Provided is a light emitting device with improved light extracting efficiency and further higher heat releasing performance. A light emitting device includes a planar lead frame having a first lead and a second lead, and includes a light emitting element mounted on the first lead, a resin frame surrounding a periphery of the light emitting element, a first sealing resin filled in the inner side of the resin frame and sealing the light emitting element, and a second sealing resin covering the resin frame and the first sealing resin. Lower end of inner surface of the resin frame is arranged only on the first lead, and at an outside of the resin frame, and the second resin member covers at least a part of the first lead and the second lead. Of the back-surface of the first lead, a region directly under the blight emitting element is exposed.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a light emitting device applicable, for example, to purposes such as an indicator, a lighting luminaire, a display, and a backlight light source for liquid crystal display.
2. Background Art
Light emitting devices using light emitting elements such as light emitting diodes or laser diodes are employed in various fields such as general lighting such as in-door lighting, on-vehicle lighting, and backlight for liquid crystal displays. Requirements for higher performance in those light emitting devices are growing daily, and light emitting diodes of further higher output (higher luminance) and lower cost are demanded. Light emitting diodes in various color tones are required according to recent applications, and moreover, the range of color tone is very narrowly limited. In some cases light emitting diodes are used in combination with lenses of secondary optical system, etc., and light emitting diodes which have compatibility with lenses of secondary optical system are also required.
In order to realize white light emitting diodes, light emitting devices which employ combinations of blue light emitting diodes and yellow fluorescent materials (for example, YAG fluorescent materials) have been in use. This may be obtained by injecting a mixture of a resin and a fluorescent material in a region where alight emitting element is mounted.
After mounting a light emitting element, the resin to seal the light emitting element is generally injected in a recess where the light emitting element is mounted. Such recess is formed by, for example, processing a recess in a lead frame, or defined in a resin package which is integrally molded with a lead frame, etc., typically formed by way of mold processing, so that recesses of a relatively uniform shape and size can be manufactured.
See Patent Literature 1: JP 2011-216875A.
See Patent Literature 2: JP 2012-504341A.
See Patent Literature 3: JP 2011-009298A.
However, a disadvantaged resin package type light emitting device which is integrally molded with the lead frame may include a gap (P—N gap) which occurs between the lead frame components in its light emitting portion, which may result in absorption of light emitted from the light emitting element at the P—N gap.

Light emitting device having dual sealing resins


Method and device for manufacturing a noble meal reinforced electrode for a spark plug. A base electrode element (1) is formed and positioned in a retaining attachment (2). A noble metal piece (3) is arranged by a suitable attachment (4) on the front side of the base electrode element (1), and pressed into the front side of the noble metal base element (1) by a press attachment, in particular a die (6), while the arrangement composed of the base electrode element (1) and noble metal piece (3) is preferably heated by an electric current. After cooling, subsequent pressing can be carried out, by which the noble metal piece (3) is pressed flat. It is also possible to weld together the noble metal piece (3) and the tip (7) of the base electrode element.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and a device for manufacturing a noble metal armored electrode for a spark plug.
2. Description of Related Art
European Patent Application EP 0 418 281 B1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,220 disclose a method for manufacturing a noble metal armored electrode for a spark plug through a large number of different working steps which include the transport of intermediate products to several finishing stations, which means that the production process is generally expensive and associated with considerable production tolerances.

Method and device for manufacturing a noble metal armored electrode for a sparking plug


A method, a container, and a planting device are provided for improving seedling emergence from seeds through soil and improving yield of plants in a field. The method includes selectively planting two seeds next to one another within the soil to provide sufficient emergence energy so the seedlings emerge together through the soil. One of the seedlings is then selectively destroyed to provide a desired spacing between plants in the field. A capsule is provided to contain plantable agricultural products. The capsule enables uniform and consistent planting plantable agricultural products, enables close proximity planting of multiple plantable agricultural products next to one another, and enables uniform and consistent engagement and dispensing of the seeds by planting equipment. A planting device, defined by a planter plate, is designed to consistently and uniformly plant the capsules containing agricultural products within the field.

Planters and planting methods provide for planting and spacing of seeds in a field. The agricultural industry continuously seeks improved yields from crops within smaller and smaller areas. A common problem in agriculture is inconsistent spacing during planting which results in decreased yield because the spacing between plants is not optimal. Same-species seeds typically vary somewhat in size and shape, which may cause planting equipment to miss-handle some seeds leading to inconsistent spacing during planting, which may result in decreased yield. Soils commonly form a "crust" after planting and before emergence, which can either delay the emergence of a seedling or cause the seedling to die because it cannot break through the soil crust.

Method for planting agricultural products


A low voltage CMOS multiplier uses a transconductance stage to generate a dynamic bias current which is used to compensate for non-linear terms in a Gilbert Cell multiplier circuit. Common mode dependence is minimized by using balanced differential input stages for both the transconductance and multiplier stages.

Analog multipliers are used in many different applications such as modulators, demodulators and mixers to name a few. In some applications it is necessary that the multiplier yield linear products of both inputs. Linear products of both inputs are easily achieved in the digital domain. However, the results can involve considerable cost over an analog implementation in the form of A/D and D/A converters and in general consume more power and chip area than an analog implementation.
The most critical design specification for a multiplier is linearity or distortion for a given dynamic voltage range, either input or output. If the input voltages are small, a simple MOS version of the well known Gilbert cell can be used with good results. If larger input ranges are contemplated, a compensation technique must be employed in order to improve linearity at the extremes of the range. Furthermore, low voltage supplies require additional techniques, such as folding, to make linear operation possible with standard CMOS devices. The use of a compensation signal without encountering increased common mode signal dependence and the use of many additional devices is difficult at best. In addition, operation using standard CMOS devices at low supply voltages (3.3 V) presents a unique challenge.
The publications listed below are considered relevant background material since alternative solutions or components include in the application.
1. Garverick, Sodini, "A Wide-Band NMOS Balanced Modulator/Amplifier Which Uses 1 um Transistors for Linearity," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 23, No. 1, p. 195, February 1988. PA0 2. Pena-Finol and Connely, "A MOS Four-Quadrant Analog Multiplier Using the Quarter-Square Technique," IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-20, No. 6, p. 1158, December 1985. PA0 3. Z. Wang, "A CMOS Four-Quadrant Analog Multiplier with Single-Ended Voltage Output and Improved Temperature Performance," IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits, Vol. 26, No. 9, p. 1293, September 1991. PA0 4. Babanezhad and Temes, "A 20V Four-Quadrant CMOS Analog Mulitplier," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-20, No. 6, p. 1158, December 1985. PA0 5. Wong, Kalyanasundaram, Salam, "Wide Dynamic Range Four-Quadrant CMOS Analog Multiplier Using Linearized Transconductance Stages," IEEE Journal Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-21, No. 6, p. 1120, December 1986. PA0 6. Nedungadi and Viswanathan, "Design of Linear CMOS Transconductance Elements," IEEE Transactions on Circuits Systems, Vol. CAS-31, p. 891, October, 1984. PA0 7. B. Gilbert, "A Precise Four-Quadrant Multiplier with Subnanosecond Response," IEEE Journal Solid State Circuits, Vol. SC-3, No. 4, December, 1968.
(1) uses the linear transconductance properties of short channel devices to construct a multiplier. This solution is not acceptable due to the reliability problems associated with high fields and short channel devices.
(2) and (3) disclose a quarter-square technique which uses the square of the sum of the input signals minus the square of the difference of the input signals, to obtain a linearly scaled product of the two inputs.
(4) and (5) disclose a compensated Gilbert Cell discussed above.
(6) describes a transconductance stage, a component used in this invention.
(7) describes a simple MOS version of a Gilbert Cell, a component used in the invention and described above.

Low voltage CMOS analog multiplier with extended input dynamic range

International Business Machines Corporation


Soluble alkyl [5-(amino (phenyl)methyl)-2H-benzimidazol-2-yl]carbamates, their enantiomorphic forms, and acid addition salts thereof are well absorbed and possess curative anthelmintic activity, especially against filarial worms, when administered orally or parenterally. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds and methods of employing the compounds in methods of treating helminth infections in mammals are also disclosed, together with methods of synthesis.

