In methods for treatment of in ground chromium ore processing residue contamination, ferrous sulfide is provided as a substantially insoluble material in the residue deposit. The ferrous sulfide accordingly may remain substantially in place, in the pores of the soil or residue, even over long periods of time, regardless of underground water movement or diffusion. As a result, the ferrous sulfide may act continuously to chemically reduce and remove contamination. As hexavalent chromium diffuses from the soil or residue, it is reduced by the ferrous sulfide. The ferrous sulfide may be placed into the underground deposit by injecting a ferrous salt solution into the deposit, waiting for a precipitation to elapse, and then injecting a sulfide solution into the deposit.

For much of the twentieth century, chromite ore was processed at various locations in the United States, to manufacture chromium and related materials. Processing the chromite ore created large amounts of chromite ore processing residue (COPR). Millions of tons of COPR were then placed into the ground, often at or near the processing locations. These sites, which are now contaminated with COPR, are in or near densely populated urban and waterfront areas in United States. There are similarly contaminated sites in Europe, Japan, and other countries.
COPR is similar in texture to coarse gravel. It is formed as solid nodules or pellets generally ¼ to ½ inch in diameter, as a waste product from ore processing. These pellets were often used like gravel, as grading and fill material, and also in construction of residential, commercial and industrial buildings. COPR was also used in roadbeds and pipeline trenches. Consequently, some COPR deposits may extend for thousands of feet under dense urban development. In addition, in many of these locations, the COPR is below the ground water table. In some locations, the COPR is mixed with other materials, such as soil, sand, etc.
COPR is a strong alkaline or caustic material. It typically has a pH of about 11-12. COPR typically also contains %1-%30 of hexavalent chromium, having the chemical symbol Cr(VI). Cr(VI) is toxic to humans. It can be absorbed into the body via the skin, mouth or via inhalation. It is known to cause cancer and genetic mutations. Consequently, COPR presents serious environmental and public health hazards.
Cr(VI) is also present in other types of contaminated sites, dissolved in ground water. The Cr(VI) may be the result of releases from metals plating operations, from the application of Cr(IV) corrosion inhibitors, and from landfills or other disposal sites.
At COPR contaminated sites, the chromium is present in the solid particles as well as in the ground water in the pores or spaces between the COPR particles or pellets. Since Cr(VI) is soluble in water, if the pore water is removed, the hexavalent chromium is replaced by a slow diffusion or leaching of additional hexavalent chromium from within the particles. As a result, pump and treat or soil washing is ineffective or at least impractical for treatment of COPR sites.
Cr(VI) in pore water can be converted to trivalent chromium, which has the chemical symbol Cr(III), using remediating chemical compounds. These compounds include soluble ferrous iron salts, such as ferrous sulfate or ferrous chloride, or other similar remediating compounds. Cr(III) is insoluble and relatively non-toxic. Accordingly, if the Cr(VI) could be substantially completely converted to Cr(III), the COPR at many sites could then be safely left in the ground. However, with these chemical remediation methods, the soluble remediating compounds tend to be washed away by ground water movement relatively quickly. Consequently, the conversion process expectedly does not last long enough to clean up the site.
Other in-situ clean up processes use biological reduction of the Cr(VI), with or without use of other remediating materials. In biological clean up techniques, organic materials containing bacteria and nutrients are mixed into the COPR contaminated soil. However, in general, these types of biological reduction techniques require a pH conducive for growth of bacteria, typically about 6.5 to 9.5. Consequently, biological techniques have required adding large amounts of acid into the contaminated site, to lower the pH to a level acceptable for growth of bacteria. The acid causes destruction of the COPR particle structure. This can make future handling of the COPR more difficult. The acid also generates large volumes of carbon dioxide gas. In addition, placing large amounts of acid into the ground can damage structures on or in the ground. The disadvantages of the need for this use of acids has largely prevented effective use of biological remediation techniques on COPR.
In view of these problems, plans for permanent clean up of COPR sites have largely contemplated excavation and removal of the COPR material. This can require demolition, in-fill, and reconstruction of buildings on the contaminated sites. Moreover, the excavated material must still be remediated off site to convert the Cr(IV) to Cr(III), before it can be placed in landfill or other final disposal site. The costs, disruption, and delays associated with excavation and removal of the contaminated material can of course be enormous. Treating sites having dissolved Cr(IV) presents similar problems. Accordingly, improved methods for cleaning up COPR and dissolved Cr(IV) contaminated sites are needed.

Treatment of in ground chromium ore processing residue


An apparatus for angle-based localization of a position on a surface of an object includes an orientation sensor configured to be arranged in a known relationship relative to a position, to be identified, on a surface of an object at at least one measurement time and to capture angle information items in respect of the current orientation thereof at the measurement time, and a programmable device, with a processor and a memory, wherein the memory contains instructions and at least one assignment prescription for the object with the surface, where angle information items are assigned associated positions on the surface of the object, and wherein the instructions cause the programmable device to receive the angle information items captured at the measurement time by the orientation sensor and to establish the position to be identified by an assignment to the captured angle information items on the basis of the assignment prescription.

In the field of mechanical engineering and power plant engineering, many large installations and machines have a complex geometry, for example gas or steam turbines or generators. Inspections, during which faults or damage or sources of anomalies to be monitored, for example, are intended to be localized or are intended to be assigned to a specific component of the installation, are a problem for the inspector if only individual sections of the surface of a component of the installation are accessible to the inspector or, although conspicuous locations are discernible, it is not visually clear, on account of the complex form of the components possibly arranged close to one another, which component of the installation the source belongs to.
In a stator of a turbo generator for example, the individual conductors of the stator winding are arranged around the rotor in the grooves of a magnetic core. These conductors are indeed possibly visible when they emerge from the magnetic core if the rotor is not installed. However, on account of the number of conductors, counting, for example from the uppermost or lowermost point of the stator, in order to determine the correct number of the conductor, is potentially erroneous. In addition, they generally have a bent shape at least in the end region, so-called involute, with the result that it is difficult to assign a source remote from the starting region of the involute and the magnetic core to the correct starting region by tracking the course of the involute. If the rotor is installed, only an inspection from the outside is possible, in which case the view of many regions is possible only to a very restricted extent on account of covers, fastening elements etc.
In turbines as well, for example gas turbines or steam turbines, their complex geometry constitutes a difficulty when localizing sources or when exactly assigning them to components of the turbines. For example, the cross section of a turbine blade is convex, concave or else round, depending on the section considered. In order to exactly identify the affected blade in the multiplicity of turbine blades, the component number must therefore be determined if it is accessible. Alternatively, an attempt can be made to exactly localize the component with the source by measuring distances to known points.
Complicated methods for special applications determine components during operation. DE 10 2009 019 920 A1 thus provides for the axial position of a blade of a rotor to be determined on the basis of its current vibration characteristic in comparison with recorded vibrational deflections. However, blades detected during a visual inspection cannot be assigned in such a way without potentially damaging reactivation of the rotor of the turbine.
In contrast, the localization of a source by measuring distances may be part of a visual inspection, but presupposes very accurate working and can easily lead to incorrect localization or incorrect assignments, as a result of which incorrect components are possibly replaced, which can result in high costs, on the one hand, and in a threat to operational safety, on the other hand, if a faulty component remains in the installation.
In addition, inspectors often document conspicuous locations which have been found with photos, for example in order to use them later in a report. On account of the possibility of incorrectly assigning the source to the affected component, the images are therefore possibly also incorrectly assigned and are compared with other images, which were recorded earlier for example or are intended to show the source from another perspective, but now do not show the same affected component, which can likewise result in errors and inefficient work or inadequate inspection results.

Apparatus and method for angle-based localization of a position on a surface of an object


Homostructured, cation exchanged, layered compositions containing mixed onium and alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, protonated hydronium ions and mixtures thereof are described. Particulate concentrates formed by intercalation of a polymer component into the galleries of the layered inorganic and organic homostructured layered cation exchange composition and to the use of the particulate concentrates for the preparation of cured polymer-inorganic nanolayer hybrid composite compositions are described. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the layered inorganic composition is selected from the family of 2:1 layered silicate clays.

1. Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to a homostructured cation exchanged layered lattice compositions which have the gallery cation exchanged sites co-occupied by mixtures of onium ions and by protons or alkali metal or alkaline earth metal ions. The present invention also relates to particulate compositions formed by providing a polymer polymerizing component in the homostructured layered lattice composition and to the use of the particulate compositions for the preparation of cured polymer-inorganic nanolayer hybrid composite compositions. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the layered lattice inorganic composition is selected from the family of 2:1 layered silicate cation exchangers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Smectite clays are natural or synthetic layered aluminosilicates such as montmorillonite, bentonite, hectorite, fluorohectorite, saponite, beidellite, nontronite, and related analogs. Smectite clays have layered lattice structures in which the tactoids (crystallites) consist of stacked two-dimensional oxyanions separated by layers of hydrated cations. The oxygen atoms define layers approximately 10 .ANG.-thick, containing two sheets of tetrahedral sites and a central sheet of octahedral sites. The 2:1 relation between the tetrahedral and the octahedral sheets in a layer defines 2:1 layered silicates. For a typical 2:1 layered silicate, such as montmorillonite, the layer is made up of a central octahedral sheet, usually occupied by aluminum or magnesium, sandwiched between two sheets of tetrahedral silicon sites. Various isomorphous cation substitutions, e.g., Si.sup.4+ by Al.sup.3+ in the tetrahedral sheet, or Al.sup.3+ by Mg.sup.2+, or Mg.sup.2+ by Li.sup.+ in the octahedral sheet, among others, also result in negatively charged nanolayers. These negatively charged layers are separated by hydrated cations such as alkali or alkaline earth metal ions in the gallery (interlayer) regions between the 2:1 layered silicates. The negative charge on the layer is balanced by interlayer or "gallery" cations, normally Ca.sup.2+ and Na.sup.+. The gallery cations in a natural smectite can be replaced by simple ion exchange process with almost any desired cation, including alkylammonium alkyl phosphonium and other organic cations. Some idealized unit cell compositions and layer charge densities of smectite clays are listed in Table 1.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ Ideal Structural Formulas for some 2:1 Layered Silicates. Layer Charge Density Mineral Name Ideal Formula per O.sub.20 unit __________________________________________________________________________ Hectorite M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.yH.sub.2 O[Al.sub.6.0-x Mg.sub.x ](Si.sub.8.0)O.s ub.20 (OH).sub.4 0.4-1.2 Fluorohectorite M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.yH.sub.2 O[Al.sub.6.0-x Mg.sub.x ](Si.sub.8.0)O.s ub.20 (OH,F).sub.4 0.4-1.2 Montmorillonite M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.yH.sub.2 O[Mg.sub.6.0-x Li.sub.x ](Si.sub.8.0)O.s ub.20 (OH).sub.4 0.6-1.0 Nontronite M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.yH.sub.2 O[Fe.sub.4.0 ](Si.sub.8.0-x Al.sub.x)O.s ub.20 (OH).sub.4 0.6-1.0 Beidellite M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.yH.sub.2 O[Al.sub.4.0 ](Si.sub.8.0-x Al.sub.x)O.s ub.20 (OH).sub.4 0.8-1.0 Saponite M.sub.x/n.sup.n+.yH.sub.2 O[Mg.sub.6.0 ](Si.sub.8.0-x Al.sub.x)O.s ub.20 (OH).sub.4 0.6-1.2 Vermiculite Mg.sub.(x-z)/2.sup.2+ [Mg.sub.6-x Fe.sub.z.sup.III ](Si.sub.8-x Al.sub.x)O.sub.20 (OH).sub.4 1.2-1.4 Muscovite mica K.sub.2 [Al.sub.4.0 ](Si.sub.6.0 Al.sub.2.0)O.sub.20 (OH).sub.4 2.0 Biotite mica K.sub.2 [Al.sub.y Mg.sub.6+(x/2)-(3y-2) ](Si.sub.6.0-x Al.sub.2.0+ x)O.sub.20 (OH).sub.4 2.0 (x < 1, y < 2) Phlogopite mica K.sub.2 [Mg.sub.6.0 ](Si.sub.6.0 Al.sub.2.0)O.sub.20 (OH).sub.4 2.0 __________________________________________________________________________
Included in Table 1 for comparison purpose are the idealized compositions of 2:1 layered silicates, smectite clays, vermiculite, muscovite mica, biotite mica, and phlogopite mica. Vermiculite has a layer charge density higher than a smectite but lower than a mica. Micas usually have layer charge of 2.0. The gallery cations in a vermiculite or a mica can also be replaced by ion exchange, but the exchange processes are generally slower than for smectite clays. Also, vermiculites and micas exist commonly as single crystals that range in size from 10 .mu.m to 10 cm or larger. In contrast, smectite clays have sub-micron particle sizes. The particle size of vermiculite and mica can be reduced to the micron size range by mechanical grinding. Other ion exchangeable 2:1 layered silicate including illite, rectorite and synthetic derivative such as tetrasilicic mica and synthetic mica montmorillonite (SMM).
Those skilled in the art will know that smectites are members of a more universal class of layered inorganic ion exchangers. Many other layered inorganic cation exchanger materials can be selected in place of smectites. These layered materials include crystalline sheet silicate, layered phosphates, arsenates, sulfates, titanates and niobates.
The crystalline sheet silicates include kenyaite: Na.sub.2 Si.sub.20 O.sub.41.10H.sub.2 O; magadite: Na.sub.2 Si.sub.20 O.sub.41.3H.sub.2 O; makatite: Na.sub.2 Si.sub.4 O.sub.9.3H.sub.2 O; kanemite: NaHSi.sub.2 O.sub.5.3H.sub.2 O; revdite: Na.sub.2 Si.sub.2 O.sub.5.5H.sub.2 O; Grumantite: NaHSi.sub.2 O.sub.5.0.9H.sub.2 O; and Ilerite (octosilicate): Na.sub.2 Si.sub.8 O.sub.17.
The layered phosphates, arsenates, titanates and niobates are listed as follows:
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Class Compound general formula ______________________________________ Phosphates H.sub.2 {M.sup.IV (PO.sub.4).sub.2 }.xH.sub.2 O, (M.sup.IV = Zr, Ti, Ge, Sn, Pb) CaPO.sub.4 R.H.sub.2 O (R = CH.sub.3, C.sub.2 H.sub.5), VOPO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O, NbOPO.sub.4.3H.sub.2 O, H{SnCl(OH)PO.sub.4 }.2H.sub.2 O Arsenates H.sub.2 {M.sup.IV (As.sub.4).sub.2 }.xH.sub.2 O, H{MnAsO.sub.4 }.H.sub.2 O (krautite), H{SnCl(OH)AsO.sub.4 }.2H.sub.2 O Titanates Na.sub.2 Ti.sub.3 O.sub.7,K.sub.2 Ti.sub.4 O.sub.9, Na.sub.4 Ti.sub.9 O.sub.20.xH.sub.2 O, K.sub.2 Ln.sub.2 Ti.sub.3 O.sub.10.H.sub.2 O Vanadates KV.sub.3 O.sub.8 Niobates KTINbO.sub.5,CSTi.sub.2 NbO.sub.7, A.sub.3 Ti.sub.5 NbO.sub.14, (A = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, T1), KNb.sub.3 O.sub.8, K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17, ACa.sub.2 Nb.sub.3 O.sub.10, (A = K, Rb, Cs) Molybdates MoO.sub.3 (OH), H.sub.x MoO.sub.3 Uranyl H{UO.sub.2 PO.sub.4 }.4H.sub.2 O, H{UO.sub.2 AsO.sub.4 }.4H.sub. 2 O Compound Manganates Busertite ______________________________________
Most important among the properties of smectite clays is the ability to replace the gallery cations in the pristine clay with almost any desired cations by ion exchange reactions. The exchange cations are very important in determining the ability of the gallery regions to imbibe (intercalate) neutral molecules. Inorganic cations (M.sup.n+) such as (Na.sup.+, Ca.sup.2+ and the like) prefer to be solvated by polar molecules such as water and certain polar organic molecules. Thus, these exchange forms are readily swollen by polar molecules, especially by water. Organic cations (alkylammonium, phosphonium ions and the like) are less hydrophilic, even hydrophobic, and prefer to intercalate organic molecules into the gallery regions. Inorganic cations such as K.sup.+ and Mg.sup.2+ in mica are anhydrous and strongly bound to the intergallery surfaces. Therefore, these silicates are difficult for gallery swelling and ion exchange reaction. However, the exchange of gallery cations in micas can be facilitated by reducing the particle size of the particles, preferably to average values of 2 .mu.m or less.
Clay-organic intercalates are intercalation compounds in which organic molecules enter the clay galleries and form definite compositions with specific clay basal spacings. The organic compounds that have been reported to form clay intercalates include uncharged polar organic compounds and positively charged organic ions, and ion-paired organic salts. These classes of guest species are intercalated by ion exchange, physical adsorption, or other mechanisms. Intercalation of organic polymers in clay minerals has been recognized to occur as natural processes in soils. Polymer adsorption and desorption also occurs under synthetic conditions (Theng, B. K. G. "The Chemistry of Clay-Organic Reactions", John Wiley & Sons, pages 136 to 206 (1974)). Interaction between clays and polymeric species has been discussed as natural or synthetic polymer adsorption and desorption (Theng, B. K. G. "Formation and Properties of Clay-Polymer Complexes", Elsevier pages 63 to 133 (1979)).
Mixed organic/inorganic ion exchanged forms of 2:1 layered silicates can potentially adopt one of several possible structures depending on the distribution of the distinguishable cations in the interlayer galleries. Organo cations, particularly alkylammonium ions such as (CH.sub.3).sub.3 NH.sup.+ and (CH.sub.3).sub.4 N.sup.+ among others, are known to form interstratified structures when mixed with Na.sup.+ ions in the galleries of montmorillonite (Barrer, R. M. and K. Brummer, Trans. Faraday Soc. 59:959-968 (1963); and Theng, B. K. G., et al., Clay Miner. 7:1-17 (1967)). In these interstratified phases the galleries are occupied by "onium-rich" and "sodium-rich" compositions of exchange cations. That is, the organic and inorganic exchange cations are "demixed" or largely segregated into separate galleries. Also, the stacking sequence of "onium-rich" and "sodium-rich" galleries is random in an interstratified mixed ion system. Interstratified onium ion/alkali metal ion smectite clays typically exhibit XRD spacings that increase with the amount of the larger onium ion occupying exchange positions in the galleries.
The segregation of organic onium ions and inorganic cations also has been recently observed for mixed ion exchange form of fluorohectorite containing equal molar amounts of a quaternary phosphonium ion, namely, (C.sub.18 H.sub.37)P(C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.3.sup.+, and an alkali metal ion, namely, Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, or K.sup.+ (Ijdo et al, Advanced Materials 8:79-83 (1996)). In these latter compositions the organic and inorganic ions also are segregated into separate galleries, but unlike interstratified systems the stacking sequence of inorganic and organic galleries regularly alternates. This regular sequencing of galleries gives rise to ordered heterostructures that exhibit several orders of rational 00l reflections.
