A metallization layer is formed on a substrate with improved adhesion thereto by performing the deposition at an elevated temperature which favors the formation of chemical bonds of the metal to the substrate as well as clusters of metal embedded within the substrate and contiguous with the metallization layer. In polymer substrates the chemical bond is made to carbonyl functional groups such as ketones or aldehydes. The adhesion is enhanced by the removal of moisture from the surface of the substrate at the elevated temperatures employed. A high degree of adhesion is also obtained through the deposition of a mixture of metals including chromium and copper which initially has a high chromium to copper ratio which is decreased during the deposition process. Completion of the process is determined by the reaching of a final desired chromium to copper ratio as observed by optical emission spectroscopy. The process can be carried out on a continuous basis by the use of a multi-chamber vacuum sputtering system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the manufacture of electronic components and, more particularly, to the improvement of adhesion between a metallization layer and an underlying polymer insulating layer included therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As functions demanded from integrated circuits has increased in recent years, it has become the practice to increase production yields of electronic devices through the use of packaging of integrated circuits in modules. So-called multi-layer modules (MLM), including structures commonly referred to as multi-layer ceramic (MLC) modules, are exemplary of such packaging types. These modules allow the inclusion of a plurality of integrated circuit chips within the same module and provide for a potentially highly complex interconnection wiring pattern between the chips. These structures also allow the inclusion of chips formed by different technologies which may be mutually exclusive, thereby allowing for increased flexibility of circuit design.
In order to make desired contacts to the chips included therein, such modular structures usually include so-called distribution wiring which accommodates the extremely small regions on a chip where desired connections are to be made. The feature sizes encountered in distribution wiring is many times smaller and densities many times greater than in the interconnection wiring used in the remainder of the module. The distribution wiring will, therefore, typically be formed from a plurality of layers of polymer (e.g. polyimide) insulator having selected areas coated with a metal. Connections between layers are achieved by depositing metal in small holes, called vias, in the respective polyimide layers.
At the present state of the art, it is considered cost-effective to test and repair such modules at particular points during the course of manufacture. One such type of repair can include the removal and replacement of one or more of the chips of the module. As is known in the art, the connection from the distribution wiring to a chip is accomplished by the use of a pad termination or formation of the distribution wiring and the flow of solder between that pad and a corresponding pad on the chip. Solder is often provided as a preform, such as in the so-called controlled collapse chip connection type of pad (hereinafter referred to as simply a C4 pad), and the preform is reflowed to form the connection. Therefore, during either soldering or desoldering of a chip, substantial heat and mechanical stress is applied to such a connection pad. Since the module or at least the chip is heated substantially uniformly during such a process, the remainder of the metallization is subjected to heat stress and to some degree of mechanical stress due to the differential dimensional changes with temperature of the metallization and the polymer insulator. Accordingly, since soldering and desoldering may be required a number of times adhesion between the metallization and the polymer insulator becomes extremely important if the production of further defects in the metallization is to be avoided.
It should also be noted that pads and other portions of the metallization pattern will traverse metal-filled vias, as alluded to above. At the point where the metallization overlies such a structure, also commonly referred to as a connection stud, metal-to-metal bonding will be provided or occur inherently by virtue of the particular deposition process used. This bonding effectively enhances the adherence of the metallization to the substrate although the actual adherence to the polymer is not, itself, enhanced. However, in many cases of pattern design, it is not possible or desirable to form such a stud beneath all pads or even at a sufficient number of points to significantly reduce the tendency toward separation of the metallization from the underlying polymer material. Such regions which are not formed over such studs are referred to as being "unanchored". Accordingly, the tendency toward separation of metallization from an underlying polymer over the course of numerous applications of thermal and/or mechanical stress, as are typically encountered during the manufacture, including testing and repair, of such modules, cannot be adequately controlled by the mere multiplication of such studs.
While the design of modular packages generally includes provision for repair of broken conductors, it must be appreciated that loss of adhesion may not immediately result in the breaking of a connection. In fact, such a loss of adhesion may not be initially detectable by electrical testing at all but may represent a latent defect which will break and cause malfunctioning of the module after it is completed and put in service. When a loss of adhesion occurs, normal thermal cycling of the module during normal operation may cause flexing of the connection sufficient to cause metal fatigue and fracture of a conductor if the conductor is not mechanically supported by adhesion to a polymer layer. In such a case, the manufacture is likely to have at least progressed beyond the point where repair is possible, thus, at least, decreasing manufacturing yields of the modules and increasing economic cost. It is also likely that economic cost will be further increased if failure occurs during field operation since testing and diagnosis of the entire unit in which the module is installed will often be required in addition to the economic cost of down-time of the unit.
It is to be understood that the problem of adhesion of metal to polymer dielectrics, and polyimide dielectrics in particular, is not unique to the manufacture of multi-layer electronic circuit modules but may be encountered in other technologies involved in other types of electronic elements such as the formation of capacitors or even other technologies entirely unrelated to the fabrication of electrical devices. However, since the problems of loss of adhesion are of substantial economic importance at present in the fabrication of multi-layer modules, the present disclosure will be directed thereto in order to convey an understanding of the meritorious effects of the invention in comparison with the prior art.

Thin film metallization process for improved metal to substrate adhesion

International Business Machines Corporation


A package for protecting fragile food items against damage in commerce. The package includes a tray being formed with a cutout defining a saddle and a return bend portion defining a slot having a retaining wall and a plurality of nested, generally U-shaped pastry units associated with the tray saddle and slot. The tray and pastry units being enclosed within an outer plastic film.

The present invention relates to packaging and relates in particular to a package operable to contain a fragile item of food while protecting the food from damage that would otherwise occur during the normal wear and tear in marketing.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a package for containing a plurality of crisp, fragile pastry shells or pastry units most commonly used in making a so-called taco sandwich.
It is a further feature of the invention to provide a package for pastry units of the class described which provides protection against damage resulting from dropping the package.
It is a still further feature of the invention to provide a package which provides protection against compressive loads tending to chip, break or crush fragile pastry shells or pastry units.


Antimicrobial and foamable alcoholic compositions, where the compositions include at least about 40 wt. % of a C1-4 alcohol and one or more silane surfactants selected from (1) zwitterionic silane surfactants, (2) polyalkoxylated silane surfactants that contain at least one silane group and at least one polyalkylene oxide chain.

Foam cleaning products are popular, in part because they are easier to spread on surfaces. Consumers seem to prefer the luxury of foamed soap products. Less foam is needed to produce the same cleaning power as liquids or gels. Properly formulated foam products do not produce the drip and splash that is experienced with traditional gelled or liquid products. This prevents damage to the floors and walls of facilities where the product dispensers are used. Manufacturing of foam products may be easier than gelled products, which often incorporate powdered thickeners that are difficult to handle.
Alcoholic products are popular as sanitizers for the skin. Aesthetics are important, and the user will be more likely to use a product that is not sticky or slimy, and is not harsh on the skin. Several references describe the use of various foaming surfactants for non-aerosol alcoholic foam compositions. However, there is a need for new foaming surfactants that are able to form efficacious, stable, and aesthetically pleasing foamable antimicrobial alcoholic compositions.


The present disclosure provides an automated rail inspection system. The present disclosure also provides a method for calibrating a strain gage based neutral temperature measurement system.

Neutral Temperature is a railroad term used to describe the amount of stress present in rail. The neutral temperature is the temperature at which the rail is neither in compression nor in tension. It is sometimes referred to as the stress-free temperature. Rail is made of steel and all steel expands as it heats up and contracts as it cools. As rail heats up past the neutral temperature, significant amounts of stress can build up in the rail. If enough stress builds up, the rail will buckle, this is commonly known as a sun-kink or rail buckle and is a major cause of train derailments worldwide. The opposite effect is when the rail contracts due to cooling too far below the neutral temperature causing rail breaks, also a major cause of derailments.
The problem that railroads face is there is no way to walk up to a piece of rail and know how much stress is present or what the neutral temperature currently is. There are sensors available that use standard strain gages and thermocouples to measure neutral temperature. Strain gages measure strain and from strain, stress can be computed using the modulus of elasticity, a material constant.
The major short-coming of strain gage based sensors is: Strain gages can only measure change in strain, in order to measure the absolute strain, they must be calibrated. In order to calibrate a strain gage, the current stress in the rail must be known. Once the current stress is known, an offset is calculated and applied to all future strain gage readings. The railroads have several methods by which they can determine the stress in the rail. 1) cut the rail, creating a stress-free condition or 2) using a device such as a Verse, a commercially available product that measures the stress in rail by picking it up with a cable and claw system and measuring how much force is required to move it. In order to use the Verse, the rail must be unclipped in 100 feet in each direction and the rail must also be in compression. Both of these methods are costly and time consuming for the railroads.


