A display device capable of obtaining a constant luminance without being influenced by temperature change is provided as well as a method of driving the display device. A current mirror circuit composed of a first transistor and a second transistor is provided in each pixel. The first transistor and second transistor of the current mirror circuit are connected such that their drain currents are kept almost equal irrespective of the level of load resistance. By controlling the OLED drive current using the current mirror circuit, a change in OLED drive current due to fluctuation in characteristics between transistors is avoided and a constant luminance is obtained without being influenced by temperature change.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting panel in which a light emitting element formed on a substrate is enclosed between the substrate and a cover member. Also, the present invention relates to a light emitting module in which an IC or the like is mounted on the light emitting panel. Note that, in this specification, the light emitting panel and the light emitting module are generically called light emitting devices. The present invention further relates to a method of driving the light emitting device and an electronic appliance using the light emitting device. Moreover, present invention relates to an element substrate corresponding to one mode before the light emitting element is completed in the step of manufacturing the light emitting device, wherein said element substrate includes means for providing electric current to the light emitting element in a plurality of pixels, respectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
An light emitting element emits light by itself, and thus, has high visibility. The light emitting element does not need a backlight necessary for a liquid crystal display device (LCD), which is suitable for a reduction of a light emitting device in thickness. Also, the light emitting element has no limitation on a viewing angle. Therefore, the light emitting device using the light emitting element has recently been attracting attention as a display device that substitutes for a CRT or the LCD.
Incidentally, the light emitting element means an element of which a luminance is controlled by electric current or voltage in this specification. The light emitting element includes an OLED (organic light emitting diode), an MIM type electron source element (electron emitting elements) used to a FED (field emission display) and the like.
The OLED includes a layer containing an organic compound in which luminescence generated by application of an electric field (electroluminescence) is obtained (organic light emitting material) (hereinafter, referred to as organic light emitting layer), an anode layer and a cathode layer. A light emission in returning to a base state from a singlet excitation state (fluorescence) and a light emission in returning to a base state from a triplet excitation state (phosphorescence) exist as the luminescence in the organic compound. The light emitting device of the present invention may use one or both of the above-described light emissions.
Note that, in this specification, all the layers provided between an anode and a cathode of the OLED are defined as the organic light emitting layers. The organic light emitting layers specifically include a light emitting layer, a hole injecting layer, an electron injecting layer, a hole transporting layer, an electron transporting layer and the like. The OLED basically has a structure in which an anode, a light emitting layer, a cathode are laminated in order. Besides this structure, the OLED may take a structure in which an anode, a hole injecting layer, a light emitting layer, a cathode are laminated in order or a structure in which an anode, a hole injecting layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transporting layer, a cathode are laminated in order. These layers may have an inorganic compound therein.
FIG. 25 shows the structure of a pixel in a general light emitting device. The pixel shown in FIG. 25 has TFTs 50 and 51, a storage capacitor 52, and a light emitting element 53.
A gate of the TFT 50 is connected to a scanning line 55. The TFT 50 has a source and a drain one of which is connected to a signal line 54 and the other of which is connected to a gate of the TFT 51. The TFT 51 has a source connected to a power supply 56 and has a drain connected to an anode of the light emitting element 53. A cathode of the light emitting element 53 is connected to power supply 57. The storage capacitor 52 is provided to hold the voltage between the gate and source of the TFT 51.
When the TFT 50 is turned ON by the voltage of the scanning line 55, a video signal inputted to the signal line 54 is inputted to the gate of the TFT 51. Upon input of the video signal, the gate voltage (voltage difference between the gate and the source) of the TFT 51 is determined in accordance with the voltage of the video signal inputted. The gate voltage causes a drain current to flow in the TFT 51 and the drain current is supplied to the light emitting element 53, which emits light upon receiving the current.
TFTs formed of polysilicon are higher in field effect mobility and larger in ON current than TFTs formed of amorphous silicon. Therefore TFTs formed of polysilicon are more suitable as transistors for light emitting element panels.
However, electric characteristics of polysilicon TFTs are far behind the electric characteristics of MOS transistors that are formed on single crystal silicon substrates. For example, the field effect mobility of polysilicon TFTs is 1/10 or less of the field effect mobility of single crystal silicon TFTs. Furthermore, polysilicon TFTs are easily fluctuated in characteristics because of defects in grain boundaries.
In the case where pixels are structured as shown in FIG. 25, if the threshold, ON current, and other characteristics of the TFT 51 fluctuate from one pixel to another, the amount of drain current of the TFT 51 varies between pixels despite the voltage of the video signal being the same. This leads to fluctuation in luminance of the light emitting element 53.
To avoid the problem described above, various kinds of current input type pixel structures have been devised which can control the amount of current flowing into a light emitting element without being influenced by characteristics of TFTs. Two examples of typical current input type pixel will be given below to describe their structures.
The structure of a current input type pixel disclosed in JP 2001-147659 A is described first with reference to FIG. 26A.
The pixel shown in FIG. 26A has TFTs 11, 12, 13, and 14, a storage capacitor 15, and a light emitting element 16.
A gate of the TFT 11 is connected to a terminal 18. The TFT 11 has a source and a drain one of which is connected to a current source 17 and the other of which is connected to a drain of the TFT 13. A gate of the TFT 12 is connected to a terminal 19. The TFT 12 has a source and a drain one of which is connected to the drain of the TFT 13 and the other of which is connected to a gate of the TFT 13. The TFT 13 and the TFT 14 are connected to each other at their gates. Sources of the TFTs 13 and 14 are both connected to a terminal 20. A drain of the TFT 14 is connected to an anode of the light emitting element 16. A cathode of the light emitting element 16 is connected to a terminal 21. The storage capacitor 15 is provided to hold the voltage between the gate and source of the TFTs 13 and 14. Given voltages are applied to the terminals 20 and 21 from a power supply, and the voltage of the terminal 20 is different from the voltage of the terminal 21.
After the TFTs 11 and 12 are turned ON by the voltages applied to the terminals 18 and 19, the drain current of the TFT 13 is controlled by the current source 17. Since the gate and drain of the TFT 13 are connected to each other, the TFT 13 operates in a saturation region and the drain current of the TFT 13 is expressed by the following Expression 1. VGS represents the gate voltage; μ, the mobility; Co, the gate capacity per unit area; W/L, the ratio of a channel width W of a channel formation region to a channel length L; VTH, the threshold; and I, the drain current.I=μCoW/L(VGS−VTH)2/2  [Expression 1]In Expression 1, μ, Co, W/L, and VTH are fixed values unique to each transistor. It is understood from Expression 1 that the drain current of the TFT 13 is changed by the gate voltage VGS. According to Expression 1, the level of gate voltage VGS generated in the TFT 13 is determined by the drain current.
At this point, the gate voltage of the TFT 14 is kept at the same level as the gate voltage of the TFT 13 because the gate and source of the TFTs 13 and 14 are connected to each other.
Therefore, the drain current of the TFT 13 and the drain current of the TFT 14 are in proportion to each other. If μ, Co, W/L, and VTH of the TFT 13 are identical with those of the TFT 14, the TFTs 13 and 14 have the same amount of drain current. The drain current flowing in the TFT 14 is supplied to the light emitting element 16, which emits light at a luminance according to the amount of the supplied drain current.
The light emitting element 16 continues to emit light even after the TFTs 11 and 12 are turned OFF by the voltages applied to the terminals 18 and 19, as long as the gate voltage of the TFT 14 is held by the storage capacitor 15.
As described above, the pixel shown in FIG. 26A has means for converting a current supplied to the pixel into a voltage to hold the voltage and means for causing a current to flow to the light emitting element in an amount according to the voltage held. FIG. 27A is a block diagram showing a relation between the means of the pixel of FIG. 26A and the light emitting element of the pixel. A pixel 80 has a converting unit 81 for converting a current supplied to the pixel into a voltage to hold the voltage, a driving unit 82 for causing a current to flow to a light emitting element in an amount according to the voltage held, and a light emitting element 83. The current supplied to the pixel 80 is converted into a voltage in the converting unit 81, and the voltage is given to the driving unit 82. The driving unit 82 supplies a current to the light emitting element 83 in an amount according to the voltage given.
Specifically, the TFT 12, the TFT 13, and the storage capacitor 15 in FIG. 26A correspond to the means for converting a supplied current into a voltage to hold the voltage. The TFT 14 corresponds to the means for causing a current to flow to the light emitting device in an amount according to the voltage held.
Described next with reference to FIG. 26B is the structure of a current input type pixel disclosed in Tech. Digest IEDM 98, 875, by R. M. A. Dawson etc. The pixel shown in FIG. 26B has TFTs 31, 32, 33, and 34, a storage capacitor 35, and a light emitting element 36.
A gate of the TFT 31 is connected to a terminal 38. The TFT 31 has a source and a drain one of which is connected to a current source 37 and the other of which is connected to a source of the TFT 33. A gate of the TFT 34 is connected to the terminal 38. The TFT 34 has a source and a drain one of which is connected to a gate of the TFT 33 and the other of which is connected to a drain of the TFT 33. A gate of the TFT 32 is connected to a terminal 39. The TFT 32 has a source and a drain one of which is connected to a terminal 40 and the other of which is connected to a source of the TFT 33. The drain of the TFT 34 is connected to an anode of the light emitting element 36. A cathode of the light emitting element 36 is connected to a terminal 41. The storage capacitor 35 is provided to hold the voltage between the gate and source of the TFT 33. Given voltages are applied to the terminals 40 and 41 from a power supply and the voltage of the terminal 40 is different from the voltage of the terminal 41.
After the TFTs 31 and 34 are turned ON by the voltage applied to the terminal 38 and the TFT 32 is turned OFF by the voltage applied to the terminal 39, the drain current of the TFT 33 is controlled by the current source 37. Since the gate and drain of the TFT 33 are connected to each other, the TFT 33 operates in a saturation region and the drain current of the TFT 33 is expressed by the above-mentioned Expression 1. It is understood from Expression 1 that the drain current of the TFT 33 is changed by the gate voltage VGS. According to Expression 1, the level of gate voltage VGS generated in the TFT 33 is determined by the drain current.
The drain current flowing in the TFT 33 is supplied to the light emitting element 36, which emits light at a luminance according to the amount of the supplied drain current.
After the TFTs 31 and 34 are turned OFF by the voltage applied to the terminal 38, the TFT 32 is turned ON by the voltage applied to the terminal 39. The light emitting element 36 continues to emit light at the same luminance as the luminance of light emitted while the TFTs 31 and 34 are ON as long as the gate voltage of the TFT 33 is held by the storage capacitor 35.
As described above, the pixel shown in FIG. 26B has means for converting a current supplied to the pixel into a voltage to hold the voltage and for causing a current to flow to the light emitting element in an amount according to the voltage held. In short, the functions of the two means of the pixel in FIG. 26A are borne by one means in the pixel of FIG. 26B. FIG. 27B is a block diagram showing a relation between the means of the pixel of FIG. 26B and the light emitting element of the pixel. In FIG. 27B, one means carries out the function of the converting unit and the function of the driving unit; a current supplied to a pixel 85 is converted into a voltage in means 86 that is a converting unit and at the same time a driving unit, and then the means supplies a current to a light emitting element 87 in an amount according to the voltage converted.
Specifically, the TFT 33, the TFT 34, and the storage capacitor 35 in FIG. 26B correspond to the means for converting a current supplied to the pixel into a voltage to hold the voltage and for causing a current to flow to the light emitting element in an amount according to the voltage held.
When pixels are structured as shown in FIG. 26A or 26B, the amount of current flowing into a light emitting element can be controlled by a current source even if TFT characteristics such as threshold and ON current fluctuate between pixels. Therefore it is possible to prevent fluctuation in luminance of light emitting element between pixels.
In general, lowering of luminance due to degradation of an organic light emitting material is smaller in a light emitting element that emits light with the current between electrodes kept constant than in a light emitting element that emits light with the voltage between electrodes kept constant. In the case of the two current input type pixels illustrated in FIGS. 26A and 26B, the amount of current flowing into a light emitting element can always be kept at a desired value without being influenced by degradation of an organic light emitting material. Accordingly, lowering of luminance due to degradation of organic light emitting element in the pixels of FIGS. 26A and 26B is smaller than in the voltage input type pixel of FIG. 25 where the TFT 51 operates in a linear range.
The luminance of light emitting element and the amount of current flowing in an organic light emitting layer are in proportion to each other. In a current input type light emitting device, the amount of current flowing into a light emitting element can be kept constant regardless of change in organic light emitting element temperature by the outside temperature and by heat generated from the light emitting panel itself. This type of light emitting device therefore can reduce change in luminance of light emitting element and can prevent an increase in current consumption due to a temperature rise.
However, the two pixels of FIGS. 26A and 26B also have problems.
In a pixel that has two means, one for converting a current supplied to the pixel into a voltage to hold the voltage and one for causing a current to flow to a light emitting element in an amount according to the voltage held, as typified in FIG. 26A, characteristic balance between the two means may be lost if characteristics of one of the two means are changed for some reason. Then the amount of current supplied to the light emitting element from the driving unit cannot be kept at a desired value any longer, thereby causing fluctuation in luminance of light emitting element between pixels.
Specifically, when μ, Co, VTH, and W/L that are characteristics unique to each TFT are deviated in the TFT 13 or 14 in FIG. 26A, the ratio of drain current of the TFT 13 to drain current of the TFT 14 varies from one pixel to another and the luminance of light emitting element fluctuates between pixels.
On the other hand, in a pixel that has means for converting a current supplied to the pixel into a voltage to hold the voltage and for causing a current to flow to a light emitting element in an amount according to the voltage held as typified in FIG. 26B, a current flows to a light emitting element when a current supplied to the pixel is converted into a voltage. The light emitting element has a relatively large capacitor. For that reason, when display is to be changed from low gray scale to high gray scale, for example, the value of voltage converted from current is not stabilized until electric charges are accumulated in the capacitor of the light emitting element. Therefore the change from low gray scale to high gray scale takes long. On the other hand, when display is to be changed from high gray scale to low gray scale, the value of voltage converted from current is not stabilized until electric charges are discharged from the capacitor of the light emitting element. Therefore the change from high gray scale to low gray scale takes long.
To be specific, it takes time for gate voltage of the TFT 33 to gain stability when the amount of current supplied from the current source 37 is changed in FIG. 26B. A time required to write the current is therefore long to bring undesirable results such as after image recognized in animation display. This cancels out a characteristic of light emitting element, suitability for animation display because of its fast response.

