Multi-disk clutch connected downstream of a power split transmission consisting of a double clutch whose individual clutches rotate in opposite directions, the rotational-speed dependent axial forces being compensated on the shift piston, and has a valve which releases or blocks the flow of coolant to the disks and a return spring with an increasing spring characteristic line for calibrating the clutch.

The invention relates to a multi-disk clutch in a power split transmission for driving a mobile vehicle, especially a field tractor. The installation space, particularly the radial extent of the transmission, is limited wherefore the transmission housing must not exceed a maximum extension. The multi-disk clutch of the transmission is used to reverse the vehicle direction, it being possible for the operation to develop automatedly. At the same time, the clutch must be designed in a manner such that the closing force of the shift piston of the multi-disk clutch is independent of the rotational speed and a calibration of the clutch is possible. When the clutch is open, the drag losses of the disks must be kept at a low level, since in a multi-disk clutch used as reversing clutch, when a clutch is in open state the disks always have to be driven through in counter engine rotation.
DE 195 22 833 has disclosed a power split transmission where two multi-disk clutches connected downstream of the power split part of the transmission are disposed in a manner such that by closing the first clutch KV and opening the second clutch KR, the vehicle is moved forward by closing the second clutch and opening the first clutch, the vehicle is moved in reverse. By arrangement of the clutches radially next to each other, a larger radial installation space is needed.
DE 34 32 403 has disclosed a multi-disk clutch designed as double clutch in which rotational-speed dependent hydraulic axial forces on the shift piston counteract the rotational-speed dependent hydraulic axial forces on a radially inwardly open compensating cylinder having a chamber filled to over flow with cooling oil. The oil fed to the compensating piston is also passed on to the compensating cylinder and via the disks escapes into the transmission. When the clutch is open, especially at low temperatures and due to the drag losses generated thereby in the multi-disk clutch, the degree of efficiency is also impaired.
The problem on which the invention is based is to provide a double clutch for a power spit transmission which stands out by a compact design, low number of parts, an improved degree of efficiency, the same as by the prevention of wobbling disks and the property of being automatedly shiftable.
According to the invention, this is achieved by the fact that the clutch used is a multi-disk clutch designed according to the double clutch principle, which is connected downstream of the power split part of the transmission and where both individual clutches rotate in opposite directions, which is obtained by using one countershaft connected downstream of the clutch driven in reverse. By said arrangement of the multi-disk clutch, a compact, space-saving solution is achieved. By this arrangement, the clutch can be used as reversing clutch to reverse the vehicle direction, as separating clutch by opening both disk set, as parking brake, as starting clutch and as brake for dynamic brake support by closing both disk sets. By using the double clutch as reversing clutch with separate clutches rotating in different directions, it is possible to construct the clutches so that when the clutches are open the drag torques produced by the disk sets compensate each other and thus no starting torque is produced upon the vehicle. It is further possible to mount all supplies and discharges in the central shaft which can also be used as torque-transmitting duct for other possible inputs, particularly the fluid for the volume of the compensating piston for compensation of the rotational-speed dependent axial forces can be delivered and discharged through the central shaft. By the fluid for the volume of the compensating piston for compensation of the rotational-speed dependent axial forces being returned through the central shaft, the degree of efficiency is improved in a manner such that the drained fluid is not passed through the disks and the drag torques and losses associated therewith are reduced. The connecting holes toward the shift piston, the same as to the compensating piston, are located radially at the same height thus ensuring that the rotational forces are exactly compensated. By surfaces of the same size on both sides of the shift piston being covered with fluid, the rotational-speed dependent axial forces reciprocally cancel each other. Due to the rotational-speed dependent axial forces on both sides of the shift piston, no additional drain valves are needed for the pressurized space of the shift piston. In addition, a valve can be provided in the clutch device which releases a fluid current for cooling the disks of the clutch only when the clutch becomes closed or is closed. In the open state, the valve closes the access for the fluid current to the disks which further reduces the drag torques thus improving the degree of efficiency. In order to automate the gear shift of the clutch, it is necessary that the clutch be calibrated for which purpose it must be possible to detect the point at which the disks touch each other but still transmit no torque. Therefore, in the invention is used a spring characteristic line which is composed of the spring tension for the resetting of the disks in such a manner that the characteristic line is always increasing. It is thus possible to coordinate with the control of the clutch a specific path of the piston for each clutch pressure or spring tension.
In order further to reduce the drag torque of the disks, it is necessary to keep the disks at a defined distance.
In this invention, therefore, the outer disks are easily kept by corrugated springs at a defined distance between the outer disks. By using corrugated springs, it is ensured that a wobbling of the disks be prevented which prevents as inadmissible heating of the disks.

Multi-disk clutch in a power split transmission


An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming units respectively including first and second photosensitive members and first and second toner image forming devices for forming a toner image on the first and second photosensitive members respectively, and first and second transfer members configured to transfer the toner image formed on the first and second photosensitive members onto the belt member. The second image forming unit is arranged on a downstream side of the first image forming unit and is adjacent to the first image forming unit. An image forming apparatus further includes first and second photodischarging devices for discharging potential of the first and second photosensitive members respectively by irradiating thereon with light, wherein the first photodischarging device is turned off when the current is detected by applying the voltage to the second transfer member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic type image forming apparatus including a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that adjusts a transfer voltage to be applied to a transfer member for transferring a toner image onto a transfer material.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic type image forming apparatus employs the following method. That is, an image forming process, such as charging process, exposure process, and development process, is performed on a surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member such as a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt to thereby process a target image into a visible toner image, followed by transferring the toner image onto a transfer material by transfer process.
Recently, a transfer member such as a transfer roller has been widely used in the transfer process. The transfer member is a part of a transfer unit that is pressed against the photosensitive member via a transfer material (e.g., an intermediate transfer member or a transfer belt), and electrostatically transfers the toner image on a surface of the photosensitive member onto the transfer material in the transfer unit by applying a voltage to the photosensitive member.
On the other hand, it is known that a resistance of the transfer member to be used in the transfer process changes depending on temperature and humidity under the ambient atmosphere and operating time. According to the change of resistance, an optimum transfer voltage value for obtaining a transfer image of a good quality always changes.
More specifically, degradation of a transfer property may occur if a voltage value lower than the optimum voltage value is applied as a transfer voltage value. Specifically, in the case of a multicolor image forming apparatus, degradation of a color stabilization property may occur due to the degradation of the transfer property through operating hours.
On the other hand, if a voltage value higher than the optimum voltage value is applied, an abnormal electrical discharge may occur in a transfer nip portion, resulting in image degradation caused by the abnormal electrical discharge. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the transfer voltage value according to the change of resistance of the transfer member.
In view of the above, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-125338 discusses a constant voltage control method according to an "active transfer voltage control (ATVC) method". More specifically, in the above method, a predetermined voltage value is applied to the transfer member before starting an image forming process and an output current value at the time is detected.
A resistance value between the transfer member and the photosensitive member is obtained based on the applied voltage and the detected current value, and the transfer voltage value to be applied to the transfer member at the time of forming a subsequent image is adjusted according to thus obtained resistance value.
On the other hand, an image forming apparatus, in which photodischarging (light neutralization) exposure process is performed on a surface of a photosensitive member after transfer process, is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-147780. The photodischarging process can realize a good durability and has a high discharging property in comparison with discharging process in which a brush is brought into contact with an image carrier. That is, the photodischarging process is more advantageous than the discharging process using a brush.
According to the photodischarging exposure method, potential remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member generated between the transfer process and the charging process is discharged after the toner image is transferred onto the transfer member from the photosensitive member in the image forming process.
As a result of the above, uniform potential can be achieved for the photosensitive member before being charged for the next image forming process. Accordingly, the photosensitive member can be charged uniformly in the charging process for the next image forming process, and thereby the image degradation caused by a history of the residual charge is restrained.
Therefore, a method is widely used in which a photodischarging device such as a discharging LED is provided. The residual potential on the surface of the photosensitive member can be discharged, after a transfer process, by irradiating the surface of the photosensitive member with the photodischarging device after a transfer process.
However, a tandem type multicolor image forming apparatus, in which a plurality of image forming units, each including a photosensitive member, are arranged in parallel with a belt member which carries a recording material or a toner image, is reduced in size by reducing a distance between the adjacent photosensitive members. With the configuration described above, the distance between the adjacent photosensitive members becomes narrower. The photodischarging process causes the following problems if the photodischarging process is performed while the distance between the adjacent photosensitive members is made narrower.
Discharging light for discharging a first photosensitive member is initially irradiated onto a first electrophotographic photosensitive member, and, at the same time, is reflected by a surface of the first photosensitive member, a belt member, or the like.
The reflected discharging light (reflected light) is irradiated onto a second electrophotographic photosensitive member that is positioned at a downstream side of the first photosensitive member in a rotational direction of the belt member so as to be adjacent to the first photosensitive member. The reflected light is irradiated onto a region between a development unit of the second photosensitive member and a transfer unit.
At the time of forming an image, since a toner image is formed on the second photosensitive member in the above region, only a small adverse effect by the reflected light is exerted onto the image.
However, during the ATVC process, a process to form a toner image on the photosensitive member needs to be stopped. In order to shorten the stop time, a period of carrying out the ATVC process overlaps to each other between the adjacent image forming units in the image forming apparatus including a plurality of photosensitive members.
If the first photosensitive member is exposed to light from a discharging exposure device during the ATVC process, since no toner image is formed on the second photosensitive member during the ATVC process, potential of the photosensitive member in front of a transfer unit of the second photosensitive member varies because of the exposure to the reflected light.
If an amount of the reflected light is constant, no problem occurs when the image forming process is carried out at a transfer voltage set according to the ATVC process having been carried out in this situation. However, the state of the surface of the photosensitive member or the surface of the belt member changes according to the image forming process.
Therefore, if the ATVC process is carried out while there is the reflected light, an optimum transfer voltage may not be selected depending on a state of use of the image forming apparatus, which is not preferable.
A similar problem will also occur in a case where a transfer condition is set according to a process other than the ATVC process, which has been described above.
To solve the above problem, a shielding member may be provided in order to prevent the reflected light from irradiating. However, in the image forming apparatus having been downsized with a narrower distance between the adjacent photosensitive members, it is difficult to obtain a higher shielding property against the reflected light because there is only a limited space for installing the shielding member.


