussed above, because of their small size, IC cards can be easily borrowed or stolen and the rising theft of IC cards has thus become a problem among users. Various approaches have arisen to combat this problem.
A first approach to the problem of theft of IC cards is to install a mechanical type of restraint. This approach is cumbersome to users in that it involves additional equipment where a goal of portable computing is to make computers and peripherals as small and lightweight as possible.
Another solution applies only to IC cards which provide external data storage, such as an IC card with a solid-state hard drive or an IC card with a rotating-disk hard drive installed thereon. According to this approach, data compression and/or data encryption onto the IC card hard drive is performed in such a way that data on the IC card's drive is useless to anyone without the same encryption or compression/decompression software. The thief is thus prevented from using the IC card only to the extent of reading pre-existing data on the disk. This second approach protects from unauthorized access to data on the IC card, but does not prevent unauthorized use of the IC card itself.
A third approach is similar to the second approach in that data is written on a hard drive using encryption techniques. Unlike the second approach, however, this third approach allows the IC card to encrypt data onto the system hard drive, which is built into the computer. Thus, the IC card acts as a security key. Without the particular IC card which directed the encryption, a user may not access the data on the system hard drive. Under this configuration, data placed on the system hard drive without the IC card encryption technique is unaffected, and only data encrypted by the IC card is protected. As with the second approach, this configuration does not prevent unauthorized use of the IC card itself, but only prevents unauthorized access to data encrypted by the IC card and stored on a system hard drive.
Similar issues exist with other detachably connectable computer devices.
Thus, a more convenient and comprehensive means for providing security for detachably connectable computer devices is needed.

Method and apparatus for controlling access to detachably connectable computer devices using an encrypted password


A homeotropic alignment liquid crystal film is provided with a liquid crystalline substance containing a side chain liquid crystalline compound having an oxetanyl group, as a constituent, aligned homeotropically on an alignment substrate while being in a liquid crystal state and fixed in the homeotropic alignment by allowing the oxetanyl group to react. Thus, the homeotropic alignment liquid crystal film can be stably produced without necessitating a complicated step such as light irradiation under an inert gas atmosphere and is excellent in alignment retainability after being fixed in the homeotropic alignment and in mechanical strength.

