An imaging displacement module including a frame, an optical element, a carrier, a connecting portion and at least a first actuator is provided. The frame has a first opening, and the optical element, the carrier, the connecting portion and the first actuator are all disposed in the first opening. The carrier is capable of carrying the optical element, and the connecting portion connects between the frame and the carrier and capable of generating an elastic torsion around an axis. The first actuator is disposed at a side of the carrier and capable of driving the carrier to vibrate periodically.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an imaging displacement module. More particularly, the present invention relates to an imaging displacement module capable of increasing the resolution of image.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, many kinds of display apparatus such as liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, plasma display panel (PDP) and projection apparatus are broadly used in daily life. In particular, projection apparatus is more suitable to display large images. Therefore, projection apparatus has gradually become an indispensable technique for displaying large images. In general, when the projection apparatus projects an image on a screen, black areas exist between the pixels of the image and appear as a net in a whole. Since the projection apparatus is mostly used for displaying large image, the user easily recognizes the net-like black areas and feels the poor display quality.
Consequently, a few conventional techniques have been developed to resolve the foregoing poor display quality problem. The conventional techniques eliminates or reduces the net-like black areas by vibrating a prism or a projection lens of an optical engine to switch the projected position of the image on the screen rapidly. However, the prism and the projection lens of the projection apparatus are heavy and bulky. Therefore, the mechanism for vibrating the prism or the projection lens is often complicated and occupies a relatively large space. As a result, the mass production of devices of vibrating the prism or the projection lens is not practical.

Imaging displacement module for increasing image resolution of projection apparatus


A new motion cueing scheme has been found and adapted to an actual aircraft production seat to provide both transient and sustained heave acceleration cues. The mechanism is simple and compact enough to be easily implemented on G-seats. Changes in seat pan pitch angle synchronized with seat back vertical displacement result in a cue which feels realistic and reproduces consistently a number of the physiological and physical effects experienced by the pilot submitted to a real heave acceleration.

Flight motion simulator seats having controls for shifting body position and pressure exerted are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,440 to Radosevic is an early example of a pneumatically controlled flight simulation seat which simulates the tactile sensations that would be felt by a pilot during flight. The seat pneumatic controls are connected to the flight simulation computer so as to provide realistic sensations which correspond to the flight situation being simulated. U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,640 to Cardullo et al. is an early example of a modern style aircraft simulator seat.
A human being subjected to accelerations will perceive movement from different indications coming from his sensory system, the main one being the vestibular system, on which the conventional motion platforms act. G-seats or dynamic seats act on alternative sensory paths which are mainly visual perspective changes, and changes from the sensory system referred as the haptic system by Cardullo. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,640, changes in the following items are perceived by the haptic sensory system: skeletal attitude, muscle tonus, pressure gradients, and touch or area of contact. Skin tension, amongst others, could be added to this list. Since most of the seats act on the same sensory paths to create the illusion of acceleration, conventional seats are differentiated by the sensory path they emphasize and by how the various sensory paths are combined with each other. Another important aspect in the evaluation of dynamic seats is side effects that can be created, while trying to stimulate a specific sensory path. For example, a device could generate an eye height change which would correspond to an upwards acceleration and generate a gradient of pressure that would correspond to a downwards acceleration as a side effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,207 to Kron discloses a simulator "G-seat" including a skin tension cue generator in which the seat fabric may be displaced in a parallel direction to the cushion surface onto which it is installed, and all or part of the seat pan may move from side to side and front to back. The tactile cue in Kron is a skin tension change for which the amplitude can be modulated and localized on specific parts of the body, in the seat back and pan areas. In Kron, the backrest skin tension change is meant to occur in the lateral direction but not in the vertical direction.
In the prior art simulator seats, heave(vertical) acceleration was simulated by a seat pan vertical movement which induces at the same time "back scrubbing"(i.e., tension change on the skin of the user's back) due to the back rest remaining vertically stationary. Therefore, the amount of back scrubbing generated is not controlled. Applicants have discovered that a pitch movement of the seat pan coordinated with a the back rest vertical displacement, which is to be described in the present document, generates cues on the haptic sensory system along with an eye height change which provide realistic heave acceleration cues.

Seat for motion simulator and method of motion simulation


A system and device for measuring sexual function includes an adjustable ring forming an opening to receive a penis, at least one diagnostic sensor positioned on an inner surface of the adjustable ring, wherein the ring automatically couples the diagnostic sensor to the penis throughout a range of ring diameters, and a microcontroller in communication with the at least one diagnostic sensor. The at least one diagnostic sensor measures data during sexual activity and communicates the data to the microcontroller. In fact, in an example, the device is configured to be worn by a user during sexual activity.

The present invention relates generally to a medical device for measuring sexual function.
Sexual dysfunction (SD) is defined as the difficulty experienced by an individual or a couple during any stage of a normal sexual activity. Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be defined as the inability to obtain and/or maintain a penile erection sufficient for intercourse. ED may result from arterial, cavernosal/venous, neurologic, hormonal, autonomic, pharmacologic and/or psychological factors. SD and ED are prevalent conditions and are associated with poorer quality of life metrics. Furthermore, secondary analysis from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) trial showed that men with ED without a history of cardiovascular disease were at 45% increased risk of having a subsequent cardiovascular event, and this finding has been confirmed in many other studies (Thompson JAMA 2005).
The diagnosis of SD and ED relies in large part on patient-derived history and self-administered questionnaires. There are a few clinical diagnostic instruments used in the diagnostic evaluation of erectile dysfunction, but they are not commonly used due to expense, patient discomfort, lack of useful diagnostic information yielded, and/or invasiveness.
For instance, large epidemiological studies on the prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction have relied on patient-reported questionnaires and not on diagnostic instruments (Laumann et al. JAMA 1999; 281(6):537-544) (Burke J P et al J Urol 2007 April; 177(4):1438-42). The prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction due to medical-related treatments, such as radiation or surgical treatment for prostate cancer, is of particular interest. These studies have relied on demographic information and patient-reported measures of sexual health-related quality of life domains to assess the impact of treatment to sexual function (Kuban et al. JAMA 2011; 306(11):1205-1214) (Steineck et al. NEJM 2002; 347(11):790-6). Finally, large randomized, controlled trials require metrics to assess whether treatment improves erectile function. The major randomized control trials have used pretreatment and post-treatment diaries, or questionnaires such as the International Index of Erectile Function (Goldstein et al. NEJM 1998; 338:1397-1404) (Padma-Nathan et al. NEJM 1997; 336:1-7) (Brock et al. J Urol 2002 October; 168(4 Pt 1): 1332-6).
Thus, while patient-reported symptoms are a key element of overall sexual heath, there is a need for objective and reproducible data on sexual function. Such data would allow for better characterization of the prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction, enhance the understanding of treatment-related effects on erectile function, improve the ability to accurately compare the effectiveness of treatments for ED, and offer an objective tool for assessing increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Currently available diagnostic tools and instruments to assess for SD and ED are limited by the conditions required to obtain data, invasiveness, and by the amount of useful information they provide, which are all reasons for why they have not been utilized in major studies. The best objective test for ED is performed by intracavernosal injection of a vasoactive substance into the penis while the patient is at a doctor's office, followed by measuring the velocities of the blood flow in the cavernosal arteries within the penis using a hand-held Doppler ultrasound device. This test is invasive, does not provide relevant situational (in vivo) data, and is not frequently a part of an ED work-up as it rarely changes clinical management. There is no commonly accepted work-up of SD or assessment of mechanical or hemodynamic parameters of the clitoris in females beyond patient interviews and questionnaires.
Another technology presently used to measure penile blood flow is the color duplex ultrasound in hand-held devices. This method utilizes high resolution, real-time ultrasonography and color-pulsed Doppler to visualize arterial and venous flow. Hand-held ultrasound measurement devices are limited by the angle of incidence and user experience, which can cause variability and imprecision inherent in a hand-held device. Other inventions address this method by placing the transducer on an apparatus that fits onto the penis.
An apparatus for penile hemodynamic monitoring using ultrasound typically uses an ultrasound generator, display, and adjustable clamp around the penis, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,931,783, 6,221,021, 6,814,702, and 5,947,901, and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2007/0129635. The user applies an ultrasound coupling gel to the surface of the penis, and places the apparatus around the penis. The user holds the apparatus in place while ultrasound energy is delivered to the penis. The energy is able to monitor and/or stimulate hemodynamic activity such as blood flow to the penis. However, the apparatus is bulky and requires the user to hold the apparatus in place. It also requires frequent adjustment to allow for adequate coupling of the sensors to the skin. For these reasons, this limits when and where the apparatus can be used, and prohibits real-time data collection during intercourse, which would most accurately represent the patient's disease, which is private in nature. In summary, this apparatus cannot provide true in vivo data of how an erection performs during sexual intercourse.
A smaller device has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,076 that includes fixed transducers aligned for Doppler ultrasound measurements of the cavernosal arteries. This is an office-based device that is secured to the penis with a fixing device. The device can be used with vasodilating agents to measure peak systolic and end diastolic velocities and resistive indices. This device, while smaller, is still bulky, has rigid components, and requires a supervising physician to operate and interpret the information. It also provides pulse oximetry data based on the transducers but if these are not placed precisely over the arteries, it cannot obtain any useful information. Again, this apparatus cannot provide true in vivo data of how an erection performs during sexual intercourse.
Another apparatus to measure penile rigidity and arterial-venous flows disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,415 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0016759 uses pressure transducers to measure intracavernous pressure and pulse pressure of the penis. The sensor is paced around the penis and the measurements are collected during both day and night. Similar to a blood pressure cuff placed on the arm, the device comprises a cuff with a band and velcro strap. It can only measure the radial rigidity of the penis, and requires an experienced user to operate. It does not measure penile axial buckling forces. This apparatus also cannot provide true in vivo data of how an erection performs during sexual intercourse.
Another apparatus is the Nocturnal Penile Tumescence and Rigidity (NPTR) monitoring device disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,606,353 and 6,162,188, which contains two loops placed at the base of the penis and near the end of the penis that measure axial rigidity. This device is used to distinguish between organic and psychogenic causes of erectile dysfunction. Patients with organic dysfunction will not have erections at night. Patients with psychogenic causes of erectile dysfunction are able to have erections at night. The treatment of erectile dysfunction in each group is different. While this data may be beneficial for a select subset of patients, the data from this apparatus is limited and may not be reproducible while the user is awake and during attempted sexual intercourse. Measurements are obtained overnight while the user is asleep using an automated, portable device. The NPTR device includes a sensor for photoplethysmography. It only measures the radial rigidity of the penis, and requires an experienced user to operate. It does not measure penile axial buckling forces. The device is cumbersome and may require the patient to stay overnight at a monitored facility. It also does not provide in vivo data of how an erection performs during sexual intercourse.
Another apparatus is the Rigidometer disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2010/0217150, which consists of an instrument that measures penile rigidity by pressing the instrument against the penis for a predetermined period. A visual digital readout indicates the cavernosal pressure of the penis. The penis is placed within a separate instrument while the penis is erect. This provides data on penile axial buckling forces but does not measure the radial rigidity of the penis.
Another apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,390,297 attempts to relieve erectile dysfunction by having a restricting band at the base of the penis to prevent blood from leaving the penis. The device has a temperature gauge that measures the temperature of the scan, and the results can be interpreted visually while worn and monitored. The temperature is displayed using a thermochromic surface, which changes color based on contact with a surface. This device provides no objective numerical data. Further, these devices are not frequently used as they cause painful ischemia that is not relieved by the fixed source of blood flow obstruction, in this case the ring. Although the thermochromic surface attempts to give some feedback, this is an open feedback loop that relies on the user taking off the device as a crude binary on/off modulation.
Another apparatus disclosed in EP1054626 measures changes in clitoral, vaginal-artery, and/or vaginal-capillary blood flow, clitoral engorgement, and bioimpedance. It includes an ultrasound transducer, oximeter probe near the vaginal wall, audio feedback, pH measurement, control electronics, with the housing to be placed within the vagina. The major limitation of this device is that it is bulky and cannot be used during penetrative intercourse.
None of the above devices are able to adequately and objectively measure penile or clitoral rigidity, blood flow, and temperature during the acts of masturbation or coitus. In addition, none of the disclosed devices provide real time, in vivo data to the user, health care professionals, or researchers. The above devices are invasive, cumbersome, and bulky for the patient. Further, a majority of the above devices require trained, experienced personnel to place, position, and operate. In addition, the above devices only provide a partial characterization of the penile/clitoral erection, and thus, multiple devices and simulations must be required to obtain adequate objective data. All of the devices have multiple wired connections to the apparatus that is placed on the penis, which adds to the bulkiness and invasiveness of the instrument. Furthermore, none of these devices have the ability to improve erectile function through a closed feedback loop providing a non-painful erection that can be used during coitus. Likewise, none of the devices provide a back-end mechanism for transmitting real-time data to another device for analysis or transmitting and de-identifying data for research or clinical use on a large scale.