An engine maintenance kit and multi-use container assembly (28). The multi-use container (28) includes a base (30) and a separable lid (32) that is fitted at its uppermost end with a pour spout (46). A funnel portion (50) is formed integrally in the lid (32) and serves to facilitate the filling of fresh, unused oil from a bottle (24) into an engine (12). The base (30) serves as an oil pan for capturing waste oil (56) during the maintenance process. Following an oil change, the lid (32) is returned to the base (30) for securely transporting the waste oil (56) to an appropriate collection center.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a multi-use container for an engine maintenance kit and, more specifically, to such a container as used in the first instance for transporting engine tune-up components, and then in subsequent instances for funneling and collecting oil during an engine oil change process, and finally containing waste oil after the tune-up process.
2. Related Art
Small internal combustion engines are used in many applications including lawn mowers, generators, and the like. Properly serviced and maintained, these engines will last for many years and perform at peak efficiencies. Maintenance schedules are published by engine manufacturers, but have been found to be largely ignored by the vast majority of small engine owners and operators.
The small engine maintenance schedule typically includes several aspects. The crankcase oil must be changed regularly. Some manufacturers suggest oil change intervals after the first 5 hours of use and every 50 hours thereafter or once a season. The air filter should be changed regularly; for example, every 25 hours of operation or once per season. The spark plug should be changed at the recommended interval, which may be on the order of every 100 hours of service or once per season. Fuel additives should be intermixed with the engine's gasoline at the beginning and then again at the end of each season. Some small engines are designed to replace an oil filter at specified intervals.
For the sake of convenience, some retailers have assembled the basic components of a small engine maintenance kit into a single package. The components typically include a bottle of fresh, unused oil (typically 20 ounces or 0.6 liters for small engines), a spark plug, a bottle of fuel stabilizer, and an air filter. Optionally, the kit may include a spark plug wrench. On appropriate engine types, an oil filter may also be included in the kit. These components are, in most cases, packaged in a disposable cardboard container. Once the tune-up components have been used, the cardboard container is discarded. Thus, the cardboard container has but one purpose, and that is to house the kit components during shipping, handling, and point of sale.
Most small engine owners are reluctant to maintain their engines according to the manufacturer's recommended schedules. In part, the reason for this is a perceived inconvenience in the oil changing process. Many owners do not know where the oil drain plug is located or where new oil is filled into the crankcase. Many owners do not readily have an oil pan at hand, which is needed to collect the waste oil, nor a convenient way to transport the waste oil to an appropriate collection or recycling center.
The prior art has proposed various convenience kits in addition to those described above. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,910 to Pollacco discloses an engine oil container that includes an accessory funnel and drip pan. U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,870 to Farris discloses an accessory funnel that fits over the neck of a standard one quart sized oil bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,457 to Islava et al., discloses an engine oil change kit that includes a drip pan, gloves, and other accessory items. U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,149 to Peoples discloses a dual purpose engine oil container that includes a funnel but no drip pan or other tune-up accessory components. U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,652 to Bowland discloses an oil change kit including oil, filter, and drip pan but no funnel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,411 to Garland discloses an oil change kit including oil, filter, and drip pan but no funnel.
Accordingly, there exists a need in this field for improved convenience so that the do-it-yourself community will more frequently perform small engine tune-ups. Furthermore, there exists a need for an improved maintenance kit marketing strategy that will encourage do-it-yourself owners of small engines to perform maintenance at regularly scheduled intervals.

Multi-use container for engine maintenance kit


A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided which can have a high holding current without the penalty of a high gate current. Such a circuit includes a PNPN device and junction bipolar transistor in which a further doped region of the same conductivity type as the transistor collector region and more heavily doped than the collector region prevents the devices affecting each other. The junction bipolar transistor has a current gain of at least 10 and base-collector and base-emitter junctions with reverse breakdown voltages of at least 50 volts. A PN diode can also be used in the circuit.

A thyristor, that is, a PNPN device with a gate terminal, can be used to protect an electrical transmission system from transient voltages. A thyristor connected in shunt with a signal line of a telephone system, for example, has a low-current high-impedance state during normal conditions and switches to a high current low impedance state should the conditions change to cause the line voltage to go below the gate voltage of the device, the thyristor being so connected that its outer P-type region is positive with respect to its outer N-type region and its gate electrode is not positive relative to its outer N-type region.
A thyristor connected in shunt with a signal line recovers to its low-current high impedance state following the occurrence of a voltage on the signal line causing its conduction because the thyristor requires a current above a set level to keep it in its low impedance state after it has been switched on. That current is the holding current for the thyristor and must exceed the current which can be obtained through the signal line, in order that the thyristor returns to its high-impedance state following the occurrence of a transient voltage which switches it on.
A thyristor can be designed to have a high holding current, but such a thyristor requires a high gate current and, in a system protected by the device, the high gate current which the device draws can charge the system capacitance to a voltage high enough to provide a voltage damaging to many components.

An equipment protection semiconductor integrated circuit


Data race detection in multi-threaded programs can be achieved by leveraging per-thread memory protection technology in conjunction with a custom dynamic memory allocator to protect shared memory objects with unique memory protection keys, allowing data races to be turned into inter-thread memory access violations. Threads may acquire or release the keys used for accessing protected memory objects at the entry and exit points of critical sections within the program. An attempt by a thread to access a protected memory object within a critical section without the associated key triggers a protection fault, which may be indicative of a data race.

Multi-threaded programs are often impaired by data races—a class of concurrency bugs that occur when multiple threads simultaneously access the same data memory location and at least one of those accesses is a write operation. Data races are frequently the root cause of concurrency bugs such as atomicity and order violations, and they have had serious real-world consequences, including, e.g., the Northeastern blackout in 2003, the Nasdaq glitch during Facebook's IPO in 2012, and vulnerability to concurrency attacks on computer systems over the years.
To facilitate debugging multi-threaded programs and avoiding data races, various dynamic data race detectors have been proposed. Such detectors monitor the concurrency behavior of the program during runtime by tracking all or some sampled memory read and write events, depending on the class of data race detector, e.g., to determine whether memory access order is properly enforced by synchronization ("happens-before algorithms"), whether memory accesses are consistently protected by common locks ("lockset algorithms"), or whether read-write conflicts occur during runtime ("conflict exception detection algorithms"). State-of-the-art tools such as Google's Thread Sanitizer and Intel's Inspector XE, for example, instrument all memory operations in a program to check whether they can cause or have caused race conditions during actual execution. However, due to their use of inefficient mechanisms to instrument individual memory accesses, these tools incur prohibitive runtime overheads, rendering them largely ineffective outside certain development and testing contexts. Sampling or custom-hardware-based approaches that have been proposed to mitigate the dramatic slowdown, on the other hand, tend to significantly impair coverage and deployability.