The present invention relates to homeotropic alignment liquid crystal films. The homeotropic alignment liquid crystal films of the present invention alone or in combination with other optical films may be used as optical films such as retardation films, viewing angle compensators, elliptical polarizers, and brightness enhancement films. The present invention also relates to image display devices comprising such homeotropic alignment liquid crystal films, such as liquid crystal display devices, organic EL display devices, and PDPs.
Optical films with a refractive index anisotropy have taken industrially important roles as used for enhancing the image quality of a liquid crystal display device. The optical films with a refractive index anisotropy may be broadly classified into those produced by stretching plastic films and those produced by aligning liquid crystalline substances. The latter are more worthy of attention because they have potentials that they achieve structures with various refractive indices.
Films having a larger refractive index in the thickness direction are assumed to be effective in improving the viewing angle of a liquid crystal display device. It is assumed that the use of a homeotropic alignment (vertically aligned) liquid crystal is a close approach to obtain such films. The homeotropic alignment of liquid crystal molecules denotes that the longitudinal axes of liquid crystal molecules are aligned substantially vertically relative to the substrate. It is well known that the homeotropic alignment can be obtained by applying electric field to a pair of glass substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal as done in a liquid crystal display device. However, it is very difficult to form the aligned liquid crystal into a film, and the processes having been reported so far have possessed many problems.
For example, in the processes disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 to 3, the film is obtained by allowing a main chain polymeric liquid crystalline compound to be homeotropically aligned and fixing the compound by vitrification. It is assumed that in the homeotropic alignment, the molecules of the polymeric compound are aligned in the thickness direction and thus there is a concern that cracking is likely to occur in the plane direction. However, in these processes, no technical measure of for example strengthening the materials by cross linking is taken. In the process disclosed in Patent Document 4, the homeotropic alignment of a side chain polymeric liquid crystalline compound is fixed by vitrification. However, there is a concern in terms of strength that is more serious than where a main chain polymeric liquid crystalline compound is used. In the processes disclosed in Patent Documents 5 and 6 below, a polymerizable low molecular weight liquid crystalline compound is added to a side chain polymeric liquid crystalline compound, but there is a limit in reinforcement thereof because the low molecular weight liquid crystalline compound is solely polymerized.
In the process disclosed in Patent Document 7 below, a material is used wherein a radically polymerizable group or a cationically polymerizable group such as vinyl ether and epoxy groups is introduced into a side chain polymeric liquid crystalline compound. However, in general, radical polymerization undergoes oxygen inhibition and may proceed insufficiently, leading the necessity of large facilities or apparatus for removal of oxygen. The vinyl ether or epoxy group is advantageous in this regard because it does not encounter oxygen inhibition. However, there is a concern that the ether bond of the vinyl ether group is unstable and tends to cleave. It is difficult to introduce the epoxy group into a liquid crystalline material and obtain a high polymerization degree when cross linking is carried out. Furthermore, since a large amount of non-liquid crystalline structural units is introduced into the liquid crystalline material in order to obtain the homeotropic alignment, there still remains a concern regarding the stable exhibition of liquid crystallinity. As described above, there have been remains problems in the conventional production of a homeotropic alignment liquid crystal film.
An image display device such as a liquid crystal display device varies in contrast associated with a change in viewing angle due to the birefringence of the liquid crystal or the like. For the purpose of preventing such contrast variations, a technique has been proposed wherein a retardation film is arranged on the liquid crystal cell of a liquid crystal device so as to compensate the optical characteristics relating to birefringence thereby improving the viewing angle characteristics. A uniaxial or biaxial stretched film is used as such a retardation film for compensation. However, such a stretched film does not necessarily have viewing angle characteristics satisfactory to all liquid crystal cells.
Patent Document 8 discloses a continuously carried-out process for producing a retardation film, characterized in that on one or both surfaces of an elongate thermoplastic resin film is bonded one or more heat-contractive films, and the elongate film is held with the grips of a tenter and contracted in the width direction at Magnification A which is in the range of 0.7 or more to less than 1.0, by allowing the contraction force of the heat-contraction films to be acted, followed by stretching and widening the elongate film at a stretch ratio (%) meeting the requirement that the percentage is equal to or less than that represented by (100−Magnification A×100)×0.15 where the film width excluding the parts held by the grips after the contraction is 100.
In this process, the film is also stretched in the thickness direction, resulting in a retardation film having a retardation in the thickness direction. However, when the main refractive indices in the resulting retardation film plane and the refractive index in the retardation film thickness direction are nx and ny, and nz, respectively and nx>ny, Nz defined by Nz=(nx−nz)/(nx−ny) will be −1.0<Nz<0.1. Therefore, there is a limit in stretching in the thickness direction, and thus the retardation in the thickness direction can not be controlled in a wide range. Furthermore, since in this process, the elongate film is stretched in the thickness direction by heat contraction, the resulting retardation film will be thicker than the elongate film. That is, the retardation film produced by this process has a thickness of 50 to 100 μm, which is not thin enough to meet the low profiling required in a liquid crystal display device or the like.
In the process disclosed in Patent Document 9, a retardation film is produced which a homeotropic alignment liquid crystal film and a stretched film with a retardation function are integrally laminated. The process for producing the homeotropic alignment liquid crystal film is the same as that disclosed in Patent Document 7 and is insufficient because the conventional processes including this process still have problems.
In the vertical alignment mode, which is one of the display modes of a liquid crystal display device, the liquid crystal molecules are aligned vertically to the substrate when no electric voltage is applied thereto and produces a black image when linear polarizers are arranged in a crossing relation to each other on both sides of the liquid crystal cell.
The optical characteristics in the liquid crystal cell is isotropic in the plane direction, and thus an ideal viewing angle compensation therefor can be easily achieved. When an optical element with a negative uniaxial optical anisotropy in the thickness direction of the liquid crystal cell is inserted between one or both surfaces thereof and the linear polarizers in order to compensate the positive uniaxial optical anisotropy in the liquid crystal cell thickness direction, very excellent black image viewing angle characteristics can be obtained.
Upon application of an electric voltage, the liquid crystal molecules changes their alignment from the vertical direction relative to the substrate surface toward the parallel direction. Thereupon, it is difficult to make the liquid crystal alignment uniform. The use of a usual alignment treatment, i.e., a rubbing treatment on the substrate results in a significant deterioration in display quality.
There are proposals for making the liquid crystal alignment uniform upon application of an electric voltage that a uniform alignment is obtained by modifying the shape of the electrodes on the substrates so that an oblique electric field is generated in the liquid crystal layer. Although this method enables the liquid crystal alignment to be uniform, an uneven alignment region is produced when viewed at the micro level and will be a dark region upon application of an electric voltage. Therefore, the transmissivity of the liquid crystal display device will be diminished.
Patent Document 11 proposes a configuration wherein the linear polarizers arranged on the both surfaces of a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer which may be in a random alignment are replaced by circular polarizers. Replacement of the linear polarizers by circular polarizers each of which is a combination of a linear polarizer and a ¼ wavelength plate can eliminate the dark region produced upon application of an electric voltage and accomplish to produce a liquid crystal display device with high transmissivity. However, the vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device with the circular polarizers has a problem that it has narrower viewing angle characteristics than that with the linear polarizers.
Patent Document 12 proposes an optical anisotropic element with a negative uniaxial optical anisotropy or a biaxial optical anisotropic material for compensating the viewing angle of a vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device with circular polarizers. However, although the optical anisotropic element with a negative uniaxial optical anisotropy can compensate the positive uniaxial optical anisotropy in the cell thickness direction, it fails to compensate the viewing angel characteristics of the ¼ wavelength plate, resulting in insufficient viewing angle characteristics.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2853064
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3018120
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Publication No. 3078948
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-174725
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-333524
Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-333642
Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-2927
Patent Document 8: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-304924
Patent Document 9: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-149441
Patent Document 10: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-2927
Patent Document 11: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-40428
Patent Document 12: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-207782