Yet another common behavior of mixed organic/inorganic exchange cation clays is the segregation of the two types of ions into homoionic tactoids containing long range stacking sequences of galleries that are occupied predominantly by one or the other cation. That is, the replacement of inorganic exchange ions by organic exchange ions occurs sequentially, gallery by adjacent gallery. Thus, if a fraction of the inorganic cations in a sample is replaced by organic ions, then one is left with a mixture of tactoids consisting of two homoionic end-member ion exchanged forms. These phase segregated mixed ion clays typically exhibit XRD powder patterns characteristic of a physical mixture of the homoionic, end-member forms of the parent organic and inorganic cation exchanged clays.
Randomly interstratified, heterostructured (regularly interstratified), and phase segregated mixed organic/inorganic ion clays and related 2:1 layered silicates have limited utility for commercial applications. The distributions of inorganic cations (I) and organic cations (O) in each of these three systems is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, parts A, B, and C, respectively. Because the organic exchange cations in each of these structures are largely segregated from the inorganic cations in separate organic-rich galleries, only those organic-rich galleries will be hydrophobic and suitable for intercalation and swelling by organic reagents and solvents.
It is the hydrophobicity of homoionic organic cation exchanged clays that makes them useful as materials for rheological control agents (e.g., in oil well drilling fluids, cosmetic formulations, and household cleaning products), adsorbents for toxic organic chemicals from water, and as components for organic polymer-layered silicate nanocomposite formation. Consequently, only the organic cation rich galleries of interstratified, heterostructured and phase-segregated mixed ion clays will be useful. The fraction of the clay containing inorganic-cation rich galleries will not participate in the desired intercalation chemistry with organic reagents, solvents and polymers. For this reason, fully exchanged homoionic organo clays, most typically quaternary ammonium ion clays, are used for the said applications.
One way of reducing the amount of expensive organic cations needed for hydrophobic intercalation and swelling is to mix organic and inorganic cations within the same galleries. Such mixed exchange cation forms may be said to be "homostructured" because each gallery in the tactoid would be compositionally equivalent and would exhibit uniform intercalation properties. The gallery distribution of inorganic ions (I) and organic ions (O) in a homostructured mixed ion intercalate is shown schematically in FIG. 1D. Homostructured organic/inorganic ion exchanged clays could in principle be made hydrophilic, hydrophobic, or even amphophilic depending on the relative population of organic or inorganic ions in the gallery. By adjusting the polarity of the galleries one can favor adsorption of guest species based on their intrinsic polarity. Also amphiphilic galleries would allow co-adsorption of both organic and inorganic reagents for possible intragallery reaction. Still further, it should be possible using hydrophobic derivatives to adsorb organic reagents in galleries where the inorganic cation is an element capable of catalyzing reaction of the organic reagent (e.g. a transition metal ion). Despite the anticipated advantages of homostructured mixed ion clays, these structures are rare and very limited in the range of organic ion to inorganic exchange cation ratio. It has been suggested on thermodynamic grounds by Vansant and Uytterhoeven that homogeneous mixing of two exchange cations in every gallery should be possible, but such systems are very difficult to realize in practice. For instance, McBride and Mortland (McBride, M. B., et al., Clay Miner. 10:357 (1975)) observed random interstratification of ions in the replacement of Cu.sup.2+ ions by tetramethyl ammonium ions in montmorillonite. Also, Xu and Boyd (Xu, S., et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. 29:312-320 (1995); and Xu, S., et al., Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 58:1382-1391 (1994)) observed the segregation of (C.sub.16 H.sub.33)N(CH.sub.3).sub.3.sup.+ and Ca.sup.2+ cations in the galleries of vermiculite.
Demixed organic/inorganic ion exchanged forms of 2:1 layered silicates can adopt one of several possible structures that are distinguished on the basis of the distribution of the two types of cations in the interlayer galleries. Barrer and Brummer (Barrer, R. M. and K. Brummer, Trans. Faraday Soc. 59:959-968 (1963)) studied by X-ray diffraction the basal spacings and adsorption properties of a series of mixed CH.sub.3 NH.sub.3.sup.+, Na.sup.+ - and and (CH.sub.3).sub.4 N.sup.+, Na.sup.+ -montmorillonites. The mixed ion compositions were prepared by ion exchange of Na.sup.+ -montmorillonite with aqueous solution of the onium ion salt. They concluded that the compositions were "interstratified" structures. In these interstratified phases, the galleries are occupied by onium-rich and sodium-rich compositions of the exchange cations. That is, the organic and inorganic cations are largely segregated into separate galleries. Also, the stacking sequence of onium-rich and sodium-rich galleries is random. The structure of a randomly interstratified, mixed ion 2:1 layered silicate is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1A.
Theng et al (Theng, B. K. G., et al., Clay Miner 7:1-17 (1967)) also have studied the replacement of Na.sup.+ and Ca.sup.2+ ions in montmorillonite by ion exchange reaction with alkylammonium ions in aqueous solution. They concluded, in agreement with Barrer and Brummer, that the products had interstratified, demixed structures.
Vansant and Uytterhoven (Vansant, E. F., et al., Clays Clay miner 20:47-54 (1972)) studied by thermodynamic methods the partial replacement of Na.sup.+ by (CH.sub.3)NH.sub.3.sup.+, (C.sub.2 H.sub.5)NH.sub.3.sup.+ (C.sub.3 H.sub.7)NH.sub.3.sup.+ and (C.sub.4 H.sub.9)NH.sub.3.sup.+ onium in montmorillonite. They were inclined to interpret their results in terms of homogeneous mixtures of onium ions and Na.sup.+ ions in the galleries (i.e. in terms of a homostructure), but they believed that segregation of the ions into sodium-rich and onium-rich ions occurred upon drying the reaction products.
The homogeneous or uniform mixing of organic and inorganic cations in a smectite clay over an appreciable range of organic to inorganic cation ratios is very rare and limited to one very special reaction system in the known art. Thus, McBride and Mortland (McBride, M. B., et al., Clay Miner. 10:357 (1975)) observed that for the exchange of Cu.sup.2+ ions in montmorillonite by tetrapropylammonium ions, random interstratification of Cu.sup.2+ and tetrapropylammonium ions occurred up to 55% exchange. At 55% exchange, and beyond, the Cu.sup.2+ and tetrapropylammonium ions were distributed as in a homostructured mixed ion clay. This special behavior for homostructure formation, which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1D, was attributed to the special ability of Cu.sup.2+ to reduce the degree of hydration by lowering the number of coordinated water molecules from six to four or less. Other inorganic cations do not show like reduction and stability in coordination number and do not form thermodynamically stable mixed ion clay homostructures.
In their studies of the replacement of alkali metal cations (Na.sup.+) and alkaline earth cations (Ca.sup.2+) in vermiculite by a long chain quaternary of the type used for forming organo clays (hexadecyltrimethylammonium, HDTMA.sup.+) Xu and Boyd (Xu, S., et al., Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58:1382-1391 (1994)) provided examples of "entrapped" mixed ion structures. At Na.sup.+ and Ca.sup.2+ concentrations of 0.005M and 0.001M, respectively, the inorganic cations became difficult to exchange after a certain mole fraction of (.about.0.6) of exchange sites were occupied by HDTMA.sup.+. The inability to displace all of the inorganic cations was attributable to an entrapment phenomenon that limited access to the inorganic exchange sites. Entrapment of the inorganic cation was caused by rapid edge collapse of the galleries around the organic onium ion. Greenland and Quirk, (Greenland, D. J., et al., Clays Clay Minerals 9:484-499 (1962), observed that hexadecylpyridinium entrapped up to 25% of the Na.sup.+ in montmorillonite. Also, McBride and Mortland, (McBride, M. B., et al., Clays Clay Minerals 21:323-329 (1973)), observed that while tetrapropyl ammonium replaced .about.50% of the Ca.sup.2+ from montmorillonite, and only .about.10% of the inorganic ions were replaced from vermiculite. McAtee, (McAtee, J. L., J. C. American Mineralogist 44:1230-1236 (1959)) observed that long chain quaternary ammonium ions displaced most of the Na.sup.+ ions from montmorillonite, but entrapped a large fraction of Ca.sup.2+ at the exchange sites of the same mineral.
Inorganic cation entrapment by organic cations in 2:1 layered silicates can occur by several mechanisms that include a "covering-up" of the inorganic ion by the larger organic cation or a "contraction" of the gallery due to the presence of organic cation. Gallery contraction, however, is not a general mechanism because it requires a small organic cation capable of keying into the layered silicate surfaces to reduce the gallery height. Most onium ions expand the gallery relative to the size of the inorganic cation. Xu and Boyd have pointed out that both the "covering-up" and "gallery contraction" mechanisms are unlikely for onium ion with long alkyl chains. Instead, they favored entrapment. In this mechanism replacement of the alkali metal or alkaline earth cation by the alkyl chains on the onium ions near the edges of the gallery create a hydrophobic barrier that impedes diffusion of the equated inorganic ions from the gallery. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1E, entrapped mixed organic-inorganic cation clays and related 2:1 layered silicates contain both types of ions within a given gallery, but in contrast to the homostructured forms illustrated in FIG. 1D, the ions of entrapped structures are not homogeneously distributed within the galleries and, therefore, are distinct.
Because the organic and inorganic ions are segregated within a gallery, that are entrapped mixed ion structures suffer the same disadvantages that are caused by demixing in phase segregated, interstratified, and heterostructured mixed ion structures. However, as emphasized by Xu and Boyd, entrapped structures are caused by hydrophobic and stearic factors and thus are metastable structures formed in a non-equilibrium exchange process. Phase segregated, interstratified, and heterostructured systems are thermodynamically stable phases formed in equilibrium exchange in an aqueous environment.
