Light weight metal bonded abrasive tools consisting of an annular rim of metal bonded superabrasive joined to a central core or hub made from a dissimilar metal, such as aluminum powder, are manufactured in a single sintering step that yields a near net shape abrasive tool. The abrasive tools are useful for the grinding of optical components made of plastic or glass.

In the manufacture of optical components and other precision components having precise tolerances for the component's geometry and surface qualities, the creation of thermal and material stresses must be minimized. The preferred abrasive tools are light in weight so as to permit high speed grinding while reducing stress on the grinding machine; have consistent wheel geometry and form holding ability; exhibit freeness of cut so as to minimize power draw and the accompanying stresses; minimize wheel loading; and are simple to dress, mount and otherwise handle during such operations.
High speed, light weight abrasive grinding wheels have been constructed from a variety of materials and typically comprise two parts: a hub and an abrasive rim. Solid or aluminum filled bronze or steel or solid or metal filled resin materials have been used in the core or hub component. In the abrasive rim component of the wheels, diamond or cubic boron nitride (CBN) abrasive grains are bonded in a matrix of metal or resin. Due to differences in the chemistries of the materials used in the core and the rim, respectively, and in their density and strength characteristics, together with differences in the functional purposes of the core and the abrasive rim components, the core and the rim components typically are constructed in separate operations. The abrasive rim component usually is constructed as a preformed module. Then the preformed module is joined to the rim of the core of hub with an adhesive cement, or by brazing, welding or similar techniques. Conventional processes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,233 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,035.
Manufacture of such tools is complex and costly. By pressing the lightweight core and the abrasive rim simultaneously, production costs are reduced. An example alternative process, which would be more labor intensive, consists of additional machining steps to fit the lightweight core and abrasive rim as well as mating the two parts with an adhesive or shrink fitting. Consistent wheel geometry and form holding ability are difficult to achieve in these processes for making light weight abrasive grinding wheels. Several improvements have been suggested, but none have addressed the manufacture of metal bonded abrasives on a light weight metal core in a satisfactory manner.
To attain the weight reduction that is critical to operation of these tools, cores have been made of bronze, molded to the final desired shape, and then hollowed out and filled with aluminum to lighten their weight. Different materials have been used in cores to attain operational considerations other than weight reduction. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,854 the wheels were designed to be mounted on a magnetic chuck, with optional magnetic holding parts, during the grinding operations. In making such wheels, the core is made of a resin filled with a magnetic metal powder (e.g., 43-72 wt. % iron) and aluminum powder, and the abrasive rim is a resin or a metal bond containing diamond abrasive grain. Zinc or tin may be substituted for the resin in the core to give an all metal bond. The tool is preferably constructed using the same resin in the core and rim so both components can be molded and cured simultaneously at a temperature of about 200.degree. to 300.degree. C. under sufficient pressure to achieve essentially theoretical density.
In GB-B-1,364,178 wheels are made by molding an aluminum powder core section and simultaneously sintering and bonding it to a polyimide resin diamond rim section at 350.degree. to 550.degree. C. by hot pressing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,347, a resin (polyimide) and metal powder mixture are co-sintered at a temperature of about 350.degree. C. to bond superabrasive grain in the rim component of a grinding wheel. The rim is bonded to a core of aluminum filled phenolic resin by an epoxy cement to make the finished wheel. The use of a core having the same co-sintered resin and metal powder mixture as the rim and substituting silicon carbide for superabrasive grain is suggested. This core would be joined to the rim by a cement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,970 saw blades for cutting concrete and other abrasive materials are made by molding metal powder bond components with abrasive grain around the perimeter of a preformed steel core and then sintering the molded tool at 760.degree.-1093.degree. C. (1400.degree.-2000.degree. F.) to achieve diffusion bonding of the abrasive rim to the steel core. In a second step, gullets are cut into the rim and, optionally, the perimeter of the core, to relieve stresses during cutting operations. Neither tool weight reduction nor continuous rim geometry are critical variables in making these saw blades.
Abrasive tools designed for chamfering operations on automobile windows and other glass substrates and having a metal bonded superabrasive grain rim on a resin core are described in JP-2-116475. The light weight of the resin core relative to conventional steel cores is taught to yield a 20-30% improvement in grinding time. The resin core is filled with powder of conductive metal and, optionally graphite powder, glass fiber or carbon fiber to allow electrical discharge machining of the wheels and to achieve core strength similar to that of steel cores. Attachment of the core to the rim is not described. An eccentric shaped rim, sandwich structures and concave/convex areas at contact points between the rim and the core are suggested as means to avoid detachment of the rim during grinding.
It has been discovered that abrasive tools having a metal core and a metal bonded abrasive rim may be made by sintering metal powder core and rim mixtures and joining the rim to the core in a single sintering step. By molding both components together during sintering, a near net shape tool is released from the mold. Higher porosity volume without loss of mechanical strength may be attained with this co-sintering process. The combined porosity of the rim and the core resulting from sintering the metal powders yields a light weight, mechanically strong tool capable of precision grinding operations at high speed.


The invention is a preparation comprising an oil-in-water emulsion containing soap, the emulsion further comprising: (a) 4-12% by weight of at least one fatty acid with 12 to 18 carbon atoms, (b) 3-8% by weight of at least one trialkanolamine, (c) 1-8% by weight of at least one nonionic emulsifier, (d) 0-3% by weight of a fatty alcohol or fatty alcohol mixture, (e) 0.1-6% by weight of one or more emollients, (f) 1-10% by weight propellant with a vapor pressure of 76 to 420 kPa at 20° C., (g) 0-1% by weight of at least one cellulose derivative, and (h) 0.1-4% by weight of at lest one glycerol polyglycol ether isostearate, wherein the oil-in-water emulsion is free from fatty acid diethanolamides, and wherein the preparation is suitable for filling in an aerosol container. The invention also includes a pressurized gas container containing the preparation.

Shaving gels, on the other hand, are formulated in such a way that the preparation also containing an aerosol can be removed from the container in non-foamed form, whereby it later foams on the skin or in the hand through vaporization of the propellant contained in the preparation in response to body heat.
In both cases, the skill of the formulation consists of attaining a good compromise in respect to foam texture, gel consistency, stability and visual appearance through a suitable choice of thickening agents and foam stabilizers.
A frequent ingredient of such preparations is cocamide DEA. This compound belongs to the group of fatty acid diethanolamides. It is a reaction product from diethanolamine (DEA), from the family of alkanolamines and free fatty acids, obtained from coconut oil. Free DEA, which only occurs in significant amounts in poor qualities, is able to form nitrosamines in combination with N-nitrosating substances, such as nitrites. As these nitrosamines exhibit a carcinogenic potential, it is therefore advisable to avoid their formation. This can easily be achieved through correct use of the raw material. Unfortunately, chemical correlations are often depicted inaccurately or even incorrectly in publications, e.g. in consumer magazines. As a result, although fatty acid diethanolamides can indeed be used in brand products, the desire to avoid their use has meanwhile become prevalent.
In surfactant preparations, fatty acid diethanolamides exhibit the additional benefit of acting as a so-called "foam booster": at the same time, the stability, formation and structure of the foam is significantly improved, in other words several requirements are fulfilled by an ingredient at the same time. Consequently, there is no alternative to cocamide DEA in shaving preparations, as the unique combination of all properties is not attained.
It would be desirable to find an ingredient with similar effects, which does not manifest the problem described above. As this problem has been known for quite some time, many substitutes for fatty acid diethanolamides have already been revealed. Despite the wide range offered, no suitable substitute could so far be found, which can advantageously be used in shaving preparations and which fulfills all the above requirements at the same time in a comparable quality.
International patent application WO 96/09032 discloses soap-free shaving preparations based on sarcosinates with a pH value in the region pH 5-7. In contrast to this, preparations corresponding to the invention contain soap and exhibit a pH value >7.
Patent specification U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,970 discloses shaving preparations which, amongst other ingredients, contain polyoxyethylene oleyl ethers with an HLB in the range 1-9 or lauramide DEA. In contrast to this, preparations corresponding to the invention are free of these.
Patent specification EP 503004 discloses shaving preparations which, amongst other ingredients, contain polysiloxane/polyether copolymers. In contrast to this, preparations corresponding to the invention are free of these.
The international patent application WO 98/33473 discloses shaving preparations which, amongst other ingredients, contain polyethoxylated polyvinylpyrrolidones. In contrast to this, preparations corresponding to the invention are free of these.
European patent application 576615 discloses self-foaming O/W shaving creams containing water, soap components, surfactant, propellant, emollients and foam stabilizers from the group of fatty alkanolamides, e.g. lauramide DEA. Nevertheless, no information is disclosed concerning preparations with an additional content of cellulose derivatives while free of fatty acid alkanolamides at the same time.


A system that harvests cartilage, trims the thickness of the cartilage and shapes the cartilage for reconstruction of the tympanic membrane. The system includes a punch and a template. Punch can include a handle and a plurality of interchangeable cutters having differently shaped cutting portions and a first cutting portion harvests cartilage. Template includes top template and bottom template between which harvested cartilage can be captured to trim the cartilage to a desired thickness. The punch can then be fitted with a second cutter having a desired shape, which is inserted through a pass through recess one of the templates to contact the cartilage to punch out the desired shape in the cartilage.