Data race detection with per-thread memory protection


A grinding process monitoring system and grinding process monitoring method for monitoring progress of a grinding process by measuring thickness of a film applied to a substrate surface and undergoing the grinding process. A spectrum measuring device for measuring a spectrum of light reflected from the substrate surface has a measuring window opposed to the substrate surface. A measurement region between the measuring window and the substrate surface is filled with a cleaning liquid to form a liquid curtain in the measurement region. While examining bubble characteristic variations occurring in the spectrum due to bubbles present in the measurement region, a moving device is controlled to adjust a spacing between the measuring window and the substrate surface by feedback control to eliminate the bubble characteristic variations. The thickness of the film applied to the substrate surface and undergoing the grinding process is determined, with the spacing between the measuring window and the substrate surface adjusted to eliminate the bubble characteristic variations.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a grinding process monitoring system incorporated into a grinding apparatus for grinding substrates such as semiconductor wafers, the monitoring system being operable to monitor progress of a grinding process by optically measuring the thickness of a film applied to a surface of a substrate and undergoing the grinding process. The invention relates also to a method of monitoring the grinding process.
(2) Description of the Related Art
With an ever-enlarging scale of integration of semiconductor devices taking place today, circuit wiring has become increasingly minute to diminish spaces between conducting paths. In the case of a photolithographic process for fabricating such circuit boards, the surfaces of semiconductor wafers (substrates) must be smoothed because of reduced focal depths. As one smoothing method, a grinding apparatus is used to smooth a film (insulating film) applied to the surface of a substrate and grind the film down to a target thickness.
In a grinding process performed with such a grinding apparatus, a top ring supports the substrate and presses its surface against an abrasive cloth extended over a turntable. The turntable and top ring (substrate) are rotated independently of each other while a slurry (abrasive solution) is supplied to the abrasive cloth.
This type of grinding apparatus includes a monitoring system for monitoring progress of the grinding process. A monitoring system has been proposed recently for optically measuring the thickness of a film being ground. This monitoring system measures the current thickness of the film applied to the substrate surface and undergoing the grinding process, by irradiating the substrate surface with measuring light, taking in the measuring light reflected from the substrate surface, measuring the spectrum of the reflected light, and analyzing the spectrum measured of the reflected light.
However, abrasive powder may remain adhering to the substrate surface (or the film being ground) while the film thickness is measured. Such abrasive powder absorbs or scatters the measuring light to make accurate thickness measurement impossible.
Inventors have carried out film thickness measuring experiments aimed at solving the above problem. The measuring system used in the experiments had a measuring window opposed to the surface of a substrate in time of measuring film thickness. Through this window, measuring light was emitted to the surface of the substrate and the light reflected from the substrate surface was taken in. A measurement region between the substrate surface and the measuring window was filled with cleaning liquid (deionized water) to form a liquid curtain therein.
According to the system having the above construction, abrasive powder adhering to the substrate surface was washed away by the liquid curtain formed in the measurement region, to the extent no longer obstructive to the film thickness measurement. This prevented absorption and scattering of the measuring light, offering a prospect for an accurate measurement of the thickness of a film being ground.
However, it has been found that, when the above technique of measuring film thickness by forming a liquid curtain is applied to an actual grinding apparatus, the cleaning liquid could produce bubbles in the measurement region. Such bubbles are detrimental to an accurate measurement of film thickness.

Grinding process monitoring system and grinding process monitoring method


An electrical circuit provides a constant phase shift between two output signals derived from a common input. The output signals are designed to provide a constant phase shift at constant amplitude over a very large frequency range. The common input is provided to both a non-shift channel and a phase-shift channel. The non-shift channel comprises a fixed attenuator circuit that provides a non-shifted output signal. The phase shift channel comprises a low-pass RC filter circuit that provides a phase shifted output signal. The two output channels are connected by a transformer phase detector that generates an error signal. The error signal is input to an operational amplifier that provides a phase-shift control signal to the RC filter circuit of the phase-shift channel.

In some electrical circuits, such as single sideband and frequency off-set generators, it is desirable to split a signal into two phase shifted signals. Phase splitter circuits available in the prior art generally use complex passive and active tuned networks or comprise narrowband systems having phase-locked voltage controlled oscillators. As a result, prior art phase splitters generally comprise complex circuits that consume large amounts of power or systems constrained to operate in narrow frequency bands.
Because of the limitations of prior art systems, there is a need for a simplified circuit that has low power consumption and that provides a constant phase shift between two output signals over a broad frequency range. In addition, it is desirable that the two output signals of the phase splitter have constant output amplitude proportional to the input signal.


A sheet feed cassette includes a case, and right and left guide members that are disposed in the case and guide edges of a sheet parallel with a sheet feeding direction. The guide members are movable in a sheet width direction in synchronization with each other. The guide members are adjusted in association with a size of the sheet to be accommodated in a sheet accommodation area. The right guide member includes a slide member and a leaf spring attached to the slide member. As the right guide member is moved toward a side wall of the case, a protrusion extending from the side wall contacts the leaf spring, through a slit formed on the slide member. The leaf spring is deformed and the sheet accommodation area in the case gradually becomes larger toward a sheet stacking direction from a bottom of the case.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a sheet feed cassette and an image forming device provided with the sheet feed cassette.
2. Description of Related Art
A sheet feed cassette that mounts thereon sheets as recording media is removably provided in a known image forming device, such a printer. The sheet feed cassette disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-12101 includes a sheet guide member that guides a parallel edge of a sheet to a sheet feeding direction. The sheet guide member is movable in a sheet width direction to correspond to widths of various sizes of sheets. The sheet guide member includes a slide member and a leaf spring attached to the slide member on a side that faces the sheets mounted on the sheet feed cassette. The sheets are placed in position in the sheet feed cassette by an urging force of the leaf spring.
In recent years, demands to reduce the physical size of printers, and consequently reducing the size of the sheet feed cassette are increasing. Therefore, a compact design of the sheet feed cassette that is slightly larger than the maximum sheet size that the sheet feed cassette can handle, is desired. More specifically, it is preferred that the sheet feed cassette have a bottom whose area is slightly larger than the area of the maximum sheet size handled by the sheet feed cassette, as well as a guide member designed to allow the sheets of the maximum size to fit in the sheet feed cassette when the guide member is moved sideways to its limit.


A new method of changing the surface property of a nitride film from hydrophobic to hydrophillic and thereby reducing nitride residue after photolithography is described. A pad oxide layer is provided on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A nitride layer is deposited overlying the pad oxide layer. Thereafter, the surface of the nitride layer is cleaned wherein the surface is changed from hydrophobic to hydrophillic. The nitride layer is coated with a photoresist film which is developed to leave an opening where the field oxidation region is to be formed. The nitride layer and pad oxide layer are etched away where they are not covered by the photoresist film to expose a portion of the semiconductor substrate. The exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate is oxidized to form a field oxidation region in the fabrication of an integrated circuit.

(1). Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of reducing nitride residue in the fabrication of integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a method of reducing nitride residue by changing the nitride film surface to a hydrophilic state in the manufacture of integrated circuits.
(2). Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of integrated circuit devices, particles and residues on a nitride layer can have serious consequences for the quality of VLSI circuit manufacturing. The residues and particles occurring during nitride deposition and photolithographic developing play a major role in degrading the yield of wafers. It has been observed during after development inspection (ADI) and after etching inspection (AEI) that many tiny particles, discoloration, pattern lifting, and extra patterns have occurred. Pattern lifting will cause loss of field oxide, resulting in decreased wafer yield.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/040,434 to C. W. Cho et al filed on Mar. 18, 1998 discloses that cleaning a wafer with NH.sub.4 OH--H.sub.2 O.sub.2 (APM), HCl--H.sub.2 O.sub.2 (HPM), and H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 --H.sub.2 O.sub.2 (SPM) will leave the surface of the wafer in a hydrophillic state due to the oxidizing nature of peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2). This is a problem if the surface is a polysilicon film. The invention of Cho et al cleans impurities and residue from a hydrophillic surface.
In the book, Integrated Circuit Fabrication Technology, by David J. Elliot, McGraw-Hill Book Company, NY, N.Y., c. 1982, pp. 111-112, the author discusses pre-photoresist cleaning of wafers using a sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution. U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,543 to Eisenberg et al teaches a hydrofluoric acid (HF) cleaning of a polysilicon layer before deposition of a silicon nitride layer, then HF cleaning of the silicon nitride layer to remove silicon dioxide or oxynitride after field oxidation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,670 to Langan et al discloses etching or cleaning of silicon nitride using NF.sub.3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,570 to Fleming, Jr. et al teaches cleaning a wafer with a strong acid and a small amount of a fluorine-containing compound such as HF. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,985 to Lampert et al shows a water spray and HF gas can be used to clean a wafer and O.sub.2 and HCl gas can be used to make the surface hydrophillic.

Reducing nitride residue by changing the nitride film surface property

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A conferencing system may comprise an electronic display configured to display remote video generated within a remote conference room, a speaker configured to reproduce remote audio generated within the remote conference room, and a processor configured to receive local audio generated within a local conference room and picked up by a microphone assembly that is part of a separate device from the electronic display. A related method may include displaying remote video on an electronic display of an all-in-one display, reproducing remote audio through at least one speaker of the all-in-one display; and performing echo cancellation of local audio using the remote audio as an echo cancellation reference. Another method may include receiving, at an all-in-one display, a plurality of local audio signals from a plurality of microphone assemblies that are separate from the all-in-one display, and controlling, within the all-in-one display, gating of the plurality of microphone assemblies.

