The present invention relates to an improved autonomous node seismic recording device having an integrated modular design and one or more features that assist coupling of the unit to the sea floor in order to improve the vector fidelity of seismic signal measurement.

Conventional streamer systems or ocean bottom cable systems have been the traditional ocean seismic imaging systems. However, these systems ordinarily record narrow azimuth data. Complex geological formations such as the salt bodies of the Gulf of Mexico have resulted in the need of more sophisticated subsurface images.
A current solution is the use of all azimuth illumination and data acquisition. One example of all azimuth data acquisition uses autonomous ocean bottom nodes. Nodes are independent seismometers. In the typical application, they are battery-powered with precise clocks for time synchronization. In operation, the nodes remain on the seafloor for an extended period of time for the recording of acoustic waves coming from a source vessel at the surface and returning energy from formations below the sea bed. Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) are used for the recording of seismic data on the sea-floor. They are self contained recording stations comprising, geophone and hydrophone sensors, recording unit, and reference clock and power source. They are intended for long term autonomous acquisition for up to 6 months. Data are accessed after recovery of the units. OBS nodes can be used for passive seismic monitoring or for recording seismic energy generated by acoustic sources. The latter method can be used for oil and gas exploration or for production monitoring. They are retrieved, at which time, the data are downloaded and batteries may be replaced or recharged ready for the next deployment.
The inventors have developed an improved autonomous ocean bottom node seismic recording device having an integrated modular design and one or more features that assist coupling of the unit to the sea floor and improve the azimuthal fidelity of seismic signal measurement (vector fidelity).

Autonomous ocean bottom seismic node recording device


A laminate web comprising a first and second precursor webs, at least the first precursor web being a nonwoven web, the laminate web having a first side, the first side comprising the second precursor web and at least one discrete tuft, each of the discrete tufts having a linear orientation defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of tufted fibers being integral extensions of the first precursor web and extending through the second precursor web; and a second side, the second side comprising the first precursor web.

Laminates of webs, such as films and fibrous webs are well known in the art. For example, nonwoven webs are often laminated with polymer films such that they are useful as materials in disposable products such as backsheets on disposable absorbent diapers, for example. In such laminates the nonwoven portion can provide softness while the film portion can provide for fluid impermeability.
In many applications it is desirable that laminates of webs have a bulky texture and/or softness. Additionally, it is desirable that laminates of webs have the texture and softness different on the two sides of the web. That is, the web can have a textured, relatively rough surface on one side, and a soft, relatively smooth surface on the other side. This can be achieved by laminating two dissimilar webs together, such as by adhesive or thermal bonding means. For example, a tufted nonwoven web can be adhered by adhesive to a non-tufted nonwoven web to make a laminate web having two sides with very different textures and softness characteristics.
Additionally, it is known to combine into a laminate two nonwoven materials to gain the benefits of dissimilar materials in a single laminate web. For example, it is known to needlepunch nonwoven webs to produce integrally-bonded and entangled nonwoven webs. This process is often simply referred to as "needling." U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,951 granted Jan. 14, 1992 to Guthrie, for example, discloses a nonwoven web composed of multiple layers bonded by a needling process that causes some fibers to extend through the entire thickness of the fabric and beyond the surface, thereby leaving short segments of filaments protruding from the exterior surface of the web. Frequently hydroentangling is used to accomplish a similar entangling of two fibrous nonwoven webs. Needling, like fluid entangling, is a relatively slow and therefore expensive process for manufacture of nonwoven webs, particularly for webs intended for disposable article use.
In general, current methods for making laminates of films and fibrous webs having bulky or tufted textures on at least one side thereof are either relatively expensive for many applications of such webs, or the resulting webs are too stiff due to the application of adhesives or thermal bonding.
Accordingly, there is a need for a low cost laminate web having terry cloth-like properties.
Additionally, there is a need for a laminate web in which a nonwoven having tufted regions and a film or another nonwoven layer can be joined, preferably by means that do not require adhesives or thermal bonding to remain laminated.
Additionally, there is a need for a laminate web in which the layers are not only joined to but also integrated through one another.
Additionally, there is a need for a method of relatively inexpensively making a laminate web having terry cloth-like properties.
Further, there is a need for a low cost method of making a soft, high bulk porous laminate web of film, woven and/or nonwoven material.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The disclosed invention provides methods and apparatus for producing one or more C1-C4 alcohols (such as ethanol) from syngas, while simultaneously removing CO2, thereby providing low CO2 yields. The present invention provides reactors for producing one or more C1-C4 alcohols from syngas, the reactors containing a first composition capable of catalyzing the conversion of syngas to C1-C4 alcohols under reaction conditions and a second composition capable of (a) adsorbing CO2 under the reaction conditions and then (b) releasing at least some of the CO2 under different regeneration conditions.

Synthesis gas (hereinafter referred to as syngas) is a mixture of hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO). Syngas can be produced, in principle, from virtually any material containing carbon. Carbonaceous materials commonly include fossil resources such as natural gas, petroleum, coal, and lignite; and renewable resources such as lignocellulosic biomass and various carbon-rich waste materials. It is preferable to utilize a renewable resource to produce syngas because of the rising economic, environmental, and social costs associated with fossil resources.
There exist a variety of conversion technologies to turn these feedstocks into syngas. Conversion approaches can utilize a combination of one or more steps comprising gasification, pyrolysis, steam reforming, and/or partial oxidation of a carbon-containing feedstock.
Syngas is a platform intermediate in the chemical and biorefining industries and has a vast number of uses. Syngas can be converted into alkanes, olefins, oxygenates, and alcohols. These chemicals can be blended into, or used directly as, diesel fuel, gasoline, and other liquid fuels. Syngas can also be directly combusted to produce heat and power.
Since the 1920s it has been known that mixtures of methanol and other alcohols can be obtained by reacting syngas over certain catalysts (Forzatti et al., Cat. Rev.-Sci. and Eng. 33(1-2), 109-168, 1991). Fischer and Tropsch observed around the same time that hydrocarbon-synthesis catalysts produced linear alcohols as byproducts (Fischer and Tropsch, Brennst.-Chem. 7:97, 1926).
Currently, catalytic reactors used for selective formation of alcohols from syngas do not completely consume the reactants CO and H2 in a single reactor pass. Further, these reactors can produce CO2, which dilutes the reactant stream, slows the formation of alcohols, and participates in the reverse water-gas shift reaction, thereby producing water. It is desired that unreacted CO and H2 be recycled to the reactor, substantially without CO2, to prevent buildup of CO2 and subsequent lowering of alcohol yields.
What are needed, therefore, are methods, and apparatus for carrying out the methods, for removal of CO2 from a reaction mixture containing reactants (CO and H2) and products (paraffins, CO2, H2O, alcohols, carbonyl compounds, and olefins), followed by recycle of non-condensable gases from reactor effluent. These methods and apparatus would effectively combine separation and chemical reactions.

Methods and apparatus for continuous removal of carbon dioxide from a mixture of reacting gases


Systems and methods are disclosed that improve conventional tracking and modeling methods for determining three-dimensional bone motion from sequences of radiographic images. These enhancements significantly improve the speed, reliability and accuracy for bone motion tracking. Techniques used in various embodiments include multi-bone hierarchical techniques, time coherent approaches, simultaneous optimization of the entire motion sequence and improved initial estimates of bone motion paths.