Tympanoplasty is a surgical operation performed for the reconstruction of the ear drum, also known as the tympanic membrane. The most common indication for tympanoplasty are tympanic membrane perforations. The tympanic membrane can become perforated through a number of ways, including middle ear infections, external auditory canal infections, blunt trauma and iatrogenic causes. Although some tympanic membrane perforations can heal on their own, often surgery is necessary to repair the damage. Typically, a large tympanic membrane perforation is treated by inserting a graft into the ear adjacent the perforation. Various graft materials have been used for tympanoplasty, including fascia, perichondrium, vein tissue, dura, skin and cartilage.
Cartilage grafts have become popular due to cartilage being more rigid and resistive to absorption, having good long-term survival and being nourished largely by diffusion. In a typical cartilage tympanoplasty procedure, cartilage is harvested from the patient's ear, such as from the tragus, the cymba choncae or the choncal bowel. Then various techniques can be employed by the surgeon to manually shape the cartilage graft prior to implantation. The standard implantation procedure for larger perforations is known as medial grafting and involves placing the graft material beneath or medial to the original tympanic membrane. Small perforations can often be repaired by inserting a graft directly into the perforation.
Various products are available for thinning cartilage to an appropriate thickness (typically between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm) for implantation. However, the final shape of the graft is manually determined by the surgeon. This "eyeballing" technique of shaping the graft is time consuming and can result in an imprecisely shaped graft that will not properly anchor adjacent the tympanic membrane. As such, it would be desirable for a device to provide simple and accurate shaping of cartilage grafts for tympanoplasty.

Methods and apparatuses for shaping cartilage for tympanoplasty


A method for making a resilient material includes providing a particulate polymer, discrete pieces of foam, a foaming agent and a plasticizer. The polymer, foam pieces and plasticizer are mixed and disposed in a mold. The mold is heated to cause melting of the polymer without melting of the foam. After coating of the melted polymer, a heterogeneous resilient cushion is formed with gelated polymer surrounding the discrete foam pieces.

The present invention generally relates to resilient cushions or materials and a method of manufacturing same. More particularly, the present invention provides for the manufacture of articles having controlled resilient properties through the combination of various gels, foams and foaming agents.
The properties of gel/foam combinations are important in a variety of manufactured items. For example, resilient cushion materials find application in numerous toys, bicycle seats, therapeutic hand exercising grips, shock absorbers, acoustical insulators, vibration dampers, wrappers, hand exercisers, crutch cushions, cervical pillows, bed wedge pillows, leg rest cushions, neck cushions, bed pads, elbow pads, elbow pads, wheelchair cushions, and many pads including floor pads, orthopedic shoe soles, brace cushions and numerous other objects of manufacture.
An article formed from the combination of gel and foam can have its resilient properties tailored through the use of foam of different sizes as well as resiliency depending upon the use and function of the resulting article.
As an example, foam pore size may have a significant influence on a composite resiliency. A discussion of gel foam combinations may be had from U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,286, which is incorporated herewith by the specific reference thereto, for describing the advantages of a gel/foam combination article.
A method for making a resilient cushion, which may take the form of any of the hereinabove recited articles, generally comprises the steps of providing a polymer in particulate form and discrete pieces of foam material. The particulate polymer and foam pieces are tumbled to provide a heterogeneous mixture. In addition, a foaming agent may be utilized.
A quantity of discrete pieces of foam material are provided in a selected size and thereafter the particulate polymer and foam pieces are tumbled to provide a heterogeneous mixture. As hereinabove noted, a foaming agent may be a part of the heterogeneous mixture.
The heterogeneous mixture with plasticizer is introduced into a mold, which is thereafter heated, in order to cause melting of the polymer without melting of the foam. In this manner, the gelation of the melted polymer surrounds and encapsulates the foam particles and the heterogeneous mixture is not heated sufficiently to melt or degrade the foam pieces therein. In the case of the foaming agent, melting causes expansion thereof, thus producing voids within the mixture.
The melted polymer is allowed to gelate around the foam to cause a heterogeneous resilient cushion. Alternatively, the mixture may be passed through heated rollers which act as a continuous mold in order to form a sheet-like article or cushion.
In accordance with the present invention, a method for making a resilient cushion, which may take the form of any of the hereinabove recited articles, may generally comprise the steps providing a polymer in particulate form and adding a plasticizing oil thereto in a mixer or the like. Plasticizing oil is added in a quantity less than that to agglomerate the polymer particulate so that the resulting mixture of plasticizing oil and polymer particulate remains in a discrete granular, flake or particle form.
A quantity of discrete pieces of foam material are provided in a selected size and thereafter the particulate polymer and foam pieces are tumbled to provide a heterogeneous mixture. As hereinabove noted, a foaming agent may be a part of the heterogeneous.
The heterogeneous mixture with plasticizer is introduced into a mold, which is thereafter heated, in order to cause melting of the polymer without melting of the foam. In this manner, the gelation of the melted polymer surrounds and encapsulates the foam particles and the heterogeneous mixture is not heated sufficiently to melt or degrade the foam pieces therein. Some penetration may occur but is insufficient to degrade the foam. In the case of the foaming agent, heating causes expansion thereon, thus producing voids within the mixture.
The melted polymer is allowed to gelate around the foam to cause a heterogeneous resilient cushion. Alternatively, the mixture may be passed through heated rollers which act as a continuous mold in order to form a sheet-like article or cushion. When the foaming agent is utilized, the cushion includes voids along with the form pieces. Thus, the cushioning or resilient characteristics can be further tailored.
More particularly, the step of providing particulate polymer may comprise the providing of a triblock copolymer elastomer in particulate form and the plasticizer may be added in the form of a plasticizing oil.
Still more particularly, the step of heating the mold may include heating the mold to a temperature of between 150xc2x0 C. and about 200xc2x0 C.
Preferably, the step of providing discrete pieces of foam material includes providing a closed cell foam.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a first amount of polymer in particulate form is mixed with a first amount of plasticizer and disposed in a mold. A second amount of particulate polymer is provided along with a second amount of foam pieces which are mixed or tumbled therewith, along with a plasticizer.
The second amount of copolymer along with the foam pieces and plasticizer are added to the mold without substantial commingling with the first amount of particulate polymer. Thereafter, the mold is heated to cause melting of both amounts of the polymer without melting the foam. The copolymer is allowed to cool and gelate with the first amount of melted polymer gelling into a homogeneous gel in the second amount of melted polymer gelling around the foam pieces to form a heterogeneous resilient cushion.
In addition, the present invention also encompasses a resilient cushion which is made in accordance with the hereinabove recited steps as well as a composition which when heated form a resilient material or cushion.
The present invention also includes the use of foaming agents in order to reduce the density of the resilient cushion. When utilized in particulate foam, the foaming agents expand to form voids within the resilient cushion.


A broadband light source that is typically a single chip monolithic silicon integrated photonic planar light wave circuit employing an embedded glass channel waveguide system, wherein a part of the waveguide is coiled into a loop having a first and a second input/outputs, and comprises dopants selected from the rare earth elements and transition metals.

Inertial navigation units are essential location and attitude sensors employed in practically all aerospace vehicle platforms. Fiber optic versions deployed in recent years offer greater sensitivity and reliability than the early mechanical devices. The all-fiber optical gyroscope was first proposed in 1980 as an implementation of a Sagnac phase shift interferometric inertial rotation sensor. The all-fiber guided wave approach yielded a compact, simplified and more stable version than the bulk optical approach of the prior art. In 1981, the use of a low coherence length light source was proposed to mitigate excess phase noise errors resulting from Rayleigh backscattered light generated in the optical gyroscope's long fiber sensing coil.
The first low coherence source considered for fiber optic gyroscopes was a superluminescent diode with a broad emission spectrum. These devices while very compact have limited applicability due to the large temperature coefficient of their average emission wavelength. Erbium-doped superfluorescent fiber sources were later adopted as the broadband light source of choice for the most sensitive fiber optic gyroscopes on account of the higher output power and better than 100× reduction in the temperature coefficient of their average emission wavelength to values below 5 ppm per ° C.
There is a need for a compact, lightweight, robust and/or low cost broadband light source.

Integrated photonic broadband light source


A sexual aid device, for allowing a user being a first party of sexual relationship with a second party, to simulate the physiologic reaction of the penis of a human male. The proposed sexual aid device includes a hollow penis body made of flexible or semi-rigid material and containing a plurality of telescopic sections for causing the penis body to be in its erected state when the telescopic sections are maximally propagated and for allowing the penis body to be in its descended default state, when the telescopic sections are maximally contracted; a simulated scrotum made of flexible or semi-rigid material, having a compartment for containing a mechanism for powering the propagation and contraction of the telescopic sections; a mechanism for providing a driving force required for powering the propagation and contraction of the telescopic sections; sensors located on the penis body, for detecting physical contact of the penis body with the body of the second party; a controller for controlling the driving force to cause the telescopic sections to maximally propagate, according to input signals received from the sensors and to time and to return to be maximally contracted, after a predetermined time; a power source for powering the controller and for generating the driving force; and a coupling mechanism for attaching the sexual aid device to the body of the first party.