Apparatus for noninvasively measuring corporal hemodynamic and mechanical parameters for the diagnosis of sexual function in men and women


A power conversion apparatus includes a plurality of power conversion units, a common bus bar, and a plurality of unit bus bars provided so as to correspond to the plurality of the power conversion units respectively and connecting each DC side of the plurality of the power conversion units to the common bus bar. Each of the power conversion units includes a casing having a first surface on which a first outer plate of a magnetic material is arranged, and the first outer plate is arranged in a vicinity of a corresponding unit bus bar and faces the corresponding unit bus bar with a gap so that an inductance value of the corresponding unit bus bar is increased to an inductance value capable of suppressing an inflow of a ripple current from another power conversion unit in the power conversion apparatus.

Generally, in order to construct a large-capacity power conversion apparatus, a configuration is known in which the DC sides of a plurality of power conversion circuits are connected in parallel. Each of these power conversion circuits includes a plurality of power semiconductor devices such as semiconductor switching elements.
Moreover, for the purpose of the reduction of power loss, many of the power conversion apparatus are often configured to reduce the impedance of the various conductors in the apparatus.
However, in the case of a power conversion apparatus including a plurality of power conversion circuits connected in parallel on the DC side, there is a case where a ripple current caused by a switching operation of the semiconductor switching element in one of the power conversion circuits flows into another power conversion circuit. In the power conversion apparatus configured to reduce the impedance of the conductor, since the ripple current is not easily reduced, the influence due to the ripple current inflow is liable to become apparent.

TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION


The invention provides methods and systems for improved execution of orders for securities and for adding liquidity to markets. Embodiments include receiving from customers orders for quantities of securities to be bought or sold, the orders optionally identifying pre-selected markets. Embodiments include sending orders to a first default market where orders are partially filled. Embodiments typically include sending orders to a pre-selected market, where orders are partially filled, and booking orders in a second default market. Embodiments include discounting fees charged to customers for orders booked into a default market. Booking IOC orders into a second default market typically includes setting the order time-in-force to a value other than zero. In many embodiments, the default markets are sometimes the same market, and sometimes they are different markets. Embodiments include selecting, from among a multiplicity of markets, the default markets dependent upon default market selection criteria. In many embodiments, market selection criteria include such factors as transaction costs or access fee levels for execution of orders in markets, response speed of markets (latency), and liquidity. In many embodiments at least one of the default markets is connected through tight coupling to a broker-dealer system.

Until just a few years ago, securities were traded only through national and regional exchanges. From the customer's point of view, national exchanges were, and still are, difficult to access, expensive to use, and slow. For a long time, however, national and regional exchanges held an effective monopoly on securities trading. As eventually occurs for all monopolies, competition emerged. Independent electronic communications networks ("ECNs") rose to challenge the exclusive control of the exchanges. ECNs were successful, which encouraged formation of more ECNs. Now ECNs are capable of competing with national exchanges for large-scale trading services.
The lifeblood of ECNs, as for all markets, is liquidity. Market makers traditionally provide liquidity in the form of inventories of securities. ECNs typically are not market makers. The form of liquidity utilized by ECNs is bookings within the ECNs of actual orders for securities. ECNs only exist on the basis of liquidity. More specifically, any individual ECN that wishes to thrive must find ways of providing liquidity in the form of bookings of securities to market.
In prior art, ECNs competed with exchanges in terms of execution quality, especially speed and transaction cost. Now that there are many ECNs in the marketplace, many of whom provide execution speeds and transaction costs generally superior to that of the large exchanges, often it is true now that ECNs must compete with other ECNs for liquidity. In current art, total round-trip latency between broker-dealer systems and markets ranges from tens of milliseconds to hundreds of seconds, all in a trading environment where markets are often extremely volatile. In these markets, from the customer's point of view, any method of increasing execution speed is highly desirable. Methods and systems for improving order execution quality and methods and systems for generating liquidity for individual ECNs therefore are needed. Moreover, such improved methods and systems benefit the entire marketplace by generally improving both competition for liquidity and improved availability of liquidity.
If an online customer's order flow is directed to a market participant based on latent Level II Quotes, then the customer is at risk of chasing securities. In fact, chasing can occur in any trading situation in which there is substantial delay between changes in actual bookings in a market and the resulting change in a displayed quote. "Chasing" means repeatedly ordering a security at a price that is no longer available because of the delay between the change in the actual quote price or quantity and the display of the quote price or quantity, on the basis of which customers make decisions. An investor who "chases" securities is attempting to buy or sell securities at an order price or in quantities that in fact are no longer available in the market. Some other market participant or investor already bought or sold the securities at the displayed price, and the actual quote price or quantity has changed. The latency in updating quotes results in a display of prices or quantities that are no longer available. Chased orders typically remain unexecuted. It would be useful to have methods and systems for reducing the delay between the time when bookings actually change and the time when new prices or quantities are actually displayed to customers.

Apparatus and method for adding liquidity to an ECN and improving executions of orders for securities


A support for sonographers provides a path of force transmission from an ultrasound probe to the sonographer's upper arm bypassing the wrist, and thus reducing wrist injuries that can come from the need to tightly grip and restrain an ultrasound probe for long periods of time.