Filariasis comprises a collection of vector-borne worm diseases affecting humans throughout the tropical regions of the world. Worldwide 905 million people are at risk from lymphatic filariasis--caused mainly by Wuchereria bancrofti or Brugia malayi--90 million of whom are infected; serious cases have to live with the gross deformations of elephantiasis. Similarly 90 million people are at risk from onchocerciasis, 17.6 million of whom are actually infected; of these some 326,000 have lost their sight due to the activities of the microfilariae in the eye.
Drug treatment of filariasis has been unsatisfactory. Diethylcarbamazine has the ability to destroy microfilariae, but unpleasant and sometimes dangerous allergic side effects may occur; it also has the ability in adequate doses to kill adults of lymphatic filariae in some, but far from all patients. Suramin and derivatives of melaminylarsonic acid also have macrofilaricidal action. However, their toxicity, and the fact that they have to be given repeatedly and by injection, make them unsatisfactory candidates for mass treatment. Benzimidazoles, such as flubendazole and mebendazole, are widely used for the treatment of intestinal helminth infections in mammals, but they are poorly absorbed and cause pain and inflammation on injection. Thus, none appears suitable for the mass treatment of filariasis infections. More recently it has been found that ivermectin has outstanding activity against microfilariae, but is without effect on adult worms. Treatment once or twice a year with ivermectin combined with a vector control programme forms the basis of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa. While regular control of microfilariae with ivermectin will prevent the development of blindness in onchocerciasis, killing of adult worms would give better control of onchocerciasis, and is essential to prevent the development of pathology in lymphatic filiariasis. Therefore, the development of new soluble macrofilaricides which are well absorbed by oral administration and are not irritating upon parental administration is essential for the global management of filariasis.

Soluble alkyl[5-[amino (phenyl)methyl]-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl] carbamate anthelmintics

Board of Regents Acting on Behalf of the University of Michigan


A doffing apparatus for use with a loom take-up which includes a pair of drive spaced and aligned drive rolls supporting a cloth roll therebetween. The drive rolls act to drive the cloth roll so as to wind cloth delivered from the loom thereon. The doffing apparatus includes a pair of pivotally mounted support arms carrying a wedge. A support rod connects the wedge means with this support arm for pivotal and longitudinal movement relative thereto. In operation, the doffing apparatus is located relative to the drive roll and the cloth roll and the wedge means is positioned in the nip between these rolls so that continued rotation thereof draws the wedge means in between the rolls in a manner to lift the cloth roll from the driven roll.

The instant invention is directed to doffing apparatus for use with a loom take-up of the type having a pair of spaced drive rolls which support and drive the cloth roll during take-up.
Cloth rolls when employed with take-up apparatus of this type are usually positioned in front of the loom. The fabric usually passes beneath a work place platform and over an inspection frame prior to being wrapped onto the take up as a cloth roll. Because the take-up apparatus is spaced from the loom and is not constricted for space, it is possible to build the cloth roll to be very large, somewhere in the order of 2000 lbs, before doffing is necessary. Due to this large weight, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for a single operator to doff the cloth roll. Accordingly, a mechanical doffing apparatus becomes most desirable.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide a satisfactory doffing apparatus for a loom take-up mechanism. The doffing apparatus must be inexpensive to construct, it must be sturdy in order to work with the heavy weight of the cloth roll and it must not delay production when in use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,563 is directed to one attempt to provide a doffing apparatus capable of meeting this criteria. Here a doffing roll C is carried by arms 16 which are motivated by gears A and D. In order to doff cloth roll 12, the take-up drive must be reversed and roll C elevated to engage gears A and D which then move roll C across the drive roll 10 to doff the cloth roll. This doffing device is both expensive due to the use of gears and the structural strength necessary for the arms and doff roll. Also, production is interrupted during the reversal operation of the take-up apparatus.
The instant apparatus has as its object to provide doffing apparatus which satisfies the requirements set forth above.
Another object of the invention is to provide doffing apparatus which is easy and convenient to use.
Another object of the invention is to provide doffing apparatus which is light weight.
Another object of the invention is to provide doffing apparatus which is reliable.
Another object of the invention is to provide a doffing apparatus which does not interrupt the operation of the take-up mechanism.


The pipe ball joint includes a casing having a socket portion with a substantially spherical interior surface and a first pipe segment extending from the socket portion. The socket portion has an annular groove disposed adjacent the partially spherical interior surface. A ball pipe section includes a ball segment received in the socket portion of the casing and a second pipe segment extending from the ball segment. A seal assembly is received in the annular groove of the casing and is disposed against the ball segment of the ball pipe section. The seal assembly includes a plurality of nested seal rings that each include a concave face and a convex face.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
It is common in industries such as oil and gas production to utilize a ball and socket-type dynamic joint to join two misaligned pipe ends, where pipe movement cannot be avoided, to therefore prevent the over stressing of pipe components. Ball and socket-type dynamic joints add complexity to the internal joint design as well as the seal design. The assembly of the ball and socket-type joint can be complicated by high friction of the seal components inhibiting the motion of the ball and socket-type dynamic joint. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved ball and socket joint with a seal that provides reduced friction during assembly.


A disc reproducing apparatus comprising a means for reproducing data recorded in a disc, a means for making a decision as to whether the reproduced data are proper or not, a means for detecting a face-down state of the disc in response to the result of the decision, and a means for controlling the driving of the disc in response to the result of the detection. When a disc (DVD) loaded in a normal state is rotated clockwise, the point of reproduction is gradually shifted toward the outermost of the disc. However, when a disc loaded in a face-down state is rotated, the point of reproduction is shifted toward the innermost of the disc, so that the required continuity of addresses fails to be ensured. Thus, the face-down state of the loaded disc can be detected from the result of the decision indicating non-continuity of the addresses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reproducing a disc, and more particularly to those capable of detecting a face-down state of a disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 11 shows a sectional structure of a CD (Compact Disc). As illustrated in this diagram, an information recording layer 2 is formed on a base 1, and a protective film 3 is formed on the information recording layer 2. The thickness of the base 1 is sufficiently greater than that of the protective film 3. And the information recorded in the layer 2 is reproduced by irradiation of a laser beam from the side of the base 1.
FIG. 12 shows a sectional structure of an exemplary DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) where merely a single information recording layer is formed. As illustrated, an information recording layer 12 is formed on a protective film 11, and another protective film 13 is formed on the information recording layer 12. The two protective films 11 and 13 are so formed as to be substantially the same in thickness. And the information can be reproduced by irradiation of a laser beam from the side of the protective film 11.
Since the protective film 3 is sufficiently thinner than the base 1 as shown in FIG. 11, if a CD is placed in a face-down state, it is impossible to read out the recorded information in the layer 2 even by irradiation of a laser beam from the side of the protective film 3.
Meanwhile, in the case of a DVD where the protective films 11 and 13 are substantially the same in thickness, when a user erroneously places a DVD as illustrated in FIG. 13 for example where the protective film 13 is turned opposite to a pickup, it is possible in principle to read out the recorded information in the layer 12 by irradiation of a laser beam from the side of the protective film 13 if no label or the like is stuck on the protective film 13. In this case, however, proper data fail to be obtained, and the user may misconceive that the DVD is a damaged one.


A parking frame for which a parking route cannot be generated is excluded from selection objects by a simple determination. The parking assistance device acquires information on an entrance width of a frame entrance of the parking frame and information on a passage width of a passage, and calculates a minimum projection amount wm in a passage width direction of a vehicle 220 from the parking frame 203 to the passage 205 when a vehicle corner on a front side of the vehicle in an approach direction to the parking frame and on a first side in a vehicle width direction is located at the entrance end on the first side of the parking frame in the frame width direction, and when the vehicle is disposed at a position where the vehicle side part on a second side of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction is in contact with the entrance end on the second side of the parking frame in the frame width direction. This minimum projection amount wm is a minimum passage width required for rotating the vehicle from a direction at a start of parking to a direction at a completion of parking without considering a turning radius in a space configured by the parking frame and the passage. The passage width wr is compared with the minimum projection amount wm, and when the passage width is smaller than the minimum projection amount, it is determined that the vehicle cannot be parked in the parking frame.

Conventionally, there has been a parking assistance device that recognizes surrounding white lines or an obstacle with a camera or a sonar to identify a position of a parking frame large enough for accommodating a host vehicle and a passage space in front of the parking frame. In PTL 1, the steering is set to a maximum turning angle based on a turning trajectory of rear wheels and a front end of the vehicle corresponding to a minimum turning radius of the vehicle, a parking frame width, and an obstacle distance, and the vehicle is reversed. Thus, a reverse switching boundary indicating a boundary where the vehicle can enter a target parking frame at a time is calculated. Then, a presentation image is created by superimposing the reverse switching boundary on a captured image obtained by imaging a periphery of the vehicle. The created presentation image is displayed on a display means.


Described are surgical implants, tools, systems, and related methods, useful for implantation of surgical implants, such as those used to treat pelvic conditions including but not limited to incontinence; an implant may features such as a stiffened non-flat form; a suture running; a system may include a surgical implant as described and an installation tool; methods may include a method of preparing a surgical implant and a method of implanting a urethral sling.

