A method of manufacturing a multi-layer coil includes steps of providing a substrate; forming a seed layer on the substrate; and plating the seed layer with N coil layers by N current densities according to N threshold ranges, so as to form the multi-layer coil on the substrate, wherein an i-th current density of the N current densities is lower than an (i+1)-th current density of the N current densities. A first coil layer of the N coil layers is plated on the seed layer by a first current density of the N current densities. When an aspect ratio of an i-th coil layer of the N coil layers is within an i-th threshold range of the N threshold ranges, an (i+1)-th coil layer of the N coil layers is plated on the i-th coil layer by the (i+1)-th current density.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a multi-layer coil and a multi-layer coil device and, more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a multi-layer coil by a plating process with varied current densities and a multi-layer coil device utilizing the multi-layer coil.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A choke, which is one kind of multi-layer coil device, is used for stabilizing a circuit current to achieve a noise filtering effect, and a function thereof is similar to that of a capacitor, by which stabilization of the current is adjusted by storing and releasing electrical energy of the circuit. Compared to the capacitor that stores the electrical energy by an electrical field (electric charge), the choke stores the same by a magnetic field.
In the past, the chokes are generally applied in electronic devices such as DC/DC converters and battery chargers, and applied in transmission devices such as modems, asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL) or local area networks (LAN), etc. The chokes have also been widely applied to information technology products such as notebooks, mobile phones, LCD displays, and digital cameras, etc. Therefore, a height and size of the choke will be one of the concerns due to the trend of minimizing the size and weight of the information technology products.
As shown in FIG. 1, the choke 1 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,209,022 includes a core 10, a wire 12, an exterior resin 14, and a pair of electrodes 16, wherein the wire 12 is wound around the pillar 100 of the core 10. In general, the larger an area of the cross section of the pillar 100 is, the better the characteristics of the choke 1 are. However, since the winding space S has to be reserved for winding the wire 12, the area of the cross section of the pillar 100 is limited accordingly, so that saturation current cannot be raised effectively and direct current resistance cannot be reduced effectively. Furthermore, compared with the conventional winding-type coil structure, the wire has to be wound around the pillar by mechanical operation such that the size and thickness of the choke are limited accordingly (e.g. the size of the wire is reduced, the yield rate is reduced due to incorrect operation, and so on).

Method of manufacturing multi-layer coil and multi-layer coil device


A training aid for developing strength and coordination for a person's swing in swinging a sporting implement, such as a baseball bat, used to strike an object is shown to include a plurality of vanes (16,16',160,260) attached to first and second collars (12,14;120,140;220,232), the vanes formed with an integral spring (46,46') adapted to engage the surface of the bat or other inplement to secure it to the implement. The vanes provide an aerodynamic drag by increasing the force required to swing the implement due to increased air resistance. In one embodiment the vanes are attached and locked to the collars using a radial motion, while in another embodiment the vanes are attached and locked to the collars using a longitudinal motion. In still another embodiment a vane (260) is permanently attached to a segment (220,232) of two collars with several segments being attachable to one another to form a complete unit.

Many sports involve the striking of an object such as a ball or a puck by an implement such as a racket, golf club, baseball bat or hockey stick by swinging the implement into engagement with the object. Through practice and appropriate exercise a person swinging the implement can improve his or her ability in hitting the object more consistently and with greater power. Training aids of various types have been devised to help the development of muscular strength and coordination to produce a quick and powerful swing. For example, with respect to baseball bats it is well known to use a weighted ring having an inside diameter sufficient to fit over a handle of a bat but insufficient for the striking portion of the bat to pass through. Swinging a bat with such a ring can be useful in developing one's muscles however the inertia the extra weight provides is more beneficial for the start of the swing than for that portion of the swing involving the breaking of the wrists in snapping the bat through the ball. Additionally, the weighted ring can be hazadous when used by children such as little leaguers who can easily hurt their fingers by having the ring move toward the handle if the bat is not handled properly to utilize centrifugal force in maintaining the ring out in the environs of the hitting portion of the bat.
Devices are known which employ a plurality of vanes mounted on a body which is lodged on a bat. The vanes extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bat thereby serving to generate aerodynamic drag and promote muscular development and coordination by air resistance to the swinging of the bat. An example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,397. While this device is effective it has the disadvantage that it is, in effect, dedicated to bats having essentially the same size and taper. There is a need to provide a training aid which is more universally usable with bats having a wide variety of sizes and tapers as well as other hitting implements.


A method and apparatus for transferring a web from a forming fabric in a forming section of a paper making machine to a transfer felt or fabric is disclosed including directing the web carrying forming fabric in a substantially longitudinal direction adjacent an underside of a transfer shoe in a transfer zone the said web being positioned between the forming fabric and the transfer shoe and the transfer shoe having a substantially planer lead-in surface and an arcuate exiting surface of a predetermined radius, the lead-in surface including an arcuate trailing edge having a predetermined radius less than that of the arcuate exiting surface with the trailing edge and the exiting surface being separated by a suction opening, directing the transfer felt in a substantially longitudinal direction adjacent the underside of the transfer shoe with the transfer felt being positioned between the web and the transfer shoe, the transfer felt entering the transfer zone at an angle with respect to the forming wire, creating a nip region adjacent the arcuate trailing edge where the transfer felt is pressed against the web in a concentrated area for initiating the transfer of the web from the forming fabric to the transfer felt, applying a suction to the web through the transfer felt adjacent the suction opening whereby the web is transferred from the forming fabric to the transfer felt and directing the transfer felt and transferred web over the arcuate exiting surface and away from the forming fabric such that a greater transfer force is realized in the transfer zone than with previous transfer devices.

The separation of a web from the forming wire in a forming section of a paper making machine and its transfer to a transfer felt is a critical step in the paper making process since this separation and transfer significantly influences the reliability and operation of the paper making machine as a whole. It is well known that in paper making machines which operate at low speeds, it is possible to use an open draw based upon the difference in speeds and travel of the web carrying forming wire and the transfer felt to transfer the web from the forming wire to the felt.
However, in paper making machines which operate at relatively high speeds which manufacture thin and consequently low strength paper, it is necessary to use a closed draw in the separation of the web from the forming wire and its transfer to the transfer felt.
Closed draw arrangements for separating a web from the forming wire and transferring the same to the press section of the paper making machine generally include a substantially continuous loop of transfer felt belonging to the press section of the paper making machine which is guided into contact with the web carried by the forming wire. The transfer felt is urged against the web carried by the forming wire such as by a rotating roller where upon the web adheres to the transfer felt and is thus transferred from the forming wire to the transfer felt and continues on to the press section of the paper making machine.
Generally, there are two types of closed systems for accomplishing the transfer of the web from the forming wire to the transfer felt. More particularly, the simpler of these arrangements, commonly termed "lick up transfer" utilizes a wet transfer felt which contacts the web to "lick up" the web by adhering the web to the surface of the transfer felt due to its wet nature. The other type of closed transfer system is generally termed a "vacuum pick up" wherein a vacuum ensures the adherence of the web to the transfer felt. A vacuum pick up system is generally more desirable than a "lick up" system since the former provides a greater choice in the selection of the quality of the transfer felt. In this regard, where the transfer felt also functions as a press felt, certain requirements must be taken into account in the choice of the felt, namely, the web should securely adhere to the surface of the transfer felt at the point of separation from the forming wire while at the same time the transfer felt must function in an efficient manner at the water removing press roll nip. These requirements, however, are often contradictory in that in order for the web to securely adhered to the felt at the separation station and to remain in adherence to the lower surface of the felt over a span between the pick up point and the first press roll nip, the felt must be relatively wet. However, as the moisture content of the felt is increased to facilitate adherence of the web to the felt, the dewatering capabilities i.e. the absorbency of the felt is correspondingly decreased, therefore rendering the water capacity at the press nip relatively inefficient. This is a distinct disadvantage in conventional vacuum pick up arrangements.
Vacuum pick up systems which utilize separate pick up suction rolls are known and are widely used in paper making machines. For example, such a system is used in a Fourdrinier Machine wherein the web is separated from the forming wire at a point located on the run of the forming wire between the chauffeur roll and the draw roll, the forming wire sloping during such run at an angle of about 45.degree. to the horizontal. The particular point at which the web is separated from the forming wire and is transferred to the transfer felt is determined by the particular design of the wire and press sections and their mutual locations. After the web is separated from the forming wire and becomes adhered to the transfer felt, the web carrying transfer felt wraps the pick up roll through a sector of about 45.degree. to 90.degree. where upon the web carrying the transfer felt moves onward to the press section.
Such vacuum pick up systems which utilize separate pick up suction rolls are often disadvantageous in that under certain conditions such as high speed paper making processes, the change of direction undergone by the web carried by the transfer felt on the pick up suction roll causes the web to loosen from the transfer felt due to the centrifugal forces acting thereon. In order to prevent this separation, the pick up roll is usually provided with a suction zone that extends beyond the actual zone wherein the web is separated from the forming wire. Although, this provision ensures that the web will remain adhered to the felt, the extension of the suction zone requires a corresponding considerable increase in the capacity of the vacuum system for the suction roller. Accordingly, systems of this type require a greater vacuum capacity than in arrangements where suction is only required to transfer the web from the forming wire to the transfer felt.
In order to at least partially alleviate some of the problems discussed hereinabove, a stationary transfer suction box has been utilized for separating the web from the forming wire rather than the use of vacuum pick up rolls. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,955 discloses a pick up arrangement for a paper making machine wherein a vacuum pick up shoe is provided for separating the web from the forming wire and transferring such web to a transfer felt for further processing. In such a device, the pick up shoe arrangement for removing a web from the forming surface of the forming wire includes an endless felt which is urged against the forming surface by means of a guide member having a curved surface in contact with the felt and a substantially planar surface diverging away from the felt thereby creating a pressure differential across the felt. However, with the pick up shoe described hereinabove, a significant vacuum source must be obtained in order to adequately transfer the web from the forming wire to the transfer felt.
In yet another paper manufacturing process, a transfer head or shoe including a convex facing surface having a transversely extending vacuum slot which communicates with a sufficient level of vacuum to effect transfer from the carrier fabric to the transfer felt is utilized. However, a significant force is required to impinge the transfer head against the transfer felt in order to effect sufficient transfer of the web from the forming wire to the transfer felt.
In yet another attempt to overcome the above-noted shortcomings, French Patent No. 1,573,109 discloses an automatic transferring apparatus for transferring a web from a forming wire to a transfer felt formed of a closed loop by means of a suction block mounted inside the felt loop and comprising a suction zone across the felt band which first contacts under pressure at a point of the transfer of the web carried by the forming wires so that a couching zone is established in which the three bands comprising the transfer felt, web and forming wire find themselves applied against the box. A perforated area of the suction box is provided to subject an inside surface of the transfer felt to a vacuum in order to effect transfer of the web from the forming wire to the transfer felt. However, again a significant force is necessary in order to transfer the web in the manner suggested.
Clearly, there is a need in the art for a web transfer device wherein a greater effective force can be generated in the couching zone for effecting sufficient transfer of the web from a forming wire to a transfer felt without jeopardizing the overall capacity of the paper making machine. Moreover, there is a need for a suction box construction wherein the overall production of the paper making machine is increased by increasing the pick up effectiveness of the transfer felt and reducing the number of breaks of the web during the paper making manufacturing process.