Orthopaedic disorders are a leading cause of disability in the U.S., with arthritis and/or spine problems adversely affecting quality of life for more than 20% of adults. With an aging population, the rate of disability from orthopaedic disorders has been increasing steadily. While advances in diagnostic imaging (including CT, MRI and ultrasound) have greatly improved the ability to detect structural changes in musculoskeletal tissues, they typically reveal little about joint function. There is evidence that abnormal mechanical joint function contributes significantly to the development and progression of many types of joint disease. There is, therefore, a significant clinical need for the widespread use of technologies that can identify subtle abnormalities in joint function that, if left untreated, can compromise long-term joint health.
Biomechanical analyses are a key tool for providing quantitative objective measures of patient status and treatment outcomes. There are two key requirements for biomechanical assessment for orthopaedic injury/disease. First, the measurements must be relevant to the affected tissues (cartilage, ligaments, etc.). This requires a high level of accuracy, since deformations in the sub-mm range can be significant. Second, the measurements must be performed under physiological loading conditions, since the mechanical behavior of joints is highly nonlinear and dependent on muscle and external loads. This necessitates testing during functional activities relevant to the target population. At the heart of most in vivo biomechanical analyses is the estimation of the position and orientation (pose) of a multi-segment rigid body model based on recordings of 3D motion sensor data (optical, electromagnetic, or inertial).
Accurate in-vivo motion tracking is an important tool for understanding articulation kinematics, musculoskeletal related diseases and the effectiveness of different treatments. For example, to correlate abnormal motion with morphological features such as inter-vertebral disc height (<3 mm in posterior space), sub-millimeter accuracy is needed to avoid errors as large as 30% in disc-deformation measurements.
Model-based methods have been developed to measure 3D bone motion with high accuracy at knee or shoulder joints; such methods employ 3D models of the bones, which they track through a sequence of dynamic x-ray images. Radiographic model-based methods are more accurate than skin marker-based methods, which suffer from errors as large as 10 mm in translation and 8° in rotation. Model-based methods can also capture dynamic motion, unlike existing three-dimensional techniques such as Computed Tomography (CT, which also features higher radiation exposure, depending on the anatomic location) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Finally, unlike dynamic three-dimensional techniques (e.g., Cine-PC MRI), model-based methods: (a) do not require continuous movement for long periods of time during data collection, (b) support in general large ranges of motion, and (c) pose fewer restrictions during imaging (due to physical constraints imposed by CT and MRI imaging systems), thus leading to loadings more similar to most everyday movements. Given the advantages of model-based tracking, systems implementing model-based methods are utilized in various forms at several different academic institutions and medical research centers; the basic imaging hardware required for biplane radiography setup costs less than one third of what a modern 3T MRI scanner costs.
A conventional model-based tracking method has three major components: 2D projection image (Digitally Reconstructed Radiograph, DRR) generation; image processing; and optimization. DRRs are generated from a 3D bone model, acquired using standard, static 3D medical imaging techniques (CT or MRI). Image processing is applied to both DRR and X-ray images. Next, an optimization method tunes the position and orientation of the bone to find the best match between the DRR and the X-ray image. The process is repeated for all frames of a motion sequence. Multiple bones have to be tracked separately in the existing (i.e., single-bone) model-based methods. These single-bone tracking methods do not take into consideration differences between the actual radiographic images and the DRR due to bone overlap and/or implanted hardware, which limit their applicability to complex joints such as the spine.
Conventional implementations of 3D model-based tracking methods all suffer from the same critical issues. The existing tracking processes are extremely labor-intensive, requiring many (up to 30) hours of labor for every hour spent collecting data. Furthermore, a high level of expertise is required to generate trustworthy results. For this reason, the tracking task cannot be reliably outsourced or delegated to a crowd-sourcing approach such as the mechanical turk. Accuracy and reliability, especially for the more automated algorithms, are inconsistent and user-dependent. Simultaneous acquisition of a pair of radiographic images is a prerequisite for all systems claiming high 3D accuracy, but this requirement creates significant image quality problems due to scatter radiation (a widely known issue for biplane radiographic imaging, which can become intractable for imaging the thicker parts of the body such as hips or the lumbar spine). It is also often difficult or impossible to obtain two radiographic views that avoid bone overlap in the images, which also degrades imaging matching performance using conventional tracking approaches. Surgically inserted hardware further decreases tracking accuracy and robustness. These limitations have thus far restricted application of this technology to research studies, since the time and cost for data analysis is prohibitive for clinical use.

Intelligent algorithms for tracking three-dimensional skeletal movement from radiographic image sequences

University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education


A confocal microscopic equipment comprising a light source, a flat plate provided with a plurality of apertures, a detector comprising a plurality of detecting cells, a beam splitter that makes the light beam from the light source incident to the flat plate by transmission or reflection and makes the output light from the flat plate plate to be reflected or transmitted to the detector, and an objective lens that makes the light beam passed through the apertures of the flat plate form light images on the sample and makes the return light from the sample focus on the flat plate, wherein the distance between light spots focused on the detector is equal to or less than twice the distance between the detecting cells, and whereby scanning of an irradiating light beam is not required.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to confocal microscopic equipment which can measure the confocal image of a sample at high speed; and more particularly, to such equipment which does not require scanning of an irradiating light beam.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The confocal microscopic equipment has a resolution in the direction of the light axis and a resolution on the surface of a smaple by scanning an irradiating light beam on the sample and detecting the light beam reflected from the sample through pinholes or the like. FIG. 1 shows an example of such a conventional confocal microscopic equipment, wherein the output light beam of laser 1 is transmitted through beam splitter 2 and is focused on sample 7 via mirror scanners 3 and 4, and objective lens 6. The return light, including reflected light, fluorescent light, etc, from sample 7, is made to be incident on beam splitter 2, via objective lens 6, mirror 5, and mirror scanners 4 and 3. The return light is reflected by beam splitter 2, passed through pinholes 8 and is made incident on detector 9.
The output light beam from laser 1 is focused at a point on sample 7 by means of objective lens 6. By detecting the return light, resulting from the output light beam from laser 1 focused at a point on sample 7 via pinhoes 8, a confocal effect is obtained. That is, a point in the three dimensional space can be precisely observed. Furthermore, a confocal image of the surface of sample 7 is obtained by scans in the x-axis and y-axis directions on the surface of sample 7 using mirror scanners 3 and 4. As a result, it is possible to obtain a confocal image by scanning the focused light on sample 7 using mirror scanners 3 and 4 and detecting the return light through pinholes 8.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional confocal microscopic equipment, such as disclosed in Japan Unexamined application SN 93/60980, wherein the output light beam from laser 1a is made to be incident on micro-lens disk 10, wherein micro-lenses are provided as a focusing means. The output light mean is then focused on each pinhole in disk 12, wherein the pinholes are provide as apertures, via beam splitter 11, which is a light branching means, by micro-lenses provided in disk 10. The light beam, that passes through the pinholes in disk 12, are made to be incident on sample 14, via objective lens 13. The return light beam, such as reflected light and fluorescent light, from sample 14 are made to be incident again on pinhole disck 12 via objective lens 13. The incident light beams that pass through each pinhole in the disk 12, are reflected by beam splitter 11, and are made to be incident on detector 16 via relay lens 15. In addition, micro-lens disk 10 and pinhole disk 12 are fixed on the same shaft and are rotated synchronously by motor 17 attached to the shaft.
The output of laser 1a scans the surface of sample 14 by passing through the micro-lenses in disk 10 and pinholes in disk 12, both disks being rotated concurrently. The reflected light beams from sample 14 are detected by detector 16 and thus a confocal image is obtained thereby.
Each micro-lens in disk 10 focuses the incident light beams on each pinhole of disk 12 via beam splintter 11. That is, the efficiency of use of the incident light beam from laser 1a is improved by arranging the pinholes at the focal points of the micro-lenses. In addition, there are approximately 1,000 pinholes in the detectable range, i.e. the field of view, of the detector 16. Hence, light beams transmitted through each pinhole constitute multi-beams that irradiate sample 14. Since individual beam scanning ranges become smaller for this reason, high speed scanning becomes possible.
However, disadvantageously, in the example of FIG. 1, the configuration of mirror scanners 3 and 4 of the scanning means is complex, thereby resulting in an expensive apparatus, and making miniaturization thereof difficult. Although the example of FIG. 2 can scan at high speed, since a definite distance exists between the beams, disadvantageously, beam scanning is necessary for covering the distances on a confocal image, and the time required for such beam scanning limits the pickup speed for confocal images. For example, it takes about 1 ms to scan one confocal image. Thus, a confocal image cannot be picked up within 1 ms even when a high speed camera is used.


A three position weaving system selection device which includes two superposed electromagnets each of which cooperates with a magnetic armature of one of a pair of pivoting levers so as to control the engagement of a projection of each lever with a movable hook of a pair of hooks which are normally displaced by a knife associated with a Jacquard harness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a selection device, a three-position Jacquard loom weaving system and a weaving loom equipped with such a weaving system.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
European Patent Application 0 723 041 discloses a three-position Jacquard system in which the mobile hooks associated with a funicular element determining the height of a heddle, may be selected thanks to two superposed electro-magnets. This device is complex and induces repeated deformations of the mobile hooks, which prevents their being given an adequate rigidity to guarantee a sufficient life duration for an industrial application and high-speed operation. In addition, the considerable deformations imposed on these hooks require powerful electro-magnets, with the result that the energy absorbed by the loom with which the know weaving system is associated, which include a large number of electro-magnets, is considerable.
It is an object of the invention to solve these problems by proposing a three-position weaving system selection device which is simple, therefore economical, capable of operating at high speeds and with low energy-consumption. Another object of the invention is to provide a selection device capable of operating with hooks able to be displaced in pairs.

Selection device, three-position weaving system and weaving loom equipped with such a weaving system


A back-up ring is disclosed wherein the ring is a knitted mesh section substantially surrounded by an outer coating covering substantially all of the knitted wire mesh section, the coating having contact with the outer and inner surface of an annulus.

