An active filter circuit including a smoothing filter including a choke coil comprising a magnetic core composed of a nanocrystalline alloy and having a magnetic gap in at least one portion thereof and at least one conductive wire wound around the magnetic core, the nanocrystalline alloy having a composition of 0.1-3 atomic % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cu and Au, 1-7 atomic % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo and W, 10-17 atomic % of Si, and 4-10 atomic % of B, the balance being substantially Fe and inevitable impurities.

The present invention relates to an active filter circuit disposed on the input side of a power supply for improving power factor, and a power supply apparatus with a high power factor including such an active filter circuit.
Most of switching power supplies to which commercial electricity is applied, such as inverters, converters, choppers, etc. include rectifying circuits of a capacitor input-type. A typical example of such rectifying circuits is shown in FIG. 3.
AC current supplied from an AC power supply A is rectified by a diode bridge B, and smoothed by a capacitor C. The wave forms of voltage and current in each part of the circuit in FIG. 3 are shown in FIGS. 4 (a)-(c). When input voltage V.sub.in having a wave form shown in FIG. 4 (a) is supplied from the AC power supply A, the output voltage V.sub.out of the capacitor C has a wave form shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 (b). Here, the dotted line in FIG. 4 (b) shows a wave form of voltage applied to a load Lo when there is no capacitor C. As shown in FIG. 4 (c), input current I.sub.in in flows only when the solid line and the dotted line are superimposed in FIG. 4 (b).
However, in such a circuit, since the input current flows only when the voltage is near its peak as shown in FIGS. 4 (b) and (c), the peak value of the current is inevitably high. If the current including a lot of such higher harmonics flows through a line, the voltage wave form of the AC line is distorted, and the higher harmonics enter into other equipment, resulting in the malfunction of electric devices, etc. and a decrease in the power factor of the AC power supply A.
Various proposals have been made hitherto to solve such problems. There is a system comprising a resistor disposed in an input line. However, this system is disadvantageous in efficiency, improvement of a wave form, variation of rectified voltage due to load current, etc. There is also a simple system comprising an inductor in an input line, which is suitable for small-output power supply. Nevertheless, this inductor-including system is disadvantageous because of a large size of the inductor used, insufficient improvement of a wave form, large variation of rectified voltage due to load current, etc. There is further a system comprising an active filter circuit in an input line, which is most effective and widely used for suppressing higher harmonics. However, this active filter circuit is generally disadvantageous because of an increase in the number of parts used and a high cost.
There is for instance an active filter circuit comprising a transistor constituting a by-pass for current which flows into a capacitor. The rapid switching of the transistor makes an average input current have a nearly sinusoidal wave form. FIG. 5 shows one example of a boosting chopper-type active filter circuit.
This active filter circuit comprises an AC power supply 51, a diode bridge 52, an inductor 53, a diode 54, a resistor 55, a transistor 56 connected between the inductor 53 and the resistor 55, and a capacitor 57 connected between the diode 54 and the resistor 55. Connected in parallel with the capacitor 57 is a load 60. The active filter circuit further comprises a controller 61 connected to the output terminal of the diode 52, the resistor 55, a gate of the transistor 56 and the output terminal of the diode 54. In such an active filter circuit, the high-frequency switching by the transistor 56 makes it possible to reduce the levels of an inductance L and an capacitance C necessary for the active filter. Thus, the choke coil used as inductance L in this circuit can be miniaturized as the switching of the transistor becomes faster.
Used as a choke coil for the active filter circuit may be a ferrite magnetic core with a gap, a silicon-steel magnetic core with a gap, a magnetic core made of an amorphous Fe-base alloy with a gap, a magnetic core made of an amorphous Fe-base alloy or an Fe--Al--Si alloy powder without a gap, etc. However, the ferrite magnetic core of the choke coil for an active filter circuit is likely to be easily saturated, and to exhibit sufficient effects, it is necessary to expand the gap, to increase the number of turns of a coil or to enlarge the size of the magnetic core. The increase in the number of turns of a coil leads to an increase in copper loss and heat generation of the coil, resulting in drastic temperature elevation. On the other hand, if the choke coil is enlarged, the overall circuit cannot be miniaturized.
Since the choke coil using a silicon-steel magnetic core suffers from a large core loss at a high frequency, the high-frequency switching for miniaturizing a choke coil and other parts results in a drastic temperature elevation, meaning that a switching frequency cannot be increased so much. In the case of the choke coil using a magnetic core of an amorphous Fe-base alloy with a gap, the magnetic core should be integrally molded with a resin because the magnetic core is cut to provide a gap. However, since the amorphous Fe-base alloy has a large magnetostriction, the magnetic core suffers from an extremely increased core loss, and noises due to magnetostriction vibration may be generated. In the case of using the magnetic core made of an amorphous Fe-base alloy without a gap, resonance due to magnetostriction vibration may take place, making the operation of the choke coil unstable depending on frequencies, and also noises due to magnetostriction vibration may be generated.
Though the Fe dust core is inexpensive, it has a permeability as low as less than 100, suffering from a large core loss. In addition, a choke coil comprising the Fe dust core cannot be miniaturized so much. A choke coil using the dust magnetic core of an Fe--Al--Si alloy is superior in performance to the choke coil using the Fe dust core, but the dust magnetic core of an Fe--Al--Si alloy cannot be sufficiently miniaturized.
As described above, choke coils used in conventional active filter circuits have their own problems, and it has been desired to provide a high-performance choke coil which is suitable for a high-reliability, high-power factor active filter circuit, and a power supply apparatus with a high power factor including such an active filter circuit.

Active filter circuit and power supply apparatus including same


A device is provided for mechanical vehicle-seat adjustment, in particular for a motor vehicle or utility vehicle, wherein the device has an actuating handle, which can be moved between an idle position and an actuation position in such a way that a seat part of a vehicle seat is locked in the position of the seat part in the idle position of the actuating handle and can be adjusted in the position of the seat part in the actuation position of the actuating handle. The device is designed in such a way that the actuating handle is guided movably between the idle position and the actuation position exclusively translationally in order to adjust the seat part.