Surgical implants for use in the pelvic region are fast becoming important for an aging population. Pelvic tissue conditions are becoming more common, such as incontinence and tissue prolapse, in females and males. One example of a pelvic implant to treat such a condition is the urethral sling, is useful for treating incontinence. Other examples include similar implants are useful for treating, e.g., pelvic organ prolapse such as vaginal prolapse.
New methods are being developed for improving safety and efficacy of these implants and methods of installation. Recent developments have led to methods of implantation that use a transobturator tissue path. See, for example, Assignee's copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/064,875, filed Feb. 24, 2005, by Anderson et al., and titled Transobturator Surgical Articles and Methods. The use of a tissue path that traverses the obturator foramen calls for new features of surgical implants and systems that allow ease of installation and good efficacy and functioning of an implant during chronic implantation.
With these new surgical approaches, there is continuing need to improve urethral sling implants to be as effective, safe, and easy to install as possible, with long-lasting efficacy of treatment.

Surgical implants and related methods and systems


A window frame member is substantially pre-manufactured leaving only cutting the mortise and tenon ends of the rail and stile frame members along with cutting the glass stop to the required width. The pre-manufactured frame members include a continuous groove to receive removable glazing panel retention clips. A breather channel opening is cut in the mortise end of the stile frame member avoiding a separate drilling operation. The window frame is versatile and will accommodate multiple window accessories including a muntin grid and light control means such as a blind between two window units. An energy transmittance control system provides a balanced effective control of ultraviolet and near infrared light while maximizing transmission of the visible light. In a three glazing pane window assembly the outer pane includes two transparent silver metal layers while the inner pane includes one silver layer. One silver layer is provided on a stretched polyester film suspended between the outer and middle panes in a krypton filled insulated glass unit.

This invention relates to an improved and simplified window frame construction that is less expensive to manufacture and allows for the use of optional accessories. A window assembly also includes a highly efficient energy filter system.
The Rolscreen Company, Pella, Iowa, has marketed a window assembly as represented in FIGS. 19-21 which includes a fixed glazing panel 10 and a removable panel 12. Pivot retention clips 14 are carried on removable panel 12 and are received in notches 16 to hold the panel in place. A breather passageway 18 allows ambient outside air to communicate with the space between the glazing panels 10 and 12. The construction of this window requires separate manufacturing steps to form the breather passageway 18 and the notch 16 in the rail frame member 20 and the stile frame member 22. One of the objects of this invention is to simplify this manufacturing procedure so that frame components can be in part mass produced and customized as required with a minimum of manufacturing steps.
The Rolscreen Company has made popular a window assembly having an adjustable blind positioned between the removable inside glazing panel and the outside fixed window unit. While this product has been very successful, it is desirable to have a variety of accessory options if they can be provided at a reasonable cost to manufacture. An objective of this invention thus is to provide a basic window frame construction which allows for final modification at the time of assembly for construction of any number of different accessorized window assemblies which may include multiple accessories between the glazing panels.
In the area of heat and light energy control systems, substantial work has been done in recent years representative of which is disclosed in the Southwall Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif., Meyer, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,745, Jan. 24, 1989. While the basic energy transmission control systems are known, improvements are needed in the combining these various systems to give the most affective and efficient system for different environmental conditions. Thus an object of this invention is to uniquely combine certain features of different systems into one to maximize their benefits to the window consumer. It is an object to filter out the ultraviolet light that causes fading while maximizing the transmission of visible light and then again filtering out the near infrared and long wave light. Ultraviolet rays are from 0 to 390 nanometers while the visible region is 390 to 760 and near infrared is from 760 to 2,500. The long wave light is above 2,500. This invention has as an object to provide an energy control system that will filter out as much energy as possible at the top end of the ultraviolet region near its interface with the visible light. This would generally include wave length on the order of 360 to 380 nanometers. It is also an object to strike a balance between the objectives of minimizing near infrared transmission while maximizing visible light.


The present invention provides a menstruation recording device, which can be used every month in the year, for easy recording of an individual menstruation visually or tactually, and is convenient and portable. A menstruation recording device of the present invention comprises a spreadable notebook, a plurality of date indicating portions comprising loop side fastener materials, arranged around the spread surfaces, which can be used in every month of the year, at least two sets of marker supporting portions comprising loop side fastener materials, provided separately from the plurality of the date indicating portions, at least two sets and four kinds of markers to be arranged removably on the date indicating portions or the two sets of the marker supporting portions for arranged on the two sets of the marker supporting portions not in use, and on dates of the date indicating portions corresponding to the current menstruation date and the menstruation finishing date, and the next menstruation date and the next menstruation finishing date in use.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a menstruation recording device for recording menstruation visually or tactually, more specifically, to a menstruation recording device for recording a menstruation starting date, a menstruation period, a menstruation cycle, a life period of an ovum, an ovulation date, and the next menstruation date, conveniently.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is essential for a woman to record the information on her menstruation and predict the next menstruation date and ovulation date based on a cycle inherent to her in order to lead a comfortable life.
The present inventor has proposed sanitary shorts comprising, shorts with dates for one month printed thereon so as to be used for every month in the year, and a removable marker for marking a menstruation starting date on the corresponding date printed on the shorts in Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 5-39695.
Further, the present inventor has advocated sanitary shorts, comprising two markers for indicating the current menstruation starting date and the next menstruation starting date on date indicating portions so that a menstruation cycle and subsequent menstruation dates can be easily predicted in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-197863.
The above-mentioned sanitary shorts have the advantage of calling the wearer's attention to her menstrual cycle when putting them on or taking them off, since the sanitary information inherently necessary to the individual is recorded on a garment necessary for daily life.
However, the shorts have disadvantages for being a garment, such as durability in washing with the markers attached, wearing discomfort, the necessity of a plurality of the shorts in consideration of frequency of the use, and limited accessibility to the information in ordinary daily life situations, in a room or on outing due to the difficulty of looking at the sanitary shorts in order to confirm the next menstruation starting date in such circumstances. Therefore, an alternative product which is convenient for placing at an easily-accessible place or for portable use has been desired.


In the case of a joint brace with two splints (1 and 3) connected together in an articulating manner, an abutment (26) is provided on one splint (3), said abutment cooperating with a complementary abutment (25) on the other splint (1) for limiting the pivot angle. The complementary abutment (25) is provided on an angle setting element (18), which is pivotally mounted in relation to the splint (1) and may be set in different positions on such splint. By moving the angle setting element (18) in relation to the splint (1) the position of the complementary abutment (25) and accordingly the maximum pivot range of the splint (1) may be reset steplessly in a predetermined angular range.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a joint brace and more particularly a knee joint brace for preventing torsion of a distal extremity in relation to a proximal extremity connected therewith articulatingly.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
Joint braces of this type are known as knee orthoses, and for example are applied following cruciate ligament operations, with the purpose of precluding a rotary movement of the lower leg in relation to the upper leg. The splints running along either side of the knee are joined together articulatingly at the level of the knee and at their free ends are firmly strapped to the upper and, respectively, lower leg. The rotary joint then permits flexion and extension of the leg for a certain, adjustable range of pivoting.
It is furthermore a practice to limit the range of pivoting of the splints and accordingly of the knee joint in a predetermined, variable fashion. This may for instance be done by the insertion of shims or wedges with different sizes between the abutment of one splint and the complementary abutment of the further splint connected therewith. A further practice is to insert an abutment pin in different holes in accordance with the desired range of pivoting, such holes being provided in one of the splints connected together.
In the case of these known joint braces it is a disadvantage that any increase or reduction in the free pivot range is only possible in relatively large angular steps. For example in the case of a conventional knee brace the limitation of the pivoting in the extension direction, i. e. in the stretch out direction of the extremities of the body, adjustment is only possible to set to four different positions, i. e. in 15.degree. steps between 0.degree. and 45.degree.. The 0.degree. setting then corresponds to the completely straight, extended position of the lower leg in relation to the upper leg. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,751 discloses a joint brace in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, in the case of which two interiorly placed, circular adjustment disks are employed having recesses for limiting the extension or, respectively, flexion of the distal splint. Pins extend through the recesses and move, together with the distal splint, within the recesses and in the respective end positions abut against abutment faces in the recesses.
Furthermore the U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,862 discloses a foot joint brace, which renders possible upward motion of the tip of the foot, whereas lowering thereof below a certain basic position is to be prevented. This known foot brace possesses a rotatably mounted pivot part with a lower abutment and a plurality of upper through holes in order to hold such pivot part by means of a setting pin at different angles of inclination in relation to a lower leg splint.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,883,982 discloses a knee joint brace in the case of which two contacting faces on the distal and proximal splints are designed in the form of gear teeth and possess faces in rolling engagement with one another. In this case the extended position is limited by means of a tie, whose one end is secured within a slide recess means in the proximal splint and whose other end is pivotally secured to the distal splint. These last-named splints are however complex in design are furthermore expensive and are difficult to manipulate. Moreover, they are unsuitable for stretching the joint in question should its mobility be impaired owing to ligament surgery, injuries, inflammation and the like and the joint capsule and/or connective tissue be defective as regards extension or flexion.