There is a growing acceptance of sexuality, as exhibited by popular acceptance of the near-universality of masturbation, and the growth of demands for sexual devices. Prior to these changes, many sexual aid devices were sold for sexual pleasure, although primarily under the euphemistic names and a pretense of providing massage services.
Modern sexual aid devices fall broadly into two classes: mechanized and non-mechanized. Mechanized devices typically vibrate, although there are types that can rotate, thrust, and even circulate small beads within an elastomeric shell. Non-mechanized devices, such as a dildo (an artificial erect penis, used as a sexual aid) to an erotic vibrator (a device often used to attain an orgasm by its vibration mechanism) are made from solid, rigid or semi-rigid materials in a variety of states and sizes.
Also, oral sex being an act of using the mouth, lips, and tongue to stimulate the female genitals became acceptable in many cultures. Oral sex is often accompanied by the insertion of fingers or a sexual aid into the vagina and/or into the anus, which allows simultaneous stimulation of the receptors in sexual pleasure zones, which many women consider capable of producing very intense experiences.
However, the available sexual aid devices, such as dildos and vibrators fail to emulate the human penis physiological behaviors, since they require manual activation and deactivation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sexual aid device, which emulate the human penis physiological behavior, which is automatically activated and deactivated when used on a human male body upon being in contact with the female sexual areas.
Other purposes and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Sexual aid device with automatic operation


A video presenter of the invention includes: a table having a periphery with a substantially curved contour; a pivot member mounted at a side of the table; a support arm rotatably coupled with the pivot member and extended therefrom; and a camera rotatably coupled at an end of the support arm.

In general, a video presenter photographs an object using a CCD camera and displays the photographed object on a monitor, and is widely used for educational and industrial purposes. The video presenter can display a magnified image of a tiny object on the monitor by using a lens unit such as a microscope lens to magnify the object taken by the CCD camera. A variety of peripheral devices are included in the video presenter. For example, an apparatus for illuminating an object to improve a quality and sharpness of an image to be displayed through the monitor is additionally provided.
The video presenter typically includes a variety of arm structures for supporting the CCD camera. Also, it is preferable to adapt a table construction of the video presenter in such a way that the planar surface of the table may be optimally used for placing the object thereon.
The publication of Japanese patent application Hei 7-107377 discloses a video presenter, in which two arm-like camera supports are serially connected to a table by means of articulations or pivots. More specifically, a first support can be rotated with respect to the table and a second support, and the second support can be rotated with respect to the first support and the camera. For the storage of the video camera disclosed in the above-identified Japanese publication, the camera should be dismantled from the second support.
Korean Utility Model registration No. 2011715 discloses a video presenter, in which a camera is supported by a telescopic support so that the length of the support may be adjusted. Further, a pair of illumination lamps is disposed at two lateral sides of a table. With the provision of the pair of illumination lamps, the strength of the illumination will be increased.
Conventional video presenters as disclosed in the arts typically include a table whose periphery has a rectangular contour. With respect to the usage of the planar and rectangular surface of the table, the four corners of the table are not so effectively used for placing the object thereon. Thus, the corners of the rectangular table make the video presenter unnecessarily heavy and bulky. Further, the table with rectangular contour occupies a large space for storage.

Video presenter including table with curved contour


A method for controlling a fuel metering system of an internal combustion engine. A activation duration of at least one electrically operated injector determines the injected fuel quantity. The minimum activation duration during which fuel is only just injected being determined in certain operating states. The activation duration being increased/reduced starting at an initial value, and the activation duration during which a signal undergoes a change being stored as the minimum activation duration, in which the difference between the activation duration during which a signal undergoes a change and the stored minimum activation duration is determined, from which correction values for the fuel quantity map of the injector are determined and stored using at least one transfer function, which characterizes the relationship between the minimum injection and activation durations at several test points of the injector and/or the relationship between the activation durations at different test points of the injector.

A method and device for controlling a fuel metering system of an internal combustion engine is discussed, for example, in German patent document no. 199 45 618. In this method, the activation duration of at least one electrically operated valve determines the fuel quantity to be injected. The minimum activation duration during which fuel is only just injected is determined in certain operating states. The activation duration is increased or reduced, starting at an initial value. The activation duration during which a signal undergoes a change is stored as the minimum activation duration. The signal used is a quantity characterizing the uniformity of rotation, an output signal of a lambda sensor, or an output signal of an ion current sensor. This method allows for an injection quantity drift over the lifetime of the fuel injector in the range of the pilot injection.
Non-prepublished German patent document no. 102 15 610 discusses a system and method for correcting the injection behavior of injectors, in which, in order to increase the product output, an injector fuel-quantity compensation is carried out at several test points, which may be 4 test points, i.e., during the pilot injection, during idle operation, at the emission point, and during full-load operation.
This injector fuel-quantity compensation is necessary because injectors of that kind have different fuel quantity maps due to their mechanical manufacturing tolerances. A "fuel quantity map" is understood to be the relationship between the injection quantity, the rail pressure, and the activation time (activation duration). As a consequence, in spite of the electrically defined control, each individual injector fills the combustion chamber with different fuel quantities.
In fact, to achieve as low a fuel consumption as possible while complying with strict exhaust emission standards, the injectors may only have very small tolerances in terms of the injection quantity during operation. These small tolerances required cannot be met due to the mechanical manufacturing tolerances. In order to nevertheless guarantee a defined injection quantity of the injectors, the injectors are measured for their injection quantity at characteristic operating points or test points after manufacture, and are classified. The respective class must be known to the engine control unit during the operation of the internal combustion engine so that the control can be adapted to the particular characteristics of the class specifically for each injector. The class information is stored on the injector, for example, by different codes such as a bar code, by resistors on the injector, or by plaintext on the injector.
Moreover, electronic storage means, in which are stored, for example, the class information, may be provided in the injectors. These values may be read out from the injector by the control unit via an interface and used in the subsequent operation.
Over their lifetime, such common rail injectors are observed to have a fuel quantity drift, which is different for each individual injector and depends, for example, on the load profile or on the type of injector. This fuel quantity drift has a negative effect in terms of low fuel consumption, on compliance with strict exhaust emission standards, and with respect to, for example, the noise level of the internal combustion engine. Until now, correction of the injection quantity drift over the lifetime of the injectors was only done in the pilot injection plateau using a method discussed in German patent document no. 199 45 618. In contrast, fuel quantity drifts at other operating points can only be compensated for to a very limited degree, if at all.

Method for controlling a fuel metering system of an internal combustion engine


Techniques are described for the detection of multiple target species in real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). For example, a system is described that includes a data acquisition device and a detection device coupled to the data acquisition device. The detection device includes a rotating disk having a plurality of process chambers having a plurality of species that emit fluorescent light at different wavelengths. The device further includes a plurality of optical modules. Each of the optical modules is optically configured to excite the species and capture fluorescent light emitted by the species at different wavelengths. A fiber optic bundle coupled to the plurality of optical modules conveys the fluorescent light from the multiple optical modules to a single detector.

Optical disc systems are often used to perform various biological, chemical or bio-chemical assays. In a typical system, a rotatable disc is used as a medium for storing and processing fluid specimens, such as blood, plasma, serum, urine or other fluid.
One type of analysis is polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is often used for nucleic acid sequence analysis. In particular, PCR is often used for DNA sequencing, cloning, genetic mapping, and other forms of nucleic acid sequence analysis.
In general, PCR relies on the ability of DNA-copying enzymes to remain stable at high temperatures. There are three major steps in PCR: denaturation, annealing, and extension. During the denaturation, a liquid sample is heated at approximately 94° C. During this process, double-stranded DNA "melts" open into single-stranded DNA. During annealing, the single-stranded DNA is cooled to approximately 54° C. At this temperature, primers bind or "anneal" to the ends of the DNA segments that are to be replicated. During extension, the sample is heated to 75° C. At this temperature, enzymes add nucleotides add to the target sequence and eventually a complementary copy of the DNA template is formed. The new DNA strand becomes a new target for the next sequence of events, or "cycle."
There are a number of existing PCR instruments designed to determine levels of specific DNA and RNA sequences in the sample during the PCR in real-time. Many of the instruments are based on the use of fluorescent dyes. In particular, many conventional real-time PCR instruments detect a fluorescent signal produced proportionally during amplification of a PCR product.
Conventional real-time PCR instruments use different methods for detection of different fluorescent dyes. For example, some conventional PCR instruments incorporate white light sources with filter wheels for spectrally resolving each dye. The white light sources are tungsten halogen bulbs, which have a lifetime maxima of a few thousand hours. The filter wheels are typically complicated electromechanical parts that are susceptible to wear.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Multiplex fluorescence detection device having fiber bundle coupling multiple optical modules to a common detector