The invention relates to a device for mechanical vehicle seat adjustment, in particular for a motor vehicle or utility vehicle. The device has an actuating handle, which can be adjusted between an idle position and an actuation position such that a seat part of a vehicle seat is locked in its position in the idle position of the actuating handle, and in the actuation position of the actuating handle, can be adjusted in its position.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle seat having such a device as well as to a vehicle having such a vehicle seat.
Such a conventional device for mechanical vehicle seat adjustment is largely known from the state of the art. Such a device may, for example, be provided for adjusting an inclination of a backrest of a vehicle seat constructed as a seat part when the actuation handle is in its actuation position. In the case of this conventional device, this usually takes place by means of a manual rotating motion of the actuation handle from its idle position into its actuation position, in order to be able to release a locking of the backrest and finally adjust the inclination of the backrest. As soon as this setting or adjusting operation of the backrest inclination has been concluded, the actuation handle is usually simply let go or released, so that, by way of a restoring mechanism, the latter can independently, i.e. without any outside influence, rotate back to its idle position for another locking of the backrest.
Since such a rotatable or swivelable actuation handle is usually arranged laterally at the vehicle seat, a user sitting in the vehicle seat, as intended, has to grip the actuating handle laterally at the vehicle seat. In such a case, when changing the gripped actuating handle from its idle position to its actuation position, among other things, the user's wrist is twisted during the actuation process together with the actuating handle. From an ergonomic point of view, the twisting of the wrist when operating the actuating handle is extremely uncomfortable for the user.
It is therefore an object of the invention to further develop the devices known from the state of the art for mechanical vehicle seat adjustment such that handling of the actuating handle will be ergonomically improved.
This and other objects are achieved according to the invention by a device for mechanical vehicle seat adjustment, particularly for a motor vehicle or utility vehicle, having an actuating handle, which can be adjusted between an idle position and an actuation position such that a seat part of a vehicle seat is locked in its position in the idle position of the actuating handle, and in the actuation position of the actuating handle, can be adjusted in its position. The device is equipped such that the actuating handle for adjusting the seat part is be exclusively translationally movably guided between the idle position and the actuation position.
As a result, the handling of the actuating handle is considerably improved ergonomically because the user only has to carry out a linear pulling motion for actuating the actuating handle, and twisting of the user's wrist is considerably reduced because of the linear pulling motion. The exclusively translational motion of the actuating handle further has the advantage that an interaction of the actuating handle with objects situated in the vehicle, for example, a vehicle seat belt, the user's jacket, etc., can at least be reduced, as the actuating handle is moved back into its idle position only translationally and not—corresponding to the state of the art—rotationally. The reason is that a projected surface swept over or passed over by the actuating handle from its actuation position in its idling position, or a corresponding three-dimensional envelope in the case of a pure translation of the actuating handle, is less than in the case of a rotating or pivoting motion of the actuating handle.
Advantageously, the device according to the invention can be further developed such that the actuating handle is designed in such a fashion that, in the frontal view, the actuating handle has an essentially rectangular shape and/or the actuating handle is translationally movably guided in its longitudinal direction.
Furthermore, the device according to the invention can be implemented such that the actuating handle has a handle section and a guidance section adjoining the handle section, the handle section having a shape that is curved at least in parts, preferably with a closed cross-section, and/or the guidance section is coupled with a linear guide, so that the actuating handle is exclusively translationally movably guided between the idle position and the actuation position within the linear guide.
Furthermore, the device according to the invention can be implemented such that the handle section has an eyelet shape, at least in parts, and/or the guiding section is coupled with a conversion mechanism which is equipped for converting a translational motion of the actuating handle to a rotational motion for actuating a locking mechanism, particularly for rotating a locking element of the locking mechanism.
Because of the eyelet shape of the handle section, the actuating handle as such can be easily recognized by the user, so that the user is intuitively caused to operate and test the actuating handle.
Because of the suitable further development of the conversion mechanism as well as of the locking mechanism, specifically as a result of the purely translational guidance of the actuating handle, a width reduction of the conversion mechanism can be achieved with respect to the y-direction of the conventional vehicle coordinate system. It is also advantageous because of the flexible further development capability of the conversion mechanism that the actuating handle can be arranged at a point with respect to the vehicle seat for the translational guidance at which the handle section protrudes in a free-standing manner laterally at the vehicle seat, for example, in an area between a lower seat part forming the seat surface and the backrest.
Furthermore, the device according to the invention can be implemented such that the conversion mechanism is formed by a conversion lever, which is connected with the locking element such that, before the establishment of a force fit with the locking element, the conversion lever can be rotated relative to the locking element, preferably within a play predefined by a form fitting with the locking element, and after the generating of the force fit will be rigidly coupled with the locking element.
The conversion mechanism preferably uses a deflection lever or conversion lever for converting the translational motion of the actuating handle to the rotational motion. The conversion lever may, for example, be connected at one end by way of a guiding or compensating device (for example, with a translational degree of freedom in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the actuating handle), with the actuating handle, so that one end of the conversion lever can follow the translational motion of the actuating handle. In contrast, the other end of the conversion lever is disposed in a rotatable manner and is connected with the locking element for rotating the locking element. The other end of the conversion lever is preferably connected with a locking element designed as an adapter piece such that, before the establishment of a force fit, the other end and the adapter piece can first be rotated relative to one another and be correspondingly aligned, and after the establishment of the force fit, are rigidly connected with one another, so that a rotation of the other end results directly in the rotation of the adapter piece. For example, before the establishment of the force fit, the other end and the adapter piece can be connected with one another while being rotatable relative to one another, in that one or more screws are inserted in one or more oblong holes provided in the adapter piece and corresponding precisely fitting holes provided in the other end, so that the relative rotation between the other end and the adapter piece is limited by a form fit between the respective screws and oblong holes. After a corresponding alignment of the conversion lever, the force fit can finally be established by tightening the screws. This results in an advantageous adjusting possibility of the conversion lever for compensating tolerances, which are caused, for example, by the locking mechanism.
The device according to the invention can further be implemented such that the locking mechanism is designed to release a locking of the seat part for the adjustment of its position when the actuating handle is in its actuation position, and for carrying out a locking of the seat part when the actuating handle is in its idle position.
In addition, the device according to the invention can be further developed such that a restoring device, particularly in the form of a restoring spring, is provided, which is designed for forcing the actuating handle from its actuation position into its idle position. The actuating handle can, for example, be moved against a restoring force of the restoring device, particularly the restoring spring, into the actuation position and, by way of this restoring force, is forced back into the idle position and, in particular, is also moved back when the actuating handle is released, i.e. no manual outside influence acts upon the actuating handle.
Furthermore, the device according to the invention is implemented such that the seat part is a backrest, whose inclination can be adjusted, when the actuating handle is in its actuation position. In contrast, the inclination of the backrest cannot be adjusted in the idle position of the actuating handle; i.e. the backrest is locked. As an alternative, it may also be provided that the seat part is a lower seat part forming a seat surface, the height or inclination of the seat part being adjustable by actuating the actuating handle.
The vehicle seat according to the invention includes the device according to the invention.
The vehicle according to the invention has the vehicle seat according to the invention.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Device for mechanical vehicle-seat adjustment

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A snare removing device for a drum including a drum having an upper drumming surface, a lower surface, and a cylindrical side wall therebetween. The lower surface has a snare removably coupled thereto. An adjustable tripod is secured to the lower surface of the drum. A snare removing portion is provided that is comprised of a telescopic vertical arm having a pivoting upper portion pivotally coupled with the snare whereby pivoting of the pivoting upper portion will remove the snare from the lower surface of the drum.

The present invention relates to a snare removing device for a drum and more particularly pertains to altering a sound created by a drum by being able to remove the snare therefrom.
The use of drum sets is known in the prior art. More specifically, drum sets heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of creating music are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, these patents do not describe a snare removing device for a drum for altering a sound created by a drum by being able to remove the snare therefrom.
In this respect, the snare removing device for a drum according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of altering a sound created by a drum by being able to remove the snare therefrom.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved snare removing device for a drum which can be used for altering a sound created by a drum by being able to remove the snare therefrom. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A three dimensional display having a rotating screen, preferably helical in shape, a light source providing a beam of light and a holographic pattern deflecting the beam of light to predetermined points on the screen. The light is modulated, preferably by the holographic pattern. The holographic pattern rotates with the same angular velocity as the screen. The holographic pattern comprises a plurality of concentric circles, each of the circles comprising a plurality of cells, each of the cells representing a point on the screen.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a three dimensional display wherein the three dimensional image is generated from a diffractive element and, more specifically, a holographic scanner.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Three dimensional display are known in the prior art. Such a display is created using a rotating display surface which receives light scanned or modulated in a two axis (x-y) area as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,909, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such systems are known as multiplanar volume display systems. To implement such systems, the prior art utilized acousto/optic deflectors to achieve the x-y modulation or scanning. The fact that the prior art acousto/optic scanners have limited speed and are high in cost implies that a new approach is necessary wherein speed and/or cost can be reduced.
Rotational scanners, such as polygonal mirrors, hologons, etc., have been used for many years to generate x-y scan patterns for bar code readers, laser printers and many other optical devices. It has also been known in the prior art that a rotational scanner can produce an x-y scan pattern wherein a laser beam is transmissively or reflectively dispatched. Volume display images require specific addressing in the x-y plane at specific times in the cycle of the rotating display disk. These specific times are known as a time slice. For every time slice, a specific x-y plane must be scanned to created voxels of the volume (three dimensional) image.

System and method for rotational scanner based volume display


The present invention discloses an apparatus for generating a TE signal in an optical disc drive. The disclosed apparatus includes a signal generation module, a quality detection module coupled to the signal generation module, and a signal-synthesizing module coupled to the signal generation module and the quality detection module. The signal generation module generates a first and a second candidate TE signal according to a light beam reflected off an optical disc. The quality detection module estimates the signal quality of the first and/or the second candidate TE signal and controls the signal-synthesizing module accordingly. The signal-synthesizing module generates the TE signal according to the first and/or the second candidate TE signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical disc drives, and more particularly, to tracking error signal generated in optical disc drives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An Optical sensor on a pick-up head (PUH) of an optical disc drive can be divided into four parts A, B, C, and D. When an optical disc is being read or written, the above-mentioned four parts A, B, C, and D detect light beams reflected from the optical disc to generate corresponding signals A, B, C, and D, and utilize phase information generated when the PUH deviates from an optical disc track to obtain a tracking error signal TE, which is supplied to a servo controller. A typical phase detection method utilizes a phase comparator to determine a phase difference between the signals A and B, utilizes another phase comparator to determine a phase difference between the signals C and D, and then synthesizes the two signals representing phase difference to generate the required tracking error signal. However, the phase difference between the signals A and B and the phase difference between the signals C and D do not contain tracking error information of equal significance at every instance. When one is more significant than the other, a tracking error signal generated by simply adding the two may not be the best representation of the tracking error information.

Apparatus for generating tracking error signal in optical disc drive


Because of variations in open loop gain and bandwidth in successive approximate register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), designing amplifiers with the desired characteristics is difficult. Here, a multipath amplifier is provided that accounts for the variations in open loop gain and bandwidth. Preferably, a number of cascaded amplifiers are provided that can auto-zero to account for offset voltages so as to allow the multipath amplifier to be stable over the desired open loop gains and bandwidths.

In a recyclic SAR ADC, the open loop gain can change from 24 to 212, and bandwidth requirements can also change from cycle to cycle. Thus, it is difficult to provide an amplifier that is stable with such variations in both gain and bandwidth. Some examples of conventional circuit are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,275,104; 6,486,820; 6,577,185; 7,193,545; 7,227,481; 7,342,449.