Joint brace and more particularly a knee brace


A seat apparatus provides a pair of separate seat units which is conveniently adjustable to fit according to the user's body shape. The device is comprised of: a pair of seats that can move in the opposite directions; a pair of moving plates attached under the seats that enables the movement of the seats; a base supporting the moving plates for the movement in the opposite directions; a shaft on the upper side of the base that is attached to rotate; a cylindrical shaped gap controller attached in the middle of the shaft with a pair of guidance grooves that have one narrow end and the other wide end; a motoring device attached on one end of the shaft to rotate the shaft; a pair of connectors with the one ends assembled on the guidance grooves on the gap controller and the other ends fixed on the moving plates at the corresponding positions to the guidance grooves of the gap controller; and a guiding mechanism to direct the movement of the moving plates on the base in the direction of the shaft.

When a person spends a long period of time on a chair, coccygodinia is likely to occur. Coccygodinia is a pain in the coccyx or tailbone at the end of the lumbar.
Also a person with hemorrhoids has difficulty in maintaining a posture for a long time while sitting.
The utility patent No. 20-0260631, "seat apparatus with a gap" was previously submitted and registered as a device to relieve the pain from people with such symptoms.
In this utility patent, the seat is designed in a way that a user can adjust the gap between a separated set of base units.
Although the gap is adjusted through a gear mechanism attached underneath the seat, this mechanism presents certain inconveniences.
The gap spacing is restricted and can be adjusted by the first and the second fixation holes.
Therefore, the spacing can only be adjusted in steps making minute adjustment not possible.
The user must unlock and relock the mechanism after each adjustment of the space, and must rise from the chair to do that.


The present invention relates to charge transport compositions. The invention further relates to electronic devices in which there is at least one active layer comprising such charge transport compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to charge transport compositions. The invention further relates to photoactive electronic devices in which there is at least one active layer comprising such charge transport compositions.
2. Background
In organic photoactive electronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes ("OLED"), that make up OLED displays, the organic active layer is sandwiched between two electrical contact layers in an OLED display. In an OLED the organic photoactive layer emits light through the light-transmitting electrical contact layer upon application of a voltage across the electrical contact layers.
It is well known to use organic electroluminescent compounds as the active component in light-emitting diodes. Simple organic molecules, conjugated polymers, and organometallic complexes have been used.
Devices which use photoactive materials, frequently include one or more charge transport layers, which are positioned between the photoactive (e.g., light-emitting) layer and one of the contact layers. A hole transport layer may be positioned between the photoactive layer and the hole-injecting contact layer, also called the anode. An electron transport layer may be positioned between the photoactive layer and the electron-injecting contact layer, also called the cathode.
There is a continuing need for charge transport materials and anti-quenching materials.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Charge transport compositions and electronic devices made with such compounds


Some embodiments relate to a level detector, comprising a current mirror including first and second current legs to carry first and second signals, respectively. The first current leg includes a first variable resistor and the second current leg includes a second variable resistor. During a calibration mode, a switching element provides a predetermined reference voltage across first and second control terminals of the first and second variable resistors, respectively. During a non-calibration mode, the switching element decouples the predetermined reference voltage from the first and second control terminals, and provides a signal across the first and second control terminals. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Level detectors compare a voltage level of a signal with an unknown voltage level to a predetermined voltage threshold. An output signal, whose state is indicative of the relationship between the voltage level of the signal and the predetermined voltage threshold, is then provided. Level detectors are used in a variety of applications.
As one practical example of an application where a level detector can be useful, consider a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for a laptop computer. When the USB port is empty, meaning that there is no USB device inserted into the USB port, the port can be characterized by a high-impedance or ground signal. In contrast, when a USB device (e.g., a memory stick, audio device, camera, etc.) is inserted into the USB port, the USB device delivers a predetermined voltage signature, such as a 100 mV pulse, to the USB port. To determine whether such a USB device has been inserted into the USB port, it would be ideal to use a voltage level detector with a predetermined voltage threshold of exactly 100 mV. In such a case, the level detector could compare the real-time voltage on the USB port (i.e., a signal) to the predetermined voltage threshold of 100 mV. If the voltage of the USB port is less than 100 mV, the level detector provides an output signal in a first state, which indicates no USB device is present. On the other hand, if the voltage on the USB port is equal to 100 mV, the level detector provides the output signal in a second state, which indicates a USB device is present. By evaluating the output state of the level detector, the laptop can determine whether a USB device has been inserted or not and take appropriate action. Numerous other applications are also possible for level detectors, such as wireless or wireline communication systems, automotive sensors, other bus protocols (e.g., Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)), among others.
Unfortunately, level detectors in some other approaches have been unable to provide precise voltage threshold comparisons.

Voltage threshold calibration techniques for level detectors

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Provided are methods for testing aerosol material compatibility of various samples to disinfectants, decontaminants, and other such materials that are used as aerosols. A test is performed in a controlled environment, such as an aerosol chamber, using a specific set of test parameters representative of actual use of tested materials, such as dispensing parameters and exposure parameters. During the test, a test surface of the sample is exposed to an aerosol mist. Other surfaces may be protected. After exposure to the aerosol mist, the sample may be allowed to sit for a period of time. The sample is later cleaned and tested to determine effects of various materials in the mist on the sample. In some embodiments, some or all operations may be repeated for the same sample or different samples. The test parameters may be varied to determine compatibility limits.

Bacterial and microbial contamination of confined spaces, such as aircraft cabins, has long been a major concern and source of infection. In some situations, many people share the same limited space for prolonged periods of time (e.g., during a flight) and may cause contamination and/or be exposed to various contaminants in that space. Bacteria, viruses, spores, and other disease-causing contaminants may adhere to surfaces and/or linger in the air after being discharged by disease carrying humans (e.g., coughing, sneezing, touching surfaces) and/or after being maliciously introduced into the space (e.g., during a biological attack). Diseases spread by such contaminants include, but are not limited to, common cold, influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, staphylococcal bacterial infections, and strep throat. Decontamination can be difficult because of vast surfaces being potentially contaminated. Often contaminated surfaces are hidden or not directly accessible for cleaning. Aerosolized decontaminants, disinfectants, and other such chemicals have been recently proposed for various applications, such as decontamination of aircraft cabins. However, applying these chemicals may damage these surfaces. Yet methods for testing material compatibility with aerosolized chemicals are not available.

Determining aerosol material compatibility


A method of manufacturing a floating gate is provided. The method includes the steps of forming a tunneling layer on a substrate, and forming a film layer containing a semiconductor component on the tunneling layer. The film layer consists of a semiconductor film or nano-dots.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device, and more particularly to a non-volatile memory and a method of manufacturing a floating gate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM), among various of non-volatile memory devices, is suitable of performing multiple operations of writing, read and erasure, and is non-volatile even when power is off. As a result, EEPROM becomes a type of memory device widely used in personal computers and other electronic equipments.
In a EEPROM, doped polysilicon is conventionally used for fabricating a floating gate and a control gate. A dielectric layer is used to separate the floating gate from the control gate, while a tunneling layer is used to separate the floating gate from the substrate. When an operation of data writing/erasing is performed on the EEPROM, a bias voltage is applied on the control gate, the source region and the drain region so as to inject charges into the floating gate or withdraw charges from the floating gate. When data is read from the memory, an operating voltage is applied on the floating gate, and because the threshold voltage of the floating gate has been changed in the earlier write/erase operation, the difference of the threshold voltages can be used for differentiating the data value of 0 and 1.
Because the floating gate is made of a semiconductor material (e.g., polysilicon), electrons injected in the floating gate will be uniformly distributed in the entire layer of the floating gate. Upon multiple operations, if defects exist in the tunneling oxide layer below the layer of the polysilicon floating gate, electric leakage may easily occur to affect the device reliability. As a result, the thickness of the tunneling oxide layer cannot be reduced and a desirable lower operating voltage is hard to be obtained.