Homeotropic alignment liquid crystal film, optical film comprising the same, and image display device


An aerodynamic control system includes a skirt assembly configured to be disposed between plural vehicles in a vehicle system formed from the plural vehicles with the vehicles separated by a spatial gap in the vehicle system. The skirt assembly can include a bladder configured to be inflated with a fluid by a fluid source disposed onboard the vehicle system to cause the skirt assembly to expand between the vehicles from a collapsed state to an expanded state such that the skirt assembly at least partially fills the spatial gap between the vehicles. The skirt assembly can reduce aerodynamic drag exerted on the vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system relative to the vehicle system moving without the skirt assembly in the expanded state.

One of the largest sources of revenue for North American railroads is the transport of intermodal freight. Economies of scale make rail transportation a cost-effective option for intermodal freight movement. In comparison to truck transport, railway intermodal transport can be more fuel efficient due to the low-friction, steel-on-steel interface between the wheel and rail; the closely coupled railcars; and the rolling stock capable of transporting multiple trailers and/or containers in a single unit.
Despite fuel efficiency improvements, intermodal freight rail can consume more fuel than other types of freight transportation. The increased fuel consumption is partially due to the high aerodynamic drag of intermodal trains caused by large gaps between loads and flow discontinuities within railcars, skin friction or surface shear, and/or lead vehicle wind resistance (e.g., the leading vehicle in the vehicle system along a direction of travel). This drag can require additional tractive effort to propel the railcars along a route. As the amount of tractive effort needed to propel the railcars increases, the fuel consumption of the trains also increases. Additionally, other types of vehicles suffer from drag forces. Automobiles such as semi-truck trailers also consume a significant amount of fuel due to drag forces exerted on the trailers in the gaps between the trucks and the trailers.
Some approaches to reducing drag on rail cars include adding rigid, aerodynamically shaped extensions to the railcars. These extensions change the shape of the ends of the cars in an attempt to reduce drag on the cars. But, adding and removing these extensions to the railcars requires additional time and effort, thereby increasing the time needed for transporting the cargo carried by the railcars. Additionally, storage of these extensions can require additional expense and the extensions can consume additional tractive effort and/or fuel to propel the railcars having the extensions.


Methods of forming a pattern of filled dielectric material on a substrate by thermal transfer processes are disclosed comprising exposing to heat a thermally imageable donor element comprising a substrate and a transfer layer of dielectric material. The exposure pattern is the image of the desired pattern to be formed on the substrate, such that portions of the layer of dielectric material are transferred onto the substrate where the electronic device is being formed. The filled dielectric material can be patterned onto a gate electrode of a thin film transistor. The pattern dielectric material may also form an insulating layer for interconnects. Donor elements for use in the process are also disclosed. Methods for forming thin film transistors and donor elements for use in the thermal transfer processes are also disclosed.