An AB.sub.2 C.sub.2 -type ternary hydrogen storage alloy comprising an AB.sub.2 C.sub.2 phase as main ingredient, where A comprises at least one of a rare-earth element and Ca, B mainly comprises Mg, and C comprises at least one of transition metal elements of Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Cr, Mn, Ti, V and Zn, and x and y represent values within the-ranges of 1.5.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.2.5 and 1.5 .ltoreq.y.ltoreq.3.5, respectively; and an AB.sub.2 C.sub.3 -type ternary hydrogen storage alloy comprising an AB.sub.2 C.sub.3 phase as a main ingredient, where A comprises at least one of a rare-earth element and Ca, B mainly comprises Mg, and C comprises at least one of transition metal elements of Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Cr, Mn, Ti, V and Zn, each of which has large hydrogen storage capability and desorbing amount per unit weight and hydrogen storage characteristics excellent in reversibility of the hydrogen absorption and desorption and is provided by improving the stability in a hydride state of an alloy mainly comprising a lightweight metal element and increasing the hydrogen dissociation pressure of the hydride.

The present invention relates to a novel hydrogen storage alloy for use in apparatus for storing and transporting hydrogen and secondary batteries of hydrides, and also to a process for the production thereof.
Hydrogen storage alloys are materials for absorbing and desorbing a great amount of hydrogen reversibly, and binary intermetallic compounds and V-series solid solution alloys have been known, which include AB.sub.5 -type such as LaNi.sub.5, AB.sub.2 -type such as ZrMn.sub.2, AB-type such as TiFe and A.sub.2 B-type such as Ti.sub.2 Ni. Since hydrogen intrudes in the form of atom (H) into the interstices in crystal lattice of such hydrogen storage alloys to form metal hydride in an unstable bonding state, the alloys can absorb and desorb hydrogen repeatedly under a relatively mild condition to do with the temperature and the hydrogen pressure.
Further, the hydrogen absorbing characteristics of the alloys can be changed by substituting at least a portion of elements A and/or B with other elements. For example, in LaNi.sub.5 series alloys put to practical use such as hydrogen storage media or nickel-metal hydride batteries, metallographic structures and hydrogen storage characteristics are controlled so as to satisfy particular requirements in particular applications by substituting La with a misch metal (Mm) which is a mixture of rare-earth elements in the A-sites and a portion of Ni with Co, Al, Mn, etc. in the B-sites, thereby making it multiple components.
However, in the practical hydrogen storage alloys, the rechargeable hydrogen storage capacity is as small as about H/M=1 in atomic ratio between hydrogen (H) and metal (M), that is, 1 to 2% in weight ratio. Such a small rechargeable hydrogen storage capacity per unit weight gives a significant drawback as hydrogen storage media.
Mg.sub.2 Ni has been known as a lightweight hydrogen storage alloy. The alloy is superior to the hydrogen storage alloy above-mentioned in that the hydrogen storage capacity is as large as 3.6mass %. However, a high temperature is necessary to make the Mg.sub.2 Ni alloys desorb hydrogen since its hydrogen dissociation pressure is 1 atm at about 250.degree. C. This is because strongly basic Mg tends to easily donate electrons to become anionic (H.sup.-) and form a hydride in a strong bonding state. Therefore, the hydrogen dissociation pressure changes scarcely even when Mg and/or Ni are partially substituted with other elements, which is different from the LaNi.sub.5 series alloys in which hydrogen is absorbed atomically as H. Then, it has been said impossible to greatly lower the hydrogen desorbing temperature of the Mg.sub.2 Ni series alloys.
In addition to Mg.sub.2 Ni, there are several binary alloys consisting of lightweight Mg or Ca as a main ingredient and forming hydrides. However, any of the alloys above-mentioned changes into an amorphous state or decomposes disproportionately into a stable hydride such as MgH.sub.2 or CaH.sub.2. For example, as reported in the treatise (Journal of Alloys and Compounds, vol 253-254 (1997), p. 313), LaMg.sub.2 absorbs hydrogen to form LaMg.sub.2 H.sub.7, which shows a very large amount of hydrogen storage capacity in the Laves phase alloys, of H/M.gtoreq.2 in atomic ratio, that is, about 3.5% in weight ratio. However, it decomposes into La and MgH.sub.2 during the hydrogen desorption process, that is, hydrogen absorption and desorption do not progress reversibly.
Alloy hydrides are generally in a metastable state. Accordingly, the intermetallics' hydrides change into an amorphous state to be more stable thermodynamically or decompose disproportionately into hydrides of elemental metals while hydrogen absorption and desorption progress at a high temperature. LaNi.sub.5 is peculiar because it absorbs and desorbs hydrogen reversibly near room temperature, and Mg.sub.2 Ni is the only alloy that stably absorbs and desorbs hydrogen at a high temperature of 250.degree. C. Accordingly, two characteristics are required for new hydrogen storage alloys to be developed in the future: 1) No denaturation or decomposition occurs in absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and 2) hydrogen desorption is possible at room temperature, in other words, 1) high stability to hydrogenation of alloy and 2) instability of formed hydrides.
In alloys showing a high desorbing temperature, namely, low hydrogen dissociation pressure, hydrogen atoms at special interstices in crystal lattices make strongly bonds with metal atoms to form a stable hydride. Accordingly, the hydrogen desorbing temperature does not lower so much through "partial substitution method" of substituting a portion of constituent atoms with other atoms, namely, through forming a pseudo-binary alloy by merely making it having multiple components. Further, although a method of disturbing the metallographic structure by a mechanical treatment has often been also attempted in recent years, this is not effective essentially, for example, because it decreases the rechargeable hydrogen storage capacity. Accordingly, in order to enhance the stability to hydrogenation and instability of hydrides, it is necessary to strengthen bonds between metal atoms and greatly lower the chemical binding strength between metal and hydrogen atoms through drastical change of the composition and the crystal structure.

Ternary hydrogen storage alloy and process for production thereof

Agency of Industrial Science & Technology


A semiconductive device of the type including a conductivity-modulated field-effect transistor provides all of the three electrodes on the principal surface by use of a buried layer and a variety of means for restricting device current to flow through the buried layer. Some of the arrangements not only overcome some effects of parasitic transistors that are formed, but obtain faster turn-on and turn-off while retaining the desired current capacity of the device. The arrangements include means for stopping the lateral spread of a depletion region, a minority carrier suppression region, and drain wall arrangements, among others.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device provided with a conductivity modulation type MISFET, in which all the electrodes are formed on one surface thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional semiconductor device provided with a conductivity modulation type MISFET (IGBT) comprises, as shown in FIG. 8, an n.sup.+ -type buffer layer 2 and an n.sup.+ -type conductivity modulation layer 3 as a drain layer respectively sequentially stacked on a p.sup.+ -type minority carrier injection layer 1, a p.sup.+ -type base region 6 and an n.sup.+ -type source region 7 respectively diffused and formed by self-alignment in the surface side of the conductivity modulating layer 3 by use of a polysilicon gate 5 oxide film 4 as a mask, a gate electrode 8 connected onto the polysilicon gate 5, a p.sup.+ -type contact region 9 of the p.sup.+ -type base region 6, a source electrode 10 connected with the n.sup.+ -type source region 7, and a drain electrode 11 provided as a coat over the minority carrier injection layer 1 in the back side.
Through an inversion layer formed in the surface of the p.sup.+ -type base 6, electrons (majority carriers) flow through the conductivity modulating layer 3 in the vertical direction as illustrated by the solid line arrow, and at the same time positive holes (minority carriers) are injected into the conductivity modulating layer 3 as illustrated by the dotted line arrow. Consequently, a conductivity modulating condition is induced, in turn lowering resistance in the conductivity modulating layer 3. It is therefore possible to obtain a large current capacity.
Although there is no problem in a single such element, there are the following problems in a semiconductor device in which a plurality of IGBT elements or other elements are formed on one and the same semiconductor substrate.
That is, for a conventional IGBT element having a gate electrode 8 and a source electrode 10 in its surface side and a drain electrode 11 provided as a coating on its back side, it is necessary to provide a technique of isolation between elements such as isolation of pn junctions and so on, both on the back side as well as on the principal surface, so that there is a serious problem in technique as well as in cost. Moreover, even if this problem could be solved, wiring between respective elements would extend between the opposite surfaces, so that it would be difficult to carry out the wiring.