Light emitting device, method of driving a light emitting device, element substrate, and electronic equipment

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


In a method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an array substrate, a method of manufacturing the array substrate and the LCD device having the same, data signals are boosted by a first and a second boost signals up to a first and a second pixel voltages, respectively. The first and the second pixel voltages are applied to a transmissive electrode and a reflective electrode, respectively. As a result, the retardation of light passing through a liquid crystal layer on the transmissive electrode and the retardation of light of the liquid crystal layer on the reflective electrode may be controlled to be substantially equal to each other. Thus, the LCD device is driven in a transflective mode with a mono-cell gap so that the yield of the LCD device may be increased.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an array substrate, a method of manufacturing the array substrate, and an LCD device having the same. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for driving an LCD device in a transflective mode with a mono-cell gap, an array substrate, a method of manufacturing the array substrate and an LCD device having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device displays an image by controlling the transmittance of liquid crystal using an electric field. LCD devices may be classified into transmissive-type, reflective-type and transflective-type LCD devices. In a transmissive-type LCD device, a backlight device provides light to the LCD device. In a reflective-type LCD device, the LCD device displays an image using natural light. A transflective LCD device is formed by combination of the transmissive-type and the reflective-type LCD devices.
In the transflective-type LCD device, a transmissive electrode and a reflective electrode are separately formed on one pixel area and a pixel voltage is applied to the transmissive electrode and the reflective electrode through one TFT. An electric field that is generated by the pixel voltage and common voltage of a common electrode is applied to a liquid crystal (LC) layer and liquid crystal is realigned.
A liquid crystal cell on a transmissive area alters the phase of incident light by a ½λ retardation. However, incident light into the reflective electrode passes through the liquid crystal layer two times before and after reflection from the reflective electrode in a reflective area. Thus, a multi-cell gap mode is used in the LCD device. In a multi-cell gap LCD device, a cell gap on the reflective area is half of a cell gap on the transmissive area so that the transmitting lengths of total light are substantially equal to each other. As a result, phases of light emitted from the transmissive area and the reflective area are substantially equal to each other. Thus, steps are formed on a TFT substrate or a color filter substrate so that the cell gap in the reflective area is smaller than the cell gap in the transmissive area.
The multi-cell gap LCD device is suitable for the transflective mode. However, the multi-cell gap LCD device may include many defects from a manufacturing process. For example, alignment layer deposition defects caused by the steps of the reflective area, alignment defects such as polyimide agglomeration, and texture defects may occur. In particular, bruising may occur, and contrast ratio may be decreased in the transflective mode.

Method for driving a liquid crystal display device, an array substrate, method of manufacturing the array substrate and liquid crystal display device having the same


A vertical cavity surface emitting laser having a planar structure, having an implantation or diffusion at the top of the mirror closest to the substrate or at the bottom of the mirror farthest from the substrate, to provide current confinement with the gain region, and having an active region and another mirror formed subsequent to the implantation or diffusion. This structure has an implantation or diffusion that does not damage or detrimentally affect the gain region, and does provide dimensions of current confinement that are accurately ascertained. Alternatively, the implantation or diffusion for current confinement may be placed within the top mirror, and several layers above the active region, still with minimal damage to the gain region and having a well-ascertained current confinement dimension.