Non-volatile memory and method of manufacturing floating gate


An air filter kit for residential and light commercial air filtration applications including a user assembled, dimensionally adjustable, air filter frame assembly capable of telescopic adjustment of both length and width. Telescopic adjustment is facilitated by a plurality of slidably engaged frame members which together form an adjustable peripheral filter frame defining a recessed channel for receiving a quantity of filter media therein. Adjustment of the frame members is further facilitated by the use of a lubricating substance such as a friction reducing synthetic tape between the members. A quantity of spongy filter media is secured cut to size and secured within the recessed channel by a quantity of hook material projecting into the filter media. A perimeter gasket anchors the frame dimensions while providing a positive seal between the frame and a filter track.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to air filtration, and more particularly to a universal air filter kit having a telescopically adjustable gasketed frame for residential and light commercial applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of air filters to remove particulates from an air stream is well known in the art. Air filtration is primarily used in both commercial and residential heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems for removing atmospheric dust, or other undesirable airborne matter.
Atmospheric dust comprises a complex mixture of smoke, fumes, dry granular particles, and fibers. These components and their concentrations vary with the geography of the locality (urban or rural), the season of the year, weather, the direction and strength of the wind, and the proximity of dust sources. A sample of atmospheric dust usually contains soot and smoke, silica, clay, decayed animal and vegetable matter, organic materials in the form of lint and plant fibers, and metallic fragments. It may also contain living organisms, such as mold spores, bacteria, and plant pollens, which may cause diseases or allergic responses.
Particles in the atmosphere range in size from less than 0.01 pica meters to the dimensions of lint, leaves, and insects. Particulate contamination indoors in influenced by smoking, human sources, human activities, and other sources such as equipment, furnishings and pets.
Different filtration applications require different degrees of air filtration. In industrial ventilation, it may only be necessary to remove the coarser dust particles from the airstream in order to insure the protection of mechanical equipment and cleanliness of the structure. A residential application, on the other hand, may require removal of even finer dust particles, often the worst offenders of home interior discoloration and indoor air quality problems. Electronic air cleaners or high efficiency media filters may be required for small particle removal, specifically the respirable fraction, which often just be controlled for health reasons.
The characteristics of airborne contaminants most affecting the performance of an air filter include particle specific gravity, concentration, electrical properties, and most importantly, size. Thus, the degree of air cleanliness required and contaminant concentration are major factors influencing filter design and selection.
Three operating characteristics distinguish the various types of air filters: efficiency, airflow resistance, and dust holding capacity. Efficiency measures the ability of an air filter to remove particulate matter from an airstream. Airflow resistance is the static pressure drop across the filter at a given airflow rate. Dust holding capacity defines the amount of a particular type of dust that an air cleaner can hold when it is operated at a specified airflow rate to some maximum resistance value or before its efficiency drops seriously as a result of the collected dust. Complete evaluation of an air filter thus requires data on all of the aforementioned factors.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has developed testing methods for determining air filter efficiency that have become standard in general ventilation applications in the United States. These testing techniques have been unified into a single test procedure, ASHRAE Standard 52-76, recently renamed as ASHRAE Standard 52.1-1992. In this procedure a known amount of standardized test dust is fed into a test filter at a known and controlled rate. The concentration of dust in the air leaving the filter is determined by then passing the entire airflow through a high efficiency after-filter and measuring the gain in filter weight, In the ASHRAE Standard 52.1-1992, Dust Holding Capacity Test, the same test dust is fed to the filter, and the pressure drop across the filter rises as dust is collected by the filter. The test is terminated when the pressure drop across the filter reaches the maximum operating resistance set by the manufacturer.
A variety of filter configurations known in the art are routinely tested and rated according to ASHRAE Standard 52.1-1992. Among these types of filters are panel filters, renewable media filters, and electronic or electrostatic air cleaners. Panel filters consist of viscous impingement filters and conventional dry type filters. Viscous impingement filters are panel filters where the filter media is coated with a viscous substance, such as oil, which adheres to particles that impinge on the fibers. Renewable media filters are found exclusively in commercial and industrial applications; while dry-type panel filters and to a lesser extent electronic air cleaners are primarily used in residential applications.
A common problem in the filtration industry relates to filter size requirements. Typically, air filters are mounted in a filter track. However, filter tracks of various sizes are used for mounting filters in a ducted air stream, or in an air handling apparatus. For example, common filter track dimensions include 12".times.20", 12".times.24", and 18".times.24". Furthermore, a wide variety of "non-standard" filter track dimensions are found in association with various systems. Accordingly, for any given filter track, it is important that the proper filter size be obtained and installed. If the filter is too large for a given track, installation may prove impossible without modifying either the filter, or the track, or both. On the other hand, if the filter is too small for a given track, large quantities of air may simply by-pass the filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,402, issued to Weed, discloses an adjustable filter assembly for a filter or the like which is telescopically adjustable in two different directions. The device disclosed by Weed, however, is designed for use in apertures of buildings such as windows or doors, and is not suitable for use as an adjustable filter frame in a ducted airstream. An example of one such disadvantage stems from Weed's failure to provide means for sealing the frame relative to the surrounding support structure for maintaining an seal around the filter.
Furthermore, most conventional air filter assemblies comprise a quantity of filter media having a light weight frame often made of cardboard. Since the media is often not securely fastened to the surrounding frame, a support grid or wire mesh is used on the leaving air side of the media to aid in supporting the media within when placed in a moving air stream. However, the support grid necessarily reduces the net free area of the filter effectively reducing the face area of the filter. As a result, the velocity of air flowing through the filter media increases, due to the effective reduction in free area, thereby decreasing filter performance and increasing the pressure drop across the filter. In addition, cardboard filter frames fail to provide a positive perimeter seal thereby allowing a substantial quantity of the airstream to by-pass the filter entirely.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a kit, for residential and light commercial use, having a telescopically adjustable filter frame capable of independent length and width adjustment, and which provides means for maintaining a positive perimeter seal when installed in a filter track. Such a kit would enable a user to adjust the frame to the size required to fit the user's filter track, and install a quantity of filter media therein without requiring the use of a net free area reducing support grid.
It is to providing this, and other, needs that the instant invention is directed.


In a logarithmic amplifier circuit including a plurality of cascaded differential amplifiers, a plurality of blocks of logarithmic full-wave rectifiers are provided, each producing output currents having logarithmic full-wave rectification characteristics in respect to voltages of their input signals. Each logarithmic full-wave rectifier is formed by a plurality of squaring full-wave rectifiers each producing an intermediate current having squaring full-wave characteristics. A current adder is provided for each or a group of the squaring full-wave rectifiers to add up the intermediate currents thereof and produce an output current. A common adder is provided for adding the output currents from all logarithmic full-wave rectifiers to produce a current output signal.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a logarithmic amplifying circuit and, more particularly, to a logarithmic amplifying circuit suited for a MOS integrated circuit.
2. Description Of The Related Arts
A conventional logarithmic amplifying circuit of the type is generally realized in a bipolar integrated circuit. A logarithmic amplifying circuit realized in a MOS integrated circuit is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-292010.
The logarithmic amplifying circuit in this MOS integrated circuit is designed in such a manner that multistage MOS differential amplifiers are connected in cascade, and squaring full-wave rectifiers are respectively connected to an input of the first stage and output terminals of the subsequent stages. With this arrangement, signals at these input and output terminals are subjected to squaring full-wave rectification, and the outputs from the squaring full-wave rectifiers are added together. For this reason, these outputs are affected by the characteristics of the respective squaring full-wave rectifiers, which include dynamic range characteristics, and hence excellent logarithmic characteristics cannot be obtained.


The present invention is a portable stand that generally comprises of an upper telescopic pipe, a lower telescopic pipe that is movably inserted into the upper telescopic pipe to form a longitudinal shaft, a plurality of expandable legs at the bottom of the longitudinal shaft with a leaf spring mechanism, a round plate holder, a bottle holder, a v-shaped plate holder, a flower vase, umbrella stand, a box for magnetic compass or LED light, a knickknack pouch and a beverage holder. The longitudinal shaft of the portable stand is adjusted for a desired height. A controller knob is slid up and down, to fold and expand the expandable legs at the bottom of the longitudinal shaft to a desired angle. Various attachments are attached onto the longitudinal shaft depending on the need.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to multi purpose stands, and more particularly to a portable and foldable drink stand with various attachments that can be snapped on the stand as required.
(2) Description of Related Art
Foldable stands have been an economical solution for different indoor and outdoor occasions such as performances, meetings, conferences, and especially for camping trips. A foldable stand can be folded into compact packets during transportation and provides greater maneuverability and stability while traveling. The greatest advantage with foldable stands is that they offer flexible space management in small areas. They are lightweight, easy to stack and carry. Foldable stands in varying sizes and shapes are available in aluminum or plastic. U.S. Pat. No. 20050040297 to Saraf on Feb. 24, 2005 explains a multi-purpose ground stand used to securely affix an umbrella or any like device. The device is fixed into any malleable surface such as sand, grass, gravel or dirt and the device is intended to accommodate any size or shape of commercially available beach or sun umbrellas. These stands have been intended to use for only umbrellas and limited to outdoor applications where they must be pushed in to the ground to achieve stability. This approach does not allow for use of the product on hard surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,901 to Tisbo on Jan. 16, 1996 relates to a tray table of modular construction with readily replaceable and interchangeable plastic molded components that can be assembled by hand. A pair of first legs and second legs is connected to the underside of the tray. Such a tray table is suitable for use in leveled surfaces and not suitable for use in sloped terrain due to its design constraints.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,211 to Mc Connell on May 9, 1989 teaches a foldable support for beverage container which can be quickly folded, assembled, disassembled, and adjusted to accommodate containers of a variety of sizes. Such bottle or glass holders are generally limited to very specific purposes. Moreover, these bottle or glass holders do not have the flexibility to hold many glasses at the same time. This bottle or glass holders do not have the ability to function at many different heights.
In order to avoid the above problems, U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,289 to Mori on Dec. 25, 2007, discloses a multi-purpose foldable stand that is simple in structure and capable of using on a table and when not in use, the stand is folded into a compact size for storage. The stand has two identical U-shaped frames. Each of the frames includes a horizontal leg portion, an upright support portion, and a horizontal arm portion, to which spring clips or hooks are attached for suspending articles. Such a multi-purpose foldable stand is assigned themselves to indoor and decorative uses and not for outdoor practical usage. Usually, these devices which accomplish its goal are typically difficult for storage or for disassembling the parts.
While many of the prior art designs provide a certain basic amount of stability, each of these stands is quite limited since it is designed to support the item for which it was specifically designed. Furthermore, most all of these traditional stand designs cannot be set up on ground that is not planar and level and in most-every case, traditional stand designs are suitable for supporting a single article.
All referenced patents, applications and literatures are incorporated herein by reference to their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of the term in the reference does not apply. The invention may seek to satisfy one or more of the above-mentioned desire. Although the present invention may obviate one or more of the above-mentioned desires, it should be understood that some aspects of the invention might not necessarily obviate them.
In these respects, the portable stand according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and so doing provides a portable stand that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art portable drink stand, either alone or in combination thereof