The present invention relates to selective allosteric potentiators of the Formula (I):

The present invention provides compounds that are selective allosteric modulators of the M4 subtype of muscarinic receptor. The M4 muscarinic receptor is believed to play a role in modulating synaptic function in key areas of the brain involved in regulating mood, cravings, attention and cognition. As a result, it provides a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of psychosis; attention disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); cognitive disorders, including memory loss; and drug addiction. The M2 and M4 subtypes of muscarinic receptor are also involved in muscarinic agonist-induced analgesic effects, but it is believed that side effects of such treatment are associated primarily with M2 receptor activation. Thus, compounds that selectively modulate M4 receptors would provide a novel treatment strategy for neuropathic pain, without unwanted side effects.
Unlike compounds that act at the neurotransmitter binding site (orthosteric site), allosteric modulators act at a distinct site on the receptor. The use of allosteric modulators provides several advantages in the treatment of disease. Christopoulos, Nature Reviews (2002) 1: 198-210. For instance, under saturating conditions (high concentrations of allosteric potentiator) one would not expect excessive stimulation of the M4 muscarinic receptor, since it is dependent on the endogenous neurotransmitter for activation. Second, allosteric agonists exert their physiological effects only in the presence of endogenous agonist. As a result, allosteric potentiators are less likely to produce the condition of receptor desensitization or down-regulation that are associated with excessive cholinergic stimulation. Finally, allosteric modulators are likely to show greater receptor selectivity, especially as the orthosteric binding site is well conserved between muscarinic receptor subtypes.
At present, no selective allosteric modulators of the M4 subtype of muscarinic receptor have been reported. The development of selective M4 allosteric potentiators will therefore greatly enhance the ability to treat disorders such as psychosis and pain, without unwanted side effects. Thus, the present invention provides a class of allosteric modulators of M4 muscarinic receptors, compositions comprising these compounds, and methods of using the compounds.

Thienopyridines as allosteric potentiators of the M4 muscarinic receptor

Abstract: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for the treatment of disorders associated with M4 muscarinic receptors.


A semiconductor package mounting structure includes a substrate (200) and a semiconductor package (100). The substrate (200) includes an opening (210) connected to a cavity of a waveguide (310). The semiconductor package (100) is mounted on the substrate (200). The semiconductor package (100) includes a semiconductor device (110) and a probe (152) connected to the semiconductor device (110). The opening (210) includes a part that overlaps the probe (152) and a part that does not overlap the semiconductor package (100).

Patent literature 1 discloses a millimeter wave Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) package. The LTCC package includes a dielectric layer, a probe formed on the dielectric layer, and a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). The probe is connected to a pad of the MMIC via a microstrip. The dielectric layer covers the whole part of an opening part of a waveguide.
Patent literature 2 discloses a microwave integrated circuit multi-chip module. This module includes a package substrate formed of a material having a dielectric property and a plurality of MMICs mounted on the package substrate. The package substrate includes a blind rectangular cavity opened in its back surface. The rectangular cavity does not reach the front surface of the package substrate. The package substrate also has a microstrip antenna provided at a position corresponding to the rectangular cavity on the front surface of the package substrate. The package substrate includes a plurality of through via holes around the rectangular cavity. The rectangular cavity and the plurality of through via holes constitute a waveguide part.

Semiconductor package and semiconductor package mounting structure


In a system cooperating a high performance computer and a low performance computer, a load of database processing upon the low performance computer is reduced. In a high performance center running DBMS for managing each version by using logical structure data of a database as physical structure pages and one or more terminals having a lower performance than that of the center, an update difference file is created for a center side received command input to the center, a backup file is created for a terminal side received command input to the terminal, and a version applied with the terminal side received command is updated to a version after update, by sequentially overwrite copying the backup file and update difference file.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data update method, a data update system, and a terminal used by the data update system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data update for a database (hereinafter abbreviated to DB where proper) requires resources (computer resources) such as central processing units (CPU's) and memories. A process of updating a large amount of data becomes a load of a database of a terminal having limited resources such as an embedded system.
A database in an embedded system is not managed heretofore by middleware such as a database management system, but an application in the embedded system creates processes originally.
However, original data management by the application in the embedded system is becoming difficult to have higher performance and reliability requested to the embedded system, because of large capacity and versatility of data to be processed, caused by the recent advance in storage technologies and higher functionality of the embedded system. Further, speed of product developments is becoming more important, because of intensified competition in embedded system markets.
Under these circumstances, recognition prevails in which productivity of software developments is enhanced by separating applications and data management not by mounting the database of a terminal in an application in the embedded system, but by adopting a high performance relational database (RDB) operating in a computer having abundant resources such as a center.
In order to operate a high performance RDB in an embedded system having a performance lower than that of the center, it is necessary to reduce processing. One example of reducing processing is to utilize log data of an update command. For example, according to the techniques disclosed in JP-A-2004-145827, when update is performed in one apparatus, the update command is recorded as log, and when update is performed in another apparatus, the log is also utilized.

Method and system for data processing with database update for the same


A feeding device to be incorporated in an image reading apparatus, including: (a) a feed-path definer defining a feed path along which an original is fed from a supply portion to an exit portion via a reading position, such that the fed original is brought into contact with an original supporting surface of an image reader in the reading position, whereby the image is read by the image reader; (b) a presser biased toward the original supporting surface and having a contact surface which is to be held in contact with the original or the original supporting surface; (c) a downstream-side feeder disposed on a downstream side of the presser and distant from a plane containing the original supporting surface, so that the original takes an inclined posture while bridging between the presser and the downstream-side feeder; and (d) a presser-displacement preventer disposed between the presser and the downstream-side feeder, for preventing displacement of the presser in a direction away from the original supporting surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a feeding device to be incorporated in an image reading apparatus equipped with an image reader which is operable to read an image on an original in a predetermined reading position while the original is being fed by the feeding device. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a feeding device defining a feed path by which the original takes, after having passed the reading position, a posture inclined with respect to an original supporting surface of the image reading apparatus.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, in an image reading apparatus capable of reading an image carried by an original which is being currently moved or fed as well as an image on an original which is held stationary there are provided two different transparent plates, one of which serves or taking the image on the currently fed original, and the other of which serves for taking the image on the stationary original. It is common that the two transparent plates are provided on an upper surface of a main body of the image reading apparatus (which surface is exposed when a cover body disposed on the upper surface is open) such that the two transparent plates are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the main body of the image reading apparatus. The transparent plate for the image on the stationary original has a size (as measured in the longitudinal direction of the main body of the image reading apparatus) which is as large as a length of an original having a maximum size acceptable by the image reading apparatus. The original is disposed on an upper surface of the transparent plate, so that the image on the stationary original is taken or read by an image reader which is moved along a lower surface of the transparent plate. On the other hand, the transparent plate for the image carried by the fed original has a size (as measured as in the longitudinal direction of the main body of the image reading apparatus) smaller than the above-described size of the transparent plate for the stationary original. The image of the fed original is read, when the original passes over an upper surface of the transparent plate, by the image reader which is held stationary below a lower surface of the transparent plate.
For improving an accuracy in reading the image on the original the stationary original can be pressed onto the upper surface of the transparent plate, by closing the above-described cover body. For the same purpose, the fed original is brought into contact or proximity with the upper surface of the transparent plate, when the original passes over the upper surface of the transparent plate. As a mechanism for bringing the fed original into contact or proximity with the upper surface of the transparent plate, JP-U-H01-100140 (publication of unexamined Japanese Utility Model laid open in 1989) discloses a holder plate which is disposed above the transparent plate and which is biased downwardly toward the transparent plate. The holder plate has spacers provided on its lower surface such that the spacers are positioned in such positions that do not interfere feed movement of the original. Owing to the provision of the spacers, the holder plate can be positioned above the transparent plate, with a constant spacing gap (denoted by reference si "G" in FIG. 1 of the Japanese publication) therebetween which corresponds to a height of the spacers, so that the original passing through the gap between the holder plate and the transparent plate can be prevented from being separated from the transparent plate by a distance larger than the height of the spacers.
Although a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) has been commonly used as the image reader of the above-described image reading apparatus, a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) as well as the CCD is used as the image reader in recent years, due to its size and cost which are smaller and lower than those of the CCD. However, the CIS has a smaller depth of field than that of the CCD. Therefore, where the above-described holder plate with the spacers, as disclosed in the above-described Japanese publication, is provided in an image reading apparatus equipped with the CIS as the image reader, the image reading apparatus could not provide a satisfactorily high degree of accuracy in the image reading, because upward displacement of the original from the transparent plate within the spacing gap is allowed. That is, where the CIS is used as the image reader, the original has to be brought into dose contact with the upper surface of the transparent plate, i.e., an original supporting surface of the image reader, thereby requiring an arrangement in which the original is pressed onto the original supporting surface by a presser plate member or the like which is biased to be brought into contact with the original.
It is common that a feeding device for feeding the original is built within the above-described cover body. For making the feeding device compact in size, it is also common that a feed path, along which the original is id from an original supply portion to an original exit portion via a reading position, is adapted to have a substantially U shape.
For obtaining a space available for piling up the originals which have exited through the original exit portion, it is common that the original exited portion is located in a position higher than the reading position, so that the original takes a posture inclined with respect to the original supporting surface, with a portion of the original closer to the original exit portion being given a position higher than a portion of the original closer to the reading position. Therefore, where the above-described presser plate member or the like is provided in the reading position, a force derived from a tension of the inclined original acts on the presser plate member in the upward direction, in a direction away from the original supporting surface. In this instance, if a biasing force acting on the presser plate member in the downward direction is not large enough to overcome the upward force, the original as well as the presser plate member is likely to be displaced upwardly. The upward displacement or separation of the original from the original supporting surface causes deterioration in the reading accuracy, particularly, where the CIS is used as the image, reader On the other hand, if the biasing force is adapted to be excessively increased, the excessively increased biasing force results in an increase in resistance against sliding movement of the original between the presser plate member and the transparent plate, thereby making it impossible to permit the original to enter between the presser plate member and the transparent plate, particularly, where the original is provided by a thin paper sheet.