The present invention pertains to vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and particularly to VCSELs having current confinement. More particularly, the invention pertains to VCSELs having refined current confinement caused by an implant or diffusion not having unwanted damage in the VCSEL structure.
Several patents address the issue of current confinement. U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,442 reveals a structure having a semiconductor quarterwave stack in both mirrors. The entire semiconductor epitaxial structure is deposited first, followed by a deep proton implant to confine the current. This is a commonly used structure. Its drawbacks include the fact that the top mirror is several microns thick, and therefore the implant must be so deep that one is limited in how small the current path can be made. Since the depth is so large, and there is significant straggle of implanted ions, the diameter of the current confined region cannot be made as small as one would like. This makes it more difficult to produce a single mode device and more difficult to keep the current required to reach the threshold for lasing small. In addition, damage is produced in proximity to the active region by the implant, which could eventually limit the lifetime of the device. The limit on size restricts performance. Furthermore, there are reliability concerns due to the proximity of the implanted region next to the gain region.
A second related U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,596 also provides for current confinement using ion implantation, but has a mesa etched before the implanting, so the implant depth is smaller. In that structure, a buried implant is used to provide current confinement. However, the entire epitaxial structure is deposited first, and a mesa must be etched before ion implant, in order to place the implant at the right depth, since the range of dopant atoms is quite small compared to protons. In fact, one can wonder whether the structure shown in FIG. 3 of that patent is even feasible, since it would require the implant of p- type atoms several microns below the surface. The disadvantages of this approach are that it results in a non-planar surface, and requires implantation through or close to the active region, thereby resulting in potential reliability problems.
U.S. Pat. 5,475,701, by Mary Hibbs-Brenner and issued Dec. 12, 1995, is hereby incorporated in this specification by reference.

Fabrication of vertical cavity surface emitting laser with current confinement


Flat rubber sheets are joined together at their primed surfaces utilizing an adhesive tape composition which features at least one EPDM rubber and will provide a long-term, water-tight barrier. The adhesive tape composition is a solventless, preformed, tacky composition comprising a) at least one crosslinkable EPDM rubber, b) a filler, either of the reinforcing or semi-reinforcing variety, c) one or more compatible tackifiers, d) a softener, and lastly, e) a cure system for the rubbery polymer. The tape composition itself has excellent ozone, moisture, weathering and heat aging resistance as well as superior low temperature properties.

Roofing materials for covering large buildings are customarily available in sheets having a length up to several hundred feet and a width of from about three feet to about 50 feet. During installation, the roofing membranes are generally primed at their overlapped edges, before being joined together using an adhesive composition to form a weather-impermeable sealing barrier. In the past, solvent-based adhesives (neoprene and butyl-based) have been used to bond flat rubber sheets together. However, these adhesives have limited storage-life, and are highly toxic and flammable. The application of solvent-based adhesives via paint brushes often leaves streaks or coatings of uneven thickness and are known to reduce bond strength between the adhesive and the rubber sheeting. Also, solvents are environmentally undesirable and subject to increasing governmental regulation. Preformed adhesive tapes are generally preferred because they require less time and skill to install and eliminate the risk of exposure to hazardous, volatile, organic solvents generally found in solvent-based adhesives.
Efforts have been made in the art to develop better adhesive tapes which may be easier to apply to the overlapped edges of the rubber substrate, and which provide a long term capability to withstand moisture and heat aging. For example, Streets, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,730, teaches the use of a styrene-butadiene block copolymer mixed with a hydrocarbon resin as a tape adhesive for bonding together EPDM and butyl rubber based flat rubber roof sheeting. Additionally, other attempts have been made in the art to develop adhesive tapes which may be easier to install and provide a long term water-tight barrier. For instance, Chiu, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,588,637, 4,855,172 and 5,095,068, teaches a roofing adhesive tape utilizing butyl rubber compositions made by incorporating carbon black, a plasticizer, one or more tackifying resins and at least one curing agent in a blend of butyl rubber elastomers. The butyl-based tapes described by Chiu require additional fabrication steps involving precuring of the rubbery composition prior to application of the tape. U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,935 issued to Metcalf et al., disclosed an elastomeric polymer-based adhesive seaming tape comprising a carbon black reinforced lightly cured blend of butyl rubber and polyisobutylene.
Kakehi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,056, teaches a cold vulcanizable adhesive tape having a Mooney viscosity of from about 5 to 25 which includes one or more rubbery polymers, a vulcanizing agent, a vulcanization accelerator, an adhesive agent and a softening agent. The tape is positioned between overlapping sheets of unprimed flat roof sheeting, and the sheets are pressed together with a roller or the like. Other patents related to the use of tape compositions include, for example, Callan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,530, which discloses the use of blends of crosslinkable butyl rubber and polyisobutylene. The curing ingredients were incorporated in the non-crosslinkable polymer in order to prevent a premature reaction between the vulcanizing agent and the crosslinkable butyl rubber (two-component polymer tape) prior to extrusion of the tape product. Other patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,379,114 to Fujuki et al., and 4,581,092 to Westley each mentioning the use of uncured, preformed, adhesive seaming tape compositions which contain EPDM, butyl rubbers, and mixtures thereof.
Such uncured, but curable, seaming tape compositions generally fall into one of three categories: (1) those containing fast-acting, cold-vulcanizable cure systems, (2) those containing heat-activated cure systems, and (3) those containing slow reacting, cold-vulcanizable cure systems. In the case of the seaming tape adhesive compositions having fast-reacting, cold-vulcanizable cure systems, it is generally necessary to blend and extrude the composition on-site and immediately thereafter apply the extruded adhesive tape composition to the roofing membranes which are to be joined together in order to prevent premature curing which can adversely affect the adhesive properties of such compositions. The seaming adhesive tape compositions containing heat-activated cure systems have the obvious disadvantage of requiring additional on-site apparatus and steps to thermally initiate the cure process. For the adhesive seaming tapes having slow acting, cold-vulcanizable cure systems, it is possible to preform the tape off-site and then install the tape to join roofing membranes without requiring additional equipment or steps to thermally initiate and propagate the cure. However, such slow-curing adhesive compositions do not generally exhibit good initial adhesion, and can take several days or even weeks to achieve good adhesion, particularly if they are used in cold weather.
However, the need still remains in the art for effective adhesive tape compositions and methods of application for use in adhering together the primed overlapped seams of flat rubber sheets which provides not only ease of application and good seam strength, but also wherein a suitable bond is formed between the primed overlapped edges of two flat rubber sheets.


A drive axle assembly is provided with a reduced part count and improved alignment. The assembly includes a drive axle housing with input and output shafts and an inter-axle differential that is driven by the input shaft. The inter-axle differential is drivingly coupled to the output shaft and divides power between first and second axles. The output shaft is a unitary member and defines a yoke at one end disposed outside of the drive axle housing and restrained against axial movement within the drive axle housing. A bearing set is disposed between the output shaft and the drive axle housing and includes first and second bearing cones and a unitary bearing cup. The bearing cup includes threads that engage corresponding threads in the drive axle housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to drive axle assemblies, and, in particular, to a drive axle assembly having an improved structure for the output shaft and supporting bearings.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A conventional tandem drive axle assembly includes forward and rear drive axle assemblies and an intermediate drive shaft extending between the forward and rear drive axle assemblies. An inter-axle differential housed in one of the drive axle assemblies, typically the forward drive axle assembly, transfers power from the vehicle drive shaft and divides that power between forward and rear axles. The inter-axle differential transfers power to the rear drive axle assembly through an output shaft extending from the forward axle assembly and coupled to the intermediate drive shaft assembly.
In conventional drive axle assemblies, the output shaft described above is coupled to the intermediate drive shaft assembly through a yoke. The yoke is coupled to the output shaft through a spline connection and a nut retains the yoke on the end of the output shaft. The output shaft is supported for rotation within a housing of the forward drive axle assembly by inner and outer tapered roller bearings in endplay or a ball bearing. Conventional drive axle assemblies employing this arrangement have several disadvantages. The drive shaft requires two separate parts and is relatively costly and heavy and requires the use of a nut to retain the yoke on the shaft.
The inventors herein have recognized a need for a tandem axle assembly that will minimize and/or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies.