There are many software-based video conferencing applications designed to run on commodity personal computing platforms (e.g., "soft codecs"). Examples of such soft codecs have been developed by SKYPE®, MIRIAL® ClearSea, and RADVISION SCOPIA®. In the past, personal computers were not powerful enough to provide high definition video (720p or 1080p) at 30 frames per second or higher. As a result, there was a noticeable difference in quality that was achieved on personal computing hardware as compared to dedicated room video conferencing systems (i.e., "hard codecs") available from companies such as POLYCOM® and CISCO®. With advances in central processor and graphics processor capabilities, inexpensive commodity personal computing hardware may be used to provide high definition video that is substantially equivalent to the video available from hard codecs that are dedicated to a particular room.
Teleconferencing systems, such as all-in-one (AIO) video conferencing units (also referred to herein as "AIO displays") may be based on personal computing platforms. AIO video conferencing units may include personal computer (PC) hardware, speakers, a microphone (e.g., single microphone, microphone array, etc.), and a camera that are built into (or mounted to) the electronic display. As a result, low cost platforms may be deployed that provide video having similar or equal quality compared with dedicated hard codecs for videoconferencing that are relatively expensive.
The AIO display may also be relatively simple to set up compared with traditional hard codecs. For example, the AIO display may simply be placed in a conference room (e.g., mounted on a conference room wall), and then connected to power and a network (e.g., Internet, private intranet, cloud, etc.). Although AIO displays may provide high quality video, achieving high quality audio for a group conference may be difficult using conventional AIO displays.
For example, in a video conference made up of eight to twelve participants, a soft codec running on a conventional AIO display does not, by itself, provide an optimal audio conferencing environment. There are at least two reasons for this: conventional AIO displays often (1) use single omnidirectional microphones, and (2) have independent audio subsystems.
Conventional personal computer motherboards and sound cards used in AIO displays provide a single microphone input. This microphone input may be connected to an omnidirectional microphone in order to pick up audio in the local room. The single omnidirectional microphone may be placed in the middle of a conference table. A problem that may arise with this configuration is that omnidirectional microphones may pick up a significant amount of noise from directions other than the direction from which any given person is speaking. As a result, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the audio signal captured by the microphone may be relatively low. In addition to this SNR issue, an omnidirectional microphone may pick up speech energy that is reflected from various surfaces in the conference room in addition to the direct path speech from the talker. This may contribute to a "hollow" sound reproduced at the far end (i.e., remote conferencing room) for the remote participants of the video conference.
In order to address the issues of using a single omnidirectional microphone, some AIO displays include a microphone array in the bezel of the display. While this configuration may provide an improvement over the conventional use of single omnidirectional microphones placed in the middle of a large conference table, the microphone array will tend to provide a better SNR for speech from local participants who are sitting closest to the microphone array and a worse SNR for speech from local participants sitting farthest away.
In addition, when developing an AIO display one method currently being employed is to simply combine a personal computer subsystem with a display subsystem in a single enclosure. This configuration may cause a problem with the audio portion of the conference if the display subsystem supports the ability to accept audio inputs that are independent of the personal computer subsystem's audio inputs. The audio from a video conference will typically play through the PC's audio inputs. The display controller for the electronic display will also typically have an independent audio amplifier so that users can control the display's volume using a handheld remote control. A conventional method to integrate these two audio subsystems (i.e., audio from the PC subsystem and audio from the display subsystem) is to connect the PC's analog audio output to one of the analog audio inputs on the electronic display. During an audio conference, an acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) may be employed to prevent coupling of local playback audio into the microphone transmit signal. If the PC's audio output level is independent of the display's output level, the user may inadvertently set up the independent volume controls so that the PC output level is set relatively low and the display controller's volume level is set to a relatively high level to compensate.
The AEC may be designed to expect the acoustic power level of an echo signal to be close to the acoustic power level of the received signal. This is because usually there is an attenuation of signal power between the local speakers and the microphone. This attenuation is referred to as the Echo Return Loss (ERL). If the echo power that the AEC detects at the microphone is much larger than is expected (e.g., due to large external amplification), the AEC may mistake the echo power for local speech. As a result, the AEC may enter a half-duplex mode if its adaptive filter has not yet converged. When the AEC is in a half-duplex mode, the AEC may mute playback audio in order to let the local microphone audio through. As a result of muting playback audio, the microphone signal may be attenuated to zero. The AEC may detect this attenuation of the microphone signal as the end of the double talk state and allow the received audio to play into the room again. Due to the large external gain, the AEC may immediately (erroneously) detect the onset of local speech and again mute the playback audio. This cycle may continue indefinitely, which may result in choppy, unintelligible playback audio.
Another problem with audio processing with conventional AIO displays is that even if the PC audio level and the display controller amplifier levels are appropriately configured to begin with, a user may increase the analog gain on the display controller at a later time. Because this gain change may not be included in the AEC reference signal, acoustic echo may occur because the AEC may erroneously decide during far end single talk that the loud signal suddenly being picked up by the microphone is local speech, when in fact the signal is just echo. In addition to the problems described above, if the analog audio level coming from the PC is relatively low compared to the noise floor, and then a large amplification is applied in the display controller, the playback audio may sound noisy.

Audio conferencing system for all-in-one displays


The invention relates to a process and to an apparatus for providing gas for isotopic ratio analysis. According to the invention, a gas is generated from an eluate of a liquid chromatograph (LC). Subsequently, the gas is separated from the eluate. Finally, the gas is fed to an instrument (IRMS) for isotopic ratio analysis.

To carry out isotopic ratio analysis, high-precision mass spectrometers (IRMS) are used. They are fed with gaseous substances. Special considerations therefore have to be taken into account when analyzing solids or liquids. These may, for example, be provided as a mixture via a liquid chromatograph (LC). In the liquid chromatograph, the individual constituents of the liquid are separated with respect to time. One use of liquid chromatography is for substances which contain carbon, nitrogen and/or sulphur. For isotopic ratio determination of the substances mentioned, conversion to a gas is necessary. Suitable gases are typically CO2, N2 and SO2.
Conventional processes for coupling liquid chromatography with an isotope mass spectrometer are based on substantially removing the eluent or solvent before the substance to be analyzed is converted to a gas. An example of such a process is the "moving wire" principle. In this process, the eluate leaving the liquid chromatograph is evaporated on a continuously moving wire and the remaining dry analysis substance is subsequently converted to a gas in an incineration reactor, see W. A. Brandt and P. Dobberstein: Isotope ratio monitoring liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (IRM-LCMS): First results from a moving wire interface system, Isotopes ENVIRON. HEALTH STUD., 1996, Vol. 32, 275–283.
A further process which has been used for coupling a liquid chromatograph to an isotope mass spectrometer is based on a desolvation of the eluate at semipermeable membranes and subsequent chemical reaction of the dry aerosol generated. (Continuous-Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Using the Chemical Reaction Interface with Either Gas or Liquid Chromatography Introduction, Yohannes Teffera, Josef J. Kusmierz and Fred P. Abramson, Anal. Chem., 1996, 68, 188–1894).

Process and apparatus for providing gas for isotopic ratio analysis


An amorphous insulator film is provided which is composed of silicon (Si) oxide, in which the amorphous insulator film includes Ar and an amount of Ar included therein is equal to or larger than 3 at. % in terms of atomic ratio with respect to Si.

In recent years, liquid crystal displays, plasma displays, and organic EL displays have been actively developed regardless of sizes thereof. An attempt has been made to use an amorphous silicon thin film, a low-temperature poly-silicon thin film, or an oxide semiconductor thin film for a thin-film transistor (TFT) serving as a pixel driving device for the displays. In particular, a TFT using an amorphous oxide semiconductor film for a channel can be applied to a flexible display using a plastic substrate formed at room temperature. Therefore, active research and development have been made as disclosed in Applied Physics Letters, Volume 89, 112123-1, pp. 1 to 3.
In the TFT disclosed in Applied Physics Letters, Volume 89, 112123-1, pp. 1 to 3, an amorphous InGaZnO4 thin film is used which is deposited as an amorphous oxide semiconductor channel layer by a sputtering method. A Y2O3 film is used which is deposited as a gate-insulator film by a sputtering method. The Y2O3 film serving as the gate-insulator film is more expensive than a silicon oxide (SiO2) film normally used as the gate-insulator film of the TFT. Therefore, the conversion of the Y2O3 film to a silicon-containing amorphous insulator film such as a SiO2 film has been expected.
The silicon-containing amorphous insulator film (hereinafter, referred to also as insulating film) such as the SiO2 film is normally produced by a chemical vapor deposition method (CVD method) in many cases. In order to obtain an insulator film having excellent insulation performance by the CVD method, a deposition temperature equal to or higher than 300° C. is normally necessary, so it is difficult to form the insulator film on a plastic substrate.
As described above, the amorphous oxide semiconductor film used for the TFT can be formed by a sputtering method at a deposition temperature equal to or lower than 300° C. Therefore, it is desirable that the insulator film can be formed by a sputtering method as in the case where the amorphous oxide semiconductor film is formed. This is because a substrate having a low heat resistance, such as the plastic substrate, can be employed.
However, the conventional silicon-containing amorphous insulator film deposited by a sputtering method is inferior in insulation characteristic to the conventional silicon-containing amorphous insulator film deposited by a CVD method. Therefore, the silicon-containing amorphous insulator film deposited by the sputtering method has not been put to practical use up to now. Thus, for example, when devices are formed on the plastic substrate, it is necessary to form the insulator film at a temperature lower than the deposition temperature using the CVD method. As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-90568, it is desired to improve the performance of the insulator film formed by the sputtering method.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-258614, an SiO2 film containing 5 atomic % or less of Ar is disclosed as a magnetic gap material of a magnetic head. However, no applications of the SiO2 film to the gate-insulator film of the TFT are disclosed.