On the basis of the current state of the art, the mixing of organic and inorganic exchange cations in smectite clays and related 2:1 layered silicates is limited to compositions in which the fraction of the inorganic exchange cation (alkali metal alkaline earth metal or protons) represents less than 10% of the total cation exchange capacity. Moreover, ion mixing is further limited to onium ions with very short alkyl groups as in the mixed N(CH.sub.3).sub.4.sup.+ /Cu.sup.2+ and N(C.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.4.sup.+ /Cu.sup.2+ systems of McBride and Mortland (McBride, M. B., et al., Clay Miner. 10:357 (1975)). Related work by Lee et al (Lee, J.-F., et al., J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. I, 85:2953-2962 (1989)) postulates on the basis of surface area measurements that a small alkylammonium ion, namely N(CH.sub.3).sub.4.sup.+, will randomly displace Ca.sup.2+ ions on the gallery exchange sites of a smectite clay. But those skilled in the art will know that these homostructured mixed ion clays containing short alkyl groups would not be useful replacements for conventional, homoionic, long chain alkylammonium exchanged forms of smectite clays, because the short chains alkyl onium ions would lack the hydrophobic character needed to cause gallery intercalation and swelling by organic agents.
Among the various applications of organo clays, their use as reinforcing agents, barrier components and rheological control agents for organic polymers is of great commercial value. In general, the polymer-clay composites can be divided into three categories: conventional composites, intercalated nanocomposites, and exfoliated nanocomposites. In a conventional composite, the clay tactoids exist in their original state of aggregated layers with no intercalation of the polymer matrix between the layers of the clay. The polymer contacts the external surfaces of the clay particles (tactoids) exclusively. In an intercalated nanocomposite the insertion of polymer into the clay layer structure occurs in a crystallographically regular fashion, regardless of the clay-to-polymer ratio. An intercalated nanocomposite normally is interlayered by only a few molecular layers of polymer and the properties of the composite typically resemble those of the ceramic host (Kato, C., et al., Clays Clay Miner. 27 129 (1979); Sugahara, Y., et al., J. Ceram. Soc. Jpn. 100 413 (1992); Vaia, R. A., et al., Chem. Mater. 5 1694 (1993); and Messersmith, P. B., et al., Chem. Mater. 5 1064 (1993)). See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,259 to Goodman. In contrast, in an exfoliated nanocomposite, the individual 10-.ANG.-thick clay layers are separated in a continuous polymer matrix by average distances that depend on loading. Usually, the clay content of an exfoliated clay composite is much lower than that of an intercalated nanocomposite. Consequently, an exfoliated nanocomposite has a monolithic structure with properties related primarily to those of the starting polymer.
The exfoliation of smectite clays in a polymer matrix provides 10 .ANG.-thick silicate layers with high inplane plane bond strength and aspect ratios comparable to those found for fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The clays used for nanocomposite formation are ion-exchanged forms of smectite clays in which the Na.sup.+ and/or Ca.sup.2+ gallery cations of the pristine mineral have been replaced by organic onium ions. The onium ions may be protonated primary amines (RNH.sub.3.sup.+), secondary amines (R.sub.2 NH.sub.2.sup.+), or they may be tertiary amines (R.sub.3 NH.sup.+) or quaternary ammonium ions (R.sub.4 N).sup.+. The alkyl groups attached to nitrogen may be the same or different, and the alkyl groups may be replaced in part by a benzyl group (--CH.sub.2 --C.sub.6 H.sub.5), a phenyl group (--C.sub.6 H.sub.5) or by benzyl and phenyl groups. The alkyl groups may also be functionalized, as protonated .alpha., .epsilon.-amino acid with the general formula (H.sub.3 N--(CH.sub.2) .sub.n -COOH).sup.+. Phosphonium ions may be used in place of ammonium ions for the formation of clay polymer nanocomposites.
Exfoliated clay nanocomposites formed between organocation exchanged montmorillonites and thermoplastic nylon-6 have recently been described (Fukushima, Y., et al., J. Inclusion Phenom. 5 473 (1987); Fukushima, Y., et al., Clay Miner. 23 27 (1988); and Usuki, A., et al., J. Mater. Res. 8 1179 (1993); and WO 93/04117 and 93/04118 describing thermoplastic polymers). Clay exfoliation in the nylon-6 matrix gave rise to greatly improved mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties, making possible new materials applications of this polymer (Usuki, A., et al., J. Mater. Res. 8 1179 (1993); and Kojima, Y., et al., J. Mater. Res. 8 1185 (1993)). Recently clay-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites have been reported (Lan, T. and Pinnavaia, T. J., Chem. Mater. 6 2216 (1994)) by using alkylammonium exchanged smectite clays in a flexible epoxy matrix. Lan, T. and T. J. Pinnavaia, Proceedings of ACS PMSE 71:527 (1994), Avelch et al, Clay Minerals 29: 169-178 (1994) and Messersmith et al, Chem. Mater. 1719-1725 (1994)); U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,734 to Kawasuir describe various polymer exfoliated clays. PCT WO 95/14733 and PCT 96/08526 describe polymer exfoliated clays. The reinforcement of the exfoliated 10-.ANG.-thick clay layers was very significant. For instance, 15 wt % of the CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.17 NH.sub.3.sup.+ -montmorillonite in the epoxy matrix increased the tensile strength 10 times and modulus 8 times. The significant reinforcing benefit provided by the silicate was especially significant for a flexible matrix. U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,885 to Usuki et al shows thermoplastic vinyl polymer composites containing clay.
For all the polymer-clay nanocomposites reported to date, alkylammonium onium ions, or .alpha., .omega.-amino acid ions were exchanged into the clay galleries prior to nanocomposite formation, in part, to make the galleries more hydrophobic and better suited for interaction of polymer precursors. These organoclays allow intercalation (access) of monomer species (e.g., E-caprolactam, epoxy resin and curing agent) into the clay gallery (Usuki, A., et al., J. Mater. Res. 8 1179 (1993), Lan, T. and Pinnavaia, T. J., Chem. Mater. 6 2216 (1994)). Upon polymerization reaction, the monomers form a network in the clay gallery regions and a polymer-clay nanocomposite is formed. By controlling the intra- and extragallery polymerization rate of the monomers, exfoliated and intercalated nanocomposites can be prepared.
Alkylammonium exchanged clays also have been used to form polymer-clay compositions by direct polymer melt intercalation (Vaia et al. Chem. Mater., 7 154, (1995)). The process involves heating a polymer-silicate mixture either statically or under shear in an extruder above the softening temperature of the polymer.
In the previous art, the presence of long chain alkyl onium ions in the clay galleries in place of essentially all of the alkali metal cations was essential for allowing the monomer or the pre-formed polymer to migrate into the clay gallery. However, the alkylammonium ions in the gallery can block potentially favorable van der Waals interactions of the polymer matrix with the clay gallery surfaces. Also, the high cost of the alkylammonium ions and complex processing procedures limit the applications of the composites. Furthermore, the alkylammonium ions are toxic and require special handling procedures. Thus reducing the need for alkylammonium exchange cations in forming polymer-inorganic nanolayer composites would be a great practical and economical benefit.
Another problem restricting the use and performance properties of polymer-inorganic nanolayer hybrid composites is the difficulty in forming the composites with the inorganic nanolayers in the preferred exfoliated state. The prior art teaches two general ways of achieving inorganic nanolayer exfoliation in a polymer matrix. One approach is to form the polymer from monomeric polymer precursors or mixtures of polymer precursors in the presence of a layered inorganic ion exchanger interlayered by organic onium ions. However, in many cases the polymerization rate for polymer formation is much slower in the interlayer gallery region of the layered inorganic phase than in the bulk polymer. Consequently, intercalated rather than exfoliated hybrid nanocomposites are formed. Also, this "in situ" polymerization strategy lacks manufacturing versatility in the production of parts with hybrid nanocomposite compositions, because the nanocomposites can only be produced in batches of fixed polymer to inorganic nanolayer ratio.
The second approach to nanocomposite formation mixes a pre-formed thermoplastic polymer with the layered inorganic ion exchanger, typically modified with alkylammonium exchange ions. Melt processing the mixture under applied shear in an extruder can lead to nanocomposite formation under suitable circumstances. But melt processing is limited to thermoplastics with melting temperatures below the decomposition temperature of the onium exchange cation.
Organic-inorganic hybrid composites can exhibit mechanical properties superior to those of their separate components. To optimize the performance properties of these materials, it is usually desirable to disperse the inorganic components in the organic matrix on a nanometer length scale (Giannelis, E. P. JOM 44 28 (1992); Gleiter, H. Adv. Mater. 4 474 (1992); and Novak, B. M., Adv. Mater. 5 422 (1993)). Smectite clays and other layered inorganic materials that can be broken down into nanoscale building blocks (Pinnavaia, T. J. Science 220 365 (1983)) are useful for the preparation of organic-inorganic nanocomposites.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,370 to Bash et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,725 to Stevens et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,726 to Becker et al and Canadian Patent No. 1,004,859 to Nelson show various compositions incorporating epoxy resins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,469 to Beall et al also describes polymer exfoliated clays. There are numerous uses for these polymer matrices; however, there is a need to improve the properties of these polymers.
In view of the above limitations of the prior art, more versatile processing compositions and processing methods applicable to both thermoset and thermoplastic polymers are needed in order to more efficiently manufacture a broader range of polymer-inorganic nanolayer hybrid composite compositions.