The present invention relates to apparatus for supporting ultrasound probes in medical imaging and, in particular, to a brace intended to reduce occupational injuries to sonographers.
Ultrasound medical imaging uses ultrasound sound waves to construct an image of internal body structures. During an ultrasound imaging procedure, an ultrasonic transducer (probe) is pressed against a patient to transmit ultrasound into the patient and to receive echoes that may be analyzed to produce the image. The probe is typically hand held by a sonographer to be easily manipulated to direct the ultrasound to a desired region of interest and/or to sweep the direction of the ultrasound to create a dynamic image of internal body structure.
In some obese patients, forces of up to 40 pounds of pressure are needed between the probe and the patient. Often, and especially with portable ultrasound units which are the only imaging devices available in an intensive care unit, the sonographer must assume awkward postures to reach around large or incapacitated patients. Ultrasound technologists may be required to hold and manipulate a probe against the body of a patient for long periods of time, particularly for biopsy or ablation procedures.
The probe body is normally constructed of a hard, seamless polymer shell protecting the probe electronics and allowing for easy cleaning of the probe, but making the probe difficult to grip. This problem can be exacerbated by the acoustic coupling gel normally used to increase acoustic coupling between the probe and the patient which can contaminate the surface of the probe, making it slippery. For this reason, it is known in the art to reduce the fatigue of the sonographer by placing ribs or cushioning material on the surface of the ultrasound at the probe.
In the approximately thirty years that real time ultrasonic scanning has come into prominence as a diagnostic tool, work-related injuries have become epidemic among medical sonographers. Approximately 80% of sonographers report that they have some sort of musculoskeletal complaint of the hand and wrist. Career-ending injuries due to daily stresses of sonography affect approximately 20% of the work force. The most frequent injuries are tendonitis, tenosynovitis, thoracic outlet syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome.


A hyper-spectral analysis method for characterizing or distinguishing diverse elements within hyper-spectral images. A plurality of patches of pixels from within the hyper-spectral images are extracted as being patches around pixels of the elements to be characterized or distinguished. The statistics of spectra for each patch of pixels are computed. A first classifier is computed from frequency-wise standard deviation of the spectra in each patch and a set of second classifiers are computed from principal components of the spectral in each patch. A combined classifier is computed based on the output of the first classifier and at least one of the second classifiers. The elements are characterized or distinguished based on the output of at least one of the classifiers, preferably the combined classifier.

Imagers employ either a two-dimensional (2D) multichannel detector array or a single element detector. Imagers using a 2D detector array measure the intensity distribution of all spatial resolution elements simultaneously during the entire period of data acquisition. Imagers using a single detector require that the individual spatial resolution elements be measured consecutively via a raster scan so that each one is observed for a small fraction of the period of data acquisition. Prior art imagers using a plurality of detectors at the image plane can exhibit serious signal-to-noise ratio problems. Prior art imagers using a single element detector can exhibit more serious signal-to-noise ratio problems. Signal-to-noise ratio problems limit the utility of imagers applied to chemical imaging applications where subtle differences between a sample's constituents become important.
Spectrometers are commonly used to analyze the chemical composition of samples by determining the absorption or attenuation of certain wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation by the sample or samples. Because it is typically necessary to analyze the absorption characteristics of more than one wavelength of radiation to identify a compound, and because each wavelength must be separately detected to distinguish the wavelengths, prior art spectrometers utilize a plurality of detectors, have a moving grating, or use a set of filter elements. However, the use of a plurality of detectors or the use of a macro moving grating has signal-to-noise limitations. The signal-to-noise ratio largely dictates the ability of the spectrometer to analyze with accuracy all of the constituents of a sample, especially when some of the constituents of the sample account for an extremely small proportion of the sample. There is, therefore, a need for imagers and spectrometers with improved signal-to-noise ratios.
Prior art variable band pass filter spectrometers, variable band reject filter spectrometers, variable multiple band pass filter spectrometers or variable multiple band reject filter spectrometers typically employ a multitude of filters that require macro moving parts or other physical manipulation in order to switch between individual filter elements or sets of filter elements for each measurement. Each filter element employed can be very expensive, difficult to manufacture and all are permanently set at the time of manufacture in the wavelengths (bands) of radiation that they pass or reject. Physical human handling of the filter elements can damage them and it is time consuming to change filter elements. There is, therefore, a need for variable band pass filter spectrometers, variable band reject filter spectrometers, variable multiple band pass filter spectrometers or variable multiple band reject filter spectrometers without a requirement for discrete (individual) filter elements that have permanently set band pass or band reject properties. There is also a need for variable band pass filter spectrometers, variable band reject filter spectrometers, variable multiple band pass filter spectrometers or variable multiple band reject filter spectrometers to be able to change the filters corresponding to the bands of radiation that are passed or rejected rapidly, without macro moving parts and without human interaction.
In several practical applications it is required that an object be irradiated with radiation having particularly shaped spectrum. In the simplest case when only a few spectrum lines (or bands) are necessary, one can use a combination of corresponding sources, each centered near a required spectrum band. Clearly, however, this approach does not work in a more general case, and therefore it is desirable to have a controllable radiation source capable of providing arbitrary spectrum shapes and intensities. Several types of prior art devices are known that are capable of providing controllable radiation. Earlier prior art devices primarily relied upon various "masking" techniques, such as electronically alterable masks interposed in the optical pathway between a light source and a detector. More recent prior art devices use a combination of two or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as radiation sources. In such cases, an array of LEDs or light-emitting lasers is configured for activation using a particular encoding pattern, and can be used as a controllable light source. A disadvantage of these systems is that they rely on an array of different LED elements (or lasers), each operating in a different, relatively narrow spectrum band. In addition, there are technological problems associated with having an array of discrete radiation elements with different characteristics. Accordingly, there is a need for a controllable radiation source, where virtually arbitrary spectrum shape and characteristics can be designed, and where disadvantages associated with the prior art are obviated. Further, it is desirable not only to shape the spectrum of the radiation source, but also encode its components differently, which feature can be used to readily perform several signal processing functions useful in a number of practical applications. The phrase "a spectrum shape" in this disclosure refers not to a mathematical abstraction but rather to configurable spectrum shapes having range(s) and resolution necessarily limited by practical considerations.
In addition to the signal-to-noise issues discussed above, one can consider the tradeoff between signal-to-noise and, for example, one or more of the following resources: system cost, time to measure a scene, and inter-pixel calibration. Thus, in certain prior art systems, a single sensor system can cost less to produce, but will take longer to fully measure an object under study. In prior art multi-sensor systems, one often encounters a problem in which the different sensor elements have different response characteristics, and it is necessary to add components to the system to calibrate for this. It is desirable to have a system with which one gains the lower-cost, better signal-to-noise, and automatic inter-pixel calibration advantages of a single-sensor system while not suffering all of the time loss usually associated with using single sensors.
With light sources of increasingly broader ranges, the spectral analysis of tissue sections has evolved from two wavelength image subtraction techniques to Raman near infra-red micro-spectroscopic mapping permitting discrimination of cell types & tissue patterns.
The collection of spectral vectors in a given image patch will exhibit variability from a variety of sources. Some of these sources are biological in nature, such as the local density of cytoplasm; others are non-biological in nature and can include such things as non-uniformities in the light source used to collect the data, drifts in instrumental parameters during the time of data collection, orientation of cells in the tissue and the like. Hence, it is desirable to eliminate variabilities due to non-biological factors, and to characterize tissue elements by spectral variability which is due only to the intrinsic biology.

System and method for hyper-spectral analysis


An endless track structure to replace the wheels of an all-terrain vehicle, that is adequately attached to the existing wheel hub by a removable mounting shaft. This provides a non-rigid frame that supports spaced apart synchronized driving cog wheels. This frame has mounted within its upper portion, two hexagon bore anti-friction bearings that slide onto a hexagon shaped thin wall sleeve, allowing the assembled track structure to be installed as a unit. There are spaced idler wheels in front and rear portions of the non rigid frame that support the track. They form a triangular configuration with raised front portion and flat rear portion. A non rigid frame provides interconnected resilient leaf spring supports located in the front and rear of the track.. An endless track maintains its appropriate configuration over the driving cog wheels by the front and rear idler wheels, and under the lower course by spaced apart slider rub bars supported by a flexible frame. An optional intermediate suspension may be substituted for the slider with a pair of spaced apart front and rear intermediate idler wheels at the frame portion.. The ability to adjust the position of the front and rear idler wheels in relation to the bearing support is accomplished by multiple mounting holes in the front and rear leaf spring. This allows the track to be lengthened to the front or rear, and still use the same length endless track.