Semiconductor device provided with a conductivity modulation MISFET


A handheld image scanner is provided with a driving motor to permit manual or automatic transverse scanning movement. Stable and proper linear movement of the handheld image scanner is ensured when movement of the handheld image scanner is automatically controlled. The voltage supply to the driving motor can be adjusted so as to obtain the preferred scanning speed for a desired degree of resolution. The handheld image scanner is to be electrically connected to a computer which receives digital scan data from the image scanner. A transistor unit, which is connected in series to the driving motor, is controlled by the computer so as to interrupt current supply to the driving motor when the computer is not ready to receive additional scan data. Scanning is thus stopped and is resumed only when the computer is able to receive more scan data.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a handheld image scanner, more particularly to a handheld image scanner, the scanning movement of which may be manually or automatically controlled.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image scanner when in use. Digital scan signals from the image scanner (3) are sent to a computer (2) via an interface device (1). The interface device (1) usually employs a direct memory access (DMA) method to receive the digital scan signals from the image scanner (3). Data from the interface device (1) is then received by the computer (2) for eventual display on a monitor device (not shown) or for eventual storage in a hard disk.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a conventional handheld image scanner (3) is shown to comprise: a light source (4) (such as a light emitting diode (LED) array or a cold cathode fluorescent tube); a horizontal line scanning means including a reflex (5) which is inclined at a 45.degree. angle and a lens and image sensor (6); a transverse distance detecting means including a roller (7), a transmission means (8), and a signal generating means including a perforated rotary plate (9) and a photoemitter and sensing means (10); a brightness control knob (11); and the associated variable resistors, printed circuit board and housing.
When the conventional handheld image scanner (3) is in use, the light source (4) emits light so as to illuminate a portion of an image being scanned. Various light signals are generated according to the different tones on the image. The light signals are transmitted to the reflex mirror (5) inside the housing and are deflected towards the lens and image sensor (6) to thereby produce an electric signal which varies according to the intensity of light signal received. The image sensor has a plurality of light sensitive elements and is capable of scanning at resolutions greater than 200 dots per inch (dpi).
The image sensor can scan only one horizontal line of predetermined dimensions at one time. Thus, the handheld image scanner (3) must be moved in a transverse direction so as to scan the succeeding lines.
Referring to FIG. 4, the roller (7) rolls along the surface of the image being scanned when moving the image scanner (3). Rotation of the roller (7) drives the transmission means (8) to correspondingly rotate the rotary plate (9). The rotary plate (9) is formed with a series of radially extending notches. The photoemitter and sensing means (10) includes a C-shaped seat, a light emitting means (not shown) mounted on an inner side of the C-shaped seat and a phototransistor (not shown) mounted opposite to the light emitting means. The rotary plate (9) extends into an opening in the C-shaped seat between the light emitting means and the phototransistor. The photoemitter and sensing means (10) can thus generate a series of ON/OFF signals whenever the rotary plate (9) is in motion. The ON/OFF signals are received by the computer (2) and are indicative of the distance traversed by the image scanner (3).
Manual movement of the conventional image scanner (3) in a transverse direction relative to the image has the following drawbacks:
1. Unsteady hand movement and slight inclined movement of the image scanner (3) can cause distortions in the resulting image transduced by the lens and image sensor (6).
2. Different degrees of resolution require different scanning speeds. A table of resolution (in dpi) versus the preferred scanning speed (in inch/sec) is shown below (Data is obtained under the condition of each line being exposed to light for a period of 3.57 milliseconds):
______________________________________ Resolution 100 200 300 400 600 800 Scanning Speed 2.8 1.4 0.93 0.7 0.46 0.35 ______________________________________
It is difficult to obtain the preferred scanning speed for a desired degree of resolution when movement of the image scanner (3) is manually controlled. Note that high degrees of resolution require low scanning speeds. However, steady hand movement is difficult to attain at such low speeds. Furthermore, no useful information can be obtained when the hand moves at a speed much faster than the preferred scanning speed. 3. When a large volume of scan data is available, the memory capacity of the computer (2) is immediately filled and further scan data cannot be accommodated in the memory unit. Data in the memory unit should be first transferred to a hard disk so as to permit the computer (2) to receive additional scan data. However, since the manual scanning action is continuously performed, it is possible that some scan data will be lost while the computer (2) transfers data to the hard disk.

Handheld image scanner with automatic movement control


A sampling circuit module, a memory control circuit unit, and a data sampling method, where the sampling circuit module includes a delay lock loop (DLL) and a sampling circuit. The DLL includes a clock control circuit, a clock delay circuit and a voltage control circuit. The clock control circuit performs a delay lock for a reference clock signal, so as to output a selecting signal. The clock delay circuit delays the reference clock signal according to the selecting signal, so as to output a delay clock signal. The voltage control circuit adjusts a driving voltage outputted to the clock control circuit and the clock delay circuit according to the selecting signal. The sampling circuit samples a data signal according to the delay clock signal. Accordingly, a delay ability of the DLL may be improved by adjusting the driving voltage.

Technical Field
The invention relates to a clock delay technology, and more particularly, relates to a sampling circuit module and a memory control circuit unit applying the sampling circuit module and a data sampling method.
Description of Related Art
In a memory system, a clock signal is often served as a basis for timing sequence in circuit operations. Generally, a clock signal is generated by an oscillator and transmitted to each chip in the memory system through a connecting line. However, a phase shift may occur during the transmission the clock signal. The temperature and change of a voltage provided by the system may also be reasons which cause the phase shift. The phase shift may lead the memory system to a rise in an error rate when performing a data writing or reading operation.
A delay lock loop (DLL) is used to solve an unsynchronization issue of the clock signal transmitted to each chip. The delay lock loop may be mainly classified into two types, analog delay circuits and digital delay circuits. An analog delay circuit controls a delay time of a delay line by using a voltage, and a digital delay circuit dynamically changes a delay amount or a delay stage of the delay line by means of transmitting an instruction signal.
Generally, in order to improve a delay ability of the delay lock loop, it is usually required to increase a number of delay elements in the delay lock loop. However, a circuit area of the delay lock loop may be increased by an excessive number of the delay elements.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the present invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention, or that any reference forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Sampling module including delay locked loop, sampling unit, memory control unit, and data sampling method thereof


An EEPROM device capable of operating with a single low-voltage power supply includes a control gate electrode (30) and a select gate electrode (14) overlying separate portions of a channel region (32). Electrical charge is stored in an ONO layer (20) overlying a portion of the channel region (32) and separating the control gate electrode (30) from the channel region (32). The memory device is programmed using source-side injection, where electrons traverse the channel region (32) and are injected into trapping sites (34) located within the silicon nitride layer (24) of the ONO layer (20). To provide the necessary field gradient within the channel region (32), the control gate electrode (30) is spaced apart from the source region (16) by the select gate electrode (14). In either of two embodiments, two layers of polysilicon are used to form the select gate electrode (14) and the control gate electrode (30). The second layer of polysilicon is formed as a sidewall spacer on the first layer of polysilicon. Accordingly, a high-density memory device is achieved.

State of the art non-volatile memory devices are typically constructed by fabricating a field effect transistor in a silicon substrate. The field effect transistor is capable of storing electrical charge either in a separate gate electrode, known as a floating gate, or in a dielectric layer underlying a control gate electrode. Data is stored in a non-volatile memory device by changing the threshold voltage of the field effect transistor through the storage of electrical charge over the channel region of the substrate. For example, in an n-channel enhancement device, an accumulation of electrons in a floating gate electrode, or in a dielectric layer overlying the channel region, creates a high threshold voltage in the field effect transistor. When the control gate is grounded, current will not flow through the transistor, which is defined as a logic 0 state. Conversely, a reduction in the negative charge over the channel region creates a low threshold voltage, possibly negative. In this condition, with the control gate grounded, current will flow through the field effect transistor, which is defined as a logic 1 state.
One particular type of non-volatile memory device is the flash EEPROM (electrically-erasable-programmable-read-only-memory). Flash EEPROMs are a type of device which provide electrical erasing capability. The term "flash" refers to the ability to erase the memory cells simultaneously with electrical pulses. In an erased state, the threshold voltage of the field effect transistor is low and electrical current can flow through the transistor indicating a logic 1 state.
To program an EEPROM cell, typically, drain-side hot-electron injection is used to inject electrons onto either a floating gate electrode, or into trapping sites in a dielectric film overlying the channel region. The injection current can be enhanced by increasing either the channel electric field, or the electric field in the dielectric layer. To reduce the amount of time necessary to complete a programming operation, very high drain and gate voltages are used, such that the transistor is operating very close to breakdown during programming. However, the high voltages necessary for drain-side injection require that an additional power supply be provided to supply voltage levels in excess of the standard 5-volt operating voltage.
Breakdown conditions during programming can be avoided by injecting electrons from the source region, rather than the drain region. To program an EEPROM device using source-side injection, a select gate electrode is formed overlying a portion of the channel region adjacent to the source region. The select gate electrode is electrically isolated from the control gate electrode, which is formed adjacent to the drain region. During programming, an electric field gradient is established in the channel region such that electrons originating in the source region are accelerated across a potential drop, and are injected onto a floating gate electrode located below the control gate electrode. Programming with source side injection increases the longevity of an EEPROM device by reducing the stress on the dielectric layer as compared with the excessive electric fields used for drain-side injection. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that source-side injection can be many times more efficient than drain side injection. The higher efficiency reduces the amount of time necessary to perform a programming operation.
Although EEPROM devices using source-side injection offer enhanced programming ability and extended operating life, the construction of an EEPROM memory cell using source-side injection typically requires that three separate semiconductor layers be provided for the fabrication of a select gate, a control gate, and a floating gate. The necessity of providing three separate polysilicon layers for the fabrication of gate electrodes vastly increases the complexity of the fabrication process. Additionally, the necessity of placing three separate electrodes over the channel region increases the cell size of the EEPROM device. Accordingly, further advances in device design and fabrication are necessary to meet the demand for high-density EEPROM memory arrays.