The present invention relates to anti-extrusion rings and, more particularly, to wire encapsulated extrusion rings.
Seals have been used to isolate fluids at various pressures and temperatures. Such seals have existed for use in packing rings, seal rings, piston rings and gland structures in industrial equipment, such as cylinders, pumps, hydraulics and valves, and in oil field equipment, such as down hole tools and surface equipment, requiring seals, for example, against high pressure and low pressure liquids and gases. Typically, these seals are annular seals.
However, under pressure, such seals may be eroded or destroyed and require back-up rings to prevent extrusion of the seal rings. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,197, issued Nov. 18, 1982, Amancharla, et al, entitled Conduit Sealing System. Such systems, however, are bulky and require additional length; At times they require structures with different materials as back-up rings and require a modules of materials at escalating values, which must be maintained even at high temperatures, which is not possible.
Another illustration of seals, as opposed to back-up rings, used in the prior art is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,982 to Hertz, issued Jun. 25, 1985 and entitled Seal for Aggressive Environments. Hertz merely discloses elastomer-impregnated windings of asbestos yarn impregnated into an elastomer to illustrate a seal ring as opposed to a back-up ring, a sort of xe2x80x9csteel belted radialxe2x80x9d of seals. For similar encapsulated rings, see also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,544 to Kashmerick, issued Jan. 3, 1984 for A Method of Making Composite Gasket. For back-up rings, see also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,639, issued May 14, 1974, to Scanell, entitled Frangible Back-up Ring for Sealing Rings.
It is an object of the current invention to avoid the distortions and other problems of the prior art through the use of a non-homogeneous wire encapsulated anti-extrusion ring.
A wire encapsulated back-up ring is disclosed having a co-efficient of thermal expansion while the ring is under pressure which is less than or equal to the surrounding gland metal. The upper surface of the back-up ring is concave to allow pressure to energize the back-up ring. The outer and inner surfaces normally remain in contact with adjacent portions of the gland and maintain an anti-extrusion barrier for a sealing ring. The anti-extrusion element also has a lower surface adapted to mate with or be a support member behind the anti-extrusion element. If the back-up ring is not also the support member, the support member surface may have a shape as required to hold the element or elements in place. The body of the element includes two parts. The first part is a wire mesh, used for reinforcement. Such a part would typically be formed in a vee shape, but may deviate to conform to the support member. The second part is a coating of sealing material which would encapsulate the wire mesh shape. The coating may vary in thickness around the wire mesh shape. The coating thickness would depend upon the strength requirement of the seal.


A banding device for horse hair having a first tubular member with a first end and an inner diameter for receiving horse hair therethrough, a second tubular member slidably positioned on an outer surface of the first tubular member, and an elastic band extending around an outer surface of the first tubular member between the end of the first tubular member and an end of the second tubular member. The second tubular member is slidable such that an end of the second tubular member extends to an end of the first tubular member. The second tubular member has an inner surface in frictional contact with an outer surface of the first tubular member. A hook member is removably received within the inner diameter of the first tubular member and has a hook for engaging horse hair. A plurality of elastic bands extend around the second tubular member. The second tubular member has an annular surface at an end opposite the first end and extends outwardly radially from the outer surface of the second tubular member.

Virtually all horses have a mane of hair which is formed along the top surface of the horse's neck. This mane of hair is quite prominent in some types of horses and less prominent in other types of horses. The mane of hair is generally a very coarse hair which extends upwardly from the neck of the horse. If the horse's mane is left untended, the mane of hair will generally have a rather unruly appearance. The hair may extend outwardly at awkward angles and may be of uneven length.
There are many events in which the horse's appearance is of a great deal of significance. Particularly, show horse events require that the horse have an excellent appearance and have good grooming. The horse's appearance can also have some significance in some equestrian events and some racing events. In order to properly groom the horse, the horse's mane must be clean, trimmed, and otherwise tended to.
Many owners of show horses consider it desirable to "band" the mane of the horse. The procedure of banding the horse's mane is similar, in concept, to the formation of braids of hair or children.varies.s pigtails. Typically, sections of the horse's mane are tied together or braided together. This can be a very time consuming process. Often, it is difficult to achieve proper uniformity in the banding of the horse's mane. Depending on the accuracy of the person carrying out the banding, the clumps of hair may be generally uneven.
The procedure for the banding of a horse's mane is made even more complicated by the fact that the horse can become impatient and will move around. This makes it difficult to take the necessary steps so as to make sure that the mane is banded in a proper manner.
One product that has appeared on the market has been used for the banding of horse hair. This product is known as a "PERFECT BAND (.TM.)". The product is presently sold by Perfect Band, Inc. of Townsend, Mass. This device utilizes a tubular member having a slot extending longitudinally through the tubular member. A handle is formed on the tubular member so as to allow the user to properly maintain the member in a proper position. The hair of the horse is placed through the slot formed in the tube. Bands may then be applied to the hair extending outwardly from the other end of the slot. This device utilizes a tough latex band that requires no twisting and lays flat against the base of the mane. In normal use, this is a complicated procedure which makes it difficult to quickly band the mane of the horse. Another product which is on the market is a horse hair banding comb that is presently being sold by Northcutt Enterprises of Crockett, Tex. This product is the subject of U.S. patent Application Ser. No. 08/005,133, filed on Jan. 15, 1993, to the present inventor, and entitled "Horse Hair Banding Comb". This product is a banding comb having a comb member with a plurality of teeth and a plurality of receptacles formed therein. A locking member is removably affixed to the comb member. The locking member extends over the teeth. The locking member has an edge positioned in proximity to the receptacle area. The receptacle area allows horse hair to pass therethrough. The comb member is made up of a body, a first tooth having a V-shaped configuration and extending downwardly from the body, a second tooth having a V-shaped configuration and extending downwardly from the body, and a first receptacle area formed in the body between the first and second teeth. The locking member includes a first bar and a second bar in generally parallel spaced relationship. The comb member is positioned within this spaced area between the first and second bars. The use of the "BAND-IT (.TM.)" comb allows the horse hair to be properly organized into equal sized groupings of hair. Once the hair is organized in this fashion, a rubber band is placed around the hair which extends outwardly of the comb. The rubber band can then be twisted so as to group the hair in a neatly organized fashion.
One of the problems with the "BAND-IT (.TM.)" comb is the fact that it still requires that the user place the rubber band in a proper position around the clumps of hair. Often, the manipulation of the rubber band is quite a complicated process. This is especially true where the horse is moving his head around during the banding process. Many people find that the affixing of the rubber band in a proper position around the clumps of hair is an extremely time consuming process. As a result, a need has developed which allows the user to apply the rubber band in an expeditious manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a banding device that expedites the process of banding a horse's hair.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a banding device that allows the user to place a rubber band in a proper position around grouped portions of horse hair.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a banding device that is relatively inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and easy to use.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.


The invention relates to a hydrodynamic coupling comprising an impeller (1), which propels a drive machine and a turbine wheel (2), which propels a drive machine. The turbine wheel and its rotationally fixed coupling shell (4) form a coupling housing (5). A centrifugal force valve (6) comprising a valve body (6.1) that is actuated using centrifugal force, is located in the outer peripheral region of the coupling housing, said valve being mounted in an outlet (7) for working medium from the working chamber, in such a way that the valve body essentially or completely seals the outlet when the centrifugal force valve is closed and releases said outlet when the valve is open, allowing the working medium to flow out. The valve body of the centrifugal force valve is supplied with working medium exclusively on its radial inner face and its radial outer face is subjected exclusively to the action of an elastic, mechanical pressure element (6.2), which acts in the closing direction of the centrifugal force valve.

The invention relates to a hydrodynamic coupling and especially a compressed-air system for motor vehicles with such a hydrodynamic coupling.
Hydrodynamic couplings are known in a large number of configurations and in various applications, especially in the field of motor vehicles. It was proposed recently for example that a hydrodynamic coupling be provided in the drive train between an automotive engine, which is usually an internal combustion engine, and an air compressor of the compressed-air system of the motor vehicle in order to switch the compressor on and off via the hydrodynamic coupling. According to a special embodiment, the present invention relates to just such a compressed-air system for motor vehicles, especially for motor vehicles such as trucks.
Such a compressor, which is also known as an air compressor, in a vehicle is designed for a specific operating speed or for a speed range beneath the maximum speed which at least should not be exceeded permanently. 3000 revolutions per minute are permanently permitted for such a compressor for example, with the compressor being allowed to briefly also reach 3500 revolutions per minute. This relates especially to reciprocating piston air compressors. The coupling in accordance with the invention shall be configured for such a compressor for example.
In practice, it has proven to be advisable with respect to overall size and efficiency that the drive speed of the coupling is increased by adjusting the transmission when using a hydrodynamic coupling in the drive train between automotive engine and compressor. This can lead to operational states in which the pump side reaches up to 4500 revolutions per minute in air conveying operation. In the case of normal slip in the coupling, the turbine side which usually revolves at the same speed as the input shaft of the compressor will accordingly also exceed the said maximum permissible speed. Measures are therefore necessary in order to protect the compressor from respective excessive speed.
Although it is principally known to control the speed of a work machine by means of a hydrodynamic coupling by setting the degree of filling of the hydrodynamic coupling which is interposed between the engine and the work machine (see for example the published patent specification WO 98/32987). The control of the filling occurs substantially in such a way that the supply of working medium is interrupted upon reaching a maximum degree of filling of the working chamber.
The known feedback control for the filling quantity is complex with respect to the instrumental configuration and requires various feedback control components such as pressure sensors, valves and/or scooping pipes. Especially when a hydrodynamic coupling is used in a vehicle advantageously in the drive train between the air compressor and the drive engine in order to switch the air compressor on and off and in order to dampen vibrations and to avoid the transmission of torque from the air compressor to the drive engine or the transmission of the drive engine, the known configuration of filling-controlled hydrodynamic clutches is too complex and not ideally suited for speed monitoring of the work machine, especially the air compressor.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,831 A describes a hydrodynamic coupling with a centrifugal valve which revolves with the speed of the pump wheel of the hydrodynamic coupling. It can thus be prevented despite the rising speed of the engine that the speed of the work machine will rise further.
Documents FR 1 016 938 A and GB 2 227 078 A also describe hydrodynamic couplings with valves for discharging the working chamber.
Published patent specification DE 32 17 465 A1 proposes for discharging the hydrodynamic coupling in order to stop the turbine wheel that several discharge openings are arranged in the housing of the coupling which are controlled by valves. These valves are closed by a control pressure in lines for filling the coupling leading to the valves and open for discharging when the control pressure does not occur due to the centrifugal force acting upon their valve body. The valve bodies are therefore pressurized on the radial inside by the working medium from the working chamber of the coupling and on their radial outside also by the working medium which when the coupling is switched on is guided into the respective lines when the coupling fills up. A self-switching closed-loop speed control of the hydrodynamic coupling is not possible by such valves because for opening the valves the control pressure which acts radially from the outside on the valve bodies always needs to be degraded by means of an external circuit in such a way that working medium is supplied to the hydrodynamic coupling and thus to the working chamber. This embodiment is therefore unsuitable for limiting the speed of a work machine.
The features known from document DE 32 17 465 A1 are summarized in the preamble of claim 1.