Homostructured mixed organic and inorganic cation exchanged tapered compositions

Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University


Disclosed is a portable terminal capable of enhancing compatibility with a hearing aid. The portable terminal comprises a terminal case having a sound hole thereon; a receiver installed inside the sound hole; and a reflection unit disposed between the terminal case and the receiver, for reflecting an electromagnetic wave radiated from an interior or a surface of the terminal case so as to minimize leakage of the electromagnetic wave to outside of the terminal case.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a portable terminal capable of enhancing a Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) rating by providing a shielding unit that prevents an electromagnetic wave occurring from an antenna from propagating to a measuring region for the HAC rating.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, a portable terminal is a device that can be carried around and has one or more functions such as to perform voice and video call communications, inputting and outputting information, storing data, and the like.
As such functions become more diversified, the portable terminal can support more complicated functions such as capturing images or video, reproducing music or video files, playing games, receiving broadcast signals, and the like. By comprehensively and collectively implementing such functions, the portable terminal may be embodied in the form of a multimedia player or device.
Various attempts have been made to implement complicated functions in such a multimedia device by means of hardware or software. For instance, a user interface environment is provided in a portable terminal to enable a user to easily and conveniently search for or select a desired function among available functions.
While the portable terminal transmits or receives wireless signals, an electromagnetic wave may occur. Since the electromagnetic wave may be harmful to a human's body or other electronic components, a structure to shield the electromagnetic wave is required.
Furthermore, the electromagnetic wave occurring from the portable terminal may badly influence on a device such as a hearing aid. To solve this problem, there have been provided technical methods to enhance a Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) rating of a portable terminal when a hearing aid approaches to a receiver that outputs call sound of the portable terminal.


A semiconductor apparatus includes a test voltage application unit, a first pad and a second pad. The test voltage application unit is configured to apply a test voltage to first and second TSVs in response to a test mode signal. The first pad is configured to output a first test signal outputted from the first TSV. And the second pad is configured to output a second test signal outputted from the second TSV.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a semiconductor apparatus, and more particularly, to a three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor apparatus including a plurality of chips stacked therein.
2. Related Art
In order to increase the integration degree of a semiconductor apparatus, a 3D semiconductor apparatus including a plurality of chips stacked and packaged in a single package has been developed. Recently, a through-silicon via (TSV) method has been used, in which a plurality of stacked chips are electrically connected through TSVs.
The 3D semiconductor apparatus includes a plurality of TSVs through which the plurality of stacked chips commonly receives various signals. For example, in the case of a memory apparatus, a plurality of stacked chips commonly receive an address signal, signals for various tests, and input/output line and command signals through the TSVs.
The TSV may have various defects. For example, when the TSV is not completely filled with a conductive material, a void may occur. Furthermore, when a chip is bent or a bump material is moved, a bump contact fail may occur. Furthermore, a crack may occur in the TSV. As described above, the TSV electrically connects a plurality of chips. Therefore, when a defect occurs to open the TSV, the TSV does not perform a normal function. Therefore, a test process of accurately detecting a TSV in which a defect occurred and a repair process of replacing the TSV which has the defect with a normal TSV is required.

Semiconductor apparatus and test method thereof


[Problem to be Solved]

In recent years, various biosensors have been researched and developed, and used in the fields of medical treatment, drug development, clinical examination, and the like. Biosensors recognize outside information (for example, a chemical factor) as some physical signal utilizing the excellent molecular identification power that an organism has, and various principles and objects to be measured are used. More specifically, a biosensor is a type of chemical sensor using a chemical substance as an object to be measured, and is composed of a molecular identification element that recognizes only a substance to be measured, and a signal conversion element that converts information that the substance to be measured is recognized into a physical signal such as an electrical signal. Generally, for molecular identification elements, biomolecules such as enzymes, antibodies, DNA, cells, and microorganisms, and compounds that capture biomolecules are used, and therefore these sensors are referred to as biosensors.
As signal conversion elements, usual electronic equipment and chemical sensors such as electrodes, thermistors, crystal oscillators, surface plasmon resonance, and semiconductor elements are used, but recently, research on biosensors using Field Effect Transistors (FETs) has become active. In a biosensor using a FET, when the molecular identification element recognizes a chemical substance that is an object to be measured, a physical change in heat, mass, charge, or the like, or a chemical change such as the decomposition of the target substance or the production of a substance occurs, and this change is converted into an electrical signal by the FET that is a signal conversion element to measure the target substance. The features of a biosensor using a FET are that (1) a charge inherent in an ion or a molecule can be electrically detected, (2) no effort or time before measurement is required, (3) real time measurement is possible, (4) electrical measurement in an unlabeled and noninvasive manner is possible, (5) miniaturization and integration are possible by a semiconductor micromachining technique, and so on.
So far, high sensitivity biosensors have been proposed in which a slight amount of a body fluid sample noninvasively taken can be used, and even when a slight amount of a sample is used, or the concentration of a substance to be measured in a sample is low, the target substance can be measured with high precision (for example, Patent Literature 1).

High-sensitivity biosensor and method for producing the same

Abstract: [Problem to be Solved]

Abstract: A biosensor having high detection sensitivity and detection specificity is provided.

Abstract: [Solution]

Abstract: There is provided a biosensor comprising: an identification substance capable of binding to a substance to be detected; and an electrode charged with a charge of the identification substance, and detecting a change in a charge density of the electrode caused by binding of the substance to be detected to the identification substance, wherein a polymer layer in which a molecular template having a structure complementary to a molecular structure of the substance to be detected is formed is formed on all or part of a surface of the electrode, the identification substance is contained in the polymer layer, and the polymer layer is an ultrathin film layer.


In order to be acceptable for safety critical applications, it is necessary for an electrical machine to allow continued operation despite an electrical short circuit in one of the operational phases of that electrical machine. It will be appreciated that an electrical short circuit creates excessive electrical current through the short circuit with significant heating and other detrimental effects. However, the electrical machine can operate with one operational phase disabled. In such circumstances, the present invention incorporates means for determining an electrical short circuit has occurred and then injects an electrical current approximately equal to or greater than the rated electrical current. In such circumstances, the operational phase or coil 4, 24, 34 is effectively protected despite the electrical short circuit and hence the electrical machine can continue to operate.

Permanent magnet electrical machines whether used as motors or generators are relied upon in safety critical situations. Thus, the electrical machine must continue to operate despite shorted turns or coils in the armature winding of the machine. Typically, these permanent magnet electrical machines have modular windings in which there is physical and electromagnetic separation of coils wound around alternate armature teeth. It is this separation of the armature coils which leads to the term modular winding. For truly fault tolerant electrical machines, there is a general requirement for an armature reactance of around 1.0 per unit and so this requires a suitable modular power converter, e.g. H-bridge converter unit for each phase.
With a fault tolerant permanent magnet machine, it will be understood that the machine can continue to operate or tolerate an open circuit or short circuit of one phase whilst the remaining phases can continue at or near normal rated power. In such circumstances, the electrical machine can continue to function until it is possible to repair or replace it.
In addition to short circuit failures at electrical machine terminals, it is also desirable that permanent magnet machines with modular windings are tolerant to short circuits in individual turns. However, in order to be so tolerant, it has been suggested in the prior art that the turn-to-turn fault is recognised immediately using an appropriate intelligent monitoring system such that when recognised, the entire affected phase is short circuited. If recognition and short circuiting is not so performed, then the electrical current in the shorted turns will be excessively high and could jeopardise the entire winding immediately or compromise its reliability for future performance. In short, the shorted turns or the winding are isolated to protect the whole machine's ongoing operational integrity. Nevertheless, where there are few turns per winding coil, it will be appreciated that it may be difficult to use normal approaches to shorted turn protection in a fault tolerant electrical machine.