Method and apparatus for transferring a web from a forming wire to a transferring felt in a paper making machine


A pressure relief valve for an air gun limits the maximum muzzle velocity of the gun without losing an excessive amount of pressure. The valve includes a valve housing which is provided with an intake orifice, a chamber, and a discharge orifice. A check valve in the chamber normally closes the intake orifice. The intake orifice communicates with the pressure reservoir of the gun, and, when excessive pressure builds up within the pressure reservoir, the check valve opens to relieve the excess pressure.

This invention relates to a pressure relief valve for pneumatic powered guns, and, more particularly, to a pressure relief valve which prevents excessive loss of pressure when air is vented to limit the maximum muzzle velocity.
A pneumatic or air powered gun conventionally includes a pressure reservoir for storing pressurized air and firing means for releasing the pressurized air to propel a projectile out of the barrel. Pressure is usually built up in the reservoir by a hand pump mounted on the gun, and the pressure in the reservoir is increased each time the pump is operated. However, variations in the amount of pumping affect the performance of the gun. Excessive muzzle velocity caused by over-pumping violates government regulations in some jurisdictions. Excessive pressure also causes abnormal wear and damage to components of the gun. Over-pumping can also result in all of the pressure not being released when the gun is fired, and an unexpected discharge might occur without the gun being pumped if the trigger is again pulled. Under-pumping creates a weak muzzle velocity and inaccurate shots.
Pressure relief valves have been employed to control the maximum pressure in guns and other devices. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,486,215, 3,025,633, and 3,680,540 disclose valves for shunting air away from the projectile to reduce muzzle velocity when the pressure reaches a certain limit. However, performance can be affected by surging and the resulting excessive loss of pressure. For example, assume that it is desired to limit the pressure to that which provides a muzzle velocity of 500 feet per second (fps). The last pump which increases the pressure over the desired maximum will open the pressure relief valve, and sufficient pressure might escape before the valve closes to reduce the muzzle velocity substantially below 500 fps. The resulting low pressure not only causes low muzzle velocity but can also cause jamming.
The invention controls maximum muzzle velocity of the gun while minimizing surging and loss of excessive amounts of pressure. A check valve includes a spring-biased plunger which fits relatively snuggly in the housing of the check valve and which normally closes the air inlet of the check valve. The valve housing has a relatively small air outlet orifice which creates backpressure when the plunger moves away from the air inlet. The backpressure and the snug fit between the plunger and the valve housing restrain movement of the plunger and permit the spring to return the plunger to its sealing position almost immediately after the pressure in the gun falls below the desired maximum.

Air gun and pressure relief valve therefor


A radiator with a securing device for cooling the heat generating unit, which is attached to a base plate. The securing device basically is a locating part with a locating opening and disposed beneath the radiator to support and locate the radiator. There are secure arms with fixing holes extending radially from the locating part for being fastened to the base plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiator with a securing device and particularly to a securing device, with which the radiator can keep closely contact with a heat-generating part on a circuit board.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
The central processing unit (CPU) has been designed to provide extremely fast operation speed and, under this circumstance, it results in much more heat being created. Hence, in order to avoid high heat affecting normal operation of the CPU, a more efficient cooling device is required for heat dissipation.
The conventional cooling device usually includes a radiator, a cooling fan and a securing device. The cooling fan is disposed on the radiator to induce airflow for convection. The securing device is used to allow the radiator being fixedly attached to the CPU.
Taiwanese Patent Official Gazette No. 562158, entitled "fixing device for cooling fins being joined to a CPU", includes a frame base, a lower plate and a fixing piece. The frame base has a rectangular shape to be disposed on the main board such that the cooling fins can contact the surface of the CPU. The lower plate is disposed beneath the CPU with two posts thereof piercing both the main board and the frame base. The fixing piece is disposed on the cooling fins with two ends thereof engages with the two posts with a screw rod respectively.
However, in order to locate the fixing device of the preceding prior art, a groove has to be provided such that the structure and shape of the radiator is restricted by the fixing device and the cooling area of the radiator is limited. As a result, the heat dissipation efficiency is incapable of being promoted.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, another conventional cooling device has a radiator 11 mounted to a base plate 12 with a CPU 13 thereon and the radiator 11 has a locating lug with a through hole 112 at each of four lateral sides of the radiator 11 such the radiator 11 is secured to the base plate 12 by means of all the through holes 112 corresponding to the fixing holes 121 in the base plate 12 and being passed through with screws 141 and a spring 142 being disposed around the screws 141 respectively. Hence, the radiator 11 can keep contact with the CPU 13 against resilient bias force of the spring 142. It can be seen that the spring 142 is pressed between the head of the screw 141 and the locating lug to prevent the engaging holes 112 and the base plate 12 from damage due to excessive fastening force exerting to the screw 141 and prevent the CPU 13 from damage due to the radiator 11 excessively squeezing the CPU 13.
But, a problem of the preceding prior art resides in that the screws 141 and the springs 142 are separately packed while being delivered so that the screws 141 and the springs 142 are easy missing during mounting the radiator 11 to the base plate 12. Moreover, the springs 142 in addition to the screws 141 makes the overall production cost and set-up cost high.


A radiant tube heater is provided for a gas fired burner which fires heated products of combustion into an inner longitudinally-extending tube which is concentrically pinned to an outer longitudinally-extending tube which in turn is concentrically mounted within a heat transfer, tube which radiates heat to work. The outer and inner transfer tubes have closed axial ends opposite the burner and the inner tube is radially spaced closely adjacent the outer tube to define an annular heat transfer passage therebetween. A specific hole size pattern in the inner and outer tubes in combination with the radial distance of the heat transfer passage insure long path gas flow lengths which promote laminar flow and even heat distribution along the length thereof thus producing a radiant tube which radiates heat uniformly from the heat transfer tube to the work along its length.