This invention relates generally to an endless track structure to replace wheels of a light, as well as other recreational vehicles, and more particularly to such a track structure that has a quick attachment method, a non-rigid movable frame and support method for both edges of an endless track.
The background of track structures for various wheeled vehicles have heretofore become known to adapt those vehicles for use on unstable and irregular surfaces, such as snow, sand, mud and irregular rocky terrain. Through the course of their development, many such devices have become known and their structures have become quite sophisticated to particularly adapt them to use under specialized conditions and with particular vehicles. In general such known track structures have been particularly designed for use with heavy massive vehicles of the automotive and truck type or two wheeled vehicles of the motorcycle type, undoubtedly because of the prevalence of such vehicles in commerce during the developmental period of track devices. Because most of such track devices have been specifically designed for use with a particular vehicle, this rather essentially has limited the use of these devices to those particular vehicles with which they were associated.
In the present day, three and four wheel recreational vehicles characterized by a small size and light weight, both substantially less than similar characteristics of an ordinary automobile, have become popular. Such vehicles normally are not designed for roadway use, but have traditionally been provided with pneumatic tires, commonly of a type to allow use of the vehicle on somewhat unstable and irregular natural surfaces, at least insofar as such use can be had with pneumatic tired vehicles. Pneumatic tires, however, or in fact any rotary type of wheels, do not allow effective use of such vehicles upon various unstable surfaces, such as loose snow of any substantial depth, unconsolidated earth, sand, mud, random spaced rocks and the like, which may be traversed readily by a track type vehicle. My current invention seeks to provide an improved track structure particularly adapted to replace wheels of such light wheeled recreational vehicles to allow vehicle use on unstable and irregular surfaces not adapted to traverse by pneumatic tires. The track structures heretofore used by heavy vehicles of an automotive or truck type have generally provided a rigid frame, bearing mounted drive cogs and idler wheels to define a course about which an endless track moves to support a vehicle on a surface for travel thereon. This type of rigid frame track structure has proven usable in heavier vehicles, especially when operated at low speed with a vehicle having a sophisticated suspension system to absorb shock. Such rigid frame track structures, however, are neither necessary nor desirable for use in track structures for light recreational vehicles and is not effectively usable with such vehicles. My invention provides a nonrigid movable frame that mounts spaced pairs of drive and idler wheels to define the course of an endless track. A primary feature of my invention provides a frame containing interconnected elastically deformable leaf spring elements. Either form of a movable frame allows relative motion between the driving self-cleaning cog wheels and various pairs of idler wheels supporting the endless track to absorb shock and maintain tension upon the track to keep it in its normal course and prevent accidental dislodgement, all to distinguish this frame from rigid frame structures which accomplish neither of these features. For a track structure that replaces pneumatic tires on a lightweight recreational vehicle to be practical, it must provide connecting methods that allow simple and easy installation or mounting on a carrying vehicle in a short time period by unskilled persons.
Previously known track structures have provided methods for releasable attachment to the existing hub structure of a vehicle that releasably mounts a wheel carrying a pneumatic tire. Most of those prior mounting methods have included an integral part of a track structure that either is not or cannot be easily removed to accommodate the mounting process, but rather the entire track structure has had to be mounted on the vehicle hub as a single unit. Some prior track structures have even had multiple support from the vehicle frame as well as a drive shaft. By reason of this, it has been commonly difficult to mount such track structures on a wheel hub because the track structure itself is large and heavy making it hard to position and to make access to the hub area difficult and inconvenient when the track structure is in position for mounting on a hub. Because of the difficulties in mounting, most prior track structures have usually been designed to be mounted for use for longer periods of time which is not desirable for light recreational vehicles as they are more desirable to change back and forth from wheels to tracks as the seasons or conditions would dictate. My invention solves this problem by providing a releasably interconnected shaft that is easily and simply removable from the track structure to allow the shaft to be separately mounted on a wheel hub with simple and easy access to the hub during mounting, and the endless track structure then reinstalled on the shaft after the shafts mounting on the hub. This feature distinguishes my invention from the prior art devices requiring mounting of an entire endless track device on a wheel hub as a single entity. Many prior track devices have provided particular driving cogs associated with particular endless tracks to drive those tracks from a medial position. This type of track structure has proven usable with heavier automotive type vehicles because of the weight of the vehicle, and especially when the vehicle has sophisticated suspension methods and is operated at relatively low speeds, but such structures are not well adapted for use with light recreational vehicles commonly without sophisticated suspension means and operated at higher speeds. The endless tracks used in all track structures have significant width and when they are driven from a medial position, especially at higher rates of speed, where is a substantial tendency, probably because of leveraged forces caused at the track edges, for the track to become dislodged from its normal course and eventually become separated from its support structure. My invention solves this problem by providing two spaced opposed driving cog wheels, with self-cleaning cogs on their interior peripheral surfaces facing each other, to provide simultaneous synchronous driving support for a track simultaneous at each of its side edges. This feature provides substantially more stability to maintain a track in its normal course and prevent accidentally loosening even at relatively high speeds. This structure also provides an additional benefit in allowing the use of track material that is presently available in commerce for use with ordinary snowmobiles, as such material commonly provides lug structures at its two side edges for driving support of the type required by my invention. Thusly existing endless track material and driving lugs presently commercially available, incorporating the latest state-of-the-art technology and lower cost in my invention.
Prior endless track structures generally have not been particularly concerned with the lower support course of the track because with heavier vehicles operating at relatively low speeds, the configuration did not cause any particular problem so long as there was sufficient track area to support the vehicle upon the surface over which it traversed. In this track structure, which is designed for use on light vehicles at relatively high speeds, it has been found desirable that the forward portion of the track course must be raised somewhat above the rearward flat portion, to help transfer the flexibility of the front portion of the track frame to the terrain and obstacles being traversed and also prevent the problem that the track will tend to accumulate and move snow, mud or debris in front of the track and the entire track structure will tend to move somewhat downwardly into a supporting surface. Either of such happenings will restrict motion of the track structure and tend to increase the probability of track dislodgement. Therefore the forward most pairs of idler wheels on the frame are at a spaced distance above the rearward pair of idler wheels defining the flat course of the track structure in its rearward part, and provide means to guide the track in a regular angulated course from the forward idler wheels to the rearward flat portion. Prior track structures generally have not provided any articulating or elastically resilient frame linkage between wheels defining the endless track course to aid in maintaining the track in a taut condition about its course. In general, this is not practical with heavier vehicles as the weight of the vehicles themselves would create too great a tension on the endless track to allow its effective operation. This invention, however, which operates on lighter recreational vehicles, does provide such linkage and in so doing is more efficient in maintaining the endless track in its normal course without dislodgement, especially at high speeds, than is the nonmovable frame structure of prior art devices. The particular type of movable frame structure of this invention also allows inclusion of traditional and special mechanical tension adjusting mechanisms to accommodate both a long term and short term changes or variations in belt length and tension. This invention resides not in any one of these individual features, but rather in the overall combination of all of the particular structures and functions necessarily included as herein set forth and claimed.