Transistors made in whole or in part of organic materials can be less expensive and easier to manufacture than traditional transistors and can be used in applications where traditional transistors are not economical and high density is not required. For example, organic transistors could be used for electronic paper, posters and books, smart cards, toys, appliances and electronic bar codes for product identification. Organic transistors can also be made from flexible materials, and such transistors can be used to control diodes in flexible panel displays for computers, laptops and televisions.
The performance of TFT devices is typically characterized by examining the behavior of the "on" current (Isd) measured in a regime where the source/drain voltage is larger than the gate voltage. Here the current, known as the saturation current, is independent of the source/drain voltage and can be related to other characteristics of the device according to Equation 1:
                              I          sd                =                              W                          2                            L                                          C                                                                                μ                                            (                                                      V                    g                                    -                                      V                    T                                                  )                                      2                                              (                  Equation                                                              1                )            where μ is the effective mobility of the semiconductor and C is the capacitance of the gate dielectric, which in turn is proportional to the dielectric constant ε of the dielectric layer. Vg is the gate voltage and VT is the threshold voltage. Transistors that have large "on" currents possess some combination of large μ, high ε, and high C. The TFT output current is linearly dependent on the capacitance, proportional to the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer and inversely proportional to its thickness. Driving the transistor at low voltages requires either a very thin pinhole-free dielectric, or alternatively, a thicker dielectric with a high dielectric constant.
To be useful in a TFT, the dielectric layer must be fairly thin (˜1 micron), possess a suitable ε, and be essentially pinhole-free. At minimum, the dielectric must fully insulate the gate from the source and drain. A process is needed to create such dielectric layers with high-resolution features in a cost-effective manner.

Methods for forming patterns on a filled dielectric material on substrates


A combination fuel tank rollover valve, float actuated fill vent shutoff and tank vapor pressure relief valve assembly in a common housing for assembly into a single access opening in the tank. A header containing the pressure relief valve is sealed over the tank access opening and has an extension member attached to the undersurface of the header with an extension neck extending through the access opening. An interchangeable vent float valve subassembly is attached to the end of the neck before attachment of the extension to the header and assembly on the tank. Tanks of different depth can be accommodated simply by using extension members having a correspondingly different length necks, while the float valve subassembly and header are interchangeable.

The present invention relates to devices of the type employed for controlling the vapor venting of motor vehicle fuel tanks during filling and also to provide emergency vent closure in the event of a vehicle rollover. Heretofore, it has been the practice to provide either a vent tube to the filler neck for the tank for venting during filling, in conjunction with a second vent to the vapor collecting canister employed for storage of fuel vapor during periods of engine inoperation and which is purged during engine operation.
Alternatively, the fill vent has also been connected to the canister in more recent vehicle applications. Where a float operated valve is employed to close the fill vent and the vent to the vapor canister, it is necessary to provide a pressure relief valve in the event the vapor pressure in the tank exceeds a predetermined incipient tank rupture threshold to a safety hazard of tank rupture. Heretofore, it has been common practice to provide individual valves for these functions, which has necessitated a plurality of openings in the fuel tank to provide access for each of the valves and vent port arrangements. Recently however, it has been found desirable to combine the various vent and valve functions in a commonly housed unit which can be inserted through a single access opening in the fuel tank to eliminate the need for separate sealing arrangements about the individual openings and thus simplify assembly of the tank and improve seal reliability.
The problem of providing such a commonly housed multiple vent and valve assembly for installation and sealing in a single access opening of a fuel tank is further compounded by the fact that many of the present day vehicle production fuel tanks are molded of plastic or polymeric material which is not compatible with the materials employed for the valve construction and which are capable of withstanding the vibration and impact loading requirements set for vehicle crash safety. Thus, it has been found difficult to provide such a commonly housed assembly for performing the various vent, pressure relief and fill vent shutoff functions which can readily be installed in a single tank access opening and sealed thereabout and accommodate various tank configurations and provide reliability in service.
However, in order to provide a combination vent and plural valve functions in a common unit inserted through a single tank opening, it has been necessary to provide a plurality of different valve housing configurations and float arrangements to accommodate the various tank configurations having different tank depth and fill level. This has necessitated a customized valve arrangement for each different tank configuration in which the valve must then be calibrated for the appropriate liquid shutoff level for the particular tank.
Thus, it has been desired to provide some way or means of having a common tank vent and fill valve shutoff valve which is low in manufacturing cost, and may be easily assembled in tanks of different configuration and capacities in a manner which enables the common valve to accommodate the different tank depths.

Installing a fill limiting vent valve in a fuel tank