Because of the small sizing of the casing or bore diameter of injection and production oil recovery wells, down hole heaters, if used, have heretofore relied on electrical heating elements inserted into the casing. Whether the heating elements be resistance heating elements or induction heating elements, the power generating equipment must be capable of generating high heat fluxes. The space limitations within the casing make it difficult to position and size electrical heating elements which can generate high heat flux uniformly along the casing lengths. In fact, the heating elements gradually heat the steam or water travelling along the length of the elements to higher and higher temperatures until steam is formed at the discharge point. Thus, down hole heaters use excessive amounts of electricity to generate high heating fluxes in applications where heating progresses to the highest temperature coincident with the discharge point of the steam from the heater. Those types of heaters are clearly inapplicable to the oil recovery system claimed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,596 grandparent patent or to any other recovery scheme where a uniform heat flux is required over a length portion of the heater.
Fuel fired burners are, from an energy cost analysis, less expensive than electrical heating arrangements. However, the size of the well casing coupled with the requirement that hot water or steam be generated or boosted at the bottom of the casing while the steam or water flows therethrough has heretofore precluded their application as heaters for recovering materials from subterranean formations.
Radiant tube burners or heaters have long been used in industrial heating applications and have conventionally been powered by electrical heating elements or by fuel fired burners. Electrically heated radiant tubes basically comprise heating elements within a tube which extend into a furnace or work zone. The elements radiate heat to the tube and the tube radiates heat to the work. In high temperature heating applications such as those involving the melting of metals and the like, electrically heated radiant tubes are preferred since the heating elements radiate uniform heat flux to the tube. Again, the cost of electricity in a high temperature flux application dictates that fuel fired burners be used to fire their products of combustion into a tube which in turn will radiate heat to the work. However, fuel fired radiant tube heating applications do not maintain a uniform temperature along the length of the tube especially at high temperatures where radiated heat fluxes are especially significant when considering heat transfers from burner to work. In such application, the adiabatic temperatures produced by the fuel fired burner cause a hot spot whereat the heat flux intensity is greater than that at other areas of the burner. Numerous schemes have been tried to arrive at uniform distribution heat patterns, especially at high temperatures from fuel fired burners. These have met with varying degrees of success. One such arrangement, funded by Gas Research Institute, uses a tangentially fired burner with products of combustion from the burner entering a slotted baffle arrangement to develop high convective heat transfers in the form of slotted jets. Convective heat transfer from the slotted jet is then used as a "boost" to the radiated heat flux from the tangential burners to heat a mantle to very high temperatures of 2500.degree. F. However, the heat transfer coefficient while enhanced with this arrangement is fundamentally limited by the coefficient attributed to the radiation heat transfer of the tangentially fired burner which is poor.
Also, within the industrial burner art there are numerous fuel fired burner arrangements which, at first glance, might bear some structural resemblance to the fuel fired radiant tube heater of the present invention, but which have entirely different functions and purposes associated with the structure. For example, Bark U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,719 discloses a burner with longitudinally spaced apertures designed to receive combustion air for cooling certain burner parts to prevent thermal breakdown of the burner.


Methods are disclosed for activating dopants in a doped semiconductor substrate. A carbon precursor is flowed into a substrate processing chamber within which the doped semiconductor substrate is disposed. A plasma is formed from the carbon precursor in the substrate processing chamber. A carbon film is deposited over the substrate with the plasma. A temperature of the substrate is maintained while depositing the carbon film less than 500° C. The deposited carbon film is exposed to electromagnetic radiation for a period less than 10 ms, and has an extinction coefficient greater than 0.3 at a wavelength comprised by the electromagnetic radiation.

Two factors that drive much of the development of electronic devices are the desire to increase the density of devices on a substrate and to increase the speed of such devices by reducing their response time. Both these factors are related to the overall performance of products that use electronic devices. An increase in the device density not only permits increased miniaturization of such products, but permits the deployment of a greater number of devices; this, in turn, permits greater versatility or functionality to be implemented with the devices. Increasing the speed of the individual devices also permits the functionality to be enhanced by permitting the execution of a greater number of instructions within any defined time period.
There are a number of approaches that have been investigated to improve both these factors. One technique for increasing the speed of devices may be understood with reference to FIG. 1, which provides a schematic illustration of the structure of a typical transistor 100. The device 100 includes source 104 and drain 108 regions within a semiconducting substrate 116. A material that is commonly used for the substrate 116 is silicon. Application of a voltage to a gate 112 permits current to flow between the source 104 and drain 108 through a junction 120. The speed of such a device may be increased by including and activating suitable dopants that act to increase the conductivity of the junction 120. For example, boron and arsenic are known to increase the conductivity of silicon when the structure is annealed to promote bonding of those dopants with neighboring silicon atoms. The annealing causes a rearrangement of the dopant electron structure that results in an improvement in conduction, and is sometimes referred to in the art as an "activation" step.
Activation is conventionally performed thermally by raising the temperature of the entire substrate. The effectiveness of the activation in promoting conduction is generally proportional to the temperature that is achieved, so that it is preferable to raise the temperature of the substrate to be close to its melting point. The melting point of silicon is 1410° C., so when activation is achieved with a thermal anneal, it is desirable to raise the temperature of the substrate to about 1300-1350° C. But at these temperatures, the diffusivity of the atoms in the substrate is also increased. While a thermal anneal may thus achieve the desired dopant activation, such an anneal also tends to raise the temperature of the substrate for relatively long periods of time. This reduces the level of control that may be exercised over the size and shape of the junction 120.
Both the ability to increase the conductivity of the junction and the ability to control its size and shape are desirable. There is accordingly a general need in the art for methods of activating dopants while retaining control over the size and shape of device junctions.

Dopant activation in doped semiconductor substrates


A resistance assembly having a resistance member prevents accidental movement of a hookstick operated switching assembly. A switch assembly of the hookstick operated switching assembly is mounted on a base. The resistance member includes a lever connected to the switch assembly that moves the switch between opened and closed positions. A first end of a pin is connected to the lever. A resistance member is connected to a second end of the pin. The resistance member contacts the base when the lever rotates to move the switch assembly between open and closed positions, thereby preventing accidental opening and closing of the switch assembly.

Overhead electric power distribution lines are supported on utility poles that may be 40-50 feet high. Horizontal supports mounted to the pole often carry various distribution apparatus. Because such distribution lines commonly operate in a three-phase system with three lines mechanically connected to the horizontal support and electrically insulated from each other, three associated lines ordinarily must be switched and reconnected simultaneously for maintenance or rerouting of power. This simultaneous switching process requires some form of group operated switch system.
Currently, many high voltage switch assemblies for overhead power distribution lines are open and closed by a field technician using a hookstick. The hookstick engages an operating lever connected to a universal control section securely connected to the rotatable switch phase bearing. Rotation of the bearing is translated into lateral displacement of an interphase shaft along the horizontal support beam. Conductive switch blades on each switch phase connection may be rotated into or out of electrical connection with the respective phase line. Pulling a hook on the operating lever with the hookstick rotates the control shaft, which rotates the switch blades into either closed or open positions.
High voltage overhead power switches are typically mounted well above ground and experience a variety of externally applied forces, such as weather, wild animals, vandalism, utility pole deformation, and vibration, which may cause a switch blade to move or close unintentionally. Furthermore, if a switch blade moves close enough to a contact, flashover may occur. The operating lever must maintain the security required to prevent unintended closing, opening or movement of the conductive blades. Therefore, a need exists for an overhead switch assembly having a resistance assembly to prevent accidental closing, opening or movement of the switch blades.
Accidental closing of a switch blade may cause equipment damage, loss of electrical service and personnel injury. Therefore, a need exists for a resistance assembly to secure a switch assembly in an open position. A further need exists for a resistance assembly for high voltage three phase distribution systems that provides resistance forces to maintain the switchblades in an opened or closed position despite ambient wind, weather, and vibration.
Existing switch assemblies generally require positive measures to be taken to ensure that the switch assembly is locked and prevented from operating. U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,730 to Phillips, Sr.; U.S Pat. No. 5,467,622 to Becker et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,528 to Benda disclose switch assemblies in which an operator must manually lock the switch in an open or closed position. Thus, a need exists for a resistance assembly that secures a switch assembly in an open or closed position without requiring the operator to manually lock the switch assembly in that position.
A need exists for an improved resistance assembly to secure a switch assembly in an open or closed position.

Resistance assembly for hookstick operated switching assembly


A cache memory controller in which data processing systems having active power management may efficiently flush a cache during a shut down operation. A cache map divides the cache into a number of blocks and an inclusion bit is stored for each block. The block inclusion bit is set whenever a cache line in the block is fetched. As a result, when it is time to flush the cache during a time critical power management operation, the software need only flush those sections of the cache where the block inclusion bit has been set.

Cache memories are small, relatively high speed memories used in most modern data processing systems to temporarily replicate portions of main memory which are currently in use by a central processing unit (CPU). By segmenting memory into higher speed cache and lower speed main memory, a substantial increase in software execution rate can be experienced since most programs access the same portions of memory over and over again. Therefore, by keeping as much of the actively needed data as possible in the cache, the CPU avoids the need to access the slower main memory.
Cache memories operate by mirroring the contents of main memory in a way which is typically transparent to the CPU. For example, each memory address generated by the CPU is first passed to a cache controller. The cache controller keeps track of which portions of main memory are currently assigned to the cache. On each memory access, if the cache is currently assigned to hold the contents of the requested address, a "cache hit" occurs and the cache is enabled to complete the access, whether it be a write access or a read access. If this is not the case, a "cache miss" has occurred, and the main memory is enabled for access. When a miss occurs, the cache typically assigns the requested miss address to itself, fetches the data from memory, and if necessary, displaces the contents of a corresponding cache location.
Also common in data processing systems such as personal computers are power management features whereby the CPU may be shut down during periods of non-use in order to conserve energy. In order for such features to avoid corrupting data in the main memory, power management activities must be coordinated with so-called "cache flushing." Cache flushing is an operation by which the contents of the cache are copied back to main memory, and must typically be performed prior to a power down sequence in order to avoid losing data. It is therefore common to include a so-called "dirty" bit with each cache location, indicating whether the data for the cache location is different from the corresponding data in the main memory. Thus, during the flushing operation, the system walks through the list of dirty bits for each cache location to determine whether the data must be written back to main memory prior to continuing with the power management sequence.
While the need to check each cache location for coherency with respect to the main memory was not a particular problem when cache memories were of a fairly small size, it is now common for cache memories to include many megabytes. Therefore, the time for a cache flushing operation is no longer insignificant; indeed, it is quite possible that the cache flushing operation itself may consume a significant portion of the total power dissipation of the system. As a result, the system may consume significantly more power than otherwise necessary during idle periods. The user may also end up having to wait for the system to complete a cache flushing operation, which tends to minimize any visible benefit from enabling power management features in the first place, especially when the processor is only lightly loaded.

Inclusion map for accelerated cache flush


A fiberoptic feedthrough fastener and method for forming same comprising sliding a first and second sections of heat shrink tubing up a fiberoptic cable beyond a fastening point. The jacket of the cable is then stripped off at the fastening point, the strength member is stripped off slightly beyond the fastening point, and the exposed strength member is folded back away from the buffered fibers. A section of protective tubing is slid over the exposed buffered fibers until it abuts the end of the jacket. The second section of heat shrink tubing is slid down the cable and the protective tubing. The exposed strength member is caught by the second section of heat shrink tubing and pulled over and about the protective tubing. The second section of heat shrink tubing is then secured about the protective tubing and exposed strength member. The first section of heat shrink tubing is slid down the cable and secured about the protective tubing and jacket forming a gap of exposed strength member between the two sections of heat shrink tubing. The entire assembly is placed in an injection mold cavity and a PVC mold is formed. The exposed aramid fibers in the strength member gap adhere to the PVC mold as it cools. The PVC mold is configured with a fastening path that conforms to an aperture in a housing. Two protrusions are included on the PVC mold that provide a grommet-like effect allowing the feedthrough fastener to be secured to the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a feedthrough fastener and a method for forming same for fiberoptic cable systems containing buffered fibers and more particularly to a feedthrough fastener and a method for forming same utilizing an injection mold wherein the buffered fibers are not subject to stress during or after the injection molding process and wherein the injection mold allows the integrity and support of the strength member of the cable system to be maintained in the feedthrough fastener.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fiberoptic cables are quickly displacing copper wiring as the medium of choice in local area network systems. The fiber environment, however, raises certain unique problems resulting from the delicate nature of fibers. For example, fiberoptic systems are extremely susceptible to signal loss or distortion, and even permanent damage to the fiber, when excessive bending of the fiber occurs or when forces such as pulling or crushing are exerted on the fiber.
These problems have been addressed by the placement of fibers within a cable system comprised of an outer jacket, which in turn surrounds a strength member comprised of aramid fibers, such as kevlar, which in turn surrounds one or more buffered fibers. This cable system allows stress from pulling and crushing to be absorbed by the outer jacket and strength member. In addition, these components provide a certain degree of rigidity to the cable, thereby protecting against extreme bending. Even with these features, however, fiberoptic cables must still be handled with care.
The delicate nature of fibers is a factor that comes into play when the end of a fiber is terminated or spliced. A certain length of the outer jacket and strength member is often stripped from the buffered fiber at the termination or splice point. The remaining length of exposed buffered fiber is generally spliced to another section of exposed buffered fiber or attached to a fiberoptic connector. The section of exposed buffered fiber, however, is highly susceptible to damage from external forces.
Some protection is afforded to the section of exposed buffered fiber by enclosing this section in a housing such as a wallbox. Such housings are well known and examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,874,904 and 4,850,901. While these housings protect the exposed buffered fiber from direct forces, the risk still exists of damage to the exposed buffered fiber from forces exerted on remote sections of the cable system.
For example, a pulling force exerted on a remote section of the cable system may be transmitted axially along said cable system and be absorbed by the exposed buffered fiber at its splice/connection point. This force can seriously damage the fiber since it must absorb this force without the aid of the strength member of the cable system. A pulling force may also be exerted in a direction that results in a sharp bend in the cable system at the point it enters the housing, i.e., about the edge of the aperture in said housing. Such a bend, even if at a point where the cover and strength member still surround the buffered fibers, can damage the fiber if it is severe enough.
These problems are well known and a number of prior art methods and devices have been used to attempt to resolve these problems. Each of these methods or devices, however, has disadvantages and fails to adequately protect the integrity of the buffered fibers.
In particular, it has generally been recognized that it is desirable to maintain the protection afforded by the cable system's strength member in order to protect the integrity of the buffered fibers. For example, one method that is used is to secure the cable system's strength member to the housing. This is done, for example, by tying an exposed length of the aramid fibers to a portion of the housing. This method generally fails to maintain the same degree of protection afforded by the strength member to the cable system since it doesn't eliminate stress on the buffered fibers when external forces are imposed. Furthermore, it fails to address the damage caused to the buffered fibers if severe bending occurs about the aperture to the housing.
Other attempts to resolve these problems have utilized various devices wherein compression pressure on the cable system is utilized to hold it in place within the housing and as some protection against remote forces. For example, cable ties--as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,881, grommets--as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,231, and clamps--as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,004 have been used to secure cable systems to housings. The use of each of these devices has two primary disadvantages.
First, regardless of how tightly each of these devices hold the cable system, there is no direct connection between the device and the cable system's strength member. Accordingly, some degree of the protection afforded by the strength member is lost. Second, inherent in the use of a compression force to secure the cable system in place is some risk of damaging the buffered fibers and their signal paths as a result of a strong compression force. More likely, however, this compression force will eliminate the free movement of the buffered fibers within the cable system; thereby causing the jacket, strength member and buffered fibers to act as one element. When this occurs, a remote force exerted on the cable system that would otherwise be absorbed by the jacket and strength member will also be absorbed by the buffered fibers, resulting in damage to the fibers.
A relatively quick and inexpensive method of securing the cable system to the housing would be to utilize an injection mold shaped to conform to the aperture in the housing and formed about the cable system. The use of an injection mold for this purpose has been limited, however, inasmuch as the injection molding process may exert a substantial amount of stress on those elements within the interior of the mold.

Fiberoptic cable feedthrough fastener and method for forming same


A method for performing a bandwidth test for communications from a first network station to a second network station of a communication network is based on the probe rate model (PRM) in which iteratively a train of probe sample packets is transmitted from the first station to the second station with a constant packet rate per iteration. The packet rate is adapted to the available bandwidth on the data pipe per iteration. According to the disclosure the number of probe packets per train of probe sample packets is varied with the available bandwidth per iteration. This increases the accuracy of the test, in particular, in the range where a high data rate is available on the data pipe. A step decreasing factor (SDF) is applied with which the performance test is improved. Such step decreasing factor is dependent on the network jitter and further improves the performance of the test.

Active network measurement is a way to get information about network connection characteristics for using network resources in a most efficient way. "Active measurement" in this context means network performance measurements based on the injection of additional data packets into the data network. The measurement is then performed by analyzing the basic parameters of such probe samples. The most important parameters hereby are one-way delay (OWD) and inter packet time interval measured in the receiving station (IpIR). This is the time interval between receptions of two consecutive arriving samples. The receiving station takes the time when the probe sample data packets arrive and calculates the inter packet time interval (IpIR). In the following for the long expression "probe sample data packets" the short forms "probe sample packet" or "probe packet" are synonymously used. An example of a "probe sample data packet" is an UDP datagram that contains a time stamp showing the time of the sending station when this datagram has been sent. UDP here stands for the well-known user datagram protocol.
Due to variations in transmission paths and in queuing hold-up, the transmission delays experienced by the different packets can vary considerably in a non-deterministic way. In extreme cases, a packet sent earlier may arrive at a later time than one that was sent later.
There exists in literature a so-called probe rate model (PRM). According to this model, the sender iteratively sends probe sample packets via the network to a receiver. Per iteration the measurement is performed with a different constant bit rate (CBR). Per iteration, the sender sends a so called train of probe samples—certain amount of consecutive probe samples sent with a constant inter packet time interval (IpIS) measured in the sending station. After reception of the train of probe samples, the receiver analyses the received datagrams and their arrival times and makes a suggestion whether the CBR in the last iteration was higher than the available bandwidth or not. If the result shows that CBR is higher—then the receiver generates a new inter-packet time interval that should be used by sender (IpIS) for the next iteration. So, this will be fed back to the sender in a message. The relation between CBR and IpIS is shown in equation (1)
                              CBR          =                      SS            IpIS                          ,                            (        1        )                            where SS is the Segment Size of the UDP packet.
Measurements according to the PRM model begin with a maximum possible CBR (e.g. with the link data rate at the sender, i.e. probe packets are "pumped" into the data pipe with the minimum possible distance in time) and then iteratively decreased until the receiver assumes, that the CBR of the last iteration was not higher than the available bandwidth on the path between the data sender and data receiver. This is the end point of the measurement phase and the available bandwidth is assumed to be not less than the last used CBR.
The PRM model is described in the following articles:    [1] M. Jain and C. Dovrolis, "End-to-end available bandwidth: measurement methodology, dynamics, and relation with TCP throughput," IEEEACM Trans. Netw., vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 537-549, August 2003.    [2] J. Sommers, P. Barford, and W. Willinger, "A Proposed Framework for Calibration of Available Bandwidth Estimation Tools," in 11th IEEE Symposium on Computers and Communications, 2006. ISCC '06. Proceedings, 2006, pp. 709-718.

Method for performing a bandwidth test for communications from a first network station to a second network station of a communication network and corresponding apparatuses for performing the method steps and corresponding computer program products


The present invention generally relates to the field of fermentation technology and microorganisms useful for such fermentations. The invention also relates to materials including nucleic acids and proteins useful for altering fermentation characteristics of microorganisms, and to microorganisms comprising such nucleic acids and/or proteins. In particular, the invention relates to materials for conferring, modifying or reducing microbial stress resistance.

The biotechnological production of substances of interest is, on an industrial scale, generally performed by cultivating a microorganism in a liquid medium, wherein said microorganism is capable of producing said substance of interest under the cultivation conditions. During such liquid fermentation, individual microorganism cells experience conditions that vary greatly and in a complex way over time. In response to such changing conditions, microorganism cells may respond by altering gene expression, which in turn may lead to an undesirably low production of the substance of interest. There is correspondingly a need to provide microorganisms with improved resilience against unfavourable fermentation conditions, thus allowing for an increased production of a substance of interest compared to comparable microorganisms.
It has thus frequently been tried to determine stress conditions during fermentations and to modify the genetic makeup of microorganisms in order to improve their resilience against such stress conditions. Unfortunately, analysis of fermentation conditions experienced by individual microorganism cells and their genetic reactions to such conditions is notoriously difficult. Wiegand et al. (Fermentation stage-dependent adaptations of Bacillus licheniformis during enzyme production; Microbial Cell Factories 2013, 12:120) have tried such analysis. However, understanding of fermentation conditions still remains largely incomplete.
While Wiegand et al. reported that no vegetative catalase (KatA) protein accumulation over time could be observed in Bacillus licheniformis during liquid fermentation production of a subtilisin protease, the inventors have surprisingly found that increased catalase activity improves overall fermentation characteristics e.g. of B. licheniformis in the liquid fermentation production of e.g. proteases. This was even more surprising as, according to Wiegand et al., O2 partial pressure (pO2) is severely reduced throughout basically all stages of such fermentation. Thus, formation of hydrogen peroxide as a major stressor was not to be expected.
It was thus an object of the present invention to provide materials and methods for improving fermentations, for reducing oxidative stress during fermentations, for removing hydrogen peroxide from a medium, for increasing hydrogen peroxide tolerance of a microorganism and/or for protecting a microbially produced substance against oxidation. It was also an object of the present invention to provide a suitable catalase for the aforementioned goals, and to provide microorganisms making use of such catalase, and to provide corresponding fermentation methods.


A machine tooling system is provided, comprising a tooling machine having a plurality of adjustable cutting units installed at various locations therein, a collet for holding a workpiece to be tooled, and a presetter machine for adjusting the adjustable cutting units to within prescribed specifications when the adjustable cutting units are detached from the tooling machine. Each of the adjustable cutting units may be precisely positioned to contact the workpiece to be tooled, and each is provided with an identification device attached thereto. The identification devices provide (i) location information identifying a particular location on the tooling machining for which the cutting unit is precisely adjusted and (ii) adjustment information including the adjustment parameters at which the adjustable cutting unit is preset. A cutting unit identification subsystem reads and stores the location information and the adjustment information provided by the identification devices.

In the field of machine tooling, blank workpieces are tooled into various objects having particular specifications by rotating the workpiece against a forming tool. Typically, the blank workpiece is held in place by a sleeve or collet which is rotated at high speeds. One or more forming tools are brought into contact with the rotating workpiece to form the tooled object. If more than one forming tool is utilized, they may simultaneously contact the workpiece being tooled or may sequentially contact the workpiece using, for example, a multi-spindle chucking machine. The multi-spindle machine is indexed through a multi-stage process during which different portions of the object are tooled at each stage in the sequence.
Each of the plurality of forming tools in a multi-spindle tooling machine must be precisely adjusted to provide for tooled objects which have dimensions that fall within acceptable tolerances. Typically, each of the forming tools is manually adjusted and the dimensions of the resulting tooled object are measured. This manual adjustment of the forming tool continues until the resulting tooled object falls within the prescribed specifications. The objects which are tooled to dimensions outside of the acceptable tolerances during this manual adjustment period are scrapped.
Because of slight variances in the dimensions of corresponding locations of forming tools on different tooling machines, and even between corresponding locations on different spindles of the same tooling machine, the positions of the manually adjusted forming tools may not be interchanged throughout the system without compromising the accuracy of the tooling operation. A forming tool which is precisely adjusted for a particular location within the tooling operation may not be correctly adjusted for another location in the operation at which an identical forming operation takes place. The adjustments made to each forming tool are considered reliable only for that location at which they are made. Accordingly, every time that a new tooling operation is required, each of the forming tools must again be manually adjusted for the new operation, resulting in additional scrap material. Manual readjustment may even be required if the spindle tooling machine is shut down after operating for an extended period of time, due to thermal expansion and contraction of the tooling machine itself.
The forming tools in these types of tooling operations typically have a finite operational lifetime during which acceptable performance of the tool is insured. If the forming tool should continue to be used in forming operations after its operational lifetime has elapsed, the resulting tooled objects may not be within the required specifications, resulting in tooled objects which must be scrapped. Thereafter, the replacement tool requires initial manual adjustment before it can form objects within acceptable tolerances. This required manual adjustment results in further unacceptable material.
Multi-spindle tooling machines are typically provided with a plurality of indexing stations. Each of these indexing stations may include more than one forming tool. Accordingly, each multi-spindle tooling machine has associated with it a significant number of forming tools, each of which must be precisely adjusted to properly form the tooled object within acceptable tolerances. If a particular tooling operation includes several multi-spindle tooling machines, the task of manually adjusting each of the forming tools in the tooling operation during an initial operation, in response to a new tooling operation, and during forming tool replacement, may result in a significant amount of scrap material. Moreover, the time required for the manual adjustment of each of the forming tools in the tooling operation may significantly reduce the output of the operation.
Accordingly, present methods of adjusting forming tools in tooling operations utilizing multi-spindle tooling machines result in considerable amounts of scrapped material as well as excessive downtime. Thus, there is a need for improved methods of adjusting such forming tools so as to increase the efficiency of these types of operations and to reduce the amount of resultant scrap material produced by the operation. The present invention addresses this need.

System and method for presetting tooling


An automatic production apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers which include a rotor rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis where the rotor includes a removable carrier capable of holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers or glass photomask plates and a plastic-coated bar for retaining the semiconductor wafers in the carrier when inverted at low RPM's and a plurality of spray nozzles for providing the processing medium and a recessed drain for removing the expended processing medium. A timing device sequentially controls the processing functions and structure is provided to accomplish these functions.

This invention relates to an apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers or glass photomask plates, and more particularly, to improve machine operated functions improving the processing yield of semiconductor wafers. In the production of integrated circuits, the semiconductor wafers or substrates from which the chips are cut, are processed through multiple steps. The basic material for the substrates on the wafers may be silicon, glass, or ceramic materials of various sorts or other similar materials of very thin wafer-like configuration. This basic substrate is subjected to coating, etching, and cleaning processes and it is extremely important that each processing step is performed with the greatest possible yield allowing a decrease in production costs.
Semiconductor wafers and glass photomask plates in the past have been processed by spinning them about a vertical axis where the wafers or masks are stacked vertically as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,822 with various holding mechanisms such as vacuum chucks. This has led to further disadvantages where the wafer may be only processed on one side at a time without a significantly different processing rate, wherein the topside processes at a much faster rate than that of the underside.
Other processing devices such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,471, process each wafer individually. Although the wafer is rotated about a horizontal axis, such a device only can process a single wafer at each station and is expensive and time consuming.
The present invention permits the processing of a plurality of wafers at the same time and, because of the substantially horizontal axis of rotation, each side of the wafer is processed at effectively the same rate. The axis of rotation is not exactly horizontal, as if it were, the wafers could lay in the carrier in a manner that might permit touching of each other which might allow a miniscus to form between two wafers which, because of the surface tension, would prohibit proper processing and reduce the yield of good semiconductor wafers.


A ring oscillator includes a plurality of inverters, a leakage current generating part, and a current controlling part. The current controlling part supplies the inverters with a source current in accordance with a value of a leakage current generated from the leakage current generating part. The leakage current generated from the leakage current generating part is correlated with a leakage current generated from a memory cell. The oscillating frequency of the ring oscillator can be varied in accordance with the leakage current generated from the leakage current generating part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ring oscillator formed on an integrated circuit such as a timer circuit for performing self refresh of DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and PSRAM (pseudo static random access memory), etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is shown in FIG. 4, a conventional ring oscillator formed on an integrated circuit such as a timer circuit for a semiconductor memory device comprises an odd number of inverters 111a, 111b and 111c, an inverter 111d, and a delay circuit 112. The inverters 111a, 111b and 111c are connected to each other so as to make a ring, and the inverter 111d and the delay circuit 112 are inserted in the ring of the ring oscillator. Accordingly, a signal outputted from the delay circuit 112 is inverted via the odd number of inverters 111a, 111b and 111c. Then the signal outputted from the inverter 111c is inputted into the inverter 111d. Therefore, the ring oscillator oscillates in a frequency in accordance with the time required for the passage of the signal through the odd number of inverters 111a, 111b and 111c, and the inverter 111d, and the time delayed in the delay circuit 112.
The oscillating frequency of a conventional ring oscillator is varied in accordance with the time delayed in the delay circuit 112. The time delayed in the delay circuit 112 is varied in accordance with the time period from the time when an output level of the inverter 111d becomes low (L) to the time when a terminal voltage level of a capacitor C charged via a resistor R becomes high (H). Therefore, the oscillating frequency can be varied by suitably changing the time constant of a circuit formed of the resistor R and the capacitor C.
The resistor R and the capacitor C are formed on the integrated circuit. Accordingly, the oscillating frequency of the conventional ring oscillator is determined based on the resistance value of the resistor R and the capacitance value of the capacitor C. The oscillating frequency of the ring oscillator formed on the integrated circuit is not correlated with the leakage current generated from a memory cell. Moreover, when the ring oscillator is used for performing self refresh of the memory cell, the oscillating frequency should be determined based on the case where the amount of the leakage current generated from the memory cell is the largest. Therefore, there is a disadvantage in that the ring oscillator unnecessarily performs the self refresh when the amount of the leakage current generated from the memory cell is not so large.

Ring oscillator having a variable oscillating frequency


A frictionally press-bonded member includes a steel pipe, and a stab. The steel pipe has opposite ends. The stab is frictionally press-bonded to at least one of the opposite ends of the steel pipe. The steel pipe is subjected to a normalizing treatment before being frictionally press-bonded to the stab.

Frictionally press-bonded members have been employed to make propeller shafts or drive shafts, which transmit driving forces to wheels for driving automobiles, in order to make them lightweight to improve the automobiles' mileage. The frictionally press-bonded members have been made by frictionally pressing bonding steel pipes and stabs.
Such frictionally press-boned members have been required conventionally to exhibit dimensional accuracy. Accordingly, it has been a usual practice to use steel pipes, which have been made in the following manner. For example, the steel pipes are cold drawn, and are then subjected to an annealing treatment at the Ac1 transformation temperature in order to make them free from strains and residual stresses. However, when frictionally press-bonding the pipes, which have been cold drawn and followed by the annealing treatment, and stabs, there might arise problems that the resulting frictionally press-bonded members have exhibited unstable fatigue strength so that they would not produce targeted strength. Consequently, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Gazette No. 10-267,027, it is necessary to perform a heat treatment to obtain predetermined strength after frictionally press-bonding a steel pipe and a stab. Alternatively, it is needed to design the strength of resultant frictionally press-bonded member while taking the strength lowering allowance into account.
However, it is not appropriate to give frictionally press-bonded members desired strength assuredly by performing a heat treatment after frictionally press-bonding steel pipes and stabs, because such a countermeasure not only increases the production costs but also deteriorates the productivity. Moreover, note that the strength lowering allowance of resultant frictionally press-bonded member depends on the frictionally press-bonding conditions. Accordingly, it has not been practical at all to design the strength of resultant frictionally press-bonded member while taking the strength lowering allowance into account, and additionally it has been difficult to guarantee the qualities of resultant frictionally press-bonded member. Consequently, it has been desired to develop a frictionally press-bonded member whose strength hardly lowers even after it has undergone frictional press-bonding.


The present invention relates to non-noble metal combustion catalyst for carbon monoxide comprising Cuxe2x80x94Al/Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxides and aluminum oxide support. The catalysts comprise Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide and Cuxe2x80x94Al complex oxide successively loaded on the aluminum oxide support, wherein the loading weight ratio is 0.02-0.10 for Cexe2x80x94Alxe2x80x94O/Al2O3 and 0.05-0.15 for Cuxe2x80x94Alxe2x80x94O/Al2O3, and the Cuxe2x80x94Al complex oxide is dispersed in cluster form on the surface of the aluminum oxide support pre-covered with high dispersed nanoparticles of the Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for preparing the catalysts and their use as combustion promoter with high catalytic activity, high hydrothermal stability and ability of reducing NOx exhaust in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process of petroleum refining.

The present invention relates to non-noble metal combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide comprising copper-aluminum/cerium-aluminum complex oxides and aluminum oxide support, their preparation and use in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking process (FCC) of the petroleum industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to non-noble metal combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide comprising copper-aluminum complex oxide uniformly dispersed in cluster form on the Al2O3 support pre-covered with highly dispersed microcrystals of Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide, a process for their preparation and their use in the FCC process of petroleum refining as carbon monoxide combustion catalysts with high catalytic activity, high hydrothermal stability and the ability to reduce the emission of NOx.
In the FCC process of petroleum refining, the catalysts for catalytic cracking used in a vast amount usually need to be regenerated by the aid of the combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide. The combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide are called carbon monoxide combustion promoters (or promoters for short). Up to now, the combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide wildly used in the art all have noble metals of VIII group, such as Pt, Pd, etc, as their active component. In order to solve the problems of noble metal shortage and high production cost, non-noble metal carbon monoxide combustion catalysts, including perovskite-type complex oxides and non-perovskite type oxides, have been developed to substitute for all or part of noble metal (CN 1022542C and CN 1072109A etc). However, for these non-noble metal catalysts, neither their catalytic activity and stability, nor the reliability and facility of the related process, can be comparable to that achieved by using noble metal catalysts. For instance, the catalysts usually become inactive at the high temperature used in hydrothermal condition due to agglomeration of the active components and inevitable by-products. Therefore, researchers in the art have been making great efforts to improve the performances of the non-noble metal combustion catalysts.
The present inventors have developed two kinds of suitable complex oxides with imperfect structure on the bases of the structural chemistry principles. The interactions between two complex oxides make it possible for the catalytic active component to be uniformly dispersed on and firmly combined with the support, and thereby combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide having good performance and meeting the demands of industry have been prepared, showing a new progress in the art.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide carbon monoxide combustion catalysts comprising metal complex oxides firmly combined with a support as catalytic component, which have high catalytic activity, high hydrothermal stability and the ability to achieve the conversion of CO and HC, and hence can be used to substitute for noble metal combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide. The catalyst of the present invention also has favorable effects in reducing the NOx exhaust and the contamination to the environment. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing the non-noble metal combustion catalysts. Another object of the present invention relates to the use of the non-noble metal combustion catalysts as carbon monoxide combustion catalysts in the FFC process. Other objects of the present invention will be embodied in the following detailed description of the present invention.
The present invention relates to non-noble metal combustion catalysts for carbon monoxide comprising cerium-aluminum and copper-aluminum complex oxides successively loaded on aluminum oxide support, wherein the weight ratio between the two loaded complex oxides and the aluminum oxide support is respectively from 0.02 to 0.10, preferably 0.04-0.06 for Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide and 0.05-0.15, preferably 0.08-0.11 for Cuxe2x80x94Al complex oxide. Preferably, the Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide covering the surface of the aluminum oxide support is in the form of nanometer microcrystals with an imperfect structure, having a general formula of [Ce1xe2x88x92yAly][O2xe2x88x92y/2xe2x96xa1y/2][I]; and the Cuxe2x80x94Al complex oxide is dispersed in cluster form on the microcrystals of the Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide covering the aluminum oxide support, having an imperfect structure and a general formula of [Cu1xe2x88x923x/2Alxxe2x96xa1x/2]O [II]; wherein x=0.05-0.23, preferably x=0.10-0.17; and y=0.05-0.30, preferably y=0.10-0.22; xe2x96xa1 presents the vacancy in the crystal structure.
The present invention further relates to a process for preparing the aforesaid catalysts, which comprises:
A. impregnating the aluminum oxide support with an aqueous solution formed by mixing an aqueous solution comprising Cexe2x80x94Al compounds, preferably Ce and Al salts, such as their nitrates, with citric acid or its aqueous solution in a citric acid/total Cexe2x80x94Al metal ions molar ratio of 0.3-1.0, then the impregnated support being baked at 100-140xc2x0 C. for 2-4 hrs, pyrolysated at 200-300xc2x0 C. for 2-3 hrs, and then activated at 600-750xc2x0 C. for 2-5 hrs, to obtain the solid Al2O3 support covered with microcrystals of Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide; and
B. impregnating the solid obtained in the step A in an aqueous solution formed by mixing an aqueous solution comprising Cuxe2x80x94Al compounds, preferably Cu and Al salts, such as their nitrates, with citric acid or its aqueous solution in a citric/total Cuxe2x80x94Al metal ions molar ratio of 0.3-1.0, then the impregnated solid being baked at 100-150xc2x0 C. for 2-4 hrs, pyrolysated at 200-300xc2x0 C. for 2-3 hrs, and then activated at 500-650xc2x0 C. for 2-3 hrs, to obtain the final catalyst which further comprises Cuxe2x80x94Al complex oxide dispersed on its surface pre-covered with the microcrystals of Cexe2x80x94Al complex oxide.
The present invention also relates to the use of the aforesaid catalysts as carbon monoxide combustion catalyst in FCC process of petroleum refining.