Amorphous insulator film and thin-film transistor


A patient lift assist harness composed of a single or multiple layer sheet of flexible fabric material in a generally elongated X shape with a central crotch portion, two first arms, and two second arms. The first arms are at an angle of approximately 45° to each other, and the second arms are at an angle of approximately 45° to each other. Belt loops at the ends of the arms are adapted to receive a gait belt. The gap between the first arms, the gap between the second arms, and the space between first and second arms at the sides expose the gait belt around the patient, thereby providing hand holds for the therapist.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to physical therapy, more particularly, to devices that aid in helping therapists to lift and transfer patients and to aid in walking, as well as reduce the physical strain on the therapist.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gait belts are traditionally used for safety and to provide a secure hold for therapists when assisting a patient with transfers or gait training. There is a "text book" way to use a gait belt, but unfortunately unique and difficult situations present themselves regularly during the process of physical rehabilitation. Gait belts are mostly applied while the patient is sitting and they often loosen as the patient is lifted, especially with patients who are larger or lack good pelvic and trunk control, causing the belt to ride up to their chest and change the center of gravity. This makes it difficult for the therapist to give manual facilitation where needed and offers the patient little support. Often this causes caregivers to grab patients by their arms or their pants to gain control, which can be harmful and uncomfortable for the patient.
There are harnesses on the market that are used for transfers and gait training. None of them attach to gait belts. They appear difficult to don with many straps and fasteners, and are expensive.
Thigh straps wrap around the patient's thigh, through the crotch, and around the gait belt. They are uncomfortable because they are narrow and dig into the patient's crotch area during use.


A method for reducing erosion of a mask while etching a feature in a first layer underlying the mask is disclosed. The first layer is disposed on a substrate, with the substrate being positioned on a chuck within in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes flowing an etchant source gas into the plasma processing chamber and forming a plasma from the etchant source gas. The method further includes pulsing an RF power source at a predefined pulse frequency to provide pulsed RF power to the chuck. The pulsed RF power has a first frequency and alternates between a high power cycle and a low power cycle at the pulse frequency. The pulse frequency is selected to be sufficiently low to cause polymer to be deposited on the mask during the low power cycle.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits (IC""s). More particularly, the present invention relates to techniques for reducing mask erosion during the etching of features in a substrate layer.
During the manufacture of a semicoductor-based product, for example, a flat panel display or an integtrated circuit, multiple deposition and/or etching steps may be employed. During the deposition step, materials are deposited onto a substrate surface (such as the surface of a glass panel or a wafer). Conversely, etching may be employed to remove materials from predefined areas on the substrate surface.
During etching, a mask formed of a suitable mask material, such as photoresist, is typically employed to define the areas to be etched in the underlying layer. In an exemplary photoresist technique, the photoresist material is first deposited on the underlying layer to be etched. The photoresist material is then patterned by exposing the photoresist material in a suitable lithography system, and by developing the photoresist material to form a mask to facilitate subsequent etching. Using an appropriate etchant, areas of the underlying layer that are unprotected by the mask may then be etched away using an appropriate etchant source gas, thereby forming features such as trenches or vias in the underlying layer.
To facilitate discussion, FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary substrate stack 100, including mask 102, underlying layer 104, and substrate 106. As mentioned, mask 102 may represent photoresist mask or it may be formed of any suitable mask material, including hard mask materials. Underlying layer 106 represents the layer or layers to be etched. For ease of discussion, the underlying layer represents herein a dielectric layer (e.g. a doped or undoped silicon dioxide-containing layer) although depending on the specific application, the underlying layer may be formed of any etchable material, including for example polysilicon, metal, or the like. Substrate 104 includes the layers and features that underlie the layer to be etched and may include the semiconductor wafer or the glass panel itself. For the purposes of the invention herein, the composition of substrate 104 is somewhat irrelevant.
Within mask 102, there is shown an opening 108, which is created during the mask patterning process. Thought opening 108, etchants (or plasma formed from such etchants) react with the material of underlying layer 104 to etch features (e.g. vias or trenches) in the underlying layer.
In any given etch, the challenge has been to formulate an etch process that can achieve a high etch rate through the underlying layer while preserving the desired vertical etch profile and without causing undue damage to the protective mask. The latter consideration is particularly important because if the mask is inadvertently damaged during etching, the areas of the underlying layer that are disposed below the protective mask material may be undesirably etched away, leading to defects in the resultant semiconductor-based product.
To facilitate discussion of the mask erosion issue, FIG. 2 shows the etch result after substrate stack 100 is etched using a conventional plasma-enhanced etching process. As shown in FIG. 2, mask erosion causes some of mask 102 to be removed, as depicted by thickness 202. In the vicinity of opening 108 in mask 102, the mask material is eroded in both the vertical direction (which causes bulk loss 202) and in the horizontal direction to form facet 206. Although not shown in FIG. 2, excessive mask erosion may create a facet large enough to expose the underlying material of layer 104 to the etchant, leading to undesirable damage to underlying layer 104 in the vicinity of opening 108.
Mask erosion is an even greater challenge in the fabrication of modern high density integrated circuits. To achieve greater circuit density, modern integrated circuits are scaled with increasingly, narrower design rules. As a result, the minimum separation between adjacent devices on the integrated circuit has steadily descreased. By way of example, it is not uncommon to employ design rules as small as 0.18 microns or even smaller in the fabrication of some high density integrated circuits. As adjacent devices are packed more closely together, there is a limit on them maximum allowable thickness of the mask layer. This is because if the mask is unduly thick for a given design rule, it may not be possible to properly pattern the mask for etching, for example. As the mask layer becomes thinner and thinner to accommodate the narrow design rules of high density integrated circuits, mask selectivity becomes more and more important to prevent inadvertent mask erosion. Accordingly, there is a need for an etch process that can maximize the overall etch rate and mask selectivity while maintaining the desired substantially vertical etch profile.
The present invention relates, in one embodiment, to a method for reducing erosion of a mask while etching a feature in a first layer underlying the mask. The first layer is disposed on a substrate, with the substrate being positioned on a chuck within in a plasma processing chamber and forming a plasma from the etchant source gas into the plasma processing chamber and forming a plasma from the etchant source gas. The method further includes pulsing an RF power source at a predefined pulse frequency to provide pulsed RF power to the chuck. The pulsed RF power has a first frequency and alternates between a high power cycle and a low power cycle at the pulse frequency. The pulse frequency is selected to be sufficiently low to cause polymer to be deposited on the mask during the low power cycle.
In another embodiment, the invention relates to a method for improving photoresist selectivity while etching a via in a dielectric layer underlying a photoresist mask. The dielectric layer is disposed on a wafer, with the wafer being positioned on a chuck within in a plasma processing chamber. The method includes flowing an etchant source gas into the plasma processing chamber. The etchant source gas includes a fluorocarbon-containing gas and a substantially nonreactive gas. The method further includes providing a first RF power wave form to a first electrode associated with the plasma processing chamber. The method also includes forming a plasma from the etchant source gas. The etchant source gas including a flurocarbon-containing gas. There is also included providing a pulsed RF power wave form to the chuck. The pulsed RF power wave form has a first frequency and alternates between a high power cycle and a low power cycle at a pulse frequency. The maximum power level during the low power cycle and the pulse frequency are selected to cause polymer to be deposited on the mask during the low power cycle.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed descriptions and studying the various figures of the drawings.

Methods for reducing mask erosion during plasma etching


An electrical terminal has inwardly directed blades (21,22) to cut through insulation and make contact with an electrical core wire. Two sets of axially spaced blades are provided to increase security. The front set of blades (21) is bent in from opposite sides whereas the rear set is bent up from the base. This configuration gives a short terminal length without risk of deformation when the usual wire barrels (13) are crimped.