Endless track structure for light wheeled vehicle


A hydrodynamic seal for location in a seal groove of a structure, such as a housing and for dynamic sealing engagement with a relatively rotatable surface. Elevated contact pressure zones caused by pressure manipulation features located at least partially on the dynamic sealing surface of the seal provide for controlled lubricant movement within the dynamic sealing interface between the seal and the relatively rotatable surface for enhanced lubrication of the seal even when the seal defines a wide sealing footprint with the relatively rotatable surface. The pressure manipulation feature may be defined by projections at least partially from the dynamic sealing lip which are compressed against the relatively rotatable surface or depressions which define pressure manipulating edges which react with the lubricant in the dynamic sealing interface responsive to relative rotation. The projections or depressions may be of elongate form and may be oriented in skewed relation with respect to the direction of relative rotation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rotary seals for establishing sealing between a structure and a relatively rotatable surface for lubricant retention and environment exclusion. More particularly the present invention relates to resilient rotary shaft seals having geometry for manipulating interfacial contact pressure within the dynamic sealing interface to interact with lubricant during rotation of a relatively rotatable surface for the purpose of enhancing lubricant film thickness across the sealing interface and for causing lubricant movement toward the environment for ensuring adequate lubrication of the entire dynamic sealing surface to extend the service life thereof, and having geometry that provides for resistance to becoming skewed or twisted within the seal groove, thereby minimizing skew-induced wear caused by impingement of abrasive contaminants present in the environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior-art hydrodynamically lubricated rotary seal designs of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,319, 5,230,520, 5,678,829, 5,738,358, 5,873,576 and 6,036,192 are known in the industry by the registered trademark xe2x80x9cKalsi Sealsxe2x80x9d, and pertain to seals that are typically used to partition a lubricant from an environment and hydrodynamically lubricate the dynamic sealing interface in response to rotation of a mating shaft.
Commercial seals are presently being manufactured and sold under U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,610,319, 5,230,520, 5,678,829, 5,738,358, all of which employ a dynamic sealing lip defining a dynamic sealing surface. The dynamic sealing lip has angulated hydrodynamic waves on its lubricant side for hydrodynamically wedging lubricant into the dynamic sealing interface, and has an abrupt exclusion edge on its environment side for excluding the environment, per the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,319. The waves cause the dynamic sealing lip to have a variable thickness, being thinnest at the low point of the waves, and being thickest at the high point of the waves.
The lubricant film in the dynamic sealing interface is thin, and not uniform in thickness across the width of the dynamic sealing interface. The resulting lubrication of the dynamic sealing surface is uneven, and surface asperity contact and resulting rubbing wear sometimes occurs between the dynamic sealing surface and the shaft. The greatest film thickness occurs toward the lubricant side of the dynamic sealing interface, and the least occurs toward the environment side.
The angulated hydrodynamic waves cause the lubricant-side edge of the dynamic sealing surface to have a series of waves; this edge is sometimes called the wavy hydrodynamic edge. Film thickness and resulting lubrication of the dynamic sealing surface is greatest in the region of the waves because a large portion of the lubricant wedged into the dynamic sealing interface at the leading edges of the waves simply leaks out at the trailing edges, and only a much smaller portion travels toward the abrupt exclusion edge. As a result, the environment-side of the dynamic sealing surface is less well lubricated than the lubricant side, and more prone to wear and overheating.
If the lubricant is at higher pressure than the environment, the seal begins to bulge or protrude in to the extrusion gap between the seal housing and the shaft due to bending, shear and other stresses in the dynamic sealing lip caused by the pressure; this phenomenon is called xe2x80x9cextrusionxe2x80x9d by the seal industry. These stresses are highest at the thinnest points of the dynamic sealing lip; i.e. the low point of the waves.
Extrusion can lead to damage known as xe2x80x9cnibblingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cextrusion damagexe2x80x9d, which is caused by cyclic stressing of the material protruding into the extrusion gap, causing it to fatigue and break away from the sealing element. The cyclic stress is typically caused by dynamic fluctuations in the size of the extrusion gap due to lateral shaft motion, causing high variations in the compression of any protruding material.
Localized extrusion damage promotes abrasive ingestion, and can also partially interrupt the hydrodynamic film causing the seal to run hotter and suffer premature compression set and surface embrittlement. Extrusion damage, and wear damage caused by environmental abrasives, can progressively destroy the dynamic sealing surface, beginning at the abrupt exclusion edge and progressively working toward the low point of the waves. Once the damage reaches the low point of the waves, the seal no longer blocks the leakage path, and fails.
Because the dynamic sealing lip has variable thickness, the seals have less than perfect compressive stability and can become locally twisted and skewed, especially when the pressure of the lubricant and the environment is substantially balanced. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,230,520, 5,873,576 and 6,036,192 are directed at improving compressed stability.
The seal is radially compressed when installed, which also causes circumferential compression, which is effectively increased by thermal expansion. Since the seal circumference is relatively long compared to the seal cross-section, circumferential compression can cause buckling in a manner similar to the classic textbook example of a long, slender structural column under compressive loading. (Lubricant pressure can be used to prevent buckling.) Twisting related to lip width variation can help to initiate such buckling, which can cause the abrupt exclusion edge to acquire a skewed position. This can promote abrasive wear, particularly if the lubricant end of the seal is twisted toward the shaft at the location of skew, causing interfacial contact pressure to increase near the wavy hydrodynamic edge and decrease near the abrupt exclusion edge, which diminishes hydrodynamic lubrication and environmental exclusion.
Since there is more material at the thickest point of the dynamic sealing lip, when one attempts to axially constrain prior art seals to help control skew-induced wear, part of the differential thermal expansion between the seal and the housing is relieved circumferentially, causing material displacement from the thickest point of the lip to the thinnest point of the lip, thereby diminishing hydrodynamic lubrication. Elevated environment pressure can worsen the problem, apparently by causing higher contact pressure near the wavy hydrodynamic edge.
Testing has shown that prior art seals perform better when the lubricant pressure is higher than the environment pressure. When the environment pressure is higher than the lubricant pressure, the prior art dynamic sealing lip deforms unevenly due to its varying width, causing the environment-side edge to become non-circular and more prone to abrasion by the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,192, which has not yet been commercialized, discloses a skew and twist resistant rotary seal assembly comprising a structure having a circular seal groove having first and second spaced seal groove walls and a relatively rotatable surface, combined with a circular body of sealing material being located within said circular seal groove and having a part thereof projecting from said circular seal groove, with at least one circular dynamic sealing projection extending from said circular body of sealing material and having sealing engagement with said relatively rotatable surface; and a plurality of bearing elements projecting from said circular body of sealing material and being circumferentially distributed about said circular body of sealing material and having bearing engagement with said relatively rotatable surface.
The present invention builds on the technology disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,192 to provide the xe2x80x9cplurality of bearing elementsxe2x80x9d described therein with a configuration for providing elevated contact pressure zones of skewed configuration to improve lubricant distribution across the dynamic sealing interface.
The present invention is a resilient, generally ring shaped hydrodynamic rotary seal for partitioning a lubricant from an environment, and for hydrodynamically lubricating the dynamic sealing interface between the seal and a shaft. One object of the invention is improved exclusion-edge circularity compared to prior art, particularly when the environment pressure is higher than the lubricant pressure, and also when the lubricant and the environment are substantially equal in pressure. Another object of the invention improved distribution of lubricant across the dynamic sealing interface, compared to the prior art, by use of elevated contact pressure zones which may be skewed with respect to the direction of relative rotation. Another object of the invention is providing support against extrusion when the lubricant pressure is higher than the environment pressure. Another object of the invention is to provide a dynamic sealing surface and a dynamic sealing lip which are robust, providing sufficient width to both to be able to perform for long periods of time in high differential pressure applications and in applications having high concentrations of abrasives in the environment.
Circularity of the environment-side edge of the dynamic sealing interface is critical from an environment exclusion standpoint. In prior art compression-type hydrodynamic seals, such circularity has been difficult to achieve under some operating conditions due to assorted influences of the hydrodynamic wave shape. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, improved environment-edge circularity is achieved by incorporating a dynamic sealing lip, which is substantially unvarying in width, thereby eliminating uneven deflection in response to pressure. The environment-side of the seal is configured to be supported by an environment side-gland wall when the lubricant pressure is higher than the environment. In applications where the lubricant pressure and environment pressure are substantially equal, the seal can be constrained by a seal groove to resist circumferential-compression-induced buckling and thereby assure environment-edge circularity. This invention, especially when implemented in an axially constrained manner, can provide improved environmental exclusion performance compared to the prior art discussed above.
In the present invention, elevated contact pressure zones caused by pressure manipulation features are used to provide improved lubricant distribution across the dynamic sealing interface. At least a portion of each of the pressure manipulation features is located on the dynamic sealing surface of the seal. The pressure manipulation features are also capable of initiating hydrodynamic lubrication, thereby eliminating the need for conventional hydrodynamic waves, thus allowing a substantially constant dynamic sealing lip width and dynamic sealing surface width.
The elevated contact pressure zones can be produced by various manner of pressure manipulation features, such as projecting rounded or pointed features, such as ledges, and such as recessed local depressions, all of which may elongated, and all of which may be skewed in relation to the direction of relative rotation.
The elevated contact pressure zones cause diversion of the lubricant film toward the environment. Some lubricant leaks past the elevated contact pressure zones, thereby assuring adequate lubrication thereof. The elevated contact pressure zones cause a net leakage of lubricant film into the environment.
This invention has application where relatively rotatable surfaces are sealed with respect to a structure with either the structure or the relatively rotatable surface, or both, being the rotary member. The dynamic sealing surface can be substantially radially oriented when the seal is compressed in the radial direction between substantially cylindrical counter-surfaces, with the dynamic sealing surface and the pressure manipulation features being located on either the inner or the outer periphery of the seal as required by the application.
Alternatively, the dynamic sealing surface can be substantially axially oriented when the seal is compressed in the axial direction between relatively rotating substantially planar counter-surfaces. In such face-sealing arrangements, the pressure manipulation features can be oriented to pump in an outward direction if the lubricant is located inward of the dynamic sealing surface, and can be oriented to pump in an inward direction if the lubricant is located outward of the dynamic sealing surface.
In this invention, hydrodynamic action can be created by means other than large molded-in waves so that (1) the dynamic lip is substantially the same strength and volume about it""s circumference such that all portions of the lip deflect substantially equally under pressure induced from the environment side so that no hydrodynamics are introduced from the environment side as a function of differential pressure acting across the seal from the environment side, and (2) so that the hydrodynamic action is not substantially diminished by circumferential relief of differential thermal expansion.
The invention provides a method for establishing a sealed partition between an environment and a lubricant, comprising: (a) providing a seal having a generally ring-shaped body defining a dynamic sealing surface of generally circular configuration having a plurality of pressure manipulation features projecting therefrom; (b) providing a relatively rotatable surface having a direction of relative rotation relative to said dynamic sealing surface; and (c) compressing said dynamic sealing surface and said plurality of pressure manipulation features against said relatively rotatable surface, wherein: (i) said dynamic sealing surface establishing sealing contact pressure with said relatively rotatable surface, thereby establishing a dynamic sealing interface between said dynamic sealing surface and said relatively rotatable surface; (ii) said plurality of pressure manipulating features establishing at least one elevated contact pressure zone with said relatively rotatable surface being at a contact pressure that is higher than said sealing contact pressure; and (iii) said at least one elevated contact pressure zone being skewed with respect to said direction of relative rotation.
The invention also provides a method for controlling lubricant movement within a dynamic sealing interface between a generally ring-shaped seal and a relatively rotatable surface, wherein the seal establishes a partition between a lubricant and an environment and has a dynamic sealing surface establishing a dynamic sealing interface with the relatively rotatable surface and has a plurality of pressure manipulating features projecting from the dynamic sealing surface, said method comprising: (a) with said plurality of pressure manipulating features, collectively establishing at least one, and preferably a plurality of, elevated contact pressure zones with said relatively rotatable surface and within said dynamic sealing interface; and (b) with said elevated contact pressure zones, causing directionally controlled movement of lubricant within said dynamic sealing interface and toward the environment. It is preferred that the elevated contact pressure zones be skewed with respect to the direction of relative rotation. The above method can be further expanded further include having the seal and the relatively rotatable surface establish at least one direction of relative rotation, said plurality of pressure manipulating features being disposed in skewed relation with respect to said at least one direction of relative rotation, said method comprising: causing interaction of said plurality of pressure manipulating features with said lubricant within said dynamic sealing interface so that said skewed relation thereof develops said directionally controlled movement of lubricant responsive to relative rotation between said generally ring-shaped seal and said relatively rotatable surface.