Cu-Al/Ce-Al complex oxide combustion catalysts, their preparation and use


A connector for coupling a communication link to a printed circuit board includes a plurality of pins and a shield. The pins electrically couple the communication link to an interface on the printed circuit board and generate electromagnetic emissions when supplied with an electric current. The shield is displaced outwardly from the pins and prevents at least some of the electromagnetic emissions from radiating outside the connector. The shield includes a plurality of tabs that extend into the printed circuit board when the pins are electrically coupled to the interface.

This invention relates generally to printed circuit boards and associated connectors and, more particularly, to reducing electromagnetic emissions from a connector coupled to a printed circuit board.
Manufacturers of electronic devices frequently use printed circuit boards to mount resistors, capacitors, inductors, integrated circuits, and other electronic components. A printed circuit board generally provides electrical paths, called traces, that electrically couple to the electronic components mounted on the board. To communicate signals to external components, a printed circuit board typically includes one or more connectors that electrically couple traces within the printed circuit board to an external component using a communication link, such as a telecommunications cable.
Electromagnetic emissions from printed circuit boards generally, and from associated connectors in particular, create numerous problems for equipment operators and manufacturers. First, electromagnetic emissions from a connector may degrade the integrity of signals communicated within the printed circuit board and, consequently, may interfere with the operation of electronic components mounted on the printed circuit board. This interference is commonly known as crosstalk or feedback. Second, regulatory agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission in the United States, often restrict electromagnetic emissions from electronic devices to ensure that emissions from one device do not interfere with the operation of other devices.
As technology advances, the electronic components mounted on printed circuit boards, as well as the traces within the printed circuit board, continue to decrease in size. In addition, printed circuit boards must increasingly communicate signals at higher frequencies. Due to these higher frequencies and the closer proximity of traces and electronic components, previous connectors for printed circuit boards are increasingly unable to limit electromagnetic emissions sufficiently to meet both the signal integrity and regulatory requirements. These and other deficiencies make previous printed circuit boards and associated connectors inadequate for many applications.
According to the present invention, disadvantages and problems associated with printed circuit boards and associated connectors have been substantially reduced or eliminated.
According to one embodiment, a connector for coupling a communication link to a printed circuit board includes a plurality of pins and a shield. The pins electrically couple the communication link to an interface on the printed circuit board and generate electromagnetic emissions when supplied with an electric current. The shield is displaced outwardly from the pins and prevents at least some of the electromagnetic emissions from radiating outside the connector. The shield includes a plurality of tabs that extend into the printed circuit board when the pins are electrically coupled to the interface.
According to another embodiment, a printed circuit board includes an interface and a plurality of openings. The interface electrically couples one or more traces to a plurality of pins on a connector, the interface and pins generating electromagnetic emissions when supplied with an electric current. The openings extend into the printed circuit board and are displaced outwardly from the interface. Each opening receives a corresponding tab of the connector when the pins are electrically coupled to the interface. The tabs prevent at least some of the electromagnetic emission from radiating outside the connector.
The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. Unlike previous techniques, the present invention provides a connector including a shield with tabs that extend into an associated printed circuit board. The shield reduces electromagnetic emissions from the connector when the connector is coupled to the printed circuit board. First, because the tabs extend into the printed circuit board, the shield partially encloses the pins of the connector and prevents at least some of the electromagnetic emissions generated by electric currents through the pins from radiating outside the connector. Second, because the tabs may couple together ground planes within the printed circuit board, the shield may reduce any difference in voltage between the ground planes and prevent at least some electromagnetic emissions caused by ground current from radiating outside the connector. By reducing undesirable electromagnetic emissions from the connector, the present invention helps manufacturers avoid multiple design iterations and often costly product-level electromagnetic emission fixes, while allowing manufacturers and equipment operators to meet signal integrity and regulatory requirements. Other technical advantages are readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Reducing electromagnetic emissions from a connector coupled to a printed circuit board


A process for producing reinforced cementitious compositions in which the following constituents are mixed in the aqueous phase in the following order: about 35-55 parts by weight of water mixed with about 3-12 parts of a polymer, by weight of dry polymer; up to about 5 parts of a water-reducing auxiliary agent and/or a liquifying agent; from about 15-30 parts of metakaolin; from about 50-120 parts of silica sand; and about 100 parts of cement. Continuous mixing is maintained until a homogeneous, thixotropic paste is obtained. Then between 2 and 15% by weight of alkaline-resistant glass fibers, relative to the weight of the paste, is introduced into the paste. The product produced by this method is particularly suitable for use as a mortar or paste which may be easily sprayed upon vertical surfaces and as hydraulic concretes, resistant to the effects of weather and aging.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,861 discloses products that have a cement base containing alkaline-resistant glass fibers, metakaolin and acrylic or styrene-butadiene latex polymers. Such products exhibit excellent resistance to aging. The purpose of the polymer component is to promote curing of the product and to further improve the moduli of rupture, i.e., the breaking stress, which may be attained with such products relative to products not including such a polymer. In certain cases, however, it is difficult to apply a mixture of the type described above, e.g., when spraying on a vertical wall, but applicant has now developed a novel process for producing mixtures which permit such modes of application.

Process for producing reinforced cementitious compositions and the products produced thereby