Feeding device for an image reading apparatus


A water containment device and levee for impeding a flow of water. The water containment device includes a body portion having a first end, a second end, a base, and a first side and a second side attached to the base. At least one valve is disposed in the first end for introducing a water into the body portion. A flap is also provided that is integrally formed with the body portion and extends outward therefrom. The flap for receiving another water containment device thereon and impeding movement of the water containment device. The flap is also used to divert the flow of water away from the levee should the level of the water exceed the levee.

Problems have existed for many years relating to an effective use of barriers for impeding a flow of water, such as during a flood. Typically, sandbags have been placed end to end to form a horizontal barrier and stacked one upon another to form a levee to divert or otherwise impede the flow of water into certain low-lying areas. Sandbags are difficult to use for this purpose for a number of reasons. First, the use of sandbags to form water barriers requires transportation of a large quantity of sand for filling the bags. Second, a great number of people are needed to fill and stack the sandbags. Third, building barriers with sandbags is very time consuming. Fourth, after the flood waters have subsided, the sandbags are often contaminated with substances such as oil, fuel, and other toxic chemicals that may have seeped into the sandbags. As a result, disposal of the sandbags must be achieved in accordance with applicable environmental laws and standards.
Various attempts have been made in the prior art to impede the flow of water, with objects other than sandbags. For example, devices currently exist that can be filled with water. These devices have many disadvantages such as being unstackable and thereby failing to impede the flow of water if its level increases above a horizontal row of the water containment devices. Because the water containment devices are unstackable, the devices also do not contain means for securing a plurality of them together when stacked. The devices are difficult to construct and fill with water, and also do not contain means for diverting the flow of water away from the water containment devices if the flow of water should overflow the devices. In addition, the water containment devices do not include means for quickly filling two of the water containment devices, which are in axial alignment, with water.

Water containment device and levee for impeding a flow of water


A LED device formed of LED chips bonded to an exoergic member by the LED chips being bonded to an Au—Sn alloy layer formed on an upper surface of the exoergic member with columnar crystals being formed within the Au—Sn alloy layer extending in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the exoergic member. The method of producing the LED device forms an Sn film directly on the upper surface of the exoergic member, an Au film on a lower surface of the LED chips, mounts the LED chips with the Au film thereon onto the Sn film formed on the upper surface of the exoergic member, and the exoergic member with LED chips mounted thereon is heated in an atmosphere in which a forming gas flows, so that the LED chips are bonded to the exoergic member.

1. Field of Invention
This invention concerns an LED device and a method by which it is produced. More specifically, it concerns an LED device used as a light source in display equipment, lighting equipment, and so on, and its method of production.
2. Description of Related Art
LED devices formed by bonding LED chips to exoergic members have been used as light sources in display equipment, lighting equipment, and so on in recent years; in these LED devices, a silicon resin or other resin is commonly used as a bonding material to bond the LED chips to exoergic members made of aluminum nitride (AlN), silicon carbide (SiC), Copper (Cu), or aluminum (Al), for example, or to lighting fixtures that function as exoergic members.
There is the problem, however, that because the resin used as a bonding material that forms the bonds between the LED chips and the exoergic members have inadequate heat resistance, a heat-resistance temperature of 100° C. or less, for example, bonds in the LED device deteriorate due to the heat from the LED chips and film cracks occur. Further, the heat generated by the LED chips in the LED device is not conducted across the bonds, and so the desired exoergic properties cannot be achieved, and this has a deleterious effect on increased brightness.
Therefore, it has been proposed that a eutectic alloy, such as Au—Sn alloy (gold-tin alloy), be used instead of resin as the bonding material between the LED chip and the exoergic member (see, Japanese Pre-grant Patent Publication 2004-134797).
In Japanese Pre-grant Patent Publication 2004-134797, as shown in FIG. 11, an Au (gold) layer 51 is formed over the full upper surface of the exoergic member 11 (the upper surface in FIG. 11), a bond comprising an alloy layer 52 is formed on that Au layer 51 by means of a bonding material that comprises an eutectic alloy, such as an Au—Sn alloy, and the LED device 12 is bonded.
In the example shown in FIG. 11, the LED device 12 is produced by forming a nitride semiconductor layer by stacking an n-type semiconductor layer 14A, a light-emitting layer 14B and a p-type semiconductor layer 14C in that order on a sapphire substrate 13.
In testing by the present inventors, however, the problem was revealed that, when bonds are formed using an Au—Sn alloy layer as the bonding material on an exoergic member 11 on which an Au layer 51 is formed, metal diffusion occurs in the heat treatment process to bond the LED device 12, diffusion of tin atoms of the Au—Sn alloy layer into the Au layer 51 causes reduction of the bonding strength between the LED device 12 and the exoergic member 11, and peeling occurs.

LED device and method by which it is produced


A multiple effect distillation chamber includes a plurality of separate distilling chambers and a drain chamber at a downstream end of the distilling chambers. The drain chamber functions to create a vacuum to draw volatile gases and impurities collected at the end of the distilling chambers into the drain chamber. The drain chamber cools the volatile gases via cooling water, whereby the cooling water and volatile gases are not mixed during the cooling process, such that the cooling water may be recycled and reused. The drain chamber may include two heat exchangers, each receiving cooling water from a separate water source. Utilizing separate water sources in conjunction with the dual heat exchangers of the drain chamber enables the flow rates of the cooling water sources to be adjusted to enable the disposal of waste water from the distiller at any desired temperature without affecting other functions of the distillation system.