The interior of a pressure contact electrical terminal fitting is provided in a unified manner with pressure contact blades which define a groove therebetween. When an electric wire is inserted into the groove, the blade edges cut through the insulating covering of the electric wire and thereby make contact with the conductive core. In this manner, the pressure contact terminal fitting allows electrical contact between the electric wire and the terminal fitting. Such a pressure contact terminal fitting has the advantage of not requiring a shaving process for exposing the end of a core wire, which is required in the case of a terminal fitting in which the core wire is connected by crimping or soldering of a barrel.
FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings shows a conventional pressure contact terminal fitting. A terminal fitting 40 has two pairs of pressure contact blades 45, formed anteriorly and posteriorly, and located inside a pressure contact member 41 whose upper face is open and forms a channel, facing side walls 42 thereof being sheared out so as to form a pair of mutually facing protruding members 43 which constitute the pressure contact blades 45. A pressure contact groove 44 is formed between the protruding members 43. The reason for providing two pairs of blades 45 is that the core wire normally consists of a plurality of thin intertwined wires, and providing only one pair of blades 45 can result in the core wire becoming unwound after making pressure contact, and this can cause the core wire to escape the groove 44 or otherwise reduce the electrical contacting force. If two pairs of pressure contact blades 45 are provided, the unwinding and poor contact are prevented from occurring, and the reliability of the electric contact increases.
In the pressure contact terminal fitting 40 having the configuration described above, the protruding members 43 which form the pressure contact blades 45 are sheared out from the side plates 42. However, the sides walls 42 are formed in a unified manner with barrels 46 which serve to fix the electric wire by being crimped around the posterior end of the pressure contact portion of the electric wire. Consequently, due to the barrels 46 being crimped, the side walls 42 have a tendency to change shape by bending, resulting in a slight change in the width of the pressure contact groove 44. This adversely affects the reliability of the pressure contact.
FIG. 7 shows a different type of prior pressure contact terminal fitting. A terminal fitting 50 has two pressure contact blades 53 formed anteriorly and posteriorly by shearing out of a base plate 54 of a pressure contact member 51, the blades 53 having pressure contact grooves 52 formed thereon. In this configuration, since the pressure contact blades 53 are cut out from the base plate 54, even if the side walls 55 bend in accompaniment with the crimping by the barrel 56, the accuracy of the dimension of the pressure contact grooves 52 remains unaffected by the bending, resulting in a higher reliability of contact compared to the terminal fitting 40 of FIG. 6. However, since the two pressure contact blades 53 are sheared out from the base plate 54, there is a problem in that the total length of the base plate 54, that is, the length of the terminal fitting 50, becomes larger than that of the other prior terminal fitting 40.
Both the terminal fitting 40 of FIG. 6 and the terminal fitting 50 of FIG. 7 have their own advantages and shortcomings; consequently a further improvement seems desirable. The present invention has been developed after taking the above problems into consideration, and aims to maintain a short length while achieving a highly reliable pressure contact.


An air treatment system for a vehicle includes a first compressor selectively coupled to a first vehicle power source. A second compressor is selectively coupled to a second vehicle power source. A first heat exchanger communicates with an interior space in the vehicle. A second heat exchanger communicates with an environment outside the vehicle. A valve member, in a first position, couples an inlet of each of the first and second compressors to an outlet of the first heat exchanger and an outlet of each of the compressors to an inlet of the second heat exchanger. In a second position, the valve member couples the outlets of the compressors to an inlet of the first heat exchanger and the inlets of the compressors to an outlet of the second heat exchanger. A controller selectively actuates at least one of the first and second compressors and the valve member.

The global war on terror has presented the military with new challenges. One such challenge is the redesign of combat vehicles to safely carry personnel and or cargo. One of the most important requirements for a combat vehicle's protection is counter mine design. These new mine/IED protected vehicles and armored fighting vehicles are designed for anti-personnel or larger anti-tank mines, armor penetrating and self-forged fragmented mines as well as improvised explosive devices (IEDs). To provide maximum protection new vehicles use special lower frame V shapes to deflect a mine blast with increased armor and clear armor windows for blast and bullet defense. Engines and transmissions are also housed within armor. The only outside openings that can be safely opened are the firing ports located in the doors and side panels. This added ballistic protection of the engine, transmission, and crew compartment has increased the cabin thermal load and mass thereby substantially increasing the load on the heating, cooling, and ventilation of the crew compartment.
Present tactical and non tactical vehicle heating and air conditioning systems use two independent engine driven heat transfer fluid systems in order to heat or cool the interior or cabin environment of a vehicle. Typically, in order to heat the interior, heated engine coolant is circulated from the engine through a liquid-to-air type heat exchanger located in or near the interior of the vehicle. In order to cool the interior, an engine driven compressor is typically used to compress a refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant is then allowed to pass through a refrigerant-to-air type heat exchanger (e.g. an evaporator coil) also located in or near the interior. In addition, present vehicle air ventilation systems may draw filtered or unfiltered air from the ambient environment.
There are several disadvantages in using such engine driven independent systems for the heating and cooling of a vehicle interior. First, using separate heating and cooling systems requires the use of twice as many fluid conduits and heat exchangers. In other words these independent systems typically include one set of fluid conduits and an interior heat exchanger for heating and one set of fluid conduits and an interior heat exchanger for cooling. Having two sets of fluid lines and heat exchangers not only incurs additional expense in the manufacture of the vehicle, but also contributes to the overall vehicle weight and consumption of valuable cabin space. This is particularly the case in larger transport vehicles that have multiple heat exchangers in the interior. For example, extended cab vehicles, large passenger vans, and military tactical vehicles typically include two in-dash heat exchangers, two mid-cabin heat exchangers, and two rear cabin heat exchangers. The two heat exchangers are normally packaged together with a common blower in order to effectively and adequately heat or cool the entire interior. In some applications a large single interior heat exchanger is used while a high CFM blower forces the treated air via ductwork to multiple locations throughout the interior. This ductwork consumes additional interior cabin space, requires the use of insulation, and must be sufficiently rigid so that it does not collapse or bend during the loading or unloading of personnel and cargo. It can be seen that cost, weight, and space are all important concerns.
Yet another disadvantage of the conventional heating, cooling, ventilation system is that the engine of the vehicle must be running in order to produce heat. Furthermore, there is usually some delay in the production of heat under cold weather starting conditions. Under these conditions, the engine must first warm the engine coolant to an operating temperature that is high enough (usually 150-210 deg F.) to produce heated interior airflow from a coolant water to air heat exchanger. This delay in heat production can be inconvenient for the driver and passengers in the cabin. Besides heating the vehicle interior, the front windshield may also need to be heated or defrosted before the vehicle can be driven. In such cases, waiting for the engine to sufficiently warm to defrost the front windshield can increase the time needed before the vehicle can be driven
Yet another disadvantage of a conventional heating, cooling, ventilation system is that the engine must be running to provide the mechanical rotational energy for air conditioning compressor and engine water pump rotation. During times of loitering or silent watch, personnel may remain inside the vehicle for safety and for protection against the outdoor environment. When loitering or under silent watch, it is generally preferred that the engine be shut off. This loss of engine rotational energy for air conditioning and engine water pump operation stops interior heating, cooling and ventilation. During cold weather operation the interior can become as cold as the surrounding ambient. Cold weather clothing can help retain body heat but wearing such clothing is both cumbersome and restrictive. Therefore, lack of heat when the engine is off can also be a problem.
In cold weather conditions, the interior vehicle temperature will rarely if ever be lower than the exterior ambient temperature. On the other hand, during hot weather conditions, the interior vehicle temperature can significantly exceed exterior ambient temperatures. The exterior color of the vehicle, solar radiation entering through the windows of the vehicle, and additional heat load from the surrounding ground (radiating under and around the vehicle) all contribute to the temperature rise inside the vehicle. In many instances personnel are unable to remove protective clothing to aid in reducing body temperature. As a result, the interior vehicle temperature can become extreme within minutes. Prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures can cause physical stress that ultimately impairs the ability of personnel to perform.
Yet another disadvantage of present conventional heating, cooling, ventilation systems is that fresh air filtration systems provide limited protection from harmful gasses and biological contaminants. In many cases carbon based filters and particulate filters are undersized for ease of integration and to keep consumer costs low, and thus only limited protection is provided. In addition, airflow density and velocity through the filters is not managed thus producing off gassing and reducing overall capacity.
Yet another disadvantage of present conventional heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, particularly for military vehicles, is the use of externally mounted Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) filtration systems. These filtration systems are intended to slightly over pressurize the vehicle interior. Current state of the art NBC filtration systems are self-contained and mounted outside of the vehicle. This approach exposes the ventilation over pressurization system to heat and cold, increasing the load on the vehicle heating and cooling system. In addition, an exterior mounted system is outside of standard vehicle protective armor and may require additional shielding or armor for protection. This further contributes to vehicle weight, time required to service the system, and mounting complexity. Another disadvantage of an exterior mounted system is that it provides additional surfaces where weapons such as hand grenades could become stuck or lodged.
Yet another disadvantage of the conventional heating, cooling, ventilation system is that vehicle NBC ventilation over pressurization systems regulate the interior pressure of the vehicle by increasing or decreasing the over pressurizing air flow. These systems do not monitor the density or velocity of the air moving through an NBC filter system. As such, the particulate and vapor adsorbing ability of the filter system can be greatly reduced.
Yet another disadvantage of the conventional heating, cooling, ventilation system is the introduction into the vehicle interior of external filtered over pressurization air. Current systems introduce the filtered airflow directly into the interior or into the recirculation airflow of the heater/air conditioner. The method of mixing the ambient filtered air flow before passing the ambient air through a heat exchanger is less efficient than introducing the ambient air directly to the heat exchanger.
Yet another disadvantage of the conventional heating, cooling, and ventilation system is the lack of airflow control for use with a military personnel cooling vest. During cooling vest operation, air flow from the heating, cooling, and ventilation system is used to provide heat transfer from a cooling vest heat exchanger to the fluid inside of the vest. The lack of a conditioned airflow control can impede the efficient operation of the cooling vest. As with a high interior vehicle temperature, insufficient vest cooling can cause physical stress that ultimately impairs the ability of personnel to perform.
For at least these reasons there is a need to provide a heating, cooling and ventilation system for a vehicle interior that is compact, effective, and concealed by protective armor (for military vehicles) while providing occupant comfort and safety during both engine on and off conditions. The present invention therefore relates to an improved design for a heating, cooling and ventilation system for a vehicle interior.