Rotary seal with improved dynamic interface


An electronic control unit adjusts drive force generated by an engine in accordance with the amount of manipulation of an accelerator pedal. When the manipulation amount of the accelerator pedal meets a predetermined condition, the electronic control unit executes drive force limiting control for limiting the drive force generated by the engine and changes the degree of limiting of the drive force during the execution of the drive force limiting process according the gradient of the road surface.

Conventionally, a type of drive force control device for a vehicle has been known that executes a drive force limiting process, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. Specifically, when an accelerator pedal is depressed strongly, the control device limits the drive force generated by the engine to a value lower than the value that corresponds to the manipulation amount of the accelerator pedal.


A multi-layer phase change material, including: a multi-layer film structure. The multi-layer film structure includes a plurality of periodic units. The periodic units each includes a first single-layer film phase change material and a second single-layer film phase change material. The first single-layer film phase change material and the second single-layer film phase change material are alternately stacked. The first single-layer film phase change material includes chemical components that are different from chemical components included in the second single-layer film phase change material, or the first single-layer film phase change material includes chemical components that are the same as chemical components included in the second single-layer film phase change material and a percent composition of the chemical components included in the first single-layer film phase change material is different from a percent composition of the chemical components included in the second single-layer film phase change material.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a recording material for a semiconductor memory, and more particularly, to a multi-layer phase change material having low thermal conductivity.
Description of the Related Art
Typical memories are divided into three types: magnetic memories, optical memories, and semiconductor memories, amongst, the semiconductor memories are widely used because of their excellent performance. Main semiconductor memories that are currently used are flash disks based on a floating gate structure. However, due to the thickness of the floating gate, semiconductor memories cannot break through the bottleneck of a size of 32 nm with the further development of IC (Integrated Circuit) technology, people now begin to competitively develop the next-generation memories represented by phase change random access memories (PCRAM).
A PCRAM is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory utilizing heat effect of electric pulses to facilitate reversible change of a recording material between a crystalline state and an amorphous state, thus storing data via big difference in resistance values under the two states. The recording material is made of film phase change materials mainly including chalcogenide compounds, a crystalline state thereof is a low resistance state representing a data bit "1", and an amorphous state thereof is a high resistance state representing a data bit "0". Temperature required for changing a phase change material from the amorphous state to the crystalline state is referred to as crystallization temperature, and temperature required for changing the phase change material from the crystalline state to the amorphous state is referred to as melting temperature.
Since advent of the PCRAM, it has received much concern due to its good performance in no volatility, compatibility with the CMOS technique, high-speed, resistance to radiation, low-price, and long service life. The Semiconductor Industry Association regards the PCRAM as a mainstream memory product in the future capable of replacing existing products such as flash disks, DRAMs and so on. However, with reduction in size of the PCRAM, distance between adjacent memory cells also decreases. Upon reading or writing a memory cell, heat generated resulting therefrom is inevitably transferred to adjacent memory cells. Once temperature rise of the adjacent memory cells caused by heat transfer exceeds phase change temperature of a recording material, unintended variation of a recording state of the memory cell will occur, and heat interference between adjacent memory cells will greatly affect reliability of the memory. Moreover, melting temperature of existing recording materials is comparatively high, and thus thermal energy required for phase change thereof is comparatively high. As a result, large power consumption becomes another big bottleneck that restricts further application of the PCRAM.
To improve reliability of the PCRAM, a common-used method is to mix elements such as N, O, Sn and so on into the film phase change material, thereby increasing crystallization temperature of a recording material and preventing errors of data bits caused by temperature rise of adjacent memory cells exceeding phase change temperature of recording materials thereof. Although temperature rise does not result in fast change of a state of the recording material, the method does not reduce heat transferred to adjacent memory cells, a resistance value of the recording material is significantly changed, and data bits are easy to fail after many times of operation, and thus a work life of the memory is greatly affected. Nevertheless, as the crystallization temperature is raised, melting temperature of the film phase change material is correspondingly increased, which results in higher power consumption of the PCRAM.
To summarize, it is very urgent to provide a phase change material with good thermal performance that is capable of reducing heat interference between adjacent memory cells of the PCRAM and power consumption thereof.

HUAZHONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A window assembly cooperating with a window frame on a golf car includes a first window pane selectively coupled to the window frame. A second window pane is selectively coupled to the window frame and offset from the first window pane. An intermediate window pane is arranged between the first and second window panes and is movable between an upright position wherein the first, second and intermediate window panes collectively define a transparent barrier at the window frame and a collapsed position wherein the intermediate window pane is moved to a position alongside the second window pane thereby defining a passage at the window frame between the first and second window panes.

Golf cars provide transportation for golfers around a golf course. In addition, a golf car must also securely carry a golf bag in a location for convenient access throughout a round of golf. Many golf cars are equipped with a front windshield assembly for providing a transparent barrier to the passengers of the golf car. A front windshield can protect the passengers from weather, debris, and other objects such as insects and golf balls, for example. In one arrangement, a front windshield assembly is attached between a pair of upwardly extending struts arranged on a front end of the golf car. The struts define a window frame and typically connect with a roof structure of the golf car. In other arrangements, the window frame may be free standing at an upper end.
Some windshield assemblies on golf cars provide a two-part collapsible window pane arrangement. Typically, a pair of window panes may include an upper pane and a lower pane. The upper and lower panes may be arranged one on top of the other in a vertical orientation. In one arrangement, a flexible coupling member may connect the upper and lower pane together. In such an arrangement, the upper pane may be movable from an upright position to a collapsed position. In a collapsed position, the upper pane may pivot about the flexible coupling member to a position alongside the lower pane. As a result, a passage is formed through the window frame for air to freely pass.
While the dual window pane arrangement provides convenient functionality to the golf car passengers, it may present disadvantages to some passengers. For example, the transition between the upper and lower window panes, such as at the flexible coupling member, may be in the sight line of some passengers. As a result, the forward vision of some passengers may be partially impeded. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a front windshield assembly providing the favorable functionality benefits of a dual pane arrangement while overcoming potential visual impairments.


A monolithic three dimensional charged coupled device (3D-CCD) which utilizes the entire bulk of the semiconductor for charge generation, storage, and transfer. The 3D-CCD provides a vast improvement of current CCD architectures that use only the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The 3D-CCD is capable of developing a strong E-field throughout the depth of the semiconductor by using deep (buried) parallel (bulk) electrodes in the substrate material. Using backside illumination, the 3D-CCD architecture enables a single device to image photon energies from the visible, to the ultra-violet and soft x-ray, and out to higher energy x-rays of 30 keV and beyond. The buried or bulk electrodes are electrically connected to the surface electrodes, and an E-field parallel to the surface is established with the pixel in which the bulk electrodes are located. This E-field attracts charge to the bulk electrodes independent of depth and confines it within the pixel in which it is generated. Charge diffusion is greatly reduced because the E-field is strong due to the proximity of the bulk electrodes.