In multiple effect distillation systems, a series of distillation chambers, or "effects", are utilized in order to distill water to remove contaminates and otherwise unpalatable substances therefrom. Each chamber or "effect" of a multiple effect distiller is maintained at a preselected internal pressure, and specifically, each subsequent chamber is maintained at a pressure lower than the immediately preceding chamber. This controlled, descending pressure from the first to the last chamber enables the steam generated from one chamber to be transferred to a subsequent chamber and utilized as a heat exchange medium so as to vaporize the feed water within each chamber. That is, as the pressure in each successive chamber is less than the prior chamber, the corresponding boiling temperature of the water is also lower, and thereby enables utilization of the steam of the previous chamber to be used as the heat exchange medium for the subsequent chamber. The re-use of steam as a heat exchange medium increases the efficiency of the distillation process.
As multiple effect distillers become more commonly utilized in retail establishments, such as supermarkets, convenience centers, and the like, an additional problem confronted by multiple effect distillers is the inability to access and perform routine maintenance while minimizing the size of the distiller and/or the space surrounding the distiller required to do such maintenance. As an increasing number of retailers desire to provide their consumers with a source of distilled water, multiple effect distillers are being employed in commercial environments where floor space translates into selling space and, consequently, effective space utilization must be observed. However, existing multiple effect distillers, if they provide easy access in order to permit routine maintenance, require additional floor space around the distiller for access to the different components at different sides of the distiller. In some designs, the distiller may be reduced in size, but then, although compact, the reduced size comes at the expense of easy access to the components.
Another concern with existing multiple effect distillers is their exclusive reliance upon a main controller to operate the distiller. With most multiple effect distillers, a main electrical controller controls all of the distiller's components and, consequently, each component of the distiller must be separately wired to the main controller. Connecting each component to the main controller increases the complexity of the manufacturing and installation process. Further, the number and length of the electrical wires which must be attached to the main controller increases the probability of an electrical malfunction.
Additionally, reliance upon a main controller increases the complexity and cost of identifying and subsequently rectifying a malfunction. Often, if one element of the main controller fails, for example, an element which monitors one of the chambers, it is difficult to isolate that one element within the circuit board, and, thus, frequently requires the replacement of the entire circuit board.
The inability of many multiple effect distillers to efficiently and adequately separate the steam from any entrained water droplets is an additional issue confronted by the distillation industry. Failure to successfully separate the steam from the water in each chamber adversely effects the purity of the distillate resulting from the distillation process. Specifically, the distillation process may be compromised by any entrained water droplets from one chamber being transferred into the heat exchanger of a subsequent chamber, and thereby adding impurities to the distillate in the subsequent chamber.
Sensing of the feed water level within each chamber also presents issues for existing multiple effect distillers. As the feed water level in each chamber must be monitored and maintained within a particular range, a sensor must be used. Normally, such a sensor is either of the conductive probe type or mechanical valve type, both of which require direct contact with the boiling water within the chamber. Contact between the heated fluid and the sensor over time causes the sensor to become coated or damaged by substances contained in the boiling water. Also, when using conductive probe technology, the large variation of water conductivity in water supplies based upon their geographical location has reduced the precision with which the conductive probe technology can be utilized in multiple effect distillers.
In most multiple effect distillers, subsequent to the distillation of water through the series of chambers, the distillate and volatile gases contained within the feed water are subjected to a final condensation phase. After final condensation, the distillate and volatiles are forwarded to a separation system which sequentially separates the volatile gases from the distillate and forwards the volatile gases to a volatile disposal or drain chamber. Normally, the separation system includes a volatile separation chamber configured to separate the volatile gases from the distillate. The volatile gases are then transferred from the volatile separation chamber into a volatile disposal chamber wherein the volatile gases are mixed with a fluid, and brought to a temperature suitable for disposal in the operator's drainage system.
The water forwarded to the volatile disposal chamber, commonly referred to as "blowdown water," is usually at an elevated temperature and transferred from the last distillation chamber or effect. Cooling water is utilized to cool the blowdown water and the volatile gases prior to the water and gases being discharged to the drainage system. The cooling water is sprayed into the volatile disposal chamber and mixes with the blowdown water and volatile gases. In order to conserve water, the cooling water source is cycled on and off for a predetermined period of time. However, as current regulations control the temperature at which a fluid may be introduced to a municipal drainage system, as well as the prevalent use of polymeric pipes which are more susceptible to damage at high temperatures, in order to bring the fluids to an adequate temperature, the cooling water source is often left on. As the cooling water is not separated from the blowdown water and volatile gases, continuously maintaining the flow of cooling water greatly increases water consumption and prohibits the cooling water from being recycled. This in turn increases the operating costs and reduces the efficiency of the distillation system.
In order to maintain distillate purity and palatability, it is routinely required to drain the distilling chambers in order to clean the chambers. With existing distillers, an operator must slide a pan or container under the distiller frame and empty the distilling chambers. As the operator must manually open the distilling chamber, the proximity to the drain at which an operator must be positioned during the draining procedure may cause injury to the operator as the hot water from the distilling chamber splashes onto the pan positioned therebelow.
Therefore, there exists a need for a multiple effect distiller which is efficient, reliable and safe to operate, and which overcomes the problems confronted by existing multiple effect distillers.


A composite covering structure for providing protection against sun and rain comprises a plurality of adjoining and overlapping swinging blades, coupled to a driving mechanism adapted, by a single operation, at first to cause the blades to gradually turn about their longitudinal axis, while being held in a same position, for providing a partial protection against sun, and then to cause said blades to slide on a horizontal plane, so as to compact said blades on a side, for uncovering the previously covered area.

The present invention relates to a swinging blade covering structure.
Covering structures, so-called "sun breaking structures", including a plurality of swinging blades are already known.
A prior structure comprises a plurality of "S" cross-section aluminium blades, arranged with an adjoining relationship with respect to one another and adapted to overlap onto one another.
The above structure comprises moreover a gutter channel, downstream of each blade, which channel conveys its water to further side channels.
Each swinging blade of the above prior structure turns, together with the others, about pivot pins arranged on a pivot pin longitudinal axis at the end portions of the structure.
This movement is transmitted to the side gutters, in turn coupled to the swinging blades by means of a series of coupling pins arranged on their axis, or by other coupling systems including corresponding support elements for engaging and support individual blades swinging by an arm element swinging system.
Another prior sun breaking arrangement is based on the pantograph system in which the swinging blades are directly coupled to one of the two parallel diagonal lever series of the pantograph arrangement.
This system, which is able of operating both horizontally and vertically, as a roof or wall arrangement, has however the drawback that it does not allow the swinging blades to swing about their longitudinal axis, without a full closure of the pantograph arrangement.
In other words, as the pantograph arrangement is in a released condition, all the swinging blades will assume a horizontal position, and only when the pantograph arrangement is in a fully "closed" condition the swinging blades will have a nearly vertical position.
This does not allow a user to properly choose the swinging blade orientation, without fully opening the roofing or shed construction.
In other words, the pantograph arrangement substantially operates as a gate covering arrangement, and not as a substantially withdrawable sun breaking system.


A camera is disclosed which has means for receiving an electric wave which is transmitted from an external device in a wireless manner (e.g., equipment for radio navigation systems, satellites and radio stations). When an image of an object is recorded at every shot on a recording medium loaded in said camera, a data corresponding to every shot is recorded in accordance with the electric wave received by said receiving means. Preferably said camera further has means for detecting a place where the photo-taking operation is carried out and in accordance with the detection of said detecting means, the data corresponding to every shot is recorded. Thus, records of the object image together with data relating to place can be obtained without any manual operation prior to every photo-taking operation.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a camera, more particularly to a camera which can record data other than image of object at the time of phototaking.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among conventional cameras capable of recording data other than image of object at the time of photo-taking, various cameras have been proposed in which date data and the number of frames are automatically set, and such data are imprinted onto the film.
In addition, a camera has been known, which can imprint data of exposure control mode onto the film by attaching a device to the camera body, such as in Canon's Technical Back E. Further, as to Canon's Technical Back E, an extra keyboard unit can be connected thereto, and by operating the keys of the keyboard unit, the operator can set any arbitrary combination of letters and numbers desired to be imprinted onto the film.
However, in these conventional cameras, if the operator tried to record data regarding the location of photo-taking, he/she had to go to the trouble of manually setting each letter to be recorded in the camera one by one prior to every photo-taking operation.


A solar cell having an open loop voltage that approaches a critical voltage range when exposed to light. A circuit, connected to the solar cell, is configured to load the solar cell when the open loop voltage of the solar cell reaches a threshold within a predetermined range of the critical voltage range.

With the increase in solar power installations and concurrent attention to their maintenance and life cycle, it has been found that solar cells, both monocrystalline (thin-film) and polycrystalline, wafers, and coated films, etc. can become structurally modified over time. This phenomena is typically referred to as "light induced degradation," and is sometimes referred to as the Staebler-Wronski effect. Light induced degradation has been discussed in various publications including, for example, Experimental Study of the Factors Governing the Staebler-Wronski Photodegradation Effect in a-Si:H Solar Cells, Annual Subcontract Report, 1 Apr. 1995-30 Jun. 1996 (October 1996) and National Staebler-Wronski Effect in Amorphous Silicon and Its Alloys, Opto-Electronics Review 12(1), 21-32 (2004).
It has been found that receiving a medium to large amount of light or sunlight with no load or very little load (referred to as "no load" herein) can physically damage solar cells and reduce the power output of the solar cells over their lifetime by 10% to 15% percent or more. Often, from the time solar cells leave a factory to the time when they are connected to the power grid, there is a loss of power of up to 20% per solar module. But even after such connection, damage may continue in the field due to open circuit conditions (VOC) in early morning hours and other factors.
The cause of light induced degradation is not very well understood currently. The problem often occurs during and immediately after manufacturing the solar cells. One possible effect of the problem is an undesirable buildup of unipolar or dipolar charges near the junction layer of the solar cell. The buildup, or static barrier, results in reduction of the solar cell output voltage by as much as 20%, depending on the prevalent mix of wavelengths and temperature to which the solar cells are exposed. Undesirable effects are compounded by the above-mentioned physical damage to the solar cell and can lead to very substantial losses in the production of electricity, as the static barrier reduces the energy output of the solar cell and further contributes to its heating up.