A liquid crystal display includes a light source and a liquid crystal panel, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate on the light source, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, a color conversion layer between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and including a light emitting element configured to receive a first visible light from the light source and emit a second visible light, a first polarizing layer between the liquid crystal layer and the color conversion layer, and a first phase difference layer between the liquid crystal layer and the first polarizing layer.

1. Field
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is disclosed.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a flat panel display that is widely used. The LCD includes two display panels including field generating electrodes and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, and the liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer rotate in response to an electric field formed between the field generating electrodes to thereby vary light transmittance and display an image.
The LCD displays color by combining light from a light source with a color filter. However, the color filter may absorb a large amount of light emitted from the light source and lower photoefficiency. It is therefore desirable to provide an LCD with improved photoefficiency.


A parallelepiped film containing magazine for containing a number of film sheets in stacked state is disclosed. In the magazine, a supporting plate is disposed in that portion of a magazine casing corresponding to an opening through which the films are taken in and out. A number of short furs as engaging elements for engaging with one end edge of each of the stacked films contained are planted on the wall of the supporting plate facing the one end edge of the films, being obliquely directed toward the bottom plate. A depression is formed in the inner wall of the top plate so as not to contact with the sheet film.

This invention relates to an improvement over a film containing magazine used in an X-ray photographing machine, such a maganize containing in a stack from which the sheet films are taken out sheet by sheet for use.
In an X-ray photographing machine of this kind, an unexposed sheet film is moved by its film carrier to the X-ray exposure position at the time of X-ray photographing or X-ray radioscoping observation. The operator of the machine takes X-ray photographs as required apropos while he observes the X-ray radioscoping image of the affected part of an examinee with an X-ray radioscoping apparatus including an X-ray television. After completion of photographing, the exposed sheet film is moved by the film carrier into an exposed film magazine for storage.
FIG. 1 shows an example of the prior art of such an X-ray photographing machine. Firstly, this will be explained briefly relating to the background causing the invention.
In the figure, a designates a movable frame of the machine; b a support frame to bear or support the movable frame a; c a table top on which an examinee d lies; e an X-ray source; f an image intensifier device mounted on the movable frame and disposed on the other side of the examinee d facing the X-ray source e.
The movable frame a, together with the support frame b, can rotate about the examinee d in the arrow g direction and also is slidable in the direction longitudinal to the examinee d (perpendicular to the surface of the drawing or this paper). Additionally, the movable frame b independently of the support frame can get closer to or farther from the examinee d, upward and downward in the arrow h direction.
In the movable frame a, a linear path j is defined for a film carrier i. The film carrier is normally in a stand-by position l. Each of an unexposed sheet films p in a supply magazine m is taken out one at a time by the vacuum sucker q and sent into the carrier i through paired rolls r. When it returns to the stand-by position l and goes through the paired rolls r and a guide path s to be collected in a takeup magazine m. A changeover plate t switches between forward feed and reverse feed of the films.
With this kind of machine designed to make possible X-ray photographing of the examinee d in any posture and in any desired direction by rotating the table top c, moving the movable frame a alone or together with the support frame b, rotationally or longitudinally, the following problem has been encountered as the frames a and b rotating the supply and takeup magazines m and n are brought to various positions and in some cases their openings u and v are held downward when the X-ray photograph is taken. The sheet films p in the magazines are relocated to have some of them come outward to block the opening so that the film taken out or brought in is sometimes hindered in its motion. Moreover, the films are scraped each other when relocated in the magazines, causing fine scratches on them and producing a spark due to the static electricity which causes a possible sensitization of the film. Therefore, the results could lead to an incorrect diagnosis because they adversely affect the image on the film to be observed. In addition, the undesirable displacement of films in the magazines could cause a local undue pressure on them, resulting in an increase in the extent of "blacking" to hinder clear X-ray exposure. Especially, the film takeup magazine n when receiving exposed films through its opening v is generally preferred to be considerably larger than that of the films. This makes the films flow into the magazine smoothly but causes a big problem on unstable position of the films in the magazine.


A direction finding interferometer shares receivers among antennas and aperiodically switches between those antennas. The phase differences for a subset of the antenna pairs are measured for each pulse and the results are combined with the results from subsequent pulses to resolve ambiguities. An angle of arrival common to two subsets of angles of arrival is the unambiguous angle of arrival.

Electronic Support (ES) and Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) systems need to precisely find Angles of Arrival (AoA) of RF emitters, including frequency agile emitters, as rapidly as possible in order to precisely determine direction. As known, direction finding is important in supporting jamming and other tactical applications. For pairs of antennas spaced many wavelengths apart, phase interferometry is capable of highly precise AoA measurements with less than 1° error, but multiple ambiguous angles of arrival are computed, caused by the periodic nature of the phase difference related to the geometric angle. Antennas spaced less than one-half wavelength apart have less precise AoA measurements. Many ES and RWR systems use a single antenna and receiver to cover a broad spectrum, e.g., 2-18 GHz, so antenna spacing at one-half of the largest wavelength may represent many multiples of the smallest wavelength. Further, many platforms are already outfitted with antennas spaced many wavelengths apart to provide coverage at all azimuths about the platform.
Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) direction finding may be used to compute AoA over a span of 180° without ambiguity. The time delay between two antennas is monotonic with respect to geometric angle changing from 0° to 90° (and conversely from −90° to 0°), but TDOA provides relatively low AoA precision. Amplitude comparison direction finding generally provides a similarly coarse AoA precision. Improved AoA precision may be achievable using Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA) techniques, however FDOA requires stable emitter signal frequencies for long periods of time, e.g., 10ths of seconds, seconds, or many seconds, depending on platform velocity and desired AoA precision, thus limiting the number of threats that can be simultaneously geolocated and limiting applicability to threats with a constant frequency.
In comparison, an interferometer can provide precision AoA in a single pulse time, e.g., microseconds to milliseconds. Interferometers in ES (RWR) systems, however, require a number of receivers to provide unambiguous Angle of Arrival (AoA). Receivers can be costly in dollars or power/thermal requirements, especially when they must be mounted on the exterior of an airborne platform. As receiver cost is proportional to bandwidth/data rate and the trend is to increase receiver bandwidth to deal with increasingly wideband and agile emitters, the costs have increased significantly.
A prior attempt to address the use of interferometers for AoA determination implemented a method to cover the entire spectrum of interest in one mode using N receivers but with a lower average data rate and then to switch the same receivers to perform interferometry while being vigilant over the whole spectrum.
What is needed is a further improvement to interferometry for determining a location of an RF emitter.

Method and system for determining an unambiguous angle of arrival using interferometry


During allocation of time slots of a UMTS frame to a terminal, the UMTS network provides a continuous gap having a duration at least equal to 5 ms in a UMTS frame to enable the receiver of the terminal to measure the power of any GSM signals received and to prepare for possible handover by pre-synchronizing to an adjoining GSM cell.

1. Field of the invention
The invention concerns a method of transmission in a UMTS mobile telephone network, especially when operating in time-division duplex (TDD) mode. The UMTS system is the third generation cellular mobile telephone system. The GSM system will continue to exist for some time and the intention is to produce terminals adapted to use the two systems alternately. It must therefore be possible for such terminals to be handed over from a UMTS cell to a GSM cell during a call as the terminal moves around. One of the decision criteria for handover from one cell to another is the power of the signal received by the mobile terminal.
2. Description of the prior art
One known method of handing over a GSM terminal from one GSM cell to another during a call consists in:
having each base transceiver station send a continuous signal on a broadcast control channel (BCCH) carrying synchronization and frequency correction signals specific to one GSM cell, and
having each GSM mobile terminal receive the BCCH transmitted in GSM cells adjoining the GSM cell in which it is located, measure the power of any GSM signals received and prepare for possible handover by pre-synchronizing to an adjoining GSM cell.
Each GSM mobile terminal is capable of carrying out a power measurement whilst continuing a call set up in the cell in which it is located. It carries out the measurement in a free time slot provided between an uplink burst and a downlink burst. A GSM type system uses 120 ms multiframes each made up of 26 frames having the same duration, each frame being made up of eight time slots. In each frame an uplink burst occupies a certain number of time slots and a downlink burst occupies a certain number of the remaining time slots. The gap between an uplink burst and a downlink burst generally has a duration of two or four time slots, with one notable exception: in the 26th frame of each multiframe, the gap has a duration corresponding to 12 time slots, that is to say 6 ms. This 6 ms gap enables a portion of the pre-synchronization process to be performed every 120 ms. Pre-synchronization consists in decoding the frequency correction signals and the synchronization signals. The frequency correction and synchronization signals are distributed through a second type of multiframe corresponding to 51 frames. Consequently, pre-synchronization can take up to 1.3 s, with an average duration in the order of 0.6 s.
One transmission method currently under consideration for the UMTS system is the time-division multiplex (TDM) method. It uses frames having identical durations, each frame being in turn made up of time slots each having a given length. A first portion of each frame is allocated to an uplink burst and the remainder of the frame is allocated to a downlink burst, or vice-versa. The maximum number of time slots allocated to the uplink burst and the maximum number of time slots allocated to the downlink burst are fixed and identical for all the terminals, or at least for all the terminals situated in a cluster of UMTS cells. The ratio between the two numbers is chosen in accordance with the nature of the foreseen traffic. If the foreseen traffic is symmetrical, then this proportion is a priori equal to 50%. The proportion can be greater than 50% if the foreseen traffic is strongly asymmetrical.
At present there is no provision for preparing for handover from a UMTS cell to a GSM cell. It is feasible to produce a terminal including two receivers operating simultaneously, a UMTS receiver being used for a UMTS call while a GSM receiver prepares for handover to a GSM cell, but this solution would increase the cost and size of UMTS terminals.
The aim of the invention is to propose a solution that does not necessitate two receivers.
The invention consists in a method of transmission in a UMTS mobile telephone network enabling preparation for handover to a GSM cell during a call in a UMTS cell, the method consisting in transporting information in frames each made up of a plurality of time slots, time slots from each frame being allocated to mobile telephone terminals, the method further consisting in, for a given terminal, and at intervals equal to an integer multiple of the duration of a frame, not allocating to the terminal considered at least one continuous series of time slots whose total duration is at least equal to a predetermined time period enabling reception of the broadcast control channel from a GSM base transceiver station and pre-synchronization to that GSM base transceiver station.
The above method enables one receiver to handle a UMTS call and prepare for handover to a GSM cell quasi-simultaneously, using the gap available in at least some UMTS frames.
In one particular embodiment, the method in accordance with the invention further consists in reducing the spectral spreading of other time slots carrying data in order to increase their transport capacity.
The above method enables the use of a single receiver even if the terminal is used for a high bit rate service, for example to receive video signals or files, because the method increases the transport capacity of the slots allocated and therefore increases the number of free slots until a gap is obtained of sufficient duration to measure the power of any GSM signals received and prepare for possible handover by pre-synchronizing to an adjoining GSM cell.