The present invention relates to charge coupled devices, particularly to a process for forming buried electrodes, and more particularly to a three dimensional charged coupled device using buried electrodes which produce increased spectral range and has thick substrate back illumination, large full well and dynamic range capabilities, and radiation tolerance.
Charge coupled devices (CCD) were initially developed for an electrical analog to magnetic bubble memory. See Boyle et al., xe2x80x9cCharge Coupled Semiconductor Devicesxe2x80x9d, Bell Syst. Tech. Jour. 49, 593-600 (1970). Their analog charge handling capability made them useful in applications other than digital memory storage. Since their development, CCDs have been used to build analog delay lines, transversal filters, Fourier correlators, and signal processors. However, the greatest success has been their use as solid-state image sensors.
CCDs consist of closely spaced metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors located on the surface of a semiconductor. With appropriate dopant concentrations and capacitor electrode voltages, a space charge region is formed within the semiconductor directly below the surface of the MOS capacitor. This space charge region generates a potential well that stores charge generated with the material. This charge is generated by a variety of sources, from thermal electrons to injection via the photoelectric effect from photons that are absorbed within the semiconductor. When the voltages of the top electrodes of the MOS capacitors are pulsed in proper sequence, the potential wells move, transporting the stored charge from one MOS capacitor to the next. In this way the CCD becomes an image sensor capable of detecting, storing, and transporting charge generated by incident photons. This powerful concept has not changed over the past decades and the architecture used to implement this concept has changed very little.
CCDs are now being used in a wide range of image sensing applications, requiring different CCD topologies. The standard front illuminated CCD, see FIG. 1A, is useful for image sensing in the visible photon energy spectrum and recently in the 1-5 keV x-ray regime. These devices find use in video camera systems and facsimile and image reproduction equipment. Unfortunately this CCD architecture cannot be used in a variety of scientific and industrial applications which require imaging in the blue, ultra-violet, and soft x-ray energy spectrum. This is due to the fact that photons within these spectra are absorbed at the top electrode layer, which is no longer transparent at these energies.
To overcome this problem, a thinned, back illuminated CCD was introduced, see FIG. 1B. See xe2x80x9cThinned, Back Illuminated CCDs for Short Wavelength Applicationsxe2x80x9d, Tektronix Tech. Note July (1991). The problem of electrode absorption is overcome by turning the CCD upside-down and illuminating the backside of the substrate material. Unfortunately, the E-field generated by the topside electrodes is not strong enough to reach through to the backside of a standard device, as shown in FIG. 1A. Therefore, the substrate material is thinned from the backside until the E-field can reach through, typically 10-20 xcexcm (see FIG. 1B). Though high quality thinned, back illuminated devices are fabricated in this manner they are expensive and extremely fragile.
Image sensing and photon counting at higher x-ray energies from 1 keV to 30 keV, is an expanding market for CCDs. See Flint, xe2x80x9cCCD X-ray Detectionxe2x80x9d, EEV Tech Note November (1991). To provide this energy range, CCDs are being developed using a thick epitaxial, deep depletion layer or region with a relatively thin substrate, see FIG. 1C. Unfortunately, there is still a problem of collecting charge deep from within the substrate, generated by the high energy x-ray photons. A 100 xcexcm to 300 xcexcm thick, high resistivity epitaxial layer is required to extend the E-field into the semiconductor. Yet such epitaxial layers are difficult to fabricate, see Flint supra, and the E-field at these depths is still too weak to overcome any lateral movement of the generated charge caused by diffusion. These devices also suffer from charge spreading at higher photon energies. The charge will drift towards the semiconductor surface at an angle dependent upon its diffusion direction. Eventually the charge will be captured by the strong E-field near the surface, though this may occur several pixels away from its point of origin. The result is a loss of resolution caused by this charge spreading phenomena.
The problems outlined above are overcome by the present invention, a three dimensional CCD (3D-CCD) capable of developing a strong E-field throughout the depth of the semiconductor by using deep (buried) parallel (bulk) electrodes in the substrate material. Using backside illumination, the 3D-CCD architecture enables a single device to image photon energies from the visible, to the ultra-violet and soft x-ray, and out to higher energy x-rays of 30 keV and beyond. In the 3D-CCD, charge is transferred from bulk electrode to bulk electrode within the body of the substrate using bulk mode operation. This mode of charge transport within a semiconductor is ideal since the charge never comes in contact with charge traps located at the surface. See White, xe2x80x9cCharge Transport Without Trapsxe2x80x9d, Solid State Imaging, Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Solid State Imaging, pp. 275-294, September (1975). Thus, the 3D-CCD of this invention uses the entire bulk of the semiconductor for charge generation, storage, and transfer, and thus is a vast improvement over current CCD architectures that primarily use only the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
It is an object of this invention to provide a charge coupled device that uses the entire bulk of the semiconductor for charge generation, storage, and transfer.
A further object of the invention is to provide a three dimensional charge coupled device (3D-CCD) which utilizes deep (buried) parallel electrodes in the substrate material.
A further object of the invention is to provide a process for fabricating deep (buried) electrodes to create a 3D-CCD.
Another object of the invention is to provide a 3D-CCD capable of developing a strong E-field throughout the depth of the semiconductor material by using deep parallel electrodes in the material.
Another object of the invention is to provide a 3D-CCD which can image photon energies from the visible, to the ultra-violet and soft x-ray, out to higher energy x-rays of 30 keV and beyond.
Another object of the invention is to provide a 3D-CCD wherein deep parallel bulk electrodes are electrically connected to the surface electrodes, and an E-field parallel to the surface is established within the pixel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a 3D-CCD using deep parallel bulk electrodes, and wherein the E-field attracts charge to the bulk electrodes independent of depth, and confines it within the pixel in which it is generated, whereby charge diffusion is greatly reduced.
Another object of the invention is to provide a 3D-CCD fabrication process which includes utilizing chemical and/or plasma etching to form deep parallel electrodes in the substrate material.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. The invention is a new structure for CCDs which involves monolithic three dimensional 3D-CCD and a process for forming electrode structures within the bulk of a semiconductor. By use of chemical and/or plasma etching of the semiconductor materials, such as silicon (Si), the 3D-CCD structures use the entire bulk of the semiconductor material for charge generation, storage, and transfer due to the deep (buried) electrodes. Thus, the 3D-CCD of this invention provides a vast improvement over current CCD structures that primarily use only the surface of the semiconductor material or substrate. The 3D-CCD offers imaging capabilities for industrial, scientific, and military uses by greatly improving the performance of the CCD architecture or structures. Specific advantages of the 3D-CCD, when used as an image sensor, includes: 1) a very wide spectral response, 2) a very large full well capacity, 3) a very large signal to noise ratio, and 4) a high tolerance to radiation damage (built in antiblooming). The 3D-CCD utilizes deep (buried) parallel bulk electrodes which are formed in the substrate or semiconductor material. These deep bulk electrodes are electrically connected to the surface electrodes, and an E-field parallel to the surface is established. with the pixel, which for example includes four (4) deep parallel electrodes. This E-field attracts charge to the bulk electrodes independent of depth, and confines it within the pixel in which it was generated. Charge diffusion is greatly reduced because the E-field is strong due to the proximity of the bulk electrodes. Using backside illumination, the 3D-CCD structure enables a single device to image photon energies from the visible, to the ultra-violet and soft x-rays, and out to high energy x-rays of 30 keV and beyond. The operation of the 3D-CCD is similar to that of standard CCDs. There is no special voltage or clock waveform requirements, and the principles of charge transfer and storage are identical. In the 3D-CCD, charge is transferred from bulk or buried electrode to bulk or buried electrode within the body of the substrate using bulk mode operation. This mode of charge transport within a semiconductor is ideal since the charge never comes in contact with charge traps located at the surface. See White, referenced above.
Fabrication of the 3D-CCD basically involves forming an array of holes in a substrate where the bulk electrodes are to be formed, whereafter the surfaces or walls of the holes are doped and metalized, thereby bulk electrodes are formed in the substrate, and may for example have a diameter of 10 xcexcm and a depth of 200 xcexcm. From this point the formation of surface electrode placement is carried out using standard techniques to form the surface electrode structure and active output devices as in a standard CCD fabrication process.

Process for fabricating a charge coupled device

The Regents of the University of California


A box structure comprises an inner display box and an outer box. Detachable connections are provided between adjacent outer box and inner box wall panels. In one form, attaching inner box handle opening overlays to outer box handle overlays at the respective end wall panels of the box structure, one or more outer box back wall overlays to the inner box back wall panel, and a display panel portion of an inner box front wall panel to an outer box front wall panel assist in maintaining the integrity of the box structure. Outer box corners can have tear lines and walls disconnected at one corner to reduce bending stresses on the inner box walls during manufacture and erection of the box structure, while also facilitating the removal of the outer box from the inner display box.

It is known to have an outer box that receives a display box for protecting the contents of the display box, such as during shipment. The display box typically has one or more openings in a front wall through which the contents of the display box are visible.
Although display boxes having outer cover boxes are known, a need nevertheless exists for improvements in such box structures. Known display box designs suffer from one or more of a number of disadvantages. For example, the display box openings can weaken the front panel, resulting in possible kinking or buckling of the front panel and in a box having lesser crush strength when stacked. In addition, it can be time consuming to disassemble the outer box to provide the inner display box with its contents ready for display. Furthermore, stresses applied to the inner box during the manufacture and erection process of a combined inner/outer box structure can cause buckling or kinking of the walls of the inner box.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved display box structure that addresses one or more of these or other disadvantages.

Box forming structure and box erected therefrom


An adjustable shelf system includes a shelf capable of being moved from a first position slidably mounted within a first pair of track members to a second position slidably mounted within a second pair of track members without being completely removed from said first and second pair of track members. A method is also disclosed.