A buffered valve having a longitudinal passage leading to a valve chamber. The valve chamber is divided by a spacer into a front and rear chamber which are connected by a port in the spacer. A normally closed main valve member is in the front chamber which blocks the longitudinal passage. A sub-valve which has a vessel or cup-like configuration is in the rear valve chamber and is biased toward the port in the spacer by a coil spring. The sub-valve has a through hole which is blocked by a check valve. Adjustable passages are provided for connecting between the front and rear chambers of the valve. When the main valve opens, the flow of fluid from behind the main valve member to the rear chamber is restricted by the port in the spacer and the sub-valve assembly to provide a buffered valve action. When the main valve is closing, the flow of fluid is again restricted by the passage in the sub-valve and the port in the spacer to provide a buffered action. The main valve member has an attached buffer member which substantially interferes with the flow of fluid through the longitudinal passage increasing the buffering action.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a valve for use in various types of hydraulic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The inventor of the present invention has filed an application for patent on a novel valve, which has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-228178 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-61870.
The valve according to the above-mentioned disclosed invention has a feature that the valve body can be easily opened and closed with a small force with respect to a liquid at a relatively high pressure, and that a speed reduction is effected when the valve body is opened and closed so as to protect the valve seat, etc. from impact, thereby providing the valve with a long service life.
However, the valve of the above-mentioned disclosed invention still has a problem that the buffer effect when the valve body is opened and closed is not adequate, thereby making it impossible to obtain a sufficiently long service life for the valve. Further, due to this inadequate buffer effect, it is impossible to open and close the valve at a minimum speed so as to enable the associated hydraulic apparatus to perform a minimum-speed starting. Nowadays, such a minimum-speed starting or stopping is a requirement for various types of hydraulic apparatus.
The present invention has been made with a view to solving the problems mentioned above. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a valve which is capable of exerting a sufficient buffer effect when the valve body is opened and closed so as to enable it to be opened and closed at a minimum speed, thereby enabling various types of apparatus to which this valve is applied to perform a minimum starting and stopping.


A chlorine generating cell and method of use are provided. The chlorine generating cell generally comprises one or more anode plates, one or more cathode plates, and one or more gaskets. The anode and cathode plates have a unique design allowing gas that builds up within the cell to escape, making the chlorine cell of the present invention safe.

Generally, chlorine is manufactured by electrolysis of a sodium chloride solution. These chlorine generating systems produce chlorine that can be used as a disinfectant for industrial purposes or for chlorination of pools. The production of chlorine results in the co-products caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) and hydrogen gas (H2), which are highly reactive. As chlorine is generated in the system these gases can build up and cause major problems, such as extreme temperatures which can cause deterioration of the equipment to explosions.
What is needed in the art is a chlorine generating system that provides an appropriate yield of chlorine while mitigating some of the risk associated with such systems, such as extreme temperatures and possible explosions from gas build up within the system.


A process for lining a steel pipe for the subsea transport of fluids comprises machining of an annular cavity in an inner wall of the pipe to be lined. The cavity is set back longitudinally relative to an end of the pipe. The deposition by welding of a first resurfacing layer includes a corrosion-resistant metal alloy on the inside of the cavity. Surface machining of the first resurfacing layer is done to the internal diameter of the pipe. A liner made of corrosion-resistant steel alloy is introduced into the pipe. Deposition by welding includes at least one second resurfacing layer made of corrosion-resistant metal alloy on the inner wall of the pipe between the end of the liner in contact with the first machined resurfacing layer and the corresponding end of the pipe. Surface machining of the second resurfacing layer is done to the internal diameter of the pipe.

The present invention relates to the general field of fluid transport pipes, in particular subsea pipes, lying on the seabed or providing the seabed-to-surface connection for the transfer of hydrocarbons, for example oil and gas, from subsea production wells.
More specifically, the invention relates a process for lining such pipes made of carbon steel to clad them internally with a corrosion-resistant alloy layer (for example Inconel®).
Some subsea hydrocarbon transport pipes, and in particular pipes providing a seabed-to-surface connection, called risers, are internally lined with an alloy steel layer typically between 2.5 mm and 5 mm thick to create a corrosion barrier and to improve the mechanical and chemical properties of the pipe.
Pipes lined internally with such a corrosion-resistant alloy layer are generally obtained by mechanically bonding the alloy layer (also called liner) to the pipe body. At each end of the pipe, the corrosion-resistant alloy layer is connected to the pipe body by overlapping weld seams, the filler metal usually being Inconel® based.
More precisely, the known liner processes of the prior art propose to force the corrosion-resistant alloy layer into the pipe, to deposit a weld bead at each end of the pipe to provide support at the ends of the alloy layer, and then to perform surface machining of the weld bead to the internal diameter of the pipe.
For example, document WO 2015/087162 discloses a process for connecting two pipe elements, each with a corrosion-resistant alloy liner. According to this invention, it is provided to carry out a finishing machining of each end of the pipe to form bevels for the deposition of a weld bead intended for assembling the pipe elements together, then to machine the end portions of the liner of each pipe element in order to deposit a weld overlay. The weld overlay is then machined to the internal diameter of the pipe.
However, such lining processes have certain disadvantages, particularly in terms of the fatigue strength of the lined pipe thus obtained. Indeed, when the pipe is subjected to significant fatigue, discontinuity at the interface between the corrosion-resistant alloy liner and the weld overlay can initiate cracks that may propagate through the thickness of the pipe until it causes the fatigue failure of the steel it contains.

Process for lining a steel pipe for the subsea transport of fluids


An electromagnetic locking mechanism including (a) a rotary lock bolt (65) rotatably reciprocable between a normally protruding locking position and a retracted unlocking position on a forced rotation thereof by an external opening force; (b) a lock bolt urging member (67) in continuous abutting engagement with the rotary lock bolt (65) and linearly reciprocable between a normally outwardly biased position for urging the rotary lock bolt (65) to its normally protruding locking position and a retracted position on the forced rotation of the rotary lock bolt (65); and (c) a blocking member (131) reciprocable between a blocking position in the normally protruding locking position of the rotary lock bolt (65) and an unblinking position for respectively preventing and enabling a rearward displacement of the lock bolt urging member (67) from its normally outwardly biased position to its retracted position on the forced rotation of the rotary lock bolt (65).

The invention relates to electromechanical locking mechanisms in general and in particular to electromechanical locking mechanisms having a rotary lock bolt.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,870 to Uyeda et al, there is illustrated and described an electromagnetic locking mechanism including a rotary lock bolt governing the locking and unlocking of a door via a handle driven bolt works mechanism having a bolt works member reciprocable between first and second operative positions respectively corresponding to locked and unlocked states of the door. Alternative implementations of the electromagnetic locking mechanism are required, each suitable for use with either one or the other of a clockwise and a counterclockwise operative bolt works mechanism.
The rotary lock bolt is urged into a normally protruding locking position by a biasing spring whereby it is transversely disposed in the path of the bolt works member which slidingly abuts there against to forciby rotate the former to a substantially retracted unlocking position on the latter""s displacement from its first operative position to its second operative position. To prevent an unauthorized opening of the door, rotation of the rotary lock bolt is stopped by means of a solenoid armature which is retracted on entry of an access code via a digital keypad entry device. To avoid undue shear stress on the solenoid armature during an attempted unauthorized opening i.e. when the solenoid armature is extended, the rotary lock bolt is provided with a safety notch which engages a safety key after the rotary lock bolt rotates slightly about its point of contact with the solenoid armature.
In operation, the biasing spring undesirably presents an increasing resistance from the initial contact between the bolt works member and the rotary lock bolt until the free passage of the bolt works member to its second operative position. Secondly, there is undesirable play in the bolts works mechanism before engagement between the safety notch and safety key. Lastly, engagement between the safety notch and the safety key may leave the bolt works mechanism inoperable in a so-called xe2x80x9cdeadlock statexe2x80x9d due to the biasing spring not returning the rotary lock bolt to its normally protruding locking position on the return displacement of the bolt works member to its first operative position.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electromagnetic locking mechanism comprising:
(a) a rotary lock bolt rotatably reciprocable between a normally protruding locking position and a retracted unlocking position on a forced rotation thereof by an external opening force;
(b) a lock bolt urging member in continuous abutting engagement with said rotary lock bolt and linearly reciprocable between a normally outwardly biased position for urging said rotary lock bolt to said normally protruding locking position and a retracted position on said forced rotation of said rotary lock bolt; and
(c) a blocking member reciprocable between a blocking position in said normally protruding locking position of said rotary lock bolt and an unblocking position for respectively preventing and enabling a rearward displacement of said lock bolt urging member from said normally outwardly biased position to said retracted position on said forced rotation of said rotary lock bolt.
An electromagnetic locking, mechanism of the present invention is adapted for installation in a conventional manner in safes, vaults, strong rooms and the like having a handle driven bolt works mechanism as described hereinabove, namely, with a bolt works member for forcibly rotating the rotary lock bolt from its normally protruding locking position to its retracted unlocking position on entry of an access code. In a simplified construction, an electromagnetic locking mechanism of the present invention is suitable for use with only one type of operative bolt works mechanism, namely, either a clockwise or a counterclockwise operative bolt works mechanism. In a modified construction of an electromagnetic locking mechanism of the present invention, the positions of the rotary lock bolt and bolt lock urging member are interchangeable such that the electromagnetic locking mechanism can be installed in either a clockwise or a clockwise bolt works mechanism. An electromagnetic locking mechanism of the present invention as can other constructions of electromagnetic locking mechanisms with rotary lock bolts, for example, as illustrated and described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,870 can be preferably adapted for installation in typically smaller safes and the like which are locked and unlocked directly by a handle operated lock.
The rotary lock bolt has a cam surface in continuous abutting engagement with an abutment surface of the lock bolt urging member which is inclined with respect to the latter""s direction of linear reciprocation. The lock bolt urging member is preferably normally outwardly urged by a biasing spring acting against a trailing portion thereof and compressible in a direction co-directional with the lock bolt urging member""s rearward displacement. A solenoid armature constituting a blocking member of the stopping means is preferably linear reciprocable in a direction perpendicular to the lock bolt urging member""s linear reciprocation. The solenoid armature is operatively associated with a lock bolt arresting member which is integrally formed with the lock bolt urging member in the simplified construction of the electromagnetic locking mechanism of the present invention and which is detachable therefrom in the modified construction of the electromagnetic locking mechanism of the present invention adaptable for use in either a clockwise or a counter clockwise operative bolt works mechanism. The solenoid armature is selectively reciprocable between an outwardly biased blocking position in the normally outwardly biased position of the lock bolt urging member and a retracted unblocking position enabling the rearward displacement of the lock bolt urging member. The solenoid is preferably a magnetically latched solenoid whilst the code entry means is preferably implemented by the data receiving means as described in PCT/IL98/00105. An electromagnetic locking mechanism of the present invention fitted with long life batteries can have a useful life of several years during which it can is be operated many thousand of times.
In operation, the solenoid armature is retracted on entry of an access for sufficient time for an external opening force applied to the rotary lock bolt to compress the biasing spring during the rearward displacement of the lock bolt urging member from its normally outwardly biased position to its retracted position. By virtue of the camming action gradually acting over a longer arm as the rotary lock bolt is gradually forced to its retracted unlocking position, the force required to compress the biasing spring correspondingly gradually becomes less. The solenoid armature presents a virtually immediate positive blocking action to an attempted unauthorized opening and also precludes the possibility of a deadlock situation from arising. In an attempted unauthorized opening of a door, the force applied against the rotary lock bolt acts internal supporting structures thereby considerably reducing the force directly applied against the solenoid armature.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electromagnetic locking mechanism comprising:
(a) a rotary lock bolt rotatably reciprocable between a normally protruding locking position and a first retracted unlocking position on a forced rotation thereof by an external opening force;
(b) a handle operated carriage linearly reciprocable between outward and inward positions for selectively displacing said rotary lock bolt between said normally protruding locking position and a second retracted unlocking position; and
(c) a blocking member reciprocable between a blocking position in said normally protruding locking position of said rotary lock bolt and an unblocking position for respectively preventing and enabling a rearward displacement of said carriage from said outward position to said inward position.


An adaptive control system and method for controlling the path feed rate to achieve a target spindle load during machine tool operations. The adaptive control system can provide load monitoring capability, which will actively monitor an incoming load signal from a spindle drive and determine if it exceeds warning and alarm levels. If the incoming load being monitored exceeds the set warning level, a warning output is asserted and maintained until the incoming load falls below the set warning level. If the incoming load exceeds the set alarm level, the alarm output and feed hold output are asserted and maintained until an adaptive controller reset is requested. Normal cutting operations cannot resume until the conditions that generated the alarm level are addressed. Adaptive control of machine tool operations is provided by monitoring of the incoming load and requesting feed rate changes based on a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller algorithm. The adaptive controller monitors the incoming load until an arming limit is exceeded, at which point the adaptive controller proceeds to run the PID control algorithm to calculate a new feed rate that will cause the incoming load to obtain the user requested value. An interface application allows the user to set and view registers and the input/output status of the adaptive controller. The adaptive control system can be fully integrated into the machine tool management system, or can be integrated with custom tool interfaces. The adaptive control system can also be operated using a manual interface provided to the operator with no connection to tooling data.

The present invention relates generally to adaptive control of cutting operations on CNC operated machine tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to adaptively controlling the volumetric removal of material during the machining process.
Production requires that the time to produce parts must be minimized to increase production throughput. The throughput of the machine is affected by time during the process and any interruptions that occur during the machining process. Therefore, improving the rate at which material is removed and minimizing process interruptions due to premature tool wear or failure can decrease the machining time. Adaptive control has been used in the prior art to accomplish these functions, but the process has been difficult to set up and operate.
Among the difficulties in operating the adaptive control with computer numerical control (CNC) resources is that activation has been manual in nature. Attempts in the prior art to automate the activation of the adaptive control function has been clumsy in that temporal or geometric information must be known, and therefore detailed knowledge of the process must be known for activation.
The basic function of any CNC machine is automatic, precise and consistent motion control. All forms of CNC equipment have two or more directions of motion called axes. These axes can be precisely and automatically positioned along their lengths of travel. The most common axes types are linear and rotary. In general, the motion type, the axes to move, the amount of motion, and the feed rate are programmable with almost all CNC machine tools.
Almost all current CNC controls use a word address format for programming. By this, it is meant that the CNC program is made up of sentence-like commands. Each command is made up of CNC words. Each CNC word has a letter address and a numerical value. The G and M letter addresses allow special functions to be designated. The G preparatory function is commonly used to set modes. The M miscellaneous function is typically used as a programmable switch (e.g., spindle on/off).


A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, particularly suitable for use in a work machine, is provided with a turbine having a low pressure region of minimum static pressure. A compressor has a high pressure region of maximum dynamic pressure. A conduit fluidly interconnects the high pressure region with the low pressure region. A valve is associated with the conduit for opening and closing the conduit. Compressed air or a fuel/air mixture may be bled from the compressor to the turbine over a wider arrange of operating conditions, even at low load operating conditions.

The present invention relates to a turbocharger for use in an internal combustion engine, and, more particularly, to a turbocharger including a multi-stage compressor.
An internal combustion engine may include one or more turbochargers for compressing a fluid which is supplied to one or more combustion chambers within corresponding combustion cylinders. Each turbocharger typically includes a turbine driven by exhaust gases of the engine and a compressor which is driven by the turbine. The compressor receives the fluid to be compressed and supplies the fluid to the combustion chambers. The fluid which is compressed by the compressor may be in the form of combustion air or a fuel/air mixture.
The operating behavior of a compressor within a turbocharger may be graphically illustrated by a xe2x80x9ccompressor mapxe2x80x9d associated with the turbocharger in which the pressure ratio (compression outlet pressure divided by the inlet pressure) is plotted on the vertical axes and the flow is plotted on the horizontal axes. In general, the operating behavior of a compressor wheel is limited on the left side of the compressor map by a xe2x80x9csurge linexe2x80x9d and on the right side of the compressor map by a xe2x80x9cchoke linexe2x80x9d. The surge line basically represents xe2x80x9cstallingxe2x80x9d of the air flow in the compressor. With too small a volume flow and too high a pressure ratio, the flow will separate from the suction side of the blades on the compressor wheel, with the result that the discharge process is interrupted. The air flow through the compressor is reversed until a stable pressure ratio by positive volumetric flow rate is established, the pressure builds up again and the cycle repeats. This flow instability continues at a substantially fixed frequency and the resulting behavior is known as xe2x80x9csurgingxe2x80x9d. The choke line represents the maximum centrifugal compressor volumetric flow rate, which is limited for instance by the cross-section at the compressor inlet. When the flow rate at the compressor inlet or other location reaches sonic velocity, no further flow rate increase is possible and choking results. Both surge and choking of a compressor should be avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,683 (Woollenweber) discloses a fluid passage extending from the high pressure side of the compressor to the inlet side of a turbine. A spring loaded valve is disposed within the fluid passage and opens upon a high pressure condition within the compressor. The spring loaded valve thus merely acts to bypass some of the high pressure gas on an over pressure condition to the turbine of the turbocharger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,813 (Fenelon et al.) assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a turbocharger having a single stage compressor. A portion of the compressed gas from the single stage compressor may be recirculated to the outlet side of the turbine using controllably actuated valves. The control scheme utilizes only a single stage compressor.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
In one aspect of the invention, a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine is provided with a turbine having a low pressure region of minimum static pressure. A compressor has a high pressure region of maximum dynamic pressure. A conduit fluidly interconnects the high pressure region with the low pressure region. A valve is associated with the conduit for opening and closing the conduit.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of operating a turbocharger in an internal combustion engine is provided with the steps of: providing a turbine coupled with a compressor; driving the turbine with exhaust gas from an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine, rotatably driving the compressor with the turbine; transporting combustion air through a high pressure region of maximum dynamic pressure within the compressor; transporting exhaust gas through a low pressure region of minimum static pressure within the turbine; fluidly interconnecting a conduit between the high pressure region and the low pressure region; and operating a valve associated with the conduit to selectively open and close the conduit.

Turbocharger with enhanced compressor bleed capability


An apparatus and a method for producing layers on the surfaces of workpieces, preferably on spotlight, or headlight, reflector inserts formed of plastic, includes an apparatus having a vacuum chamber that can be operated as a batch system with a PCVD coating process, where a microwave ECR plasma coating source is used, and the workpieces to be coated are secured to a rotary cage arranged in the vacuum chamber. The rotary cage can be conducted past a microwave coating source with a frequency-matched and phase-matched planetary motion. Such a coating process can be used in a vacuum chamber, under plasma, and at pressures below 2.times.10.sup.-2 mbar.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing layers on the surfaces of workpieces, such as spotlight reflector inserts formed of plastic.
To coat a workpiece, such as a front surface mirror of a spotlight reflector insert, a vacuum chamber can be operated as a batching system, and a Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (PCVD) coating process, having a microwave Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma coating source, is used to coat the workpiece. The workpieces to be coated are secured to a rotary cage within the vacuum chamber. The rotary cage is conducted past the coating source with a frequency and phase-matched planetary motion.
German Patent DE 37 05 666 discusses an apparatus for producing a plasma and treating workpieces therein. A coating process used to coat a substrate, such as a band-shaped workpiece, is performed with the assistance of a microwave ECR plasma coating source.
German Patent DE 37 31 686 discusses a method and apparatus for depositing a corrosion-resistant layer onto the surfaces of lacquer-coated workpieces. A layer system is deposited onto the workpieces in a vacuum chamber with the assistance of a glow cathode and an evaporator.
In the above-discussed methods, the anti-corrosive layers are composed of a dielectric, or substantially dielectric material. Above thicknesses of approximately 100-200 nm, these layers are good insulators.
Traditional systems for applying protective coating layers to motor vehicle reflectors are operated using DC-PCVD technology. In using these systems, however, steadily growing layers form on the electrodes during the coating process. These layers reach a critical thickness for electrical conductivity within a short period of time, and thereafter, function as insulators. As a result of this layer growth, a glow discharge cannot be maintained to produce corrosion-resistant layers in a system operated with DC voltage. Further, as a result of the layer build-up, the electrodes must be cleaned, by flooding the process chamber, after each batch. However, flooding the process chamber is always accompanied by an enormous generation of fine dust particles, making it necessary to perform an involved cleaning of the entire process chamber. Thus, operation of a DC-PCVD system is extremely personnel intensive and cost-intensive. Further, DC-PCVD technology lacks in-line capabilities, as it has a limited attainable pressure range of a few mbars, and requires repeated cleaning of the process chamber.
One disadvantage of the DC-PCVD coating process is that the process cannot reliably manufacture layers exceeding approximately 100 nm. The DC glow discharge used in a DC-PCVD process is operated at a pressure range of a few mbars. Plasma flow at this pressure is highly viscous and turbulent, and thus, neither manageable nor controllable. As a result, it is difficult to provide a uniformly thick layer distribution within the operable pressure range.
A significant disadvantage of the DC-PCVD method is that the pre-lacquering layer has a lifetime of only a few hours, and thus, workpieces, such as base members of reflectors, that have been aluminized in one step will not adhere well to a subsequently applied protective-coating layer. Therefore, the workpieces must be further-processed shortly after applying the pre-lacquering layer. Because of the time dependence between the production steps of pre-lacquering and vacuum coating, storage between these steps is impossible.

Apparatus for coating substrates using a microwave ECR plasma source


A battery charge/discharge power supply apparatus for saving electric energy when performing charge/discharge operation of a storage battery. The power supply apparatus includes a direct current power source for switchably connected to the storage battery, an auxiliary battery switchably connected to the storage battery, and a converter provided between the storage battery and the auxiliary battery. The storage battery is charged by the power supplied from the auxiliary battery in the charge cycle of the storage battery. The auxiliary battery is charged by the discharge power from the storage battery in the discharge cycle of the storage battery. The direct current power source replenishes shortage of a power capacity in the auxiliary battery.

In recent years, owing to the rapid increase in portable devices and the development of electric automobiles, the demand for storage (secondary) batteries is greatly increasing. Storage batteries are produced by assembling the electrode made of active materials in a discharged condition. Before shipping the storage batteries in the market, the batteries must be charged with electricity or activated by repeatedly charging and discharging the same. It is also necessary to test samples of storage batteries to determine whether the batteries satisfy the intended performances such as cycle life by repeating charge/discharge operations.
This invention is directed to a power supply apparatus to be used for such purposes by charging and/or discharging storage (secondary) batteries. In the conventional technology, when charging a battery, a DC (direct current) power source converted from an AC (alternating current) source, i.e., the commercial power source is used. When discharging the battery, a discharge load is used, which is typically a resistor or an electric load. In the conventional technology noted above, the electric energy stored in the storage battery is consumed by the discharge load. As a result, a large amount of electric energy is wasted. For this reason, the conventional method is disadvantageous.
Under the circumstances, as disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication Nos. 2-261020 and 7-222369, there has been an attempt to effectively use the energy discharged from a storage battery. In the above patent publications, it is disclosed that the energy discharged from the storage battery is recycled by feed-backing the discharged energy to an AC power source so that the AC power is converted again to a DC power to charge the storage battery.
However, since these methods convert the DC power discharged by the storage battery into the AC power by using an inverter, it is difficult to obtain an AC power with normal sine waves. In other words, the AC power inverted from the DC power involves noise and distortion. In order to obtain an AC power source having normal sine waves, i.e., low distortion or noise in the wave form, a high quality control circuit must be used, resulting in the increase of the overall cost of the apparatus.
In such a case, in order to achieve the energy saving or recycling with a simplified control circuit of relatively low cost, the recycled AC electric power tends to involve a significant amount of signal distortion or high voltage impulse (instantaneous) noise. Therefore, such a less expensive method may not be applied to noise sensitive electric apparatuses, such as computers or automatic machines which require high quality electric power. Such being the case, the method of using the recycled AC electric power is not appropriate.

Power supply apparatus for charging and discharging battery with high energy efficiency


A data processing system with technology to secure a VMCS comprises random access memory (RAM) and a processor in communication with the RAM. The processor comprises virtualization technology that enables the processor to (a) execute host software in root mode and (b) execute guest software from the RAM in non-root mode in a virtual machine (VM) that is based at least in part on a virtual machine control data structure (VMCDS) for the VM. The processor also comprises a root security profile to specify access restrictions to be imposed when the host software attempts to read the VMCDS in root mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

A data processing system may use virtual machines (VMs) to provide distinct execution environments for distinct software stacks. In particular, a VM provides an execution environment that allows a software stack to execute within that environment as if the software stack were executing within an independent data processing system. The software for managing VMs within a data processing system may be referred to as a hypervisor or a virtual machine monitor (VMM). A data processing system that executes a VMM may be referred to as a host. By contrast, the contents of a VM may be referred to as a guest.
A machine that provides VMs may receive the software stacks for those VMs from other machines at different locations. For instance, a server device that provides VMs may receive a software stack from a remote client device, and the server device may then run that software stack within a VM, on behalf of the client device. An entity that operates such server devices may be referred to as a cloud-service provider (CSP) or VM-service provider (VP). Likewise, an entity that operates such client devices may be referred to as a cloud-service consumer (CSC) or VM-service consumer (VC). Also, a server device that provides VMs to execute software stacks from client devices may be referred to as a cloud server or a VM server, and the corresponding client devices may be referred to as cloud clients or VM clients. In addition, the software stack from a VM client may be referred to as guest software, and the VM within which the guest software is executed may be referred to as the guest VM.
A VM server may use a variety of different data structures to manage VMs. For instance, a VM server may use a virtual machine control structure (VMCS) to store data such as guest operating system (OS) state, host OS state, and various types of control and VM exit information for managing VMs.
The data provided by a VM client to a VM server may be referred to as user data. The data generated within a VM for the client may also be considered user data. A VP may own all resources within a VM server, and a conventional VM server may be able to access all of the user data within any VM in the VM server. However, a VC may not want the VP to have access to all of the user data. For instance, the VC may not want the VP to have access to the guest OS state, since the guest OS state may include sensitive information that should only be seen by the guest software within the guest VM.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for securing virtual machine control structures