System and method for prevention of open loop damage during or immediately after manufacturing


The present invention provides a magnets containing-type motor that minimizes a cogging torque without lowering its output. In a magnets containing-type motor where permanent magnets are set in magnetic pole elements of a rotor, the dimensions of each magnetic pole element are determined to satisfy predetermined relations according to a variety of numerical elements of the motor. In accordance with a concrete arrangement, the dimensions of each magnetic pole element are determined, so as to enable either one of a magnetic pole element opening angle L2 and an equivalent magnetic pole element opening angle L3 to be expressed as (n+z).multidot.Pp+x.multidot.(g/R)+y.multidot.(gp/R), based on a predetermined relation between a parameter (t2-t1)/g and a predetermined threshold value. In this equation, gp denotes a length of a space between adjoining teeth; Pp denotes a central angular pitch of teeth; R denotes a radius of an inner face of a stator; g denotes an interval between the stator and the rotor; t2 denotes a thickness of a magnetic pole circumferential portion; t1 denotes a thickness of a magnetic pole element side portion; n denotes an arbitrary natural number; and x, y, and z are real numbers that satisfy -0.6.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.6, 0.3.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.5, and -0.06.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.-0.04.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of improving output characteristics of a permanent magnets-type synchronous alternating-current motor, and more specifically to a technique of improving output characteristics of magnets containing-type alternating-current motor, wherein a rotor has a rotor core element and a plurality of magnetic pole elements protruded from the rotor core element in the diametral direction of the rotor and each magnetic pole element includes a permanent magnet fitted in a permanent magnet insertion aperture formed along the central axis of the rotor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A permanent magnets-type synchronous motor includes a rotatable rotor, which has a plurality of permanent magnets mounted on an outer circumferential face thereof, and a stator that is fixed to a case to circularly surround the circumference of the rotor and has a plurality of teeth, which three-phase coils are wound on. In such a motor, a flow of control electric current through the three-phase coils of the stator forms a revolving magnetic field, and the rotor rotates by the interaction between the revolving magnetic field and a magnetic field formed by the permanent magnets. A variety of improvements and applications of the permanent magnets-type motor, for example, for the driving source of electric vehicles, have recently been tried to realize a small-sized motor having a large output torque.
A magnets containing-type motor is one of the permanent magnets-type synchronous motors and has permanent magnets embedded in the rotor instead of being applied on the outer circumferential face of the rotor. This structure prevents the permanent magnets from being stripped off by the centrifugal force produced during the rotation of the rotor. The magnets containing-type motor accordingly has the high reliability under the condition of high-speed rotation. In the magnets containing-type motor, the control electric currents are flown through the three-phase coils on the stator to produce a revolving magnetic field. The rotor is revolved through the interaction between the revolving magnetic field and the magnetic field formed by the permanent magnets. For convenience of explanation, the `permanent magnets-type synchronous motor` hereinafter does not include the magnets containing-type motor.
The torque generated in the permanent magnets-type synchronous motor and the magnets containing-type motor depends upon the strength of the revolving magnetic field formed by the three-phase coils wound on the stator, the strength of the magnetic field formed by the permanent magnets, and the loss in the teeth of the stator. The magnitude of the torque is varied by the positional relationship between the teeth of the stator and the permanent magnets at the time of rotation. This results is generating a cogging torque. The cogging torque makes the rotation of the motor unstable and causes the noise and vibration of the motor.
An increase in distance between the teeth of the stator and the permanent magnets of the rotor reduces the cogging torque and ascertains the smooth rotations of the alternating-current motor. The increased distance, however, undesirably lowers the output of the motor.
A variety of techniques have been proposed to reduce the cogging torque by taking into account these problems. The applicant of the present invention has proposed a motor that satisfies Equation (1) given below (JAPANESE PATENT LAID-OPEN GAZETTE No. 2-202329): EQU L=n.multidot.Pp+x.multidot.g+y.multidot.gp+z.multidot.Pp (1)
where L denotes the length of the permanent magnet in the circumferential direction that gives the minimum cogging torque, g denotes the interval between the rotor and the stator, gp denotes the gap between the adjoining teeth of the stator, Pp denotes the teeth pitch, n denotes an arbitrary natural number, x denotes a real number satisfying 0.4.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.6, y denotes a real number satisfying 0.3.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.5, and z denotes a real number satisfying -0.06.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.-0.04.
In a proposed magnets containing-type motor with the permanent magnets embedded in the circular iron core, the residual magnetic flux density of the permanent magnets is used to determine the dimensions between the permanent magnets, in order to reduce the vibration and the noise due to the cogging torque (JAPANESE PATENT LAID-OPEN GAZETTE No. 7-79536).
The cogging torque is significantly affected by the magnetic flux density of the clearance between the rotor and the stator. These techniques are accordingly not applicable to the magnets containing-type motor having the magnetic pole elements that are protruded substantially in the diametral direction from the rotor core element.
FIGS. 12A and 12B show examples of the computer-aided analysis for determining the magnitude of the cogging torque. In the graphs of FIGS. 12A and 12B, L1 represents the central angle of the arc of the permanent magnet (hereinafter referred to as the `magnet opening angle`) and Pp represents the angular pitch of the teeth of the stator. The graph of FIG. 12A shows the relationship between the magnet opening angle L1 and the cogging torque in the case of t1=t2=0, where t1 denotes the interval between the side face of the magnetic pole element and the permanent magnet, t2 denotes the interval between the circumferential face of the magnetic pole element and the permanent magnet, and g denotes the gap or the interval between the inner circumferential face of the stator and the outer circumferential face of the magnetic pole element. In the case of FIG. 12A, there are no magnetic pole elements and the permanent magnets are directly applied on the outer circumferential face of the rotor. Ranges A1 and A2 in FIGS. 12A show the magnet opening angles that give the minimum cogging torque, which are determined by the technique described in JAPANESE PATENT LAID-OPEN GAZETTE No. 2-202329. As shown in FIG. 12A, in the permanent magnets-type synchronous motor, the cogging torque is minimized in the ranges of the magnet opening angle L1 determined by the technique described in the above-mentioned gazette.
FIG. 12B shows the relationship between the magnet opening angle L1 and the cogging torque in the case of t1=4 g and t2=2 g, that is, in the case where the permanent magnets are fitted in the magnetic pole elements of predetermined dimensions in the magnets containing-type motor. As shown in FIG. 12B, the magnet opening angles L1 that give the minimum cogging torque are greater than the ranges A1 and A2 of the magnet opening angle L1 determined by the technique described in the above-mentioned gazette. This means that the magnet opening angles L1 determined by the technique described in the above-mentioned gazette can not minimize the cogging torque in the magnets containing-type motor.
It is necessary to minimize the cogging torque while satisfying a variety of requirements, such as the maximum torque and the power consumption, in the process of designing the motor. It is possible to change the variety of parameters and determine the magnet opening angle that gives the minimum cogging torque based on the computer-aided analysis, every time when the magnets containing-type motor is designed. Such analysis, however, causes an extremely large design load.

Magnets containing-type alternating-current motor and method of designing the same


A magnetoresistive sensor having employing a synthetic free layer having a first magnetic layer that contributes strongly to the GMR effect and a second magnetic layer that does not contribute to GMR effect, but has a negative magnetostriction to compensate for a positive magnetostriction of the first ferromagnetic layer.