Systems and methods for performing non-obtrusive, automatic adjustment of an auditory prosthesis are disclosed. A control expression can be detected during a conversation. Upon detection of the control expression, an audio setting adjustment can be selected and applied to the auditory prosthesis. Multiple adjustments can be made in response to identifying multiple control expressions during a conversation.

Hearing loss, which may be due to many different causes, is generally of two types: conductive and sensorineural. Sensorineural hearing loss is due to the absence or destruction of the hair cells in the cochlea that transduce sound signals into nerve impulses. Various hearing prostheses are commercially available to provide individuals suffering from sensorineural hearing loss with the ability to perceive sound. For example, cochlear implants use an electrode array implanted in the cochlea of a recipient (i.e., the inner ear of the recipient) to bypass the mechanisms of the middle and outer ear. More specifically, an electrical stimulus is provided via the electrode array to the auditory nerve, thereby causing a hearing percept.
Conductive hearing loss occurs when the normal mechanical pathways that provide sound to hair cells in the cochlea are impeded, for example, by damage to the ossicular chain or the ear canal. Individuals suffering from conductive hearing loss may retain some form of residual hearing because some or all of the hair cells in the cochlea functional normally.
Individuals suffering from conductive hearing loss often receive a conventional hearing aid. Such hearing aids rely on principles of air conduction to transmit acoustic signals to the cochlea. In particular, a hearing aid typically uses an arrangement positioned in the recipient's ear canal or on the outer ear to amplify a sound received by the outer ear of the recipient. This amplified sound reaches the cochlea causing motion of the perilymph and stimulation of the auditory nerve.
In contrast to conventional hearing aids, which rely primarily on the principles of air conduction, certain types of hearing prostheses commonly referred to as bone conduction devices, convert a received sound into vibrations. The vibrations are transferred through the skull to the cochlea causing motion of the perilymph and stimulation of the auditory nerve, which results in the perception of the received sound. Bone conduction devices are suitable to treat a variety of types of hearing loss and may be suitable for individuals who cannot derive sufficient benefit from conventional hearing aids.

Systems and methods for non-obtrusive adjustment of auditory prostheses


The present invention provides an optimized pad design for a slider that minimizes the effect of mask alignment tolerances to allow for a more consistent N58 pad area and hence a more controllable burnish rate of the protruding pad. The protruding pad includes a first portion and a second portion formed by processing material to form the first and second portion wherein at least a quantity of the first portion comprises a first material type and the second portion comprises a second material type, the protruding pad further comprising a boundary interface separating the first material type from the second material type, the boundary interface having a position on the first portion that is dependent upon an alignment tolerance for the processing and that defines a surface area for the material of the second type, wherein the surface area of the material of the second type is negligibly affected by the position of the boundary interface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to magnetic storage devices, and more particularly to an optimized pad design for a slider and a method for making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Disk drives are information storage devices that use a rotatable disk with concentric data tracks containing the information, a head or transducer for reading and/or writing data onto the various tracks, and an actuator connected to a carrier for the head for moving the head to the desired track and maintaining it over the track centerline during read or write operations. There are typically a plurality of disks separated by spacer rings and stacked on a hub that is rotated by a disk drive motor. A housing supports the drive motor and head actuator and surrounds the head and disk to provide a substantially sealed environment for the head-disk interface.
Thin-film magnetic heads have been increasingly used, in place of conventional monolithic magnetic heads, as magnetic heads in magnetic disk apparatuses for recording and reproducing data so that the size of the heads may be reduced. Further, attempts have been made to minimize the distance between the magnetic head and the recording medium (the flying height) to realize a very dense recording format. It has been known since the early days of magnetic recording that minimizing the-head-disk spacing is desirable because the amplitude of the read signal from the disk increases with decreasing head-disk spacing. Higher recording densities can thus be achieved.
In conventional magnetic recording disk drives, the head carrier is an air-bearing slider that rides on a bearing of air above the disk surface when the disk is rotating at its operational speed. The slider is maintained next to the disk surface by a relatively fragile suspension that connects the slider to the actuator. The slider is either biased toward the disk surface by a small spring force from the suspension, or is xe2x80x9cself-loadedxe2x80x9d to the disk surface by means of a xe2x80x9cnegative-pressurexe2x80x9d air-bearing surface on the slider. Contact start/stop (CSS) disk drives operate with the slider in contact with the disk surface during start and stop operations when there is insufficient disk rotational speed to maintain the air bearing. In a magnetic disk apparatus using magnetic disks having a relatively small diameter and thus a relatively low peripheral speed, proposals have been made in which magnetic head does not levitate above the recording medium but normally contacts the recording medium and has a sliding engagement therewith. In such a case, the thin-film magnetic head is fabricated such that the supporting base structure of the magnetic head with the slider or the contact pad thereof is very light in weight and is biased with a relatively small elastic force so that the contact pressure of the magnetic head with the magnetic recording medium is small.
Accordingly, improved magnetic data recording may be achieved by having a magnetic recording head in close proximity to a moving magnetic recording disk. In the contact type magnetic heads, it is desired that the pole which normally contacts the magnetic recording medium is wear-resistant. The contact pad surrounds the distal end of the pole, and the wear of the pole is mitigated if the wear of the contact pad is small. Accordingly, it is preferable to make the contact pad from a material harder than a material of the base structure of the magnetic head. This may be accomplished using a protruding pad that extends the magnetic recording head to the surface of the magnetic recording disk which wears to just make contact with the disk surface.
A protruding pad may be formed over the region of the magnetic recording head. The protruding pad generally includes the alumina overcoat material sputtered during fabrication of the magnetic recording head and some part of the ceramic surface of the slider, which is typically made of a TiC/Al2O3 composite that is referred to as N58. The protruding pad has to wear at a controllable rate and that is accomplished by controlling the area of the N58. The TiC/Al2O3 composite area, or N58, wears slowly, whereas the Al2O3 wears within minutes to it""s asymptotic value.
However, during the process of forming the protruding pad, a photoresist mask must be aligned over the surface of the slider material so that material around the pad may be removed. Nevertheless, the alignment of the photoresist masks is difficult to control accurately. Thus, the area of the N58 in the pad is difficult to control. Yet, the inability to accurately control the area of the N58 in the pad causes the burnish rate of the protruding pad to vary. The wear rate will vary because the wear rate is very sensitive to the amount of the N58 area and the mask alignment tolerances of 5 microns lead to a nominal pad of 8 microns having anywhere from 37% to 162% of the required amount of N58. If the desired amount of pad area in N58 is smaller, e.g., 2 microns, then the error becomes unacceptably large.
It can be seen that there is a need for an optimized pad design for a slider that minimizes the effect of mask alignment tolerances to allow for a more consistent N58 pad area and hence a more controllable burnish rate of the protruding pad.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses an optimized pad design for a slider that minimizes the effect of mask alignment tolerances to allow for a more consistent N58 pad area and hence a more controllable burnish rate of the protruding pad.
The present invention solves the above-described problems by using a pad area that can more easily be controlled and kept to an area that can burnish in a reasonable length of time acceptable for the file manufacturing process.
A protruding pad in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a first portion and a second portion formed by processing material to form the first and second portion wherein at least a quantity of the first portion includes a first material type and the second portion includes a second material type, the protruding pad further including a boundary interface separating the first material type from the second material type, the boundary interface having a position on the first portion that is dependent upon an alignment tolerance for the processing and that defines a surface area for the material of the second type, wherein the surface area of the material of the second type is negligibly affected by the position of the boundary interface.
Other embodiments of a protruding pad in accordance with the principles of the invention may include alternative or optional additional aspects. One such aspect of the present invention is that the second material is a hard material and the first material is softer than the second material.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the first material includes aluminum oxide and the second material includes a composite of titanium carbide and aluminum oxide.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the surface area of the material of the second type is substantially constant and provides a predictable burnish rate.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the first portion includes a narrow vertical part and the second portion includes a horizontal part such that the first and second portions converge to form a generally T formation.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the first portion is flared to prevent debris collecting at the middle of the second portion from crossing the elements when the slider flies at various skew angles.
Another aspect of the present invention is that the horizontal part includes a width and a depth, wherein the width may be decreased and the depth increased in a manner such that the surface area of the material of the second type remains substantially constant.
In another embodiment of the present invention a slider arrangement for supporting an magnetic transducer in operative relation to a flexible moving recording medium is provided. The slider arrangement includes a support surface of a substantially rectangular shape to be disposed in opposed relation to a rotating magnetic disk, an air inflow end, an air outflow end, at least one air bearing surface formed on the support structure, wherein the at least one air bearing surface includes a rear pad, a magnetic transducer provided at the rear pad disposed in the vicinity of the air outflow end and a protruding pad on a slider rising above the slider surface and surrounding a distal end of magnetic elements of the magnetic transducer, wherein the protruding pad includes a first portion and a second portion formed by processing material to form the first and second portion wherein at least a quantity of the first portion includes a first material type and the second portion includes a second material type, the protruding pad further including a boundary interface separating the first material type from the second material type, the boundary interface having a position on the first portion that is dependent upon an alignment tolerance for the processing and that defines a surface area for the material of the second type, wherein the surface area of the material of the second type is negligibly affected by the position of the boundary interface.
In another embodiment of the present invention a magnetic disk device is provided. The magnetic disk includes a rotating magnetic disk, a rotary actuator including a pivotally-movable carriage, a suspension mounted on a distal end of the carriage and a slider arrangement for supporting an magnetic transducer in operative relation to a flexible moving recording medium, the slider arrangement including a support surface of a substantially rectangular shape to be disposed in opposed relation to a rotating magnetic disk, an air inflow end, an air outflow end, at least one air bearing surface formed on the support structure, wherein the at least one air bearing surface includes a rear pad, a magnetic transducer provided at the rear pad disposed in the vicinity of the air outflow end and a protruding pad on a slider rising above the slider surface and surrounding a distal end of magnetic elements of the magnetic transducer, wherein the protruding pad includes a first portion and a second portion formed by processing material to form the first and second portion wherein at least a quantity of the first portion includes a first material type and the second portion includes a second material type, the protruding pad further including a boundary interface separating the first material type from the second material type, the boundary interface having a position on the first portion that is dependent upon an alignment tolerance for the processing and that defines a surface area for the material of the second type, wherein the surface area of the material of the second type is negligibly affected by the position of the boundary interface.
In another embodiment of the present invention a plurality of sliders is formed having a protruding pad, wherein each protruding pad rises above a slider surface and surrounds a distal end of magnetic elements of a magnetic transducer, wherein each protruding pad includes a first portion and a second portion formed by processing material to form the first and second portion wherein at least a quantity of the first portion includes a first material type and the second portion includes a second material type, each protruding pad further including a boundary interface separating the first material type from the second material type, the boundary interface having a position that varies on each protruding pad among the plurality of sliders according to an alignment tolerance for the processing and that defines a surface area for the material of the second type for each protruding pad, wherein the surface area of the material of the second type for each protruding pad is negligibly affected by variation of the position of the boundary interface on each protruding pad among the plurality of sliders.
In another embodiment of the present invention a method of forming a protruding pad on a slider rising above the slider surface and surrounding a distal end of magnetic elements of a magnetic transducer is provided. The method includes forming a slider structure including a first type of material and a second type of material, wherein the first type of material and the second type of material are separated by a boundary interface, and wherein magnetic elements of a magnetic transducer are formed within the material of the first type and removing the first type of material and the second type of material from around a first portion and a second portion of a protruding pad, wherein the removing includes an alignment tolerance that the first portion and the second portion are aligned within on the slider over the boundary interface, wherein the removing further includes shaping the first portion and the second portion such that the boundary interface is positioned according to the alignment tolerance on the first portion such that the surface area of the material of the second type is negligibly affected by the position of the boundary interface.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and form a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to accompanying descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated and described specific examples of an apparatus in accordance with the invention.