The present invention relates to a composition for an antifreeze liquid or a coolant. The present invention provides the composition for the antifreeze liquid or the coolant comprising: (a) a glycol-based antifreeze agent; (b) a cyclo hexane dicarboxylic acid; and (c) a non-reduced polyol. Generally, a mixture of mono- or dicarboxylic acid, which is used as a corrosion inhibitor agent, and an inorganic additive is prone to cavitation erosion and corrosion of gaps, but when a composition is comprised by using in parallel the cyclo hexane dicarboxylic acid and the non-reduced polyol, a synergy effect is created, thereby exhibiting a superior corrosion prevention effect with respect to cavitation erosion and corrosion of gaps inside a cooling apparatus.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a composition for an antifreeze or a coolant, including: (a) a glycol-based anti-freezing agent; (b) cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid; and (c) non-reducing polyol.
2. Background Art
Generally, a composition for an antifreeze or a coolant mainly consists of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. The composition contains, as main components, a carboxylic additive and an organic material, in order to prevent corrosions of aluminum- and iron-based parts. A water pump is used to circulate a cooling water in a cooling system. Here, cavitation erosion due to metal erosion may occur on an impeller of the water pump, which rotates at high speed/high temperature. Moreover, a coolant tends to infiltrate into a gap between a non-metal material and a metal material, which is generated when a line made of a non-metal material such as rubber or plastic is coupled with a line made of a metal material in the cooling system, and a narrow gap inside the cooling system, thereby accelerating gap corrosion therebetween. Since only the combination of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids had a little effect in preventing cavitation erosion and gap corrosion in the vehicle engine cooling system, non-reducing polyol was further used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,841 discloses that, in order to improve overall anti-corrosive performance on alloy and metal parts as heat transfer media, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid and polyol are used to enhance the anti-corrosive performance on metal materials through the ASTM D 1384 metal corrosion test, but fails to disclose anti-corrosive performance against cavitation erosion and gap corrosion. An anti-corrosive composition for anti-corrosion against cavitation erosion and gap corrosion, which occur in a circulation procedure at high speed in the cooling system, has been requested.
Throughout the entire specification, many patent documents are referenced and their citations are represented. The disclosures of cited patent documents are entirely incorporated by reference into the present specification, and the level of the technical field within which the present invention falls and details of the present invention are explained more clearly.

Composition for antifreeze liquid or coolant having superior cavitation erosion- and gap corrosion-resistance effect


The present inventions provides a method for manufacturing a film-type display device efficiently, and a method for manufacturing a large-size film-type display device, and an apparatus for manufacturing the film-type display device. An apparatus for manufacturing a film-type display device includes: transferring means for transferring a substrate over which an integrated circuit constituting the display device is provided; first separating means for separating the integrated circuit from the substrate by adhering a first sheet material to one surface of the integrated circuit; second separating means for separating the integrated circuit from the first sheet material by adhering a second sheet material to the other surface of the integrated circuit; processing means for forming one or both of a conductive film and an insulating film on the integrated circuit; and sealing means for sealing the processed integrated circuit with the second sheet material and a third sheet material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, a method for manufacturing the display device and an apparatus for manufacturing the display device. In particular, the invention relates to a display device formed over a flexible substrate that can be bent, a method for manufacturing thereof and an apparatus for manufacturing thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, research and development of display devices using light emitting elements have been carried out actively. The display devices using the light emitting elements do not require backlights unlike display devices using liquid crystal and the like. Further, the display devices using the light emitting elements also have advantages of high viewing angle and the like. Also, film-type display devices that can be bent themselves have been attracting attention, recently.
Methods for manufacturing the film-type display devices are mainly classified into two types. In one method for manufacturing the film-type display device, a flexible substrate such as plastic is prepared in advance, and circuit patterns such as a wiring and a pixel electrode are directly formed over the substrate by using a metal material or an insulating material. In another method for manufacturing the film-type display device, circuit patterns such as a wiring and a pixel electrode are formed over a substrate with rigidity such as glass in advance by using a metal material and an insulating materials, and then only the substrate with rigidity is grinded or polished to be reduced in thickness or the substrate with the rigidity is replaced by a flexible substrate.
However, when a film-type display device is manufactured by directly forming a metal material or an insulating material over a flexible substrate made from plastic or the like, manufacturing conditions are limited due to a heat resistance property of the substrate and the like. That is, the display device should be manufactured in consideration of various sorts of resistance properties such as the heat resistance property and the strength of the flexible substrate. For example, in the case of forming pixels, driver circuits and the like of a display device are formed using thin film transistors (TFTs), conditions of a heat treatment and the like are limited so that a semiconductor film cannot be crystallized sufficiently. Therefore, TFTs having excellent characteristics cannot be obtained.
On the other hand, when a film-type display device is formed by forming a display device over a substrate with rigidity such as a glass substrate, separating the display device from the substrate with the rigidity and transferring to a flexible substrate, there are a problem of disconnection of a wiring and the like due to stress applied to the display device in separation and a problem where a large size display device is difficult to be manufactured since the size of the display device depends on the size of the substrate (which is the glass substrate here).

Display device, method for manufacturing the same and apparatus for manufacturing the same


An optoelectronic colored image converter having an imaging system, which images an object onto a two-dimensional CCD-array, the matrix of which, comprising light-sensitive sensor elements, has a color filter mask for picking up images with at least three color takes. The image is shifted relative to the CCD-array between taking consecutive frames in such a manner that the sensor elements of the CCD-array sensitive for the various colors come consecutively to rest on the same point of the image. A memory and control unit congruently composes the color takes of the frames picked up with the shifted CCD-array.