An illumination device includes a light reflector; a base member disposed below the light reflector, having an upper surface provided a light emitting unit for emitting a direct light beam that extends directly to an exterior of the reflector and an indirect light beam that extends to the exterior of the reflector only after being reflected from the reflector; an optical lens disposed within the reflector in such a manner so as to be located above, spaced apart from the light emitting unit at a predetermined distance and lied within a traveling path of the direct light beam such that the direct light beam is adapted to pass through the optical lens; and a lens seat mounted securely on the reflector, having a lower surface that faces the base member and that is formed with a plurality of light incident sections located adjacent to one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an illumination device, and more particularly to an illumination device which utilizes an appropriate optical lens, a light emitting unit and a light reflector in such a manner to collect all of the light beams within a predetermined range, thereby providing the maximum illumination effect.
2. The Prior Arts
One problem encountered presently when designing the application of a light emitting diode (LED) device is how to arrange the components in order to achieve extra illumination from the secondary light beam. The optical lens implemented in a conventional illumination device generally provides an illumination range, which is insufficient in brightness so as to cause blur vision on the illuminated spot. Insufficiency of brightness may result in discomfort to a viewing person and finally leads to visual fatigue. The manufacturers of LED devices have noted the presently existing problem and are searching urgently a way to develop an LED device that is capable of providing comfortable visual effect to a viewer in addition to providing the maximum illumination effect.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional LED device, which includes a light reflector 1a, an LED module 2a disposed at the bottom of the reflector 1a, and a slab lens 3a disposed above the reflector 1a. It is noted that the slab lens 3a protects the LED module 2a from being damaged and does not provide a secondary light beam, all of the light beams is emitted from the LED module 2a in a single way and the light beams are not reflected from the reflector 1a.
As best shown in FIG. 1, when the emitting light angle from the LED module 2a is at 140°, only the light beams from 20°˜48.59° and 131.4°˜160° are reflected from the reflector 1a. Note that only the above-mentioned light beams within the above-stated degrees are controllable. The remaining light beams are out of bound of the reflection range and hence the reflector 1a fails to collect all the light beams into a predetermined range, thereby providing insufficient illumination effect.
FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional LED device, which includes a secondary optical lens unit 4a disposed above an LED module 2a. The middle of the secondary optical lens unit 4a is in the form of a convex lens 41a, which has two outwardly curved sides serve as reflection structure for emitting a small emitting angle owing to the refraction performance of the convex lens 41a. In other words, the convex lens 41a is capable of converting the initial small emitting angle of the LED module 2a c into a smaller emitting angle owing to the refraction (or the secondary optical effect), thereby collecting the light beams at the middle portion. Note that the light beams at two sides of the LED module 2a are not enhanced by the refraction performance or the secondary optical effect but rather scatter away from the middle, thus the target spot may suffer non-uniform illumination density.
The non-uniform illumination density may result in discomfort to a viewing person and finally leads to visual fatigue. Therefore, a critical problem to be solved urgently is how to improve the collection of all the scattered emitted light beams into a predetermined range so as to provide the maximum illumination with uniform density.

Illumination device for providing the maximum illumination effect


A spa comprised of a fluid enclosure having a floor and an upstanding sidewall includes a therapy station within the enclosure. The therapy station includes an upright seat to accommodate a single person and includes a plurality of fluid jets in the footwell and sidewall of the enclosure at various targeted hydrotherapy locations. Pressurized water is provided to the hydrotherapy locations by a pair of fluid pumps. Each jet at the hydrotherapy locations is provided with a variable flow controller adapted to control the water flow out of the jet. Each hydrotherapy location is also provided with a variable flow controller adapted to control the flow of air into the jet. Each hydrotherapy location is also provided with a directional flow controller. Each jet discharges water flow at one horsepower or more to provide intense hydrotherapy selectably directed to multiple portions of the body simultaneously or individually.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hydrotherapy systems and devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hydrotherapy spa designed for a single person. The spa preferably has a comparatively smaller profile than conventional spas and includes a seat within a tub enclosure. The hydrotherapy spa has a plurality of water/air jets that are fed from a very high horse-power system of one or more centrifugal pumps. The spa also includes a system for individually controlling the jets, including the number of jets, the air water mixture and the horsepower of the water fed to each jet for targeted hydrotherapy. The spa combines the advantages of hot water therapy with muscle and joint manipulation for an intense massaging and kneading effect.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For centuries man has known of the healing powers of warm water. Before the modern portable spa, people have enjoyed the relief of pain and tension offered by natural hot springs. Today, bathing appliances in the nature of spas or hot tubs have become commercially successful. Today's spa technology can offer specific therapeutic benefits known as hydrotherapy to improve physical and mental well being.
For example, painful or inflamed joints from arthritis can cause muscles to tense in an effort to protect them. Warm water and hydrotherapy help relax the muscles and allow greater range of motion in the joints. Pain is often reduced, even after leaving the spa. Also, when exercising, microscopic-tears in the muscle and lactic acid build up. The warm massaging action of a spa will accelerate the healing process, and allows the lactic acid to be carried away from the muscles. Furthermore, when submerged in water the body is about 1/10 its normal weight. Buoyancy is a key element of relaxation and stress relief. It helps overcome the effects of gravity and relieves stress on the joints. Additionally, warm swirling water reduces stress and allows people to rest and get a better nights sleep. Experts recommend that people who suffer from sleeplessness soak in a spa at 100 to 104 degrees F. for 15 minutes before bedtime.
Most important in hydrotherapy is pain relief. The release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers for the body is stimulated by warm water. When the body is in warm water, blood vessels near the skin relax, allowing more blood to flow, bringing endorphins and nutrients to damaged cells. Treating the neck with hydrotherapy is useful for vertigo, mild depression, hypersensitivity to weather changes, tenseness in shoulder and neck, headaches and migraines. Hydrotherapy for the chest is useful for angina pectoris, bronchial asthma and bronchitis. Water therapy for the upper trunk (upper torso and arms) is useful for improving blood flow to the heart, lungs and pleura. It is useful for stimulating respiratory and cardiac activity, toning up, varicose veins, nervous excitability, headaches, disease of larynx and vocal cords, bronchial asthma and bronchitis. This method of hydrotherapy should not be used if there is blood stasis in the pulmonary circulation. Using hydrotherapy on the arms is useful for cold hands, catarrh in the nose and throat, headaches, vertigo, heart problems, rheumatism of the arms, neuralgia, paralysis and nervous disorders. Treating the hips with hydrotherapy is useful ailments affecting the abdomen, reproductive system, inflammations, pelvic congestion, cramps, hemorrhoids, kidney pain and intestinal pain. It is also useful for treatment of enlargement of the gall bladder and stone formation, enlargement of the liver, and diabetes mellitus. It should not be used for sciatica, irritable bladder, urinary tract infections or during menstruation. Hydrotherapy for the thighs can help improve poor circulation and stimulate blood flow. It is useful in the treatment of arthritis, paralysis, muscular rheumatism and varicose veins. Water therapy for the thighs should also not be used for sciatica, irritable bladder, urinary tract infections or during menstruation. Treating the toes (i.e., reflexology), feet and legs with hydrotherapy is useful for headaches and migraines, varicose veins, contusions, sleeplessness and low blood pressure. This type of water therapy can help ward off vascular damage and influence the digestive and reproductive organs. Like the hips and thighs, hydrotherapy for the toes, feet and legs should not be used for sciatica, irritable bladder, urinary tract infections or during menstruation.
Typical bathing appliances in the nature of spas or hot tubs spas are constructed as a molded shell to form a water containment or fluid enclosure having a footwell or floor and an upstanding sidewall. Molded within the enclosure are a plurality of therapy stations which may include seats or platforms for reclining. The shell is typically constructed of fiberglass, plastic or a similar material, or a composite of such materials. One or more pumps are usually placed under the shell to draw water from the enclosure and discharge it, usually with air, into the enclosure through a plurality of nozzles or jets of various types. The jets are usually mounted through the shell in either or both of the floor and sidewall. Typically, jets mounted through the sidewall are located below the water line of the spa, and in any event, the jets are designed to provide a comforting or therapeutic effect to a person occupying a therapy station. Water lines or piping are provided between the various jets, pumps and water inlet ports, and are usually comprised of polyvinylchloride ("PVC") piping and flexible tubing. Various filters, heaters, cleaning units and diverter valves may also be provided in the typical spa.
Conventional hot tubs or spas generally have three or four main therapy stations or seats, typically a lounge seat and a pair of corner seats, or four corner seats. They may also have one or more side stations or seats. All of these stations are usually provided with a number of jets through which warm water is forced to provide the hydrotherapy effects. These spas circulate and pump the water through the jets using one or two pumps, which are typically located on one side of the spa for convenient access. Consequently, the system requires piping of significant length, diameter and complexity, and usually a number of diverter valves. Because of the significant lengths of piping between the pumps and the jets, significant frictional losses are encountered. In order to compensate for these frictional losses, conventional spas are usually provided with large pumps and motors. The typical spa of conventional design will have-one or two pumps of 4–6 HP, each of which has an output capacity at the pump of 230 gallons/minute. When one or more of these pumps of a conventional spa is operated, water is forced through jets at more than one station or seat, even if only one seat is occupied. This provides approximately 2–3 HP or 100 gallons per minute per station in the typical 4-seat tub, and only 8–16 gallons per minute per jet or approximately 0.2–0.3 HP per jet.
In recognition of some of these problems, spas have been developed that employ unitary hydrotherapy jet and pump assemblies, in which a pump is provided for each jet. Such assemblies are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,987 of Jaworski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,168 to Mersmann and U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,954 to Idland. Such assemblies are typically limited to spas having several jets at a plurality of therapy stations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,073 to Eddington describes a system for adjusting the distribution of water flow between two supply pumps and the various therapy stations of a spa. A water supply line that is in fluid communication with all the jets is also connected to the pump outlets of the two pumps. Diverter valves are placed in the. supply line on opposite sides of each therapy station or at other locations between the therapy stations. By setting one of the diverter valves to the "closed" position, the flow will be blocked between one therapy station and the adjacent one. This will serve to divide the jets between the two pumps, so that one or more therapy stations are supplied by one pump and the remainder by the other pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,414 to May et al discloses a therapeutic spa having a number of jets at multiple therapy stations and having a separate control system for each therapy station. Each hydrotherapy assembly includes a separate fluid pump and a variable flow controller, which controller is adapted to control the flow of fluid from the discharge port of the pump through the jets into the enclosure.
Although the Eddington system represents an improvement over the typical conventional system described above, it still requires piping of significant length, diameter and complexity, which leads to significant frictional losses. Such a system would still require large pumps and motors in order to compensate for these frictional losses.
Consequently, most spa systems require piping of significant length, diameter and complexity, and usually a number of diverter valves. Because of the significant lengths of piping between the pumps and the jets, significant frictional losses are encountered. In order to compensate for these frictional losses, conventional spas are usually provided with large pumps and motors. Furthermore, a typical spa of conventional design will have two 6 HP pumps which provide minimal horsepower and gallons per minute to the various therapy stations and jets.
Thus, the prior art devices identified above suffer a host of disadvantages. None of the devices above provide for a hydrotherapy device that provides significant power to a single hydrotherapy station. Furthermore, none of the above devices provides a single hydrotherapy station that provides significant power to a jet or group of jets to provide targeted hydrotherapy to part of the body in need of more attention. The above mentioned devices, even where therapy can be targeted to a single station or a single group of jets, still provide only a small amount of horsepower and gallons per minute to these controlled jets.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful targeted hydrotherapy spa.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that has a small footprint compared to prior art hydrotherapy systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that is lightweight and compact compared to prior art hydrotherapy systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that is adapted to serve a single person seated upright in the spa.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that is adapted to provide very high horsepower and flow at a plurality of jets to a single person in the spa.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that is adapted to provide control of the flow rate to each of the jets in the spa.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that is adapted to provide control of the air induction into the water at each jet in the spa.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a targeted hydrotherapy spa that is adapted to provide a high amount of flow and horsepower, in excess of one horsepower, to each jet in the spa.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, may be more fully understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Spa system for targeted personal hydrotherapy