A centrifuge includes light sources to provide different illumination states depending on the status of the centrifuge to communicate the status of the centrifuge. The light sources, when activated, project light in the centrifuge chamber and through the centrifuge lid. The light sources are preferably light-emitting diodes. The illumination state is visible up to at least a distance from the centrifuge at which no other visual information on the centrifuge is available. The illumination states allow staff to visually identify the status of a centrifuge from a distance and may reduce turnaround times by enabling staff to identify a completed centrifuge cycle more quickly, reduce staff time wasted checking on the status of a centrifuge, and reduce turnaround time wasted as a result of specimens sitting in a centrifuge after the centrifuge cycle has completed. Methods of communicating the status of a centrifuge are also disclosed.

Clinical laboratories are seemingly chaotic with lots of activity resulting from processing high volumes of samples using various systems and methods. Many analyzers and instruments are used in a clinical laboratory, each instrument producing pumping, conveying, pneumatic, mechanical, and electronic noises. Audible indicators and alarms are used for most laboratory equipment, but due to the sheer volume of analyzers in a clinical laboratory and the fast-paced activities, the audible alarms are barely perceivable as they all blur into a continuous environment of white noise.
Visual indicators are also used in the form of digital displays to indicate the status of a device. However, the operator must be nearby and in front of the analyzer or instrument to be able to see the visual indicator and interpret its meaning. The status indicator used in a display is not perceivable from a distance.
Clinical laboratories are under significant pressure to reduce their turnaround time (TAT). TAT is the amount of time from the point at which the physician has ordered a diagnostic test on a patient to the point at which the clinical laboratory releases and delivers the clinical results of the diagnostic test. Although the analysis portion of the TAT is usually only 15 minutes or less, the total TAT is often 40 minutes or more. In many cases, pre-analytic processes lead to the majority of the TAT being consumed by handling and specimen centrifugation processes. Centrifuges are used to separate blood specimens into the necessary components for analysis.
Due to the size and required quantity of centrifuges in a clinical laboratory, the centrifuges are often located in one or more areas separate from the location of the analyzers. In such laboratories, operators must walk back and forth between the centrifuge area and the areas where they perform their other duties, including operating the analyzers and preparing other specimen. Often the status of a centrifuge is not readily apparent—whether the centrifuge is available for use, whether centrifugation is in process, or whether one or more specimens are still waiting in a centrifuge after completion of the centrifuge cycle, leading to a longer turnaround time. This condition leads to longer diagnostic turnaround times or lost time for laboratory staff as one of two events occur. Either the staff stand in front of the centrifuge, waiting for the centrifuge cycle to complete, thereby wasting time that could be otherwise spent performing other duties, or the staff work on other items in the laboratory while the centrifuge operates, often resulting in the centrifuge cycle finishing long before the operator returns, thereby losing costly processing time and extending the TAT for the clinical laboratory.
Although conventional centrifuges may provide an indication of the status of the centrifuge, these indications require the technician to be close to the centrifuge to receive the indication. Auditory indications may be missed in the bustle of activity in the laboratory, and even when an auditory indication is heard, it may not be possible to identify which one of the group of centrifuges provided the indication. Visual indications may be provided on a display panel or control panel, but these visual indications require the technician to be close to the centrifuge to see.

Systems and methods of communicating centrifuge status by LED illuminator of centrifuge housing


The inventors of this invention conducted a test and found out that to prevent peel-off of an adherent film, it is not of essential importance to set the radius of curvature equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold. The inventors of the present invention also found out that peel-off of an adherent film occurs in the region in which the curvature of a shield changes and is less likely to occur when the change in curvature of the shield is small. Accordingly, the key to the problem is the magnitude of a change in curvature of the shield, so changing the curvature stepwise makes it possible to suppress a large change in curvature, and thus to prevent peel-off of an adherent film free from any disadvantages such as deterioration in film thickness distribution, which may occur due to an increase in size of the shield.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film forming apparatus and thin film forming method used for a deposition process in manufacturing, for example, a semiconductor, a magnetic recording medium, a solar cell, or a liquid crystal display, and a shield component which can be used for the thin film forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thin film forming apparatus used in producing a product such as a semiconductor or a magnetic recording medium is intended to deposit a thin film, such as a metal film, on a substrate, such as a silicon wafer.
However, at the same time, this thin film is also deposited on various portions inside the apparatus, other than the target substrate. This deposited thin film will be called an adherent film hereinafter. The thickness of the adherent film increases as production is continued and deposition on a substrate is performed an increasing number of times. When the thickness of the adherent film exceeds a certain threshold, the adherent film peels off the surface, on which it has been deposited, due to a stress acting on itself. If the adherent film peels off during production, that is, during deposition on the substrate, the atmosphere in the apparatus changes. Because the thin film deposited on the substrate on this occasion contains particles originating from the adherent film, the reproducible film quality expected of the deposited film cannot be obtained. In, for example, a sputtering apparatus, when peel-off of an adherent film occurs during deposition, the plasma discharge conditions used in the sputtering process change, and the quality of the deposited film, in turn, changes.
Also, when peel-off of an adherent film occurs during the period in which the substrate is unloaded from the apparatus upon completion of deposition, if the next substrate is loaded into the apparatus, and deposition starts again, a particle often adheres onto the substrate surface or the substrate support table, thus making it impossible to obtain a given film quality. Depending on the deposition method, deposition itself may become impossible, posing a significant disadvantage. In, for example, a sputtering apparatus, the peeled, adherent film may change the electrical circuit characteristics of the apparatus. In such a case, unless the production in progress is stopped, the interior of the apparatus is cleaned and the peeled, adherent film is removed, plasma discharge cannot take place and production may become impossible.
To avoid these disadvantages, thin film forming apparatuses widely adopt a technique of having a built-in structure called a shield to protect the portions to which an adherent film must not adhere and periodically replacing the shield with a new one before the adherent film adhered to the shield becomes so thick as to peel off.
In putting a thin film forming apparatus into operation, an effort is made to minimize the number of times the shield needs to be replaced. That is, it is advantageous in putting the apparatus into operation to set a long shield maintenance cycle because this makes it possible to prolong the production time and save the cost required for shield replacement and cleaning in preparation for recycling.
Hence, it is common practice to process a shield to make it hard for an adherent film to peel off. For example, the shield surface is intentionally processed to have a three-dimensional pattern, for example by roughening it by blasting or spraying it with another material such as aluminum or titanium. With these types of processing, the adhesiveness of the adherent film adhering on the shield surface is improved to make it hard for the adherent film to peel off.
The same effect is known to be produced by shaping a shield such that its opening edge has a curvature equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold. For example, Mukai et al. point out in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-145976 (patent reference 1) that the amount of adhering particles per 5-inch wafer was reduced when the radius of curvature of the opening edge of a dark space shield used in the vicinity of a target for a magnetron sputtering apparatus used for an aluminum thin film was set to 3 mm or more. Similarly, Nishiwaki et al. point out in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-121358 (patent reference 2) advantages in setting the curvatures of the shield end face and corner to 1 mm to 10 mm in a sputtering apparatus used for a refractory metal film, and Ikeda et al. point out in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-073115 (patent reference 3) advantages in setting the radii of curvature of the shield opening edge and bent portion to 0.3 mm or more in a carbon sputtering apparatus.
The shield shape includes a flat surface and a corner or curved surface. Hence, patent references 1, 2, and 3 disclose that a shield is desirably designed to have a corner or curved surface with a large radius of curvature in a region in which a change from the flat surface to the corner or curved surface takes place, or conversely, that from the corner or curved surface to the flat surface takes place.
However, a shield having a curved surface with a large radius of curvature inevitably has a large overall size. On the other hand, to place a shield in a deposition apparatus, the shield cannot be unlimitedly large and must have a size that falls within a predetermined limit. Also, as the overall shield size increases, the number of members used naturally increases, so the shield weight gets heavier. This causes difficulties in handling in terms of design associated with a method of disposing the shield, and raises the cost of the shield.
Moreover, desired deposition becomes impossible due to the occurrence of design and process constraints. When, for example, a deposition apparatus which performs deposition by sputtering that uses plasma discharge adopts a shield with a large radius of curvature, the plasma discharge space becomes narrower than when it adopts a shield with a small radius of curvature, and the characteristics and properties of the plasma itself change considerably, so a film quality reproducibility expected of the film deposited on the substrate cannot be obtained. More specifically, in that case, because the distance between the target and the shield shortens, the film thickness distribution within the plane of the film which is deposited on the substrate at a position farther than the shield when viewed from the target deteriorates.