A specimen holder and method for controlling the same, which can mount and fasten a specimen to allow observation thereof by joining a body and a stand of the specimen holder together. The specimen holder includes: a body; a specimen mounting part formed at an end of the body for fixing a specimen; elasticity means located inside the body; and a stand detachably joined with the body. The stand includes: a base part; and a joining part protrudingly formed on the upper face of the base part and having a through hole to which at least a part of the specimen mounting part is inserted. The specimen mounting part includes: a first grip part located at an end portion of the specimen mounting part for fixing one side of the specimen; and a second grip part movably connected with the elasticity means for fixing the other side of the specimen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a specimen holder which is used for observing the top section of a wafer specimen with a scanning electron microscope in order to judge whether or not there is a defect in a manufactured wafer and a method for controlling the specimen holder, and more particularly, to a specimen holder and a method for controlling the same, which can easily and rapidly mount a specimen and fasten the specimen in order to allow observation of the specimen by joining a body and a stand of the specimen holder together.
2. Background Art
In general, a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device repeatedly carries out a diffusion process, an oxidation process, a metallization process, and so on. Therefore, various kinds of materials, for instance, insulation films, such as a metal film of Al, Ti, W or others, a nitride film, an oxide film or others, on a wafer.
In the case that there is something wrong with some of the multiple laminated films, because the semiconductor device formed by the follow-up process may have a malfunction, technology to exactly and effectively analyze and verify such a malfunction is needed.
Due to an integration of the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device may have a malfunction by a minute cause, and it aggravates difficulty in analyzing the malfunction which may occur in the semiconductor device.
A transmission electron microscope (TEM) or a scanning electron microscope (SEM) may be used in order to analyze and verify the film or pattern formed on the wafer.
The transmission electron microscope is an apparatus for obtaining an image by electron beams transmitted through a specimen and analyzing a crystal structure of a phase by a diffraction pattern obtained through the diffracted electron beams.
The scanning electron microscope discharges a flow of electrons having acceleration energy (normal to 30 KV) using an electron gun and forms a focus of electron beams using various electromagnetic lenses, apertures and so on. A user scans the formed electron beams to a target sample to be observed and controls magnification. When secondary electrons, back scatter electrons, transmission electrons, characteristic X-rays formed from the target sample are detected, the user can observe the top section of the target sample and analyze characteristics of the top section of the target sample.
The scanning electron microscope basically includes an electron column, a sample chamber, a vacuum pump, a vacuum gauge, various controlling parts for controlling the electron column, and an image processing system. The electron column includes an electron gun, a lens, an aperture, a signal detector, and others, and the vacuum pump has a structure to form an ultra-high vacuum to remove various obstacles, such as scattering, discharge, and pollution of the electron beams by gas molecules in the air.
As the electron gun of the scanning electron microscope, there are thermionic emission guns, cold cathode field emission (CFE) guns, schottky field emission (SFE) guns, and others, and the scanning electron microscope is greatly varied in performance and structure according to kinds of the electron gun. Generally, the scanning electron microscope using the CFE gun and the SFE gun is called an FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope), and the scanning electron microscope using the thermionic emission gun is called a normal SEM.
The lens is divided into two kinds, namely, a condenser lens and an objective lens. The condenser lens first condenses electron beams emitted from the electron gun and forms the first focus, controls probe current arriving at the sample, and generally one or two condenser lenses are used. The objective lens is to accurately focus the electron beams formed in the condenser lens on the target sample, and has a scanning coil for controlling a scanning area of the electron beams scanned to the target sample and forming magnification.
The aperture is divided into a fixed type aperture and a variable type aperture which can vary a size of a hole. A plurality of the fixed type apertures are located inside the electron column by use according to design structures of manufacturers. The variable type aperture is generally called an objective lens aperture and is located on the objective lens in order to control a current amount of beams introduced into the objective lens, to regulate a size of the focus, and to reduce various aberrations.
When electron beams having acceleration voltage according to analysis purposes are scanned to the target sample from the electron column after being focused and reduced, backscattered electron (BSE) signals of the secondary electrons and incident beams are generated according to peculiar characteristics of the target sample. The signals are collected and amplified by the secondary electron detector or a BSE detector and contrast and brightness are applied to the signals according to signal quantities in order to process the image, so that the user can magnify and observe a morphological image of the top section of the target sample. Moreover, if characteristic X-rays of elements generated when the incident beams collide with the target sample are detected (EDXS), qualitative and quantitative analysis data can be obtained. Furthermore, if the transmission electron detector (STEM) is attached according to use purpose, various applications such as a structure analysis of the target sample can be made.
FIG. 1 is a view showing an out-lens and semi-in-lens type FE-SEM, and FIG. 2 is a view showing an in-lens type FE-SEM to which the present invention is applicable. The FE-SEM is utilizable in various fields, such as semiconductors, displays (LCDs, LEDs, OLEDs, and others), the rays of the sun, various Nano-materials, biology, medical science, electronics, machineries, physics, chemical materials, various materials, and material studies. The FE-SEM illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes an electron source 31, a beam monitor aperture 32, a first condenser lens 33, an air lock valve 34, an objective movable aperture 35, a second condenser lens 36, a deflection coil 37, an EXB 38, an objective lens 39, a secondary electron detector 45, and others. The In-lens type FE-SEM of FIG. 2 further includes an objective lens coil 40 and a beam blanking 41, and may further include a dark field STEM detector 42, a bright field aperture 43, and a bright field STEM detector 44. The out-lens and semi-in-lens type FE-SEM illustrated in FIG. 2 allows the user to observe samples of a large size because a specimen 11 is located below the objective lens and a working distance is long, but is deteriorated in image resolving power because the working distance is long. On the contrary, the In-lens type FE-SEM of FIG. 3 to which the present invention is applied allows the user to observe only samples of a small size because the specimen 11 is located inside the objective lens and the working distance is short, but can obtain an image of ultra-high resolving power.
In the meantime, a method of fixing the specimen 11 using tape or paste 12 is conventionally used as illustrated in FIG. 3. The tape may be a carbon tape, a copper tape, or an Al tape that has conductivity, and the paste 12 may be a liquid-state paste, such as silver paste or carbon paste, that has conductivity.
However, the conventional method using the tape has several problems in that the specimen may be unstably fixed by adhesion elasticity of the tape while the user is observing the specimen, in that an image flow phenomenon may occur due to an increase of electrification of electrons by a contact resistance, and in that image distortion and a variation in CD (Critical Dimension) may occur. Moreover, the conventional method using the tape has further problems in that it may cause an interference phenomenon to push the electrons at the time of observing the specimen, in that a minute transformation of the tape may have a great influence on the magnified image because the specimen must be magnified by tens of thousands, and in that an unclear image may be obtained because noise may be mixed into the detected signal. Furthermore, the conventional method using the tape has still further problems in that the specimen may be frequently separated from the vacuum chamber of the scanning electron microscope due to a poor adhesion of the tape, and in that the specimen may be damaged by the tape when the user removes the specimen after observing the specimen.
The conventional method using the paste has several problems in that it takes much time to work because the user can observe the specimen after adhering the paste to the specimen and drying the specimen for at least 20 minutes, in that the specimen may be polluted by the liquid-state paste, and in that it is difficult to obtain an accurate image. Additionally, the conventional method using the paste has further problems in that gas deposition of hydro-carbon may be generated in an observation area because the specimen chamber is polluted if the liquid-state paste is not completely dried, and hence, a contamination phenomenon of the observation pattern may be increased. Moreover, the conventional method using the paste has a still further problem in that the specimen may be damaged by the paste when the user removes the specimen after observing the specimen.
Therefore, a development of a specimen holder which can simply and easily fix the specimen and obtain a clear and clean image is required.

Specimen holder for observing top section of specimen and method for controlling the same

Hitachi High-Technologies Korea Co., Ltd.


Disclosed herein are systems and methods facilitating extensions to software applications that access a database, and in particular to applications with embedded database procedures. In various embodiments, an extension anchor embedded in the application as well as one or more extensions implemented as database procedures are encapsulated in specially marked database-procedure methods.

Many businesses and other enterprises nowadays store vast amounts of data in databases, often using commercially available database platforms in conjunction with software applications capable of accessing and processing the data to extract meaningful information therefrom in support of various business processes. For example, software applications for enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, supplier relationship management, supply chain management, and product lifecycle management are widely used across many industries. To extend the range of uses for their business applications and thereby grow their customer base, business-application vendors often enable their customers to adjust the applications to their particular needs. One approach for providing such extensibility is to allow customers to directly modify or extend the source code of an application. In a larger suite of interacting applications, this can, however, cause incompatibilities between the customized application and other applications if the software vendor implements updates to the original software. To avoid this problem, an alternative approach involves modeling "enhancement points" in the original software by facilitating modifications to the source code in various designated places and within well-defined parameters. By pre-defining the range of possible modifications and guaranteeing that certain aspects of the modeled enhancement points and their interactions with the other software components remain unaltered during subsequent changes to the application as a whole, the vendor can ensure the interoperability of vendor-provided updates with the customer's enhancements.
With a growing need for real-time data access and increasing amounts of data, a trend has emerged to move data-processing functionality closer towards the database to reduce the frequency with which the database is accessed by external programs. This "code push-down" can be accomplished through the use of database procedures that are executed within the database itself. Database procedures, however, are limited in the types of operations they can perform. Furthermore, databases typically do not provide for the extensibility of database procedures.

Extensibility of embedded database procedures


A needle assembly comprising a housing, a first needle hub provided by the housing, a first hollow needle portion mounted to the first needle hub and extending from the first needle hub in a distal direction. A second needle hub is provided by the housing. A second hollow needle portion is mounted to the second needle hub and extends from the second needle hub in a proximal direction, opposite to the distal direction, wherein a hollow flashback chamber is arranged within the housing between the first needle portion and the second needle portion. The flashback chamber communicates with the inner lumen provided within the first and second hollow needle portion and is connected to the atmosphere by a passage and wherein a filter is provided within the passage, which is designed such that it is permeable for air to pour out of the flashback chamber into the atmosphere.

Such needle assemblies, also known as blood collection needles are known in the art. The needle assembly is used e.g. by the medical practitioner in daily hospital routines. The first needle portion is placed within a patient's vein. Before or thereafter, a container having a rubber port is coupled with the second needle portion by sticking the second needle portion through the rubber port such that it protrudes into the hollow interior space of the container. In the following, the patient's blood can pour into the container. When the container is sufficiently filled with blood, it can be retracted from the second needle portion by the medical practitioner. Thereby, the rubber port sealingly closes again and the procedure can be repeated for receiving a further blood sample.
A critical step in the above described procedure is when the medical practitioner tries to place the first needle portion within the patient's vein. In particular in case of patients having a low blood pressure, as children, it can be difficult to locate the patient's vein. In those instances, it is advantageous to have a feedback indicating the medical practitioner if vein entry has been achieved. Such a feedback is usually called a flashback. When the vein entry is achieved, a particular portion of the needle assembly is filled by the patient's blood and thereby indicates to the medical practitioner the successful vein entry.
The European patent application EP 2 670 306 A1 shows a blood collection needle having a flashback feature. However, this prior art device has a complicated structure and is difficult and expensive to manufacture.
The European patent application EP 1 796 539 A1 shows another blood collection needle with a flashback feature. However, this device does not provide quick flashback indication, as is air included within the flashback chamber cannot pour out quickly enough.
The European patent application EP 2 097 123 A1 shows a further blood collection needle with a flashback feature. A punctured needle extends through a housing surrounding the needle in the punctured section. The housing provides a flashback chamber. A filter is arranged in one of the housings outer walls. However, this device has the drawback that the flashback chamber is formed by a large lumen such that undesired large amount of patient's blood is collected for flashback purposes. The same drawback applies for the prior art documents according to the European patent applications EP 2 042 089 A1 and EP 2 490 592 A1.

Needle assembly with flashback chamber for collecting blood or other liquid samples