The present invention relates to an optoelectronic colored image converter having an imaging system which images an object into a two-dimensional CCD-array, the matrix of which being made of light-sensitive sensor elements is provided with a color filter mask for picking up images with at least three colored takes.
Optoelectronic colored image converters having a single CCD-array and color filter mask are commonly known. Compared to colored image converters operating with one CCD-array for each individual colored take, by way of illustration red, green and blue, they have the advantage of having less elaborate construction. The disadvantage, however, is that the number of light-sensitive elements at disposal for a colored take--depending on the design of the colored filter mask--is on the average less by the factor 3 than is the case with optoelectronic: colored image converters working with three CCD-arrays, that is with one per primary color. In addition to the thereby reduced picture resolution, it is also a disadvantage that the colored takes are created by scanning the image at adjacent, thus not congruent image scanning points. This can result, in particular, in the case of fine, periodical image structures in very disturbing color artifacts in the form of color patterns.
From WO 86/05641 and WO 86/05642, optoelectronic colored image converters of another class are known than that described thus far. These are colored image converters having three CCD-arrays in which the image is moved relative to the CCD-array a fraction of the distance between the sensor element (hereinafter referred to as SEL). This shifting takes place in order to raise the picture resolution measured in picture elements (PEL =picture element) over the resolution given by the SEL number.
An object of the present invention is to provide an optoelectronic colored image converter for raising the resolution and for preventing colored scanning artifacts (color aliasing) in a colored image converter having only one CCD-array and color filter matrix, a relative-shifting between the image and the CCD-array.
In accordance with the present invention it was understood that simply transferring the "Sub-Pixel-Relative-Shifting" known from WO 86/05641 or WO 86/05642 is not enough. Namely, in order to prevent color artifacts, shifting by integral multiples of the distance between the sensor elements is required.
By taking several, minimally staggered images (hereinafter referred to as frames) and subsequently superimposing the frames, a more highly resolved picture is yielded. The colored takes of the resulting picture have congruent scanning points in contrast to the colored takes of frames.
For this reason, an object of the present invention is to improve an optoelectronic colored image converter having a CCD-array and a color filter mask so that higher resolution is yielded compared to the number of the CCD-sensor elements (SEL) of the respective color, which meets the requirements of all the color takes at the same scanning points.
This and other objects are met by the present invention which provides an optoelectronic colored image converter having an imaging system, which images an object onto a two-dimensional CCD-array. The matrix of the CCD-array, having light sensitive elements, has a color filter mask for picking up images with at least three color takes. Means are provided for shifting the image relative to the CCD-array between taking consecutive frames in such a manner that the sensor elements of the CCD-array sensitive for the various colors come consecutively to rest on the same point of the image. A memory and control unit congruently composes the color takes of the frames picked up with the shifted CCD-array.
In accordance with the present invention it was understood that in order to raise the resolution of an optoelectronic colored image converter having only one image pick-up before which a color filter mask for taking at least three color takes, thus by way of illustration a red, a green and a blue take, is arranged, it is necessary to first attain by relative shifting between the image and the image pick-up that the sensor elements of the image pick-up sensitive to red, green and blue of the CCD-array come to rest on the same point of the image.
Accordingly, means are provided in an embodiment of the invention, to shift the CCD-array or an element in the beam path before the CCD-array. In this manner, first frames, by way of illustration comprising three color takes each, which have been shifted relative to one another by integral multiples of the SEL distance, are obtained. The number of image points of a frame equals the number of sensor elements of the CCD-array.
A memory and control unit, which intermediately stores the single frames, subsequently congruently composes the color takes of all the frames with the relative shifted CCD-array.
By means of this measure, which is an element of the present invention, due to the relative shifting by integral multiples of the SEL distance the "principle unsharpness" of an optoelectronic colored image converter is obviated, which occurs because the individual color take-pictures are picked up at "different image points". The elimination of this "principle unsharpness" is a prerequisite for sub-SEL shifting, i.e. a relative shifting between the image and the image pick-up by a fraction of the distance between the individual light-sensitive sensor elements. This sub-SEL shifting, in addition, permits raising the resolution continuously at this rate, the smaller the dimensions of the edges of the light-sensitive area of a sensor element relative to the distance between the single elements.
The shifting of the CCD-array has the advantage compared to shifting or tilting an element in the beam path for the CCD-array in that it is technically easier to realize. By way of illustration, piezoelements can be provided, which shift the CCD-array one or two-dimensionally in the plane of the image.
The previously mentioned "sub-SEL-shifting" described can also be utilized to obtain an assimilation of the image resolution when the distances between the sensor elements differ in perpendicular directions to one another.
Furthermore, it is advantageous that an embodiment of the present invention also permits scanning in a hexagonal pattern corresponding to the densest filling of an area.
In addition, the following advantages are attained by the small relative shifting of a CCD area sensor and subsequent composition of the frames provided for in accordance with the present invention.
Very high resolution of the entire picture of, by way of illustration 2000.times.1650 image elements, is obtained for all three color channels with the use of interline transfer color sensors, which in the case of the described embodiments has, by way of example, 250.times.550 SEL for the green channel and 250.times.275 SEL for the red and the blue channels and light-sensitive area elements having dimensions of 6.times.6 .mu.m.
The modulation transfer function of the sensor has fallen to approximately 30% with this resolution, permitting in particular high-resolution scanning of a DIN A4 printed page, a color slide or a strip of film with a picture format of 24.times.18 mm.
Geometric precision is already very high in normal mechanical embodiments of the shifted elements as the shift paths are very short. In the aforementioned example, the size of the resolution cell in a color sensor is 34.times.44 .mu.m, whereas in a corresponding B/W sensor it is 17.times.11 .mu.m. A relative error of the mechanical shifting by, for example 1%, results in a maximum error of 0.44 .mu.m (mechanical) plus 0.1 .mu.m of the sensor in the entire image field. This is small compared to the radial lens distortion of CCTV lenses, which is, by way of illustration, already up to 50 .mu.m at the edge of the picture in a lens with a focal distance of 25 mm.
Light-sensitivity is raised compared to line scanners or drum scanners by orders of magnitude so that the pick-up time is substantially shortened while having the same resolution and the same signal/noise ratio.
Having different shift patterns permits, within limits, choosing freely between high local resolution and high temporal resolution.
Furthermore, it is possible to scan the image not only in a rectangular, but also in an almost hexagonal raster, which is occasionally required, in particular, in medicine and in morphological image processing.
The selected detail of the picture can be monitored with a normal TV monitor in full temporal resolution and thus be sent without difficulty prior to the actual pick-up as the frames are the same size as the entire picture.
As the electric bandwidth of the frames at the output of the sensor corresponds to that of a TV picture, the frames can be first intermediately stored with conventional commercial video recorders and then later composed to an entire high-resolution picture by the computer, permitting using it in a portable electronic color camera having practically the resolution of a miniature camera slide and a memory capacity of more than a thousand single pictures. Magnetic band drop-outs can be easily detected by the computer due to the image-boxing and corrected without very visible losses (the principle of data-boxing or distribution).
Due to the short mechanical paths, no slide guides are needed, only bend guides. For the same reason piezoelectric positioning elements without backlash can be utilized, which can be directly electrically triggered and are mechanically very stable.
As the color mask can be attached directly onto the sensor, so-called color multiplex does not have to be generated like in the case of black-white sensors by the color filters having the size of the image field placed one behind the other in the beam path or by color separation with prisms onto three sensors, but simply occurs by shifting the sensor laterally. Chromatic aberrations or other impairments of the image from the filters are therefore obviated so that aberrations are only caused by the lens.
There is a cost-saving due to the use of mass-produced low resolution CCD area sensors, using the present invention.
There is a high resolution of, for example, 2000.times.1650 image elements, and with a reduction of the light-sensitivity of the area elements even more for each of the three color channels, that can be attained in embodiments of the present invention.
Light-sensitivity is approximately two orders of magnitude larger than that of cameras having a shifting line, which have comparable image resolution.
The precision of the position of the image scanning points is also approximately two orders of magnitude larger than that of such line cameras.
The costs of the colored image converter of the present invention are very low due to the use of only a single mass-produced consumer electronics sensor without any elaborate optics or expensive color filter.
In particular, the invention has some of the following uses.
The present invention can be used in data teletransmission, either B/W or color telefax. Data pick-up can occur in a shorter time and with lower demands on the power of the light source. Due to the use of area sensors, the original no longer needs to be shifted. For this reason, extremely high geometric precision in image pick-up can be guaranteed.
The present invention can also be used in film scanning for digital film reprocessing. In particular, when coloring, compensating for color errors or in the case of data input for "special effects", due to the great number of images to be picked up, short pick-up time is of special interest. Although flying spot scanners can attain the required resolution, they are very expensive due to the elaborate technology with three photomultipliers (several hundred thousand DM). Line cameras are less sensitive and due to the major mechanical shifting cause the image to flicker because of the geometric imprecisions.
The present invention can also be used in high-resolution data input of single images for commercial arts. Nearly all full page color advertising photographs in magazines are digitally improved prior to printing by raising edges, suppressing noise, increasing color saturation and contrast, and retouching.
The present invention can also be used in high-resolution data input for application in photometry. The use of digital image processing in photometry still suffers, in particular, from insufficient availability of geometrically highly precise and high-resolution scanning systems. The image converter of the present invention closes this gap.
The present invention can also be used for Image Scanning for Electronic Filing (Document Filing). With the available resolution, diapositives and dianegatives can be filed with almost no losses, which is of significance for setting up data banks in medicine for example.
The present invention can also be used in an Electronic Diapositive/negative Viewer. With the invented color image converter and a high-resolution monitor, diapositives and with digital matrixing also dianegatives can be viewed in high quality, which will gain in significance with the foreseeable establishment of HDTV standards. By employing two memories, pictures can be changed without interruption.
The present invention is also useful in Videometry. The availability of a high-precision scanning raster, which can be shifted fractions of the distance between the sensor elements, is of importance for measuring methods with image processing. This is, in particular, true for moire measuring with strip grids as the determination of the phase can occur separately for each image point directly by shifting the image point 120.degree..
The present invention can also be used with portable still cameras with slide quality. The availability of digital tape memories (digital audio tape on video tapes) with high recording density makes, due to the low weight and low required performance of a camera, a portable camera in accordance with the present invention conceivable, which permits storing several hundred pictures on a very inexpensive carrier. Simultaneously, this, permits the "videography" of buildings and excavation pieces in archaeology for measuring purposes as recording occurs with extremely high geometric precision.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with, the accompanying drawings.


A system for relieving the stress on an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) cold water pipe includes a slidable joint that couples the OTEC cold water pipe to a surge tank at an opening in the surge tank. The system can further include a first flotation device that is coupled to the OTEC cold water pipe below the surge tank, and a second flotation device that is coupled to the OTEC cold water pipe within the surge tank.

The cold water pipe for an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plant is massive and is subject to huge stresses at the joint between the cold water pipe and the OTEC platform. These stresses result from a combination of severe weather, wave action, and the length, diameter, and mass of the cold water pipe. For example, in a 100 MW OTEC plant, the cold water pipe would typically contain 100 million kilograms of water, and the actual mass of the cold water pipe itself would be on the order of 10 million to 50 million kilograms.


A dust collection unit includes a swirl chamber, dust collection chambers, a discharge pipe, an inlet pipe, a bypass inlet, and a bypass inlet airflow passage. The swirl chamber swirls, along a side wall, dust-containing air having entered from a primary inlet and a secondary inlet having a smaller opening area than the primary inlet, and separates dust from the dust-containing air. The dust separated by the swirl chamber is collected by the dust collection chambers. A discharge pipe has a discharge opening. The inlet pipe allows the dust-containing air to flow from the primary inlet into the swirl chamber. A bypass inlet is formed in the inlet pipe. The bypass inlet airflow passage allows the dust-containing air in the inlet pipe having entered from the bypass inlet to flow from the secondary inlet into the swirl chamber.

Patent Literature 1 mentioned below describes an electric vacuum cleaner including a cyclone separation device. In the cyclone separation device described in Patent Literature 1, two openings are formed in a cylindrical container, and air is taken from the two openings into the container (for example, see FIG. 8 in Patent Literature 1).
In the cyclone separation device having such a configuration, areas of the openings must be reduced to ensure a flow velocity of air flowing into the container. Thus, the openings and airflow passages leading to the openings may be clogged with dust.
The cyclone separation device described in Patent Literature 1 includes another device having a cyclone separation function and provided on an upstream side of the container in order to prevent the openings and the airflow passages from being clogged with dust. That is, the cyclone separation device described in Patent Literature 1 uses the device to previously remove large dust, and takes air from which the large dust is removed into the container.

Cyclone separation device and electric vacuum cleaner


A folding convertible top for a vehicle is held in its closed position on the adjoining windshield frame by locking arrangement and, after the release of the locking arrangement can be displaced into a rear-side deposited position. The locking arrangement comprises a locking element with a locking hook arranged on a forward folding top section as well as at least one centering device which acts between the folding top and the windshield frame, and has projecting centering elements arranged on the forward folding top section. A detent device is provided for fixing the folded-back folding top, and the locking element with the locking hook arranged on the forward folding top section and the centering elements also provided on the forward folding top section also form operating parts of the rear-side detent device.

This invention relates to a folding convertible top for a vehicle.
A known folding convertible top of the generic type, disclosed in German patent document DE 34 13 379 C2, is held in position on the adjoining windshield frame by means of a locking arrangement, after the release of which, it can be displaced into a rearward stowed position. The locking arrangement comprises a locking element arranged on the forward section of the folding top. It has a locking hook, and at least one centering device which acts between the folding top and the windshield frame and has projecting centering elements arranged on the forward section of the folding top. A detent device for maintaining the stowed folding top in the proper stowed position is not disclosed in this document.
German patent document DE-PS 706 443 discloses a detent device for the folded-back folding top, which includes a cog, arranged on the uppermost folding top bow and cut out in a fork shape, of a rotary lock which is spring biased on the bow disposed underneath. A striking plate is mounted on the vehicle body for receiving the head of the rotary lock. In this arrangement, the bows of the folding top, which are disposed above one another, are braced against one another and against the vehicle body so that, in a driving operation with the folding top open, vertical and lateral movements of the bows are prevented. This detent device, however, has multiple components, and requires a high-expenditure construction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a detent device for a folding top folded back into the rearward deposited position, which operates well, has a simple construction and can be manufactured at reasonable cost.
This object is achieved by the locking arrangement according to the invention, in which the windshield-frame-side locking components arranged on the forward section of the folding top simultaneously form components of the rear-side detent device, and thus exercise a double function. As a result, the construction of the rear-side detent device is significantly simplified and the costs are reduced considerably. Such a detent device is particularly suitable for a folding top in which the forward section is displaced into the rear area by means of a control arm arrangement in such a manner that the top side of the forward section also forms the top side in the folded-back deposited position.
According to an embodiment of the invention, two laterally exterior, forward-projecting centering elements and the locking element (which is arranged in the center and has the locking hook) form operating parts of the rear-side detent device so that, on the body itself, only a spring-loaded central locking catch and two abutments for the centering elements must be provided. However, these components can be manufactured simply, at reasonable cost.
In the locking arrangement according to the invention, the locking hook has a molded-on projecting protrusion or nose which lockingly engages with the spring-loaded swivellable locking catch in the stowed position of the folding top, thereby preventing an upward movement of the folding top during driving operation. In the stowed position of the folding top, the laterally exterior, body-mounted abutments interact with the centering elements directed diagonally to the front, and fix the top in the transverse and downward directions. The spring element is biased to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, so as to swivel the locking catch toward the front in the driving direction. A stop provided on the supporting frame bounds the swivel movement toward the front.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Folding top for a vehicle, particularly a convertible


A disc drive device includes a disc conveyance mechanism, a slide cam and a trigger slider. The disc conveyance mechanism has a cam driven element protruded on a movement route of the slide cam and a conveyance roller energized in a direction coming into pressure-contact with a disc by an elastic member. The slide cam has a cam contour part moving the conveyance roller in a direction being spaced apart from the disc against an elastic force of the elastic member while pressing the cam driven element. The cam contour part has a flat surface part formed in parallel to a moving direction of the slide cam, in order to move only the trigger slider, while restraining the slide cam by contact pressure of the cam driven element to stop the slide cam temporary, when conveying the disc inside a cabinet toward an aperture side of the cabinet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slot-in type disc drive device in which a disc such as CD (Compact Disc) or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) is conveyed directly in a cabinet without using a tray. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disc drive device capable of chucking (holding) a disc appropriately, even when the disc is re-conveyed (reload) to a chucking position inside the cabinet while an ejecting operation of a disc interrupts halfway.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a disc conveyance system in a disc drive device, in addition to a tray conveyance system conveying a disc in a cabinet while putting the disc on a tray, a slot-in system is known where the disc is directly conveyed in the cabinet without using the tray.
In the slot-in system, for instance, the disc is conveyed in the cabinet under the condition that a rubber roller for disc conveyance is pressed against one single side of the disc, and in the thickness direction of the disc, the disc is sandwiched between the rubber roller and a synthetic resin plate fixed in place. However, when performing reproduction of recording information while turning the disc which is conveyed up to a fixed position (chucking position) inside the cabinet, since it is not possible to turn the disc under the condition that the rubber roller comes into pressure-contact with the disc, the rubber roller is provided movably in the direction spaced apart from the disc inside the cabinet, and is spring-energized in the direction coming into pressure-contact with the disc. For this reason, when the disc is reached to a chucking position, the rubber roller is separated from the disc.
A mechanism separating the rubber roller from the disc is disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H10 (1998)-31855. In this mechanism, a slide plate is provided inside the cabinet. The slide plate has a rack, and is capable of being moved in the direction in which the rubber roller conveys the disc. When the disc is conveyed to the position just before a chucking position, a pinion which rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the rubber roller, engages with the rack of the slide plate, and the slide plate starts to move. When the slide plate moves, a slope-like cam contour part formed on the slide plate presses a cam driven element protruded from the rubber roller side. By the press, the rubber roller moves in the direction separated from the disc.
However, in this mechanism, in the process where the disc is ejected from the cabinet, when a loading operation (reload operation) of the disc is performed while the ejecting operation of the disc is interrupted caused by missoperation of user, interrupted to prevent an opening and closing operation of the front panel, or interrupted to prevent fall of the disc, there is possibility that a chucking operation of the disc starts before the disc reaches the chucking position, so that the disc damages.
That is, in the process of ejecting the disc from the cabinet, there is no problem if the reload operation of the disc starts after the slide plate moves in the direction ejecting the disc until the pinion rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the rubber roller becomes not engaged with the rack on the slide plate. On the other hand, in the process of ejecting the disc from the cabinet, when the reload operation of the disc starts before the pinion becomes not engaged with the rack, at that time point, since the rubber roller starts to come into contact with one single surface side of the disc while chucking of the disc is released, the disc becomes moved to an aperture side (ejecting direction) of the cabinet to a certain extent. In this state, the slide plate is immediately moved in the direction opposed to the direction ejecting the disc. Therefore, the rubber roller becomes separated from the disc with the condition that the disc is not conveyed sufficiently to the chucking position, as a result, the chucking defect is caused.


A recording medium feed mechanism for a printer includes first, second and third transport sections in the printer along a medium pathway wherein the first transport section is disposed at the insertion point of the recording medium into the printer, the second transport section is disposed immediately before the printer section relative to the direction of transport of the recording medium and the third transport section is disposed immediately after the printer section relative to the direction of transport of the recording medium. A single drive source is adapted for driving in common drive rollers at all three transport sections. First, second and third opening/closing mechanisms are incorporated respectively at the first, second and third transport sections to provide closure and medium engagement and its transport when the medium is present at a particular transport section and to provide its opening when the medium is not present or no longer present at a particular transport section. A method of control is provided for determining when a recording medium is present or absent from a particular transport section utilizing a recording medium stop member and detector in the medium pathway from which the location of the leading or trailing edges of the recording medium can be ascertained. Enhancement in accurate control is achieved in medium transport permitting the extension of data printing in medium margins adjacent the leading and trailing edges of the medium.