Thin film forming apparatus, thin film forming method, and shield component


The detection part has: a subtraction module for calculating correction data from data of detection systems when a reference-voltage generation module applies a reference voltage to the detection systems; a data-holding module for holding the correction data; an addition module for making a correction of detection data; a comparison module for comparing the detection data with switching data; and a selector for switching data of the detection systems including data subjected to the correction according to the output of the comparison module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contamination-inspecting apparatus for inspecting a semiconductor wafer, and specifically it relates to a technique for detecting a signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A contamination-inspecting apparatus for inspecting a surface of a semiconductor wafer for a contaminant has: an irradiation optical system for irradiating a wafer surface with laser light; a detection optical system for detecting light scattered from the wafer surface; a detection unit for converting the scattered light detected with the detection optical system into electric signals to make a correction; and a display unit for making a judgment on a contaminant to display the result. In the detection unit, a detection circuit is incorporated; usually a signal is output through the detection circuit to make a judgment on a contaminant. Now, with reference to FIG. 5, a detection circuit of a semiconductor wafer contamination-inspecting apparatus, which was considered as a related art by the inventor, will be described in outline. The conventional contamination-inspecting apparatus irradiates a wafer with laser light while rotating the wafer, and detects light scattered and reflected by a contaminant on a wafer and the like by use of PMT (Photo Multiplier Tube) 1. Specifically, the PMT 1 is a device which multiplies incident light by the effect of multiplication of photoelectrons, and then outputs an electric current depending on the intensity of incident light. PMT 1 outputs a contamination-detection signal current based on light scattered and reflected by a contaminant and the like. In the detection part 10, an I-V conversion module 2 including a resistor 4 and an operational amplifier 5 converts the contamination-detection signal current into a detection voltage signal. Further, in the detection circuit 3, a logarithmic amplifier 6 logarithmically amplifies the detection voltage signal making an input voltage 8 to the detection circuit 3 so that a minute voltage can be detected even with the minimum resolution of an analog-to-digital conversion circuit 7, and then the analog-to-digital conversion circuit 7 converts the amplified voltage to a digital value. Subsequently, the resultant digital signal having the digital value is output to a data processing circuit (not shown) as an output code 9, and then a judgment about a contaminant or the like is made.
In general, the intensity of light scattered from a contaminant with a minute particle size is said to be proportional to about the sixth power of the diameter of the contaminant. Therefore, in the case where a wafer targeted for inspection is irradiated with light, and scattered light produced by the irradiation is used to detect a contaminant, a detection circuit for detecting a contaminant is required to have a wider dynamic range, which depends on the range of the amplitudes of detected signals. This is because the smaller the contaminant on a wafer is, the minuter the detected signal is. Further, when the number of rotations of a wafer is increased in order to shorten the time for inspecting the wafer, scanning of a surface of the wafer is speeded up, which results in an increase in the rate of change of the detected signal per hour. Therefore, it is required to speed up the operation of the detection part.
Now, as for an analog-to-digital conversion circuit, there is a basic trade-off relation between its processing speed and dynamic range in general. Therefore, the dynamic range of the analog-to-digital conversion circuit tends to decrease with an increase in the speed, and its minimum resolution has a tendency to increase.
Hence, a method to widen the dynamic range by means of arranging amplifiers in parallel, which amplify a detection current with different amplification factors, and using, of outputs of the amplifiers, an output of an appropriate range as the technique disclosed by JP-A-8-145899 has been proposed in the art.

Contamination-inspecting apparatus and detection circuit


In the present invention, the pressure between the paper feed roller and the trailing roller can be changed while preventing possibility of human misoperation and without requiring exclusive motors. The paper support pressure between a paper feed roller and a trailing roller for clamping and conveying paper is changed by a friction switching mechanism. The drive force of a paper feed motor 60 for driving the paper feed roller is transmitted to said friction switching mechanism via a clutch mechanism C1. Whether the clutch mechanism C1 is connected or disconnected depends on the direction of the drive force of a ribbon feed motor 38 which drives the ink ribbon. When the ribbon driving motor 38 drives in reverse (anti-clockwise direction), an interlinked fan-shaped gear 94 rotates clockwise, a connecting bar 95 is displaced causing a cam 97b to also be displaced resulting in a pinion 63b and gear 72 to be engaged and interfitted with the clutch mechanism C1. Consequently, the rotation of the paper feed motor 60 is transmitted to the gear 72. By means of the rotation of the gear 72, the slide lever of the friction switching mechanism is slid, the rocking lever for supporting the trailing roller is rocked, and the paper supporting pressure between the rollers is changed.

The present invention relates to a printer.
Among conventional printers, there are printers in which the pressure between the paper feed roller and the trailing roller can be changed depending on the type of paper. The pressure can be changed either by hand or automatically by means of exclusive motors.
However, in such prior art printers, paper feed defects occur due to misoperation in printers which change pressure by hand operation. In printers which have been automated by exclusive motors, the costs are high due to the necessity for an exclusive motor.

Printer with automated means for changing paper clamping pressure


The present invention provides methods and kits useful for detecting neplasia by measuring the methylation level of biomarkers, especially the promoter region of GSTP1 for the detection of prostate adenocarcinoma.

Prostatic adenocarcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed non-cutaneous cancer for men in the United States. The incidence is likely to continue to increase as people survive longer and more middle-aged men undergo routine screening for the disease. Men diagnosed with early stage small volume disease have the best outcome following curative treatment. Therefore the aim of early detection programs is to diagnose cancer at an early curable stage.
The gold standard algorithm for diagnosis currently entails digital rectal exam and measurement of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and if either is suspicious it is followed by trans-rectal prostatic needle biopsy. However, serum PSA can be elevated in benign conditions and needle biopsy may fail to identify even significant amounts of cancer due to sampling error. Therefore, the introduction of additional diagnostic tests is needed to improve the sensitivity of prostate cancer diagnosis.
Although several specific genetic alterations have been described in prostate adenocarcinoma, such as TP53 and PTEN inactivation, the single most common and earlier of these is methylation of the 5′-regulatory region of the GSTP1 gene. The detection of this epigenetic alteration in bodily fluids has been successfully accomplished using DNA-based techniques. However, these earlier studies either included only a relatively small number of patients or focused mainly on cases of advanced disease.
Recently, a specific real-time quantitative methyl specific PCR (RTQ-MSP) method, allowing the performance of non-isotopic, rapid, and highly accurate quantitative amplification analysis via the continuous optical monitoring of a fluorogenic PCR assay was developed. The application of this method to evaluate the methylation status of the p16 gene in bone marrow aspirates from patients with multiple myeloma, revealed complete concordance with conventional MSP (C-MSP) analysis. In this same study, it was shown that RTQ-MSP was sensitive enough to detect down to 10 genome equivalents of methylated p16 sequence.
However, there is a need in the art to develop sensitive and accurate early stage diagnostic assays for detecting prostate adenocarcinoma.

The John Hopkins University School of Medicine


A plasma processing method of performing a plasma process, using a plasma processing apparatus that includes a process chamber including a chromium (Cr) containing member and a mounting table placed in the process chamber, on a substrate on the mounting table, includes etching the substrate by plasma generated by a first gas containing bromine; after the etched substrate is carried out, forming a protection film by plasma generated by a second gas containing a CxFy gas (x≧1, y≧4) and an inert gas; and evacuating a reaction product containing chromium generated in the etching.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma processing method and a plasma processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With improvement in the degree of integration of semiconductor devices, heavy metal contamination in a process chamber is becoming an increasingly important problem in the processing of a silicon semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a "wafer") and in the process of manufacturing a device. The heavy metal may be diffused and dissolved in a film on the wafer by a heat treatment to form a pair with a dopant that is generated when manufacturing a transistor or form a precipitate of the heavy metal, a stacking defect or the like. As a result, deterioration of withstand voltage of an oxide film or increasing of a leak current may occur.
Occurrence of the heavy metal contamination by chromium (Cr) depends on a performance or capability of a plasma processing apparatus. If a member containing Cr (hereinafter, referred to as a "Cr containing member" as well) is included in a plasma processing apparatus, a reaction product of Cr may be deposited on an inner wall of the process chamber when performing an etching process. The heavy metal contamination by Cr generated at this time causes a large influence on a performance of a semiconductor product and also lowers yield.
In order to reduce the heavy metal contamination by Cr, it can be considered to change a hardware structure of a plasma processing apparatus. However, there is a drawback in cost in order to improve the hardware structure of the apparatus, because the development cost increases. Thus, it is desired to reduce the contamination by Cr without changing the hardware structure of the apparatus.
For example, Patent Document 1 provides a technique in which, after performing plasma cleaning of an oxygen (O2) gas under an etching condition where less deposition occurs and before starting etching, a film is deposited on an inner wall of a process chamber by plasma of a perfluorocyclobutane (C4F8) gas and an argon (Ar) gas. With this configuration, the inner wall of the process chamber is protected from the sputtering in the etching by the deposited film and beating out of the contamination from the inner wall to be adhered to the wafer can be prevented.
However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose what kind of substances the contamination includes, and does not disclose a method of preventing the heavy metal contamination in the process chamber when the reaction product generated by the plasma etching contains Cr.

Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus


A remanufactured toner cartridge comprising a toner hopper, a developer roller housing, end caps holding the waste bin and developer roller in a fixed position with respect to each other, and a seal assembly.

The present invention generally relates to manufacturing, remanufacturing or repairing replaceable imaging components, and more particularly to techniques for adjusting the signal level provided to or received from an imaging component, such as a xerographic toner cartridge.
In the imaging industry, there is a growing market for the remanufacture and refurbishing of various types of replaceable imaging cartridges such as toner cartridges, drum cartridges, inkjet cartridges, and the like. Imaging cartridges, once spent, are unusable for their originally intended purpose. Without a refurbishing process, they would simply be discarded, even though the cartridge itself may still have potential life. As a result, techniques have been developed specifically to address this issue. These processes may entail, for example, the disassembly of the various structures of the cartridge, replacing toner or ink, cleaning, adjusting or replacing any worn components and reassembling the cartridge.
The method of remanufacturing a toner cartridge is dependent upon the original design of the toner cartridge. Some remanufacturers contend that changes in the design of toner cartridges by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) are done, at least in part, to defeat remanufacturing. Whether this reason for OEM design changes is true or not, it is true that changes in the design of a cartridge by the OEM create new difficulties for remanufacturers. Most of these difficulties center on disassembling the cartridge in a way that allows for fast and economical cleaning, replacing of worn components, and adding new toner.
A recent design change by the OEM in a cartridge called the HP 9000 has a dramatically different design from previous toner cartridges. The HP 9000 is substantially larger, holding much more toner than previous toner cartridge designs. The HP 9000 has end caps that are welded onto the full width of the toner cartridge. The end caps apparently give the cartridge greater strength, and help hold the toner hopper/developer roller housing/waste bin sub assembly. Before the introduction of the HP 9000 most toner cartridges had a toner hopper attached to a developer roller housing, and flexible film seal heat-sealed to the sealing surface of the toner hopper. The toner hopper/seal/developer roller housing assembly in turn was mechanically connected to the waste bin. The mechanical connection to the waste bin was accomplished with the use of one or more pins. The toner hopper was attached to the developer roller housing by ultrasonic welds at the seam between them. These welds were readily accessible from the exterior and could be sawed apart or wedged apart. Once remanufacturers separated the developer roller from the toner hopper, the remanufacturer could easily access the components in the toner hopper and developer roller housing and could easily reseal the toner hopper.
The HP 9000 has a unique construction. It is anticipated that other OEMs will make toner cartridges of similar construction in the future. The toner hopper and developer roller housing are not welded directly together. Instead they are each separately heat sealed to a specialized seal assembly. This seal assembly has an accordion connector that is heat sealed to an intermediate plate. The intermediate plate is ultrasonically welded to the toner hopper, and the opposite end of the accordion seal is heat sealed to the developer roller housing. The accordion pleats are heat sealed together. The toner hopper and the developer roller housing are thus indirectly connected together. The waste bin section of the HP 9000 attaches in the usual manner to this toner hopper/developer roller housing by use of a pin, and a spring connection. The toner hopper and waste bin are then held in a fixed relationship to one another by two rigid end caps that run the entire width of the cartridge and that are welded onto the toner hopper and the waste bin. The developer roller housing floats relative to the waste bin ensuring that the developer roller and OPC drum maintain a proper relationship. Embedded in one of the end caps near the location of the welds are a variety of electrical contacts that provide the necessary voltages to the different components of the toner cartridge.
The use of the end caps coupled with the electrical connection between one of the end caps, and the sub assembly behind them create unique problems for the remanufacturer. First, end caps must be separated in such a way as to not sever the electrical connections hidden inside them. Secondly, the end caps must be removed in such a way as to allow for reattachment of these end caps.
The seal used in the HP 9000 also presents issues of complexity. Rather than simply heat sealing a seal to a toner hopper, the OEM in the HP 9000 heat seals a metallized film to the toner hopper sealing surface. This metallized film in turn has a tail that is attached to the one end of the seal and extends back over the seal to the other side of the cartridge. The end of the tail is threaded onto a spool. That spool is contained within a housing attached to the toner hopper and concealed within one of the end caps. The toner hopper has electrical contacts on the surface of the toner hopper. These toner hopper contacts are designed to be in electrical contact with a pair of conductive traces on the surface of the OEM seal. When the end-user places the cartridge into the printer, the printer senses whether the seal is in place by sensing whether the electrical connection between the contacts are in place. If there is an electrical connection between both sets of contacts, then the printer will cause the spool to wind, removing the seal from over the toner hopper discharge opening and breaking the electrical connection of the first contact, but not the second contact. If the printer does not sense at least the second contact, then it will not print at all. Therefore, any replacement seal should emulate the electrical characteristics of the OEM seal.
This new construction causes problems in the way the toner hopper and developer roller housing are to be reattached after this assembly. As mentioned above, the OEM heat seals each of these members to an intermediate plate, or an accordion seal. The intermediate plate and accordion seal are destroyed in the process of any separation of the toner hopper from the developer roller housing. In remanufacturing the toner cartridge, it is difficult to maintain the right stack height between the developer roller housing and the toner hopper as well as to firmly adhere the two together.
Additionally, some imaging cartridges, such as the HP 9000, may transmit signals to and receive signals from the printer. For a multiplicity of reasons, it may be advantageous to attenuate or amplify one of the signals being transmitted to or received from the printer. The HP 9000 toner cartridge uses a particular device to sense the toner level when the toner level is below about 8% of capacity. This toner sensing device appears to utilize a signal transmitted from the magnetic roller to a toner sensing plate and transmits, through a contact, a signal to the printer relating to the toner level. During the remanufacturing process of the toner cartridge and replacement of the seal, the voltage level of the toner level signal may be affected. For example, if the electrical characteristics of the replacement seal do not match the electrical characteristics of the original seal, the signal may be transmitted to the printer at a higher voltage level than what is appropriate. In such a situation, the printer may not be able to properly determine the correct toner level due to the higher signal level.
The present method of remanufacturing as described below solves these and other problems associated with remanufacturing cartridges with construction similar to the HP 9000. This method further facilitates rapid and repeatable remanufacturing of these cartridges.

Systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components


Invention describes apparatus automating distributed item processing including pharmacy. Apparatus includes: portable vending cartridges, automatic vending modules, controllers. Cartridge contains conveyor transporting items inside carriers. Cartridges slide-into receptacles inside vending module. Controllers in real-time monitor presence of cartridges; inventory of carries, items; and execute controls of each cartridge and vending module including: indexing conveyors; loading and/or unloading items into/from carriers; maintaining items within specifications: environment, handling, safety with reports confirming compliance. Controllers execute in real-time optimization algorithm achieving required performance: rates of item loading/unloading, power consumption. Pharmacy applications include cartridges handling containers with medications. Apparatus automates distributed processing of medications: at one centralized location cartridges are filled with medications and then transported to assigned destinations for insertion into designated modules for dispensing medications to authorized customers. Number of apparatuses could be configured as closed-loop real-time process control system aimed at achieving optimum utilization of resources and delivering products within specifications.

Many businesses periodically perform number of processes or operations, in order to sell products and achieve business objectives. Majority of businesses deliver products in a form of a physical entity vs. the ones that deliver products in a form of an electronic-type service. Products of physical entity require packaging and distribution to their potential users, which may purchase them, and as result, generate revenue for business.
Packaging and distribution of products to potential customers could be a significant expense for business. There are number of automation tools available in regard to product packaging and distribution. These tools are bulky, not automation friendly and lack flexibility to be optimized for a specific application in terms of efficiency and start-up expenses. Most of the existing vending machines could only serve one customer at a time, hence when a customer in process of being served needs assistance, the entire machine is tied up until the problem is resolved. For these and other good reasons, there is a substantial requirement to develop new automation tools to further improve productivity, reduce cost, improve reliability, safety, etc.


An ECU of a vehicle is activated to communicate with a user validation apparatus while a specific signal such as an ignition signal is being produced, and to perform a first control operation when positive validation occurs, and can be activated by a request signal for a second control operation while the specific signal is off, without performing the communication. Erroneous detection of a communication error is avoided in a case when communication is interrupted due to switch-off of the specific signal and the request signal for the second control operation is received during that communication.