Optimized pad design for slider and method for making the same

International Business Machines Corporation


An optical sensor may have multiple detection channels to detect different characteristics of a fluid. For example, an optical sensor used in industrial cleaning and sanitizing applications may have multiple detection channels to detect when a system is both clean and properly sanitized. In one example, an optical sensor includes an optical emitter that directs light into a fluid, a first optical detector that detects light transmitted through the fluid, a second optical detector that detects light scattered by the fluid, and a third optical detector that detects fluorescent emissions emitted by the fluid. The optical emitter and optical detectors can be positioned around an optical analysis area. Depending on the application, the optical emitter may be positioned to direct light adjacent a wall of the optical analysis area rather than at a center of the optical analysis area, which may increase the strength of signal on the detection channels.

In cleaning and antimicrobial operations, commercial users (e.g., restaurants, hotels, food and beverage plants, grocery stores, etc.) rely upon the concentration of a cleaning or antimicrobial product to make the product work effectively. Failure of a cleaning or antimicrobial product to work effectively (for example due to concentration issues) can cause a commercial user to perceive the product as lower quality. End consumers may also perceive the commercial provider of such products as providing inferior services. In addition, commercial users may be investigated and/or sanctioned by government regulatory and health agencies. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that can monitor the characteristics of fluid solutions, e.g., to determine if the concentration of a product is within a specified concentration range. The same may be true for other applications, such as water care, pest control, beverage and bottling operations, oil and gas refining and processing operations, and the like.
One method of monitoring the concentration of a product relies on monitoring the fluorescence of the product that occurs when the sample (and the product within the sample) is exposed to a predetermined wavelength of light. For example, compounds within the product or a fluorescent tracer added to the product may fluoresce when exposed to certain wavelengths of light. The concentration of the product can then be determined using a fluorometer that measures the fluorescence of the compounds and calculates the concentration of the chemical based on the measured fluorescence.
Fluorometric spectroscopy concerns the detection of fluorescent light emitted by a sample of interest. It involves using a beam of light, usually ultraviolet (UV) light, that excites the electrons in molecules of certain compounds in the sample and causes them to emit light (i.e., to "fluoresce"). There are several types of fluorometers for measuring emitted fluorescence. Fluorometers generally have of a source of excitation radiant energy and a detector with a signal processor and a readout device.

Fluorometer with multiple detection channels


A body and sleeves of a designed virtual seamless knit garment are expanded into an elliptic cylindrical shape and tentatively positioned with respect to a human model. Each part of the expanded seamless garment is moved towards each axis of the torso and both arms of the human model and is tentatively worn. The stitch arrangement in the worn garment is smoothed in the horizontal and vertical directions and the stitch positions are roughly corrected. Next, the stitch position of each part of the garment is repeatedly smoothed so as to obtain a virtual garment after wearing. It is possible to perform simulation of the state in which the knit garment is worn by a person, on the basis of a reliable model involving little computational effort.

The Art of Knitted Fabrics, Realistic & Physically Based Modeling of Knitted Patterns, EUROGRAPHICS'98, Vol. 17, (1998), Number 3, discloses a method for three-dimensional simulation of knit garment shapes. To simulate in three dimensions the shape of a garment, the method solves the motion equations of the stitches, in which every stitch of a knit garment is treated as a mass point, with the stitches being connected with springs. This method, however, does not disclose how a garment is worn by a human model.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H09-273017 proposes simulating stretchable clothing such as a swimsuit or the like by expanding a garment and putting it on a human body to fit thereto.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-44785 proposes simulating the wearing state of clothes by dividing a garment into a plurality of fabrics, and making each fabric collide with a human body.
In order to simulate the wearing state of knit garment some hundreds of thousands of stitches need to be arranged. It is thus necessary to reduce the computational effort required for simulation, and to base the simulation on a specific, well-grounded model.