Systems and methods for the activation of species and/or the delivery of species to a target environment using harmonic generation materials are generally described.

The ability to deliver compositions to targeted environments and/or to selectively activate compositions within specific spatial regions is important in a variety of fields. For example, targeted drug delivery strategies can be employed to deliver pharmaceutical compositions to a subject in a manner that increases the concentration of the pharmaceutical composition in some parts of the body relative to others, which can allow one to prolong drug interaction with specific diseased tissues. The ability to deliver pharmaceutical compositions to specific tissues can reduce dosage frequency, reduce unwanted side-effects caused by interactions of the pharmaceutical with non-targeted tissues, and reduce the fluctuation in the amount of the pharmaceutical composition circulating in the blood stream. Similar strategies can be employed in imaging applications, where it might be desirable to produce images of certain targeted locations.
Many targeted activation and/or release mechanisms are triggered using ultraviolet or higher-frequency electromagnetic radiation. Often, such electromagnetic radiation is transported through tissue to trigger activation and/or release. High-frequency electromagnetic radiation can cause unwanted side-effects, including tissue damage. For example, high-frequency electromagnetic radiation can cause photothermal damage, in which tissues are heated by absorbed electromagnetic radiation, which can in turn cause denaturation of proteins, loss of molecular tertiary structure, and fluidization of membranes. Electromagnetic radiation can also cause photochemical injury, for example, by generating free radicals. High-energy electromagnetic radiation can cause photomechanical damage, applying compressive or tensile forces to tissues.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to limit the extent to which high-frequency electromagnetic radiation interacts with the tissue of a subject in targeted release and/or activation systems.

Harmonic generation for activation of species and/or delivery of species to a target environment


An aiming sight includes a controller, a power supply, an LED array, and a collimator. The power supply powers the LEDs to turn-on and turn-off, and powers the collimator to rotate. The collimator rotates to different rotational positions while the controller, the power supply, and the LED array remain fixed in place. The LEDs are positioned such that one LED and the collimator are at a constant angle and separated by a constant focal distance for each collimator position. The controller controls the collimator to rotate to a collimator position to generate an aiming dot at an angular position corresponding to the collimator position. The controller turns-on the LED which is at the constant angle and separated from the collimator by the constant focal distance and turns-off the remaining LEDs such that the collimator collimates light from the turned-on LED into the aiming dot at the angular position corresponding to the collimator position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to aiming sights for use with firearms and, more particularly, to an aiming sight having a fixed light emitting diode (LED) array and a rotatable collimator which function together to change angular position of an aiming dot such that the aiming dot has parallax-free performance over a relatively large elevation angle adjustment range.
2. Background Art
Certain firearms launch relatively low-velocity projectiles such as grenades, air burst ammunition, and non-lethal rubber bullets. Low-velocity projectile firearms require aiming sights having a wide elevation angle adjustment range because the amount of projectile drop increases significantly with distance from the firearms to targets. Traditionally, aiming sights used with such firearms have been leaf sights. A leaf sight is an iron sight with a tall front sight. Leaf sights are limited to providing coarse aiming.
Low-velocity projectile firearms are becoming more accurate and consistent. Compact laser range finders are now available to provide precise data on target range. As such, a complete and precise fire control system for a firearm is required to take advantage of firearm accurateness and the available precise target range data.
A fire control system for a firearm generally includes a laser range finder (with a tilt sensor), a ballistic computer, and an aiming sight. The laser range finder with its tilt sensor determines the effective target range. The effective target range takes into account the elevation or depression angle of the target relative to the weapon. The ballistic computer uses the computed effective target range to determine the proper elevation angle for the firearm to engage the target. The aim point of the sight is then moved down by the same angle. By putting the aim point on the target, the firearm is tilted up to the proper elevation angle. The elevation angle adjustment of the aiming dot has to be accomplished quickly so that the target can be engaged soon after the target range has been determined.
For weapons that launch low-velocity projectiles, the elevation angle adjustment range required of the aiming sight may be as large as 30°. The field of view of an aiming sight having a magnified scope is relatively very small. As such, to cover the elevation angle adjustment range the entire magnified aiming sight is usually rotated in order to aim the aiming dot at the target.
The field of view of an aiming sight having a 1× magnification such as a reflex or red-dot sight is larger. However, the collimator optics of a 1× sight maintains proper collimation and hence parallax-free performance of an aiming dot only over a small angular range (typically within 1°). Outside of this small angular range, off-axis aberration of the reflective collimator will introduce significant parallax aiming error. As such, once again, to cover the elevation angle adjustment range the entire 1× aiming sight has to be rotated in order to aim the aiming dot at the target.
Rotating an aiming sight in its entirety is typically done mechanically using a small motor. The rotation of an entire aiming sight is relatively slow because of the amount of mass to be rotated which could include control electronics and batteries. Moreover, an exposed external aiming sight rotation mechanism is prone to jamming by dust and mud and is prone to environmental conditions such as salt fog.

Aiming sight having fixed light emitting diode (LED) array and rotatable collimator


An improved system and method for providing emergency lighting and directional exit indication in the event of power outage and/or smoke/fire events. The system provides a lighted pathway consisting of discrete points of light, some of which strobe or trace toward the exits and others of which burn steadily for general area emergency lighting. The method consists of detecting the emergency condition and illuminating the appropriate emergency lighting.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of emergency lighting systems. More particularly, the present invention consists of an emergency lighting system and method for lighting and indicating escape paths in emergencies and/or for providing emergency lighting in a power outage situation.
2. Background of the Invention
A safe escape route from a home or building is critical in emergencies such as fire/smoke emergencies and power outages. In order to exit safely, a person must be aware of the safe escape route and must also be able to see well enough to maneuver through the escape route. In commercial buildings, traditional "EXIT" signs are used to point the way to safety in emergency situations. These signs, however, are generally located near the ceiling, and may become obscured by the presence of smoke in a smoke/fire emergency. Also, these signs generally provide no indication as to whether or not the escape path through the exit is actually safe for use as an escape path.
Lighting strip systems have been available for several years along the aisles of airplanes to mark an emergency egress route, and have more recently been proposed for use to light predetermined escape routes in buildings and homes. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,909. This system improved over lighted "EXIT" signs because it provided a light source that is physically closer to the individuals seeking safety and because they are located on or close to the floor, where smoke is unlikely to obscure their glow. This system did not, however, include emergency detection capability or a power supply source. Additionally, this system was designed to be installed in the floor, either embedded in the floor covering or installed at the junction of the floor and the walls, a design that might not lend itself to cost-effective retrofitting.
Sophisticated emergency lighting systems have been developed to overcome some of the shortcomings of discrete lighted "EXIT" signs and simple strip lighting. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,545. This system provides a programmable processor which evaluates input data from a plurality of detectors of smoke, heat, CO2, and other gases, determines the safe emergency routes, and illuminates emergency lighting and egress information, including text messages, through transparent floor material. This prior art provides all of the information that a person needs to exit a building safely in case of fire, but its applicability to the general populace is likely limited by its sophistication and its price. This prior art includes a central processing unit, sophisticated circuitry, and custom software. It also requires custom flooring material. This prior art also does not provide simple emergency lighting in a power outage, that can be provided at a low cost.
It would be desirable to provide a simple and economical emergency lighting system which is capable of pointing the way toward a safe escape exit during a fire and also provides emergency lighting during power outages, and one that can be retrofit onto existing structures at little cost.


A motor control device for an AC motor driven by a power converter with a maximum output frequency more than 500 Hz has a digital arithmetic unit which performs current-feed back control of the AC motor up to a maximum output frequency of the power converter, and outputs an AC voltage command to the power converter. The digital arithmetic unit includes a voltage control signal calculating unit for calculating a vector sum of the d-axis current deviation from a first subtracting unit and the q-axis current deviation from a second subtracting unit based on the d-axis and q-axis phases from a phase calculating unit as well as for calculating a d-axis voltage control signal and a q-axis voltage control signal according to the calculated vector sum, and performs current integration control for the d-axis and q-axis using the calculated vector sum as an input value. The AC voltage command is calculated based on the d-axis voltage control signal and the q-axis voltage control signals.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for motor control in an electric vehicle in which a current feedback control for an alternating current (AC) motor is performed by using a digital arithmetic unit.
In conventional motor control equipment, the maximum output frequency of a power converter is in the neighborhood of 400 MHz. When current feedback control for an AC motor is performed at this frequency by using digital arithmetic means such as a microcomputer, etc., the primary current which flows in an AC motor and the rotational phase of the motor are detected first. Then a d-axis current, which controls the magnetic flux of the AC motor by the primary current and the rotational phase, and a q-axis current orthogonal to the d-axis current, are detected.
Feedback control is performed so that the detected d-axis and q-axis currents can match up to the respective commands, and thereby a d-axis voltage command and a q-axis voltage command are obtained. In such feedback control, PI (Proportional Integral) control is generally carried out independently in the d-axis and the q-axis, so that the deviation between the current command values of the d-axis and the q-axis and the detected values can be equal to zero.
An example of motor control equipment in which a current feedback control for an AC motor is performed is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-1917 (1991). In this example, in consideration of the component of the voltage generated by the inductance of the load in an electric current control system for the AC motor, the deviation between the command value and the measured value of the d-axis current is applied to the q-axis voltage supplied to the power converter, and the deviation between the command value and the measured value of the q-axis current is applied to the d-axis voltage supplied to the power converter. In this manner, it is possible to achieve stable control, without interaction between the d-axis and the q-axis.
Further, an example of the phase correction for the digital control system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.6-335277(1994). In this example, the motor control equipment comprises a rotation compensating means for adding the angle of rotation which delays according to the sampling time, another rotation compensating means for adding the angle of rotation which delays according to the sampling hold time, and a further rotation compensating means for adding the angle of rotation which delays according to the data read-in delay time. Thereby, it becomes possible to eliminate the delay of the angle of rotation due to the sampling.
However, the above-mentioned examples have the following problem.
The AC control equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-1917 is effective to maintain the stability when the angular frequency of the AC motor increases up to one tenth of the sampling frequency of the arithmetic unit, and thus the sampling error of the phase detection of the AC motor has an effect on the current control system. However, because the angular frequency is directly multiplied by the deviation of the q-axis and that of the d-axis when the deviation of the q-axis current is applied to the d-axis voltage and that of the d-axis current is applied to the q-axis voltage, the gain of the integration may be changed. As a result, there is a concern that the current control system does not have the response as designed. Accordingly, it is impossible to increase the angular frequency of the AC motor, for example, to more than 400 Hz.
In the AC control equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-335277, the delay of the phase detection is compensated. Therefore, it is effective to maintain the stability when the sampling error of the phase detection of the AC motor has an effect on the current control system. However, when the AC motor is miniaturized and the output frequency of the power converter is increased so that the maximum output frequency of the power converter reaches approximately one tenth of the sampling frequency of the digital arithmetic unit (for example, more than 500 Hz), the impact of the detection error of the rotational phase on the control system cannot be neglected. As a result, in the normal PI control performed independently in the respective axes, the interference component between the d-axis and the q-axis is no longer compensated, and the stability of the control system deteriorates. Further, it becomes impossible to perform current feedback control. Even if it is possible to maintain the stability of the control system, there are concerns that the accuracy of detection of the d-axis current and the q-axis current deteriorates, or the resolution of the speed detector decreases and thus the d-axis current and the q-axis current include a ripple current. Such a ripple current causes pulsation in rotation of the AC motor. Therefore, for example, in the AC motor for an electric vehicle, the running performance and/or the riding comfort may decrease.
Therefore, as in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-1917, it is also impossible to increase the angular frequency in the motor control equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-335277.

Motor control device for high frequency AC driven motor


A method of manufacturing a photo interrupter includes forming a frame including a first frame part and a second frame part which are disposed at an interval to be facing each other, mounting at least one light-emitting element on a first board and attaching the first board to the first frame part of the frame, mounting a light-receiving element on a second board and attaching the second board to the second frame part of the frame, the light-receiving element being mounted on the second board to be facing the light-emitting element so that the light-receiving element receives light emitted from the light-emitting element, and providing a positioning member on the frame by integrally forming the positioning member with the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a photo interrupter to detect presence and absence or passing of an object with non-contact and a photo interrupter manufactured by the method of manufacturing.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that a photo interrupter is used in the field of information equipment, for example, in in-vehicle air conditioner panel operating switches, navigation control units, DVD recorders, digital cameras, printers, PC peripheral instruments or the like and can reliably detect a position or presence and absence or the like of an object with non contact by receiving light from a light-emitting element by a light-receiving element.
In recent years, a microminiature photo interrupter is widely used accompanying the further miniaturization of and thinning of information equipment; in addition, such a compact photo interrupter is often surface-mounted on a motherboard of the information equipment or the like. In a surface-mount type photo interrupter, accuracy of detecting a position of an object is directly influenced by variation in a position of mounting the photo interrupter on the motherboard. Accordingly, it is necessary to position the photo interrupter on the motherboard accurately.
A conventional photo interrupter includes a board on which a light-emitting element is mounted, a board on which a light-receiving element is mounted, a generally U-character-shaped frame having element frames on which the boards are mounted and configured to form a light path from the light-emitting element to the light-receiving element, and a positioning member formed to project from a lower surface of the frame, the positioning member being inserted into a hole provided in a motherboard or the like to position the interrupter on the motherboard (for reference, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-12892, page 3 of the specification, FIG. 1).
On the other hand, there is known a method of manufacturing a plurality of photo interrupters at the same time by use of a collecting board on which a plurality of light-emitting elements are mounted, a collecting board on which a plurality of light-receiving elements are mounted, and a frame assembly in which a plurality of U-character-shaped frames are connected, forming a photo interrupter assembly by adhering the collecting board on which the plurality of light-emitting elements are mounted and the collecting board on which the plurality of light-receiving elements are mounted, to upper and lower surfaces of the frame assembly, respectively, and dividing the formed photo interrupter assembly by dicing into an individual photo interrupter (for reference, see Japanese Patent No. 3640456, pages 3 to 4 of the specification, FIG. 2).
However, in the conventional photo interrupter as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-12892, despite the accomplishment of a high accuracy in positioning of the photo interrupter on the motherboard by the positioning member provided on the frame, because the positioning member is formed separately from the frame, an extra process is required to make a plurality of positioning members and a troublesome operation is required to mount very small positioning members on the frame one by one. Consequently, increased manufacturing cost due to increased manufacturing processes or the like is unavoidable.
Furthermore, in the conventional manufacturing method for the photo interrupter as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3640456, because a mounting surface of the photo interrupter, to be placed on a motherboard, is a surface cut by dicing, it is not possible to provide a positioning pin or the like on the cut surface. Therefore, there is a problem that variation in a position of attaching the photo interrupter to the motherboard occurs, resulting in a photo interrupter of low accuracy.

Method of manufacturing photo interrupter including a positioning member with at least one positioning pin integrally provided with a connecting part, and photo interrupter manufactured thereby


In a network printing apparatus, a job receiving unit receives a print request, and a name/name-identifier acquiring unit acquires the name of a print request issuer, a protocol, and a name identifier for identifying the request issuer from the print request received by the job receiving unit. A name-identifier judging unit refers to an access control table, and judges whether or not the name identifier obtained from the print request is coincident with that in the access control table. A name determining unit refers to the same table, and judges whether or not the name obtained from the print request is coincident with that in the table. If the name identifiers are coincident with each other and the names are also coincident with each other, a right determining unit determines the right necessary for carrying out the print request process for the print request issuer, on the basis of a kind of access in the entry associated with the name of the print request issuer in the access control table, and allows the request issuer to access the network printing apparatus by its right. When a group identifier is registered in the access control table, the name determining unit judges whether or not the request issuer belongs to the group in a specified manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network printing apparatus and, more particularly to a network printing apparatus for processing print requests transmitted according to a plurality of protocols.
2. Description of the Related Art
For an access control system in a conventional network printing apparatus, the network printing apparatus discriminates a specific user or host computer, and an access system is limited every user or host computer.
An example of the network printing apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 7-104955. In the publication, information for discriminating host computers is registered in advance in the printing apparatus. The apparatus compares the output information received thereby with the registered discriminating information to judge whether or not the host computer is registered. The apparatus processes or casts the received output information on the basis of the result of the judgement. That is, the access control is carried out in this way.
A remote printing system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 6-349436. In the printing system, information for identifying users is registered in advance in a table. When an issuer of a print request received is contained in the table, the print request is processed.
However, those conventional techniques are adaptable for only a case where a print request issued according to a specific protocol is processed, and can not be applied to a system which processes print requests issued according to different protocols.

Network printing apparatus for multiple protocols