1. Field of Application
The present invention relates to an electronic control apparatus utilized in a motor vehicle equipped with a user validation apparatus, with the electronic control apparatus controlling various operations of the vehicle.
In particular, the invention relates to an electronic control apparatus that enables engine starting and running when a validation result indicates that a user is permitted to drive the vehicle, and that can be activated to perform other functions such as diagnosis of the condition of the engine or other equipment while engine operation is not enabled.
2. Prior Art Technology
In the prior art, motor vehicles have been developed which are equipped with a user validation apparatus having a function of performing a check of user validity and which prevents the vehicle from being driven if a correct result is not obtained from the validity check. Such a user validation apparatus is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 8-218704, for example. An IC (integrated circuit) chip is built into the ignition key of the vehicle and has an ID (identity, i.e., validity) code stored therein, and when the ignition key is inserted into the key cylinder of the vehicle, the ID code is acquired by the user validation apparatus.
The received code is compared with a corresponding code that is stored in the user validation apparatus, to thereby check whether the individual attempting to start the vehicle is a valid user. Various aspects of operation of the vehicle, including engine starting, are controlled by an engine ECU (electronic control unit), and the results of the ID check by the user validation apparatus are supplied to the engine ECU from the user validation apparatus. If the results indicate a valid user then the engine ECU begins control of the fuel injectors, ignition system, etc., of the vehicle engine, to enable engine starting.
In recent years, requirements have arisen for vehicles which are capable of performing failure diagnosis of various equipment relating to engine control, with such failure diagnosis being performed while the engine is halted, i.e., after the ignition key has been actuated to open the ignition switch. For example, it may be arranged that after a predetermined interval has elapsed following switch-off of the engine, the engine ECU is automatically activated by a command produced from an internal timer IC (SOK IC) after a predetermined time interval.
Furthermore, such a vehicle may be equipped with a capability for performing other operations to prepare the vehicle for engine starting, such as initialization processing performed by the engine ECU immediately prior to engine starting. In that case, it may be arranged that the engine ECU can be activated by a command sent from an external source, for example with an activation request being generated by a door lock sensor and transmitted to the engine ECU when a door lock of the vehicle is released. Alternatively, the engine ECU may be provided with an internal timer function whereby after a predetermined time interval has elapsed following deactivation of the ECU and halting of the engine, the ECU is automatically re-activated to perform a function such as diagnosis of vehicle equipment.
However when such a function whereby the engine ECU may be activated while the ignition is switched off is provided in a vehicle that is equipped with a user validation apparatus, then problems are found to arise. Specifically, the user validation apparatus becomes deactivated (e.g., with no electric power supplied thereto) when the ignition switch is open. When the ignition is switched on and communication between the ECU and the user validation apparatus thereby initiated, it is possible that an activation request signal may be received while that communication is in progress. In that case, if the ignition is then switched off before the communication is completed, the ECU will continue to be activated, and a condition will exist whereby the user validation apparatus has been deactivated and a communication failure or validation failure has apparently occurred. In the prior art, occurrence of this condition will result in a communication error being erroneously detected and recorded, although in fact there has been no error caused by apparatus malfunction or insertion of a non-valid ignition key. In practice, this is a serious problem with such a prior art ECU that is used in conjunction with a user validation apparatus.

Electronic control apparatus for motor vehicle


There is disclosed an optical printer for printing a grayscale image on a self-developing type photo film unit based on image data. A printing head of the optical printer is provided with a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a line along a main scan direction whose lighting time lengths are controlled for each pixel in accordance with a tonal level of that pixel. The printing head is shifted relative to the photo film unit in a sub scan direction perpendicular to the main scan direction, to print the image line by line. During each printing cycle of one line, drive voltage applied to the respective light emitting elements are raised with time from an initial value according a predetermined characteristic curve, to increase luminance of the respective light emitting elements as the lighting time for each pixel elapses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical printer whose printing head is provided with an array of light emitting elements each recording one pixel at a time on a photosensitive recording medium, wherein a grayscale image is reproduced by controlling the light emitting elements each individually. The present invention relates also to a method for driving the optical printer.
2. Background Arts
Many kinds of optical printers that are driven based on electronic image data to print an image on a sheet of self-developing type photo film, so-called an instant film unit have been known in the art. Also electronic still cameras integrated with such an optical printer have been on the market. An exemplary of optical printer is provided with a printing head that has an array of light emitting elements arranged along a main scan direction, and a color filter for obtaining red, green and blue light beams from white light beams projected by the light emitting elements. The optical printer selectively drives the light emitting elements to project color light beams toward the instant film sheet while moving in a sub scan direction perpendicular to the main scan direction, whereby an image is recorded line after line on the instant film unit. The optical printer also controls exposure amounts by changing lighting times of the individual light emitting elements, i.e. exposure times for each pixel, to reproduce gradations. In practice, a unit exposure time is predetermined, and each light emitting element is driven for a multiple of the unit exposure time by being applied with a different number of drive pulses having a constant width.
FIG. 10 shows a characteristic curve 81 showing relationships between exposure amount of the instant film unit and coloring density of a positive image formed on an image receptive sheet of the instant film unit. As well-known in the art, a photosensitive sheet of the instant film unit is exposed to an optical image to form a latent image. Thereafter, a processing fluid is spread between the photosensitive sheet and the image receptive sheet, so the latent image is transferred to the image receptive sheet and developed as a positive image. Accordingly, the positive image gets the higher coloring density, the smaller the exposure amount of the photosensitive sheet. In other words, the larger the exposure amount of the photosensitive sheet, the positive image gets the lighter tones.
FIG. 11 shows a relationship between gradations of the positive image and exposure amount of the instant film unit in a low density range, whereas FIG. 12 shows a relationship between gradations of the positive image and exposure amount of the instant film unit in a high density range. As seen from these graphs, it takes a large increment or decrement in the exposure amount to change the coloring density by one tonal step in the low density range. On the contrary, in the high density range, the density changes by one tonal step with a very small difference in the exposure amount, so a fine control of the exposure amount is necessary for reproducing gradations.
Since the lighting time of each light emitting element is controlled by the unit exposure time in the conventional optical printer while maintaining the luminance constant, it is necessary to define the unit exposure time to be short enough for permitting a fine control of the exposure time, in order to reproduce gradations even in the high density range. On the contrary, the exposure time must be changed by a remarkably larger amount to change the coloring density by one tonal step in the low density range than in the high density range. This is apparent from FIGS. 11 and 12, wherein T1max is an increment or difference in the exposure time necessary for changing the density from the second lowest tonal level to the lowest tonal level, whereas T1min is an increment in the exposure time necessary for changing the density from the highest tonal level to the second highest tonal level, assuming that the density of the highest tonal level, i.e. black, is obtained by not exposing the instant film unit to the light.
For these reasons, in a conventional optical printer, to reproduce the image in 256 gradations, i.e. in tonal levels of "0" to "255", the unit exposure time is defined to be T/1023, provided that T represents a longest exposure time necessary for coloring the image receptive sheet at a lowest density, i.e. the tonal level "0" that is approximately equal to white. In other words, the exposure time is controlled with a precision of T/1023.
Although the conventional method achieves the fine control of the exposure time, a remarkably larger number of drive pulses must be applied for recording one pixel in the low density range, so that a very high driving frequency is needed in order to cut the longest necessary exposure time T per one pixel and thus speed up the printing. Furthermore, because 10-bit control data is needed for controlling the exposure time with the precision of T/1023, it takes a certain time to process and transfer 10-bit control data, so that a very high processing speed is required for cutting down the longest exposure time T. Indeed the exposure time can be shortened by raising luminance from the printing head, because the data processing speed is limited, if the longest exposure time T does not have a certain length, the unit exposure time T/1023 would become too short to drive the light emitting elements. For these reasons, it has been hard to speed up the printing time in the conventional optical printer.