This invention relates generally to a medium feed mechanism for a printer and, in particular, to a medium feed mechanism for a so called point-of-sales (POS) printer having a means for transport of a recording medium, such as, a slip sheet or paper, or validation card, through the printer in micro fed steps such as, in increments of less than 1 mm, permitting printing directly to the edges of the recording medium, i.e., printing from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the recording medium.
POS printers are micro printers capable of handling various types of recording medium, such as, a sheet or slip medium, card or validation medium or a rolled medium. They are also referred to as slip printers. The POS market requires that different kinds of recording medium be employed with a single printer as housed in a modern day electronic cash register. However, to incorporate several capabilities into a single slip printer is difficult because of a large number of moving mechanisms required in a single printer to provide for the capability of printing on two or more different kinds of recording media. Further, the bulkiness of the printer structure is large in order to provide for several drive sources in the printer to drive several different transport means positioned along a medium pathway within the printer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,095 exemplifies in prior art FIGS. 11 through 14 some of these problems concerning slip printers of the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,095 discloses an improvement over these prior art printers wherein, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a single power source 9 is employed for the printer to operate two pairs of spaced apart, transport rollers 5, 6 and 7, 8 to feed a recording medium 12, such as, a slip sheet, through the printer and past print head 1 for printing. Engagement of respective pressure rollers 6 and 8 in contact with their respective drive rollers 5 and 7 is brought about by operation of the respective solenoids 28 and 18. When the trailing edge of slip medium 12 in the medium pathway has almost passed or has just passed the position of drive roller 7, medium 12 is engaged between rollers 5, 6 for continued incremental feeding past print section 1 so that roller 8 may, therefore, be disengaged from drive roller 7 by release of the plunger of solenoid 18. However, as the trailing edge of slip medium 12 passes from between rollers 5, 6, there is a large bottom portion of slip medium 12 in which no printing can be accomplished because there is no longer any transport rollers in the printer operative for continued engagement of medium 12. The length of medium 12 upon which printing cannot be successfully accomplished is approximately the distance between rollers 5, 6 and the print head 1a of printer section 1. As a result, not all of the slip medium printable surface can be reliably utilized for printing, which is a problem when additional data is desired to printed on the same standardized slip medium or printing is to be accomplished on a nonstandard size slip medium.
Moreover, as the slip medium is transported adjacent to printer section 1, the leading edge of the print medium, at this point, is an unsupported, extended free end so that, while the medium is held in a firm grip by rollers 5, 6, it is still difficult to print on the medium surface while achieving the highest attainable print quality since the extended free end of the medium is not under any direct control of the incremental drive movement applied to the medium. Furthermore, since, at this point, there is only a single pair of rollers 5, 6 directly controlling the transport of the slip medium through the printer, changes in the alignment and transport direction, as well as variances in the particular incremental movement, may occur to the medium as the medium is transported past the print head. Such variances are due, in part, to mechanical idiosyncrasies of the paired rollers 5, 6 and their support mechanism. Thus, the printed indicia on the slip medium may not always be accurately aligned in consecutive rows of printed data.
It is an object of this invention to provide a compact, simple structured medium feed mechanism for a printer capable of transporting a recording medium through the printer section of a printer with incremental feed precision and permitting the printer section to print data on the recording medium starting immediately adjacent to the transported leading edge of the medium and concluding at the immediately adjacent portion to the transported trailing edge so that virtually all of the surface of the medium may be successfully utilized for carrying printed data.
It another object of this invention to provide for accurate control in the transport of a recording medium through a printer by means of selective operation of a series of recording medium transport sections wherein such a transport section is position both at inlet side and the outlet side of the printer section of the printer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a printer with several transport sections driven in common by a single power source to provide the transport of the recording medium through the printer wherein an operating mechanism at least at one transport section is activated or inactivated by means of operation of operating mechanisms at two other transport sections.

Recording medium feed mechanism for a printer and method of medium feed control


Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for interaction between a user and a machine. In one implementation, machine status information for the machine is received at a dedicated machine component. The machine status information is published onto a distributed node system network of the machine. The machine status information is ingested at a primary interface controller, and an interactive user interface is generated using the primary interface controller. The interactive user interface is generated based on the machine status information. In some implementations, input is received from the user at the primary interface controller through the interactive user interface, and a corresponding action is delegated to one or more subsystems of the machine using the distributed node system network.

Autonomous machines, including robots, aerial vehicles, aerospace vehicles, submersible vehicles, automobiles, other ground vehicles, and the like, are capable of operating within their respective environments with limited input from a user. Conventional autonomous machines generally fail to compensate for this lack of operational engagement between the user and the autonomous machine. As a result, the user may be unaware of future actions planned by the autonomous machine and/or lack an understanding of a basis of a decision or action of the autonomous machine, which may unnecessarily decrease a confidence of the user in the autonomous machine or otherwise make the user uneasy. It is with these observations in mind, among others, that various aspects of the present disclosure were conceived and developed.

Systems and methods for generating an interactive user interface


A land electrode for a high voltage direct current transmission system including a converter station with a grounding point. The land electrode is connected to the grounding point and includes a plurality of electrode sections. A line electrode includes a part interconnecting two electrode sections. The part of the line electrode exhibits a line resistance. Each electrode section includes at least one electrode element.

In comparison with an alternating current (AC) transmission system a HVDC transmission system requires only two conductors. At least one of those conductors must be isolated from earth. Hence, one of the conductors may be implemented as an overhead line or a high voltage cable. The other conductor may implement the use of earth or ground as the conducting medium. For bipolar transmission another conductor of the same kind is used under normal operating conditions. However, a ground conductor is required to transfer unbalance currents. The bipolar HVDC transmission system must also be capable of working as a monopole HVDC transmission system. During such operation the ground conductor transmits the whole DC current transmitted by the HVDC transmission system.
A HVDC transmission system comprises a first converter station connected to a first AC transmission network, a second converter station connected to a second AC transmission network and at least two conductors connecting the first and second converter station. Each converter station contains a grounding point connected to a ground electrode for making electric contact with earth. Thus the ground conductor comprises the ground electrode at each converter station and the ground between the two ground electrodes.
A bipolar HVDC transmission system conventially comprises a pair of overhead conductors carried by a plurality of towers from the first converter station to the second converter station. The conductors are suspended in isolators from arms of the towers. Each tower also caries shield conductors for protection of thunder lightning. Commonly the distance between two adjacent towers is around 400 m. Each tower is grounded to earth.
The ground electrode comprises a plurality of electrode elements for making electric contact with the ground. The ground is normally soil and/or sea water. Hence, the ground electrode may comprise a land electrode or a sea electrode. The electrodes operate as anodes, that is, delivering current to the conducting medium, or as cathodes, that is, receiving current from the medium.
A land electrode in this context is a ground electrode located in soil. The land electrode transfers the DC current from the HVDC transmission system to the soil or vice versa. The soil, in this context, is generally to be regarded as a conducting, however, inhomogeneous medium.
The land electrodes are, apart from the requirements as to current and resistance, also required to be electrically safe, to have high operational reliability and sufficiently long service life, and in addition, not to cause any harmful environmental effects, such as for instance drying up of the soil in the vicinity of the electrode.
In order to reach a sufficiently low grounding resistance, the land electrode usually comprises a large number of electrode element arranged in a tree structure. Hence, each electrode element is connected to the grounding point via a feeder conductor, a sub-feeder conductor and a plurality of further sub-feeder conductors. The aim is that the current flow shall spread evenly from the grounding point to each electrode element. In order to reach this aim each electrode element must have an equally long connection path the grounding point. Hence, every electrode element is connected as if they were connected to the grounding point in parallel.
In a known ground electrode arrangement the land electrode is connected to the grounding point of the converter station by a one or more feeder cables. Each sub-electrode is fed from a separate sub-electrode feeder cable. A sub-electrode comprises a backfill and an active electrode element embedded in the backfill. Most usually the backfill comprises a bed of coke. The electrode element is in electric contact with the sub-electrode feeder cable and comprises an active part of its surface which is in electric contact with the backfill. In cases where the sub-electrode comprises more than one such electrode element, these elements are coupled to each other by interconnection cables.
The backfill occupies a considerable volume around the electrode element and is in its turn embedded in the soil. The active part of the surface of the backfill is that part of its surface which is in electric contact with the soil.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,989 (Iossel) a land electrode for high voltage direct current transmission system is previously known. The object of the land electrode is to improve the rate of dissolution of the feeding elements, and to improve the lifetime and reliability of the electrode. Hence the land electrode according to Iossel contains electrode elements separated from each other by electrically non-conducting element barriers.
A land electrode comprising sub-electrodes, sections and sub-sections may occupy a considerable piece of land. In a commonly known circular arrangement the diameter may be in the range of 500 to 1000 meter. Normally the land electrode is located distant from the converter station because the flow of DC current may harm the function of a nearby positioned transformer. A considerable piece of land is also occupied by the converter station and by the power lane containing the towers carrying the conductors between the converter stations.


A consumption value of each storage medium and an upper limit related to writing are managed. Respective consumption value and the upper limit of each of two or more storage media out of a plurality of storage media constituting a storage media group are specified, and a remaining use period value is computed for each of the storage media using the upper limit and the consumption value. Based on each of the computed remaining use period values, data in at least one storage medium out of a plurality of storage media belonging to the selected storage area group is shifted to a storage medium which is different form the storage area group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage system having a plurality of storage media.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional storage system, a plurality of storage media are integrated, and high performance, based on parallel access, and high availability by data redundancy, are implemented using a configuration called a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks).
For this storage system, a storage medium called HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is normally used. An HDD is comprised of a disk called a platter where a magnetic substance for recording data is coated or deposited, a magnetic head for reading or changing the magnetic status of the platter, and a motor for rotating the platter so as to move the magnetic head onto a specified position on the platter.
Characteristics of an HDD are that access performance to the data is high, capacity is large, and cost per unit capacity is low.
In an HDD, magnetic force to handle information per unit capacity decreases naturally as the magnetic information is recorded in a micro area because of the increase of capacity. In order to detect this weakened magnetic force, the space between the platter and the magnet head must be small. This space has now reached the nanometer level.
Therefore the magnetic head may contact the rotating platter by vibration, and the platter may fail because of this contact.
Also the motor for rotating the platter is a mechanical drive component, and wears out after long periods of operation, which leads to HDD failure.
Therefore the life of an HDD is predominantly determined by the operating time.
In a storage system using an HDD, the operating time of the HDD in the storage system is recorded, and by replacing the HDD operating for a long time with a spare HDD, for example, failures are prevented so as not to lose data, and to implement high availability as shown in the method disclosed in Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-246749).

Storage system for suppressing failures of storage media group


An improved nozzle for piercing and draining a wide variety of fluid materials, such as milk, juice, relish and ketchup, from pouches of plastic film. The piercing nozzle is easily inserted into plastic pouches and is designed to provide that, after initial penetration, the force necessary to insert the piercing portion remains substantially constant.

The present invention relates to an improved piercing nozzle for pouch fitments, which are used to control the removal of the contents of filled thermoplastic polymeric film pouches.
As is known, the use of plastic pouches is common with respect to packaging certain liquids and other fluid materials, e.g. milk, fruit juices, relish and the like. The plastic pouches are often made of polyethylene film. In order to remove the contents from the pouch, a simple method of cutting one of the corners, for example with scissors, has sufficed for many end uses. However, with institutional purchasers, this is inconvenient and the snipped-off corner may contaminate the material after it has been poured or squeezed from the pouch.
It is desirable that the pouch has a pouring spout, preferably one that can be resealed. It is known to incorporate pouring spouts into plastic pouches but this is expensive because of the need for one pouring spout per pouch. It would be economically more desirable if the pouring spout was able to be inserted into the pouch and used until the pouch is empty, then removed and cleaned for re-use with another pouch.
One such pouring spout is disclosed in Canadian Patent 1 192 164 to L. Obidniak. In L. Obidniak's configuration, the pouring spout comprises an elongated body, one of the ends being pointed and the other being integrally prolonged by a threaded stem. A passage is provided for flow of liquid from the pouch. The disclosure of L. Obidniak indicates that the passage is preferably T-shaped. The T-shaped passage is ineffective for removing thick materials which include particulates therein, for example relish, from the pouch.
Another pouring spout is disclosed in GB-A-2 102 773 to J. F. Wood. Such a pouring spout is designed to cut the packaging material into which it is inserted. This is unsuitable for plastic pouches, particularly those containing liquids, because it is unable to provide a tight seal.
The present invention endeavours to provide a spout which is easily inserted into a plastic pouch and which is adapted to allow removal of a wide variety of materials from such pouch.


The present invention is a system and method for processing and encoding audio information. An audio transducer receives audio information, preferably continuously, and converts the audio information into a signal representative of the audio information. A digital processing system receives the signal and electronically processes the audio signal. An optical processing system operatively couples with the digital processing system and performs a signal processing algorithm on the signal whereby the signal is encoded. The encoded signal is optimized for transmission over a very low bandwidth transmission channel. The encoded signal may be received and decoded with a system that may include a second optical processing and/or memory system.

The present invention generally relates to the field of information processing systems, and particularly to a system and method for processing audio information using optical processing techniques.
Voice encoders (VOCODERS) are utilized for processing audio information such as a speech signal. Such voice encoder systems are typically semiconductor based using semiconductor based digital electronic circuits for processing the audio information. Traditional semiconductor based digital electronic processors are typically serial devices processing data in a serial manner, i.e. a first operation is performed on a first set of data before a second set of data is fetched and operated upon. Although advents in semiconductor based processor architectures, such as predictive branching and higher processor speed, have provided processors capable of performing increasingly faster operations, the fundamental serial structure of semiconductor processing systems inherent in the device technology (e.g., von Neumann architecture) have limited the speed at which complex processing algorithms such as signal processing and compression may be performed with a general purpose semiconductor based processor. Further, although specialized semiconductor processors have been developed having architectures optimized for signal processing algorithms (e.g., digital signal processors, Harvard architecture), semiconductor devices still exhibit considerable signal processing limits. These problems become apparent when it is desired to process and transmit a voice or similar audio signal over a limited bandwidth transmission channel. VOCODER designs such as those utilized in the telephone industry function at the phonetic level with sounds and utterances such that a codebook or library of sounds by necessity is kept minimal in size (e.g., 512 phonemes). However, only smaller sized codebooks may be utilized since traditional semiconductor processors do not provide the necessary processing power to work with larger, massive sized codebooks. Increasing the size of the codebook would provide higher speech quality and lower bandwidth requirements, but at the expense of requiring significantly faster and more powerful sequential processors that may not exist, or may be too expensive or impractical for a given application. Lack of adequate processing power introduces processing latencies resulting in unacceptable speech quality and audio delay in the system.
Optical processing systems that utilize holographic image processing techniques are capable of processing information in parallel such that much more complex two-dimensional functions such as compression, correlation, and transform decomposition of audio time and frequency elements may be processed in a shorter amount of time than with traditional semiconductor processors. Such optically implemented signal processing functions may provide optimized transmission of speech signals over much lower bandwidth channels with much higher speech quality. For example, many voice encoders today have limits at or near 2.4 kilobits per second (kbps) (e.g. FED-STD-1016: CELP (4.8 kbps); FED-STD-1015: LPC-10e (2.4 kbps), ITUG.7231.1: CELP (5.3 and 6.3 kbps); IMBE (2.4 to 9.6 kbps), MPEG-4: Parametric (2 to 8 kbps), MIL-STD-118-113: CVSD (16 and 32 kbps)). Search for technology to dramatically reduce the required bandwidth for voice transmission is pressured by an entire industry of wired and wireless telecommunications companies seeking ways to offer more voice channels over limited numbers of communication channels or through constrained bandwidth. Thus, there lies a need for an audio processing, encoding, decoding and transmission system that utilizes optical processing to provide faster and more optimized transmission of audio signals such as speech signals over lower bandwidth transmission channels.
The present invention is directed to a system for processing and encoding audio information. In one embodiment, the system includes an audio transducer for receiving audio information and converting the audio information into a signal representative of the audio information, a digital processing system for receiving the signal and for electronically processing the audio signal, and an optical processing system operatively coupled with the digital processing system for performing a signal processing algorithm on the signal whereby the signal is encoded, the encoded signal being optimized for transmission over a lower bandwidth transmission channel.
The present invention is also directed to a method for processing and encoding audio information for transmission over a lower bandwidth channel. In one embodiment, the method includes steps for receiving the audio information and transducing the audio information into a signal representative of the audio information, electronically processing the signal, and optically processing the signal using an optical processing system such that the signal is encoded for optimal transmission over a lower bandwidth transmission channel. Both the method and the system of the present invention are capable of leveraging the enormous associative and correlating properties of an optical processing system that may occur in real-time with an extremely large, massive amount of data, making the optical processing system ideal for implementing simultaneous data correlation.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Vector correlator for speech VOCODER using optical processor


A computer enclosure includes a cage (10), and a drive bracket (30). The cage has a pair of side panels (14a, 14b), and a front panel (16). Each of the side panel defines a first slideway (21) and a second slideway (25). The front panel defines a screw hole (28). The drive bracket includes a pair of side walls (36). Each side wall attachingly receives a first sliding member (50) and a locking member (70), and forms a second sliding member (40). A slot (26) is defined in each of the second slideway. The locking member includes a protrusion (78) defining a through hole (80). In assembly, the drive bracket is pushed into the cage, with the second and first sliding member sliding along the second and the first slideways. A thumbscrew (90) is extended the through hole and engages in the screw hole to secure the drive bracket in the cage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and particularly to a computer enclosure having a slidable drive bracket.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various data storage devices are installed in computers for electronic communication and handling of data. Drive brackets are often used to support and secure such data storage devices inside the computers.
In a typical computer, drive brackets are fixed in an enclosure of the computer by screws or fasteners. Taiwan Patent Application No. 89216297 discloses a conventional computer enclosure comprising a cage and a bracket. The cage defines a plurality of fixing holes, and the bracket includes a base and two separable frames. The base defines a plurality of screw holes. Fixing edges depend from two sides respectively of the frames, and the fixing edges define a plurality of fixing openings. A plurality of setscrews is extended through the fixing openings of the fixing edges and engaged in the screw holes of the base, thereby fixing the two frames to the base. A plurality of setscrews is used to fix the bracket into the cage in similar fashion.
However, using screws to mount the frame onto the base is laborious and time-consuming. In addition, when a user wants to change or maintain a component in the computer, removal of the screws is inconvenient. Similarly, using screws to attach a bracket in a computer enclosure is laborious and time-consuming. Moreover, production and assembly of these modularized brackets is complicated and costly.
Thus, a computer enclosure incorporating slidable drive bracket which solves the above-mentioned problems is strongly desired.

Computer enclosure incorporating slidable drive bracket