Vehicle cabin heating cooling and ventilation system


When a required speed ratio as a required value of a speed ratio between an engine and a driveshaft becomes equal to or less than a lower limit speed ratio that is not more than an n-th shift speed ratio during an n-th speed state of a transmission, a hybrid vehicle controls the engine, two motors, and the transmission to ensure output of power based on a torque demand to the driveshaft while performing an engine rotational speed adjustment of making a rotational speed of the engine equal to a shift rotational speed corresponding to an upper side shift speed ratio or an effective shift speed ratio and a shift from an n-th speed state to an (n+1)-th speed state.

One proposed structure of the power output apparatus includes an internal combustion engine, two motors, a Ravigneaux planetary gear mechanism, and a parallel shaft-type transmission arranged to selectively connect one of two output elements of the planetary gear mechanism, which are respectively connected to the two motors, to an output member (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Another proposed structure of the power output apparatus has a planetary gear mechanism including an input element connected with an internal combustion engine and two output elements respectively connected with two motors, and a parallel shaft-type transmission including two countershafts respectively connected with the corresponding output elements of the planetary gear mechanism and selectively connected with an output shaft (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In the power output apparatuses of these prior art structures, the parallel shaft-type transmission changes over the output element of the planetary gear mechanism to be connected to the output member or the output shaft. Such changeover of the connection varies a torque fraction transmitted to the output member or the output shaft out of the whole output torque of the internal combustion engine.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-155891    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-106389

Power output apparatus, hybrid vehicle equipped with power output apparatus, and control method of power output apparatus


Methods and systems wherein a first network device in a first network maintains attribute information for one or more routes to one or more network devices external to the first network. The first network device is configured to identify that a first route to the second network device external to the first network has a particular network traffic management capability, and to update the attribute information to indicate that the first route to the second network device has the network traffic management capability. The first network device is configured to select the first route for a new network packet flow from the first network to the second network device, based on the recorded information, and route the new network packet flow to an external network in the first route. In some implementations, the first network is a software-defined network.

A network consists of network devices linked together and managed by a network operator. The network devices exchange data in the form of packets transmitted over links. Two networks may meet at a network edge, and the network operators for the two networks may have an agreement to allow exchange of data at the network edge. A network device in a first network may address packets to a network device in another network, requiring the packets to be transmitted across a network edge. When these packets travel through multiple networks, there may be alternative routing options. The network devices determine which route will be used in accordance with one or more networking protocols.

Method for improving link selection at the borders of SDN and traditional networks


Isolated polynucleotides comprising a S100B mini-promoters are provided. The mini-promoter may be operably linked to an expressible sequence, e.g. reporter genes, genes encoding a polypeptide of interest, regulatory RNA sequences such as miRNA, siRNA, anti-sense RNA, etc., and the like. In some embodiments a cell comprising a stable integrant of an expression vector is provided, which may be integrated in the genome of the cell. The promoter may also be provided in a vector, for example in combination with an expressible sequence. The polynucleotides find use in a method of expressing a sequence of interest, e.g. for identifying or labeling cells, monitoring or tracking the expression of cells, gene therapy, etc.

The S100 calcium binding protein B gene (S1008) encodes the S100B Protein which is expressed and secreted by glial cells and astrocytes of the brain (Vives et al. 2003). The overexpression of the S100B protein has been associated with the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's Disease (Leclerc E et al. 2010) and Parkinson Disease (Sathe K et al. 2012). Furthermore, serum level alterations of the S100B protein have been reported as a potential biomarker for a variety of disease indications including arterial hypertension (Gruden M A et al. 2014), preeclampsia (Bergman et al. 2014) and traumautic brain injury (Yokobori S et al. 2013).
There is a need for characterized human S100B promoters for gene expression, for instance in human gene therapy applications. It is particularly useful to identify small promoter elements that are sufficient to drive expression in regions of the brain, for instance in the glial cells or astrocytes in the central nervous system as well as in Müller glia in the retina. Such small promoter elements, or "mini-promoters" are particularly useful in certain applications, for instance they are more amenable to insertion into viral vectors used in gene therapy applications.
S100B promoter elements described in the art, including:
Dagdan E, Morris D W, Campbell M, Hill M, Rothermundt M, Kästner F, Hohoff C, von Eiff C, Krakowitzky P, Gill M, McKeon P, Roche S. Functional assessment of a promoter polymorphism in S100B, a putative risk variant for bipolar disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2011 September; 156B(6):691-9.
Pustylnyak V O, Lisachev P D, Shtark M B, Epstein O I. Regulation of S100B gene in rat hippocampal CA1 area during long term potentiation. Brain Res. 2011 Jun. 7; 1394:33-9.
Geller S F, Ge P S, Visel M, Flannery J G. In vitro analysis of promoter activity in Müller cells. Mol Vis. 2008 Apr. 23; 14:691-705.
US2009-0280568 A1 describes earlier S100B mini-promoters designs by the inventors.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The perpendicular magnetic recording head includes: a magnetic pole including an end surface exposed on an air bearing surface, and extending in a height direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface; a leading shield including an end surface exposed on the air bearing surface; a leading gap provided between the magnetic pole and the leading shield; and a recess shield including a mid-part and other parts, and provided at a position on a side opposite to the magnetic pole with the leading shield in between, the mid-part being distanced from the leading shield in a track width direction, the other parts being in contact with the leading shield, and the position being recessed from the air bearing surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a perpendicular magnetic recording head and a magnetic recording unit mounted with the perpendicular magnetic recording head.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, along with an increased surface recording density in a magnetic recording medium (hereinafter, referred to as a "recording medium") represented by a hard disk, a perpendicular magnetic recording system in which a direction of a signal magnetic field is set to a direction intersecting with a surface of the recording medium is a main stream as a recording system of a magnetic recording head. This is because a line recording density thereof is advantageously higher than that in a longitudinal magnetic recording system in related art, and a recorded recording medium is advantageously less affected by thermal fluctuation.
A magnetic recording head of the perpendicular magnetic recording system (hereinafter, referred to as "perpendicular magnetic recording head") has a main magnetic pole that guides a magnetic flux generated in a thin film coil to a recording medium, and the main magnetic pole has a tip section (a magnetic pole) that emits a magnetic flux to generate a recording magnetic field (a perpendicular magnetic field) and has a narrow width.
In these days, demand to further improve the surface recording density of the magnetic recording medium shows tendency to further increase. Under such circumstances, to obtain recording performance of the perpendicular magnetic recording head stably, for example, it is necessary to suppress WATE (wide adjacent track erase) effective magnetic field as much as possible. This is because, if the WATE effective magnetic field is not sufficiently suppressed, defect in which information recorded in adjacent tracks is unintentionally overwritten with false information may occur. The WATE effective magnetic field means effective magnetic field affecting adjacent tracks within a wide range (for example, two to ten tracks adjacent to a track to be written), out of recording magnetic field emitted from an air bearing surface toward the magnetic recording medium.
To achieve the above-described suppression, there is proposed a configuration in which a shield is so provided as to surround right, left, top, and bottom of the main magnetic pole or a magnetic circuit is provided both on a trailing side of the main magnetic pole and a leading side of the main magnetic pole (for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0068678 specification). Further, there is also proposed a configuration in which part exposed on the air bearing surface is limited, and the magnetic circuit is partially distanced from the air bearing surface.
However, the configuration as described above causes complexity in manufacturing process thereof in many cases. Further, in a case of a configuration in which a part of a leading shield is recessed from the air bearing surface, the length of the magnetic path on the leading side becomes long, which causes degradation in magnetization efficiency. Moreover, when a magnetic circuit exists on the leading side, many of the magnetic flux of the recording magnetic field emitted from the main magnetic pole returns to the leading shield, which may cause deterioration in recording performance.
Based on these backgrounds, it is desirable to provide a perpendicular magnetic recording head and a magnetic recording unit that are capable of dealing with higher density recording while suppressing incorrect writing to adjacent tracks, and is excellent in manufacturability.

Perpendicular magnetic recording head and magnetic recording unit having leading shield including exposed end surface and recess shield including mid part


A stool softener and enteric coated bisacodyl form of a pharmaceutical composition.