The heart of a computer is an assembly that is referred to as a magnetic disk drive. The magnetic disk drive includes a rotating magnetic disk, write and read heads that are suspended by a suspension arm adjacent to a surface of a rotating magnetic disk and an actuator that swings the suspension arm to place the read and write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The read and write heads are directly located on a slider that has an air bearing surface (ABS). The suspension arm biases the slider into contact with the surface of the disk when the disk is not rotating but, when the disk rotates, air is swirled by the rotating disk. When the slider rides on the air bearing, the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic impressions to and reading magnetic impressions from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
The write head includes a coil layer embedded in first, second and third insulation layers (insulation stack), the insulation stack being sandwiched between first and second pole piece layers. A gap is formed between the first and second pole piece layers by a gap layer at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the write head and the pole piece layers are connected at a back gap. Current conducted to the coil layer induces a magnetic flux in the pole pieces which causes a magnetic field to fringe out at a write gap at the ABS for the purpose of writing the aforementioned magnetic impressions in tracks on the moving media, such as in circular tracks on the aforementioned rotating disk.
In recent read head designs a spin valve sensor, also referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor, has been employed for sensing magnetic fields from the rotating magnetic disk. The sensor includes a nonmagnetic conductive layer, hereinafter referred to as a spacer layer, sandwiched between first and second ferromagnetic layers, hereinafter referred to as a pinned layer and a free layer. First and second leads are connected to the spin valve sensor for conducting a sense current therethrough. The magnetization of the pinned layer is pinned perpendicular to the air bearing surface (ABS) and the magnetic moment of the free layer is located parallel to the ABS, but free to rotate in response to external magnetic fields. The magnetization of the pinned layer is typically pinned by exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer.
The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen to be less than the mean free path of conduction electrons through the sensor. With this arrangement, a portion of the conduction electrons is scattered by the interfaces of the spacer layer with each of the pinned and free layers. When the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers are parallel with respect to one another, scattering is minimal and when the magnetizations of the pinned and free layer are antiparallel, scattering is maximized. Changes in scattering alter the resistance of the spin valve sensor in proportion to cos θ, where θ is the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers. In a read mode the resistance of the spin valve sensor changes proportionally to the magnitudes of the magnetic fields from the rotating disk. When a sense current is conducted through the spin valve sensor, resistance changes cause potential changes that are detected and processed as playback signals.
A spin valve sensor is characterized by a magnetiresistive (MR) coefficient that is substantially higher than the MR coefficient of an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor. For this reason a spin valve sensor is sometimes referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor. When a spin valve sensor employs a single pinned layer it is referred to as a simple spin valve. When a spin valve employs an antiparallel (AP) pinned layer it is referred to as an AP pinned spin valve. An AP spin valve includes first and second magnetic layers separated by a thin non-magnetic coupling layer such as Ru. The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen so as to antiparallel couple the magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers of the pinned layer. A spin valve is also known as a top or bottom spin valve depending upon whether the pinning layer is at the top (formed after the free layer) or at the bottom (before the free layer). A pinning layer in a bottom spin valve is typically made of platinum manganese (PtMn). The spin valve sensor is located between first and second nonmagnetic electrically insulating read gap layers and the first and second read gap layers are located between ferromagnetic first and second shield layers. In a merged magnetic head a single ferromagnetic layer functions as the second shield layer of the read head and as the first pole piece layer of the write head. In a piggyback head the second shield layer and the first pole piece layer are separate layers.
Sensors can also be categorized as current in plane (CIP) sensors or as current perpendicular to plane (CPP) sensors. In a CIP sensor, current flows from one side of the sensor to the other side in the parallel to the planes of the materials making up the sensor. Conversely, in a CPP sensor the sense current flows from the top of the sensor to the bottom of the sensor perpendicular to the plane of the layers of material making up the sensor.
Yet another type of sensor, somewhat similar to a CPP GMR sensor is a Tunnel Valve. A tunnel valve employs an electrically insulating spacer layer rather than a conductive spacer layer. A tunnel valve operates based on quantum mechanical tunneling of electrons through the insulating spacer layer. This tunneling is maximized when the magnetizations of the free and pinned layers are parallel to one another adjacent to the spacer layer.
Recently, researchers have found that a change in the material of the pinned layer adjacent to the spacer layer can increase δr of the sensor. For example it has been found if the magnetic layers of the pinned layer are comprised of substantially equal parts Co and Fe, ie. Co50Fe50, the δr of a CPP spin valve can be improved significantly. In a CIP spin valve similar δr improvement has been found with the use of Co90Fe10 in the pinned layer. These materials have strong positive magnetostriction, which means that the compressive stresses which inevitably occur in a spin valve will tend to magnetize the pinned layers perpendicular to the ABS of the sensor. This is not a problem for the pinned layer, and is even an advantage, since this is the desired direction of pinning, and the magnetostriction only acts to assist the desired pinning.
It would be possible to achieve a similar δr improvement by using similar material in the free layer (ie. Co50Fe50 for CPP, Co90Fe10 for CIP). However, the strong positive magnetostriction of these materials would magnetize the free layer in an undesirable direction perpendicular to the ABS. This would lead to unacceptable signal noise and free layer instability.
Another mechanism for increasing GMR effect, or δr, is to increase the thickness of the free and pinned layers. This is especially suitable in a CPP sensor where the total thickness of the sensor is not as limiting. It is known that increasing the thickness of the free layer can increase the GMR effect. However, increasing the free layer thickness also increases the magnetic thickness. This leads to free layer stiffness, because the coercivity of the free layer increases to the point that the sensor becomes insensitive to signals. One method that has been proposed to overcome this has been to form an antiparallel coupled free layer also referred to as a synthetic free layer. Such a synthetic free layer is similar to an AP pinned layer in that it has first and second magnetic layers having magnetizations that are antiparallel to one another across a coupling layer such as Ru. The synthetic free layer has a larger physical thickness than a simple free layer, but has a much smaller magnetic thickness, which is the difference between the magnetic thicknesses of the first and second magnetic layers.
A serious disadvantage of such a synthetic free layer is that the second magnetic layer (that which is furthest from the spacer layer) subtracts from the GMR effect, because it is 180 degrees out of phase with the magnetization of the first magnetic layer adjacent to the spacer. Therefore, any GMR advantage achieved by the use of synthetic free layers is essentially lost by this subtractive effect of the second layer.
Therefore, there remains a strong felt need for a mechanism for taking advantage of the increased GMR effects provided by the use of materials such as Co50Fe50 or Co90Fe10 in a free layer while mitigating the problems associated with the strong positive magnetostriction of such materials. There also remains a strong felt need for a means for utilizing the advantages of synthetic free layers in a spin valve without experiencing the subtractive effect of the second free layer on the GMR on the sensor.

Magnetoresistive sensor having improved synthetic free layer

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A method of calibrating an electronic wheel balancer includes mounting a calibration wheel on the balancer shaft, the calibration wheel including mounting pins configured to engage mounting holes on a face plate. The balancer emits a visible towards the calibration wheel, the beam indicating a home position for an inner plane calibration weight on the calibration wheel. The calibration wheel is rotated to the home position and an inner weight plane calibration weight is attached to the calibration wheel. The balancer shaft is automatically rotated to obtain sensor data from force transducers on the balancer. Using the sensor data, the balancer automatically calculates and stores inner weight plane reference data. The motor shaft is stopped and the inner plane calibration weight is moved to an outer weight plane position on the calibration wheel. The shaft is again automatically rotated so that the balancer can obtain more sensor data from the force transducers and automatically calculate and store outer weight plane reference data.

The present invention relates generally to methods and devices for balancing vehicle wheel and tire assemblies. More particularly, the present invention pertains to methods and devices for calibrating an electronic wheel balancer apparatus.
Electronic wheel balancers are well known in the art. An example of a conventional wheel balancer 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Typically, such a balancer 10 will include a housing or base unit 11 and an operator panel 12 mounted above the base unit. The base unit will contain control electronics, sensors, and an electric motor (not shown). The electric motor shaft 13 will extend laterally outside the base unit 11. A hub and faceplate assembly 14 will be affixed to the shaft to accommodate the mounting of a vehicle tire and wheel assembly for balancing.
A typical arrangement of a control system 20 for an electronic wheel balancer is shown in FIG. 6. An AC/DC power supply and safety module 21 is configured to receive power from the AC grid and then to distribute appropriate supply voltages and currents to the other balancer components. A control board 22 contains processing logic, data interface circuitry, and device interface circuitry to manage operation of the balancer, including performing the necessary balancer calculations. A user interface module 23 is coupled to the control board 22 and to the operator panel 12 so that the operator of the balancer can enter commands and receive prompts and information about operation of the balancer 10. A sensor module 24 is also coupled to the control board 22 to receive data from pressure or force imbalance transducers that is indicative of the balance conditions of a mounted wheel/tire assembly. An AC motor drive module 25 receives commands from control board 22 to provide for starting, stopping and speed control of the balancer motor.
Further details about, and embodiments of, an electronic wheel balancer that can be used as part of the present invention are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,738, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein.
Conventionally, electronic wheel balancers have used a wheel of certain size to calibrate the wheel balancer so that the balancer control logic can obtain the balance reference parameters before the user can use the wheel balancer to accurately balance a standard tire and wheel assembly.
What is needed is a method and apparatus for simplifying and fully automating the process for accurately calibrating an electronic wheel balancer.

Auto calibration method and apparatus for wheel balancer equipment


A biocompatible material comprising a substrate made of a polyolefin material, and having a coating of biocompatible carbon material, wherein the coating is obtained by a process comprising the following steps:. introducing a preformed substrate into an atmosphere of gaseous monomer vinylidene chloride (1,1 di-chloro ethylene); PA1 inducing a graft-polymerization reaction and grafting a uniform layer of polyvinylidene chloride on the substrate; and PA1 substantially eliminating and removing hydrogen chloride (dehydrochlorination reaction) from the polyvinylidene chloride in order to convert the polyvinylidene chloride layer into a coating of biocompatible carbon material.

Among the actually available biocompatible materials, pyrolytic carbon seems to be one of the materials having the best biocompatible characteristics. Typically, the pyrolysis of carbon containing starting materials and depositing the so formed pyrolytic carbon on a substrate requires high temperatures in the range of from 800 to 1000.degree. C. and higher. Medical prosthetic devices for implantation of this kind and methods of manufacture are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,164,045, 3,952,334, 3,685,059 and 3,526,005. The common substrate materials, especially materials based on organic polymers, will be irreversibly impaired by such high temperatures. European Patent Specification EP 0 224 080 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,684 disclose a method for manufacturing a prosthetic device, comprising a substrate made of an organic polymer ("DACRON", "TEFLON") and having a coating of biocompatible carbon material. The coating has been deposited on the substrate at relatively low temperatures by sputtering a carbon target at a given voltage and current. The thus obtained coating has a thickness of less than 1.0 micron. The thus obtained carbon material is said to consist of turbostratic carbon. The known method is complex and expensive and provides a relatively low productivity. In case of an improper contact, the extremely thin carbon layer may easily be stripped off from the substrate.
According to other proposals, for example British Patents 856,329 or 801,531, the characteristics of polymer substrates may be modified and/or improved by grafting a coating on the surface of the substrates. The grafted polymer layer may be obtained by means of radical graft polymerization starting from ethylenic unsaturated monomers. The radical graft polymerization reaction may be induced by ionizing radiation. A typical ethylenic unsaturated monomer is methyl acrylate. An extended list of other suited monomers includes vinylidene chloride. By means of the grafted coating, a number of different characteristics may be obtained or improved; however, the preparation of a coating comprising biocompatible characteristics is not stated.
Contrary thereof, there is still an existing demand for a relatively simple method for preparing in high productivity, a biocompatible material comprising a biocompatible carbon material which is chemically bound to a substrate.

Biocompatible material and method of manufacture and use thereof