An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an optical unit provided below the photosensitive drum and including a cover glass for transmitting light emitted toward the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the cover glass. The cleaning member includes a cleaning sheet configured to move foreign substances on the surface, and a wiping member configured to wipe foreign substances from the surface. The cleaning sheet and the wiping member move in contact with the surface of the cover glass when the cleaning member cleans the surface. The wiping member moves in contact with a portion of the surface of the cover glass after the cleaning sheet moves in contact with the portion. Accordingly, the cover glass can be reliably cleaned even when an unexpectedly large number of foreign substances that vary in particle size and shape adhere to the cover glass.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, toner used as developing agent scatters, and dust sometimes floats, depending on the use environment. Since an optical unit provided in the image forming apparatuses is sensitive to toner and dust, the interior of the optical unit is hermetically sealed so as to prevent the entry of toner and dust. Further, an aperture is provided so that laser light emitted from the optical unit passes therethrough. In order to prevent toner and dust from entering the optical unit, a cover glass that transmits the laser light is provided at the aperture.
In this configuration, a decrease in printing density and an image deficit are sometimes caused when toner and dust dropping from the developing section and floating in the image forming apparatus enter the optical path of exposure light, adhere to the cover glass, and block the optical path. In order to avoid the decrease in density and the image deficit described above, it is necessary to devise a structure that prevents toner and dust from adhering to the cover glass.
Hitherto, a user or serviceman has accessed the interior of the image forming apparatus and has cleaned the cover glass with a soft cloth or the like. However, since the area of the aperture having the cover glass is small and cleaning needs to be performed without scratching the surface of the cover glass, the cleaning operation is considerably troublesome, and sufficient cleaning is difficult.
In order to overcome these problems, various cleaning structures for removing toner and dust from the cover glass have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-159574 discloses a cleaning device that allows the user or serviceman to remove toner and dust from a cover glass simply by sliding a cleaning member formed of synthetic resin foam via a support means provided in an optical unit.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-313459 (corresponding to US Patent Publ. No. 2005/243156) discloses a cleaning structure in which a shutter member for closing and opening the optical path of a light beam is provided with a seal member, and the seal member includes a cleaning member that slides on the cover glass.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-75764 discloses a cleaning mechanism in which a shutter includes a plurality of cleaners each formed by an elastic blade, a brush, or a fleece cloth, and the cleaners slide on a light emitting window of an optical device.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-333799 discloses that a scanner cover includes a plurality of cleaners each formed by a brush or an elastic member and the cleaners clean a dustproof glass of a laser scanner while being in contact with the dustproof glass.
In recent years, the environment in which the image forming apparatus is installed has been diversified, and various substances adhere to the cover glass. Specifically, the substances include not only toner, but also dust in the air and wear powder produced in the body of the image forming apparatus. Since the substances vary in particle size and shapes, even when cleaning is performed by moving toner and dust with an elastic blade or a brush serving as a cleaning member, it is difficult to completely remove toner and dust having a minute particle size and shape. This may result in an image defect.
The amount of toner and dust adhering to the cover glass tends to increase as the life of the image forming apparatus increases. For this reason, there is an increasing fear that a lot of toner and dust adhering to the cover glass will not be completely wiped away by cloth or sponge serving as a cleaning member and that this may cause an image defect. That is, since the cleaning performance of the wiping cleaning member easily saturates, it is necessary to replace the cleaning member many times in the life of the apparatus. Moreover, the wiped toner and dust may adhere from the cleaning member onto the cover glass again.
In addition, with size reduction and increases in output speed of the image forming apparatus, the amount of heat generated in the image forming apparatus has increased, and the necessity of cooling the interior of the image forming apparatus has been raised in order to ensure a high image print quality. Practically, external air is taken into the image forming apparatus and is blown on a heat generating portion, thus cooling the interior of the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the amount of dust entering the image forming apparatus increases, and toner scatters in a wider area in the image forming apparatus. Consequently, the possibility that toner and dust will adhere to the cover glass increases.

Image forming apparatus having cleaning member for cleaning transmission member


The present invention provides methods of manufacturing a viscoelastic article by a process that includes coating a release surface with a curable composition and then curing the composition to form the viscoelastic article. Viscoelastic articles manufactured according to the methods of the present may be constructed to be self-supporting.

Viscoelastic materials may be designed to possess a wide variety of chemical and physical properties. As a result, viscoelastic materials may be useful for constructing a wide variety of articles for a wide variety of uses. The versatility of viscoelastic articles presents certain manufacturing challenges for the construction of such articles, particularly in a commercial setting where cost effective, large-scale manufacturing is particularly desirable. Speed and consistency of manufacture and reduction of waste are all issues of specific concern for any commercial manufacturing process.
Articles including viscoelastic materials, e.g., pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) materials, may be manufactured using a variety of processes. For example, transfer tapes including segmented PSAs may be constructed using a carrier web embossed to contain recesses in a surface of the web. The recesses of the web may be coated with a release coating. A curable composition (e.g., a composition that may be cured to form a PSA) is coated into the recesses of the web over the release coating. A cover sheet, e.g. a film constructed of polyethylene terephthalate ("PET"), is coated over the curable composition and the web/composition/cover sheet assembly is exposed to UV irradiation to cure the composition into the PSA. The entire assembly is wound into a roll. When the assembly is unrolled, the PSA adheres to the film cover sheet and releases from the recesses of the web, thereby forming a film coated with a segmented PSA in the pattern provided by the recesses on the surface of the web. This process may be undesirable for manufacturing certain viscoelastic articles on a commercial scale because the web is not reusable, thereby creating waste, and the process cannot be practiced on a continuous basis. The process must be periodically interrupted to provide a fresh supply of the web material.
In another example, PSA-coated articles such as adhesive tapes and transfer coatings may be constructed by extruding a coating of PSA onto a molding tool. The surface of the PSA coating that is not in contact with the molding tool is contacted with a substrate, thereby transferring the PSA to the substrate. The PSA of the resulting article bears the surface structure provided by the molding tool. To ensure clean separation of the PSA layer from the structured surface of the molding tool, the adhesion of the PSA to the substrate must be greater than the adhesion of the PSA to the surface of the molding tool. This process is limited to manufacturing viscoelastic articles that can be constructed from extrudable viscoelastic materials. Also, this process does not provide a method of manufacturing a self-supporting viscoelastic article, i.e., a viscoelastic article that may exist independent of the substrate used to remove the adhesive layer from the molding tool.
A PSA transfer coating may be constructed that is independent of any backing layer by coating a PSA layer onto a release liner. The coated liner may then be rolled upon itself, thereby embossing the PSA layer with any structure that may be provided on one or both surfaces of the release liner. The transfer coating subsequently may be removed from the release liner, providing a transfer coating that is independent of any sort of backing layer. This process cannot be practiced on a continuous basis because the process must be periodically interrupted to provide a new supply of the release liner. Also, this process is limited to manufacturing viscoelastic articles that can be constructed from extrudable and embossible viscoelastic materials.
It may be desirable to manufacture viscoelastic articles from curable compositions on a continuous basis. It may further be desirable to manufacture viscoelastic articles on a continuous basis that are independent of a backing material. Present processes for manufacturing viscoelastic materials from curable compositions cannot be performed on a continuous basis and do not permit the continuous manufacturing of viscoelastic articles independent of a backing layer.
A need exists for a continuous method of manufacturing viscoelastic articles from curable compositions, including the continuous manufacturing of viscoelastic articles that are independent of a backing layer.

Method of making a viscoelastic article by coating and curing on a reusable surface


A fully enclosed carton for carrying heavy loads with a reinforcement insert for the handle apertures located in the top end flaps of the carton. The paperboard reinforcing insert may be extended as a bridge across the top panel of the carton to prevent tearing of the handle apertures in the top end flaps and also tearing in the top panel of the carton when carrying a heavy load. The carton may have one or more dispensers in the top panel which may extend into an adjoining side panel. Multiple tear lines may be formed for the dispenser flap in the insert that extends across the top panel to permit easy access to the containers, such as bottles, in the carton.

Fully enclosed paperboard cartons with carrying handles apertures in the top end flaps have been used in the past. These cartons can be filled with cans or bottles and carried by a person whose hands are inserted into both carrying handle apertures or in some cases only into one carrying handle aperture. However, if a load of containers, such as filled bottles, is too heavy, these carrying handle apertures in the paperboard carton tend to tear into the top end flap and top panel resulting in the carton being partly destroyed with some or all of the containers falling out. Consequently, fully enclosed cartons with handles in the top end flaps that are used to carry heavy loads are frequently constructed of corrugated board.
It would be desirable to find a method of reinforcing the carrying handle apertures in the top end flap of paperboard cartons so they could carry a heavy load of filled bottles. It would also be desirable to develop a method of reinforcing the top panel which also has a tendency to tear when the carrying handle aperture in a top end flap tears.
It would be desirable to have a method of reinforcing the top panel of a paperboard carton and still provide one or two dispensers in the top panel for dispensing bottles or other types of containers.

Handle and top handle reinforcement for a paperboard carton

Abstract: The paperboard reinforcing insert may have a larger aperture than the handle aperture in each top end flap to adjust for any imprecision in the alignment of the paperboard insert in forming the carton sleeve from the paperboard blank. When the paperboard insert extends across the top panel and one or more dispensers are formed in the top panel, multiple tear lines may be used to form the flaps in the insert to compensate for any imprecision in the insertion of the insert that extends across the top panel into the carton sleeve when it is being formed.