Combinations of stimulant laxatives and stool softeners are known on the market. For example, co-danthramer capsules and suspensions contain danthron and poloxamer (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymers), and co-docusate capsules contain danthron and docusate sodium. These products have been effective in treating constipation, especially in the elderly and in patients suffering constipation resulting from administration of opioid analgesics. Such combination products have a reputation of being effective yet gentle. However the regulatory authorities have increasingly scrutinised the safety of stimulant laxatives and have restricted the indications of danthron-containing laxatives to cancer patients. Preparations containing phenolphthalein have been removed from many markets due to concern over potential carcinogenicity. Carcinogenicity testing has been conducted or is in progress with other stimulant laxatives and it is likely that other molecules will be subject to restriction of indications or removal from the market.
Bisacodyl is a diphenylmethane stimulant laxative used for the treatment of constipation and bowel evacuation. It acts mainly in the large intestine within 6-12 hours following oral administration. Bisacodyl was recently subjected to carcinogenicity testing and was shown to be free of carcinogenic/mutagenic potential and therefore, from a safety perspective, is the stimulant laxative of choice. However bisacodyl is directly irritant to the intestinal mucosa of the upper intestine and can cause griping and epigastric pain. To reduce the incidence of such effects bisacodyl is conventionally administered as enteric-coated tablets (e.g. Dulcolax, Boehringer), in doses of 5-15 mg daily. Due to the reported irritant nature of the active compound and the drug sensitivity to the low pH of the gastric environment, tablets have to be swallowed whole and not within one hour of milk or antacids. Bisacodyl is also available as suppositories, with onset of action within 20-60 minutes, but not as a commercially available oral liquid or sachet.
The enteric coated dosage forms do not lend themselves to combination products. A combination product of enteric coated bisacodyl with poloxamer is particularly difficult since the latter is a high dose, waxy, low melting point solid, which cannot be readily formulated into a solid dosage form of suitable size for acceptance by the patient.
A bisacodyl combination formulation can be made by the method of our EP-A 642,786, which involves melting a normally solid stool softener, such as a poloxamer, dispersing/dissolving the bisacodyl or other stimulant laxative in the melt, filling capsule shells, and allowing the capsules to cool. Such a product will have advantages with regard to dosage form and other properties. However, we have unexpectedly found that bisacodyl is unstable in poloxamer and also that the bisacodyl and poloxamer interact, with the degradation of the bisacodyl being accelerated in the presence of poloxamer. Preparation of capsules containing a hot melt of bisacodyl and poloxamer (as used for co-danthramer capsules), which are then enteric coated is therefore unlikely to produce a product that is chemically stable and has a satisfactory shelf life. Furthermore production scale enteric coating of capsules containing a low melting point, waxy, solid is very difficult due to melting and leakage or softening and deformation of the waxy, low melting point poloxamer.


A mobile drilling rig (1) includes a mast (3), a drilling head (5) for sliding in use along the mast (3), and at least one hoist (4). The drilling head (5) is supported by at least two hoisting wire cables (24). The mast (3) is telescopic and includes a main load carrying member (31), for extending the telescopic mast (3), at whose end a plurality of pulleys (26) are provided, on which the hoisting wire cables (24) slide. The main load carrying member (31) is adapted to bring the mast (3) from a closed operating configuration to an extended operating configuration and vice versa. The movement of the drilling head (5), when the mast (3) is in the extended operating configuration, takes place by the hoisting wire cables (24), which are pulled and released by the at least one hoist (4).

The present invention is relative to drilling rigs and, in particular, it is relative to a mobile drilling rig of the electric-hydraulic type comprising a telescopic mast and a mobile drill pipe storing and handling system.
In particular, the drilling rig according to the present invention can be associated with a vehicle for the transportation of the drilling rig itself.
Drilling rigs are known, which are associated with a vehicle for the transportation of the drilling rig itself.
These vehicles can be trucks, trailers or semi-trailers.
Said drilling rigs comprise a mast and a carriage that slides on the mast, along suitable guides, and supports the drilling head.
During the transportation, said mast is closed and arranged horizontally on said transportation vehicle.
Said mast is raised, in the working configuration, which is arranged vertically relative to the ground, by means of hydraulic pistons and mechanical systems that are known to a skilled person.
The technical features required for the drilling, in order to reduce the trip-in time and the trip-out time of a drilling system, lead the constructors of said drilling rigs to manufacture drilling rigs that allow users to use a drill string that is as long as possible. Normally, this technical feature forces constructors to manufacture drilling rigs with large dimensions.
This manufacturing feature generates a technical problem concerning the transportation of a structure with remarkable dimensions, both in terms of weight and size and in terms of ability to actually maneuver the vehicle on which the mast and the other elements of the drilling rigs are arranged.
Furthermore, every single country has its own laws regulating the dimensions and the maximum weight of the vehicles for the transportation on wheels, thus causing the movement of the drilling rigs from one drilling area to the other to become even more difficult.
The European patent no. EP0548900 describes a mobile drilling rig comprising a telescopic mast, which can be extended by means of a central hydraulic cylinder.
Another problem arising from the increase in the dimensions and the weigh of the drilling rig and, in particular, of the mast is relative to the forces acting upon the mast. As a matter of fact, structures with large dimensions produce an increase in the compression force acting upon the mast, which is transferred, through the drill floor, to the base section.
The structure of the mast, which is adapted to control the movements of the carriage comprising the drilling head, must be able to counter the torsion transmitted to the drill string by the drilling head itself.
Furthermore, the great length of the mast can cause a bending moment, which is generated by the lack of symmetry of the compression forces relative to the longitudinal axis of the mast.
In order to solve the latter problem and avoid damages to the structure of the mast, constructors increase the dimensions of the mast even more, so as to strengthen the structure of the mast itself. The greater sturdiness of the mast, though, worsens the technical problem concerning the increase in the mass of the drilling rig.
The increase in the overall mass and dimensions of the drilling rig leads to an increase in the costs for the installation and the removal of the drilling rig itself.
Furthermore, as already mentioned above, the increase in the mass of the drilling rig and, in particular, of the mast causes an increase in the compression force, thus forcing manufacturers to also strengthen the drill floor and the base section in order to correctly unload said compression force.
Designing technical features are aimed at providing a main load carrying member that is contained in the structure or skeleton of the mast, but is distinct from the mast. Furthermore, designing technical features require the loads acting upon said element to be perfectly symmetrical, so that the compression is entirely unloaded onto said element and the mast is not subject to the bending moments.
In the state of the art these objects cannot be reached, since the continuous movement of the drilling head, performed by lengthening and shortening the length of the mast itself, causes bending moments to the structure of the mast. These bending moments are normally countered by strengthening the structure and, hence, by increasing the weight of the drilling rig with the problems mentioned above.
In the prior art, as described for example in patent EP 0548900B1, the drilling head is caused to move up and down by hydraulic devices, such as hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors. The use of a hydraulic raising system reduces the energetic efficiency of the drilling rig. As a matter of fact, in order to actuate the hydraulic devices, the electric motors must actuate hydraulic pumps, with a first transformation from electric energy into fluidic energy. These pumps feed hydraulic devices, such as hydraulic cylinders or motors, thus performing a second transformation from fluidic energy into mechanical energy, with the consequent reduction of the efficiency of the system.


A circular knitting machine for manufacturing hosiery comprises a lower needle cylinder (1) having a cam section arrangement (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and a verticle trick (2) grooved on the needle cylinder (1) near the arrangement (5, 6, 7, 8, 9). The cam section arrangement (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) defines a plurality of channels (13, 14, 15, 16). A sinker arrangement (3, 4) is disposed in the verticle trick (2) for verticle movement and has guiding butts (41, 42) alternately engageable with the channels (13, 14, 15, 16). The guiding butts (41, 42) are movable in the channels (13, 14, 15, 16) in a knitting direction (S) and a reverse knitting direction (S'). A plurality of needles (4') are engaged with the sinker arrangement (3, 4). Stitch cams (10, 11) are mounted to the cam section arrangement (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) for engaging the needle (4') when the needles (4') are moved in the knitting direction (S). A reverse stitch cam (12) is mounted to the cam section arrangement (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) for engaging the needles (4') when the needles (4') are moved in the reverse knitting direction (S').

The invention relates to circular knitting machines, especially machines for manufacturing hosiery or the like, that are provided with latch needles mounted in a needle cylinder. In operation, the needles are lowered and lifted by means of swinging sinkers which are provided with two guiding butts alternately engageable with cam channels. Alternatively, the butts can be provided immediately on the needles, or on guiding sinkers of double-head needles.
Circular knitting machines provided with swinging sinkers having two guiding butts are well known. These machines are adapted for reverse knitting operations, such as knitting heels and toes of hosiery, and particularly in a single feed system. The system is usually provided with a right and left sinking cam as well as with heel cam which is designed for displacing the needles onto the level of the sinking cams, i.e. in both knitting directions. Due to such an arrangement, the cam channels for the butts of the needles or for the needle guiding sinkers cross each other. Below the heel cam there is provided a compensating cam which is designed for positioning the needles and for preventing the needles form assuming, owing to the knitting speed, a position which is lower than the position which is necessary for laying thread into the needles. Consequently, the needle races are broken, and the guiding butts are exposed to many shocks which causes paths to lose their curvilinear course. The motion, especially with double-cylinder machines, is ensured within a section, by the lower butts of the guiding sinkers so that even the race continuity is impaired. Therefore, any increase in knitting speed is difficult.