It has been commonplace in the automotive industry to provide a compartmental area for the stowage and transportation of cargo, such as, for example, groceries, golf clubs, and the like. Compartmental stowage areas for sedan-type vehicles have typically included a trunk, which is isolated from the passenger compartment area of the vehicle. Recently, with the popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and minivans, the compartmental stowage area for the vehicle may often include a load floor of the passenger compartment.
Although adequate for most situations, removable, adjustable, or permanent seating configurations of a vehicle may not permit a vehicle operator to maximize the stowage potential about the load floor. For example, if a family of six were to occupy the vehicle at one time, it may not be possible to remove or reconfigure the seating to increase the stowage capacity about the load floor. As such, a need exists for improving compartmental stowage areas within a vehicle.


An operating theatre lamp comprises a housing provided at the bottom with a light outlet opening (12) and in which a light source (13) is centrally arranged. The light source emits light all around toward a main ring concave reflector (14) which is mounted in the housing and deflects the incident light rays towards the light outlet opening (12) and concentrates them on a site of operation (15). At least one auxiliary ring reflector (17, 18) is provided between the light source (13) and the main reflector (14) outside of the light rays extending from the light source (13) toward the main reflector (14) which receives the light rays which would normally pass at the side of the main reflector (14) and deflects them toward locations of the main reflector (14) at which they are deflected toward the site of operation. In accordance with the invention, the auxiliary reflectors (17, 18) arranged above and below the light rays (16) deflect the incoming light from the light source (13) substantially back toward the light source (13) or past the latter to the diametrically oppositely lying region of the main reflector (14) on the opposite side of the light source (13).

The present invention relates to an operating theatre lamp comprising a housing provided at the bottom with a light outlet opening, a light source is centrally arranged in the housing and emits light all around towards a main ring concave reflector mounted in the housing. The main reflector deflects the incident light rays towards the light outlet opening and concentrates these light rays on a site of operation. At least one auxiliary ring reflector is provided between the light source and the main reflector outside of the light rays propagating from the light source to the main reflector. The auxiliary reflector receives the light rays which would normally pass to the side of the main reflector and deflects them toward locations of the main reflector at which they are deflected toward the site of operation.
Operating theatre lamps serve to illuminate the site of an operation opened by a surgeon in a patient. In this case it is important that the illumination be bright and regular, also permitting the surgeon to recognize minute tissular differences owing to a high colour fidelity and ensuring a far-reaching absence of shadows. The light rays must arrive onto the site of operation not only perpendicularly, but they must also include at least in part important components coming from the side in order that largely vertical walls of deep wounds can also be sufficiently illuminated. The main reflectors of such operating theatre lamps are therefore designed in such a way that they emit a mixture of light falling practically perpendicular onto the site of operation with obliquely falling light. Far-reaching absence of shadows signifies that apparatus or the hands and the head of the surgeon brought into the light bundle do not give rise to shadows in the site of operation which would disturb the observation.
In the prior art one can find one-eyed lamps operating with a large parabolic annular reflector, in particular a polygonal reflector, as well as so-called multi-eyed lamps which comprise several individual lamps arranged on the underside of the lamp body. The invention is concerned with one-eyed operating theatre lamps, wherein the central light source can nevertheless also be realized by means of two lamps or more in close propinquity. The light source lies at the center of the main reflector, from which the light rays extend all around in straight lines toward the main reflector.
It is however, also possible that one or several light sources emit the light from above onto a ring reflector concentrically arranged in the housing, this reflector deflects the light rays laterally toward the main reflector (DE-OS 36 33 609; GB-PS 1 517 357). Further, an operating theatre lamp which ensures an illumination of a site of operation practically without cast shadows is already known (GB-PS 825 638), in which the normally lost light rays of the light source are deflected toward the main reflector by means of an auxiliary reflector arranged above the light rays which extend toward the main reflector. The advantage of providing an upper auxiliary reflector resides in that the housing can be made narrower in vertical direction, i.e. more compact than when using a main reflector having a greater extension. A problem with such a configuration is a larger distance from the apparent interception point of the imaginary extensions of the rays of the auxiliary reflector with the center of the main reflector. In the known solution it is therefore not possible to simultaneously overlay direct lamp light and light coming from the auxiliary reflector in regions of the main reflector. Therefore it is not possible to achieve the required compact construction with the required absence of cast shadows and regular illumination.
The object of the invention is to realize a further operating theatre lamp of the kind mentioned at the beginning.
In order to solve this problem, the invention provides that the auxiliary reflector(s) arranged above and/or below the light rays propagating from the light source to the main reflector. The auxiliary reflector(s) deflect the incoming light from the light source substantially back toward the light source or past the latter to the region of the main reflector which is at least substantially diametrically oppositely disposed on the opposite side of the light source.
Thus, according to the invention, the light which would otherwise be lost is not deflected to the side of the main reflector on which the reflecting location of the auxiliary reflector is placed, but precisely to the diametrically opposite side. This firstly provides the advantage that the auxiliary reflector or reflectors are not impinged on under a flat angle but at least approximately perpendicular by the light of the light source, such that despite the interception of larger angular ranges of emitted light the width of the auxiliary reflector or reflectors can be kept low. Further, by appropriate inclination of the reflecting regions of the auxiliary reflectors, the reflected light can be deflected in this manner in an ideal manner onto such regions of the main reflector from which this light not only arrives on the site of operation but also illuminates the latter in a regular manner.
In order to keep the width of the auxiliary reflector or reflectors as low as possible, the auxiliary reflectors are provided as close as possible to the light source, under consideration of the heating by the light source, and/or substantially on the same radius as a filter arranged all around the light source.
When appropriately dimensioning the main reflector and the auxiliary reflectors it is possible to achieve that the light lost in the site of operation because of a cut-away region of the main reflector is precisely completed again at the same place by the light intercepted by the auxiliary reflector. Therefore, despite the saving of surfaces at the outer periphery of the main reflector one obtains in a far-reaching manner the same illumination of the site of operation as with a larger main reflector.
According to a further embodiment a filter cylinder held on the housing by means of upper and lower fixtures is arranged around the light source. The filter cylinder is located in the radiation path to the main reflector and the auxiliary reflector or reflectors are secured at the top and/or the bottom on the fixtures.
Owing to these features, it is also possible to use for the mounting of the auxiliary reflectors the same mountings which are provided for the filter. The filter cylinder generally serves to filter the heat issuing from the light source and also optionally the UV radiation.
A further important affect is that the radially further outwardly-lying regions of the main reflector, at which prevails otherwise the lowest light intensity because of the relatively important distance from the light source, are additionally subjected with light, which leads to a constant illumination of the site of operation on shadowing out by persons.
In order to be able to also reduce the diameter of the main reflector, it is advantageous to provide both an upper and a lower auxiliary reflector. In this way it is possible to cut away the lower regions located radially mostly outwardly in a conventional main reflector, such that a lower diameter of the lamp is achieved. The light which is lost in this manner is deflected by the lower auxiliary reflector toward radially further inwardly disposed regions of the main reflector, in particular in its upper region, such that this light is not lost.
Owing to the features of the invention it is thus possible to reduce both the height and the diameter of the operation theatre lamp without reducing illumination of the site of operation. The diameter reduction is indeed comparably low but results in the laminar air flow usually provided in operation rooms from the top toward the bottom is significantly less affected than by a known operation theatre lamp having a somewhat larger diameter with a same light intensity and a same illumination of the site of operation. Indeed, the cross-section of the lamp reduces as a function of the square of the radius.


A method and system for conducting a dispatch multi-party communication session is disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of a method of the present invention, the method includes establishing a dispatch multi-party communication session in a dispatch network, conducting a first portion of the session in a broadcast mode, and conducting a second portion of the session in an open mode. In accordance with an embodiment of a system of the present invention, the system includes the dispatch network wherein the network establishes a dispatch multi-party communication session and wherein the network conducts the first portion of the session in the broadcast mode and the second portion of the session in the open mode.

Cellular communications systems typically provide interconnect and/or dispatch voice communication services. Interconnect voice communication services are those typically provided by most cellular carriers as circuit-switched communications. Dispatch communication services are commonly known as a "walkie-talkie" type of call, such as provided by Sprint Nextel Corporation and identified by the trade names Push-To-Talk (PTT) or Direct Connect. The popularity of dispatch calls is ever expanding and this increase in popularity has created a demand for more features to be associated with these types of calls.
One type of dispatch call is a multi-party communication session. In this type of call, whereas only one person at a time is able to speak, multiple participants can speak at any time during the call. However, there may be times when it is desirable that only specified persons can talk during a portion of the call, i.e., the specified persons have the "floor", and the remainder of the participants are permitted to talk during another portion of the call. This may be particularly useful, for example, when a company is conducting a multi-party dispatch call and a presentation is made by a presenter during a first part of the call and a question and answer session for participation by all participants is conducted after the presentation. In this circumstance, it would be desirable that only the presenter has the floor during the presentation part of the call and all participants could have access to the floor during the question and answer session.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved multi-party dispatch call capability that includes the floor control functionality discussed above. This improved capability could provide greater functionality for conducting a particular type of multi-party dispatch call.