Method of transmission in a UMTS mobile telephone network enabling preparation for handover to a GSM cell during a call in a UMTS cell


A surge protector includes a housing having therein a wire wound resistor and a fuse separated by a partition wall. In one embodiment for use with high density information transmission, the resistor is of very low value and preferably is 5.6 ohms. The leads from the resistor and fuse are glued in position. The resistor wire is wound about a mandrel and is widely spaced to prevent arcing between adjacent coils of the resistor. A high temperature coating covers the resistor coils and mandrel effectively immobilizing the coils from movement in response to a magnetic field generated when high voltage is applied to the resistor. A cover closes the housing and conceals the components. The housing is empty of potting material.

It is known to protect telephone equipment from abnormally high voltages that may be found occasionally on the tip and ring conductors of a subscriber line. These abnormally high voltages are caused by lightning strikes or power crosses, e.g. a conductor falls across a power line and the telephone line to be protected.
There has recently been a development in the telecommunications industry to transmit high density or digital information on existing telephone lines leading to homes. Although fiber optic strands are now widely used in new residential construction, older construction used copper wire. By far the majority of telephone wire leading to residences is copper.
A technological struggle is going on, and will continue, between three industrial groups: telephone companies who want to provide entertainment and other services along with conventional telephone service, cable TV companies who want to provide conventional telephone service and other information related services along with their existing entertainment services and entrepreneurs who wish to provide telephone, entertainment and other services via satellite transmission.
Telephone companies desire to use existing copper wires leading to residences to transmit the high density information needed to deliver entertainment and other services. It makes much more sense to modify existing telephone equipment rather than pay the tremendous cost, and suffer the delay, of rewiring most existing neighborhoods. One problem that has occurred involves the surge protection system currently used to prevent damage to circuit board components in central offices. A substantially identical surge protection system is envisioned for high density applications to prevent damage to circuit board components at central offices, adjacent residences and on repeaters between central offices and residences.
Conventional surge protection systems have two or more stages of surge protection: a primary stage provided by a gas discharge device and a secondary stage incorporating conventional surge protectors which are the predecessor of this invention and which provide a 20-100 ohm resistor adjacent a meltable fuse. For years, applicant's assignee and others have supplied secondary stage surge protectors comprising a housing, a 20-100 ohm wound wire resistor, a fuse and a potting cement filling the housing and encapsulating the resistor and fuse.
Considerable effort has been spent by telecommunications companies to determine the optimum or desirable resistance of the secondary surge protector resistor. All evidence points to values less than 10 ohms and the presently preferred value is 5.6 ohms.
At the outset, prototype surge protectors were made using conventional technology except the resistor was modified to be 5.6 ohms rather than the more conventional 20-100 ohms and then tested to determine if they were satisfactory. They were not.
When the voltage potential across the resistor is sufficient to create a current surge, the resistor either heats up rapidly and breaks at high current or heats up slowly and melts the fuse at a lower current. Conventional surge protectors having 5.6 ohm resistors failed the appropriate test because they essentially exploded during some test of the procedure. This produces a fire hazard, potentially damages an expensive circuit board from fire or fragmentation and is manifestly unacceptable.
The procedure used to determine whether a particular surge protector is adequate is known as Bell Spec TR-1089. Bell Spec TR-1089, incorporated herein by reference, is a complicated test procedure, about 30 pages long, designed to determine whether a particular surge protector is adequate to handle a variety of events that can damage telephone equipment. There are two events the surge protector must handle: lightning strikes and power crosses, e.g. a conductor falls across a live power line and a telephone line. To satisfy the lightning strike requirement, the surge protector must accept, and still work after, the tests shown in Table I:
TABLE I ______________________________________ Lightning ______________________________________ 1000 volts - 10/1000 usec pulse - 25 hits each polarity 2500 volts - 2/10 usec pulse - 10 bits each polarity. ______________________________________
The power cross requirements are considerably more complicated and are summarized in Table II:
TABLE II ______________________________________ Power Cross ______________________________________ 1. First Level - line simulation fuse (MDQ 1-6/10 amps) in series with test resistor - fuse should not open during tests 50 volts - 150 ohms series resistance - 15 minutes - stay in spec 100 volts - 600 ohms series resistance - 15 minutes - stay in spec 200, 400, 600 volts - 600 ohms series resistance - 60 applications - stay in spec 100 volts - 1000 ohms series resistance - 60 applications - stay in spec 2. Second Level 120 volts - 25 amps - 15 minutes - open circuit or stay in spec 277 volts - 25 amps - 15 minutes - open circuit or stay in spec 600 volts - 60 amps - 5 seconds - open circuit 600 volts - 40 amps - 5 seconds - open circuit 600 volts - 7 amps - 5 seconds - open circuit 100 to 600 volts - 2.2 amps at 600 volts - 15 minutes - open circuit or stay in spec ______________________________________


The application provides a display driving circuit, an array substrate, a circuit driving method, and a display device. The array substrate comprises a plurality of rows of scan lines, a plurality of columns of data lines, and a plurality of pixel units being defined by intersecting of the plurality of rows of scan lines and the plurality of columns of data lines; each column of data lines being connected to a reset module; each column of data lines being further connected to a current control module configured to form a first current flowing from a data line connected thereto to a reference voltage line, wherein the pixel unit includes a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor and the second transistor have device parameters that are the same or in a predetermined proportion, and a second electrode of the second transistor is connected to the output terminal.

In a display device formed by a current-driven light-emitting element existing in the prior art, the problem of transistor threshold voltage is one of the most primary problems affecting display performance. Specifically, a driving current of a light-emitting element is supplied by a transistor under the control of a corresponding data voltage. Once threshold voltages of transistors of different pixels have a difference of more than 0.1 V, the driving current under the same data voltage will show significant deviation, which will cause a difference in luminance of light-emitting elements of different pixels, and result in an hourglass phenomenon on a display image.
In order to compensate for the threshold voltage of each transistor, a circuit in the prior art typically first stores threshold voltages of transistors that drive pixels in a storage capacitor prior to displaying light-emission in the manner of adding transistors and adding signal lines in a row direction, so as to counteract the influence caused by threshold voltages on the driving current at the time of light emission. However, as the market's demands for high resolution increase, the number of transistors and the number of signal lines in the row direction required for the threshold voltage compensation circuit of such type have become a requirement that is impossible to meet. Therefore, how to reduce the number of transistors within a pixel area and the number of signal lines in the row direction while realizing the function of threshold voltage compensation has become an urgent technical problem that needs to be solved in meeting the needs of high-resolution of display products in the art.

Display driving circuit, array substrate, circuit driving method, and display device


A multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means 10p, 10q onto a screen is disclosed. The plurality of image projecting means 10p, 10q are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen 20. Thus it is possible to realize superior display quality without pronounced display in any overlap part.

This application claims benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-331627 and 2000-72857 filed on Nov. 22, 1999 and Mar. 15, 2000, respectively, the contents of which are incorporated by the reference.
The present invention relates to a multiple display apparatus for displaying a single image on a screen by projecting a plurality of images thereonto and, more particularly, to a seamless multiple display apparatus, in which adjacent areas of a plurality of images projected onto a screen are overlapped.
FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a general construction example of a rear projection type seamless multiple display apparatus.
The illustrated seamless multiple display apparatus in FIG. 13 has a plurality of (i.e., total number of 9=3xc3x973, 3 in horizontal (or X) direction and 3 in vertical (or Y) direction) liquid crystal projectors 10a to 10i disposed on the rear side of the screen 20. A single image is formed by images projected from the projectors 10a to 10i onto corresponding areas 20a to 20i on the screen 20.
In this seamless multiple display screen, an overlap part 21 is formed in adjacent parts of the images projected from the projectors 10a to 10i onto the screen 20. A problem is thus posed in that the display in the overlap part 21 is brighter than in the other areas because of the incidence of the light fluxes from two to four projectors. Another problem that may be encountered is a failure of projection of accurate image on the screen 20 due to such distortion as percussions without accurate position relationship among the projectors 10a to 10i.
To prevent the above problems, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-326981 proposes a method, in which an image is previously projected onto a screen by using a test signal and photographed with a digital camera, photograph data thus obtained is then corrected, and geometrical conversion, color correction and luminance correction of an input signal are performed by using the corrected data.
The photographing by the digital camera is usually performed from the front of the screen. Therefore, a problem is posed that, watching the projected image in a direction deviated from the screen front (for instance in an oblique direction of an upward or downward direction), results in brightness difference in,the overlap part from the other areas of the screen due to different directions of projection of the projectors and visual field angle characteristic of the screen, so that the display in the overlap part is pronounced. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, when observing image projected from the projectors 10u and 10v onto the screen, the light doses at points A and B are equal in the case of observation in front-ward direction D1, but observation in oblique direction D2 results in that the point A is darker due to less light dose thereat than at the point B.
As shown, the prior art seamless multiple display apparatus has a problem that the display in an overlap part of adjacent images is pronounced.
The present invention was made in view of the above problems, and it has an object of providing a multiple display apparatus featuring superior display quality without pronounced display in any overlap part.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, wherein: the plurality of image projecting means are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, and the plurality of image projecting means are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen and adjacent areas of images projected from the plurality of image projecting means onto the screen overlap one another.
According to other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, wherein: the plurality of image projecting means are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen and the image projecting means include image emitting means for emitting light fluxes of images to be projected onto the screen and reflecting means for reflecting the projection light fluxes emitted from the image emitting means toward the screen.
According to still other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, and the plurality of image projecting means are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen, adjacent areas of images projected from the plurality of image projecting means onto the screen overlap one another and the image projecting means include image emitting means for emitting light fluxes of images to be projected onto the screen and reflecting means for reflecting the projection light fluxes emitted from the image emitting means toward the screen.
Those of the plurality of image projecting means for projecting images onto the screen in the same row in horizontal direction are disposed horizontally, whereby images of light fluxes emitted from horizontally arranged predetermined image emitting means are projected via the reflecting means onto the screen in a predetermined area of the same row in horizontal direction; and those of the plurality of image projecting means for projecting images onto the screen in the same column in vertical direction are disposed vertically, whereby images of light fluxes emitted from vertically arranged predetermined image emitting means are projected via the reflecting means onto the screen in a predetermined area of the same column in vertical direction.
Those of the plurality of image projecting means for projecting images onto the screen in the same row in horizontal direction are disposed vertically, whereby images of light fluxes emitted from vertically arranged predetermined image emitting means are projected via the reflecting means onto the screen in a predetermined area of the same row in horizontal direction; and those of the plurality of image projecting means for projecting images onto the screen in the same column in vertical direction are disposed-vertically, whereby images of light fluxes emitted from vertically arranged predetermined image emitting means are projected via the reflecting means onto the screen in a predetermined area of the same column in vertical direction.
An area of the reflecting means of an image projecting means, on which the light flux projected from an adjacent image projecting means onto the screen is partly incident, is constructed such as to transmit part of the incident light.
According to further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, wherein: the plurality of image projecting means are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen, the plurality of image projecting means each include an image generating means for generating an image to be projected onto the screen, and a lens provided between the image generating means and the screen and those of the plurality of image projecting means, which do not regularly face the screen, are constructed such that the image surfaces of their image generating means are tiltable in vertical direction with respect to the lens axis.
According to still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of a plurality of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, and the plurality of image projecting means are disposed such that their images are projected substantially from one point onto the screen and adjacent areas of images projected from the plurality of image projecting means onto the screen overlap one another, wherein: the plurality of image projecting means each include an image generating means for generating an image to be projected onto the screen, and a lens provided between the image generating means and the screen, and those of the plurality of image projecting means, which do not regularly face the screen, are constructed such that the image surfaces of their image generating means are tiltable in vertical direction with respect to the lens axis.
In the focus adjustment of the images projected from the image projecting means onto the screen by adjusting the tilting angles of the image surfaces, no image is projected from the image projecting means adjacent to the image projecting means under adjustment onto the screen.
The multiple display apparatus further comprises: detecting means for detecting a spatial frequency from an image obtained by photographing the image projected onto the screen; a computing means for obtaining the tilting angle of the image surface of the image generating means on the basis of the detection result by the detecting means; and a tilting control means for causing tilting of the image surface of the image generating means on the basis of the tilting angle obtained by in the computing means.
According to other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multiple display apparatus for displaying an image with projection of images from a plurality of image projecting means onto a screen, wherein: a light dose limiting means for limiting the light dose in an overlap area of the images projected from the plurality of image projecting means onto the screen, is provided between the image projecting means and the screen.
The light dose limiting means has areas, in which transmitted light dose increases gradually from a point to another.
Other objects and features will be clarified from the following description with reference to attached drawings.


An attachment for a hand held appliance, the attachment including an outer wall with a first part which is generally conical in shape, and a fluid inlet into the outer wall, wherein the fluid inlet is formed from a discontinuity in the outer wall. The outer wall may be formed from a first wall and a sleeve. The first wall may define a fluid flow path through the attachment. The sleeve may extend around the first wall forming a second fluid flow path from the fluid inlet in the outer wall, the second fluid flow path extending between the first wall and the sleeve. An outer surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the first wall may be collinear. The fluid flow path may extend from a first fluid inlet into the attachment to a first fluid outlet. The first fluid inlet may be annular.

Removable attachments for hairdryer can have a number of different uses. The usually circular flow exiting the hairdryer can be concentrated and flattened using a concentrator nozzle/attachment or it can be expanded and slowed by a diffuser. The different types of attachment dry the hair at different speeds with different flow rates enabling different styles to be created.
The fluid flowing through the attachment is often heated causing the outer surface of the attachment to become uncomfortably hot to touch. It is desirable to mitigate any overheating whilst not impairing features of the hairdryer such as the thrust through the appliance and the noise produced during use. In addition it is desirable to have close control over the mitigation of any overheating so that undesirable features such as hot spots on the surface of the attachment do not occur.


A touch display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, a display medium layer, a pixel array structure and a pressure sensing electrode layer is provided. The display medium layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The pixel array structure is disposed between the second substrate and the display medium layer and includes a plurality of pixel electrodes and a multi-function electrode layer overlapping the pixel electrodes. The pressure sensing electrode layer is parallel to the multi-function electrode layer and a changeable gap is formed between the pressure sensing electrode layer and the multi-function electrode layer. The touch display device capable of 3D touch is provided.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a touch display device, and particularly relates to a touch display device with a build-in touch element.
Description of Related Art
Touch function has become a necessary function in electronic products in the current consumer market. Particularly, by integrating the touch function with a display function, an advantage of intuitive operation is achieved. Namely, a user may directly click a display image to execute a desired function of the electronic product. However, along with expanding application of such type of electronic products, a single touch sensing function for a touch position is no longer satisfactory to a market demand, and if a pressing force of a touch operation is further distinguished besides the touch position sensing function, the touch sensing function can be more diversified, so as to implement more operation modes.

Touch display device and driving method thereof


A process for producing granules having reduced tackiness by forming granules in a fluidized bed apparatus and then adding a granule stabilizer to the discharge air stream of the apparatus after the granules have emerged from the apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of granules, more particularly surfactant-containing granules, which may be used in laundry detergents, dishwashing detergents or cleaning products.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The production of highly concentrated surfactant granules is known, for example, from earlier International patent application WO 93/04162, according to which the surfactant granules are produced by granulation in a fluidized bed. To this end, a surfactant preparation containing a non-surface-active liquid component is granulated and, at the same time, dried, if desired with incorporation of an inorganic or organic solid. The surfactant preparation may contain surfactants or surfactant mixtures from the group of anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and cationic surfactants, preferably anionic surfactants, more particularly fatty alkyl sulfates, C.sub.9-13 alkyl benzene sulfonates and sulfofatty acid methyl esters, and/or nonionic surfactants, more particularly liquid ethoxylated fatty alcohols containing 2 to 8 ethylene oxide groups per mole of alcohol.
Earlier German patent application P 42 32 874.8 describes a corresponding fluidized-bed granulation process in which anionic surfactant granules are obtained by neutralization of anionic surfactants in their acid form, the process being characterized in that the anionic surfactants in their acid form are neutralized and, at the same time, granulated with a powder-form neutralizing agent and, if desired, the granules formed are simultaneously dried. In this process, too, it is possible to use either an anionic surfactant in its acid form on its own or a surfactant mixture from the group of anionic surfactants in their acid form in combination with anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and/or cationic surfactants, more particularly anionic surfactants and/or liquid ethoxylated fatty alcohols containing 2 to 8 ethylene oxide groups per mole of alcohol.
The processes mentioned above give highly concentrated surfactant granules of preferably high apparent density. However, problems in regard to the flow properties or rather the tackiness of the granules can arise in the processing of low-melting and poorly crystallizing anionic surfactants, for example alkyl benzene sulfonates and .alpha.-sulfofatty acid methyl esters, and where relatively large quantities of liquid nonionic surfactants are used.
DD 228 458 A1 and DD 251 044 A3 describe a process for the production of surfactant-containing granules in a fluidized bed, in which the granules formed are powdered with a solid in the fluidized bed in order to reduce their tackiness and hence to reduce their tendency to form lumps on leaving the fluidized bed. The disadvantage of this solution is that considerable proportions of the solid used are incorporated within the granules before they leave the fluidized bed and, accordingly, are unable to contribute towards the outer coating of the granules. In addition, this process is confined to the addition of solid, powder-form granule stabilizers.
The problem addressed by the present invention was to provide a process for the production of granules in a fluidized bed, the granules being coated with a stabilizer which may be solid or even liquid to paste-like in the processing state. Another problem addressed by the invention was to protect the granules against outside influences, for example chemical influences.

Process for the production of surfactant-containing granules


A clamp-like, slip-on nut for fitting on the edge of a support having a perforation therethrough, the nut being formed by bending a piece of sheet metal into a planar lower leg having a passageway therethrough and an upper leg having a structure forming a threaded aperture for receiving a screw inserted through the passageway, the perforation and the aperture, and a device for centering the aperture with the perforation including a substantially annular strip enclosing the passageway cut from the central portion of the lower leg, the strip being surrounded by a cutaway portion except for an integral connection between the strip and the leading edge portion of the lower leg, the strip rising slightly in its trailing edge portion toward the upper leg.

Slip-on, sheet-metal, nuts are used to connect supports such as, for instance, motor vehicle body sheet metal with other parts. Such nuts usually have a centering strip for allowing preassembling of the sheet-metal nut on the support before the assembly proper and requiring no special holding during the subsequent fastening of the screw, whereby assembly is greatly facilitated especially where the fastening holes are inaccessible, except by the screw.
In conventional slip-on nuts, the centering strip is usually stamped out only across approximately three-quarters of the circumference of the circular passageway in the planar or, so-called, lower leg of the nut. The centering strip is stamped through from the outside surface of the nut to place the strip between the two legs of the nut. Rough edges are thus created which not only prevent the strip from returning into the plane of the lower leg, from which it was stamped, under the inherent elasticity of the strip, but also tend to scratch the support onto which the nut is fitted. Thus, both the strip and the edges of the nut in the lower leg around the strip tend to mar the surface of the inserted support.
If the support is sheet metal plate coated with only one protective layer, for instance a layer of enamel, then this layer must not be damaged by the assembly procedure. When the conventional nut is fitted on the support, however, the result is that the usually sharp edges of the centering strip scrape over the layer of enamel, because of the clamping force of the upper and lower legs, so that the metal surface at these fastening points is scratched bare and rusting is encouraged.


A structure and a method of creating the structure in which relatively thin pieces of non-weldable aluminum alloy or other non-weldable material are welded together. First layers of a weldable material, such as a weldable aluminum alloy or other weldable material, having a total thickness of between 0.01 and 0.30 inches, are built up on a surface of the first piece using an ultrasonic or other solid state joining technique, and second layers of the weldable material having a similar total thickness are built up on a surface of the second piece using the same technique. The first piece is then welded to the second piece at the first and second layers of weldable material using a fusion welding technique. The resulting structure may be part of an aircraft, landcraft, watercraft, or spacecraft type of vehicle or may be used in other high-performance applications.

In the manufacture of aircraft fuselages it is sometimes desirable to join together relatively thin components of non-weldable materials, such as joining non-weldable metal stringers to non-weldable skin. 2XXX aluminum alloys are used in the aircraft industry for their high tolerance to damage, and 7XXX and/or aluminum-lithium alloys are used for their high strength. Currently, joining 2XXX to 2XXX, 2XXX to 7XXX, or 7XXX to 7XXX alloys requires riveting them together, which takes time, adds weight, can cause surface deformities and other defects, and reduces performance in compression.
There are a limited number of techniques for joining non-weldable aluminum alloys, but most such techniques produce a material with varying properties. Ultrasonic joining can produce a near-zero metallurgical effect, and can join continuously, but is only suitable for joining thin (<0.04 inches) sheets. Further, ultrasonic joining produces a gnarled surface which can lead to stress concentrators. Linear friction and friction stir joining can produce a reduced or even near-zero metallurgical effect, but are limited to batch-type processes and relatively stiff materials. Magnetic pulse joining can produce a near-zero metallurgical effect, but is also limited to batch-type processes and is not as technology-ready as ultrasonic joining. Explosive joining can produce too much heat for use with relatively thin pieces used in many applications (e.g., components of aircraft fuselages). All of these are considered to be solid-state welding techniques.
There are more techniques available for welding weldable aluminum alloys. Arc, plasma, MIG, and TIG welding are conventional techniques for joining weldable aluminum alloys. Laser beam welding is a relatively old technology with new economic capabilities due to reductions in laser costs and improvements in automation. All of these are considered to be fusion-based welding techniques.
This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

Structure and method of making same involving welding otherwise non-weldable materials


An improved stator (28) for rotating electrical machines with single-layer stator windings consisting of a plurality of pre-formed coils (22) of equal angular pitch. The stator (28) has a first cylindrical surface in which a plurality of circumferentially spaced winding slots (30) are formed and in which the axially-extending winding runs (24) of the pre-formed coils (22) are positioned. The two winding runs (24) of each coil (22) will each be positioned in a winding slot (30) and the two winding slots (30) that receive the coil (22) define a winding slot pair. The improvement arises from the fact that the winding slots (30) of each winding slot pair extend into the stator (28) in substantially parallel directions. This means that the axially-extending winding runs (24) of each pre-formed coil (22) may also be substantially parallel and need not be angled towards each other. This enables the stator (28) to be easily wound as each pre-formed coil (22) may be simply and easily slotted into a parallel winding slot pair.

A common method of forming single-layer stator windings in large rotating electrical machines is to slot a plurality of pre-formed coils into open-type winding slots formed in a surface of the stator. The coils are formed separately from the stator and then individually dropped into position in the winding slots during the winding process. Each pre-formed coil is constructed from one or more insulated conductors as a complete loop and has several turns. The coils are usually formed from rectangular conductors but may also be formed from round conductors as long as the complete coil is substantially rectangular in cross-section. A typical individual pre-formed coil is shown in FIG. 1. The pre-formed coil 2 has two axially-extending winding runs 4 that are each received within an open-type winding slot formed in the stator of the electrical machine. The pre-formed coil 2 has an endwinding 6 at each end that protrudes out from the axial end of the stator when the coil is positioned within the winding slots. The axially-extending winding runs 4 and endwinding 6 of the pre-formed coil are both substantially rectangular in cross-section in order that the coil may be received in the winding slots and function properly.
In electrical machines with single-layer windings each winding slot in the stator contains only one winding run 4 and the two winding runs of each pre-formed coil are spaced so as to be received in winding slots that are separated by a number of intermediate winding slots. For example, pre-formed coils for a three-phase single-layer winding with one-slot-per-pole-per-phase have a pitch of three winding slot pitches. This means that the two axially-extending winding runs of each coil are received in winding slots that have two intermediate winding slots between them.
Conventional rotating electrical machines use stator windings with a plurality of pre-formed coils, as described above. The stator will include a number of identical winding slots that extend radially into the laminated stator core and are uniformly spaced around the circumference of the stator. The winding slots will often be "open-type" that are substantially parallel-sided along their length and depth in order that the pre-formed coils can be inserted into them in a radial direction. The winding slots will normally be formed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stator, but in some electrical machines they may be formed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the stator so that the magneto-motive force (mmf) harmonics can be reduced.
Winding slots that extend into the stator along a radius of the stator are generally preferred because they are simple to form and provide suitable stator teeth characteristics. For the purposes of the following description such slots are referred to as "radial slots". The stators of most large rotating electrical machines are usually formed from a plurality of axially stacked laminations in which the winding slots are formed in each individual lamination by punching. In many cases this is done one slot at a time by an indexing punching machine and this process is greatly facilitated if the slots are radial slots. If two-layer stator windings are used then it is necessary to have radial winding slots in order to allow all the pre-formed coils to be substantially identical in shape. Radial slots also maximise the circumferential width of the stator teeth formed between the winding slots at all points along the radial length of the teeth. As a consequence, the generation of undesirable flux densities in the stator teeth during operation of the machine and the mmf needed to establish that flux density are both minimised. Furthermore, having radial slots and thereby maximising the circumferential width of the teeth also maximises the structural strength and rigidity of the stator teeth that are formed between each pair of adjacent winding slots and ensures that they can withstand the stresses they are subjected to during the winding process and during operation of the electrical machine.
However, in order to insert the pre-formed coils into radial slots it is necessary that the two winding runs of each coil are formed to be in the same orientation as the radial slots. In other words, the axially-extending winding runs of each pre-formed coil must be formed such that, when they are received in the winding slots, they are parallel to one another in the axial direction of the stator and each lies along a different radius of the stator. This means that the winding runs of each pre-formed coil will be angled relative to one another. More specifically, in a conventional rotating electrical machine the two axially-extending winding runs of each coil must be formed at an angle relative to one another that is equal to the circumferential angular separation between the central planes of the winding slots into which the winding runs are to be received. The central plane of an open-type winding slot is defined here as the plane that is equidistant from, and parallel to, the sides of the winding slot. The central plane of a radial slot will define the angular centre of that slot about the circumference of the stator.
Rotating electrical machines are typically formed such that the stator is situated radially outside of the rotor such that the winding slots are formed in the radially inner surface of the stator. However, it is also possible to form rotating electrical machines with the rotor formed radially outside of the stator such that the winding slots are formed in the radially outer surface of the stator. The axially-extending winding runs of each pre-formed coil must be angled towards each other or away from each other as required in order to be properly received in the winding slots of the corresponding winding slot pair.
FIG. 2 shows a section of a stator 8 for a large conventional rotating electrical machine. The complete stator 8 contains 240 open-type radial slots 10 that are uniformly spaced around the circumference of the radially inner surface of the stator. A single-layer pre-formed coil 2 of one slot-per-pole-per-phase construction is received in the winding slots 10a and 10d that together define a winding slot pair. The angular separation between the central planes of each pair of adjacent winding slots 10 is 1.5° (i.e. 360°/240). Each slot 10 extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stator 8 and extends into the radially inner surface of the stator along a radius of the stator. As the slots 10 are open-type slots they are substantially parallel-sided, thus enabling a winding run of each pre-formed coil to be inserted into each slot along a radius of the stator. The pre-formed coil 2 has a pitch of three slots and the winding slots 10a and 10d that receive the winding runs 4 are therefore separated by two intermediate winding slots 10b and 10c. The angular separation between the central planes of the winding slots 10a and 10d is 4.5°. Therefore, as each winding slot 10 extends along a radius of the stator, the axially-extending winding runs 4 of the pre-formed coil 2 are also angled relative to each other by 4.5°.
Stator teeth 14 are formed between each pair of adjacent winding slots 10. As a result of the orientation of the winding slots 10, the stator teeth 14 are all oriented along a radius of the stator and are substantially identical. Furthermore, as the winding slots 10 are of uniform width, the stator teeth 14 are slightly wider at their base than at the radially inner surface of the stator 8. Stator teeth 14 formed in this manner are suitably strong and have minimal undesirable flux densities generated within them during operation of the electrical machine.
A stator that receives a single-layer stator winding will normally be wound by individually inserting the pre-formed coils into the winding slots. However, the need for the axially-extending winding runs of each pre-formed coil to be formed at an angle relative to one another so that each winding run extends along a radius of the stator can make it difficult to insert the coils into the radial slots. This means that the winding process is often time-consuming and may require a high degree of skill in order to prevent the pre-formed coils being damaged. These problems are particularly acute in large electrical machines with a high number of poles as the pre-formed coils for such electrical machines are also large and their endwindings are inherently stiff. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved stator with winding slots that makes the insertion of pre-formed coils during winding much easier. There is a particular need for such a stator that is suitable for large multi-phase rotating electrical machines with high numbers of poles. However, it is important that any such stator generates acceptable limits of undesirable flux densities during operation of the electrical machine and has stator teeth formed between its winding slots that are sufficiently strong.


A system to control an ion beam in an ion implanter includes a detector to perform a plurality of beam current measurements of the ion beam along a first direction perpendicular to a direction of propagation of the ion beam. The system also includes an analysis component to determine a beam current profile based upon the plurality of beam current measurements, the beam current profile comprising a variation of beam current along the first direction; and an adjustment component to adjust a height of the ion beam along the first direction when the beam current profile indicates the beam height is below a threshold.

Present day manufacturing for semiconductor electronics, solar cells, and other technology relies on ion implanter systems for doping or otherwise modifying silicon and other types of substrates. A typical ion implanter system performs the doping by generating an ion beam and steering it into a substrate so that the ions come to rest beneath the surface. In many applications, ion beams having a defined shape and ion beam area such as a spot beam or ribbon beam are scanned over a substrate to implant a species into a substrate area that is larger than the ion beam area. Alternatively, a substrate may be scanned with respect to a stationary beam or both substrate and beam may be scanned with respect to one another. In any of these circumstances many applications require that a substrate be implanted uniformly over a large portion of the substrate.
One type of non-uniformity that may be produced by an ion beam is termed "micrononuniformity" and refers to the presence of regular patterns of varying ion dose on a substrate. Such patterns may appear, for example as stripes of varying ion dose that are observed when a substrate is scanned along a particular direction. Other non-uniformity may result from high frequency variation in ion beam properties that are also associated with sharp changes in beam current density within an ion beam, such as "hot spots." Typically such non-uniformities may not be detected until after substrates have been processed. Moreover, depending upon the requirements of a given application, ion dose non-uniformity as little as a few tenths of one percent or even less may be unacceptable. An undetected micrononuniformity may therefore result in the inadvertent production of unusable product. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and techniques for controlling ion implantation uniformity

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


A thin-profile television includes a backplane, a display unit, a frame, and a driving printed circuit board. The backplane includes a flat first surface. The backplane and the frame, defining a first receiving space, receive the display unit and the driving printed circuit board. The frame includes a first front frame portion and a second front frame portion, the first front frame portion and the second front frame portion faces away from the backplane. The second front frame portion is convex relative to the first front frame portion. The driving printed circuit board is positioned between the backplane and the side frame portion and adjacent to the side frame portion.

Thin televisions include a rear cover and backlight modules mounted to the rear cover. A sum of a thickness of the rear cover and a thickness of the backlight module is about ½ to about ⅔ of total thickness of the thin television. Thus, when the thin-profile television device is mounted to a supporting surface by a bracket, the rear cover and the backlight module occupy a relatively large space.

HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.


The present invention relates to processes for production of Very Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (VLC-PUFAs). The present invention also relates to compositions (e.g., nutritional supplements and food products) containing such VLC-PUFAs. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to methods for biosynthesis and production of the VLC-PUFAs described herein (particularly C28-C38 PUFAs, also referred to herein as supraenes or supraenoics) by the expression, in a production host cell, of the full or partial sequence(s) of Elovl4 DNA/mRNA nucleic acids or ELOVL4 protein sequences encoded thereby, from any species (prokaryotic or eukaryotic) for use in the biosynthesis, production, purification and utilization of VLC-PUFAs in particular by the elongation of C18-C26 saturated fatty acids and PUFAs. The composition of the invention comprises, in various embodiments, a dietary supplement, a food product, a pharmaceutical formulation, a humanized animal milk, an infant formula, a cosmetic item and a biodiesel fuel for example. A pharmaceutical formulation can include, but is not limited to: a drug for treatment of neurodegenerative disease, a retinal disorder, age related maculopathy, a fertility disorder, particularly regarding sperm or testes, or a skin disorder.

Very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs), with their structurally unusual long hydrocarbon chains, are essential lipids that play important roles in certain biological systems that cannot be fulfilled by the more common shorter chain C16-C18 fatty acids25. Because of their very long chain structure, some VLC-PUFAs are able to span and reside within both leaflets of the lipid bilayer, thereby giving stability to highly curved cellular membranes such as those which surround nuclear pore complexes25. In photoreceptors, for example, the VLC-PUFAs are known to be associated with rhodopsin and play a role in regulation of phototransduction cascades18,21. Absence of these VLC-PUFAs appears to contribute to macular degeneration in autosomal dominant Stargardt macular dystrophy (STGD3, MIM600110)18, for example.
Three independent mutations in exon six of the Elongation of Very Long chain fatty acids-4 (ELOVL4) gene are associated with STGD31,2. These mutations have been shown to cause truncation and subsequent mislocalization and aggregation of the normal ELOVL4 protein product3-5. Based on sequence homology with a group of functional yeast genes and other mammalian ELOVLs, the ELOVL4 protein was predicted to be involved in elongation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs)1,4,6. For example, the microsomal ELO1 (Ssc1) is responsible for elongation of 14:0 to 16:07,8. ELO2 (Ssc2), ELO3 (Cig30), and ELOVL5 have been shown to be involved in elongation of saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fatty acids from 18 to 26 carbons8-10. However, whether the ELOVL4 protein is involved in fatty acid elongation, and the specific step it may catalyze, has remained unknown9,11. Based on its high level of expression in retinal photoreceptor cells, and to lesser extents in brain, testis and skin, it was first hypothesized that ELOVL4 may be involved in the biosynthetic pathway of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3, DHA), the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid in the retina and the brain1. However, recent experiments carried out in our laboratory (unpublished data) and results obtained from ELOVL4 mutant mice12-14 do not support this hypothesis.
Current reports establish ELOVL4 as an essential protein for growth and development as homozygous ELOVL4 knock-out or knock-in of ELOVL4 mutant genes results in neonatal lethality in mice12-15. The heterozygote knock-in mouse, in which the mutant human ELOVL4 gene has replaced one wild type copy, develops progressive photoreceptor degeneration similar to human STGD3, demonstrating its association with the function of photoreceptors16. Homozygous neonates exhibit scaly wrinkled skin due to severely compromised epidermal permeability barrier and die within hours of birth12-15,17. Lipid analysis of the epidermis from the homozygote ELOVL4 knock-out mice indicated a global reduction in very long chain saturated and hydroxy fatty acids longer than 26:0 in omega hydroxyl ceramides/glucosylceramides and free fatty acid fractions12-15. Also, mice with one normal gene replaced with a gene containing the STGD3 disease mutation had lower amounts of C32-C36 acyl phosphatidylcholines in their retinas18. Based on these findings it was proposed that the ELOVL4 protein functions in VLC-FA and/or VLC-PUFA biosynthesis14,15,18. However, none of the studies published prior hereto have provided direct evidence that ELOVL4 is an elongase. Rather, previous work has only shown that absence or reduced expression of ELOVL4 leads to a reduction in the levels of certain fatty acids. This result could have several explanations not related to elongase activity. For example, ELOVL4 protein could provide some co-factor necessary for VLC-FA/PUFA synthesis or ELOVL4 protein could support activity of a cellular organelle necessary for VLC-FA/PUFA synthesis.
Moreover, research into the VLC-PUFA class of fatty acids has been restricted due to the unavailability of these fatty acids, and their use in commercial formulations and compositions has not been feasible due to the lack of known processes for synthesizing them. It is to the development of such synthetic methods and the compositions and uses of VLC-PUFAs produced therefrom, that the present invention is directed.

Very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, methods of production, and uses

The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma


Ad content for display on a display of a wireless telephone is loaded onto the phone, e.g., at the time of manufacture or distribution, or later after initial sale of the phone. The phone memory also includes software features by which the user of the phone can access specific ad content. The ad content includes information, e.g., a coupon or bar code, for presentation to a merchant on the display of the phone at the point of sale of a product or service promoted in the ad.

A. Field
This invention relates generally to the field of storage and presentation of advertising content on wireless telephones. The term "wireless telephone" is intended to encompass conventional cellular telephones, as well as other portable devices with telephone functionality such as personal digital assistants, handheld computers, and similar devices.
B. Related Art
Prior art related to the general subject of presenting advertising content on wireless telephones includes Phillips, US Patent Application Publication 2003/0157928 A1, and published Korean patent application publication KR 2001009362, published Oct. 29, 2001. Other prior art of interest includes Hancock, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,023, Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,014 and Begum et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,606.
Two pending patent applications of the assignee of the present invention are also related to this disclosure: James D. Barnes et al., "DYNAMIC ADVERTISING CONTENT DISTRIBUTION AND PLACEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS," U.S. Ser. No. 11/405,195 filed Apr. 17, 2006 and James D. Barnes, et al., "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STATE BASED ADVERTISEMENT MESSAGING ACROSS MEDIA TYPES," U.S. Ser. No. 11/438,540 filed May 22, 2006. The entire content of these two pending applications is incorporated by reference herein. Prior art status of these applications is not admitted in view of 35 U.S.C. §103 (c)(1).

Access and use of ad content loaded onto wireless telephones


Low-pH automatic dishwashing detergent composition having a pH as measured in 1% weight aqueous solution at 25° C. of from about 5 to about 7.5 and comprising a protease selected from the group consisting of: (i) a metalloprotease; (ii) a cysteine protease, (iii) an aspartate protease, and mixtures thereof.

The automatic dishwashing detergent formulator is continuously looking for ways to improve the performance of detergent compositions.
The compositions should provide good cleaning and good finishing, i.e., leave the washed items free of filming and spotting. In addition, the composition should be environmentally friendly, provide care for the washed items and work in low-energy consumption programs, such as low temperature and short cycles. Most of the automatic dishwashing detergent compositions in the market are alkaline. Enzymes are designed to be stable and provide optimum enzymatic activity under alkaline conditions.
Low pH compositions can be very good in terms of cleaning and finishing, however many of the commercially available enzymes for automatic dishwashing underperform at low pH.
The objective of the present invention is to provide an automatic dishwashing composition capable of providing good cleaning, good finishing and good care and at the same time the composition should be environmentally friendly and work in low-energy consumption programs.


A semiconductor device includes: a first reference voltage generator for generating a first reference voltage; a first band gap circuit for dividing a voltage at a second reference voltage output node to produce a first and a second band gap voltages having a property relative to temperature variations; a first comparator for receiving the first reference voltage as a bias input and comparing the first band gap voltage with the second band gap voltage; and a first driver for pull-up driving the second reference voltage output node in response to an output signal of the first comparator.

The subject matter relates to a semiconductor design technology, and particularly, to a reference voltage generation circuit for a semiconductor device, which is capable of generating a reference voltage maintaining a stable target voltage level even when a bias voltage becomes unstable due to variations of a power supply voltage supplied from outside.
In most electronic circuit systems, generally, a power supply voltage supplied thereto is not constantly maintained, but varies with the passage of time and due to their ambient temperatures, any difference between processes, and generation of heat in electronic systems and semiconductor chips, that is, variations of Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT).
These variations cause several unfavorable variations in operating characteristics of semiconductor chips. Thus, it is necessary that circuits in the semiconductor chips can operate regardless of theses variations in most precise semiconductor chips.
One of effective methods that deal with these variations is that a reference voltage generator that supplies a voltage or current to other circuits is provided such that it always generate a constant voltage regardless of the variations.

Band gap circuit generating a plurality of internal voltage references


A modular battery charging system is provided in two main embodiments. In a first embodiment, the modular battery charging system includes a power supply, an elongated track, a connector, and at least one battery charging module. The power supply converts an outlet alternating current voltage supply to a stepped-down direct current voltage supply of an amount equal to or less than about 30 volts. The elongated track includes a number of conductive strips, interfitting with each other. The battery charging module includes a housing, a charging unit supported within the housing, a number of electrical connection components to contact the track strips and to extend to the charging unit, and a battery device receiving port to receive the particular battery device in need of charging. In a second embodiment, the modular battery charging system includes a power supply and one or more battery charging module modules. The battery charging module modules include a housing having an electrical input port and an electrical output port, a charging unit positioned and supported within the housing, and a number of electrical connection components. During use, the electrical input port of a first battery charging module is connected directly to the power supply output port, and the electrical input ports of additional battery charging module modules are connected directly to the previous battery charging module electrical output port. In this manner a train of battery charging module modules is formed, headed by a single power supply.

Many devices on the market today require batteries for their power source. Each of these devices may impose their own requirements on the battery, for instance, the batteries form factor, voltage and charge delivering capability. There are many examples of devices that require non-standard batteries such as cellular phones and notebook computers. Often the battery is externally attached to the device and become part of its ornamental design. Some devices, such as a family of power tools, share a common battery pack with a proprietary form factor. Allowing a device to only accept a battery pack with a non-standard form factor ensures that batteries used in a device will meet the requirements of the device. For these reasons, and many others, the manufactures of devices will often design a battery (or battery pack) in tandem with the device.
For each specially designed battery, however, a corresponding battery charger generally has to be designed that will accept both the form factor of the battery and charge the battery in a manner that it requires. Since many battery chargers step down line voltage to a low voltage that can be used to charge the battery, the use of line voltage imposes a requirement on the manufacturer that the battery charger be certified safe by a certification authority such as Underwriter's Lab (UL). The battery charger is often designed near the end of the development cycle once the design of the battery is known, even though certification requirements for the battery charger may unnecessarily delay the introduction of the device.
The myriad of configurations of battery chargers provided to accommodate the various known battery shapes, sizes, and load capabilities is potentially burdensome for a user of the device. Unfortunately, because there are so many different types of battery chargers, it is not unusual for a person to own multiple battery charging devices--one being required for each unique battery configuration. This is both expensive for the user and inefficient in space and outlet usage. The cost to the manufacturer for complying with the certification requirements for a battery charger is also unnecessarily expensive and time consuming.
Thus, a need exists for a new battery charging system that reduces the need for a user to buy multiple battery charging devices, reduces the space and outlet usage associated with operating the battery charging device, and reduces the manufacturer's cost and lead time in designing and producing and battery charging devices. The present invention is directed to fulfilling these needs and others as described below.

Apparatus for charging multiple batteries


An integrated circuit decoupling capacitor is divided into a plurality of discrete segments. The segments are connected electrically in parallel and are redundant to an extent that if one segment (or if desired more than one segment) fails, the remaining segments have sufficient capacitance to provide the required decoupling function. Each decoupling capacitor segment has a fuse connected in series with it. The fuse opens in response to a fault in a decoupling capacitor segment that would otherwise cause that segment to short the power supply to ground.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved integrated circuit, decoupling capacitor and, more particularly, to an integrated circuit, decoupling capacitor that reduces integrated circuit chip rejection due to manufacturing defects in the decoupling capacitor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the design of logic circuits, a decoupling capacitor is generally used to isolate the logic circuit from rapid changes in the power supply voltage, so-called power supply bounce. In a typical circuit design, as shown in FIG. 1, the decoupling capacitor is wired directly to the power supply and can cause a failure of an entire chip if only one decoupling capacitor develops a short circuit.
In a conventional integrated circuit process, the decoupling capacitor is a composite made up of layers of thin dielectric films deposited on top of a heavily doped N+ region. In order to achieve a large capacitance, the thickness of the dielectric films is extremely thin (e.g., 60 .ANG. oxide/100 .ANG. nitride) and the capacitor area has to be relatively large. In the process of manufacturing integrated circuits that include such decoupling capacitors, defects, such as a pin hole for example, in the thin, dielectric capacitor films are a common occurrence. Since, as shown in FIG. 1, the decoupling capacitor is connected directly to the power supply, a short in a single decoupling capacitor can result in a failure of the entire chip.

Self protective decoupling capacitor structure


An apparatus for sealing a wrapper sleeve includes a first peripheral surface rotating about a first axis and having a generatrix parallel to and at a maximum distance from, the first axis and a radius of curvature smaller throughout the circumferential surface length than the maximum distance. A second peripheral surface rotates about a second axis oriented parallel to the first axis. The first and second peripheral surfaces define a line of contact with the wrapper sleeve therebetween. The first and second surfaces rotate in synchronism and roll on one another effecting sealing of the wrapper sleeve as the wrapper sleeve is advanced. A device displaces the first axis relative to the second axis in a direction transverse to the advancing direction of the wrapper sleeve for effecting displacement of the line of contact in the advancing direction as the first and second surfaces rotate.

This application claims the priority of Swiss Application No. 2000 0162/00 filed Jan. 27, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference.
In packing machines which package items into wrapper sleeves, first a film sleeve is formed about the items and then the sleeve is longitudinally sealed. In a transverse sealing station transverse seams are formed between the items and subsequently the transverse seams are severed in their center across the sleeve to thus obtain individual packages.
In European Patent No. 399 948 to which corresponds U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,166, a transverse sealing station is described which has facing sealing shoes and counter shoes provided with cylindrical sealing faces and counter faces. The sealing faces are arranged coaxially with and revolve about respective rotary axes. The maximum advancing speed of the sleeve is limited where such transverse sealing stations are used because of the delay in heat transfer from the sealing shoes through the film to the sealing layer.
To take into consideration such a delay, it is further known to provide sealing shoes and counter shoes which, while they rotate, they also co-travel with the wrapper sleeve. Such an arrangement which increases the output of the packing machine, is described, for example, in published International Application WO 96/17720 to which corresponds U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,660. The transverse sealing station described therein is, however, of relatively complex structure and is therefore expensive to manufacture and service. Further, the masses moved back and forth parallel to the conveying direction of the wrapper sleeve cause oscillations which are transmitted to the entire packing machine.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus of the above-outlined type with which a high packing capacity may be achieved with simple structural means.
This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the apparatus for sealing a wrapper sleeve includes a first sealing shoe having a first peripheral surface supported for rotation about a first axis. The first peripheral surface has a generatrix being parallel to and at a maximum distance from, the first axis and a radius of curvature which is smaller at any point of the circumferential length of the first peripheral surface than the maximum distance. A second sealing shoe, having a second peripheral surface is supported for rotation about a second axis oriented parallel to the first axis. The first and second peripheral surfaces together define a line of contact with one another with the wrapper sleeve interposed therebetween. The first and second sealing shoes rotate in synchronism whereby the first and second peripheral surfaces roll on one another effecting sealing of the wrapper sleeve as the wrapper sleeve is advanced. A device displaces the first axis relative to the second axis in a direction transverse to the advancing direction of the wrapper sleeve for effecting displacement of the line of contact in the advancing direction as the first and second sealing shoes rotate.

Apparatus for sealing a wrapper film sleeve


A welding (10) for use with gas metal arc welding wherein the welding head (10) has a diffuser body (16) with an inlet end (28) and an outlet end (38). A welding tip (14) is axially located within the diffuser body (16) and extends axially beyond the outlet end (38). The diffuser body (16) has a gas outlet (37) and a gas inlet (34), and there is at least one gas channel (36) operatively connecting the gas inlet (34) and the gas outlet (37). One or more diffusing lenses (20) are provided between the gas outlet (37) and the outlet end (38).

With gas metal arc welding, an inert gas is passed over the welding rod during the welding process so as to eliminate oxygen from the area of the weld. The presence of oxygen deteriorates the quality of the weld, and leads to imperfections in the welding. The presence of an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide or argon, eliminates the oxygen from the site and therefore enables proper welding. Gas metal arc welding is used with material such as, for example, stainless steel.
With present equipment, a welding head is used which has radially directed outlets in the diffusion body for the gas. This creates a turbulent flow within the nozzle and thus the gas exits the nozzle in a turbulent manner. This causes the gas to encapsulate some oxygen, which can lead to small, localised faults in the welding. It can also cause spluttering and inconsistent welding performance.
The significant problem with a turbulent flow is that it makes the gas very susceptible to being deviated from its intended path by external factors such as winds, breezes, or other forms of air flow. Therefore, in many instances, large shields are placed around the welding site in an attempt to eliminate, or at least reduce, unwanted air flows to thus enable welding to continue. However, this cannot be readily achieved in many situations such as, for example, large factories, or welding in the open. Therefore, there is significant loss of gas, loss of efficiency, and loss of productive work time. This has increased the cost of such welding, and reduced the reliability of such welding, to a significant extent.
It is therefore the principle object of the present invention to provide welding equipment, particularly for use in gas metal arc welding, whereby the gas flow is more controlled and is therefore less susceptible to deviation from its intended path by air flow.
A further object of the present invention is to provide welding equipment, particularly for use with gas metal arc welding, where the gas flow is more even and less turbulent and therefore has a reduced tendency to entrap air.


An electrical logic circuit for incorporation in the common power supply system of an appliance including a plurality of electrical components which have intermittent power requirements comprises a system for designating the components as dominant and subsidiary components and circuitry to direct power to the dominant component preferentially and to the or a subsidiary component only in dependence on the instantaneous power requirement of the or a more dominant component. The logic circuit may include a standby facility to direct power selectively to the subsidiary component. The invention may be applied to an ironing system including a heatable iron as the dominant component and a heatable board as the subsidiary component.

Certain electric appliances comprise a plurality of components. In the case of domestic electrical appliances, an example is an ironing system such as disclosed in European Patent No. 0126530, which discloses a heatable ironing board and a heatable iron for use therewith, the control circuitry for both the board and the iron being contained within the board and powered from a common supply. A further arrangement is disclosed in W090/00642.
When such an appliance is initially switched on, electrical power is required to be supplied both to the board and to the iron and, where this occurs simultaneously, a heavy power requirement is imposed. In countries where the normal domestic power supply is rated at 240 volts or thereabouts, adequate power is available for this requirement. However, in countries where the normal domestic supply is only 110 volts or thereabouts, insufficient power may be available.

Logic circuit and method for controlling the power supply of an ironing system