Method and device for simulating wearing of a knit garment and program thereof


A deformable bi-stable device includes an elastically deformable member having at least two stable configurations and capable of being deformed from a first stable configuration to a second stable configuration, the element passing through an unstable configuration as it is deformed from the first stable configuration to the second stable configuration, and a shape memory polymer layer on or in the elastically deformable member. A method of using this device includes heating the shape memory polymer to a temperature sufficient to reduce the modulus of the shape memory polymer, deforming the deformable member to move from one of the first and second stable configurations to another of the first and second stable configurations, and cooling the device to a temperature sufficient to increase the modulus of the shape memory polymer.

Deformable bi-stable devices are known in the art, and have found many practical applications. Deformable bi-stable devices have been used in a variety of mechanical and electromechanical applications that require a deformable component to occupy one of two stable positions, while being unstable at positions intermediate to the two stable positions. In one application, a deformable bi-stable device may be used as a user input device such as a push-button as commonly used in many devices, including but not limited to computers, telephones, and vehicle control panels. A bi-stable device may be used as a push-button input for such applications where the button will occupy either an "in" or depressed position, or an "out" or undepressed position.
One example of a simple deformable bi-stable device that may be used for such applications is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a schematic diagram of an exemplary reconfigurable bi-stable device 10 having a circular deformable panel 14. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a cylindrical mounting member 12 having an upper lip portion 13 is mounted on a support structure 11. An elastically deformable circular panel 14 is attached to the inner circumference of the mounting member. The elastically deformable panel would have a normally flat state, but is sized to have a diameter in its normal flat state that is greater than the internal diameter of the mounting member 12 so that when it is mounted in the mounting member it is placed under a force load along vectors between opposing points on the circumference of the panel (in the horizontal plane as shown in FIG. 1). This load causes the elastically deformable panel to deform into one of two stable states, described for sake of convenience as an upper or first stable position depicted in FIG. 1A and a lower or second stable position depicted in FIG. 1B. The panel thus acts as a bi-stable snap-action panel, deformable between a convex (from the perspective above) stable configuration and a concave (from the perspective above) stable configuration. This configuration is also sometimes referred to as the "oil-can" configuration because the bi-stable snap action deformation was used in traditional old-style oil cans to displace oil out of an opening in the can. Lip portion 13 of the mounting member provides a convenient location to which to connect any additional components and also serves to conceal any such components and also the mounting location of the panel to the mounting member.
Another well-known deformable bi-stable device is known as the cylindrical shell configuration. This configuration is sometimes also referred to as the "tape measure" or "carpenter's tape" configuration because it is commonly seen in roll-up carpenter tape measures. An exemplary embodiment configuration is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. In FIG. 2A, the deformable bi-stable device 20 is shown in a first stable longitudinally straight configuration having a curvature that runs transverse to the longitudinal direction of the straightened structure. The transverse curvature is exaggerated in FIG. 2A for purposes of illustration, and the curvature is often much less severe in most tape measure configurations. In FIG. 2B, the deformable bi-stable device 20 is shown in a second stable coiled configuration. The device 20 may also have other stable kinked configurations, provided that care is taken not to kink the structure beyond the limits of elastic deformation.
The phenomenon of bi-stability may be graphically represented by a plot of potential energy of the deformable member versus its position or degree of deformation. Such plots are depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, which represent a plot of potential energy, E, of the deformable member of the bi-stable device on the Y axis, versus the position, P, or degree of displacement of the deformable member on the X axis. In both FIGS. 3A and 3B, positions P1 and P3 represent stable positions (e.g., the upper stable position of deformable member 14 in FIG. 1A and the lower stable position of deformable member 14 in FIG. 1B). Positions P1 and P3 on the plots of FIGS. 3A and 3B are also known as "energy wells". All of the positions along the plots between P1 and P3 represent unstable transitory positions that the deformable member passes through while moving from position P1 to position P3. Position P2 is a position of maximum instability, which would be represented by the deformable member 14 in FIG. 1 being in a position halfway between that shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
Compared to the plot shown in FIG. 3A, the plot shown in FIG. 3B has relatively shallow energy wells. A device with such characteristics would be relatively easy to move between stable positions. However, those positions may not be sufficiently stable for many applications, such that vibration, jolts, or incidental external contact could cause the FIG. 3B device to undesirably move from one of the stable positions to the other stable position. The plot shown in FIG. 3A, on the other hand, represents a device with fairly deep energy wells. A device with such characteristics would be more highly resistant to unintended and undesired movement between stable positions. However, the steepness of the energy wells and the relatively greater energy levels required to move from one of the stable positions up to the peak at P2 in order to get to the other stable position may make the FIG. 3A device too difficult to move between stable positions, rendering it unsuitable for many applications. Thus, there continues to be a need for deformable bi-stable devices that offer good stability of the stable positions, but that can be readily moved between the stable positions when desired.


A vortex generator for a wind turbine blade includes a plurality of main fins disposed on a surface of the wind turbine blade; and at least one first sub fin having a fin chord length and a fin height which are smaller than those of each of the main fins, and disposed on the surface of the wind turbine blade along a first virtual line extending from a first end portion of a main fin row at a side of a blade tip or a blade root of the wind turbine blade. An expression d≤dmax is satisfied, provided that d is a distance between the main fin row and the first sub fin disposed next to the first end portion of the main fin row, and dmax is a maximum distance between an adjacent pair of the main fins in the main fin row.

Approaches to improve aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine blade have been sought for some time to improve operation efficiency of a wind turbine. In one of the approaches, a vortex generator (VG) is disposed on a surface of a wind turbine blade to suppress separation of a flow along the surface of the wind turbine blade.
Patent Documents 1 to 10 disclose a vortex generator having a base plate to be mounted to a surface of a wind turbine blade, and a plurality of fins (VG fins) disposed upright on the base plate.

Vortex generator, installation method for the same, wind turbine blade, and wind turbine power generating apparatus


Elevation mechanisms for table saws and anti-backdrive mechanisms for use in elevation mechanisms for table saws are disclosed. The anti-backdrive mechanisms typically include three sub-assemblies: an input assembly, an output assembly, and a fixed assembly. The anti-backdrive mechanisms prevent a torque related to the output assembly from changing the blade elevation. For example, the weight of the blade and the structure supporting the blade is prevented from backdriving the elevation mechanism and allowing the blade to drop.

A table saw is a power tool used to cut a workpiece to a desired size or shape. A table saw includes a work surface or table and a circular blade extending up through the table. A person uses a table saw by placing a piece of wood or other workpiece on the table and feeding it past the spinning blade to make a cut.
Table saws are typically constructed so that a user can adjust the elevation of the blade above the table in order to cut workpieces of varying thicknesses. When making a cut the blade is often raised just high enough to cut through the workpiece so the blade is exposed as little as possible in case of an accident. Often table saws include a handwheel that turns gears to raise and lower the blade. A user simply turns the handwheel clockwise, for example, to raise the blade, and counterclockwise to lower the blade. However, in small table saws such as jobsite and benchtop saws, handwheels typically must be turned many times to move the blade from a fully retracted position to a fully elevated position. For example, a handwheel might have to be turned approximately twenty, thirty or even forty revolutions to move the blade through its full range of elevation. This is a time consuming and inconvenient process.
This disclosure describes several elevation mechanisms, many of which enable a user to raise or lower the blade by turning the handle only one revolution or only a relatively small number of revolutions.

Blade elevation mechanisms and anti-backdrive mechanisms for table saws


A smoke generator includes an oil tank receiving an oil to be pumped by an oil pump to a vaporization tube where the oil vaporized into smoke after heating by a heater. A pre-pressurization oil supply device is disposed between the vaporization tube and the oil pump. When the pre-pressurization oil supply device is in a non-supply state not intercommunicating with the vaporization tube, the pre-pressurization oil supply device maintains its internal pressure, and the oil in the pre-pressurization oil supply device is not delivered to the vaporization tube. When the pre-pressurization oil supply device is in an oil supply state, the pre-pressurization oil supply device intercommunicates with the vaporization tube, and the oil in the pre-pressurization oil supply device is rapidly delivered to the vaporization tube.

The present invention relates to a smoke generator and, more particularly, to a smoke generator for rapidly generating smoke through pre-pressurizing an oil.
To provide a better visual effect during stage performance, a smoke generator is disposed on a stage to provide a smoke effect cooperating with the music and light effects. A type of smoke generator heats and vaporizes an oil into smoke, which involves delivery of the oil from an oil tank to a vaporization tube by using an oil pump. Then, a heater of the smoke generator heats the vaporization tube to vaporize the oil. Since it takes time for the oil pump to deliver the oil to the vaporization tube, the air in a section of the vaporization tube having not received the oil yet will expand and have a higher internal pressure after heating. Thus, it takes about 2-4 seconds to reach the maximum pressure for ejecting the smoke after the oil pump delivers the oil to the vaporization tube. As a result, the smoke ejecting procedure is not smooth, and the smoke output rate is not uniform.

Smoke generator with pre-pressurized rapid oil supply