Optical printer and driving method therefor


A method and apparatus for compensating for scanning skew formed in an electrophotographic color image forming device. The method includes the step of making a scanning light that forms a scanning line ascend or descend in a sub-scanning direction within a range of one dot, and scanning the ascending or descending light in the main scanning direction. Also, the apparatus includes an optical scanner control unit which controls an optical scanning unit so that a scanning light that forms a scanning line ascends or descends in a sub-scanning direction within a range of one dot and the ascending or descending light is scanned in the main scanning direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrophotographic image forming device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for compensating for scanning skew formed on a photosensitive medium through an optical scanning operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an electrophotographic image forming device such as a laser printer or a digital copy machine, forms image data input from a computer or a scanner onto a printing medium such as printing paper through a series of image forming processes. The image forming processes of the electrophotographic image forming device include processes of charging, writing, developing, transferring and fusing.
The electrophotographic image forming device may be divided into a controller and an engine. The controller analyzes and stores image data sent from a computer to a memory of the printer, communicates with the engine so that the engine can perform the image forming, and then transmits the data stored in the memory in the form of serial data. The engine includes mechanical elements that print the image data transmitted from the controller onto the printing paper. In the case of a laser printer, the main elements of the engine include at least an organic photoconductive drum (hereinafter referred to as a "photoconductive drum"), an optical scanner, and a developer.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the construction of an engine of an electrophotographic image forming device. The image forming device 100 is a color image forming device that can print a color image.
Referring to FIG. 1, the color image forming device 100 is provided with a first developer 110 that contains yellow (Y) toner, a second developer 120 that contains cyan (C) toner, a third developer 130 that contains magenta (M) toner, and a fourth developer 140 that contains black (K) toner. The color image forming device 100 is also provided with two photoconductive drums 157 and 167, a pair of optical scanners 159 and 169, and an intermediate transfer belt 170. All of the above-described constituent elements are provided inside a case 101 of the device 100.
The photoconductive drums 157 and 167 are exposed to light that the optical scanners 159 and 169 will scan to form electrostatic latent images. The first photoconductive drum 157, that is the upper one between the pair of photoconductive drums, is charged by a first charging roller 155, and is adjacent to the first and second developers 110 and 120 so that it can receive yellow (Y) toner and cyan (C) toner from the first and second developers to develop an image. The second photoconductive drum 167, that is the lower one between the pair of photoconductive drums, is charged by a second charging roller 165, and is adjacent to the third and fourth developers 130 and 140 so that it can receive magenta (M) toner and black (K) toner from the third and fourth developers to develop an image.
The intermediate transfer belt 170 is rotatably supported by a belt driving roller 171 that is connected to a motor shaft (not illustrated), a transfer backup roller 172 that is preferably an idle roller, and first and second support rollers 173 and 174 that are also idle rollers. As illustrated, the transfer belt 170 and rotates clockwise. First and second transfer rollers 175 and 176, provided inside the intermediate transfer belt 170, are arranged opposite to the first and second photoconductive media 157 and 167, respectively, with the intermediate transfer belt 170 being interposed between the first and second transfer rollers and the first and second photoconductive media.
A third transfer roller 180 is provided under the transfer backup roller 172 and is arranged opposite to the transfer backup roller 172 with the intermediate transfer belt 170 being interposed between the third transfer roller and the transfer backup roller.
Additionally, the electrophotographic image forming device 100 is provided with a fuser 185 for fusing a color image transferred onto a printing paper P by heat and pressure. Also provided is a feeder cassette 105 for loading the printing papers P, a pickup roller 182 for picking up the printing papers from the feeder cassette 105 paper by paper, a sorter 184 for sorting and conveying the picked printing papers, and first to third discharge rollers 186, 187 and 188 for discharging the printing paper P on which the color image is printed to the outside of the case 101.
The color image forming device 100 forms a color image in a manner that it transfers yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) images onto the intermediate transfer belt 170 by superimposition to form a color image on the intermediate transfer belt 170. The color image forming device 100 then transfers and fuses the color image onto the printing paper P.
If light corresponding to yellow (Y) image information is scanned from the first optical scanner 159 to the first photoconductive drum 157 that is charged with uniform potential, a part of the drum on which the light is scanned comes to have a reduced resistance, and this causes charges attached to the outer peripheral surface of the first photoconductive drum 157 to escape from the outer peripheral surface of the drum 157. Accordingly, a potential difference occurs between the scanned part and the remaining part, and this causes an electrostatic latent image to be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first photoconductive drum 157 being rotated. In this case, a yellow (Y) electrostatic latent image is developed as the yellow (Y) toner is supplied from the first developer 110 to the first photoconductive drum 157, and then a yellow (Y) image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 170 as the first photoconductive drum 157 is rotating.
Additionally, on the intermediate transfer belt 170, a magenta (M) image from the second photoconductive drum 167 is transferred and superimposed in the same manner as the transfer of the yellow (Y) image. After one-period of circulation on the intermediate transfer belt 170, a cyan (C) image from the first photoconductive drum 157 and a black (K) image from the second photoconductive drum 167 are transferred and superimposed in turn to form a color image.
Meanwhile, the printing papers P, loaded in the feeder cassette 182, are picked up by the pickup roller 182 for sorting by the sorter 184, and then pass through the third transfer roller 180 and the intermediate transfer belt 170. Thus, the color image is transferred onto the printing paper P. The color image transferred onto the printing paper P is then fused on the printing paper P by heat and pressure applied from the fuser 185, and the printing paper P on which the color image is fused is discharged to a discharge tray 102 provided outside the case 101 by the discharge rollers 186, 187 and 188.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of the first optical scanner 159. FIG. 3 is a view illustrating side and center feeding of printing paper.
Referring to FIG. 2, the first optical scanner 159 is composed of a laser diode 200, a polygon mirror 204, a driver 202 and a reflecting mirror 206.
The laser diode 200 emits light. The driver 202 is a motor for rotating the polygon mirror 204 at a constant speed. The polygon mirror 204 scans the linear light irradiated from the laser diode 200 corresponding to the image signal. The reflecting mirror 206 reflects an incident light in a specified direction so that the reflected light is incident to the surface of the first photoconductive drum 157 on which the image is formed. Meanwhile, the second optical scanner 169 has substantially the same construction as the first optical scanner 159 as described above. Accordingly, a detailed description thereof is omitted for clarity and conciseness.
As the polygon mirror 204 rotates, the light emitted from the laser diode 200 is incident to an area drawn from a point "a" to a point "b" on the first photoconductive drum 157. Hereinafter, the area configured from the point "a" to the point "b" is called an optical scanning area. Generally, in performing the image printing work, the electrophotographic image forming device does not use the whole optical scanning area of the photoconductive area, but, uses only a reduced part thereof. This will now be explained with reference to FIG. 3.
The paper feeding process is classified into a center feeding process and a side feeding process. The center feeding process makes a center part of the printing paper pass through a center part c of the optical scanning area, and the side feeding process makes the printing paper pass through the optical scanning area as the printing paper slants to the left. In FIG. 3, the printing paper P1 indicates the printing paper fed by the center feeding process, and the printing paper P2 indicates the printing paper fed by the side feeding process.
An inclination of a scanning line formed in the optical scanning area of the photoconductive drum due to an optical scanning of the optical scanner is defined as a skew. This skew may occur due to a dimensional error of the optical scanner or the photoconductive drum. In forming the color image, four colors are superimposed. If directions and degrees of skews of plural scanning lines are different from one another, although the scanning lines have the skews that are within an allowable error range, the color image formed by the image superimposition may deteriorate in quality. Accordingly, skew compensation that makes the skews of the scanning lines of the respective colors coincide with one another in a specified allowable error range is required.
FIGS. 4A to 4C are views explaining a conventional method for compensating for a scanning skew performed in the color image forming device of FIG. 1. Since the color image forming device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided with a pair of optical scanners 159 and 169 and a pair of photoconductive drums 157 and 167, the skew of the scanning line scanned by one optical scanner is compensated for on the basis of the scanning line scanned by the other optical scanner. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the scanning line formed on the second photoconductive drum 167, by the optical scanning of the second optical scanner 169 (hereinafter referred to as a "second scanning line"), is compensated for on the basis of the scanning line formed on the first photoconductive drum 157 by the optical scanning of the first optical scanner 159.
Referring to FIG. 4A, although the first scanning line and the second scanning line should be superimposed without any skew, a skew of one dot occurs through the optical scanning area. In order to compensate for the one-dot skew, the optical scanning area is divided into two, and the second optical scanner 169 emits light that ascends by one dot in the right area. Referring to FIG. 4B, a skew of two dots occurs between the first scanning line and the second scanning line. In order to compensate for this, the optical scanning area is divided into three, and the second optical scanner 169 emits light that ascends by one dot in the second area and emits light that ascends by two dots in the third area. Referring to FIG. 4C, a skew of three dots occurs between the first scanning line and the second scanning line. In order to compensate for this, the optical scanning area is divided into four, and the second optical scanner 169 emits light that ascends by one dot in the second area, emits light that ascends by two dots in the third area, and emits light that ascends by three dots in the fourth area.
The conventional method for compensating for scanning skew as described above; however, has problems in that defects of the printed image due to discontinuation of the second scanning line on the boundaries of the divided optical scanning areas are relatively easily visible to the human eye. Particularly, if the skew of odd-numbered dots occurs with respect to the printing paper fed by the center feeding process, the discontinuation of the scanning line appears on the center part of the printing paper, while if the skew of even-numbered dots occurs with respect to the printing paper fed by the side feeding process, the discontinuation of the scanning line also appears on the center part of the printing paper. Thus, print defects that are much more noticeable result.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved electrophotographic color image forming device which compensates for scanning skew formed in an electrophotographic color image forming device.

Method and apparatus for compensating for scanning skew


A method of controlling a driving circuit applicable to a light-emitting substrate which includes a light-emitting assembly including a plurality of light-emitting-element strings connected in parallel, each of the plurality of light-emitting strings comprising a plurality of light-emitting-elements connected in series, the driving circuit connected to the plurality of light-emitting-element strings via a wiring, wherein the method comprises: obtaining a wiring IR drop, a light-emitting element string IR drop, a voltage deviation, and a channel IR drop; obtaining a target power supply voltage according to the wiring IR drop, the light-emitting element string IR drop, the voltage deviation, and the channel IR drop; comparing the target power supply voltage with an output voltage to obtain a comparison result; generating an adjustment signal according to the comparison result; and adjusting the output voltage according to the adjustment signal. A driving circuit and a light-emitting substrate are further provided.

Mini LED can achieve finer backlight dimming, thereby achieving a better High Dynamic Range (HDR) effect. In related technologies, mini LEDs can be driven through an Active Matrix (AM) backlight driving method. A plurality of small-size driving chips are used to drive corresponding mini LEDs respectively in the AM driving method. Due to the large number of driving chips and a limit by pins of the driving chips, voltages of the mini LEDs cannot be adjusted. Against this, the mini LEDs are provided with a constant voltage, which increases reactive power loss.

Method of controlling driving circuit, driving circuit, and light-emitting substrate

Beijing BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd.